Chapter : Backburner
But I know in a week or so
You’ll fade away again
And I wish that I cared
Hey are you still there
Good
“You know… that happened to me. That’s exactly what happened nine years ago.”
She stopped mid-headbang, her eyes narrowed and stared at me, as if the truth might rearrange itself if she looked long enough. She slid her headphones off, her gaze never leaving mine—wondering if it was really me who spoke.
I didn’t even know something like that could happen in real life.
I thought I could only ever see it in telenovelas and K-dramas… those scenes I often laughed and cringed about… that kind when the timing doesn't align and the truth comes out too late.
And even now I don’t know exactly what I am supposed to feel.
I turned my attention to her and smiled—confirming that yes, it was really me.
I was talking to her.
And I meant every word.
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“That song you’re playing—I can hear it even from here. It happened to me.” I swallowed.
“…with Scven.” I murmured. Too low that almost even the air can't hear.
“Woooooh.” Only then did she hurriedly scoot closer to me, even though we were already just inches apart.
Her reaction is as if she'd been handed the biggest secret in the world.
“You mean Scven? *The* Scven? Scven with a C?”
I nodded.
Her hand flew to her mouth.
And honestly… I couldn’t blame her either.
If I were in her place, I'd also react the same way if I found that someone like her friend— a complete nobody back then, once had a story with someone like him.
It sounds like something straight out of a cliché wattpad novel.
*Ms. Nobody meets Mr. Popular.*
Impossible.
And yet…
It happened.
Scven.
The Scven.
The one everyone knew.
The great Scven.
Scven.
That’s what they called him.
And as I repeated his name in my head, memories began to resurface—like fireworks. Once lit, they climbed higher and higher… until they exploded. Loud, overwhelming, but strangely beautiful.
“Uhm… let’s just say we er once close,” I admitted to Isla.
“And?” Her eyes were glistening with excitement.
“That’s it.”
“Boring.” I let out a small chuckle.
“What can I do? I was nothing. Whatever happened between us… it wasn’t really a thing.” I struggled to explain, because even I didn’t know how to put it into words.
“Anyway, I just remembered it because of the song you’re playing. Don’t think too much about it—it’s nothing,” I added, though she didn’t look convinced.
He was like Endymion, and I was Selene. Not that I was beautiful nor powerful—but he was just… out of reach. Too powerful in his own way. Even if I had feelings for him, I felt like he would never notice me, never even glance my way. And if I ever dared to reveal those feelings… I’d only end up hurting myself or…
him.
So I never did.
“If it reminds you of him and your ‘thing,’ then it’s something,” she said, rolling her eyes.
I paused.
She had a point.
“Well… it was back in 8th grade. Scven and I were desk mates, so we were always paired during class activities—even in dance.”
She listened, nodding occasionally.
“And during that time, he was very open about having a crush on Khloe. Everyone knew that.”
“Yeah, I remember that. There was even this one time he accompanied Khloe to the infirmary while we were practicing for the Afro-Asian Culminating Activity—even though she wasn’t even our classmate.” She hollered.
“I remember it so clearly because it was so hot, and they made us dance in the quadrangle with the cheering squad. So annoying,” she added, clearly still irritated by the memory.
“Yeah, I saw that too.”
How could I not?
He left me dancing alone in the middle of The Sakuting just to go to Khloe.
It’s been nine years already.
So why does my chest still ache every time I remember that moment?
Not because I was jealous. Not even because I was bitter.
But because, for the first time, I questioned my worth.
I wondered how many people were like me—
not a priority, not worth anyone’s time or attention.
I felt disrespected.
Maybe I was just too young back then,
but for my fourteen-year-old self, that moment hurt more than I could understand.
“He did apologize after that. And since then, we started talking almost every night. Remember my old touchscreen MyPhone? It didn’t even have a SIM card—I only used it for e-books. I had to go to computer shops just to talk to him. Silly, right?”
We both burst into laughter. Just moments ago, we were being dramatic—now we were laughing over something embarrassing.
“One day, he suddenly became so sweet. Good morning, good evening, good night—never missed a single day. He even called me ‘hon.’”
My heart skipped a beat just remembering it.
Same old feelings.
Isla squealed, biting her finger in excitement, wriggling like a worm sprinkled with salt.
“Then? Tell me he confessed. Please, please, please.”
“Nope. I told him I knew he was only acting that way because Khloe wasn’t around… and I was letting him, for the same reason.”
The first reason hurt me.
The second one shattered me.
“What did he say?”
“He just laughed.” I laughed too, but something was stuck in my throat.
“But you?” she asked.
“What about me?” I said, still laughing—
as if that would make everything feel lighter.
“You liked him back then?”
Silence.
Nine years have passed… and still, the answer refuses to come easily.
I cleared my throat, but even that felt heavy.
“I don’t know.”
She laughed, but there was certainty in her voice.
“Oh, you definitely did. The way you talk about him… the way you smile—it reaches your eyes.”
Her voice softened.
“That kind of smile… only happens when someone is truly happy. Or truly in love.”
My brows furrowed.
Then—
“You liked me back then?”
My world stopped.
That voice—
I knew it.
I would recognize it anywhere.
Slowly, I turned.
And there he was.
Scven.
The Scven.
The Great Scven.
Standing right behind me.
Listening.
To everything.
Heat rushed to my face so fast it burned. My thoughts scattered, my body frozen between running away and pretending nothing happened.
So instead—
I pinched Isla.
Hard.
*Why didn’t you tell me he was here?!*
“Hmm… cat got your tongue?” he teased, a low chuckle slipping past his lips.
I couldn’t move.
Couldn’t breathe.
Couldn’t even look at him properly.
Because this—
This was the kind of scene that only existed in dramas.
The kind where your past walks back into your life at the worst possible moment.
Your high school crush…
appearing out of nowhere—
right when you’re talking about how you used to love him.
It was humiliating.
Terrifying.
And somehow—
painfully nostalgic.
“Hi,” I managed, my voice barely holding together.
“What was that?” His lips curved into a small smile.
That smile.
The same one I fell for years ago.
Back when everything felt simpler.
Back when *maybe* still existed.
I could disappear right now, and I wouldn’t mind.
“You know…” I let out a small, awkward laugh.
“It’s all in the past now. Let’s just… leave it there.”
I forced a smile.
“I’m really sorry if that made you uncomfortable. We were just… reminiscing.”
Lies.
Half-truths.
Things people say when they don’t know how to face what’s real.
He looked at me.
Not the way people usually do.
But like he was searching for something he had already lost.
“If you told me back then…” he said quietly,
“Maybe I could’ve given you what you were hoping for.”
My breath caught.
Too sudden.
Too late.
Too cruel.
Neither of us spoke.
Even Isla fell silent.
Then he turned his back.
And for a moment—
I thought that was it.
Another almost.
Another what-if.
But then—
He stopped.
“…I liked you.”
The words fell softly.
But they shattered everything.
Past tense.
A confession that came nine years too late.
My chest tightened.
I wanted to laugh.
Or cry.
Or scream.
But nothing came out.
Because somehow—
This hurt more than not knowing.
Oh, Scven.
The Great Scven.
You really are unbelievable.
Just when the wound was finally healing…
You came back—
and opened it all over again.
L
greenyonade_17
