CHAPTER 8
603 Words
The afternoon sun shone brightly over San Isidro Village.
Theo and Wade were once again walking home from the market.
Wade carried two heavy bags filled with vegetables.
Theo carried...
One loaf of bread.
"I think this is unfair."
Wade looked at him.
"What is?"
"You're carrying everything."
"Because if I let you carry the eggs..."
Theo sighed.
"...One time."
"You dropped them."
"It was windy."
"There was no wind."
"It was emotionally windy."
---
As they passed a small house, a little boy sitting on the porch suddenly pointed at them.
"Kuya Wade!"
Wade waved.
"Hey, Nico!"
The boy grinned mischievously before shouting loud enough for half the neighborhood to hear,
"Bagay kayo ni Kuya Theo!"
("You and Kuya Theo look good together!")
The entire street went silent.
Theo looked at Wade.
"...What did he say?"
Wade coughed.
"...Nothing."
Nico crossed his arms.
"I know you understood!"
An old woman nearby laughed.
"Oo nga! Bagay na bagay!"
Another neighbor joined in.
"Kailan ang kasal?"
Theo frowned.
"...Why is everyone smiling?"
Wade rubbed his forehead.
"...They think..."
"...we'd make a good couple."
Theo's eyes widened.
"...What?"
The silence lasted exactly one second.
Then—
"EWW!"
Both of them said it at the same time.
Theo dramatically pretended to gag.
"Oh, please."
Wade copied him.
"As if."
Theo pointed at Wade.
"I'm not into him."
"He's not tall enough."
Wade gasped.
"Excuse me?"
"I'm taller than you by one centimeter!"
"That doesn't count!"
"It absolutely counts!"
Theo folded his arms.
"I prefer someone elegant."
Wade smirked.
"I prefer someone who doesn't burn water."
"I did not burn water."
"You almost did."
Theo rolled his eyes.
"Besides..."
"I'd never date a walking disaster."
Wade pointed at the flour stain still on Theo's shirt.
"Says the man who turned cooking into a natural disaster."
Theo wasn't backing down.
"At least I know how to dress."
"You've been wearing my shirts for three months."
"...Temporary borrowing."
"Permanent stealing."
---
The villagers couldn't stop laughing.
Nico looked confused.
"But..."
"You always walk together."
"So?"
"You always eat together."
"So?"
"You live together."
"So?"
"You fight like a married couple."
"..."
"..."
Theo and Wade looked at each other.
Then immediately looked away.
"We do not!"
They answered in perfect sync.
Nico blinked.
"...You even talk at the same time."
Theo sighed.
"That's because he copies me."
Wade laughed.
"I was literally talking first."
"Lies."
"Theo."
"Wade."
"Theo."
"Wade."
"Stop copying me!"
"You stop copying me!"
The neighbors burst into another round of laughter.
---
As they finally escaped the crowd, Theo let out a dramatic sigh.
"Your neighbors are strange."
"My neighbors?"
"They're your neighbors too now."
Theo paused.
For a brief second...
The words settled warmly in his heart.
Your neighbors too.
Before he could think about it any further—
Wade nudged him.
"So..."
"What?"
"If I were taller..."
Theo looked horrified.
"Don't finish that sentence."
"...Would I have a chance?"
Theo made another exaggerated gagging sound.
"I'd rather eat your cooking."
"My cooking is better than yours."
"Barely."
Theo smirked.
"Still not interested."
Wade grinned.
"Good."
"Because I don't think I could survive dating someone who labels the sugar as 'salt.'"
"...That happened once."
"It happened yesterday."
Theo sighed dramatically.
"I regret waking up this morning."
"I regret teaching you Tagalog."
"You never actually teach me Tagalog."
"...Fair."
They looked at each other...
Then laughed.
Neither of them noticed Nico watching from the porch.
The little boy smiled to himself.
"They're going to fall in love."
His grandmother chuckled.
"They already are."
"They're just the last two people who'll realize it."
End of Chapter 8
- Writer
