HE LOVES ME, HE LOVES ME NOT

Katrina and Eunice approached her with smiles, seemingly giddy on her behalf.

"Your 'my loves' is on the way," Eunice whispered, because Brent was nearby, engrossed in his comics.

The four of them were gathered under a large tree in the vacant lot, their usual meeting spot as a group of friends. The six of them were childhood friends who lived close to each other. They were just waiting for the last two, Nick and Joe.

Three of them were girls and two were boys-yes, only two boys, because Joe was gay and the loudest among them.

She quickly grabbed her comb and mirror, fixing her hair, which wasn't even messy to begin with. They were all high school students attending the same school. Only she and Brent were classmates; the others were in different sections.

She placed the comb and mirror back into her small shoulder bag and waited for Joe and Nick to arrive. The girls were seated on a large fallen tree trunk while Brent was perched up in the tree, still absorbed in his comics.

They soon spotted their two friends approaching on bicycles. The three girls exchanged glances and smiles, but hers faded as the bikes drew nearer-Nick had a girl riding with him.

Nick and Joe quickly reached them, parking their bikes. Nick put his arm around the girl who had been with him.

"Have you been here long, girls?" Joe teased loudly, looking up at Brent in the tree.

Brent jumped down to join them. Nobody spoke as they all stared at the girl Nick had his arm around.

"Oh, this is Fay, my girlfriend," Nick said with a smile, introducing the girl.

Her young heart suddenly ached. She wanted to cry but held it in. She observed the girl Nick introduced. She was pretty, but just from her looks, she could tell she was flirtatious.

"Hi!" the girl greeted cheerfully.

"Hi, I'm Brent," Brent introduced himself when none of the girls responded.

Brent extended his hand toward Nick's girlfriend. Fay gazed at him with dreamy eyes. She didn't know why, but she felt the girl's smile was flirtatious.

Actually, Brent was more handsome than Nick, but Nick had a way with words that won him girlfriends. Brent, on the other hand, could be moody and reserved, and she was the only one who understood his quirks because they were the closest in the group.

Her brows furrowed as she noticed Fay trying to act cute around Brent, even with her boyfriend beside her. She also saw the disapproval on her other friends Katrina and Eunice's faces.

"Ola! These are our lovely besties-Katrina, Eunice, and, of course, the most beautiful of them all, Zyline!" Their gay friend Joe's loud voice startled them all.

They reluctantly shook hands with Nick's new girlfriend. She was probably the fifth girlfriend Nick had introduced to them.

"Oh, girls, help me spread out this mat over there so we can have a picnic vibe. We brought food too," Joe said suddenly, heading toward the tree.

Eunice and Katrina immediately followed. She, however, remained rooted in place. She was about to excuse herself and claim a headache-especially seeing how sweet Nick and his girlfriend were being-but Brent spoke first.

"Joe, can I borrow your bike? Zy and I are just going for a ride," he said, grabbing her hand and leading her toward Joe's bike.

She couldn't say a word and simply followed.

"Hey, you two! Is there something going on that you're not telling us?" Joe teased, pausing in his task.

Nick and his girlfriend looked in their direction.

"Yeah, come on, spill it! Let's all be happy-happy!" Nick chimed in.

Her face twisted at their teasing remarks.

"You guys are nuts!" Brent laughed, motioning for her to get on the bike.

Their two female friends didn't say a word because they already knew who she truly liked.

She got on the bike, sitting in front of Brent. Still, she remained silent. Brent started pedaling. She didn't know where they were going, but she didn't care. She'd go anywhere as long as she wasn't there, risking an emotional breakdown.

"You okay?" Brent asked suddenly.

"Yep," she replied briefly.

She closed her eyes, feeling the wind on her face as they rode around the subdivision.

Even without her saying it, she knew Brent understood her deep feelings for Nick. She suspected he had taken her on this bike ride because he saw she was on the verge of tears earlier.

Though she hadn't told him, Brent knew everything she felt.

She looked up at her friend's face, focused on the road ahead.

Why couldn't she just like Brent instead? He was so handsome. Sure, Nick was fair-skinned, but he wasn't that good-looking. Brent, on the other hand, had mestizo features, thanks to his foreign father, who now lived abroad with his new family.

Brent's parents had never married and had separated long ago. His father married someone, while his mother worked overseas. Brent had been left in the care of his aunt, who had her own family.

"Done yet?" he asked, still looking at the road.

"Huh?" she asked, confused, still gazing up at his face.

"Done admiring my good looks?" he teased, lowering his gaze toward her with playful eyes.

She rolled her eyes at him.

"Conceited," she muttered softly.

He just laughed, turning his focus back to the road. Soon, he started singing softly-Bituin Escalante's Kung Ako Na Lang Sana.

She smiled and joined in. They sang other songs too, laughing because both were out of tune.

By the time they returned to their hangout, she was smiling again. They approached their friends hand in hand, drawing everyone's attention. Fay raised an eyebrow at them.

"Well, well! I've long suspected these two!" Joe clapped enthusiastically.

She noticed Nick staring intently at their joined hands. She and Brent glanced at each other before bursting into laughter. They sat down together, sharing the food Brent had gotten for them.

Everyone else just watched as Brent fed her a bite of food. Smiling, she opened her mouth and ate it, and they laughed together once more.

They no longer saw each other daily after starting college since they went to different schools. However, they made sure to bond at least once a week when they weren't too busy.

Among them, she and Brent were the only ones who still saw each other daily since they lived just one house apart. Brent often hung out at her house whenever his cousins bothered him at his aunt's place.

This setup worked in her favor since her mom, a businesswoman, was often away for work, traveling to sell products. Her father had passed away a long time ago, and as an only child, she often found herself alone at home when her mom was away. Luckily, Brent was always around.

She had met the two girlfriends Brent had before. She never knew why they broke up, but both relationships lasted two years.

It had been almost a year since Brent broke up with his last girlfriend.

As for her? As usual, she was still hoping Nick would notice her despite being surrounded by other girls.

That day, she was in her room with Eunice, Katrina, and Joe. They had deliberately excluded Brent because it was supposed to be a "girl thing."

Since it was their semester break, they finally had time to gather again.

"Seriously, Zyline? You haven't had a boyfriend because you're still waiting for Nick to court you? My God, girl! With your beauty, you should've had several boyfriends by now," Joe said dramatically.

She laughed at her friend's expression. Joe was wearing a silk nightie, while the girls wore pajamas. It wasn't nighttime yet; in fact, it was just noon, and they had just finished eating. They were on her bed, snacking on chips.

"Yeah, you should move on from Nick," Eunice chimed in while munching on Chippy.

"Girls, he doesn't even have a girlfriend right now," she said with a hopeful smile.

The three exchanged glances.

"But give it a day or two, and he'll have a new one," Katrina said.

"I honestly thought there was something going on between you and Brent," Joe teased.

"Ew, no," she said, wiggling her nose.

"Hey! Don't act like Brent is unattractive. He's their campus hottie, you know? Haven't you noticed all those girls stopping by my store? Turns out they're just asking about Brent. Even I admit I've fantasized about him a few times," Joe said, looking up at the ceiling with a playful smirk.

The three of them burst into laughter.

"Brent and I would never work, okay? Anyway, back to Nick. Remember our camping trip tomorrow? Let's play truth or dare, and when it's my turn, dare me to sleep in a tent far from the others. Then you guys draw names for who will join me in the tent, and of course, make sure it's Nick's name that gets picked!" she suggested excitedly.

"Girl, that's practically trapping Nick. What if something happens and you end up pregnant? We'd be dead meat when your mom finds out," Joe said disapprovingly.

"Girls, nothing's going to happen, okay? Especially since you'll all be nearby. Please?" she pleaded.

Once again, the three fell silent, focusing on their snacks before exchanging looks.

"Please? Support me on this," she said, pressing her palms together like praying and looking at each of them pleadingly.

Joe rolled his eyes and stuffed his mouth with chips.

"Pretty please?" she repeated.

"Fine! Ugh, we're only doing this because you're our friend," Joe relented reluctantly.

Her smile widened, and she hugged Joe tightly.

"Ew, girl! Your boobs are squishing me. Gross!" Joe protested dramatically.

The room erupted in laughter. Moments later, there was a knock at the door before it opened.

"Zy, I just got in and-oops! Am I interrupting something?" Brent peeked through the door, ready to close it again, but Joe stopped him.

"Oh, come on in, Brent. Why are you acting shy? Didn't Zy's boyfriend get the memo that today is girls-only day?" Joe said, emphasizing the word boyfriend.

Joe always referred to Brent as her boyfriend because they were inseparable.

She just laughed it off. She had even given Brent a spare key to her house since he came and went so frequently.

Brent finally stepped in, grabbed a handful of chips, and sat on the bed. He stared at Joe's revealing outfit.

"Do I need to wear something like that to join in?" he asked, making them all burst out laughing.

"Yes! Pretend to be a girl, or we'll kick you out," Joe declared.

Joe rummaged through their bag and handed Brent a pink knee-length nightie paired with a bra.

Brent's eyes widened at the sight of the outfit.

"If you don't want to wear it, you can leave," Joe said sternly.

The three girls giggled as Brent scratched his head, stood up, and headed to the bathroom with the outfit.

They all whistled when Brent emerged, laughing as he struck a pose against the wall, raising a leg and smacking his behind.

Their laughter doubled as they took in his outfit. Despite the see-through material, Brent wore shorts underneath. The fabric couldn't hide his muscles, and Joe threw him a purple wig, which he promptly put on.

"Wait, something's missing. Let me put makeup on you," she said, her eyes watering from laughter.

Brent approached her and sat on the bed. She grabbed her makeup kit and knelt on the bed to face him. Eunice and Katrina tried to help, but Joe stopped them.

"Let Zy do the honors. She's the makeup artist for her boyfriend, after all," Joe teased.

She gave Joe a look but couldn't help laughing. She started applying makeup to Brent's face. As she worked, Brent stared at her intently, making her feel self-conscious.

When she moved to apply lipstick, he puckered his lips. She swallowed nervously as her eyes lingered on his lips. In all their years as friends, she'd never noticed how alluring his lips were.

She was startled by a flash of light.

"Perfect!" Joe said excitedly, staring at their phone.

Joe had taken a picture of them, catching her mid-stare at Brent's lips.

"Look, girls! Isn't this cute?" Joe showed the photo to Eunice and Katrina, who gasped, looked at her and Brent, and covered their mouths.

"What's with the reaction?" she asked, intrigued, as she grabbed the phone.

Her breath hitched at the sight of the photo. They looked like a couple about to kiss.

Her face suddenly warmed at what she saw.

"Let me see," Brent said as he took the phone from her hand.

Before she could see his reaction, she quickly gathered her things and got off the bed.

"I'm going to the kitchen to cook," she said absentmindedly as she headed toward the door.

"But we just ate," Eunice pointed out.

She froze. Oh, right. She automatically glanced at Brent and saw him staring intently at their picture. She even caught him suppressing a smile.

Why is he smiling?

Then, she noticed him pressing something on Joe's phone, and shortly after, his own phone chimed.

Did he just send the picture to his phone?

Unable to believe what she'd just witnessed, she averted her gaze from him and continued out of the room.

She'd go ahead and prepare some snacks for them. Whatever.

She was so excited that day. She and her friends were going to a resort. No boyfriends and girlfriends allowed, only the six of them. It had been a few weeks since she last saw Nick. She found out through social media that he had just broken up with his girlfriend. She reached out to him via chat, and from then on, they had been chatting every night. That's why she was confident enough to follow through with their plan.

She really needed to do something to get his attention. She wasn't ugly, so she knew she had a good chance. She just had to take the initiative.

They were using the van owned by Nick's family, and Nick was the one driving. Sitting next to her was Brent, who was sleeping with his mouth open, his head resting on her shoulder. She kept glancing at the mirror just to see Nick's face. Sometimes he caught her staring, but instead of looking away, she smiled at him, and he smiled back.

Joe was singing loudly during the trip; even though he dressed like a girl, his voice was still very deep. Katrina and Eunice were busy talking to their boyfriends on the phone.

She looked at Brent again and, without realizing it, stared at his lips. Annoyed, she closed his mouth. He suddenly woke up from what she did.

"Are we there yet?" he asked sleepily.

"Just about an hour more, bro," Nick answered, looking at the rearview mirror to check on Brent.

"Okay, bro. Do you want me to drive now?" he asked.

"It's okay, we're almost there," Nick replied with a smile.

"Sit up properly. You're so heavy," she complained.

He just smiled and straightened up, putting his arm around her.

When they arrived at the resort, they immediately unpacked their things. It was already around 4 p.m. when they arrived.

After settling in, they ate and rested. By 5 p.m., they all went for a swim in the sea. They were the only ones there because it was an off-peak Sunday afternoon, so they could make noise without anyone complaining. When they got tired, they sat on the sand. It was getting dark, so they started a bonfire.

She started to feel nervous because their plan was about to happen. The four of them exchanged glances when Joe grabbed a bottle for their truth or dare game.

"Okay, guys, we're playing truth or dare. You all know the rules, so I won't explain," Joe said enthusiastically.

They sat in a circle in front of the bonfire. She was between Brent and Nick. She couldn't sit still, especially with Nick sitting right next to her.

"Okay, let's start," Joe said, spinning the bottle.

It stopped at Katrina.

"Truth or dare?" Joe asked.

"Truth!" Katrina answered with a smile.

"Oh, okay. How old were you when you had your first kiss?" Joe asked.

"Th-thirteen," Katrina admitted, blushing.

The guys started teasing her. She looked at her friend, who was smiling.

"Who was it with?" Eunice asked.

"D-dennis," she laughed.

"Really?!" they all asked in unison.

Dennis was the biggest bully in their class back in elementary school, and his favorite target was Katrina.

"It wasn't on purpose, guys. He was trying to tease me again, and when I turned around, his face was so close to mine because he was about to put something in my hair. And then! When I turned, our lips just met. Eww! I don't want to talk about it," Katrina said, laughing as if it was the funniest thing ever instead of being disgusted.

"That's why he stopped bullying you," Nick suddenly said.

Katrina laughed even harder.

"Actually, we were together for a month, then my mom found out, pinched Dennis's ear, and he never came near me again. I cried for a few days," she said, still laughing.

They all laughed because they knew how strict Katrina's mom was.

"Okay, next," Joe said when the laughter subsided.

The bottle spun again and landed on Eunice.

"Truth or dare?" Joe asked.

"Dare!" Eunice said with a grin.

"Okay, hmmm..." Joe said, thinking.

"Kiss Joe on the lips!" Nick suddenly said, laughing.

Everyone burst into laughter. Brent even gave a high five to Nick.

"Hey! That's unfair. It's Eunice's dare; why am I included?" Joe complained, his stomach hurting from laughing.

"Quiet! I'm going to kiss Joe!" Eunice yelled.

Joe quickly covered his mouth.

"Nooo!" he screamed as if he were disgusted.

They laughed even harder at their flamboyant friend's reaction. Eunice approached him, trying to pull his hands off his mouth.

"Please! Don't!" Joe screamed dramatically, as if he were being assaulted.

"Come on. It'll be quick. Don't resist," Eunice said, raising her voice as if she were a man forcing a woman.

They all fell silent when Eunice finally managed to remove Joe's hands from his mouth. They saw Joe's eyes widen. Eunice quickly kissed him on the lips.

When it was over, Joe screamed, grabbed a bottle of alcohol, and drunk from it.

They all laughed again. Next was Nick, who chose truth.

"Have you liked or are you liking anyone from our group?" Joe asked.

Her heart raced with the question, especially since Nick took a long time to answer. He laughed nervously.

"Y-yes," he finally answered.

Her friends, who knew her secret, exchanged glances.

"Who?" Brent asked.

Suddenly, there was a heavy silence as everyone waited for Nick's answer. It felt like a tense moment between just him and Brent.

She held her breath, waiting for Nick's answer. Her heart was pounding.

Nick's face became serious before he finally spoke. He stared at Brent before answering.

"You," he said, still looking at Brent without smiling.

A moment later, he laughed.

"You're annoying, Nick!" Joe shouted, splashing alcohol on him.

They all laughed except for Brent and her. She thought he would say her name.

She didn't know why, but she really had hoped for it. She just smiled faintly. She saw Brent grab another bottle of alcohol and drink from it.

The bottle spun again, landing on Brent. Since the bottle would keep spinning until it landed on someone who hadn't played yet, everyone knew it was Brent's turn.

Brent was ready for his turn.

"Truth!" he answered immediately before Joe could even ask.

"Hey, excited!" Joe teased.

"Okay, hmmm..." Joe started thinking about a question.

"Did I like anyone from our group?" Brent asked, volunteering his own question.

"No, you can't repeat questions," Eunice said.

"Why not?" Brent complained.

"Nah, Brent, you don't need to ask; we already know," Joe cut in.

She saw Nick laugh quietly, glancing at her before grabbing some alcohol and drinking it.

She stared at the bonfire, still disappointed by Nick's earlier answer.

"Okay, how about this... When are you going to ask the person you like out?" Joe asked Brent.

She looked at her friend. They were close, but she was the last to know the news.

"Later," Brent answered, finishing his bottle of alcohol.

"Aww, so cute," Eunice squealed.

How could it be later when they wouldn't even leave until tomorrow? They were staying the night there.

Her thoughts were interrupted as she realized she was next. The plan was about to unfold. She exchanged meaningful glances with the four of them who knew their plan.

They didn't spin the bottle again since she hadn't played yet. Joe already considered himself done because of Eunice's dare earlier.

"So, Zy, truth or dare?" Joe asked.

"Dare," she answered softly, feeling nervous.

Eunice and Katrina exchanged secret smiles.

"Okay, Zyline, do you see that big tree over there?" Joe pointed to a tree in the distance.

Everyone looked in that direction. It was already getting dark, and the light from the bonfire was the only source of illumination, so the tree was hard to see.

"Yeah," she answered.

"Go set up your tent over there, but... don't worry, we're going to draw names to decide who will join you," Joe explained.

Of course, she had to act surprised, even though she already knew the dare because she was the one who came up with it.

"What? How?" she asked, unsure if she was overacting.

"I have prepared our names. Here, look!" Joe showed the names written on pieces of paper.

"Okay, game!" she said, confident that Nick's name would be drawn, knowing Joe had already prepared the paper with Nick's name.

"Alright!" Joe cheered.

He mixed up the names, and she saw him hesitate as he reached into his pocket. He seemed to be searching for something. Their eyes met, and they seemed to be communicating silently. Joe shook his head.

Eunice and Katrina, who knew the plan, exchanged knowing glances.

Joe finally pulled out the paper, and her heart sank. Was their plan going to fail?

Please, Lord, let it be Nick, she silently prayed.

Joe dramatically opened the paper. Everyone stared at him, except for Brent, who was still drinking his beer.

She saw Joe read the name and smile sweetly before looking at her. She smiled back.

Yes! Thank you, Lord! It was almost like she wanted to look up at the sky.

"The person you'll share the tent with is none other than..." Joe said, teasing.

Once again, she held her breath while staring at her gay friend.

"Brent!" she yelled loudly, even pointing at her friend with an open palm as he was busy sipping beer.

Brent looked at her while still drinking. The smile on her face almost disappeared in disappointment for the second time. But she kept it there, especially since the guy was watching her.

"Y-yay!" She raised one hand, pretending to be overjoyed.

She wasn't sure, but she probably looked foolish. Brent's face showed no trace of a smile.

"Hey! Why do you look like you're not happy, huh?" she teased him, pretending to sulk.

He put down the bottle he was holding, stood up, and approached her. She was startled when he made her stand, suddenly lifted her up, and spun her around in the air.

"Yay! I'm so excited to sleep next to the most restless one in bed!" he shouted as they spun.

"Put me down, Brent! I'm getting dizzy. You're crazy!" she exclaimed, lightly hitting his arm.

Their other friends burst out laughing while watching them. When he finally put her down, she playfully punched him lightly on the chest.

"You're really crazy!" she said, annoyed.

He just laughed.

"Alright, let's eat over there in the cottage, guys. My stomach's been rumbling for a while now," Joe said.

They quickly headed to the cottage. Brent put his arm around her shoulders, and they walked there together. She noticed Nick lagging behind, still sipping beer.

It was over. Their plan was officially ruined.

Better luck next time, Zyline!