Emilio Francine De Ramos

The autumn air clung to the evening like a lingering memory, crisp and tinged with the scent of fallen leaves, as Silas and I strolled aimlessly down the dimly lit streets. Our shoulders brushed occasionally, a subtle connection that sent unexpected warmth through me. He had insisted on a midnight walk and a second dinner, and I wanted to protest, to remind him this was the second time he’d treated me in a week. But before I could find my voice, he had swept me toward a nearby park, a place I hadn’t visited in ages. The park lay shrouded in shadows, the trees bowing low over cracked pathways, their branches swaying gently as if sharing secrets with the wind. The distant hum of traffic felt less like an intrusion and more like a lullaby, soothing and melodic against the quiet night.

As we walked, Silas was a steady presence beside me, hands shoved into his jacket pockets, his breath fogging the air in soft clouds that danced between us. Something was grounding about him, a calm rock in the middle of a rushing stream. I found myself torn between wanting to cling to him for that stability and the instinct to flee, fearing the closeness we shared.

“I was thinking,” he said suddenly, casting me a playful sidelong glance, “do you think birds ever have existential crises?”

I let out a laugh, the sound surprising even myself, ringing out into the night. “What the hell?”

“You know,” he continued, gesturing vaguely toward the sky, “just sitting there on a power line, wondering if there’s more to life than breadcrumbs and traffic.”

“That’s so stupid,” I muttered, though a grin spread across my face despite my efforts to suppress it.

“You smiled,” he pointed out triumphantly, nudging my arm with glee. “That’s two wins for me tonight.”

I shook my head, exhaling through my nose, as Silas had this uncanny ability to worm his way into my thoughts, flipping them upside down and making them lighter in the process. It was an unfamiliar sensation, not something I had felt since Yuwan had been a constant in my life. Just as I was beginning to revel in the lightness of our banter, we found ourselves halfway to the diner, lost in conversation about nothing of significance, when the sound of my name sliced through the air.

“Emil?” The voice was all too familiar, sending a jolt of recognition and dread through me. I knew who it was before I even turned around.

Yuwan.

He stood just a few feet away, that same easy smile stretched across his face like an unwelcome banner. Heather was at his side, her hand tucked into his arm, radiating an effortless charm that felt like a punch to the gut. Yuwan’s sharp, inquisitive eyes flitted between Silas and me, and an unreadable flicker crossed his features—something darker, sharper.

Silas raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. “Who’s this? Friend of yours?”

I swallowed thickly, feeling the words stick in my throat. “Uh, yeah… friend. Silas, this is Yuwan Machenzo.”

Yuwan’s expression remained composed, but I could sense the tension coiling in the air as his gaze hardened slightly. “And you are?” he asked, focusing on Silas, curiosity tinged with something sharper.

“Silas, Silas Laurier Vergara,” he replied, his grin unwavering in the face of the growing tension. “I’ve been keeping Emil company for a while.”

Yuwan let out a soft laugh, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “That sounds like a full-time job, doesn’t it?”

Heather leaned in closer to Yuwan, casting me a polite smile that felt more like a mask than genuine warmth. Her gaze quickly flickered to her phone, already disinterested in the interaction unfolding.

“So,” Yuwan said, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet, “what are you guys up to?”

“Just grabbing food,” I said quickly, hoping that would diffuse the situation. But Yuwan’s grin widened, and I realized, too late, that escape was not on the table.

“Perfect,” Yuwan said smoothly. “Why don’t we all go together? Heather and I were just about to get food as well.”

I opened my mouth to decline, but the words faltered on my tongue, heavy and unvoiced.

“Oh, come on, Emil,” Yuwan added, mischief twinkling in his eyes like stars in a clear night sky. “Don’t tell me you’re too busy for your old friends.”

I glanced at Silas, hoping he would step in with an excuse, but he merely shrugged, his easy grin never faltering. “I’m down if you are.”

The diner was even more cramped with the four of us crammed into one booth. Silas and I occupied one side, while Yuwan and Heather took the opposite seats, the space between us feeling suffocatingly small, like a wall pressing down on me. Yet, it also felt like an insurmountable chasm, each of us isolated in our own worlds.

Heather scrolled through her phone with disinterest, her fingers tapping idly as if the screen contained more excitement than the current moment. Meanwhile, Silas and I fell into our familiar rhythm, the banter flowing between us like a lively stream, our words light and teasing, slipping past the tension like water around stones.

“You’re telling me that my recent exam was easy?” Silas scoffed, tossing his pen onto the table. “I wrote three pages and still don’t know if I even answered the question.”

I smirked, propping my chin on my hand. “Welcome to being a Comm student. Words are your bricks. You either build a house or a pile of nonsense.”

Silas laughed, shaking his head. “And what about you, Mr. Future Architect? Didn’t you just pull an all-nighter for that design exam and still need to redo it?”

“Drafting until sunrise and still need revision,” I admitted with a tired grin. “If my professor still hates the redesign, I’ll just say it’s ‘avant-garde.’”

“Translation: messy but with confidence,” he teased.

“Exactly.”

Across the table, Yuwan watched us, his expression a careful mask that concealed whatever emotions churned beneath. Heather finally glanced up from her phone, sensing the growing tension but opting to say nothing.

“So,” Yuwan said suddenly, cutting through our playful banter, “how exactly do you two know each other?”

Silas leaned back in his seat, his arm casually draping across the back of our booth as if he owned the place. “I met him during his shift at the convenience store. He looked like he needed a friend.”

Yuwan’s smile tightened, becoming a mere shadow of itself. “That’s nice of you.”

“Isn’t it?” Silas agreed, grinning like the cat that caught the canary.

After that, the conversation dipped awkwardly, the silence settling thickly between us like fog. Heather picked at her fries, her boredom palpable in the air, and I was about to change the subject when Silas nudged my arm again, pulling me back into our little bubble.

“Remember that guy at the library? The one who thought you were his tutor?” Silas asked, his eyes gleaming with mirth.

“Oh my God.” I covered my face with my hands, groaning at the memory. “He wouldn’t leave me alone.”

Silas laughed, and it felt like warmth washing over me. “You should’ve kicked him in the balls.”

“You know what? I should’ve.”

“Damn, feisty, are we?”

Our shared laughter echoed between us, creating a momentary cocoon of warmth that made me forget where I was, forget that Yuwan was sitting across from me, his eyes sharp and observant, taking in every smile, every laugh, every moment of connection that wasn’t his.

Yuwan’s jaw tightened, the muscle flexing just beneath the surface. “So, Silas,” he said abruptly, his voice cutting through the laughter like a knife, “what exactly are your intentions with Emil?”

Heather shot him a startled look, her surprise evident. “Yuwan—”

“What?” Yuwan asked, his voice too smooth to be casual. “Just curious.”

Silas tilted his head, his grin unwavering. “No intentions. Just hanging out.”

Yuwan’s eyes narrowed, and the tension in the air sharpened, becoming almost tangible. “Funny, it seems like more than that.”

My stomach twisted into knots, and I couldn’t help but interject. “Yuwan, don’t—”

“What?” he interrupted, his gaze locking onto Silas with a fierce intensity. “I’m just trying to figure out what’s happening here. You guys are too comfortable with each other even though you barely knew this person.”

Silas leaned forward slightly, his expression shifting, his grin sharpening into something almost predatory. “What’s happening between Emil and I,” he said softly, “is none of your business.”

The table fell into stunned silence, the air thick with tension. Even Heather looked up from her phone, her eyes wide with disbelief.

Yuwan’s expression darkened, his hands clenching into fists. “You think you know him?” he hissed, leaning in closer, the heat of his anger palpable. “You don’t. Not like I do.”

“Maybe not,” Silas replied coolly, unflinching. “But I think I’m doing a better job of being here for him than you ever did.”

The words hit like a slap, and before I could process what was happening, Yuwan was on his feet, a dangerous fire igniting in his eyes.

“What the fuck did you just say?” Yuwan snarled, his voice low and dangerous, a growl beneath the surface.

Silas stood, too, meeting Yuwan’s glare head-on, the air between them crackling with animosity. “You heard me.”

I shot out of my seat, my heart hammering in my chest like a war drum. “Stop it! Both of you—stop!”

But it was too late. Yuwan shoved Silas, and Silas shoved him right back, and suddenly they were nose to nose, both ready to explode, a storm brewing between them.

Heather let out a horrified gasp. “Yuwan, stop it! You’re making a scene!”

But neither of them listened, too wrapped up in their own fight, their own anger, and I was caught right in the middle, helpless to stop the collision.

“Enough!” I shouted, shoving myself between them, my hands pressing against their chests, desperate to create a barrier. “Just... enough.”

The diner fell deathly silent, every eye on us, the air thick with tension. Silas took a step back, his jaw tight, while Yuwan stood there, seething, barely contained fury radiating from him.

And just like that, the night was over, chaotic, painful, and utterly exhausting.