“So, I guess it’s your turn."

He walked casually. Akala mo Hindi siya lumabas sa bathroom na parang isang model na makikita sa brochure ng Avon at Natasha.

I nodded stiffly. “Yeah, sure. Thanks.” My voice cracked, and I winced internally. Great. Just great. Halatang kinakabahan na ako.

Ramdam ko na nakatingin siya sa akin, but I kept my gaze firmly on the bathroom door. Focus. Don’t stare. Don’t even look.

'Wag kang lilingon.

Isang tingin lang Ysmael, hindi ka naman mamamatay. You won’t die, promise. But I forced myself to breathe deeply and ignore the tension in my chest. Baka himatayin ako dito.

After a few seconds of silence, I heard him say something, and I finally dared to turn my head. Marupok ako, wala akong magagawa.

“Mainit pa ang tubig sa loob, make sure to enjoy it,” Theo added, his tone completely carefree.

Kung sinasamahan mo ako sa loob...

I nodded. “Sana nga. Sige na.” I could hear the shakiness in my voice, and I could have sworn I saw him suppress a smirk. Siraulo talaga ang lalaking 'to. Sigurado na may tumatakbo na sa isip nito.

He didn’t respond right away. “Sige na. Go ahead. Dito lang ako.”

I didn’t know what else to say, so I simply nodded and turned toward the bathroom. But before I could even open the door, I heard him call out to me again.

“Hey, Ysmael.”

I stopped, my hand frozen on the doorknob, feeling a sense of déjà vu hit me. Dahan-dahan akong lumingon.

Theo was looking at me, eyes twinkling with that mischievous glint. “You know, you can relax around me. I’m not gonna bite, promise.”

And there it was again, the teasing. Alam na talaga ng lalaking 'to kung paano ako kunin. His calm ways seemed to know exactly how to push my buttons.

I opened my mouth, trying to say something clever, but my mind had gone blank. Wala, naubusan ako ng sasabihin. Ngumiti na lang ako sa kanya, bago tuluyang pumasok sa loob ng bathroom.

Inside, I leaned against the sink, taking a few deep breaths to calm my racing heart. God, Ysmael, kumalma ka nga. Si Theo lang 'yan. Theo was... just Theo. I had to remind myself. We were roommates, nothing more. No reason to act like a nervous wreck.

But even as I tried to talk some sense into myself, my thoughts kept drifting back to the way he looked in that white sando, and how easy it was for him to make everything feel so casual, so effortless. It wasn’t just his physical appearance, it was the way he held himself, like he didn’t have a care in the world. And that made it all the more... frustrating.

I shook my head, trying to focus on the task at hand. The shower. Siguro naman ay kakalma na ako kapag nalunod na sa tubig.

As I stepped into the shower, I could still feel the heat on my cheeks, the image of Theo’s grin still fresh in my mind. I needed to wash this off, literally.

I closed my eyes under the warm water, hoping the steam would clear my head. But then, just as I was starting to relax, the sound of a light knock on the door made me freeze.

“Ysmael? Okay ka lang ba sa loob?” Theo’s voice was muffled, but I could hear the slight concern behind it.

I cursed under my breath, realizing how I must’ve sounded, just standing there in the shower, lost in my thoughts. “Yeah, ayos lang!” I called back, probably way too loudly. “I’m just taking a shower.”

Theo chuckled. “Okay, okay. Chineck ko lang. 'Wag masyadong magtagal. We’ve got a seminar to get to.”

“Right. Noted!” I quickly turned off the water.

But no matter how much I tried to shake it off, I knew I was still a little rattled. The guy had a way of making everything complicated.

Get it together, Ysmael.