The Engineer (Batchelor Series #2)

23

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the school grounds, and Drakon found himself sitting alone on the bleachers near the gym. His thoughts were a storm, swirling with uncertainty. It had been days since the kiss, and every moment since then felt like walking through fog.

He had avoided Renz—pati na rin mga kaibigan niya—since that night. Feel ko nga nagtatampo na sila, Kaizer, Aquarius, Fei at ibang committee. Even his usual routine in the student council had become something he merely went through on autopilot.

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his hands clasped tightly together. The cool breeze brushed against his face, but it did little to calm the unease that had settled deep in his chest.

Am I gay? The question had been repeating in his mind, like a broken record he couldn’t turn off. He had never thought about it before. Bakit ngayon lang? He had dated girls in the past—casual, nothing serious, but he never felt this…this confusion before.

Drakon closed his eyes, replaying the kiss again. It had been so sudden, so impulsive. He hadn’t planned it, hadn’t even thought about it until it happened. But the feeling was undeniable—his heart had raced, his skin had burned where Renz’s lips touched his. It was unlike anything he had felt before.

But why Renz? Out of all people, siya pa? Burgis yon eh.

“Damn it,” he muttered under his breath, running a hand through his hair in frustration.

“Bakit ko ba ginawa ‘yun?” The words escaped him in a whisper, as if saying them out loud would somehow provide an answer. But there was no answer, only more confusion.

He had tried to push it aside, to pretend that it didn’t mean anything. But every time he saw Renz in the hallways, his chest tightened. He would quickly look away, hoping Renz wouldn’t notice. But how could he not notice? Drakon had been avoiding him like the plague.

Hindi naman ako ganito dati. He frowned, his thoughts wandering back to his interactions with Renz before all of this. They were fine. He didn’t care about the teasing, or the way Renz always seemed to flirt with him.

It was just Renz being Renz. But now, every look, every word from Renz carried a weight he couldn’t ignore.

"Bading ka ba, Drakon?" he asked himself out loud, his voice barely a whisper. He hated how lost he felt, like he was trying to solve a puzzle without all the pieces.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, pulling him out of his thoughts. He didn’t even need to check to know who it was. Renz had been trying to reach out, sending messages with his usual playful tone, asking why Drakon was suddenly so distant. But Drakon couldn’t face him. Not yet. Not when he didn’t even know what to say.

He sighed and stood up, pacing back and forth on the empty bleachers. The more he thought about it, the more conflicted he became. Was it just the kiss? Or was it something deeper, something he had been ignoring for a long time?

"Nahulog ka na ba sa kanya?" The thought hit him hard, and Drakon froze. No way. He shook his head, almost as if denying it would make it untrue. But the question lingered in the back of his mind, taunting him.

He knew he had to face it eventually, but every time he tried, fear gripped him. What if he was gay? What if this changed everything? He had worked so hard to maintain a certain image—student council president, top of his class, the guy everyone could rely on. But this—this wasn’t something he knew how to handle.

The sound of footsteps approaching made Drakon tense. He glanced up, half expecting to see Renz walking toward him, but it was just a random student passing by. He exhaled in relief, though the tension in his chest didn’t ease.

He needed space. He needed time to figure this out. And right now, distance was the only thing that felt safe.

"Drakon!" A voice suddenly called from a distance. Drakon tensed again, this time recognizing the voice. It was Renz. He cursed under his breath and quickly grabbed his things, ready to leave.

But Renz was fast, already jogging toward him with that infuriating smile on his face. “Bro, tagal na kitang hindi nakikita ah! Where’ve you been?”

Drakon forced a smile, though it felt stiff and unnatural. "Busy lang," he muttered, avoiding Renz's eyes.

"Busy? O iniiwasan mo ako?" Renz asked, his tone playful but with a hint of seriousness beneath it.

Drakon swallowed hard, his throat dry. He could feel Renz’s gaze on him, searching for answers, but Drakon didn’t have any to give. He quickly shifted his bag over his shoulder, making a move to leave.

“Gotta go,” he muttered, brushing past Renz. But before he could get far, Renz grabbed his arm, stopping him in his tracks.

“Wait, ano ba talaga, Drakon? Did I do something?” Renz’s voice was softer now, more concerned.

Drakon’s heart pounded in his chest, his mind racing for an excuse, but all he could feel was the warmth of Renz’s hand on his arm. The same warmth he felt during that kiss. His throat tightened, panic rising.

"I... I need space," Drakon blurted out, pulling his arm free. "I need to figure things out."

Renz’s brows furrowed in confusion, but he didn’t push. “Okay, man. Just... let me know when you're ready to talk.”

Drakon nodded stiffly and quickly walked away, his chest heavy with a mix of guilt and relief.

He needed time. But more than that, he needed to figure out who he was.