CHAPTER 5: Technically
1534 Words
For the first time since I met him, he didn't wait for me the next morning.
Good.
That was good.
It was supposed to be good.
I didn't have to hear “Good morning, Miss Galit.”
I didn't have to deal with his stupid jokes.
I didn't have to answer unnecessary questions.
And most importantly, I didn't have to wonder what exactly was going on between him and Lara.
Peace.
Finally.
So why did the walk to school feel unusually quiet?
I hated that I noticed.
I hated it even more when I caught myself looking toward the usual spot where he would stand.
Nothing.
I shook my head.
Good.
I entered the building.
Halfway through the hallway, I saw Lara.
She looked at me.
I looked away.
I wasn't interested in another conversation.
But as I passed her—
“Hey.”
I stopped.
“What?”
She hesitated.
“Can we talk?”
“I don't think we need to.”
“I owe you an explanation.”
I stared at her.
“About?”
“About him.”
Of course.
I sighed.
“Fine.”
We moved to an empty corner.
She crossed her arms.
“I wasn't telling the truth yesterday.”
“I figured.”
Her eyebrows rose.
“You knew?”
“No.”
“Then why did you say that?”
“Because you sounded like someone who wanted a reaction.”
She laughed softly.
“Okay. Fair.”
She looked down at the floor.
“He and I dated.”
“Dated?”
“Past tense.”
I nodded.
“When?”
“Last year.”
“So you're not together.”
“No.”
“Then why did you say you were?”
She looked embarrassed.
“Because I was angry.”
“At him?”
“Yes.”
I waited.
“He broke up with me.”
“Okay.”
“He said he wasn't ready for a relationship.”
I shrugged.
“That happens.”
“But then he started spending time with you.”
I didn't know what to say.
Lara continued.
“And I thought…”
She stopped.
“Never mind.”
“You thought what?”
“That he was using you to make me jealous.”
I stared at her.
“That sounds like his problem.”
“I know.”
She sighed.
“I shouldn't have dragged you into it.”
“No, you shouldn't have.”
She smiled awkwardly.
“Sorry.”
I nodded.
“Okay.”
And that was it.
No drama.
No fight.
No friendship.
Just an apology.
Honestly, I preferred it that way.
---
I found him after lunch.
He was sitting alone behind the library, eating a sandwich.
I stood a few feet away.
He noticed me.
His expression changed immediately.
“Oh.”
I crossed my arms.
“Lara talked to me.”
He looked down.
“What did she say?”
“The truth.”
He nodded.
“Okay.”
“So you two aren't together.”
“No.”
“You could've said that.”
“I know.”
“Why didn't you?”
He was quiet for a moment.
“Because I knew you'd think it was complicated.”
“It is complicated.”
“Exactly.”
I sighed.
“You're weird.”
“I've been told.”
“Frequently, probably.”
“Very.”
He smiled.
I didn't.
“Are you going to keep avoiding me?”
“I wasn't avoiding you.”
“You weren't waiting for me this morning.”
“I thought you wanted space.”
I paused.
He looked at me.
“You told me to leave you out of it.”
“I did.”
“So I did.”
Simple.
No argument.
No guilt trip.
Nothing.
I looked away.
“Okay.”
He took another bite of his sandwich.
“So…”
“So?”
“Are we okay?”
I shrugged.
“Probably.”
“That's not very convincing.”
“It's what you're getting.”
“I'll take it.”
I almost smiled.
Almost.
---
“By the way,” he said.
“What?”
“You still owe me an answer.”
“About what?”
“My name.”
I stared at him.
“You still don't know?”
“No.”
“After all this?”
“Exactly.”
I sighed.
Then finally said it.
My name.
He repeated it quietly.
As if making sure he remembered it.
Then he smiled.
“Nice.”
“That's it?”
“What do you want me to say?”
“I don't know.”
“Okay.”
He stood up.
“Then I guess we're officially acquaintances.”
“We already were.”
“Now I know your name.”
“Congratulations.”
He smiled.
“Thank you.”
I rolled my eyes.
---
That evening, I got home later than usual.
The house was quiet.
Too quiet.
I knew something was wrong.
“Ma?”
No answer.
I walked toward the kitchen.
She was sitting at the table with several papers in front of her.
Bills.
Again.
I already knew before she said anything.
“Anak…”
I put my bag down.
“How much?”
She looked at me.
“Hindi pera.”
I frowned.
“Then what?”
She pushed one of the papers toward me.
I picked it up.
It was a notice.
My eyes moved across the page.
And stopped.
FINAL NOTICE.
I looked at Mama.
“What's this?”
She didn't answer.
“Ma.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Hindi ko alam kung saan tayo kukuha.”
I sat down.
For the first time that day, I felt my chest tighten.
“Magkano?”
She told me.
I stared at the paper.
It was more than I expected.
Much more.
I swallowed.
“Okay.”
“Anak…”
“Pag-iisipan natin.”
“Pero—”
“Ma.”
I forced a smile.
“Kaya natin.”
She looked at me.
I smiled again.
The same smile I've used for years.
The one that says—
Don't worry.
I'm okay.
I can handle it.
---
That night, I couldn't sleep.
I stared at the ceiling.
The number from the notice kept repeating in my head.
I calculated.
Recalculated.
Removed unnecessary expenses.
Added possible income.
Nothing worked.
Not enough.
I grabbed my phone.
Opened my contacts.
Scrolled.
I stopped at his name.
I didn't even know when I had saved it.
I stared at it.
For several seconds.
Then I locked my phone.
No.
I wasn't going to ask him.
I didn't even know him well.
And besides—
I didn't need anyone.
I could figure it out.
I always did.
---
The next morning, I arrived at school exhausted.
I hadn't slept properly.
I sat at my usual place.
Opened my notebook.
Tried to focus.
Nothing made sense.
“Hey.”
I looked up.
He was standing in front of me.
“Good morning.”
“Morning.”
He studied my face.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah.”
He frowned.
“You look tired.”
“Didn't sleep well.”
“Why?”
“Nothing.”
He sat beside me.
For once, he didn't joke.
He simply placed something on my desk.
A small piece of paper.
I looked at it.
“What is this?”
“Nothing.”
I unfolded it.
There were numbers written on it.
And below them—
Part-time jobs.
I looked at him.
“How did you—”
“I heard you talking to someone yesterday.”
“You were listening?”
“No.”
“Then?”
“I wasn't trying to.”
I stared at the list.
Different places.
Different schedules.
He had even written estimated pay beside each one.
“You did this?”
He shrugged.
“Maybe.”
“Why?”
He looked at me.
“Because you look like someone who's trying to solve a problem alone.”
I didn't answer.
He continued eating his breakfast.
“And I'm not asking you to tell me what the problem is.”
I looked back at the paper.
“So what's this?”
“Options.”
“Why?”
“Because maybe you don't need someone to solve it for you.”
He shrugged.
“Maybe you just need someone to help you find options.”
I looked at him.
He wasn't smiling.
For once, he wasn't trying to make me laugh.
He wasn't flirting.
He wasn't asking anything from me.
He simply left the paper there.
Then he stood up.
“Good luck.”
He walked away.
I stared at the list again.
Then at his back.
And for the first time, I wondered—
maybe I had misunderstood him.
Maybe he wasn't trying to become important in my life.
Maybe he was simply the kind of person who helped when he could.
And somehow, that was even more confusing.
Because people like that were dangerous.
Not because they hurt you.
But because they made you wonder what it would feel like—
to stop doing everything alone.
- Writer
