Flickers

Chapter 9

If I burst out into laughter, it's you
If I slump down, it's you
If I'm holding something back, it's you
If there is a ringing, it's you

- Heart, IU

Constant.

We're constantly talking, religiously typing out words that would either make me burst into laughter or send me into a spring of butterflies endlessly wreaking havoc on my stomach.

We clicked, it was instant and it was fast. I didn't have the time to fully see him in person after Christmas break appears but chatting with him through my phone was a constant reminder that even though we were apart, he still thinks of me.

"So, how are you and Eric?" I heard faith say, she was excited for the development of my and eric's relationship.

"We're good, he's nice and um... he was really sweet" I whisper the last words, we were in my room and I don't want for my brothers to barge in and interrogate us about who this Eric is.

My brothers, especially Jhonrie who's the youngest of them, were the most strictest brother of all. They didn't even want me to go out sometimes and that's also the reason for our fights, I have to take permission from them so I could go out with my friends or go to a group meeting with my classmates or group mates.

Jhonrie, was as stubborn as a mule, he didn't take on mom's plan for him to continue college and went on his way to fish. He stayed on one of his pals kubo and that continued for two weeks before mom gave up her plans.

(AN:  The Bahay kubo, or nipa hut, is a type of stilt house indigenous to the cultures of the Philippines, often known as an icon of becoming one or bayanihan)

I understood where my mom was going but also knew the disadvantages of letting my fourth brother go to college. We would need money to get him in and money for our daily expenses, I too wished for him to school but he didn't want to go. He wasn't willing to continue and also the money part is obstructing us.

"Hey, what's next? You've been staring in the air for a long time. Are you thinking of him?" I heard Alyssa's teasing voice and shushed her, afraid of being heard by any of my family members.

"I'm not!" I hissed at them as they laughed at me, thinking I was too shy to say that kind of thing.

"Anyway, if he hurts you then we'll kick him in his ass"

"You're brutal faith" but I smiled at her words, it was warm to see her wanting to defend me from heartache.

Honestly, I still don't know if we could be together or if we would reach that stage of becoming a couple. There are so many things in my mind that I often remind myself to breathe, but if we became a couple, I'm not sure how I could maintain a balance in between.

"Ange, what's your feeling for him?" I heard Irish asked and I contemplated for a minute, that was a difficult question to answer.

He makes me laugh, he was the first person to ever like me in a romantic sense. He was kind and sweet, his smile was intoxicating along with his cute dimples. Most of all, he pours me so much attention and affection that I sometimes ask if I gave him enough.

He was both confusing and relatable.

"He... I kind of like him" I closed my ears after hearing them shriek with their high-pitched voices.

We laughed when my mother asked us what happened to make us shriek but we just told her we were watching a drama.

The last thing I know, we were rolling on my bed as we talked about the most handsome kpop male idol this year. Of course, I voted for my bias, Suho from Exo.

***
Chapter 9 is up!

Fun fact: Yes, suho was her bias. Mines, well not really a bias but whom I like out of the members, it's sehun.

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