Tricks for a Heart [mlm]

Chapter 21

"Umm ... I don't know if she's going to like this one ... ugh, this is harder than I thought!"

Shafiq groans as I scan through my bookshelf, picking a book only to put it back. "Just pick anything."

"I can't pick just anything! What if she gives me a really cool ass book and I only end up giving her some last season release?"

"Dude ... she's going to be fine," Shafiq replies. "Just give her, like, The Hunger Games or something."

I scowl. "Hunger Games? Dude, everyone has read that one."

"I haven't." Shafiq continues tapping and pressing on his Switch.

"You've watched the movies-never mind." I settled on choosing They Both Die at the End for Kayla, because I feel like that's one of the appropriate choices I have on my shelf. She did request to read something a little gay, and I'm lacking those kinds of books in my collection. That's when I realize about the scarcity of queer books in the long list of novels I read.

"You get along with Luq's sister pretty fast, huh?"

It started when we returned back from the trip. I stayed over at Luqman's place and attended to Kayla watching her favorite shows-she made me watch a wide range of TV from anime like Attack on Titans to BL dramas like Gaya Sa Pelikula. I don't know if she has a natural affinity to boys' love like a lot of young teenagers nowadays, or if it's just her scheme to get along with me.

Either way, it's a sweet gesture. I just got along with it and we ended up exchanging numbers. Kayla's really keen on texting me memes, fancams, and Internet slangs that I struggle understanding. Thank God Elena helps me out sometimes.

Now we're headed out to send Luqman off to KLIA for his next shift. He'll have a long shift due to his emergency leave, so Juwita wants us to have lunch at the airport shopping mall before he departs. Kayla wants to exchange some books, but I insist we make it a book swap instead, although I have nothing specific in mind that I want her to check out.

"Oh ... I've actually read this one!" she says as I hand her my pick. "I think it went viral on TikTok once."

"Oh, shoot!" I blurt out. "I should've known that you must've read this one already. So sorry, Kay."

"It's alright, Abang Adam! No worries! I just really want you to read this." She hands me a pink linen bag so small that it only covers the outside of the book, decorated with miniature artwork of unicorns. I take it from her and unfurl the bag away, and almost gasp as I hold the hardcover in my hand.

"It's The Song of Achilles," I gasp. "I've been meaning to get this forever."

"It's yours." Kayla beams at my speechlessness. I can feel my face warming as I run my hands around the coarse surface of the hardcover, its gold foil stamp shining under the bright lights of the restaurant. I can't catch my breath.

Our waiter arrives with our meals-Juwita insists I try the steak here, which is her favorite to order whenever she sends Luqman off. As much as the peppery beef scent makes my stomach growl, I still can't take my eyes off the book. "Kayla ... I can't. This must've cost a fortune."

"No, please!" she insists. "You have to have this! In a condition that you must read it, Abang Adam. It's a crime that you haven't gotten around to reading this masterpiece yet!"

I turn to her and give her a sideway hug. "You're precious!" I say. "And please! Save your money for something else, Kay. Don't spend it on me!"

"Well ... technically, it's Ma's money-"

"And she just needs a reason to buy that edition, Adam," Juwita butts in. "She's read her own battered copy many times, but insists on not buying a new one although she wants to."