The Architecture (Batchelor Series #1)

16

Manuel slouched in the passenger seat, absently scrolling through Baltazar’s playlist, eyes narrowing at the unfamiliar songs. He switched to something more his vibe—Paparazzi by Lady Gaga. He tapped his foot to the beat, a small smirk tugging at his lips.

"Lady Gaga, huh?" Baltazar's voice cut through the hum of the engine, teasing. "Paparazzi? Really?"

Manuel threw him a side-eye, not missing a beat. "Anong problema dun? Fan ako, okay? Gender doesn’t dictate taste in music. Di ko naman kailangan i-prove ang pagka-lalaki ko sa'yo." His voice was sharp, but his lips twitched in amusement.

Baltazar chuckled, eyes still on the road. "Chill, man. I was just surprised, yun lang."

Silence settled over them for a moment, the kind of silence that felt oddly intimate after what had happened between them. Manuel fidgeted, his mind flashing back to their heated encounter earlier, his heart racing again at the thought. Damn, if anyone knew what had gone down in Baltazar's car, he’d never hear the end of it.

The car rolled to a stop outside the mall, and Baltazar parked with an ease that mirrored his composure—steady, unbothered. Manuel, on the other hand, was trying to rein in his spiraling thoughts. He took a deep breath and stepped out, scanning the bustling crowd as if it could ground him.

"Let’s go," Baltazar said, leading the way inside the mall.

Inside, it was noisy, the usual Saturday chaos. Manuel tried to focus, walking next to Baltazar as they weaved through the throngs of people. They were here to buy stuff for their Life Science project, pero di maalis ni Manuel sa isip yung nangyari kanina sa kotse. His heart was still pounding.

They headed straight for National Bookstore. Baltazar, ever the composed one, chatted away about the project, tossing around ideas as if nothing had happened. Manuel tried to keep up, nodding at the right moments, pero sa totoo lang, halos di nya na masundan. He wasn’t used to this. The easy camaraderie, the banter, the lingering tension na parang alam lang nilang dalawa.

"So, what do we need first?" Baltazar asked, standing in front of the shelves, one hand resting on a microscope like it was no big deal.

Manuel pulled out his phone, checking the pinned message from their class president. "Specimen bottles, chlorine, zonrox… gloves, masks…" he read out, frowning at the list. "Bro, parang sobrang dami nito ah. Makakaya ba ng two thousand pesos ko?"

Baltazar grinned, eyes flicking to Manuel’s. "We’ll make it work. And besides, we need the best. Hindi pwede yung bare minimum."

"Bare minimum?" Manuel snorted, shaking his head. "Eh di kaya ang budget ko sa 'best' na yan, pre. Maawa ka naman sa baon ko."

"Don’t worry, I got this," Baltazar replied smoothly, like spending money wasn’t even a concern.

They continued down the aisles, picking up what they needed. Manuel couldn’t help but sneak glances at Baltazar, wondering how the guy always managed to seem so in control. It was infuriating.

After grabbing everything on the list, they hit the food court. Baltazar, ever the generous one, offered to pay for lunch, and Manuel didn’t argue. "Salamat, pre. Next time, bayad ko na tong pwet ko," Manuel teased, elbowing him lightly.

Baltazar shot him a look, his face serious despite the twinkle of mischief in his eyes. "You joke too much, Manuel. If you’re gonna say it, you better mean it."

Manuel laughed, but his chest tightened. Bakit parang ang bigat ng simpleng joke? There was an underlying tension, a current he couldn’t quite shake. "Grabe ka pre, kaya nga biro lang diba? Tsaka hindi mo na kailangan mag-alala sa social status ko. Scholar na ako, remember?"

The conversation lulled as they ate, the weight of what wasn’t being said hanging between them. It wasn’t uncomfortable, though—just charged, like the air before a storm.

By the time they were done, the mall was busier than ever. As they passed the bulletin board on their way out, a notice caught Manuel’s eye. "Class rankings posted," it read. His heart leapt into his throat. This was it. The moment of truth. He exchanged a look with Baltazar, who smirked at him. Both of them knew what this meant.

They pushed through the crowd gathered around the board, scanning the list. Manuel’s eyes zeroed in on the top spot—his name, written in bold. "Manuel Da Vinci, Rank 1, 99.125." Alongside with Baltazar Andrius, Rank 2,  99.105.

He blinked, staring at the number like it might change if he looked long enough. Then, reality hit him like a truck. "Tangina, ako ang top!" His voice was loud, filled with disbelief and excitement. He felt like his chest might burst.

Beside him, Baltazar was grinning from ear to ear. "Congrats, pre. You earned it."

Manuel turned to him, the teasing back and forth from earlier gone. This was real. This was what they had both worked for. "Salamat, Baltazar. Pero konti lang yung lamang ko sa'yo ah. Ikaw pa rin ang pinakamagaling sa ibang bagay."

Baltazar’s grin turned sly, his eyes glinting with that familiar teasing light. "Maybe. But remember, just because you’re on top academically doesn’t mean you’re on top everywhere."

Manuel laughed, shaking his head. "Eto nanaman tayo, pre. Di ka talaga tumitigil, noh?"

As they walked out of the mall together, the tension between them had shifted again. It wasn’t the same kind of tension from earlier in the car, but something more grounded. Manuel wasn’t sure what this was between them, but for now, he was content to let it unfold at its own pace.

On the ride home, Baltazar seemed unusually quiet, his usual confidence replaced with something more thoughtful. Manuel glanced at him, his curiosity piqued. "Oy, bakit parang ang tahimik mo? May iniisip ka ba?"

Baltazar didn’t answer right away, his eyes focused on the road. "I was just thinking about earlier… us."

Manuel’s heart skipped a beat. "Anong about sa atin?"

Baltazar’s grip on the steering wheel tightened, and he finally glanced at Manuel. "Just… what we are. Or what we could be."

Manuel didn’t answer right away. He wasn’t ready to define whatever this was either. But something told him that, for once, he didn’t have to rush. Whatever it was between them—academic rivalry, friendship, something more—it would figure itself out in time.