Accidentally Yours

CHAPTER TWELVE

For the next few days, Mira did exactly what Lance feared the most:

She stopped trying.

She stopped waiting for him.

Stopped running after him.

Stopped expecting anything.

And that scared him more than anything he’d ever admitted.

Pero para kay Mira…

it was survival.

She couldn’t keep letting silence hurt her.

So she found someone who didn’t make everything feel like walking on glass.

His name was Calix.

Classmate ni Mira sa research subject, matalino, mabait, and most importantly — present.

He laughed easily.

He listened when she talked.

He didn’t pull away.

And every single afternoon, doon sila sa bench near their building — talking, working, laughing.

Mira didn’t even mean to laugh that loud…

but Calix was funny.

And safe.

And uncomplicated.

But to someone watching from far away —

it didn’t look “safe.”

It looked like something Lance couldn’t bear.

LANCE POV

IT started by accident.

He came early from work.

Dumaan sa school para sunduin dapat si Mira — kahit hindi niya aaminin, nasanay na siya.

Pero pagdating niya, nakita niya agad.

Si Mira.

Laughing.

Head tilted back, eyes shining — that laugh he never admitted he memorized, na ngayon ay hindi siya ang dahilan.

Calix stood beside her, holding her notebook, teasing her about something.

They looked close.

Comfortable.

Light.

Something Lance hadn’t felt with her in days.

And something twisted painfully sa dibdib niya.

I asked her to stop.

I told her we couldn’t keep acting like this.

So why does it hurt watching her move on?

He stayed inside the car.

Windows slightly rolled down.

Then he heard it.

“Calix, ang corny mo!” Mira laughed, lightly hitting his arm.

Calix grinned. “Pero natawa ka.”

“She laughs at anything,” a voice inside Lance snapped.

But that wasn’t true.

She didn’t laugh like that with anyone.

Except him.

Before he pushed her away.

Lance tightened his grip on the steering wheel so hard the leather creaked.

The moment Mira saw the familiar black car, her smile faltered —

just a little —

just enough for Calix to notice.

“Uy, okay ka lang?” Calix asked.

“Yeah,” she said quickly, forcing another laugh. “Natigil lang ako bigla.”

Lance looked away.

The worst part wasn’t seeing her smile with someone else.

It was seeing her try to hide the way she still glanced at him —

as if waiting for him to react.

As if hoping he cared.

And he did.

He cared so much it terrified him.

THAT night, sobrang awkward ng hapunan.

Her mom chatted.

Alfred told a story from work.

Pero Lance barely spoke.

Mira didn’t look at him.

Not once.

Instead, she smiled at her phone.

Softly.

Secretly.

And Lance felt something cold settle in his stomach.

After dinner, he heard her again — that laugh that used to be his favorite sound — coming from the living room.

Talking to Calix.

Again.

“Okay, bye—see you tomorrow,” Mira said, hanging up with a bright grin.

She turned — and froze.

Lance was there.

Silent in the doorway.

Expression unreadable.

His voice was calm.

Too calm.

“Ang saya mo ngayon,” he said.

Mira blinked. “H-huh? Ano?”

“Nothing.”

He looked away.

Then added, “Glad you found someone to keep you entertained.”

Her chest tightened.

“That’s not—”

“Don’t explain,” he cut in, jaw tensing. “You don’t owe me anything.”

That hurt more than she expected.

He started to walk past her, but Mira stepped forward, stopping him.

“Lance… bakit ba parang galit ka?”

“I’m not.”

“Then why do you look like—”

“Because it’s not my place,” he snapped, voice low but shaking, “to feel anything about who you talk to.”

She froze.

He realized what he said.

Looked away quickly.

Breathing uneven.

Mira swallowed, voice quiet.

“So… you do feel something?”

Lance closed his eyes.

For a moment, he almost answered.

Almost broke.

Almost said everything he’d been holding back.

But instead, he whispered—

“Mira… please don’t make me choose between what I feel and what’s right.”

Then he walked past her.

Again.

But this time,

Mira didn’t cry.

She stared at his back with a strange, painful clarity.

Because finally,

finally—

his jealousy told her everything he refused to say.