"What are you thinking about?" Andres asked while they were having lunch. It was Saturday, and they had just finished a gym session. He could tell something was bothering Clark.
"Nothing," Clark replied curtly.
"Yeah, right! You say it's nothing, but in reality, your mind's already in America. You're thinking about her, aren't you?"
"Shut up! You know nobody else knows about this except you and me," Clark shot back, more forcefully than he intended.
"I know, I didn't even mention her name. But dude, I'm starting to feel jealous here. When it comes to her, you're all caring, attentive, and protective. But with me? You're always like, 'I don't care!'" Andres complained with a pout. He was used to his friend's quiet and serious demeanor, but sometimes, he just wanted to feel that Clark actually cared about him too.
Clark sighed and shook his head. From the look on his face, Andres could tell something was definitely bothering him.
"Okay, here's an idea—why don't you call her?" Andres suggested.
"How can I? I don't have her number," Clark said as he set his utensils down and drank some water.
Two days had passed since Clark brought Gel's family to the airport. They were headed to the U.S. to get treatment for Gel's mother. Clark's parents were already there, having helped secure the right diagnosis and medical care.
"That's exactly my point! You spent hours together and didn't even ask for her number?"
"That person was going through something. Should I really prioritize that while she was crying non-stop?"
"You could've asked before they left! You could've said it's so you can check in on her and her mom."
Clark didn't respond. He just stared at the food left on his plate, his appetite fading. A few moments later, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen—it was an unfamiliar number, but the country code showed it was from the U.S.
Without hesitation, he answered the call.
"Hey," he said softly, walking out of the restaurant. Andres was surprised when Clark tossed him the car keys. He knew Clark never let anyone drive his car casually.
Clark was very particular when it came to his car, which he affectionately called Roby. Only a select few had ever been allowed to drive it. Like now—Clark clearly didn't want to divide his attention between driving and the conversation. It wasn't surprising that Andres got the keys.
As Andres pulled into Clark's driveway, he didn't even need to ask who was on the other end of the call. There was only one person who could make his best friend smile like that—Angela Marie Adriano.
***
"Thanks again, Clark, for everything you did for us, especially for Mommy," Gel's voice was tired but full of gratitude.
"It's nothing. You know I'm always ready to help."
"I asked your father about your contact info. I know I shouldn't be doing this, but I really needed to thank you for everything you did for me and my family."
Clark smiled, even though there was a hint of sadness in her voice.
"My pleasure. I'm always here for you if you need help."
"Thank you, really," Gel replied, her tone hesitant.
"Uhm, by the way… could you not tell anyone we talked?"
"Why?"
"I'm not ready to talk to them yet… especially Darius."
Clark fell silent. He knew Darius was Gel's boyfriend. He also knew he shouldn't expect anything. But despite everything, he couldn't deny he was happy.
"Sure," he answered briefly. He wasn't sure why he gave such a short response—maybe it was because he didn't want to sound too excited. He had to stay calm and composed when talking to Angela. Otherwise, she might get scared and pull away again.
He remembered how she first caught his attention.
The first time he saw Gel during a recitation; she left a strong impression. She confidently faced their terror professor, answering every question without hesitation. As for Clark? He knew that if he had been called that day, he would've frozen in fear.
From that moment, he couldn't help but notice her more. Not just because she was smart, but also because of the emotion in her eyes, the dimples that appeared when she smiled, the way she tucked her hair behind her ear. Everything about Gel, to him, was perfect.
There was a time he dreamed of getting close to her. But one day, he saw her with another guy at a coffee shop. Soon after, he confirmed that it was her boyfriend when he saw them together again and overheard their classmates talking about the couple.
From then on, he forced himself to suppress his feelings. But whenever they worked together on group projects—whenever he was caught staring—his classmates always noticed.
"Oops, you're too obvious. You know she's hard to reach," one of their classmates teased once when Gel got a cut in the lab. Clark rushed to help her, but she quickly declined, and the entire class buzzed with comments.
Clark had once asked himself: "Of all the girls I could like, why her?"
Angela, who already belonged to someone else and whose relationship seemed strong.
But as they say, the heart wants what it wants.
Clark shook his head at the memory. Everyone around him knew he liked Gel.
The only person who didn't? Angela herself.
Meanwhile, Clark had heard from classmates that Darius had barely been attending class. He was constantly looking for his girlfriend. It was affecting his studies, too. Clark felt sorry for him, but there was nothing he could do. He had to stand by his promise to Angela—and respect her decision.
Luckily, no one had asked him directly. He didn't know if he could pretend, he knew nothing.
This was the first time he was keeping such a big secret. And despite the guilt gnawing at him, one thing was certain—he promised Gel he wouldn't tell anyone. And for her, he would do everything to keep that promise alive.
Even if he wasn't sure there was space for him in her heart.