Sky's Point of View
It seems she hasn't read my messages yet. I thought she was avoiding me because of my sudden confession and her rejection of my serenade.
How cute.
I stopped walking when I saw a guy standing beside the street light. It looked like Bryan. I walked towards his direction, and before I could get closer, he looked at where I was and approached me.
"You like Luna, huh?" He looked at me seriously. What is this?
How many guys in her life will I have to face?
"Yes."
He came closer to me. "Just don't break her heart, okay?" He tapped me on the shoulder and walked away.
"I've been making that girl happy for 8 years. So if I find out you hurt her, it's no longer my responsibility to comfort Luna."
"But why?" I asked.
"She'll be yours soon and no longer mine." He turned around and gave me a bitter smile.
"I also like her, but I feel like when you're the one making her happy, I'll become useless," he added.
"I'm not going to take her away from you. She's your friend," I said. I approached him and tapped him on the arm.
"She did that to me before." He turned away.
"And it hurts."
I was left stunned on the corner. I couldn't understand why I feel like I can't reach Luna's heart. There are so many obstacles in my way. I feel like I don't deserve Luna. If I force myself into her life, someone will get hurt.
Why are you so difficult to reach, Luna?
But,
Moon belongs to the Sky.
***
Bryan's Point of View
"Luna, if you were given a chance to change the course of your life, what would you do?" I asked while organizing the contents of my backpack. It was lunchtime now, and Luna brought nuggets for lunch.
"Maybe just be a normal person. You know, not forcing myself to do things I don't like. And if given the chance, I would choose you over my exes. Like, you're always there for me," she said while chewing on the chicken nuggets.
Luna mentioned to me before that she has feelings for me. To be honest, I've been hiding my feelings for her for 4 years now. I chose to stay silent because I didn't want to ruin our friendship. I'm happy seeing Luna happy by my side. I even wrote a novel for her, which she doesn't know is about our complicated love story.
Tsk. Tsk.
"What about you?" she asked.
"I'll run backwards." I sarcastically replied. She pinched my arm, causing her spoon to fall on the floor.
I saw her pout before picking up the spoon from the floor.
I took the spoon from her hand. "That's dirty, dear. Use mine."
"Just feed me, dad."
Luna is full of mischief. She doesn't know that I hid her phone in my bag. Her mom said she's good at finding things when she's at home or in their office.
I handed her the spoon.
"I'll be in the restroom," I excused myself.
I stood up and discreetly took her phone from my bag. I've been curious since last night about its contents. I know the password, so it's easy to unlock. Her phone has been buzzing with notifications all night, and earlier I felt it vibrating repeatedly.
I opened her phone. The lock screen greeted me with numerous messages from Sky Capariño.
"Sorry for the sudden confession."
"Watch a me tomorrow, okay."
These are just a few of the messages I saw in her lock screen notifications. Does her guitar tutor have feelings for her? Maybe I shouldn't look at the contents. By Saturday, I'll return her phone to her.
I really need to keep my distance.
[Flashback]
"I told you, stop bothering with your ex. Even though you were together for a year, it's not worth it because he just cheated on you, right?"
A loud slap landed on my face.
"You have no right to judge my relationship with Lukas!"
Yeah. As I expected, I'm the villain here. After all I did to make them a couple, witnessing their relationship, and even Lukas's betrayal, this is all I get.
"That's your problem, Luna. You remain blind even when faced with the truth." I left her crying in the waiting shed. It's pitiful, but I'm tired. Before she became involved with Lukas, I was already there for her. I was the one she was with through all the right and wrong decisions in her life. I know that. I have no place in her romantic love. I have no position to be her lover. I'm just a lowly best friend who's always there for her and never left her side.
Luna quickly moved on from her ex-boyfriend. After a year, she met another guy, and in a short time, they became a couple.
"Luna!" I called her when I saw her entering the canteen. I froze in my spot when she didn't notice me. I'm not far from the canteen entrance for her not to hear me. Maybe she just has earphones on.
I entered the canteen to look for her and join her for lunch. I bought my tray meal and decided to sit at the table she usually occupies.
"Luna, about the story I'm working on, Chapter 5 is-"
I stopped talking when she suddenly moved to another seat. I saw her sit beside her new boyfriend, Charles.
Am I nothing? I looked at my phone as it vibrated.
Message.
"Sorry. I'll keep my distance for now. Charles doesn't want to see me with you."
My world crumbled after reading the message from Luna. What is this? I'm no longer needed? I won't exist in her life anymore because of that boyfriend of hers?
Luna, we're best friends, right? Does your relationship with him weigh more than our 5 years of friendship?
I lived with Luna avoiding me that lasted for five months. I used to eat lunch with her, go home together, and study in the library together, but now it's all gone.
"Luna's behavior is awful, Bryan. She's avoiding you? Aren't you guys closer than that half-Filipino idiot?" Zoe said while arranging her bag's contents.
"She'll come to you when they break up. When that happens, don't comfort her. Let her comfort herself." Ice said.
Yes, right? Maybe that's how she'll realize my value as her friend?
As Ice said, they did break up. Unexpectedly, Luna continued to ignore me. It lasted for over two months.
I waited for her outside their classroom. When their adviser let them out, I forcefully pulled her towards the art room.
"Luna, until when will you avoid me?" I asked with a trembling voice.
I was taken aback when she suddenly hugged me and cried on my chest. I stroked her hair and tried to calm her down.
"Luna..."
"S-Sorry. Don't worry, like your advice to me always, I haven't given my first kiss to him, which is the reason we broke up.." she continued crying.
"Don't do it again, avoiding me," I whispered.
"It hurts."
Her actions hurt me. I've been putting so much effort into prolonging our friendship, and she managed to ignore me for her boyfriend.
Luna, please. Don't beg for love.
I promised myself that I'll confess my feelings when we reach Grade 12. I don't want to ruin our friendship because of my feelings for her, but I also don't want to die without her knowing how I feel.
***
Do I need to confess my feelings to Luna? Sky has already beaten me to it, and now Jude too. Maybe I'll give it a try and tell her that I won't force myself into her life to avoid making her uncomfortable. I'm afraid that one day, when I wake up, Luna won't be with me anymore. I'm happy with her as my friend. I'm content with that.
__________________________________
Luna's Point of View
"I see you did pretty well," my mom said with a smile while holding the special exams I took to improve my grades.
"I hid your phone with Bryan."
"WHAT?!" I exclaimed.
She gave me a stern look. "Retrieve it. I know you, child. If you know I hid your phone, you'll find and retrieve it as long as it's in our house." She said.
"Fine. Fine. I'll get it from their house now." I said and headed to my room.
I brushed my hair and sprayed perfume. I'm sure Bryan has been playing with my phone.
When I arrived at their house, I knocked on the door, and he immediately let me in. Just like my family, both our parents are always away due to work, but he has siblings with him.
"Your phone. You can go home now." He handed me my phone, his gaze cold.
Is something wrong with him? He didn't tease me this time. What's going on inside this Bryan's soul?
"Why weren't you at-"
"Shut up, okay? Just leave." He raised his voice. "Even in my life, please."
"B-Bry?"
"I'm tired of being your second lead, Luna. I don't want to be your option when you're alone. Right now, you still have me, but when one of your suitors wins your heart, most likely..." his voice trailed off.
"You don't know me at all," he said.
Oh my. He's still carrying the weight of what happened three years ago. I promised myself not to do it again. I don't want to hurt Bryan with my antics anymore.
"L-Look, I'm so-"
"Enough, Luna. I can't do this anymore. It hurts."
"Bry.."
"Look! I love you, okay? From the very beginning. I didn't judge you and everything else, and I know you won't love me back." He said while looking down.
"I love you so much, Luna, and because of my overwhelming love for you, out of fear of losing you, I became a martyr in our friendship."
For some reason, I felt tears streaming down my face. Throughout our friendship, did he have feelings for me? Damn it. I was so focused on finding a guy who would love me that I forgot the person beside me who truly loved me.
"Is that all I am to you, Bryan? Are you giving up our friendship because you love me?" I said. I wiped away my tears and looked at him with determination.
"Why? You did the same to me before, except I wasn't the one you loved." He turned away and left me standing outside their house.
***
I opened my phone and was surprised to see countless notifications. 99+ unread messages from Sky, photos from Jude, and videos from Bryan.
I opened my conversation with Sky and started reading from the first message.
"Sorry for the sudden confession."
"Watch me tomorrow, okay."
"These are the notes from class when you were absent. Our teacher gave a biology lesson before dismissal."
He sent those pictures individually. That's why there are so many. I thought he was just being annoying.
Oh, is this recent?
"Sorry Luna. But I think you deserve someone better."
"Bryan loves you."
"I don't want to be an obstacle or the reason for your friendship to fall apart. Don't waste the people who have been with you."
"Don't worry. I will not keep my distance."
"Goodnight."
My world crumbled for a moment.
What the? I'm so confused. I have so many problems. I wiped the tears from my cheeks when my phone vibrated. I received a message from Bryan.
"Can I come in? I'm downstairs."
I quickly went down to the gate to meet him and let him in.
I led him upstairs to our guest room.
He just sat on the bed and looked at me silently. After a while, tears started falling from his eyes.
"Bryan..."
He stood up and hugged me tightly.
"Sorry for what I said earlier." He whispered.
"I love you as a friend, Bryan, and I'm sorry if I can't reciprocate the love you give me. I want to love you as a friend."
"I understand. I won't force my feelings on you either. I know I'm not really the one for you," he let go of the hug.
"I promise you. The past won't repeat itself." I smiled.
Two years ago, I promised myself that I would never leave Bryan like that again. I don't want to hurt him anymore. I've learned that I don't need to chase love. Love must chase after me.
He gave a faint smile. "Thank you."
"I'm fine with that." He smiled.
I'm so lucky to have this guy in my life. He's annoying, but he never fails to support me. He may tease me, but sometimes he praises me more than anyone else.
At this point, I still feel bad for Bryan. After learning about his secret love and how he chose to remain silent to protect our precious friendship. He held on to me even though he knew he had no chance with me.
What about Sky and Jude?
Oh no. This is so bad.