It's You

Chapter 14

"Man, you sure know how to care for girls," Andrew said. I just came back from lunch with Didith.

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, I saw you and Didith while looking outside the window. I'm not sure how I'd call it, but seeing how you treat her, it seems you're attentive to her."

I took my toothbrush and toothpaste. "I'm the same, Andrew. You're just not used to seeing me with other dorm girls."

"Don't get me wrong, bro. It's not only me who's noticed it but almost everyone in the dorm. I mean," he stopped for a second and, "Ah, forget it. For as long as you're happy, then it's fine."

"Ha, ha! Thanks, but I tell you, I'm still the same Ben." I told him. "Give me a minute. I'll just brush my teeth."

"Hey, it's not like I'm going to kiss you!" He teased me.

"Oh, come on!" I threw a book at him.

One night, Andrew and Nathan, another roommate, decided to talk with me. The three of us have been roommates from the first year and have since been friends. 

"So, what's with you, Ben?" Nathan started. I was seated in Andrew's bed. They pulled out a chair each and faced me.

"Why? What's wrong with me?" I asked.

He looked at me with a serious face and said, "I noticed, I mean, we," he pointed at Andrew, "noticed that you've been staying in the lobby and TV room more often these days."

Andrew smirked.

"I am?"

"Yes, you are!" They exclaimed in chorus while half-laughing.

"Um, well, I've been hanging around Didith. She's a freshman. I'm sure you've met her. Andrew met her already," I explained.

"I did. I met her while Andrew and I were waiting in the shed near Humanities." Nathan looked at Andrew.

"I told you, it's not just me who's noticed it," Andrew followed up.

I turned serious and crossed my arms.

"I don't know. But how should I explain it? When I'm with her, I feel happy and peaceful and young at heart. I laugh and smile a lot when we're together. She's a happy person and it's contagious. It's like, the thought alone of knowing that I'd see her in the morning makes me excited already. Like that." 

They listened intently. 

"I don't have a hidden agenda or anything. There's no such thing. I just want to be with her. No special meaning at all."

They looked at each other and said, "At all?"

"Yes, at all! I'm just a big brother!" I shouted.

"Big brother yourself!" Nathan blurted. 

We were silent for a moment then all of a sudden, "Are you falling for her?" That's the bomb Nathan's been wanting to throw at me.

"No way!" I protested.

"Don't make her fall for you if you're not interested in her. You don't want her to get hurt, I bet," he said in a low tone.

I just looked at him.

"But seriously, one day, you will come to tell me that you've fallen for her." 

Why was he so sure about it? I thought.

"I won't!"

We agreed to have dinner together afterward. As we were heading out, we saw Didith standing near the Santan flowers facing the road.

"Didith," I approached her. 

"Um..."

"Have you eaten?" I asked.

"Not yet." She saw Andrew and Nathan behind me. "I'll eat later."

"No, you should join us. Is it fine with you, guys?" I turned around for Andrew and Nathan.

"Of course. Please." Nathan was the first to speak. Andrew gave a thumbs up.

"Oh, no. I'll take it later," she resisted.

"I insist. It's eight and by the time you'll feel like eating, the canteen is already closed." I gently pulled her towards me and held her hand while we started to walk.

"Aherm," Andrew cleared his throat. I forgot that we were with Andrew and Nathan! I released her hand, looked behind me, and saw the two whispering to each other.

The dinner turned out to be an interrogation of sorts as they bombarded her with questions I never asked her myself. But then, she was able to pull it off.

"I hope you don't mind, Didith, but do you have a boyfriend?" Andrew was so straightforward with his question.

Didith looked at me and I said, "You don't need to answer if you don't feel comfortable with it. He's just teasing you."

"It's okay," she said. "Um, I don't have a boyfriend. Yet.

"Yet? You mean, you have a suitor whom you wanted to give your yes to in the future?" Nathan's turn to ask.

"Well, I honestly am not thinking of being in a relationship right now."

"Ben also doesn't have a... " Andrew started to talk but I kicked him under the table to stop him. 

At that time, I hadn't sorted out my feelings for Didith. I knew I wanted to be with her but never got to realize how special she had been to me. And her answer to Nathan's question seemed to stop my heartbeat.

"Ah, okay. But do you have someone you like?" Nathan was too nosy.

She picked up her glass of water, drank a little, looked at Nathan, and said, "I do."

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