Falling Once, Breaking Twice

Chapter Five

Nagkatitigan kami. Walang nagsasalita. Walang gumagalaw. Parang... may sariling mundo 'yung mga mata niya.

Tahimik.

Tahimik lang.

Until that one little traitor decided she'd had enough of the tension.

Arf!

Chaze barked once, just once, then settled right onto Knox's lap like she owned the place. Like she owned him.

You're my dog, not his.

I shot her a glare. "Seriously?"

"Loyalty? Never heard of her," Knox teased, scratching behind her ears.

"She's usually not this friendly," I muttered, arms crossed.

"Well... maybe she just has good taste."

I sighed. "Sige na nga. Jan ka na. 'Wag kang umuwi ng bahay, ha?"

Tumayo ako. "'Wag mo'kong sundan ha?" I said, glancing over my shoulder just to check if she would.

To my horror? She didn't.

There she was. Still beside Knox, tail wagging like crazy habang naglalaro sila na parang matagal na silang mag-BFF.

I frowned. "Seriously? Chaze! Sino ba talaga amo mo?" I huffed, plopping back down beside them.

Knox chuckled, still petting her like they've known each other for years. "She's ignoring you, huh?"

"She betrays me every time." I looked away, trying not to sound bitter. "One cute guy and she forgets who buys her treats."

"Cute?" he repeated with a smug grin.

Ay, leche. Lintik na bibig 'to. Di ba pwedeng hindi na pakinggan 'yon?!

"Slip of the tongue," I muttered, not meeting his eyes.

"Sure. I'll take it."

Tahimik ulit, pero this time, hindi awkward. Parang... safe?

He broke it. "So, you named her Chaze?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "Chaze. Short for chaos."

"Fitting."

"Exactly. She destroys slippers, barks at butterflies, and now, apparently, betrays her human to flirt with strangers."

Knox laughed. A real one.

And I swear... my heart? Medyo traitor din.

"Traitor," I muttered again, this time not sure kung para kay Chaze... o sa sarili kong puso.

I glanced at Knox. He was already looking at me.

And for a second, just a second, his eyes weren't teasing.

They were soft.

Warm.

Like they saw through everything.

I looked away first.

"Dapat yata ikaw na lang amo niya," I joked, standing up again.

"Pwede naman," he said, casual, but the way he said it?

Parang hindi lang si Chaze ang gusto niyang alagaan.

Assuming ka teh. Mag shut up ka nalang.

_

Pumasok na ako sa classroom. I looked around and noticed. Wala pa si Knox.

I quickly brushed it off and walked to a quiet spot, umupo ako sa tabi ng bintana.

A few minutes later, someone sat next to me. Hindi ko na kailangang tingnan kung sino. I already knew.

It was him. The scent gave him away. That familiar mix of fresh laundry and something warm, like sunlight after rain.

I kept my eyes outside the window, trying not to react even as I could feel his gaze on me. My cheeks? Traitor. Umiinit na.

Tahimik lang.

Until he broke it.

"Wala ka bang good morning d'yan? Or hello, classmate?"

"Why should I?" I said out of the blue, still not looking at him.

He chuckled, the kind that made my stomach do a stupid little flip.

Then, he leaned his chin on his arm, facing me with that grin, yung tipong parang alam niyang nakakainis siya... at gusto pa niyang dagdagan.

"Wala lang. Para lang malaman kong tao ka pa rin at di ka robot."

I rolled my eyes, finally glancing at him. "Says the guy who treats silence like a sin."

"Silence is fine," he shrugged. "But not from you."

Aba.

Aba aba.

Palaban ah.

"How's Chaze?" he asked, grinning. "I bet she misses me already. Bigay mo na lang kaya siya sa'kin? Joke."

I scoffed. "Talagang ibibigay ko na siya sa'yo. Mag-sama kayong dalawa!"

"Deal," he said, leaning closer. "Pero dapat kasama ka rin. Package deal, 'di ba?"

Napasinghap ako. I looked away, pretending to be unbothered. "Wala akong sinabi tungkol sa package deal."

"Wala ka ngang sinabi... pero wala ka ring tutol."

"Well... I object!"

"Too late," he grinned. "Na-file ko na sa imaginary court natin. Denied ang objection mo."

I glared at him, trying hard not to smile. "Baka ma-contempt ka rin d'yan, Del Fierro."

He raised an eyebrow. "Del Fierro? Last name basis na tayo ngayon?"

"Wala lang," I mumbled. "Mas formal. Mas distant."

"Eh gusto ko close," he whispered, and this time, hindi siya nakangiti.

I froze.

Don't fall for that. Not again.

But my heart had a mind of its own, and it was already leaning in.

Bago pa ako makasagot, or worse, mag panic, pumasok na si prof.

Saved by the bell.

He leaned back on his chair like nothing happened, like he didn't just short-circuit my entire nervous system.

But I wasn't looking at the board.

I could still feel his words echoing in my head.

Gusto ko close.

Tangina. Ako yata 'yung nauuto.