Our Late Night Story (Ours Series #1) (Epistolary)

All Those Late Nights (Part One)

February 2019

Weeks have passed since Jes introduced Avery and Belle to each other and since then, nakitaan niya naman ang progress ang dalawa. And proof of this is that he witnessed Avery give a bouquet of flowers and chocolates to Belle nung V-day. She seems like she’s enjoying her time with Avery pero Jes thinks it still too early to say that she already likes Avery. 

While Avery on the other hand, seemed like he really is genuinely interested in Belle.

As for him and Enzo, they celebrated Valentine's Day like how normal couples do. They went malling and saw a movie there. Syempre, they also pigged out like they usually do. All those things might seem so cliché for others but Jes loved it. Because with Enzo, mundanity will always be exciting.

With all the things that have been happening between him and Enzo, he thinks—no he’s sure—that things are getting better for them as well.

Pero ‘yun nga ang masama. 

Kasi akala niya lang pala talaga lahat ‘yon.

“You want to stop this?” Jes heard Enzo the first time. Hindi lang talaga siya makapaniwala.

“I’m really sorry, Babe, but yes. You heard me right,” Enzo replied. Jes couldn’t read the expression on his face. But his eyes... His eyes showed sadness. But fuck him. How can he say this and be sad? Gago ba siya?

“How can you even call me ‘Babe’ when you’re saying these things? Gago ka ba?” Jes can’t help but voice out his ugly thoughts. “Enzo naman, ang usapan we’ll just eat out tapos bigla kang nakikipag-break?”

“We’re not even together yet,” Enzo blurted out, which made Jes’s eyes widen. “I mean, I’m sorry, Jes—”

“No, it’s fine. You’re right,” Jes cut him off. “Wrong choice of words. My bad.”

Bakit niya nga ba kasi nasabi ‘yon? Wala naman kasi talagang sila. Pero kasi... That’s how it felt like.

“Jes, I’m sorry.” He could see tears forming in Enzo’s eyes as he reached for his hand. And he gave it to Enzo as much as he wanted to do otherwise. “I know it hurts and I know na biglaan din but I’m doing this because I want to protect you. Ayoko lang na mas masaktan ka.”

Jes scoffed. “Don’t even play hero right now, Enzo. If you don’t want me to get hurt, hindi mo gagawin ‘to. How is this protecting me?”

Enzo didn’t respond right away. Obviously, hindi niya alam ang sasabihin. He just let himself cry as he gave butterfly kisses to Jes’s hands. He wanted to take his hand back but he also wanted the feeling of Enzo's lips in it.

“Jes... I...” He finally spoke in between his sobs. “Jes I think I’m still in love with Zander. I thought I had moved on. And, Jes, believe me I think I liked you too.”

How can I believe that though? Jes wanted to ask.

Pero hindi niya ginawa. Because he knows in his heart that Enzo is telling the truth.

“But we saw each other again last week. And... And... It’s like all the feelings I had for him came back. It’s like I was reminded of the love I tried to forget.”

“So what now?” Tears started falling from Jes’s eyes as well. “Binalikan mo na? Kayo na ulit?”

Enzo shook his head. “No. We talked and he told me he’s still not moved on, too.”

“Edi perfect!” Jes blurted out, making sure Enzo could hear the sarcasm in his voice. “That means pwedeng-pwede na kayo ulit.”

“No, Jes. Nothing happened the night we talked. Until now, I still haven’t talked to him again kasi gulong-gulo rin ako,” Enzo explained. “Right now, I just need to be alone to make my head clear.”