Chapter Text
If there was one thing Jovian Celeste Mendoza prided herself on, it was being number one. Not just academically, but in everything she set her mind to presentations, debates, extracurriculars, even answering recitations with precision. She worked hard for her accolades. She earned them. So, when her best friend Sheena plopped down in front of her in their usual university café spot with a look of exaggerated pity, Jovian already knew bad news was coming.
“May bago nang rankings.” Sheena placed her phone on the table and slid it towards Jovian as if handling a live grenade.
Jovian exhaled through her nose, took a slow sip of her coffee, and counted to three before daring to look. The rankings updated every quarter, and for the past year, it had been a relentless back-and-forth between her and one specific thorn in her side.
“Number two ka ngayon, Jo,” Sheena said with mock sympathy. “Guess kung sino ang number one.”
Jovian didn’t need to guess. The answer was obvious like an unshakable bad omen, a villainous presence that thrived on her frustration.
“Sélise Armani Serafino,” she muttered, gripping her pen a little too tightly.
Sheena gave her a knowing look. “She’s got you beat. Again.”
It was infuriating. Sélise Serafino as Avalon University’s resident It Girl flawless, effortlessly popular, and apparently, an academic genius despite spending more time attending parties than reviewing for exams. She strolled through campus like she owned it, hair always perfectly styled, outfit on point, and her signature scent trailing behind her like a reminder of her presence. The worst part? She wasn’t just good at academics. She was great at it.
And Jovian hated it.
“She probably charmed her way to the top,” Jovian grumbled, flipping open her laptop and pretending to focus on her research.
Sheena snorted. “Or maybe she’s just really smart?”
Jovian glared. “Whose side are you on?”
Sheena held up her hands in surrender. “Relax. I’m just saying, kung hindi mo siya mortal na kaaway, baka we’d all see this as a healthy academic competition.”
“It’s not healthy,” Jovian said firmly. “It’s war.”
By the time she entered their Media Ethics class, she had managed to somewhat calm down. Somewhat until she saw Sélise already seated near the front, scrolling leisurely through her phone as if she wasn’t single-handedly ruining Jovian’s week.
She moved to take a seat, but before she could, Sélise’s voice rang out smooth, teasing, and absolutely insufferable.
“Good morning, number two.”
Jovian inhaled sharply. Patience . Do not commit academic homicide.
“Ano?” Sélise tilted her head, an infuriating smile playing on her lips. “Masama ba ang umaga mo?”
“Hindi,” Jovian replied through gritted teeth. “Pero ikaw? Masama yata ang ugali mo.”
“Oh, Jovian,” Sélise sighed dramatically. “You flatter me.”
Before Jovian could retaliate, their professor entered and the lecture began. She forced herself to focus, taking meticulous notes and ignoring the smug aura radiating from her left. This was fine. She could handle this. It’s just another day of enduring Sélise Serafino’s existence.
And then the professor made an announcement that shattered her resolve entirely.
“For your final thesis, you’ll be working in pairs.”
Jovian’s stomach dropped.
“Jovian Celeste Mendoza and Sélise Armani Serafino. Congratulations, you’re partners.”
She felt her soul leave her body.
The room was silent for approximately three painful seconds before Sélise turned to her, eyes twinkling with delight.
“Well, this is going to be fun.”
Jovian groaned. “Para sa’yo siguro.”
Sélise winked. “Sa ating dalawa, darling.”
Jovian considered dropping out.
The moment class ended, she speed-walked towards the door, desperate to escape this cruel fate. But Sélise, of course, was right behind her, moving with an infuriatingly relaxed pace.
“Wait up, partner!” Sélise called. “Dapat siguro i-celebrate natin ‘to.”
“Celebrate?” Jovian snapped, whirling around. “Celebrate what? The fact that I’m now stuck with you?”
“No,” Sélise replied smoothly. “The fact that you’ll finally get to learn from the best.”
Jovian exhaled sharply. “Kung ‘best’ ka, bakit ako mas maraming achievements sa department natin?”
“Hmm.” Sélise tapped her chin. “Wala lang. Mas maganda lang siguro ako?”
Jovian turned on her heel and kept walking. “Fine. Thesis meeting. Tomorrow. Library. 4 PM. Wag kang late. ”
“I won’t be,” Sélise said cheerfully.
Jovian didn’t believe her.
Jovian Mendoza prided herself on being a punctual person. A prepared person. Someone who showed up ten minutes early, with highlighters categorized by color and a Google Drive folder already structured before a project even began.
So, sitting in the library, waiting for Sélise Serafino who was already fifteen minutes late felt like a personal attack.
Jovian drummed her fingers against the table, resisting the urge to check her phone for the tenth time. Where the hell is she? Their thesis was supposed to be a serious endeavor, and yet, her supposed partner was treating it like some casual brunch date.
Just as she was about to send a passive-aggressive text, Sélise finally arrived walking in like she owned the place. She wasn’t in a hurry. In fact, she was moving at an infuriatingly leisurely pace, a cold drink in one hand and her pink Prada tote swinging off her arm like she had just come from a shopping spree instead of, you know, a scheduled thesis meeting.
“Babe, bakit parang ang sungit mo agad?” Sélise greeted, sliding into the seat across from Jovian with a slow, easy grin.
Jovian exhaled sharply. “You’re late.”
“Fifteen minutes lang naman.” Sélise shrugged, popping the straw of her overpriced drink into her mouth. “Nagpa-picture pa ako sa org event. Priorities, you know?”
Jovian pinched the bridge of her nose. “This is a priority.”
Sélise pouted. “Aww, gusto mo next time isama kita? Para di ka na galit?”
Jovian gave her a flat look. “I would rather be hit by a bus.”
“Dark, pero okay.” Sélise smirked, taking another sip of her drink before setting it down. “Anyway, thesis tayo, diba?”
Jovian straightened, finally feeling like they could get something done. “Yes. Media ethics and sensationalism. I was thinking—”
“—that we should do a social experiment?” Sélise cut in smoothly, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
Jovian narrowed her eyes. “I didn’t say that.”
“But you were going to.” Sélise tilted her head playfully. “I know how your brain works, babe.”
Jovian ignored the way her stomach did something weird at the casual babe. “I was actually going to suggest a structured case study.”
Sélise groaned dramatically, leaning back in her seat. “So boring.”
“It’s methodological.”
“It’s predictable.” Sélise leaned in, resting her chin on her hand as she studied Jovian. “Come on, Jove. Where’s the fun in that?”
“This isn’t supposed to be fun,” Jovian shot back, frustrated. “It’s supposed to be factual.”
Sélise twirled a strand of hair around her finger, unfazed. “But if we prove that people prefer entertainment over facts by actually doing it, doesn’t that make our point stronger?”
Jovian opened her mouth to argue—then hesitated. Damn it. She hated when Sélise made sense.
Sélise grinned, clearly sensing her hesitation. “Oh my god. Are you considering my idea? Is this a historic moment?”
“I haven’t agreed,” Jovian snapped.
“But you’re thinking about it.”
Jovian scowled. “Fine. I’ll think about it.”
Sélise beamed. “Good girl.”
Jovian choked on air. “Excuse me?”
Sélise just sipped her drink, all too pleased with herself. “Nothing, babe.”
Over the next week, they established a system or at least, Jovian tried to establish a system while Sélise consistently derailed it.
It wasn’t that Sélise wasn’t smart. In fact, that was the most annoying part she was brilliant when she actually tried. But more often than not, she seemed more focused on getting under Jovian’s skin than actually working.
Like today, when they were supposed to be finalizing their research proposal but instead…
“Why do you always wear neutrals?” Sélise asked suddenly, chin resting on her hand as she stared at Jovian’s beige cardigan like it personally offended her.
Jovian didn’t even look up from her laptop. “Because I’m a normal person.”
Sélise gasped, clutching her pink sweater dramatically. “ Excuse me? ”
“You heard me.”
“So you’re saying I’m not normal?”
“You wear pink tweed to a thesis meeting, Sélise.” Jovian glanced at her. “And pearl earrings. Who does that? ”
Sélise flipped her hair. “A lady, that’s who.”
Jovian rolled her eyes. “Can we focus?”
“Fine, fine.” Sélise sighed, finally turning back to her laptop. For about five minutes, there was blessed silence.
Then—
“Wait, what’s your Tim hortons order?”
Jovian groaned. “ Sélise. ”
“What? I’m curious!” Sélise grinned, chin resting in her palm again. “You’re so mysterious, sweetheart. You never even post on Instagram. It’s like you don’t exist outside of school.”
Jovian gave her a look. “Just because I don’t post everything doesn’t mean I don’t have a life.”
“So you do have a life?” Sélise gasped. “This is groundbreaking.”
Jovian threw a pen at her.
Despite the constant distractions, they did manage to make progress. Sélise, for all her teasing, pulled her weight when it counted. She had an intuitive grasp of what made media engaging, and though it killed Jovian to admit it, she was good at thinking outside the box.
Which was why, after another grueling meeting, Jovian begrudgingly admitted, “Your idea... isn’t terrible.”
Sélise gasped, clutching her chest. “You like my idea?”
“Let’s not get carried away.”
Sélise grinned. “Admit it, babe. You’re starting to enjoy working with me.”
Jovian stood up, gathering her things. “I’d enjoy it more if you showed up on time next time.”
Sélise just winked. “No promises.”
The next morning, Jovian arrived at the library ten minutes early, because of course she did. Unlike some people, she believed in being on time. She settled into her usual spot, laptop open, fingers poised over the keyboard as she reread their notes from the last meeting.
Sélise, predictably, was late.
Fifteen minutes passed before she finally strolled in, looking like she had stepped straight out of a magazine cover. Her long brown hair, soft curls bouncing with every step, framed her perfectly made-up face. She was dressed in an off-shoulder pink top, designer jeans, and absolutely killer heels. Who wears heels to a library meeting?
“Good morning, my favorite overachiever.” Sélise slid into the seat across from her, placing a Venti iced coffee on the table with a satisfied sigh. “You miss me?”
“No.”
Sélise pouted dramatically. “You wound me.”
Jovian rolled her eyes. “You're late. Again.”
“Babe, fifteen minutes is Filipino time,” Sélise said, taking a delicate sip of her drink. “Besides, I brought caffeine. That counts for something, right?”
Jovian glared at her. “No.”
Sélise smirked. “Grabe ka naman. Baka masyado mong dinadamdam na ka-partner mo ‘ko.”
“Obviously.”
“Aw, you’ll learn to love me eventually.”
Jovian sighed, deciding that arguing was a waste of precious time. “Can we just work? We have a whole thesis to outline.”
Sélise held up her hands in surrender. “Fine, fine. Ano na ngang napag-usapan natin?”
Jovian scrolled through her laptop. “We’re proving that people prefer entertainment over factual news. Meaning, we need actual evidence—statistics, surveys, case studies—”
Sélise groaned. “Ang boring. Puro numbers.”
Jovian shot her a look. “Sélise. This is research. Not a fashion editorial.”
Sélise leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. “Okay, but listen. If we want to make this engaging, we need to think like our audience. Gagawa tayo ng experiment, ‘di ba? So bakit ‘di natin gawing viral-worthy?”
Jovian frowned. “Ano na namang iniisip mo?”
“Something fun. Something… scandalous.” Sélise grinned, eyes twinkling mischievously. “What if we stage fake news?”
Jovian’s jaw dropped. “Are you insane?”
“Hear me out.” Sélise tapped her perfectly manicured nails on the table. “We create a fake but believable viral story. Watch how people react. Then reveal the truth. Tapos, boom—thesis data.”
Jovian stared at her. “You want to manipulate information?”
“Not manipulate. Test.” Sélise leaned back with a satisfied smile. “Isn’t that the point?”
Jovian groaned, rubbing her temples. “I swear, working with you will be the death of me.”
Sélise winked. “At least it’ll be a glamorous death, babe.”
Jovian resisted the urge to scream.
Their ‘experiment’—which Jovian still wasn’t convinced about required them to create an entirely fake but convincing news story. The problem? They needed an idea outrageous enough to gain attention but not enough to cause actual harm.
“So ano?” Jovian crossed her arms. “Ano namang kwento ang gagamitin natin?”
Sélise grinned. “Simple lang. May artista na nabuntis.”
Jovian gaped at her. “What?!”
“Joke lang, Relax.” Sélise laughed. “Pero seriously, something controversial pero hindi damaging. Tipong ‘professor involved in secret campus scandal’ or ‘mystery student receives anonymous love letters.’”
Jovian frowned. “The second one sounds safer.”
Sélise nodded excitedly. “Exactly! People love chismis. We spread an anonymous story, gauge the reactions, then use it for our study.”
Jovian sighed, already regretting agreeing to this. “Fine. But if this backfires, I’m blaming you.”
“Wouldn’t have it any other way, babe.” Sélise shot her a wink.
And just like that, their thesis became a ticking time bomb.