Suitor
Avery's Point of View
After our confessions to each other, the silence between us didn't feel heavy anymore. Instead, it was soft, fragile, like the first brush of dawn after a long night. My heart was still racing, but in a different rhythm... steady, certain.
Hindi pa rin binibitiwan ni Elliot ang mga kamay ko. His thumb was absentmindedly brushing over my knuckles, and every stroke sent a wave of warmth crawling up my arm.
"So..." I said, trying to break the quiet, "what happens now?"
He turned to me, eyes searching my face as if he wanted to memorize every detail. "What do you want to happen?"
Elliot throwing the question back at me. I rolled my eyes, but my lips curved anyway. "Hindi ba dapat ikaw ang may sagot niyan? Ikaw naman ang nagsimula."
He chuckled, the sound low and sincere. Then he took a deep breath, as if steadying himself before jumping off another cliff. "Avery... can I court you?"
The words landed like a spark in the middle of my chest.
For a second, I blinked at him, my brain still catching up. Court me? As in... liligawan? My heart screamed yes, but my mouth went dry.
"Ligaw? In this day and age?" I teased, raising an eyebrow, though my smile betrayed me. "Ano 'to, 90s rom-com?"
"Exactly," he shot back without hesitation, grinning. "Walang expiry date ang ligaw, Avery. Gusto kong dumaan sa proseso. Gusto kong ipakita sa 'yo na hindi lang salita 'to. That I'm serious."
His tone softened. "I don't want to rush you. I don't want to assume. I just... want the chance to prove it."
I stared at him, and for the first time in a long while, I felt my defenses lower completely. No masks, no act. Just me. Just him. And this strange, beautiful honesty hanging between us.
"Ang cheesy mo," I whispered, half embarrassed, half overwhelmed.
"And yet you're smiling," he said smugly.
I tried to hide it, but the curve of my lips betrayed me again. "Fine," I admitted, laughing softly. "Yes, Elliot. You can... court me."
His grin widened so much I thought his cheeks would ache. Then, without warning, he leaned closer... not to kiss me, but just enough for me to feel the warmth of his breath. "Good. Kasi hindi ako titigil hanggang mapatunayan kong tama ang pagpayag mo."
The sincerity in his voice almost melted me right there.
We stayed on the balcony a little longer, talking about everything and nothing... the stars, our classes, even Tylers's weird snoring habit at the dorm. Like, ang random talaga ng mga topics namin. The world outside could crumble for all I cared, because right there, in that quiet bubble, I felt safe.
When we finally decided to go back inside our room, my heart was still hammering. We each retreated to our beds. Mine by the window, his across the room. The lights were dimmed, and the silence was soothing this time.
I lay down, pulling the blanket over me. Hindi matanggal-tanggal ang ngiti sa mga labi ko.
Across the room, Elliot's silhouette shifted, and I knew without even seeing his face that he was smiling too.
And that night, for the first time in weeks, we both fell asleep with peace in our chests and matching smiles on our lips.
The next morning felt... different.
Maybe it was the sunlight filtering through the curtains, softer than usual. Or maybe it was the fact na I woke up with this stupid smile plastered on my face, the kind that made me want to bury myself in the blanket para hindi mahalata.
But then I remembered last night. The balcony. The confession. His words. My answer.
"Gusto rin kita."
Shet. I really said that.
I pulled the blanket tighter and buried my face in the pillow, half giggling, half panicking. If last night was magical, then ngayon... reality check. Kasi ibig sabihin, I'll have to face him. In broad daylight. In front of the others.
I wasn't ready.
Too bad, kasi narinig ko na agad ang boses niya.
"Good morning, Avery."
I froze. Then, slowly, I peeked out from under the blanket. Elliot was already awake, hair messy but still somehow unfairly good-looking. Nakaupo siya sa gilid ng kama niya, watching me like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"Good morning..." I muttered, voice muffled against the pillow.
He smirked. "What's with the blanket fortress? Nahihiya ka ba sakin?"
"Shut up," I said, throwing him a glare that didn't help kasi my cheeks were already betraying me.
Before I could say more, the door opened. Edward walked in, rubbing his eyes. "Morning guys—" Then he stopped, staring. "Wait. What's this?"
Elliot didn't even hesitate. He leaned back on his bed, arms behind his head, and said casually, "I'm courting her."
I nearly choked. "Elliot!"
Edward's jaw dropped. "You what?!"
A loud crash followed and Tyler had literally dropped the mug of coffee he was holding by the door. "No freaking way! Did I just hear that right?"
"Bro..." Edward turned to me like I had committed some cosmic betrayal. "When were you planning to tell us?!"
"Exactly," Tyler added, picking up the mug pieces dramatically. "Breaking news, Avery and Elliot, live from the balcony romance. Pucha, ni hindi man lang kami may front row seats!"
I covered my face with both hands. "Can we not—"
But of course, the last one entered. Tyron.
He stopped in the doorway, brows furrowing as his eyes darted from me to Elliot. "What's going on?"
Elliot's smug voice answered again. "I told her I like her. She said she likes me too."
I whipped my head at him. "Do you have to say it like that?!"
Tyron blinked. Then blinked again. For a moment, I swore he looked like he was buffering. Until finally, he let out a breath, almost like a laugh. "Well... damn. About time."
I blinked at him, shocked. "You're... not mad?"
He shrugged, crossing his arms. "I'd be mad if you were lying to yourself. But if you're happy, Avery... then fine. Just don't make me hear you two being cheesy every second, okay?"
Edward groaned dramatically, flopping onto his bed. "Too late. I can already feel the cheesy energy radiating off the both of you."
Tyler pointed at Elliot. "Hoy, wag kang masyadong confident. Ligaw stage ka pa lang, dude. You better bring your A-game."
Elliot smirked, unfazed. "Trust me. I plan to."
The way he said it was steady, sure, and just a little cocky that made my heart flip all over again.
I buried my face in my pillow once more, mumbling, "I hate you all."
But deep inside? I'd never felt so stupidly, ridiculously happy.
Noong umagang 'yon, the dorm looked like an awkward sitcom. Edward and Tyler were still buzzing about the "big reveal," Tyron kept pretending he wasn't listening but I caught him smirking once or twice, and Elliot... oh, Elliot, he was acting like nothing changed.
Except everything did.
Because when we all left the dorm together, he automatically fell into step beside me. Parang tuko. No, parang shadow. Kahit ilang beses ko siyang paunahan o bagalan, nandun pa rin siya, sakto sa tabi ko.
Papunta kami ngayon sa HU para pumasok at sakaniya nga ako sumabay dahil wala na akong magagawa. Habang nasa biyahe, tinawag ko siya.
I sighed, clutching my bag tighter. "Elliot..."
"Yeah?" His tone was way too innocent, like hindi niya alam na kinukuyog na ako ng kilig and stress at the same time.
"Don't be too PDL, okay?" I muttered. "Public displays of love. Hindi pa ako sanay sa ganito."
He raised a brow, smirk tugging at his lips. "PDL, huh? Since when did you start making acronyms?"
"Since you started acting like a walking Hallmark card," I shot back, rolling my eyes.
He slowed his pace, voice dropping into mock seriousness. "So... you're embarrassed to be seen with me?"
My eyes widened. "Huh? Hindi—"
"Then bakit parang you don't want people to know?" He clutched his chest dramatically. "Grabe. Ouch, Avery. Ouch talaga."
I groaned. "Elliot, stop being so—ugh, hindi gano'n!"
"Then what?" He tilted his head, eyes gleaming with mischief. "If it's not embarrassment, then maybe you just need to get used to it."
He leaned closer, his voice warm but teasing. "So get ready, Avery. Masasanay ka rin. Because I'm not letting go."
Damn it. My heart did that stupid flip again.
We reached the parking lot, and before I could even react, he hurried ahead and pulled the car door open for me.
I raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Well, well. Ang gentleman naman natin today. What's next? A red carpet?"
"Only for you," he replied smoothly, his gaze locking on mine for a moment longer than necessary. "You deserve more than a red carpet, Avery. You deserve the whole damn world."
And just like that. My cheeks turned traitor red. I ducked into the car before he could notice how fast my pulse was going.
Or maybe he already knew.
The drive to campus was short, but the second we stepped out, Elliot reached for my hand. Just like that with no hesitation.
And instantly, halos lahat ng estudyanteng nadaanan namin napatingin. Some whispered, some raised brows, some even smiled knowingly.
Oh, my God.
"Elliot..." I whispered through gritted teeth, still walking with him. "They're staring."
"So? Let them stare." He squeezed my hand lightly. "Ikaw ba, may problema?"
I wanted to answer yes, but... no. Not really. The real problem was me. My chest was tight, my cheeks were on fire, and my brain kept screaming hays, PDL overload!
Maybe I really do need to get used to this.
Maybe I need to get used to him.
By the time we entered the classroom, the whispers followed us like a trail of smoke. Edward, Tyler, and Tyron were already inside.
Edward's eyes nearly bugged out. "Hand holding? On a Monday morning?!"
Tyler clasped his hands dramatically. "Lord, thank you for this blessing."
Even Tyron snorted quietly, shaking his head. "Tuko nga."
I rolled my eyes so hard I thought they'd get stuck. Elliot, of course, just grinned and led me to my seat like it was the most natural thing.
First subject passed uneventfully, but by second period, our professor dropped the bomb.
"Okay class, form groups of five. Random na 'to, ha. No complaints."
I exhaled. This is fine. It's just a grouping.
Until my name was called along with Elliot's at tatlo pa naming mga ka-blockmate.
Hindi namin ka-grupo ang kahit isa sa mga kaibigan namin. No Edward, no Tyler, and not even Tyron.
I glanced at Elliot, who looked completely unbothered, then at the three boys walking toward us, already introducing themselves.
Great. Just great.
New group. New dynamics. And with Elliot sitting beside me, casually leaning close like it was his right, I already knew.
This was going to be interesting.
By five in the afternoon, the coffee shop was already buzzing with the after-class crowd. The scent of roasted beans clung to the air, mixing with the faint hum of conversations and the occasional hiss of the espresso machine.
Our group of five found a spot in the corner, enough for us to spread out our notebooks, laptops, and half-hearted enthusiasm for a project that was apparently due in two weeks.
"Alright," I began, tapping my pen against my notebook to get everyone's attention. "The professor wants a presentation on renewable energy applications. Hindi lang siya dapat research paper, dapat may mini-proposal din kung paano natin siya ma-aapply sa real-life context."
George leaned forward, clearly the more eager one. "So parang feasibility study?"
"Exactly," I nodded. "Pwede tayong pumili ng small-scale design, like a solar-powered charging station, or maybe something water-related since accessible naman dito sa area."
As I explained, I could feel their eyes on me. Not in a creepy way, more like they were actually listening, which was... new. Usually, kapag group work, people zoned out.
But right now? George was nodding seriously, Fin was scribbling on a notepad, and Lucas... Lucas was staring. Too much.
I tried to ignore it, continuing, "If we go for solar, kailangan natin ng initial costing. Kung water turbine naman, may calculations pa sa flow rate and efficiency—"
"Lucas."
Elliot's voice cut in, sharp like a blade.
I froze mid-sentence, blinking at him.
Lucas looked confused. "Huh? Yeah?"
"You've been staring at Avery since we sat down. Ano bang meron? Lecture ba 'to or staring contest?"
The table went silent. George awkwardly cleared his throat. Fin pretended to be very, very interested in his iced latte.
My brain screamed. Oh God, no. Not here. Not now.
I turned to Elliot, eyes narrowing. "Elliot," I hissed under my breath, "seriously?"
He leaned back on his chair but didn't break eye contact with Lucas. "What? I'm just asking. Kasi parang sobra yata 'yung titig niya sa 'yo. Hindi ba kayo naiirita?"
I could feel my cheeks heating not out of flattery but out of sheer exasperation. "We're not here to discuss that. We're here to finish the project plan. Kung magseselos ka every five seconds, wala tayong matatapos."
Lucas raised his hands defensively. "Hey, chill, man. I wasn't—"
"Just focus on your notes, Lucas," I cut in quickly, forcing a small smile to diffuse the tension.
Elliot finally tore his gaze away, but not without muttering, "I'm watching you."
I wanted to bury my face in my hands. Seriously, Elliot? In front of everyone?
But at the same time...
My stupid heart was doing somersaults.
Because as messy and awkward as it was, there was something about the way he couldn't stand seeing someone else look at me like that. Too much? Maybe. Possessive? Definitely. But honest? Painfully so.
I sighed and pressed my pen harder against my notebook. God, Avery, you really need to train yourself. This is just the start. If this is how he is now... paano pa kaya sa susunod?
"Anyway," I said louder, reclaiming the floor, "I think solar charging station is our best bet. It's practical, achievable, and mas madaling i-present."
George nodded quickly. "Yes, solar sounds good."
"Agree," Fin added.
Lucas, probably out of self-preservation, just muttered, "Yeah, sure."
Beside me, Elliot crossed his arms, still sulking but clearly not about to argue in front of everyone again.
I nudged him under the table, whispering, "Behave."
His lips twitched, that familiar smirk forming. "For you? Always."
I rolled my eyes, fighting a smile.
God help me.
By the time we wrapped up our group meeting, the clock on my phone read 6:27 PM. We'd spent more than an hour debating between solar panels and water turbines, but somehow managed to finalize everything without anyone storming out, a miracle in itself. Everyone went their separate ways, waving goodbye.
Except me and Elliot.
We were in his car, heading "home." Or at least, that's what I thought.
I frowned, glancing at the unfamiliar streets we were driving through. The lights looked different here, brighter, busier and definitely not the way back to the dorms. I shifted in my seat, glancing at him.
"Elliot... saan tayo pupunta?" I asked, suspicion rising.
"Secret," he said, without even looking at me. His lips curled slightly like he was trying not to grin.
Secret.
I stared at him, my mind already running in circles. Oh God, ano na naman kayang pakulo ito? Hindi ba't kanina lang, nagseselos ka sa groupmate natin, tapos ngayon may surprise pa? Am I about to get pranked? Kidnapped? Proposal?—ugh Avery, shut up, 'wag OA.
Still, I couldn't stop the uneasy thrill curling in my stomach.
We finally pulled into the parking lot of a well-lit, upscale restaurant. The kind na naririnig ko lang sa kwento ng mga rich kids sa campus.
Elegant lights traced the building's outline, while valets stood near the entrance, taking keys from customers who looked like they belonged in glossy magazines.
I blinked, stunned. "Wait... why are we here? Elliot... bakit tayo nandito?"
He killed the engine, then turned to me with that maddeningly calm expression. "Dinner. With me."
My jaw dropped a little. "Dinner? As in here? Elliot, this place—"
"Shh." He smirked, stepping out of the car. I was about to follow when he rounded the back, opened the trunk, and—
My breath hitched.
He pulled out a bouquet. Not just any bouquet. Red roses. Dozens of them, tied neatly with a satin ribbon.
I froze in place, my hands awkwardly gripping my bag. What the hell. Am I dreaming? Did he just—red roses? Seriously, Avery? This is your life now?
My chest squeezed. Despite everything that had already happened between us, despite the confession on the balcony, despite me saying I liked him back, this... this still caught me off guard.
He stepped toward me, holding the bouquet out. His gaze softened. "For you."
I swallowed, staring at the roses like they might bite me. Then slowly, I reached out, my fingers brushing against the petals. God, they're real. He actually did this.
"Elliot..." I whispered, my throat tight.
He tilted his head, amused by my expression. "What? Did you think I'd stop at just words?"
Shit. He's really serious about this.
Inside, the restaurant was everything I imagined and more. Soft golden lights glowed from chandeliers above, while candles flickered delicately on each table. The scent of expensive wine and freshly baked bread lingered in the air.
Couples spoke in hushed tones, their laughter blending with the low hum of violins playing live near the corner. Not a recording. Actual musicians.
My heart thudded. He really planned this.
We were led to a table by the window, already reserved. The white tablecloth was spotless, and a single candle stood in the center, surrounded by rose petals.
The faint strains of violin music filled the space between us, romantic in a way that made me want to sink into my chair and hide.
Elliot, of course, looked completely at ease. He leaned back slightly, watching me as if my reaction was the main course.
I fiddled with the edge of my napkin. "You're... unbelievable."
"In a good way, I hope?" he teased, raising a brow.
I rolled my eyes, though my lips betrayed me with a small smile. "This is too much."
"Nothing's too much if it's for you."
That. That one line. Instant goosebumps. My face heated up like someone had turned the aircon off. I tried to sip my water to distract myself, but it only made me choke slightly, which of course, earned me a chuckle from him.
"So," I said after catching my breath, trying to regain control of the situation. "Why all this? You already confessed. You already know I like you too. What's this dinner for, Elliot?"
He leaned forward, elbows resting on the table, eyes locked onto mine. "Because liking each other isn't enough, Avery. I want to show you I'm serious. This—" he gestured to the flowers, the candlelight, the music "—this is me asking you properly. Formally. Courting you. The way you deserve."
My chest tightened again, tears threatening to betray me. Who does this? Who actually plans something like this in real life?
"You're insane," I murmured, shaking my head in disbelief.
"Insanely into you," he countered smoothly, grin widening.
I groaned, covering my face with one hand. "Corny!"
"Admit it," he said, his tone low, teasing. "You like it."
I peeked at him between my fingers. He wasn't wrong. My heart was practically cartwheeling, my cheeks warm, and my lips refusing to stop curving upward.
God help me.
Dinner arrived which are steak, pasta, and wine. We talked, laughed, teased each other in between bites. But every now and then, his gaze lingered on me too long, his smile too soft, and I found myself thinking...
Dinner felt like a dream I wasn't supposed to be in. Every bite, every laugh, every teasing glance from Elliot was too much, too surreal. My brain kept trying to convince me na this wasn't real life, that any minute the candlelight would flicker out and I'd wake up in my dorm, drooling on my pillow, realizing it was just another delusional fantasy.
But no. This was happening. He was right here. Elliot.
And then it hit me.
Shit, Avery. You're falling hard.
I pressed my fork into the steak, but my chest was heavier than the knife in my hand. Falling, like stumbling down an endless staircase but not once wishing to stop.
Falling, like diving headfirst into a deep ocean without checking if you could swim. Falling, like gravity had claimed you, and there was no escape, not that you even wanted one.
The irony made me almost laugh. Of all people, bakit siya pa? The same guy who annoyed the hell out of me when we first met, the guy whose smirk made me roll my eyes, whose arrogance made me want to smack him... that same guy is now here, sitting across from me, gently slicing his food as if he didn't just throw my entire world off balance with one bouquet of roses and a smile that refuses to leave my mind.
Life really had a twisted sense of humor.
I remembered those early days.... the sharp words, the arguments, the way I swore I'd never let him under my skin. I told myself Elliot Reyes Enrique was the kind of storm you build walls against, not the kind you let wash over you. He was chaos. He was noise. And I hated him for it.
But now... look at me.
I was staring at him like he hung the stars himself, like every word he said was some secret language meant only for me. He wasn't the storm I feared anymore.
He was the rain after a long drought, the lightning that scared you but also reminded you you're alive.
Yes, you're falling, Avery.
And God, it scared me. But at the same time, it thrilled me.
Because for the first time, I wasn't resisting. I wasn't holding the walls up. I was letting myself collapse into it, letting the current drag me deeper, because somewhere inside, I knew that this is what I wanted all along.
I looked at him across the candlelit table, his face relaxed, his eyes glinting with something I couldn't name but desperately wanted to believe was only for me. And in that moment, I didn't care about the past, or my pride, or even the risks.
All I knew was that I wanted this.
Him.
Us.
Maybe falling wasn't so bad after all.
Maybe, for once in my life... falling felt like flying.
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