CHAPTER 3: THE IDIOT STOOD ME UP

(STEP P.O.V)

“Bestie, I need your help.”

Gino and I were at one of his family’s rest houses in El Salvador. Our finals were already over, but his wouldn’t be until Monday. Apparently, he still had a mountain of projects to finish and a whole lot of reviewing to do.

“What is it now? One thing at a time, best friend, okay? You’re not a robot. You can’t study for exams and work on projects at the same time,” I told him as I helped organize the mountain of books and other things he had brought with him.

“That’s exactly why I called you. I need your help. There are a lot of essays to answer, and that’s what you’re going to work on. I know essays are your strength. If all our exams consisted of essays, you’d probably get a perfect score on every single one.”

“Tsk! I thought you said I was stupid, huh, Mr. Genius?” I teased.

“You’re not stupid academically. Do you know where you’re stupid, though?” he asked.

“Where?”

“In love.”

I shot him a murderous glare.

“Do you actually want my help or not? How was I supposed to know he was just playing me? How was I supposed to know I loved him more than he loved me?” I replied dramatically, clutching my chest as though I were the tragic heroine of a soap opera.

“I know. That’s why my advice is simple: don’t get into a relationship just yet, okay? No heartbreak. No stress. And more time for our relationship.”

He flashed me a smile.

“You should be grateful I love you,” I muttered.

His expression immediately changed into that mischievous grin I knew all too well.

“What now?” I asked irritably, grabbing a pen and a sheet of paper so I could finally start answering his essays.

“I’m going to marry you, so don’t get a boyfriend.”

He said it seriously, his eyes fixed on mine.

For a moment, I couldn't move.

There was something different about the way he looked at me. His eyes seemed to be pleading with me, serious and full of an emotion I couldn't quite understand.

For once, I thought he might actually mean what he had just said.

My lips parted, ready to respond.

And then—

A loud fart shattered the silence between us.

“WHAT THE, BES!” I shouted. “I THOUGHT YOU WERE BEING SERIOUS! YOU JERK!”

I immediately ran out of the room.

“I LOVE YOU, BEST FRIEND!” he yelled after me, bursting into laughter.

That idiot really knew how to ruin a moment.

For a second there, I had actually believed him!

Tsk. What a jerk.

---

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(STEPH P.O.V.)

I was at the gym, where our basketball practice was underway.

I was a varsity athlete in three sports: basketball, volleyball, and badminton. That day, we were working on our basketball skills. After completing our drills, I took a short break while the others practiced their shots.

I wasn't on a scholarship at our university. My family was financially comfortable, and I was their only child. Both of my parents were currently in Thailand, where most of our family businesses were based.

What businesses, exactly?

Honestly, I had no idea. And I couldn't care less. I had no plans of taking over any of them after graduation anyway.

My heart belonged to writing, and thankfully, my parents supported me wholeheartedly.

I took out my phone and texted Gino, asking him to pick me up after his classes so we could go home together. My practice was scheduled to end at five, while his classes finished at 4:45 p.m. It would take him just over five minutes to get from his building to the gym.

Perfect timing.

Or so I thought.

“Are you still not going home?” Coach asked.

All the other players had already left, and I was the only one still hanging around.

“Not yet, Coach. Maybe another ten minutes,” I answered with a smile.

“Who are you waiting for?”

“My best friend, Coach. Gino. I told him I'd wait for him here so we could go home together.” I grinned. “Hehe!”

Thankfully, Coach didn't ask any more questions and went back to packing his bag.

By 5:38 p.m., Gino still hadn't shown up.

Where on earth was that idiot?

Was he planning to make me grow roots right there in the gym?

I was getting seriously annoyed.

Tsk!

I'd just decided to give him another five minutes when a message finally came through.

From Best Friend:

Bestie, just go home. I'm with Kath right now. She asked me to go shopping with her. Be careful on your way home. Bye. ❤️

I stared at the message.

Then I slowly stood up, my shoulders slumping and my face falling.

All that waiting for nothing.

“Wow. What a complete waste of my time,” I muttered. “The next time I see that Kath , I'm going to cripple her so she can never go anywhere again. Tsk!”

Okay, maybe that was a little extreme.

But I was annoyed.

Very, very annoyed.

---

When I got home, I went straight to the kitchen and cooked myself something to eat.

Instant noodles.

Because, honestly, who had the energy to prepare anything else?

Practice was exhausting enough. Waiting for someone who never showed up had only made it worse.

And to think I'd endured my hunger earlier, hoping that my idiot best friend might bring me something to eat.

What a fool I was.

I carried my food to the living room and settled down in front of the television. Halfway through my meal, I remembered my phone and picked it up.

“Tsk! Not a single text, huh?” I grumbled at the screen.

I opened our conversation and typed a message.

To Best Friend:

Are you still coming over to my house?

Sent.

His reply arrived a little later.

Best Friend:

I don't know. Kath invited me to watch a movie. I can't exactly turn her down.

I rolled my eyes.

Me:

What movie are you watching?

Best Friend:

Hell. It's some English movie, and I don't even know the title.

I nearly laughed.

Me:

I thought you hated English movies? Aren't we supposed to be proud Filipinos? What happened to that?

Best Friend:

Crap! I'm already getting a headache trying to understand it. I've been bored out of my mind for ages. I just want to go home.

I snorted.

Me:

Then just leave her there! Hahahaha! XD

His next reply made me laugh even harder.

Best Friend:

Seriously? You think it's okay to leave her here? I could tell her I'm going to the restroom and then just never come back. Hahahaha!

Me:

HAHAHAHA! Idiot! If you do that, say goodbye to your love life! Hahaha!

Best Friend:

Oh, right! I almost forgot. I don't want to end up single. I don't want to be like you, who's more desperate than asphalt in the middle of summer! Hahahaha!

I nearly choked on my noodles.

“Excuse me?! This jerk just called me more desperate than asphalt?! Aish!”

I immediately typed my reply.

Me:

JERK! SHUT UP! Just wait until I get a boyfriend. You'll be a complete stranger to me!

Sent.

Best Friend:

Haha! When exactly is that supposed to happen, huh?

I gasped at my phone.

The audacity!

Me:

Just watch and see, baby! Mwah! Hahaha!

Best Friend:

Eww! That's disgusting! But fine, I'll wait for this boyfriend you keep talking about. Hahaha!

Me:

You'd better!

I sent the message with all the confidence I could muster.

Did he really think no one would ever fall for me?

Please.

Look at me! I was gorgeous!

Tsk!

Just as I was about to put my phone down—

BOOM!

Thunder roared outside.

I jumped.

“Oh, come on, Lord! Are you seriously doubting that I'll ever get a boyfriend, too?!”

I glared at the ceiling as though God Himself had personally decided to join Gino in making fun of me.

My phone beeped again.

Best Friend:

See you when I see you. Kath's getting annoyed because I'm busy texting instead of watching the movie. Bye. 

I stared at the message for a moment.

Then I typed a short reply.

Me:

Okay.

Sent.

And just like that, the conversation ended.

I set my phone aside and returned to my noodles, trying to convince myself that I didn't care.

After all, he was just my best friend.

And best friends were allowed to have other friends, right?

Even if one of those friends happened to be a beautiful girl who could steal all his attention.

Even if he had promised to pick me up.

Even if I had waited for him for nearly forty minutes.

I took another bite of my noodles.

It was fine.

I was fine.

At least, that's what I kept telling myself.