My Unsolved Love Equation

ELLE's POV “Choose.” I stared at the three men standing in front of me. My heart was beating so loudly that I could barely hear the rain outside. “Choose what?” I whispered. Josh took one step forward. “Me.” Ezekiel immediately frowned. “Don't listen to him.” Josh glanced at him. “Why? Takot ka?” “I'm not afraid of you.” Michael laughed from behind them. “Guys, seriously?” They both looked at him. Michael leaned against the wall, his arms crossed, wearing that annoyingly confident smile. “You're making this way too easy for her.” I swallowed. “Easy?” Michael looked at me. “No.” His smile slowly disappeared. “It's actually impossible.” I looked at the three of them. Josh. Ezekiel. Michael. Three guys. Three completely different personalities. And somehow, all three of them were looking at me like I was the answer to a question I didn't even know existed. “Elle.” Josh's voice was soft. I looked at him. He smiled. “You know what I want.” My heart skipped. Ezekiel stepped closer. “Don't pressure her.” Josh looked at him. “You've had months.” “So have you.” Michael sighed. “Okay. This is getting ridiculous.” I looked at Michael. “You're the one who started this.” He raised an eyebrow. “Me?” “Yes!” He smiled. “Then blame me.” I opened my mouth to respond. Nothing came out. Because Michael was already standing in front of me. Too close. Close enough that I could smell his cologne. Close enough that I could see the tiny smile forming at the corner of his lips. “Elle,” he whispered. My heart practically stopped. “Hmm?” “If you can't choose…” He leaned slightly closer. “…let me make the decision for you.” My cheeks burned. “What are you—” He gently took my hand. My eyes widened. Then— “Wake up!” I gasped. My eyes flew open. I stared at the ceiling. For a few seconds, I didn't move. Then I heard my alarm ringing beside me. 6:30 A.M. I blinked. Once. Twice. “Ha?” I sat up slowly. My hair was everywhere. My blanket was wrapped around my legs. My pillow was on the floor. And my heart was still beating like I had just run five kilometers. I stared at the alarm. Then at my room. Then back at the alarm. “Dream lang pala.” I covered my face with both hands. “Oh my God.” I fell backward onto my pillow. “Michael literally held my hand.” I stared at the ceiling. Then I remembered Josh. Then Ezekiel. Then Michael. Then the three of them arguing over me. I groaned. “What kind of dream was that?” I grabbed my pillow and covered my face. “Ang cringe.” But I couldn't stop smiling. That was the problem. I was smiling. Like an i***t. I pulled the pillow away from my face. “Okay, Elle.” I pointed at myself. “Calm down.” It was only a dream. A very weird dream. A very detailed dream. A very— “Kilig dream.” I buried my face in my pillow again. --- I had always believed that there were two types of problems in life. Problems that could be solved. And problems that simply needed more time. As an engineering student, I was trained to believe that every problem had a solution. If something didn't work, troubleshoot it. If a calculation was wrong, check the formula. If the answer didn't make sense, go back and find the mistake. Simple. Logical. Predictable. At least, that's what I believed. Until love decided to become part of my equation. But I wasn't there yet. At that time, I didn't know that three boys were about to become the biggest variables in my life. I didn't know that one would make me feel safe. One would challenge my logic. And one would make my heart completely forget how to behave. All I knew was that I was late. “s**t!” I jumped out of bed. I grabbed my towel. “I'm late!” I rushed into the bathroom. Twenty minutes later, I ran out of the house with my backpack hanging from one shoulder. My hair was still slightly damp. I didn't have time to fix it properly. I checked my phone. 7:41 A.M. My first class started at eight. “Perfect.” I ran faster. “Perfect talaga!” --- By the time I reached campus, I was already out of breath. I stopped near the entrance. Hands on my knees. “Okay…” I inhaled. Exhaled. “I'm alive.” Then someone bumped into my shoulder. “Sorry!” I turned. “It's okay—” The guy stopped. I stopped. For a second, neither of us spoke. He was holding a large tube. Blueprints. A black shirt. Messy hair. Sharp eyes. And a faint smile. Something about him felt familiar. Too familiar. My stomach suddenly twisted. He looked at me. “You okay?” I blinked. “Yeah.” “You sure?” “Yes.” He looked at me for another second. Then he smiled. “Good.” He walked away. I watched him disappear into the crowd. I frowned. Why did that feel familiar? I shook my head. “Okay, Elle. You're imagining things.” I turned around. And almost walked straight into someone else. “Whoa.” I stepped back. “Sorry!” A hand caught my elbow before I could lose my balance. “Careful.” I looked up. My breath caught. Dark eyes. Messy black hair. Backpack. Calm expression. He let go of my arm. “You okay?” I nodded. “Yeah.” He smiled. “Good.” I stared at him. Something about him felt… familiar. Again. “Have we met?” He laughed. “I don't think so.” I looked at him suspiciously. “Are you sure?” “Pretty sure.” “Okay.” He started walking away. Then he looked back. “Nice calculator.” I looked down. My calculator was hanging from my bag. I laughed awkwardly. “Thanks.” He smiled. Then walked away. I stood there. “Okay.” I rubbed my forehead. “Two weirdly familiar guys in less than five minutes.” Maybe I was still dreaming. Maybe I hadn't actually woken up. I slapped my cheek. “Ouch.” “Definitely awake.” “Miss?” I turned. A third guy was standing behind me. Coffee in hand. Phone in his other hand. He was smiling. Not a normal smile. The kind of smile that made you immediately suspicious. “Are you talking to yourself?” I stared at him. “No.” He raised an eyebrow. “I literally heard you.” “Okay.” He took a sip of his coffee. “Interesting.” “What?” “You're cute when you're lying.” I froze. My brain stopped functioning for approximately three seconds. “Excuse me?” He smiled. “I said you're cute.” “That's not what you said.” “Then you heard wrong.” I narrowed my eyes. “You're annoying.” “Thank you.” “That wasn't a compliment.” “I know.” He smiled again. I hated that smile. Because it was working. “What's your name?” I crossed my arms. “Why?” “Curiosity.” “You ask everyone's name?” “Only the interesting ones.” I stared at him. “Michael.” I blinked. “What?” He pointed at himself. “My name.” “Michael?” He nodded. “Michael.” I stared at him. Then something inside my brain clicked. Michael. The dream. The same name. The same smile. The same annoying confidence. My stomach dropped. “What's wrong?” “Nothing.” “You look shocked.” “I'm not.” “You're staring.” “I'm not.” “You are.” I looked away. “Okay, fine.” He laughed. “You're funny.” “I didn't try to be.” “Even better.” I rolled my eyes. “I have class.” “So do I.” “Then go.” “I will.” He didn't move. I looked at him. He looked at me. Neither of us moved. “Are you leaving?” I asked. “After you.” “Why?” He shrugged. “Gentleman.” I laughed. “You don't look like one.” “Ouch.” He placed his hand over his chest dramatically. “You hurt me.” “Good.” He laughed. And I couldn't help smiling. Then he suddenly stepped closer. “See you around, Elle.” My smile disappeared. I froze. “How do you know my name?” He smiled. And walked away. I stood there. Completely confused. “Wait!” He didn't turn around. “Michael!” Still nothing. I looked around. Students were everywhere. But somehow, I couldn't see him anymore. “That's impossible.” I checked my ID. Maybe he saw it. Of course. My name was written there. “Okay.” I exhaled. “Nothing weird.” I started walking toward my building. Then I heard a familiar voice. “Elle!” I stopped. I turned. The guy from earlier—the one with the blueprint—was running toward me. He stopped in front of me. “You dropped this.” He handed me something. My pen. I looked at it. Then at him. “Thanks.” He smiled. “No problem.” I noticed the blueprint under his arm. “Architecture?” He nodded. “Yeah.” I smiled. “I'm engineering.” He laughed. “I know.” I frowned. “How?” He pointed toward my shirt. I looked down. My university shirt had a tiny ENGINEERING logo. “Oh.” He laughed. “I'm Josh.” I hesitated. “Elle.” He smiled. “I know.” My heart skipped. “Why does everyone know my name today?” Josh laughed. “Maybe you're famous.” “I doubt that.” “Maybe.” He started walking away. I watched him. Then he looked back. “Good luck with your class.” “Thanks.” He smiled. Then disappeared into the crowd. I stared after him. Josh. Architecture. I remembered the dream. The architect. I shook my head. “Coincidence.” It had to be. --- My first class passed in a blur. I barely understood what our professor was explaining. My notes were a mess. Instead of equations, I kept writing random thoughts. Josh. Michael. The other guy. I still didn't know his name. I tapped my pen against my notebook. Maybe I was just tired. Maybe the dream was affecting my mind. Maybe— “Miss Elle.” I jumped. Our professor was staring at me. “Yes, sir?” “Since you're so focused…” My classmates started laughing. “…perhaps you can solve this.” He pointed at the board. I looked. A complicated equation. I stared at it. Then at him. “Yes, sir.” I stood up. I walked to the board. The class became quiet. I picked up the marker. Numbers. Variables. Logic. This was my territory. I wrote the first step. Then the second. Then the third. Slowly, the equation began to make sense. My classmates watched. I smiled. See? This was easy. Problems had solutions. I finished the equation. I stepped back. “There.” My professor nodded. “Correct.” I smiled. Then he said, “Remember, class.” He pointed at the equation. “An equation can have many variables, but there should still be a correct answer.” I stared at the board. Many variables. One answer. For some reason, I suddenly thought of three faces. Josh. Ezekiel. Michael. I frowned. Why them? --- After class, I went to the cafeteria. I was starving. I ordered food and looked for an empty table. Then I saw one. Perfect. I walked toward it. But someone sat down at the exact same time. I stopped. He looked up. It was the guy from earlier. The one with the calculator. I stared at him. He stared at me. “Oh.” He smiled. “You again.” I laughed. “Yeah.” He moved his bag. “Sit.” “Thanks.” I sat across from him. For a few seconds, neither of us spoke. Then he looked at me. “I'm Ezekiel.” I almost dropped my fork. “What?” He smiled. “Ezekiel.” I stared at him. That name. The dream. The second variable. “You okay?” I nodded quickly. “Yeah.” “You keep doing that.” “Doing what?” “Looking surprised whenever I say something.” I laughed awkwardly. “Sorry.” He smiled. “It's fine.” We ate quietly. Then he noticed my notebook. “Engineering?” “Yes.” “What field?” “I haven't decided yet.” He nodded. “Same.” “You're engineering too?” “Yes.” I smiled. “Finally. Someone normal.” He laughed. “What's that supposed to mean?” “Nothing.” He leaned back. “So, Elle…” I looked at him. “How's your love life?” I almost choked. “What?” He laughed. “I'm just asking.” “Why would you ask that?” “Curious.” “No.” “No?” “No.” He smiled. “So you're single?” I stared at him. “You're very direct.” “I like efficient communication.” I laughed. “That's such an engineer answer.” “I'm an engineer.” “Exactly.” He smiled. Then his expression softened. “Good.” I frowned. “Good what?” “Nothing.” He looked away. I stared at him. “What?” He shook his head. “Nothing.” “Tell me.” “No.” “Ezekiel.” He looked at me. “It's nothing.” His eyes met mine. For some reason, I suddenly became aware of how close we were. His voice became quieter. “I just thought…” He paused. “What?” He smiled. “Never mind.” My heart was beating faster. “Tell me.” He shook his head. “Maybe later.” Then someone placed a tray on our table. “Am I interrupting?” I looked up. Michael. I sighed. “Why are you everywhere?” He smiled. “Maybe fate.” “Or bad luck.” He laughed. “Harsh.” Ezekiel looked at him. “You know her?” Michael pulled out the chair beside me. “Of course.” I frowned. “We literally met this morning.” Michael smiled. “That's still enough.” Ezekiel looked at me. “You know him?” “No.” Michael placed his hand on his chest. “Wow.” I rolled my eyes. “Don't start.” He laughed. Ezekiel shook his head. “You two are weird.” “Thank you,” Michael said. “That's not a compliment.” “I know.” I laughed. Then someone approached our table. “Is this seat taken?” I looked up. Josh. Of course. I stared at the three of them. Then at the empty chair. Then back at them. “You've got to be kidding me.” Josh smiled. “What?” “You're all here.” Michael shrugged. “Apparently.” Ezekiel looked at me. “Is that bad?” I looked at all three. Josh. Ezekiel. Michael. Three guys. Three different personalities. And somehow, all three were sitting at my table. I suddenly remembered my dream. Three men. One girl. One choice. I laughed nervously. “This is weird.” Josh smiled. “Maybe it's supposed to be.” I looked at him. “What do you mean?” He leaned closer. “Maybe we're supposed to meet.” My cheeks warmed. Michael noticed. “Oh.” He smiled. “This is interesting.” “What?” “Nothing.” Ezekiel looked between us. “Can we eat without making this dramatic?” Josh laughed. “Who's making it dramatic?” “You.” Michael raised his hand. “I'm innocent.” I laughed. “You're all crazy.” Josh looked at me. “Maybe.” Then he smiled. “But you're smiling.” I immediately stopped. “I am not.” “You are.” “No.” “Yes.” Michael leaned closer. “He's right.” I looked at him. “Stay out of this.” He grinned. “Can't.” Ezekiel shook his head. “You guys are impossible.” And somehow... I was laughing. Really laughing. The kind of laugh that made my stomach hurt. The kind that made me forget my deadlines. My classes. My worries. For a moment, everything felt easy. Almost too easy. Then Josh looked at me. “Elle.” “Hmm?” “Can I ask you something?” “Sure.” “If you had to choose…” I frowned. “Choose what?” He smiled. “Between someone who understands your dreams…” He glanced at Ezekiel. “…someone who understands your mind…” Then at Michael. “…and someone who understands your heart…” He looked back at me. “Who would you choose?” My smile disappeared. I stared at him. Why did the question sound so familiar? My heart began beating faster. The cafeteria became strangely quiet. The three guys looked at me. Waiting. I opened my mouth. But before I could answer— My alarm rang. --- I opened my eyes. My ceiling. My fan. My pillow. My room. Again. I stared at the clock. 6:00 A.M. I didn't move. I simply stared at the ceiling. “...What?” I slowly sat up. My heart was pounding. I looked around. No cafeteria. No Josh. No Ezekiel. No Michael. I covered my face. “Again?” I laughed. Then I stopped. Because I realized something. This dream felt different. It wasn't random anymore. It had a story. A beginning. A question. Three boys. And one girl who couldn't choose. I looked at my desk. My engineering notebook was open. I didn't remember leaving it that way. I got out of bed. Walked toward it. Then froze. On the page was something I had never written. Three names. JOSH EZEKIEL MICHAEL Underneath them was an equation. I stared at it. Then, slowly, I read the words written beneath it. Three variables. One heart. Zero solutions. I swallowed. At the bottom of the page, there was one final sentence. Maybe love isn't supposed to be solved. I stared at the handwriting. It looked like mine. But I didn't remember writing it. I closed the notebook. “Nope.” I walked away. I was not going to think about it. It was just a dream. Just a stupid, overly romantic dream. Three fictional guys. A fictional love triangle. A fictional equation. Nothing more. I grabbed my bag. Opened the door. And stepped outside. I was halfway down the street when my phone vibrated. A message. Unknown number. I stopped walking. I opened it. Unknown: Good morning, Elle. My eyebrows furrowed. Another message arrived. Unknown: Don't forget about our project today. My heart stopped. I stared at the screen. Then another message. Unknown: —Josh I couldn't breathe. I slowly typed. Me: Who are you? The reply came almost immediately. Josh: You don't remember me? I stared at the message. My hands became cold. Then another notification appeared. Different number. Ezekiel: Elle, are you already on campus? My mouth opened. “No…” Another message. Michael: Don't tell me you're late again. I dropped my phone. It hit the ground. I stared at it. Three names. Three messages. Three boys. The exact same three boys from my dream. I slowly picked up my phone. My fingers were trembling. Then one final message appeared. Michael: We need to talk about yesterday. I froze. Yesterday? I had never met them. Had I? I looked up at the road. Suddenly, the world felt unfamiliar. The buildings. The people. The morning traffic. Everything looked exactly the same. But something had changed. Or maybe... I had. I opened my notebook. On the first blank page, I wrote: x = Josh y = Ezekiel z = Michael Then underneath it: Love = ? I stared at the equation. For the first time in my life, I didn't want the answer. Because maybe... the answer would hurt. Maybe one of them would be the right choice. Maybe all three would be wrong. Or maybe the biggest problem was that I had already started falling— before I even knew who I was falling for. I closed my notebook. And whispered to myself: “Three variables.” I looked at the three unread messages. “One heart.” I took a deep breath. “And absolutely no idea how to solve it.” That was the day my love equation began. And I had no idea... that I was about to become its biggest unknown.