The Space Between Us

                                    

                                          
— Almost 1 Month Ago —
Colet sat at the edge of her bed, staring at her phone screen as the rain continued to pour heavily outside. The sound of it hitting the window seemed to echo the anxiety in her chest. It was almost 1:30 AM, and Jhoanna still wasn't home. Her shift at the café should've ended at 12:00 AM, especially since it was Sunday.
The rain was relentless, and Colet couldn't help but feel a wave of concern. Bawal mabasa si Jho sa ulan, she thought, her chest tightening. 
Jhoanna was always so prone to getting sick, and the idea of her out there in this downpour made Colet's stomach twist.
Colet grabbed her phone and called Jhoanna, but it rang and rang without an answer. Her heart raced. Where could she be? She glanced at the time, her worry escalating with every passing minute.
I can't just sit here, Colet thought. She grabbed her bag and stormed out the door. With no other choice, she called a taxi to take her to the café where Jhoanna worked. As the car sped down the empty streets, Colet tried to calm her nerves, but it was impossible. Something didn't feel right.
The taxi came to a stop in front of the café. Colet's eyes immediately scanned the building. The lights were off. The café was already closed.
Why is Jhoanna still here? Colet thought, stepping out of the car, her breath catching in her throat. Then, she saw it. The car—Aiah's car. She froze.
Aiah stepped out, holding an umbrella, walking towards Jhoanna, who was standing in front of the closed café. The two exchanged a few words before they both climbed into Aiah's car. Colet stood frozen, her heart pounding as the car drove away, leaving her standing in the rain-soaked street.
A sudden, unexpected jealousy gripped Colet's chest. She knew she had no right to feel this way. Aiah was Jhoanna's girlfriend, not her. But the sight of them together, of Aiah comforting Jhoanna, made something twist painfully in Colet's gut.
Take it easy, Colet. Aiah's her girlfriend, not you, she reminded herself, her mind struggling to regain control. Walang kayo, remember that.
Colet shook her head, pushing the thoughts aside. "Take me back home," she said to the taxi driver, her voice low and strained. She didn't want to be out there anymore, didn't want to see any more of it. The tension in her chest only grew as the car made its way back to her house.
As she sat on her bed again, Colet tried to calm herself, but her thoughts kept spinning. She had no reason to feel jealous. No reason to feel this attached. They weren't together. Jhoanna wasn't hers.
She opened her phone, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. "Where are you?" she typed, staring at the message. But just before she could press send, doubt crept in. What am I even doing? she thought.
Bakit ba ako nag-aalala sakaniya ng gan'to?
Colet closed her phone and placed it beside her on the bed. She buried her face in her hands, her mind a whirlpool of confusion. What are we, anyway? she whispered to herself.
What am I to her?
It was the question that haunted her now, lingering in her mind like a storm, waiting for answers she wasn't sure she was ready to hear.
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As the rain poured outside, classes were suspended for the day, leaving Colet to her thoughts. She woke up to the buzz of her phone, a notification from the Pop Gurlss GC.