Echoes of Us

Chapter Eight– A Weekend Plan & Unplanned Encounters

Fio’s POV (2024)

Wednesday morning.

The city hummed with its usual rhythm—commuters rushing, baristas brewing, and me, sitting in my studio, staring at an email draft I had rewritten three times.

I sighed, tapping my fingers against the desk. How hard could it be to invite someone to an exhibit?

"Lexa," I typed.

Then deleted it.

"Hey, Lexa."

Deleted again.

Claire, who had made herself comfortable by practically living in my studio lately, leaned against the doorway, sipping her coffee like she had been personally assigned to monitor my foolishness.

"Tangina, Fio, ang hirap ba talaga mag-email?"

I shot her a glare. "Bakit ba ang dami mong sinasabi, pagtuunan mo ng pansin yang trabaho mo" gagap kong sabi

She smirked. "Kasi ang tagal mong mag-decide. Isasama mo ba siya o hindi?"

I groaned, pressing my forehead against the desk. "Claire, hindi ito dramatic. Invitation lang 'to."

"Edi send mo na!" sasapakin ko na 'tong babaeng to konti na lang.

I exhaled sharply, finally typing:

"Hey, Lexa. I know this is kind of random, but I wanted to invite you to a photography exhibit in Manila this Saturday. It’s something I’m working on, and I figured if you’re free, maybe you’d like to come. Let me know."

I hovered over the send button.

Claire sipped loudly on her coffee. "Kung hindi mo isi-send ‘yan sa loob ng limang segundo, ako na ang magpapadala."

I clicked send before she could get near my laptop.

She grinned. "Good girl."

I sighed. "Bakit ba parang napakalaking bagay nito?"

Claire shrugged. "Kasi hindi normal na invitation ‘yan, gago. Hindi lang ‘tara, nood tayo ng sine.’"

I didn’t reply.

I just stared at my screen, waiting for Lexa’s response.

Lexa’s POV

Emails flooded my inbox as usual, meeting notifications popping up every other minute. Work was predictable, structured, something I understood.

Then Fio’s name appeared.

I blinked, staring at the notification.

An invitation.

For a second, I hesitated before clicking on it.

"Hey, Lexa. I know this is kind of random, but I wanted to invite you to a photography exhibit in Manila this Saturday..."

I read the message twice.

A photography exhibit. Something important to her.

I leaned back, debating. Did I want to go?

Before I could overthink it, I typed back:

"Hey, Fio. Thanks for inviting me. I’d like to come. See you Saturday."

Sent.

Done.

I exhaled slowly, staring at my screen.

This wasn’t weird. Just two people reconnecting over something that mattered.

Fio’s POV

By evening, everyone had settled into their regular places. Mico and Van were loud as ever, debating the meaning of life or something equally useless. Andre kept things under control, wiping glasses behind the counter. Claire, as expected, was thriving in her natural environment—being a complete menace.

And Lexa? She was there. Ano 'tong mega biglaang kita naming? Sinasadya o ako lang 'tong oa na nagbibigay meaning sa lahat? tss.

I held her eye across the room, gave her a small nod. Casual. No pressure.

Then, as if the universe wanted to disrupt every semblance of normalcy—Claire froze mid-sip of her drink.

I frowned. "Anong problema mo?"

She didn’t answer.

She just stared at something—someone—by the entrance.

Mika.

A woman with sharp eyes and slightly tousled hair, dressed like someone who belonged in an indie film.

Claire was practically choking on her drink.

Van nudged me. "Ano'ng nangyayari kay Claire?"

I sighed. "Ex niya ‘yon."

Mico whistled low. "Tangina. Awkward."

Andre, bless him, just slid a stronger drink toward Claire. "Good luck."

Claire inhaled deeply, straightened her back, and did what any self-respecting lesbian would do when faced with an ex.

"Hoy, Mika, ang ganda mo pa rin."

I facepalmed.

Lexa stifled a laugh.

Mika raised a brow, smirk, tugging at her lips. "Ikaw din naman, Claire."

I sighed. Tonight was going to be long.

I could physically feel the secondhand awkwardness radiating from Claire.

Mika, standing across from her, looked composed—effortlessly cool, like someone who didn’t let the past weigh them down. Meanwhile, Claire? Clearly struggling to pretend this was normal.

Van and Mico were watching way too closely, both thriving off the drama even though this had nothing to do with them.

Andre sighed, wiping down a glass like he had seen this kind of disaster unfold a thousand times before.

Lexa? She wasn’t reacting much, but I caught the way her fingers tapped softly against the side of her drink—a habit she always had when she was deep in thought.

And then, Mika spoke again.

"Long time no see."

Claire cleared her throat, adjusting her jacket like it weighed a hundred kilos.

"Yeah. Tagal na rin, no?"

Mika tilted her head slightly. "How have you been?"

Van snorted beside me. "Tangina, para kayong nasa soap opera."

Claire glared at him. "Pnyeta, Van, shut up."*

Mico grinned, sipping his drink. "Eh bakit totoo?"

I sighed, rubbing my temples. "Pwede ba, wag na nating palalain 'to?"

Lexa finally spoke, her voice steady. "Maybe we should give them some space."

Claire shook her head aggressively. "No. No space. Wala namang kailangang pag-usapan."

Mika raised an eyebrow, lips curving in amusement. "Wala?"

I groaned. "Claire, tangina, baka gusto mong uminom muna." ngisng tanong ko sa kaniya

Andre slid another drink toward her. "On the house. You need it."

She downed it immediately.

Mika chuckled. "Same old Claire."

Claire scoffed. "Same old Mika."

And just like that, I knew—this was not over.

The tension from Mika’s unexpected presence finally started to dissipate—or at least, Claire forced herself to act like it did by drowning her discomfort in another drink.

Van and Mico returned to their usual chaotic energy, debating whether a certain basketball player was overrated, while Andre went back to tending the bar, throwing in occasional sarcastic comments.

I glanced at Lexa, who was nursing her drink quietly, listening but not fully engaged.

And then, as if trying to shove the awkwardness out of the air completely, Claire suddenly spoke—too loudly.

" Okay, Fio, Lexa, serious tanong. May chance pa ba kayong magka-something ulit?"

I nearly choked on my drink. Tangina talalga ng bruha neto eh laging ganyan topic.

Van whistled. "Tangina, Claire, derecho naman!"

Lexa didn’t immediately react.

Andre sighed, shaking his head. "Claire, masyado kang invested sa plot ng dalawa."

Claire grinned. "Syempre. Gusto ko ng bagong entertainment!"

Lexa finally let out a small, amused laugh, setting her drink down. "Wala namang ganyan."

I cleared my throat, keeping my tone neutral. "Oo nga. We’re okay now. Hindi na yun issue."

Claire squinted at me suspiciously. "Hmm. Alam mo, Fio, parang hindi ka naman totally sure."

I sighed, rubbing my temples. "Claire, tangina, pwede bang mag-relax tayo?"

She shrugged. "Fine, fine. But if sparks fly on Saturday, wag kang magulat."

Lexa shook her head, smiling slightly. "Claire, sobrang invested ka talaga."

"Syempre!" Claire raised her glass dramatically. "Anong silbi ng inuman kung walang analysis ng love life?"

Van laughed. "May point ‘yan."

Mico grinned at Lexa. "Pero seryoso, pupunta ka sa exhibit?"

Lexa nodded. "Oo. Bakit?"

Mico smirked. "Nothing. Just interesting."

I rolled my eyes. "Bakit parang ang daming gusto n’yong i-dissect?"

Andre chuckled, leaning against the counter. "Because it’s fun."

I sighed dramatically, finally leaning back into my seat.

Maybe this was just how things were going to be now.

And maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing.

After that night umuwing lasing ang lahat. Claire and Mika jsut vanished the moment they stepped outside the resto-bar, so as did Mico and Van. Andre, the owner of the resto-bar na hindi naman nalasing ay naiwan kasama si Fio at Lexa, cleaning the bar. After that, kanya kaniyang umuwi na sila.