Chapter 14

After exercising and working out at a nearby gym, Lino went back to his apartment to pack his things up in preparation for going home to Bacoor, Cavite for the weekend. While he was packing up, he wore a smile on his face knowing that he would meet Pia again soon.

[Pia, I’ll meet you again this Sunday.] Lino thought while smiling.

At that instant, Lino suddenly remembered Ersel, and his good mood was spoiled.

[Right...about that bastard Ersel, I’ll deal with him next time.] Lino thought while wearing a serious facial expression. [We’ll both be at the chorale practice this coming Wednesday and Thursday. Still...thinking of seeing him again just pisses me off!]

Lino then shook his head to get rid of his unpleasant thoughts to concentrate on going home.

[That’s right, I should concentrate on going home for now.] Lino thought seriously. [I should book either a Grab Car or a Grab Taxi. There’s no time to be thinking about Ersel!]

Afterwards, Lino opened his Android phone, connected to the wifi, and booked a Grab Taxi. Luckily enough, he was able to book a Grab taxi driver quickly.

[That’s great! Someone accepted my booking so quickly!] Lino thought with a smirk while watching the Grab taxi on the map going towards the direction of his apartment. [It should be here soon enough.]

When the Grab Taxi finally arrived several minutes later, Lino went out of the apartment unit and locked the door with the key.

[See you again next week, Ersel.] Lino thought before proceeding to go downstairs to get to his Grab driver.

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It was already evening and Lino was gazing through the right window of the Grab taxi that he booked while watching the various sceneries of buildings, houses, vehicles, trees, and other things pass by. His destination was his parents’ house located in Bacoor, Cavite, where they had moved five years ago.

Then Lino’s mind suddenly went back to that day when he met Ersel again for the first time after ten years.

On that day, Lino’s first class in Building A just finished and he was already heading towards the room for his next class when he happened to see a shorter guy running towards the direction he came from. The shorter guy bumped into Lino, startling and angering the latter.

“Hey!” Lino yelled angrily. “Be careful, please!”

“Sorry!” the shorter guy said while touching the palms of his two open hands together as if praying. “I didn’t mean to.”

Then Lino and the shorter guy gazed directly at each other’s face. At that moment, Lino recognized that it was his childhood friend Ersel.

[This guy...it’s Ersel!] Lino thought while not giving an obvious hint or reaction that he recognized Ersel. [We meet again after ten years!]

Ersel looked at Lino for a few moments, making Lino wonder if the former had recognized the latter as well. Based on Ersel’s dumbfounded facial expression, Lino concluded that the former did not recognize the latter.

[Seems like he doesn’t recognize me.] Lino thought while still making a serious facial expression.

“Please don’t do this again,” Lino warned while staring with a piercing glare at Ersel.

“Oh...Understood!” Ersel answered in an embarrassed tone. ““Again, I’m sorry,” Ersel said while his eyes were looking at the ground and blushing with embarrassment.

Lino did not say another word and just passed by Ersel while going towards the opposite of the direction that the latter was going to.

[Ersel, I still hate you even until now.] Lino thought seriously while walking away. [I still can’t believe that you left without even leaving me a letter ten years ago. That’s why I won’t tell you who I am for now.]

Lino’s mind went back to the time when he first met Ersel at Dakila Island. Lino was crying when he first met Ersel. That was when Ersel offered him to hang out together, making Lino happy. He could also recall the time when he looked for Ersel as much as he could before finding out that Ersel and his parents had left for Manila already.

[I’m not really sure anymore whether I would prefer if I had never met Ersel or not.] Lino thought while making a gloomy face. [But still, thinking about him and our memories spent together makes me feel so bitter that I can’t seem to bear it.]

After his second class, Lino sat alone at a table at the canteen and happened to see Ersel who was eating with another guy at another nearby table.

It’s him again. Lino thought while looking at Ersel with a piercing glare.

Based on Ersel’s reaction, Lino was sure that the former felt that he was being watched. Then Ersel looked at Lino, with the former making a dumbfounded facial expression. Then Ersel broke his eye contact with Lino.

[So he noticed that I’m staring at him.] Lino thought while continuing to look at Ersel with a piercing glare.

Lino noticed that Ersel was trembling and turning pale as the former continued to gaze at the latter.

[That’s it, just keep on trembling.] Lino thought angrily. [This is payback for what you did to me ten years ago.]

At the same time, Lino was also near enough to listen to their conversation

“Ersel,” the guy who was eating with Ersel said, startling the latter. “Is there anything wrong?”

“What do you mean?” Ersel asked with his voice slightly quivering.

“You’re looking paler than before,” the other guy remarked with a slightly anxious tone. “And you’re trembling, too.”

“Oh! It’s nothing,” Ersel replied with his voice still quivering. “Let’s finish this quickly before our next class.”

“Okay,” the guy replied.

[He lied to his friend, huh.] Lino thought while wearing a serious facial expression. [Even if you deny it, it’s still obvious that there’s something troubling you, Ersel.]

“Van,” Ersel called. “Please don’t look at me like that.”

[So that guy’s name is Van.] Lino thought while still staring at the guy who was eating together with Ersel.

“Why not?” Van asked in a worried tone.

“You’re making me feel conscious,” Ersel replied awkwardly.

“Okay then. Sorry,” Van answered, breaking his eye contact with Ersel and resuming to focus on his lunch.

[So he also doesn’t like being stared at like that, huh.] Lino thought while still looking at Ersel with a piercing glare.

Ersel kept on trembling while Lino was staring at the former. Lino finally broke his eye contact from Ersel when the former began to eat his lunch.

[I’ll deal with you again some other time, Ersel.] Lino thought while eating his lunch.

When the school bell rang to signal the end of the classes for the day, Lino was walking through the hall. Then a crowd of girls began to line up and scream in admiration to both his left and right side.

[I guess girls can’t resist my charm.] Lino thought while calmly walking through the hall. [I have such a handsome face and strong sex appeal after all!]

A few moments later, Lino saw Ersel among the crowd of girls while the latter was looking at the former.

[You again!] Lino thought while glaring coldly at Ersel, who flinched slightly upon meeting the former’s gaze.

Then Ersel broke his eye contact with Lino and left. The girls continued to scream in admiration for Lino.

[Looks like I scared him too much.] Lino thought while feeling satisfied. [Serves you right, you asshole!]

One of the girls screaming in admiration for Lino approached him and said, “Hi! Do you have a girlfriend?”

“Yes,” Lino replied without hesitation while smiling. His attractive smile made the girls squeal even more.

The girl backed away and said awkwardly, “Oh, we didn’t know that. Sorry!”

“It’s okay,” Lino replied while still wearing a smile on his face.

“Oh, he’s so handsome!” some of the girls said out loud. “And sooooooooooo hot!!!”

While walking, Lino waved and smiled at the girls, making the screaming at the hall ring even louder.

[Looks like I’m popular among girls wherever I go. Sorry, girls, but I have a girlfriend already!] Lino thought before proceeding to go back to his apartment.

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After about two hours of riding the Grab taxi, Lino finally arrived at his parents’ home. His mother opened the gate a few moments after Lino rang the doorbell.

“Lino, it’s you!” Mrs. Marciano said happily after opening the gate. “Welcome back!”

“Thanks, Ma,” Lino answered before proceeding to get inside the house while carrying his baggage.

“Have you eaten dinner yet?” Mrs. Marciano asked.

“I already have,” Lino answered with a smirk. “I’ll be going to my room for now.”

“Okay then,” Mrs. Marciano replied while smiling. “Rest well, my dear.”

“You too, Ma,” Lino replied while smirking before proceeding to go upstairs to his room.