It all started on their second year anniversary party.
He was just there, sitting on one of the club's benches. On his right hand, a drink, while his left stayed dangling on the counter top.
He was talking inanimately to their youngest bandmate, who in turn, is sneakily pouring out his own bottle of beer towards Ford.
João laughed at this at first, because hey, it was a really funny scene.
But when Niel tried to lessen his own liquor once again by transferring it to Ford's, he snapped.
"Madaya 'tong si Niel," his other bandmate, Tristan, pointed this out before he could. "Konti lang iinumin tapos isasalin kay Ford."
He felt the same way as well, so he tried to butt in.
"Tinatanggap naman ni Ford eh," he accused, his face contorting in disgust. "Ikaw kanina ka pa umiinom," he grimly added.
To João's defense, he just doesn't want Ford to complain about his damn hangover the next day. I mean, they are bunked together, aren't they?
Ford smiled at him warmly in return. "Hindi ah. Isang bottle of beer pa lang naman 'to."
"Isang bottle ka diyan! Eh sinasalinan nga ni bunso," João felt proud when he saw Ford's exterior deplete at the exposure.
"Hayaan mo na si Ford, bro. Minsan lang 'yan mag walwal."
He heard Tristan rescue the accused bandmate. He turned to look at him and was curious about the way his eyes twinkle.
João decided that Tristan has something in his mind that he's not telling him. It was beginning to worry him. Was it because of something that he just said? He was just being concerned, wasn't he? Are they possibly thinking that there's something there besides friendship?
No. That's not possible. Surely, he loves Ford.
But, no. Not in that way. They're really close, he'll give them that.
Just like how Russell and Niel are. They are pretty clingy as well, right? So, what's the difference?
Russell, who just got back from the bar, plopped beside him. Where was this guy?
João's entirely not sure. Apart from the drink on his hand, there are far many variations of food on his other.
Seriously, how does he burn the calories? João just shook his head on this.
"Tara," the Chicago-raised boy tugged on his hand. "Let's dance."
João was confused. A dance invitation? From Russell himself?
Everyone was acting weirdly. Is he the only one who doesn't know anything?
"Bakt?" He heard himself asking.
"Wala lang naman," Russell noncommittally replied. He stood up, gave João one last look as if to tell him 'come on, bro', and silently made his way to the dance floor.
He noticed the other boys side-eyeing each other when they all saw Russell dancing awkwardly in a sea of people.
Oh well. Who wouldn't?
Not wanting to keep Russell waiting, he abandoned any pretense to sulk and finally caught up with him. Maybe, it would help him get his mind off of worrying too much.
"Seryoso ka bang okay ka lang?" He said a little bit louder. João was swaying from left to right, and he finally realized that 'hey! This wasn't so bad after all!'
"Don't mind me, I'm fine," his bandmate managed to grin. "Just want to have a little fun with you!"
He seriously was getting weirder and weirder.
João even had to stop swaying midway just to observe Russell's inability to dance properly.
They were joined in by their friends not moments later when João was in the middle of teaching Russell some 'cool dance steps to swoon the girls' (as Russell quoted.)
"So, sa ganitong club, try mo mag body roll because the girls, right?" he bobbed his eyebrows at Russell, whose face was in pure utter confusion.
"Uhm, okay."
João was having fun. Not only because all of them are celebrating tonight, but also because they are complete and grateful that they were given a chance like this.
(Not to mention Russell's poor imitation of a body roll.)
They all laughed.
"Hindi ganiyan," He told Russell, who's still in the middle of trying a correct body roll.
Tristan hollered. "Ipakita mo kasi, João."
He shrugged, not really bothered by showing off, and started to roll his body from top to bottom.
He's blaming the beer for this confidence.
While doing the dance move however, something caught his eye for three seconds straight.
So, okay. He had a question a while ago that he now has an answer to.
The difference between them and Russell and Niel?
Niel never looked at Russell with dark eyes and bitten lips.
Ford did.
