Chapter Text
Jhoanna leaned back against the couch, her eyes following Stacey as she moved around the room.
The two had been casually seeing each other for a while now—nothing serious, just fun.
Or at least, that was how it was supposed to be.
“Grabe, Jho, you really know how to pick a place,” Stacey said, glancing back at Jhoanna with a playful smile as she poured them both a glass of wine. “This apartment is super cozy.”
Jhoanna chuckled, trying to hide the flutter in her chest every time Stacey smiled at her like that. “Thanks, Stace. Glad you like it.”
They sat down, wine glasses in hand, and started chatting like they always did—light, casual, full of banter. Pero habang nag-uusap sila, Jhoanna couldn’t shake off the growing feelings she had for Stacey.
Hindi niya inaasahan, but every little thing Stacey did made her fall even harder.
As they talked, Jhoanna noticed how effortlessly beautiful Stacey looked tonight.
She wore a simple dress, nothing too fancy, pero para kay Jhoanna, she looked perfect.
There was something about her—her laugh, the way she teased Jhoanna, the way she never took anything too seriously.
Stacey was a whirlwind, and Jhoanna was getting swept away.
“Jo, you’re spacing out,” Stacey said with a light laugh, snapping her fingers in front of Jhoanna’s face. “What’s up?”
Jhoanna shook her head, trying to push away her thoughts. “Nothing, just… thinking.”
“About what?” Stacey asked, raising an eyebrow.
Jhoanna hesitated for a moment. Should she tell her? Should she risk ruining what they had? But before she could stop herself, the words were out.
“About us, Stace.”
Stacey tilted her head, a small smirk playing on her lips. “What about us?”
“I… I don’t know,” Jhoanna started, struggling to find the right words. “I guess I’m just… starting to feel more, you know? Like, this isn’t just casual for me anymore.”
For a moment, Stacey just stared at her, the playful look in her eyes fading slightly. Then she sighed and put her glass down on the table. “Jo… I thought we agreed this was just for fun?”
Jhoanna felt her heart sink. She knew Stacey wasn’t looking for anything serious, but she had hoped—maybe, just maybe—that Stacey might feel the same way. “I know, but… things change, right? Feelings change.”
Stacey shook her head gently, reaching out to take Jhoanna’s hand. “Jho, you’re great, really. But I’m not in the same place. I like what we have now, pero beyond that… I’m not looking for anything more.”
Jhoanna tried to keep her composure, pero hindi niya napigilan ang sakit na naramdaman niya.
She had fallen for Stacey, bit by bit, and now it felt like she was crashing down. “So, what happens now?”
Stacey squeezed her hand, her expression softening. “We can keep things the way they are—light, easy, fun. But if you want something more, then maybe… maybe we need to stop.”
Jhoanna nodded slowly, trying to process what Stacey was saying. She didn’t want to stop seeing her, didn’t want to lose the connection they had. But at the same time, she knew she couldn’t keep pretending that ‘casual’ was enough.
“Can we just... take a break?” Jhoanna finally said, her voice barely a whisper. “I need to figure out what I want.”
Stacey nodded, her eyes full of understanding. “Of course. Take all the time you need.”
They sat in silence for a while, the air between them thick with unsaid words.
Jhoanna could feel the tension, the longing that she had tried so hard to hide.
She wanted to tell Stacey everything, to make her see what she saw, but she knew it wouldn’t change anything.
“Let’s not make this harder than it needs to be,” Stacey finally said, standing up and giving Jhoanna a soft smile. “I’ll see you around, okay?”
Jhoanna nodded, watching as Stacey walked out of the apartment, leaving her alone with her thoughts. As the door closed behind her, Jhoanna leaned back against the couch, staring at the ceiling.
Casual.
That was all it was supposed to be.
But now, it was anything but that.
And she wasn’t sure if she could ever go back.