Chapter Text
4:30 AM
The alarm rang for the nth time.
And for the nth time, Ivy hit snooze mechanically, without even opening her eyes.
This isn’t what her Saturday mornings usually looked like.
For the next thirty minutes, nakaupo lang siya sa kama, hawak-hawak 'yung running shoes niya, staring at them like they were asking her life’s biggest question kung tutuloy ba siya or hindi.
Ready naman na siya. Gear on, outfit complete, pero this morning, for the first time she was hesitating.
Ivy used to light up pag weekends. It meant LSD Saturdays with her running club—Long Slow Distance na parang therapy after a long week sa trabaho. She wasn’t even a morning person, but for LSD? Gumigising siya kahit anong oras pa ‘yan.
This morning…excitement was nowhere to found.
She set her shoes down beside her bed with a soft thud and slowly let herself fall back onto the mattress, her legs still dangling off the edge. Her eyes stared blankly at the ceiling.
“If I don’t go for a run, ano naman ang gagawin ko this morning?” she muttered, her voice barely audible in the quiet.
And as if on cue, her phone lit up.
NO PACERS CLUB
Phil: Guys omw, see you at the spot
Amelie: Yes, andito na ako. Drive safe, everyone
Miles: I JWU 😅 pls wait for me, ngayon na lang ako makakabalik hehe
Gray: Shocking 🙀
Miles: what’s shocking?
Phil: hay naku, miles. that’s another 30 mins for you. ‘wag mo na intindihin ‘yan, ‘di mo rin naman ma ge-gets
Amelie: HAHAHAHA THAT’S WHY I LOVE MY SATURDAYS TALAGA 🤗
Miles: bullies!
Gray: pikon ka lang
5:20 AM
“Si Ives, saan?” Amelie asked, scanning the crowd as they finished their warm-ups.
“Wala pa rin ba?” Gray added, stretching her calves.
Amelie shook her head, eyes darting around, still hoping to see a familiar figure walk toward them.
“Okay, 5:30 start na tayo ah. Yung mga kakarating lang, go warm up na” Phil clapped his hands together, trying to keep things moving.
Amelie walked over to Phil with furrowed brows.“Phil, Ives’s not here yet” she whispered.
“No message? Or baka may sinabi siya sa inyo kagabi? nakalimutan niyo lang” Phil asnwerd
“Nope, we haven’t talked last night” Miles chimed in.
“same sa’kin. pero minessage ko siya before coming here, papasabay sana ako kaso ‘yun nga ‘di nag reply” Gray added
Phil sighed “Well, baka may sakit lang? Anyway, hindi rin naman yung basta-basta nag sskip ng saturdays unless it’s very important talaga.”
“Well…yeah. Baka nga something important came up. Anyways tara. 8:15 guys ha?” Amelie said quietly, eyes still searching.
They started the run at exactly 5:30 AM and went on for 1 hour and 47 mins at an 8:15 pace for 21k. The LSD went smoothly. Everyone managed—well, except Miles, who was clearly gasping halfway in.
“Musta, Miles? Hinika ka na agad oh. Huwag na kasi mag-skip!” Gray teased while they were sipping post-run coffee.
“Yabang mo Gray, ah? ‘Di mo pa rin naman nabe-beat PR ko sa 21k. Dami mong satsat” Miles shot back with a grin.
“Bars! Bawi ka next time, Gray, kapag nasapawan mo na PR niya” Phil laughed.
“Buti na lang wala si Ivy dito—baka nilipad na ako sa hangin ngayon” Amelie said with a smirk, taking a sip of her coffee.
“Anyway, papalapit na ang BYNY Marathon. Sino libre sa load d’yan?” Phil asked the group.
“Ako, mukhang kaya sa schedule… pero antayin ko pa final date bago mag-confirm” Amelie replied.
“Ako, free ako kahit hindi talaga. Need extra for the reno” Gray said, rolling her eyes at herself.
“Luh. Ayusin mo ‘yang commitment mo, Gray. ‘Wag kang pa-bibo d’yan” Phil quipped.
“Oo na, oo na. Free na ako, ‘di na mabiro” Gray replied with a sheepish laugh.
Then Phil asked the question that hung heavier than expected “Eh si Ives kaya?”
Amelie paused. “Hmm… malabo siguro. Sobrang in demand na ‘yun lately sa office nila. May issue daw sa company nila kaya super hectic siya. Pero who knows, ‘di ba?”
“I heard may layoffs daw dun. Malaki daw ‘yung damage sa kanila” Miles added.
“What? Ganun ka lala?” Gray asked, eyebrows raised.
“Yeah” Miles replied simply.
That moment, habang nagkakape pa ang lahat, Amelie quietly pulled out her phone and sent a message:
Amelie: Hey… wala ka today? Okay ka lang?
Amelie: I heard about sa company niyo. Hope okay ka and ‘di ka nila sinasagad sa trabaho.
On the other side of the city, Ivy was deep in sleep...something completely uncharacteristic for her usual Saturday mornings— until a knock on her apartment door pulled her from her dreams.
Dali-dali bumangon si Ivy because she’s not expecting anyone to visit her this weekend.
Groggy and curious,she shuffled to the door, half-awake. It was Amelie.
“Uy, Amy? What’s up?”
“Wala naman. I thought I’d stop by. Wala ka kanina eh” Amelie said casually as she walked inside like she lived there.
“Oh. It’s Saturday nga pala.” Ivy said, pretending she only now remembered, kahit sinadya naman niya talaga.
“You slept late?” Amelie asked, peeking at the living room.
“Hindi naman. Tired, I guess?” Ivy shrugged, trailing behind her.
“So... overslept?” Amelie teased.
“Obvious ba?” Ivy raised a brow, gesturing at her face like "look at me."
“Alam ko namang hindi ka pa nagbe-breakfast kaya dinalhan na kita ng takeout sa kinainan namin kanina” Amelie said, placing the bag on the kitchen counter.
Ivy squinted at her. “Ang bait mo ngayon ah. What do you want from me?”
“Grabe ka naman, hirap mong kaibiganin. Kailangan may kapalit?” Amelie rolled her eyes.
“Anyway, announcement of BYNY Marathon is in two days. Need ng list kung sino available sa pag coach”
“Sus ‘yan lang pala. Eh ‘di sana tinext mo na lang ako?” Ivy asked, leaning on the counter.
“Tinext kita. May reply ba akong natanggap?” Amelie shot back , arms crossed.
“Ihhhh…Sorry naman borlogs ‘yung tao eh. Pero, oo. Free ako” Ivy said, defeated.
“Weh?” Amelie grinned.
“Parang tanga kausap. Pumunta ka pa dito para mang-asar? Oo nga, kukuha ako ng slots. Pero few lang, okay?”
“Sure ka ba? Hindi ka ba papatayin niyan? Halos di ka na nga umuuwi sa bahay kakatrabaho, tapos magt-training ka pa?”
“Yeah… about that” Ivy started, her voice softer now.
Amelie looked up. “About what?”
Ivy hesitated… then finally said it.
“I’m jobless, Am.”
Amelie was lost for words. She was completely silenced and trying to find the right words to say in the moment
“Kasama ka sa na lay-off?” she finally asked, cautious.
“Huh? Pano mo nalaman?” Ivy asked, puzzled.
“Miles” Amelie said gently.
“Oh.” Ivy mumbled.
“Bakit daw? I mean, Ives… you're vital sa department niyo. Parang impossible naman na tanggalin ka nila just like that.”
Ivy shook her head. “I don’t know, Am. I really don’t know.”
“Grabe. Ang fucked up naman nila” Amelie muttered, slamming her hand gently on the table.
Ivy stared blankly at the table. Wala na siyang masabi.
“How are you holding up?” Amelie asked softly.
“Hindi ko pa rin alam. Kahapon lang nangyari eh. One day I was in, the next day... email na lang. Everything still feels... blurry. Maybe by Monday, mag-si-sink in na lahat.”
“I’m really sorry to hear about your situation, Ives. Ang bigat rin nito for me to hear.” Amelie reached over and gave her hand a soft squeeze.
“Thanks, Ams. I’ll be fine. Eventually. I guess?” Ivy sighed, leaning back into her chair.
“O, kain ka na muna.” Amelie nudged the food toward her.
Ivy didn’t even hesitate. She opened the container and took her first bite.
“So...mabalik yung topic sa marathon program. Confirmed na talaga ‘to? Mag t-train ka for the marathon?” Amelie asked between sips of water.
“I have to. Kailangan ko ng extra hanggang makahanap ako ng bagong work.”
Amelie sighed “Got it. Noted. May two weeks ka pa naman before training starts, so... that gives you breathing room.”
“Two weeks. Yeah. That could work” Ivy nodded.
“Alright, I won’t stay long. Pagod na rin ako, hahaha” Amelie said as she stood up, stretching.
“Thanks for dropping by... and for the food” Ivy said with a small smile.
“Sure, anytime, Ives” Amelie replied, already halfway to the door.
“Ams—”
Amelie turned “Hmm?”
“Wag mo muna sabihin sa iba, please.”
Amelie paused, then gave a nod. “Sure. I’ll make sure of that.”
And with that, she quietly slipped out the door.
Ivy tried to make the most of the two weeks she had before training officially started.
Apply here, apply there. Online, in-person, through referrals, LinkedIn, kahit cold emails, she tried everything.
It felt strange. Parang balik sa simula. Like a fresh grad all over again, only this time with years of experience that somehow, suddenly, didn’t seem to matter.
She had been with her old company for what felt like forever. It was her second home, a place where she poured so much of herself into every pitch, every line of code, every late-night call. So to be let go, no warning, no buildup, not even a single sign?
Nakakapanghina talaga
Never in her wildest thoughts did she think the day would come. Pero eto siya ngayon, staring at her laptop screen again, heart slowly hardening with every unopened application tab. Most companies replied with a polite “We’ll get back to you” others sent a cold, automated “Thanks, but no thanks.” And some… finally replied.
From: [email protected]
Subject: Application Status
Hi Ms. Ivy,
Thank you for taking the time to apply for the Backend Engineer role at AltaWired. We genuinely appreciate your interest in our company and the thoughtful effort in your application.
After careful consideration, we've decided to move forward with candidates whose experience more closely aligns with our current team’s structure and needs.
We recognize your extensive background, and we encourage you to apply again as more roles open in the near future.
Best wishes,
The AltaWired Recruitment Team
“Wow. Shocking naman hahaha. If I know lalaki naman talaga hinahanap niyo for the position. Pffft. ” Ivy laughed looking at her laptop
Gray: 10k later, G?
Amelie: I’m G.
Phil: Ives?
Ivy: pass guys
Gray: luh. nyare sa’yo bai
Phil: okay ka lang Ives?
Before she could type back, her phone rang. Amelie.
She answered.
Amelie: “Anong ‘pass’? Tara na.”
Ivy: “Today’s a lot for me, Am. Wala ako sa mood to run.”
Amelie: “Hey. You’re coaching for the next 16 weeks, tapos pass ka nang pass?”
Ivy: “I know. I know, bawi ako next time. Promise.”
Amelie: “Bahala ka. But I’m coming over. Sasabay ka today. Period.”
Ivy: “Amelie naman, please…”
Amelie: “Ives, the more you skip, the more you’ll think you’re okay not doing it. And the next thing you know, hindi mo na itututloy. This program’s not just for them. It's for you. You know you need this run.”
There was silence on Ivy’s end. Her throat tightened.
Amelie: “Tsaka ako lang naman ang may alam. You don’t need to pretend you’re okay. Just lace up and run”
Ivy closed her eyes. Took a breath.
Ivy: “…fine.”
Amelie: “Great. That’s my girl!”
Later that afternoon, Ivy laced up her shoes and joined her running club. Just like Amelie said, she smiled, cracked jokes, laughed at Gray’s corny one-liners—pretending everything in her life was still intact. But deep inside, she knew better than to dwell on the weight of rejection.
They decided on a steady 10K, 7:30 pace lang daw. Chill, easy run. But as soon as they hit the second kilometer, Ivy’s legs had a different plan. Her strides grew longer, faster, more deliberate
Amelie, who knew what that speed meant, let her be.
She didn’t stop her. She just watched from behind, letting Ivy exorcise her grief through movement.
Fifteen minutes ahead of everyone, Ivy finished. She was already stretching, headphones in, pretending she wasn’t about to break down in front of her friends when they finally caught up.
“PR ka ba ngayon, Ives? Sino ba kasing nanakit sa’yo, bai?” Gray teased, bumping her shoulder while catching her breath.
“Gaga. Ganun talaga pag stress, hahaha” Ivy answered with a half-hearted chuckle still doing her stretches
“Halata nga. Welcome back, bai” Gray said, patting her back.
FIRST DAY OF ORIENTATION
Dozens of runners, some seasoned, some clearly first-timers had begun gathering sa benchl where orientation is happening. Some of the coaches sat on the side of the field, each with a clipboard in hand, scanning through the assigned names.
It was orientation before the proper training.
Phil stood front and center, calm but charismatic, the kind of person who could command a room without trying too hard.
“Alright, good morning, everyone!” he beamed. “Welcome to NO PACERS marathon program orientation! Whether this is your first time training for a marathon or your fifth, we’re here to guide you every step of the way.”
Murmurs of excitement rippled across the field.
“Over the next few weeks, you’ll be pushed, challenged, and hopefully…not regret signing up! Hahaha just kidding.” The crowd laughed.
“In a few minutes, you’ll be meeting your coaches. These are some of the best runners and trainers in the community, and they’re here to make sure you cross that finish line ready and proud.”
The coaches, including Ivy, stood on the far side of the oval, checking and comparing their runner lists. Ivy scanned hers quickly, already mentally profiling who might need extra pacing or who’s likely to complain about long runs.
Then, a flash of movement caught her eye.
A woman half-walking, half-jogging entered the oval in a hurry, obviously late. She looked around in panic, then made her way toward the group. But it wasn’t her face that Ivy noticed—it was her fit.
Ivy blinked and, instinctively, elbowed Amelie beside her.
“Ams, tingnan mo.” Ivy nudged Amelie, trying not to laugh.
“Bakit?” Amelie asked, barely glancing up.
“Kelan pa naging running shoes ang Sambas?” Ivy whispered. Whispered loudly enough.
Amelie snapped her head toward Ivy, wide-eyed. “Huy!” she hissed holding her laughter, giving Ivy a soft slap on the arm. “Baka marinig ka!”
But it was too late. Ivy’s laughter was already bubbling out, trying to hold it in as she shielded her mouth.
“Ang ganda na sana ng outfit, oh. Naka leggings, nice tank top, tapos…naka samba. Ayos hahahaha” Ivy added, half-laughing now.
“Tanga! Tama na nga. Kaibigan ko ‘yun! Gusto mo bang i-sumbong kita?” Amelie said, shaking her head but she couldn’t hide her own grin.
“Eh kung kaibigan mo pala, ba’t ‘di mo man lang inorient? May ‘running shoes’ po tayong tinatawag—di lang basta sneakers, hello.” Ivy teased.
“Hayaan mo na nga, first timer naman kasi. Ang judgmental mo talaga minsan, swear.” Amelie sighed.
Ivy raised her hands in surrender. “Sorry na, sorry na. I didn’t mean to judge naman, I find it funny lang talaga, swear.” Ivy chuckled.
Before Amelie could retort, Phil’s voice echoed again.
“Coaches, please meet your runners now and guide them to your stations for orientation.”
“Ams! Hanap ka na naman ni Madam, hahaha” Miles called from a distance.
“Ugh, ano na namang reklamo neto. Catch you later, Ives.” Amelie patted her shoulder and jogged off.
Ivy turned to face her own group. She clapped her hands to gather their attention.
“Hi everyone, I’m Coach Ivy. Welcome to hell—charing! ” She chuckled, and they laughed nervously.
“I’ll be your coach for this program. As first-timers and beginners, we’ll talk goals, pace, fuel, mental prep, and everything in between. But for today, we’ll start light—orientation lang muna.” Ivy paused
“I want to get to know each of you a little better, so prepare to talk about yourselves. Don’t worry, walang iyakan ngayon….Sa susunod pa ’yun hahaha” Ivy winked teasing her runners.
She walked them through the basics: what to expect weekly, how the training blocks were structured, where to log their runs, and when to rest. She was good at this—balancing information and humor, firm enough to be respected, chill enough to be liked.
They even spent the next hour going over warm-up techniques, hydration reminders, stretching exercises, and goal-setting. Ivy was in her element.
By the time the sun was high and the session wrapped up, Amelie returned, a little sheepish.
“Ives, tapos ka na?”
“Yeah, kakatapos lang. Why?” Ivy asked, slinging her bag over her shoulder.
Amelie hesitated for half a second. “Uhh okay. So….here’s the thing. Someone requested a one-on-one training setup—”
“And?” Ivy narrowed her eyes.
“Wait lang! Pwede patapusin mo muna ako? So ayun nga. She said she wants a personal coach for the marathon. I told her na baka fully booked na lahat. Pero... she offered to double the rate just to secure someone.” Amelie explained slowly.
Ivy blinked. “Huh? And why are you telling me this?”
“I haven’t told anyone else...YET! I thought—baka you’d want to consider it first. Sayang din ‘yung rate, Ives.”
“Ams, wala naman akong experience sa one-on-one coaching.” Ivy said, unsure.
“Oo nga. Pero come on, ang laki ng rate. This would be great help sa’yo. Sayang din.” Amelie nudged her.
Ivy glanced back at the runners still lingering around the oval.
“But may na-assign na sa’kin na grupo.”
“I can ask Phil to reassign them. He won’t mind.”
Ivy paused. “Ams... I don’t know. Let me think about it muna.” Amelie said, already half-planning in her head.
“Of course. Take your time. Let me know when you’re ready.” Amelie said with a reassuring smile.
“Okay. Thanks.” Ivy said, and for a brief moment, looked out at the oval once more—wondering who this mystery runner was, and why she suddenly felt this strange mix of curiosity and hesitation blooming in her chest.
Ivy was so exhausted by the time she got home. Her body ached from the day’s orientation, and her mind? Even worse, spinning from Amelie’s last-minute surprise proposal.
She had just finished her post-shower routine and habang pinapatuyo niya ang buhok with a towel, she noticed a couple of notifications blink on her phone screen na nakapatong lang sa bedside table
She didn’t rush.
Probably group chat lang naman.
Instead, she took her time, finished drying her hair, folding the towel over her bathroom door, slipping into her oversized sleeping shirt, and settling down on the edge of her bed.
Then finally picked up her phone, checking the screen halfheartedly—until she saw it.
Unknown number: Hello?
Unknown number: Is this Coach Ivy? Amy gave your number to me. You’ll be my personal coach daw for the marathon program.
Unknown number: Just thought I’d message before I forgot.
Napaupo si Ivy sa gilid ng kama, staring at the messages like they just short-circuited her brain.
“Personal coach? Agad-agad?! ‘Di pa nga ako pumapayag eh.” Ivy blurted out in disbelief.
She threw her head back, phone in hand. “Tanginang Amy naman oh, pala desisyon talaga kahit kailan!”