I Think This is Love

25: Moving On

GABBY

Francis and I head toward the car, leaving Kevin behind with an unreadable expression. He seems hesitant, furrowing his brow as if lost in thought. Why isn't he joining us? Won't he even say goodbye?

"Thanks for coming," Francis says, drawing my attention. "I know it was last minute. Didn't mean to put you on the spot there."

"Thank you for having me," I reply. "The food was excellent. I'm still so full."

"Happy to hear it," he grins, pausing for a moment as he slips his hands into his shorts' pockets. "Gabby, I have a question."

"Yes?"

"Do you have someone you like?"

I almost trip over my own feet, warmth rushing to my cheeks. What's he getting at?

"Um, I don't," I mumble. Not anymore. "W-Why are you asking?"

"Just curious." He opens the car door. "Are you and Kevin just friends, then?"

I produce a laugh that probably sounds like a strangled chicken. "Ha, ha, ha! Um, yeah. We're friends."

"I see. What do you think of him?"

I am more puzzled than ever. His questions seem loaded, like he knows something I don't. Strangely, they give me a sense of being cared for—like he's trying to look out for Kevin. And me. Why do I feel included?

But, if I've got this figured out, Francis should seriously be qualified for sainthood. Kevin is a lot. They don't argue, but Kevin has this passive-aggressive streak when it comes to him.

Ahhh. I wish I could just get them to sit down and talk things through. But guys don't seem to handle things that way. Movies suggest they prefer to fight it out instead, and Kuya Stephen once told me that they just keep everything in until it fades. I'm not sure that's the best approach, but who am I to argue?

I tend to bottle up my feelings, too.

"He's... a good guy. Childish, at times, but he's a good guy."

Francis returns my response with that small, affectionate smile I used to cherish, but it doesn't affect me the way it once did.

I can't dilly-dally and prolong this thought—I'm over Francis.

I still like him as a person, but it's not the same.

We exchange farewells, and I get inside the car. I gaze out the window, observing people walking along the street and trees gently swaying in the cool night breeze.

This is all so bizarre. I thought that agreeing to 'join forces' with Kevin would lead me straight to Francis, into his arms. The effect has been just the opposite. I'm utterly lost. Where do I go from here?

The beep of my phone grabs my attention, and I check the message, trying to suppress a grin so intensely that my cheekbones hurt.

Take care.

Those simple words send my stomach into a happy dance. I type my reply quickly and wait, confident that he'd answer.

Yet, there's no immediate reply from Kevin. I arrive home, exchange pleasantries with my grandmother, and have a conversation with Kuya. No message. I take a shower, and still, nothing.

I sit on the wooden floor, pulling my knees to my chest, and stare at my phone.

What on earth is happening to me? Seriously, Gabby? Francis and Kevin are cousins, but they're complete opposites—like night and day. I had a crush on Francis because of his kindness. How he rescued me.