Settle the Score / Hustle Play

Chapter Two | Reset

Charles was such a good sport about my random squealing outbursts in his car. (“OMG, can you believe it? Chris Barcelo actually knows my name!”)  The smile on Charles’ face was still the same old smile I adored—boyish, sincere, and very attractive—and the amusement in his laughter seemed genuine. I only realized I’d been talking about Chris Barcelo all this time when the car came to a halt in front of our gated compound.

“I’ll pick you up in two hours?”

“Hm?”

“Victory party?” he reminded. “I can only drop you off, though. I’m driving to Tagaytay right after. Unless… you don’t want me to drive you.”

Did I want him to bring me to the victory party? Members of the Emerald Cheer Squad were going to be there for sure, and I worried about his ex-girlfriend, Nica Samson, seeing us together.

Wait, when did I ever worry about Nica seeing Charles and me together? We were friends before they even dated.

“This is bothering you, isn’t it?”

“What?”

He killed the engine. “This. Us. It’s bothering you.”

Well, hello there, lump in my throat. Nice of you to return. All of a sudden, Charles’ car seemed to shrink around me, suffocating me.

“It shouldn’t, right?” I asked in return as the thoughts in my head collided with each other and made more mess than sense. “We’re friends, and I shouldn’t feel strange around you. I’m just... I don’t know, I’m new to this… thing. Whatever you call it.”

“Friendship?” he asked. “You said it yourself. We’re friends.”

“You’re okay with us being… just friends?”

“Sure.”

I frowned. “Well, that reply came quick.”

When his laughter filled the small space we shared, I felt compelled to smack him with the back of my hand. How dare he, when the butterflies in my stomach were waging war against each other? My insides were twisting; I didn’t understand.

“You gotta ask the right questions, Garns.”

“And you should’ve already realized I’m not in the best shape to be formulating the right questions.”

Charles unbuckled his seat belt and shifted his body toward me. His earnest brown eyes searched mine, and my cheeks burned under his gaze.

“Listen, Garnet. I would absolutely love the idea of us being more than just friends, but I also understand why it shouldn’t happen so soon. It would be unfair to you.”

“You need time too, Charlie. Two years isn’t a joke.”

He nodded and pursed his lips. “Would it be unfair if I asked you to wait for me?”

“I... don’t know.”

“Let’s stay just friends, then. For now.”

“No kissing, no holding hands,” I told him.

He reacted to the decree with a wince, and I found myself scrunching my lips to the side, an attempt to conceal a smile. “How about an arm over your shoulder?” he asked, the wince on face replaced with a hopeful smile.

I made a show of thinking it through, and he protested, “Oh, come on! We do that all the time!”

A burst of laughter filled the car. Mine this time. I brought my hands to his face so I could squish his cheeks together, and I sighed as I tried to fight the urge to kiss him again. I let go. “Let’s just take this one day at a time, hm?”

“I hear you. One day at a time.”