Chapter Text
Cold winds, the sound of far chatter and jeepneys honking by. This was a normal day for Phil who had just gotten out of his Pol Sci class. As usual, class was slow and boring. The weather didn't help either. It made him slow and lazy. Good thing it was a long weekend for him tomorrow, no assignments, reports or projects to keep him busy.
As he walked idly to the direction of the Sunken Garden, Phil whipped out his phone and started to send messages to Mia and Neo. Even though there were a few unfortunate things that happened between him and Neo, Phil just couldn't forsake their friendship on his one-sided feelings. At the end of the day, friends stuck together.
Just as he reached his favorite watching spot, he noticed a certain slicked blacked haired male standing proudly with his green jacket. Next to him was a smaller male with blonde hair whose roots had grown in. Phil knew that jacket anywhere. It was Taft's top "fuccboi", as everyone says it but to Phil, he was just Salle, someone who sucks but has the face to make up for it. It was the shorter male who Phil doesn't know.
With a few more strides, Phil greeted them. Salle immediately went in for a hug, something Phil laughed at because of the reason behind it.
"Bakit ba? Eh sa gusto ko maramdaman katawan mo eh." Salle said.
The other would always tease Phil's grown body. Almost everyone wanted to hug him.
"Ang thirsty mo Salle. 'yan ba dahilan bakit ka nandito? Layo nito sa condo mo ah."
"Hindi." Salle looked at his blond companion and nodded once. "This is Tomas."
The blond male smiled and held out a hand. Phil took it and smiled back.
"Just call me Tom."
Somehow, Phil was suddenly fascinated to hear more of Tom's voice. A voice Phil would drown into. Just like Neo's voice.
Phil shook his head.
'Move on na tanga.'
"By the way Phil... Saan nga pala Rodics dito? Ang laki kasi ng campus niyo, hindi ko maalala pasikot sikot dito." Salle asked,
"Sa may SC pa. Ang layo niyo kung magro-rodics kayo."
"Pakisamahan naman kami, libre kita." Grinned Salle. Tomas just smiled.
"Ui ayos. Sige. Lakad o sakay jeep?" Phil asked. The Shopping Center was a bit far on foot.
"Lakad na lang. I owe Tomas quality time." Salle answered almost automatically. It made Phil raise an eyebrow at how Tomas giggled after that.
"Kayong dalawa..?" Phil couldn't even finish his question when he saw Tom's face fell. "Ah.. Okay so dito pala papunta Rodics. Tara."
Salle and Tom followed after Phil. There was a light conversation between the three as they ventured their way towards the Shopping Center. Jokes were exchanged and Phil loved how Tom's voice echoed. He was sure to talk to Tom in the future more. The guy seemed interested in everything Phil had to say which gave Phil a little confidence about himself. After the incident with Neo a few weeks back, Phil wasn't feeling like himself recently. Phil thanked any higher being out there for Salle and Tom's company that day. Mia and Neo had been replying less and Phil wad starting to feel anxious with his unanswered text messages.
Anxiety ate him up most of the time.
Sitting in one of the tables in Rodics, Phil opted to ask Tom while Salle got their orders down stairs.
"Paano mo pala nakilala si Salle?" Phil asked first, looking directly at Tom's hazel eyes.
"May event sa school ni Cessie noon tapos sabi niya ipapakilala niya raw ako sa kuya niyang panget. Hindi naman pala panget kuya niya." Tom nervously laughed. "Ganun lang naman kami nagkakilala. Kayo? How did you guys meet?"
"Nasa carriedo kami ni Don nun, magpapagawa ako salamin nang bigla na lang sumulpot 'tong si Salle. Makulit kasi 'to si Salle hahaha akala ni Don kaming dalawa lang eh nagtext daw si Salle sa kanya tapos tinanong nasaan na daw siya. Ayun, pagkasabi niya, mga 20 minutes kasama na namin siya naghahanap ng frame para sa'kin. Siya nga pumili ng frame ko eh." And for emphasis, Phil pointed at the glasses he was wearing.
"Bagay sa'yo. Magaling talaga mamili si Salle." Tom commented rather cheerily. It was at that point that Phil concluded that Tom must have feelings for Salle. It was cute but Phil felt bad somehow.
"Nawala lang ako, ako na topic niyo." Came Salle's voice. Salle sat opposite from Tom and took out his phone. Clearly, he was talking with someone.
"Ikaw kasi common ground namin eh." Phil laughed. "Ano bang pwedeng pag-usapan ng dalawang taong kakakilala lang aber?"
"Kahit ano! Ako may kwento ako sa'yo Tom." Salle's eyes seemed to sparkle at this point. "It's about Phil."
"Hahaha ano yan?" The taller from the group listened, noticing how Tom perked up to listen to Salle's story.
"Itong si Phil... Masokista yan."
Phil cracked up. Now he remembered. He knew were this conversation will go.
"Oh? How so?" Tom asked, curious now.
"One time, inimbitahan ko siya sa condo, sabi ko birthday ni Cessie pero hindi naman talaga. Edi nagtampo siya." Laughed Salle as he side glanced at Phil, who was listening attentively with a small smile on his lips.
"Naguilty ako so sabi ko ililibre ko siya pizza. Pero guilty pa rin ako tapos nakita ko yung hikaw na binili ni Cessie sa'kin as congratulatory gift for getting high marks on my Algebra. Naisip ko, what if ibigay ko kay Phil? Tapos para mas special, isa lang. See this?" Salle points at the lone black earring on his left ear.
"Ito yun. Pumayag na rin naman si Phil so ang problema ko na lang nun... Walang butas tenga ni Phil." At this point, Phil was trying his hardest not to butt in and laugh.
"So imagine mo, habang kumakain siya ng pizza, inabutan ako ni Cessie ng pambutas ng tenga para naman daw magkaexperience ako mambutas ng tenga. At first, ayaw ni Phil. Sabi niya masakit so nagwrestling muna kami. Two against one, naturally, talo si Phil. Hinawakan ni Cessie yung braso niya just above his head tapos ako naman nakaupo sa may tiyan niya."
"Ang kinky nga eh hahaha!" Phil added. He remembered that night clearly.
"Shush, nagustuhan mo naman! Imagine mo yung mga mata niya nakatingin sa'kin na para bang naghahamon na 'ano, gagawin mo ba o hindi' eh kilala niyo ko, I don't back out on a challenge. So habang busy siya kakadada, ayun as swift as the coursing river, kinagat ko yung pambutas sa tenga niya pero daldal pa rin siya ng daldal na para bang hindi niya naramdaman na binutasan ko tenga nya. Narealize na lang niyang masakit the next day nung naliligo siya."
Tom laughed at the story. Salle gave a triumphant smirk as the blond glanced at Phil who showed his own earring at the right ear. It was like a couple thing to do and if they were to ask Phil, he did enjoy the attention that night. Someone had actually taken the effort to pin him down just to bore a simple earring on his ear and that took guts. Phil could have easily pushed Salle off but he didn't, he let the archer do as he liked.
The afternoon was spent with stories and banter and by the end of their meal-hangout, Phil and Tom had also started to banter at one another, it delighted Phil. He forgot how it felt to make a new friend.
"Next time kung pwede kayo, daan kayo España. Sex tayo." Tom laughed. Phil got the idea and joined with Tom laughing.
"Ui mahilig ako mag-Sex!" Exclaimed Phil, ignoring the looks the other students gave him as they walked to where Salle parked his car.
"Dumi talaga ng utak niyong dalawa." But Salle was grinning with them. "Kapag libre ako, daanan kita dun Tom."
"Sige!" And that made Tom extremely happy.
Phil noticed these things and it made him happy that his friends were happy.
"Sige pare, alis na kami." Salle fist bumped with Phil. "Sasusunod, hang out tayo kasama si Neo."
At the mention of the name, Phil's world slowed down for a while. He got the feeling that Neo was avoiding him.
"Ikaw magyaya pare, hindi aayaw sa'yo yun!" Phil forced a laugh. He knew for a while now that Neo had caught feelings for this archer.
"I know." Smirked Salle. "Sige alis na kami."
"Bye Phil!" Tom waved.
Salle opened the car door for Tom and got to the driver's seat after. With one final wave, they drove away. Phil stood at his spot for a while, letting the day's events sink in. Somehow, he felt hallow inside as he turn to walk back to his dorm room.
Everyone liked Salle apparently.
He was the complete opposite of Phil. He wouldn't deny it. Phil liked Salle too. Company with Salle was always great. He just wished they were in the save wavelength. As Phil saw it, they were in the opposite sides of the spectrum. Salle wasn't just deemed "fuccboi" for nothing. But that didn't stop people to fall for him. Salle was too charming and handsome for his own good but rather dense when it came to people liking him like Tom and Mappy.
As Phil walked to the direction of his dorm, he couldn't help but replay today's events in his mind. Tom definitely made a mark. He couldn't stop thinking about the blond. Phil wished for next time to come sooner. He wanted to hear Tom's voice again.
He wanted to know Tomas more.
It just felt different this time. Maybe Phil can get more if he tried. He definitely liked the way Tom smiled at him.
Maybe next time, there would be "more".