Unexpectedly Fond

1

DARREN.

9 p.m.

As usual, hindi nanaman nakapunta si Ace sa condo ko.

Three hours have passed and I still haven't received any message from Ace nor any signs that he's still coming to my place.

The last thing I saw was his instagram story an hour ago. He's still in his studio, probably working on something. Maybe a new single or an album, I don't really know.

I honestly wouldn't mind if he can't make it to my place but the thing is, he didn't even tell me anything.

Isang sabi lang naman ni Ace, nagiging okay na ang lahat.

I heard the doorbell ring, and my face immediately lit up. I was so excited to open the door that I almost tripped over and fell on the floor, only if my sofa wasn't there to catch me.

I had a wide smile plastered on my face when I opened the door but it immediately disappeared when I saw who was standing outside.

His face looks familiar. Nakita ko na 'tong lalaking 'to eh.

I didn't know why but my blood started to boil at the sight of this man.

Who the heck is he???

Wait. Could it be—

"Hi, dos. Long time no see." he said with a smug expression on his face.

----

DARREN.

I scoffed upon hearing that nickname.

This guy infront of me is none other than Haze Justin De Dios, my high school rival.

He used to call me "dos" because I was always Rank 2 in class and he's always Rank 1. To be honest, I never really treated education as a competition—with him—or with anyone, for that matter. I just always tried to do my best and I was okay with being second in ranking.

However, this guy really started getting on my nerves when he treated me as his "rival" and kept on teasing me about how I was always "number 2" while he stays at the top.

Napakayabang. 'Di ko naman inaano.

And I just started to hate every single thing about him ever since.

" 'Sup? Bakit ka na'ndito?" I asked.

He lifted the paper bag that he was holding a bit higher, making me finally notice it. There's a box of cake inside.

"Ace Suson asked me to send this to you. Sabi niya sa relative niya raw galing 'to pero hindi naman ako tanga to not understand na siya mismo ang nagpapabigay nito para sa'yo." One of my eyebrows quirked up after hearing his statement.

"Happy anniversary daw, he said." Haze added.

I nodded. Siraulo ka talaga, Ace.

"Bakit hindi mo nalang pina-deliver? Nakakahiya naman sa'yo." I said, genuinely curious as to why he was the one who brought it to me.

Yet, he scoffed. Tss, bastos.

"Don't get the wrong idea. I had a meeting around the area kaya naisipan kong ako nalang ang magdala nitong cake dun sa address na binigay ni Ace. I didn't want to pay for delivery fee and I didn't know that the receiver would be you..... dos."

"Will you stop addressing me by that horrendous nickname?"

"Why? Still feel degraded by it?"

This time, I scoffed. "I never felt degraded by it, Haze. I just feel like it's such a childish thing to treat someone as your competitor when they've never even became wary of you."

I smirked. "Ikaw yata 'tong naiintimidate sa'kin eh?"

"Your presence would never intimidate me, Darren."

"Good. The feeling is mutual, then." I took a step forward and took the paper bag from him. "Now, give me my cake."

I stared him down, making sure to keep my eyes straight at him.

"Makakaalis ka na."

"You know Ace shouldn't be in a relationship. Nilalagay mo sa panganib ang career niya eh."

What the fuck?????

"Ace was the one who pursued me. Hindi ko naman kasalanang—"

"But you should know better, Darren. He's busy with shoots, dance and song practices, he stays in his studio most of the time, he barely even gets any sleep para lang magawa nang maayos yung trabaho niya. Do you even realize how stressful this could be for him once malaman ng company nila yung about sa inyo?"

I took a step forward, squinting my eyes at him. Then, I chuckled.

"Ah, I see. You're the best friend who's secretly in love with him, tama?" I saw how his jaw moved after I said that.

"Well, sad to say, Ace is already my boyfriend. How does it feel like, Haze? Yung taong Rank 1 mula noon, hindi man lang magawang manguna sa puso ng taong gusto niya." I chuckled in a devilish way, making Haze look more annoyed now.

He took a step forward, inching closer to my face.

"You'll never find true happiness in him, Dos. Never."

"Sure, if you say so." I smirked. "Makakaalis ka na, Haze."

He gave me one last glare before finally walking away. I went back inside my unit after he disappeared from my sight and let out the one of the biggest sighs I've ever let out in my life.