FAKING IT (JhoBea)

Confirmed

J H O

"Jho, are you listening?" Bea tapped my head with a pencil.

We're here at her house and she was helping me study for my Statistics exam. Napaka-nerd kasi nitong best friend ko, kahit wala pa siyang Stat 1 alam niya na agad yung topic.

"Break muna tayo, please?" I pleaded.

She sighed. "Fine." I triumphantly plopped down the bed, throwing my pencil and handouts away.

"Hoy, 10 minutes lang ha." She warned me. Then she lied down with me and our faces were only inches apart. Her eyes were twinkling and they were piercing through mine; slowly I feel myself getting lost in her gaze. Parang tumigil yung ikot ng mundo and her eyes were the only thing that mattered.

She was about to say something when my phone rang.

And just like that, it seemed like we were snapped back to reality.

"Uh, I need to take this." I said, getting up from the bed.

"I-I'm gonna go pee." She awkwardly stood up and left the room.

Sinagot ko na lang yung tawag kahit di ko nakita yung caller kasi sobrang weird nung nangyari.

"Hello?" Medyo hindi pa rin ako nakakarecover.

"Jho? Are you okay?" Said the voice on the other line.

Inalis ko muna sa tenga ko yung phone para makita kung sino yung tumawag.

Shit. Si Marci pala.

"Uhm, I'm fine!" I answered. "Ba't napatawag ka?"

"Wala lang, I just miss your voice." He answered sweetly.

Kahit medyo boring 'to si Marci, mej kinikilig pa rin ako sa kanya.

"Kita naman tayo bukas. May exam ako next week and I need inspiration." He continued.

"Andito ako kina Bea eh. Sa susunod na araw pa siguro ako makakauwi." I said apologetically.

"Oh." He seemed so put down. "Can you stay up with me na lang? Kailangan ko pa mag review and I must stay awake."

"Okay. Skype na lang tayo mamaya." I glanced around, hoping Bea didn't hear what I said. Ang weird. Bakit ko naman tinatago yung ganitong bagay kay Bea?

"I'll wait for you." He promised.

Pumasok na ulit si Bea sa loob ng room, clutching her phone.

"Okay. I gotta go. Bye!" I hung up.

"What's wrong?" I said. Nakakunot yung noo ni Bea while still on her phone.

"Nothing." She dismissed. "Aral na ulit."

"Ano nga." I pressed on. In the back of my mind, parang naisip ko na baka narinig niya yung conversation namin ni Marci.

"Yung classmate ko kasi, nag text sa akin." She started. "Baka hindi daw piliin yung project ko para sa exhibit ng prof ko."

"Bakit naman?" I asked. Alam kong pinaghirapan ni Bea yung project na yun, kaya pala malungkot siya.

"May isa din daw kasing gusto na project yung prof ko." She replied.

"Ha? Kala ko ba ikaw na yung napili?" Ano ba yang prof ni Bea, magulo isip.

"Hindi. Bago daw kasi yun saka mas bagay sa field of study niya kaya gusto rin ng colleagues ni ma'am na yun na lang yung piliing i-feature." She explained.

"Hindi iyan. Ikaw pipiliin niyan." I said. She looked at me.

"Bakit naman?" Hindi ko maintindihan yung expression ng mukha niya pero mas lalong hindi ko maintindihan yung sagot ko.