AFIRE

AU : Maybe : One

"I don't get it Jay. Why do you put up with her?" Dei asked Jay, shaking her head.

"Mahal ko eh." Jay answered, heaving out a heavy sigh.

"Mahal mo nga. Eh mahal ka ba talaga?"

"Uh...." He paused, taking a gulp of his beer before answering with a nod.

"How sure are you?"

"Basta alam ko lang."

"Hay, Jay. Ikaw na yata ang pinaka-martyr na lalaking kilala ko."

Dei and Jay have been close friends since they were in college. They met during orientation day, as both were running late trying to cross the street while it was raining. Dei had no umbrella so Jay offered to share his so they'd be able to come on time. Coincidentally, both of them had the same course and block section so they've been inseparable ever since.

"Di ka naman ganyan nung college tayo ah. Bakit ngayon kung kailan nasa med school na tayo eh nagkaganyan ka?" Dei asked.

"All I had with girls during college were flings. Nothing serious. Alam mo yan."

"How is it different now?"

"Well, ngayon kasi with Liz, love talaga eh."

Dei rolled her eyes. "Ewan ko sa'yo Jay."

"Kahit ano namang paliwanag ko sa'yo Dei, hindi mo ko maiintindihan." He teasingly wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer, bringing his mouth near her ear. "Palibhasa hindi ka pa nai-inlove."

She pushed him off and pinched his side. "Tigilan mo nga ako Jay! Ako kasi, school ang focus ko. Ikaw, priority mo pakikipag-relasyon!"

"Bakit, kahit naman may girlfriend ako hindi bumababa ang grades ko ah. I'm at the top of our class, for crying out loud." He laughed.

"Yun na nga ang nakakainis eh. Kahit na hindi mag-aral, ang taas pa rin ng grades mo." Dei snarled. "Eh ako, I need to study my ass off just to barely be above average."

"Eh ganon talaga eh. Brains and braun." Jay shrugged his shoulders then flexed his arms, his lips forming a smirk.

"Yuck, Jay! Itigil mo nga yan! Kapal mo!" Dei pretended to gag.

"Grabe ka talaga sa akin, Dei."

"But seriously though, Jay. Wag kang magpakabulag. Open your eyes para makita mo that Liz is not the right girl for you."

"Dei—"

"No, Jay." She cut him off. "Just put it this way. When you see a person through rose-colored glasses, all the red flags just look like flags."

"Huh?"

"Seryoso bang hindi mo na-gets?"

"Medyo lang, Dei. Masyado ka kasing pa-deep. Uminom ka na nga lang!"

"Concerned lang ako sa'yo, Jay kasi kaibigan kita. I don't want to see you get hurt, after what happened to your parents." Dei placed her hand on Jay's cheek. "Nakita ko kung gaano ka nasaktan when they separated and I don't want to see you like that ever again."

"Thank you, Dei. You're a great friend pero alam ko naman pinapasukan ko. I'm not a kid anymore, you know."

"But sometimes you act like one." Dei teased.

"Grabe ka talaga sa akin."

"All I'm saying is, guard your heart. Iisa lang yan." She placed her palms on his chest and looked him deep in the eyes. "Give it to someone who's worthy of it."

The two stayed like than for a few moments with their eyes transfixed on each other's. Dei's heart was pounding inside her chest, her throat dry as she held her breath. Meanwhile, Jay felt beads of sweat forming on his forehead, his cheeks flushed as he felt something inside of him urging him to kiss Dei.

He was about to but they were snapped out of their reverie when a girl's voice resounded behind them.

"Someone like you?!"

The two looked at where the voice came from and was shocked to find out that it was Liz, Jay's girlfriend. Her arms were crossed as she stood before them, with an annoyed look on her face.

"Liz, kanina ka pa ba diyan?" Jay asked.

"What, did I interrupt something?" Liz asked sarcastically. "What were you saying Dei?! Sinasabi mo bang hindi ako worthy para kay Jay?!"

"Liz, uh..hindi naman yun ang sinasabi ni Dei." He walked towards Liz to console her. He then turned towards Dei, his eyes widened. "Di ba, Dei? Di ba hindi naman yun ang sinasabi mo?"

"No, Jay. Enough is enough." She walked toward Liz. "You heard what I said, Liz. He needs to give his heart to someone worthy of it and that's definitely not you."

"Then answer my question kanina Dei. Sinong worthy, ikaw?!"

"Uh.." Dei was taken aback with what Liz said and stuttered with her words.

"Bakit di ka makasagot? Alam mo, sa totoo lang, ever since Jay and I got together, mas naging clingy ka na sa kanya. Masyado kang nagho-hover sa amin and nagtataka ako why. Then ngayon I just realized, may gusto ka kay Jay noh?!"

"Liz, stop it. Please. Let's just go."

Tears began forming in Dei's eyes. "I..uhh...Jay."

"Sabi na nga ba eh. May gusto kay kay Jay!" Liz pointed her finger towards Dei. "Well, wala ka nang magagawa cause Jay is mine. You, you just stay away from us, Dei. Jay doesn't love you the way he loves me. Tatak mo yan sa kokote mo!"

"Liz, please! Let's go!"

And with that, Jay and Liz left. Tears finally fell from Dei's eyes as she watched the two walk away.