23/10/2025
SA DULO NG INBOX
Kabanata 2 – Coffee Dates & Comfort Zones
The air felt colder than usual when Fema stepped out of class that Tuesday afternoon.
Exams were coming, projects were piling up, but her phone buzzed—
and suddenly, the day didn’t feel so heavy anymore.
Messenger Notification:
> Glynn: “Coffee today? Same spot?”
She bit her lip, trying not to smile too wide.
> Fema: “I thought you’re busy?”
Glynn: “I am. But some things are better than sleep.”
And just like that, nagkita ulit sila.
---
Sa café, Glynn welcomed her with the same warm smile from their first meeting.
He placed her favorite drink on the table—
Iced Vanilla Latte, less sugar, extra shot.
> Fema: “Seriously? You remembered?”
Glynn: “Of course. I remember everything you say.”
She froze for a moment.
No guy had ever paid attention to the little things.
They talked about classes, annoying professors, memes, and future plans.
Minsan tatawa sila sabay, tapos tahimik…
pero hindi awkward.
Comfortable.
Near closing time, while rearranging his things, napansin ni Fema ang notebook sa bag ni Glynn—
covered with sticky notes.
Isa doon nagsabing:
“Keep going.”
> Fema: “Are those for school?”
Glynn: “Not really. Sometimes I write stuff I need to remind myself.”
Fema: “Like what?”
Glynn: “Like… not ruining good things when they finally come.”
His eyes shifted to hers.
Silence.
The kind of silence that felt like a confession.
---
Pag-uwi, nakahiga si Fema sa k**a, staring at her phone.
> Glynn: “Did you get home safe?”
Fema: “Yeah. Thanks for today.”
Glynn: “Thank you. I needed that.”
Fema: “Needed what?”
Glynn: “Time with you.”
She stared at the message for a full minute.
Is this still friendship? Or something else?
Before she could overthink, another message came:
> “Goodnight, Fema. Don’t disappear, okay?”
And for the second time, she slept with a smile.
---
The following week, their coffee dates became routine.
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday.
Minsan, magtatampo si Glynn pag late siya. Minsan, kinukulit ni Fema hanggang mairita siya (pero cute).
People started noticing.
One afternoon at the café, a barista nudged Glynn.
> Barista: “Girlfriend mo?”
Glynn (smiling): “Not yet.”
Fema heard it.
Her heart raced.
On their walk home, she softly asked:
> Fema: “Not yet?”
Glynn: “Meaning… I’m trying.”
Fema: “Trying what?”
Glynn: “Trying to be worthy of you.”
She didn’t know what to say.
But her heart did.
---
Late that night, habang nagre-review si Fema, may message ulit:
> Glynn: “Can I ask something?”
Fema: “Shoot.”
Glynn: “Do you believe in connection kahit hindi pa matagal?”
She paused.
Then replied:
> Fema: “Yes. But connections are fragile.”
His reply came faster than she expected.
> Glynn: “Then let me take care of it.”
Her heart whispered something she fought hard to deny:
You’re falling.
---
Kabanata 3 – Something Real
Midterms week was chaos.
Late nights, coffee cups piling up, eyebags everywhere.
But amidst the academic hurricane, they never stopped talking.
Sometimes short chats. Sometimes long calls. Sometimes just “typing…” and no words—because they didn’t need words.
One night, while Fema was drowned in notes, her phone rang.
Incoming Call: Glynn 11:57 PM
> Fema: “Bakit?”
Glynn (yawning): “I heard stress in your typing.”
Fema: “May sound pala yun?”
Glynn: “Sa puso ko, meron.”
Corny. But she laughed.
---
For the first time, they stayed on call while studying together.
At 2:30 AM, she dozed off mid-sentence.
Before he ended the call, he whispered:
> “Goodnight, Fema. I’ll be here.”
---
Sa campus, rumors started.
“Uy, close sila.” “Bagay sila.” “Magka-chat siguro araw-araw.”
Totoo naman.
But the rumor that hit hardest came that Friday:
> “May nililigawan daw si Glynn. Yung best friend niya sa Maynila.”
It felt like a punch she didn’t expect.
That night, she didn’t reply to Glynn’s messages immediately. Her replies were shorter. Colder.
> Glynn: “Hey. Are you okay?”
Fema: “Just tired.”
Glynn: “Tell me the truth.”
Fema: “Bakit? Para saan?”
Silence. Three dots.
Typing… stopped… typing…
Finally:
> Glynn: “Please don’t listen to what others say. I know what I feel.”
She didn’t reply.
---
The next day, he showed up at the café holding two drinks, waiting at their usual table.
> Glynn: “Talk to me, Fema.”
Fema: “Do you still talk to her?”
Glynn: “Yeah. She’s important to me.”
Fema: “More important than me?”
He didn’t answer right away.
That silence broke her more than any lie could.
Finally:
> Glynn: “I care about her. But I’m falling for you.”
Her chest tightened—not from pain, but from fear.
> Fema: “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”
Glynn: “Then I’ll make one I can keep…”
He held her gaze.
> Glynn: “I’ll never lie to you.”
She looked away, trying not to cry.
---
On the walk home, it rained.
They shared one umbrella.
Each drop was heavy, like words they didn’t want to say.
When they reached her dorm gate, he stopped.
> Glynn: “Tell me one thing…”
Fema: “Hmm?”
Glynn: “Are you afraid?”
Fema: “Of what?”
Glynn: “Of falling.”
Her voice trembled.
> Fema: “I already am.”
Something warm flickered in Glynn’s eyes— relief, joy, fear, all at once.
They didn’t kiss.
They just stood there, soaking wet, hearts loud enough to drown the rain.
---
That night, a new message arrived:
> Glynn: “Goodnight, falling girl.”
And for the first time,
Fema typed something she had never said to anyone before:
> Fema: “Goodnight, boy I’m falling for.
[End of Kabanata 3]
✅ Kung okay ang pacing at feels, I’ll continue with:
Kabanata 4 – Officially Something
Kabanata 5 – Jealousy on Social Media
Kabanata 6 – Promises at Midnigt
