Strings of Fate

Monday, 8:42 AM.

I was halfway through my iced americano—yes, kahit malamig ang panahon, kasi caffeine is life—nang biglang may nag-pop sa group chat namin.

Not the STEM 4 group. Not the STEM 2 group. Not any of the academic ones.

Ito. Ito ‘yung GC naming walo. The OGs. Me, Atasha, Mariel, Louise, Graciel, Kathrina, Janice, at Athena.

ATHENA MARTIN:

Hoy, totoo ba ‘to?!
Sino si Rhyler Davids?!? May chika ako. Wag kayong maingay.

Chika? At 8:42 AM?! I was barely human at this hour.

Nag-reply si Louise agad.

LOUISE TAYCO:

OMG don’t tell me may love life na si Eli. Sino si Croissant boy?!

Oh no.

Tumigil ako sa pag-inom ng kape. My hand froze mid-air.

Putangina. Don’t tell me—Rhyler?

GRACIEL CAMERON:

Siya nga ‘yung sinasabi ni Mariel na gwapo daw na anak ng business tycoon diba?!

MARIEL CASTRO:

Yes! Omg wait lang. ‘Yung pinsan ng orgmate ko from Ateneo, schoolmate ni Rhyler dati sa Southville! Sila ‘yung unang nagsabi. Nagkakagulo raw dun kasi may balitang may kausap si Rhyler gabi-gabi?!

WHAT?!

My phone buzzed again.

KATHRINA SARMIENTO:

Wait lang, same guy ba ‘to na nagtanong daw about a girl named “Solene” sa STEM 2?! May nakita akong post sa private school subreddit. “S” daw yung initial nung tinatanong niya?

JANICE ARCETA:

And girl, may isa pa. From a La Salle girl. Narinig daw niya sa kaklase niyang may pinsan sa school ninyo na Rhyler might be courting someone from STEM 4.

I choked on my coffee.

Literally.

Nag-cough ako sa tindi ng sabay-sabay na impormasyon. Like, why is everyone suddenly talking about him?

Atasha finally chimed in.

ATASHA VIENNE:

GUYS. STOP. That’s Eli’s schoolmate.

ATHENA:

OMG IS IT TRUE?! Eli confirm pls!

ME:

What the hell are you all talking about?! We’re not even CLOSE.

Not even close. That was the most I could say. Because... even I didn’t know what we were.

Shet. Kahapon lang, I was overthinking kung anong meaning nung "I like how you say things." Tapos ngayon, may rumors na? Na ako raw ‘yung kausap niya gabi-gabi?

I stared at my screen, half-horrified, half... something else.

Teka. Bakit nga ba ako natataranta?

1:20 PM.

I was walking across the corridor going to the Gen Bio lab nang napalingon ako saglit sa open area ng courtyard.

And there he was.

Rhyler. Leaning casually against the railings, drinking from a metal tumbler that probably cost more than my entire wardrobe.

Seryoso, parang hindi siya student. Parang siya ‘yung anak ng may-ari ng school na nagpapakita lang para tignan kung nagpe-perform ang investments.

I tried to ignore him.

Emphasis on tried.

“Solene.”

Shit. Hindi ko alam na nakita niya ‘kong dumaan.

I turned slowly, pretending I wasn’t startled. “Yes?”

He didn’t say anything for a second. Tinitigan lang niya ako.

Then he pulled something from his pocket.

A crumpled candy wrapper?

“What’s that?” tanong ko, kunot-noo.

“Dropped this. Kanina sa canteen.”

He handed it over.

I stared. “You chased me for a candy wrapper?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Sentimental ako minsan.”

I rolled my eyes. “Wow. So thoughtful. One wrapper closer to saving the planet.”

“I aim to impress.”

Putangina. The sarcasm level is 100.

I grabbed the wrapper. “Thanks. Gagamitin ko pang bookmark.”

He smirked. “At least maalala mo ko pag nagbabasa ka.”

Oh my god. Why do I feel this weird flutter again?

I turned away, conscious of my friends’ stares from a distance. I could feel Adie’s eyes burning into the back of my head.

Rhyler called out again. “By the way…”

I looked back.

His tone shifted, just slightly. “Ignore the noise.”

I blinked. “What noise?”

“You know what I mean.”

Pause. Deep breath. “Are they true?” I asked, voice barely above a whisper. “The rumors?”

He tilted his head, that unreadable look in his eyes again. “Which one?”

“Any of them.”

Silence. For a moment, I swore the world paused.

Then he stepped forward. Just close enough to invade my personal space without actually touching me.

“Don’t worry,” he said, eyes not leaving mine. “If something becomes real, I’ll say it myself. No need for rumors.”

And just like that, he turned and walked away.

Leaving me there.

Holding a candy wrapper.

Heart pounding.

Mind racing.

10:48 PM – Eli’s bedroom.

I was staring at my phone again.

No new messages.

No “I like how you say things.”

No nothing.

And yet… I was still stuck.

Stuck with every word he said kanina.

"If something becomes real, I’ll say it myself."

Bakit parang every time he talks, I feel like he’s planting seeds in my brain na hindi ko naman pinayagan?

Nagtype ako ng message.

Deleted it.

Nagtype ulit.

YOU:

So anong gagawin ko sa wrapper?

Sent.

I hated myself.

A second later—

RHYLER DAVIDS:

Keep it.
In case I give you more.

WHAT THE FUCK?

WHAT. THE. FUCK.

I slammed my pillow into my face.

This is not happening.

And yet, it is.

Because I’m here.

Still thinking.

Still wondering.

And maybe, just maybe—

Almost ready to fall.