Chapter 7: Purely Platonic
Eliana Maxine
Psalm? Liking me? Now that was just ridiculous.
I've known him since junior high—way before I met the girls. If there was anyone on this planet who truly knew him, it was me.
And trust me, I definitely knew his type.
Tall. Sexy. Bold. Outgoing.
I'd seen him date one girl after another, and they all fit the same mold. Confident. Flirty. The kind of girls who could turn heads the moment they walked into a room.
Me? I wasn't that.
I mean, I wasn't exactly shy, but I wasn't naturally magnetic either. I'd take a quiet night with a book over a wild party any day. Sure, I could flirt, and I could hold my own in playful banter, but I wasn't some effortlessly charming social butterfly.
Despite growing up in a liberated country, I wasn't exactly outgoing. Not in the way those other girls were. I was a little reserved, mostly because Aunt George never missed a chance to remind me how a proper Filipina woman should behave.
I never even had a boyfriend yet, nor even had my first kiss, and I'm already turning twenty!
So the idea that Psalm, my best friend might actually have feelings for me?
Yeah, no. Absolutely ridiculous.
"Be serious," I scoffed, crossing my arms. "Psalm doesn't see me that way."
Mica gave me an exaggerated look. "Oh, right. Because best friends always look at each other like that."
I narrowed my eyes. "Like what?"
"You know," Cassie teased, waggling her eyebrows. "Like he'd sell his soul just to breathe the same air as you."
I rolled my eyes and threw a pillow at her. "Stop being dramatic."
She caught it mid-air, grinning. "I call it observant."
"She's not wrong, though." Gladz added with a laugh.
"Guys, no," I groaned. "Psalm is just… Psalm. My best friend. He's never once hinted that he likes me."
Mica tapped her chin. "That's the thing, though. He wouldn't hint at it."
Cassie nodded in agreement. "Yup. He's in too deep. Probably terrified of ruining your friendship."
I let out an exasperated sigh. "Or, hear me out, he actually just doesn't like me like that. And I feel the same way. It's purely platonic."
They all gave me the same unconvinced look.
"Eliana, babe," Cassie drawled, voice dripping with mock sympathy. "You're smart, but you're so blind."
Mica grinned. "It's cute. A little tragic. But cute."
I groaned and rubbed my temples "I'm not blind, okay? Psalm doesn't like me. Period."
Mica leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "Seriously, El? Think about it. How often does Psalm come running the second you need something?"
I opened my mouth to argue, but... nothing came out.
"Who's the one guy that always makes sure you get home safe?" Gladz added with a smug little smirk.
Cassie wiggled her brows. "And who always looks at you like you're his personal little sun?"
I threw another pillow at her. "Shut up."
Cassie easily dodged it, laughing. "Jeez. What's with you guys always throwing pillows at me?"
I huffed. "Because you're always saying nonsense."
Cassie grinned like a gremlin. "Please. I'm just speaking the truth. The boy's got it bad."
I shook my head stubbornly. "You guys are so wrong about this."
Gladz leaned in, her smirk widening. "But what if we're not?"
I threw my hands up in exasperation. "Then maybe I'll believe you. But until then, please drop it."
Mica sighed dramatically, placing a hand over her heart like she was mourning a great loss. "Fine. We'll let you live in denial for now."
Cassie smirked. "But we'll be here when you realize we were right all along."
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever," I muttered. "Can we please talk about something else now?"
Cassie and Gladz exchanged amused looks before giggling.
Mica stretched her arms over her head. "Alright, enough about Eliana's nonexistent love life. What should we do now?"
Cassie's eyes lit up. "Horror movie marathon?"
Gladz groaned, immediately shaking her head like a stubborn child. "Why do you guys always want to watch horror movies at night?"
Cassie grinned devilishly. "Because it's fun."
I snorted. "You mean because you like watching me and Gladz suffer."
Cassie gasped, clutching her chest as if she were offended. "How dare you accuse me of such evil intentions?"
"Because it's true," Mica said flatly.
I sighed, shaking my head. "I swear, if I get nightmares, I'm blaming all of you."
Cassie clapped her hands together. "Alright, so horror movie it is?"
Gladz groaned but didn't protest further. "Fine, but please no messed-up psychological horror this time. I still haven't recovered from the last one you made us watch."
Cassie gasped dramatically. "Excuse me, Hereditary was a masterpiece!"
Gladz visibly shuddered. "A masterpiece that ruined my sleep for a week."
Cassie rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on. It wasn't that bad."
Mica gave her a deadpan stare. "Cassie, you literally screamed and hid under the blanket during the last twenty minutes."
Cassie waved a dismissive hand. "That was one time!"
I snickered. "And you screamed so loud the neighbors banged on the wall."
Cassie crossed her arms. "Okay, fine. Maybe Hereditary was a little intense. Let's go for something less terrifying this time."
Mica arched a brow. "Like what?"
Cassie tapped her chin, pretending to think. Then her face lit up mischievously. "Oh! Let's watch TheConjuring."
I couldn't help but groaned. "Cassie!"
"What?" she said innocently. "It's a classic."
Gladz shot her a look. "We said less terrifying, not nightmare-inducing."
Cassie hummed thoughtfully, then snapped her fingers. "Alright, then. Let's watch Evil Dead Rise instead."
My stomach dropped. Oh, hell no.
That one was definitely worse.
Gladz's expression mirrored mine. "You want me to suffer, don't you?"
Mica shrugged. "Actually, I'm with Cassie on this one. Evil Dead Rise sounds fun."
Cassie grinned like she'd won the lottery. "Look at you, finally appreciating good cinema."
I shot both of them a glare. "You guys are the worst."
Mica grinned. "That's why you love us."
"Debatable," I muttered, though I was already smiling.
Gladz sighed in resignation. "Fine. But I'm keeping the lights on."
Cassie cackled. "Deal."
She leaped off the couch and grabbed the remote, already searching for the movie. "Okay, ladies, get comfy. We're about to enter the world of gore and terror."
Mica hopped up, stretching. "I'll get snacks. Anyone want anything specific?"
"Fries, please!" I called.
"Extra chips," Cassie added.
Gladz hesitated. "Maybe a bar of chocolate? To counteract the trauma?"
Mica snickered. "Got it."
Then she headed to the kitchen.
Gladz and I made a quick trip to Mica's room to gather extra pillows and blankets.
"Why do we do this to ourselves?" Gladz muttered, piling three pillows into her arms.
"Peer pressure," I sighed, grabbing a fluffy fleece blanket.
"Fair point," she grumbled. "I swear, if this movie messes with my sleep, I'm suing."
I smirked. "Same."
We returned to the living room to find Cassie comfortably sprawled on the couch, remote in hand. Mica just got back from the kitchen and was setting up snacks on the table—a bowl of fries, chips, chocolate bars, and sodas.
"Alright," Cassie announced proudly. "Let's do this."
I gulped. There was no turning back now.
The eerie music started almost immediately, and I could feel the dread crawling up my spine. Shadows danced across the screen. The sound design alone was enough to make my skin crawl.
Cassie leaned over and grinned. "Hey, El."
"What now?" I groaned.
Her grin widened. "You know, if Psalm were here, you could totally cuddle up to him when you get scared."
I grabbed the nearest throw pillow and smacked her with it.
She yelped, laughing. "Worth it."
Mica snickered. "I give it ten minutes before Eliana regrets this entire night."
Too late. I already did.