Chapter Text
“Girls, umayos na kayo please.”
Jhoanna exhaled heavily, her fingers hovering over the keyboard as she struggled to concentrate. She slumped back in her chair, rubbing her temple before refocusing on the report she was tasked to complete—a summary of their activities for the past month.
It was the last day before their much-needed one-week break, and while the exhaustion in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife, her supposed moment of peace seemed impossible.
The girls were in high spirits, their energy seemingly endless despite the fatigue that had weighed them down all month.
Meanwhile, Jhoanna just wanted to get her work done, but her so-called sisters had other plans.
“Jho, kamukha mo ‘yung character dito, oh,” Stacey snickered, nudging her Ate Maloi as she held up her phone.
Jhoanna didn’t even glance up. “Ano na naman ‘yan?”
“Sheena, tingnan mo! Hindi ba si Jho ‘to?” Stacey laughed louder as Sheena squeezed herself between them to get a better view.
Curiosity, or perhaps dread, got the better of Jhoanna, and she finally looked at the screen. It was a clip of Chicken Little, its oversized glasses slipping down its beak as it stumbled around.
A groan left her lips. “Wow. Ang galing niyo, ah.” She rolled her eyes before returning to her laptop, fingers typing with newfound aggression. “Pwede ba, tulungan niyo na lang ako i-recall ‘yung activities natin last Friday at Saturday?”
No one answered.
Instead, the teasing and laughter continued, bouncing off the walls of the ABS-CBN meeting room they had taken over for the day.
Jhoanna let out another exaggerated sigh, trying her best to tune them out.
“Jho, paki-abot nga nung ano…” Colet suddenly muttered beside her, eyes still locked on her phone as she tapped furiously on the screen, playing Mobile Legends.
“Alin?”
“Ayan na ano..”
Jhoanna blinked. “Anong ano?”
“Yung ano…”
Her patience was already wearing thin, but she still scanned the table, which was cluttered with snacks they had ordered earlier. Chips, candies, bottled drinks, honestly, it could be anything.
“Alin, Ate Colet?”
“Yung ano..”
“Ito?” she asked, holding up a random bag of chips.
“Hindi, yung ano.”
Her eye twitched. “Alin ba kasi?”
Colet, still playing, only spared her a quick glance before pursing her lips and pointing them towards something on the table. But by now, Jhoanna was already irritated beyond belief.
“Ano ba kasi ‘yun? Puro ka naman ‘ano, ano.’”
That finally got Colet’s attention. She paused her game, shot Jhoanna a glare, and snatched the item, whatever it was, right in front of her. “Wag na lang, ‘wag na lang. Ako na.”
Luh?
Jhoanna’s mouth fell open, speechless. She didn’t even know why she was offended, but somehow, she was.
She had always been patient.
Growing up, she had been surrounded by nothing but stuffed toys and books, her world had always been small and quiet. But then, fate had thrown these seven loud, chaotic, and endlessly annoying girls into her life, turning them into her family.
And so, she had learned patience, not just because she had to, but because she wanted to. Because deep down, there was always a part of her that feared they would grow tired of her.
That they would leave.
So she made sure to be the one who will laugh first, who will crack the jokes, who will turn every moment into something fun. She wants to be the reason they smile. Her audience used to be lifeless stuffed animals, creatures that never responded. But now, she has seven moving, breathing, laughing sisters.
And that, she realized, was a blessing she never expected.
Jhoanna sighed again, palming her face, forcing herself to let go of her irritation. “Okay, focus na ako. Seryoso na talaga,” she mumbled, mostly to herself. But before she could even begin typing again, someone snickered.
“Grabe, galit na galit si Chicken Little.”
A chorus of giggles followed.
Jhoanna clenched her jaw, inhaling deeply as she closed her eyes for a moment. She was doomed.
Before she could even formulate a retort, a pair of hands suddenly latched onto her cheeks, pinching them with no mercy.
“Jho, may utang ka pa sa’kin. Two-hundred plus pa ‘yun, ha.”
“Agh—aray!” Jhoanna winced, swatting at Mikha’s hands, but the girl only grinned wider, unbothered.
“Bayaran mo ha!” Mikha demanded, giving another forceful pinch, this time stretching Jhoanna’s cheeks as if she were a stress ball.
Jhoanna barely had time to glare before she noticed Mikha’s face scrunching up in exaggerated disgust.
“Kadiri, ang oily,” Mikha groaned dramatically before bursting into laughter, making the others giggle as well.
“Oo na! Babayaran ko naman eh.”
Jhoanna groaned, successfully prying Mikha’s hands off her face with a sharp slap, before slumping back onto her chair. Rubbing at her sore cheeks, she muttered under her breath.
Ang sakit.
Now her face was aching on top of her already growing headache.
Focusing was going to be even harder. She shut her eyes for a moment and exhaled deeply.
Relax, Jhoanna.
You go through this everyday. Normal lang 'yan.
Steeling herself, she cracked her knuckles and finally started typing again, pushing past the distractions. Her fingers moved swiftly over the keyboard as she detailed their BINI run event and the itinerary they had followed that day.
t y p i n g . . .
…the girls stayed at the hotel, while the staff accommodated…
“Jhoanna”
She ignored it.
…five in the morning, along with the team, went with…
“Jho”
Her brow twitched, but she kept typing.
…breakfast was served at eight in the morning…
“Jhoannaaaa”
Jhoanna barely glanced up. “Ate Aiah, ang ingay mo.”
Aiah, looking very much like a tired puppy, had scooted closer to her, her hands lightly tugging at Jhoanna’s sleeve as if wordlessly begging for attention.
“Bakit?” Jhoanna asked distractedly, still typing.
Aiah sighed, dramatically resting her chin on Jhoanna’s shoulder before wrapping both arms around her waist, making it significantly harder to move. “Wala,” the older one murmured. “I’m bored. Kausapin mo ‘ko.”
Jhoanna bit back a groan. She was used to Aiah’s clinginess since it was endearing most of the time. But today, patience was running dangerously thin.
“Wait lang, ate Aiah,” she said as gently as she could. “Tapusin ko lang ‘to.”
But Aiah had other plans.
Without warning, she bit Jhoanna’s shoulder.
Jhoanna let out a startled yelp, jerking in her seat as the eldest’s laughter erupted around the room. “Ate Aiah!” she hissed, glaring at the older girl, but Aiah only giggled, clearly enjoying herself.
And honestly… Jhoanna wouldn’t have minded it that much.
Not when it was Aiah.
Not when she gets to see the way Aiah’s smile stretching so wide that her eyes disappear into happy crescents.
Not when those dimples appear, deep and unmistakable at the corners of her lips.
Jhoanna wouldn’t have minded at all.
But today was not the day to enjoy their endless teasing.
Sporting her most practiced neutral expression, she sighed and shook her head, giving Aiah a playful glare.
“May ginagawa ako, ha. Mamaya ka na, ate Aiah.”
But Aiah only giggled, mischief twinkling in her eyes, and without hesitation, she bit her again. This time, on the arm.
Jhoanna yelped again, yanking her arm away. “Ate Aiah naman eh!” Her protests only made Aiah laugh harder as she reached out and started poking at Jhoanna’s sides, sending another jolt through her.
“Ate Aiah, tama na!” Jhoanna scooted away, clutching her arm as if shielding herself from further attacks.
But Aiah isn’t stopping.
Jhoanna exhaled sharply, pressing her palm against her face. It didn’t help that it was the first day of her period, and the cramps, fatigue, and hormonal mood swings were making everything ten times worse. The teasing, the constant interruptions, the physical exhaustion, none of it was making her day any easier.
Still, she tried to remind herself— patience, patience, patience.
She wasn’t just dealing with friends.
These were her sisters.
And no matter how insufferable they could be, she loves them.
Letting out one final, dramatic sigh, Jhoanna turned to Aiah, resignation clear on her face. “Okay, ano bang gusto mong pag-usapan?”
Aiah’s face immediately brightened, her eyes lighting up as she straightened. “Yey! Okay, so… ganito..”
And just like that, Jhoanna found herself pulled into another one of Aiah’s passionate rants.
She listened, as she always did.
She had no problem with it, if anything, she loved hearing the girls talk, especially Ate Aiah, who wasn’t always the most open about her thoughts and feelings. When Aiah did talk, it was usually about things she was deeply invested in, things that make her eyes shine with excitement.
Still, as much as Jhoanna enjoys seeing that rare enthusiasm, she couldn’t help but sneak glances at her laptop, her fingers twitching with the urge to continue typing.
The work still mocked her, unfinished and demanding attention. But she didn’t want to be rude.
Aiah wasn’t the type to open up often—if she notices that Jhoanna isn’t paying full attention, she might stop talking altogether and feel unimportant. So Jhoanna forced herself to focus, nodding at the right moments, throwing in occasional comments, and asking questions here and there just to show she was engaged. She willed herself to be present, despite the nagging need to get back to her task.
Eventually, time passed.
It was already seven in the evening, and Aiah had finally fallen silent an hour ago.
The meeting room in ABS-CBN was still lively with noise. The other girls were still there, preoccupied with their own activities, and Jhoanna remained in her seat, typing away at her laptop.
Aiah, exhausted from two hours of talking and snacking, had dozed off on Jhoanna’s right shoulder, her arms loosely wrapped around the younger’s right arm. Her soft breathing was rhythmic, her body warm against Jhoanna’s side.
And Jhoanna let her stay there, but her own stomach suddenly grumbled.
Jhoanna’s eyes flickered to the table, spotting the remaining pizza sitting there. She licked her lips, her hunger making her hesitate for a moment. She weighed her options...try to stretch her free arm and risk waking her Ate Aiah, or ask for help? Her gaze landed on Gwen, who sat across from her, casually scrolling through her phone.
Unlike the chaos happening beside her where Maloi, Stacey, and Sheena were yelling at Stacey’s iPad, caught up in their game, Gwen looked relaxed, only half-paying attention to the noise around her.
Jhoanna saw her chance.
“Gwen… psst!”
Gwen’s eyes flicked up, raising an eyebrow at her. “Hmm?”
Jhoanna nodded towards the table. “Paabot naman ako ng pizza, please?”
Gwen blinked at her, then glanced at the box sitting right in front of her. “Andiyan lang sa harap mo, oh.”
Jhoanna sighed, subtly tilting her head towards Aiah, who was still fast asleep against her. “Hirap akong gumalaw,” she explained, lowering her voice. “Baka magising si Ate Aiah.”
Gwen pursed her lips, clearly considering it, before sighing in amusement. She set her phone aside and sat up to grab a slice. But just as she was about to hand it over, she paused. A smirk curled on her lips as she turned back to Jhoanna.
“Sabihin mo muna please,” she teased.
Jhoanna’s face immediately twisted into an expression of disbelief.
Are you serious right now?
Gwen only chuckled. “Dali na, Jho. Sabihin mo lang. Please, master Gwen .”
Jhoanna exhaled sharply, glancing down at Aiah who was still peacefully snoring on her shoulder before looking back at Gwen’s smug face.
Hay.
Fine.
“Please, master Gwen,” she deadpanned.
Gwen cackled, clearly satisfied, before finally peeling a slice of pizza from the box.
“Palagay na rin ketchup sa ibabaw,” Jhoanna added, her voice sweet but firm. “Damihan mo, please.”
Gwen rolled her eyes but complied, grabbing a half-used unlabeled sachet from the table and squeezing its contents generously over the pizza. Once she was done, she handed it to Jhoanna, who accepted it with a grin.
“Thank you, Gwenny!” Jhoanna beamed as she took a big, eager bite of the pizza, nearly half of it in one go.
And then her entire body froze. Her eyes widened in sheer horror as a slow, creeping burn spread across her tongue.
Her throat. Her entire soul.
This wasn’t ketchup.
This was hot sauce .
An ungodly amount of hot sauce.
Jhoanna’s face turned red almost instantly, heat flooding her senses like she had just swallowed fire. She wanted to scream, to yell at Gwen, to curse the heavens, but Aiah was still snuggled against her shoulder, snoring softly.
Baka magising. Baka magising.
Instead, she flailed her free hand desperately in the air, her silent cries for help frantic and wild. “Gweh—!” she choked out, her lips barely moving as she tried to hold in the pain.
Gwen, still scrolling on her phone, finally looked up with mild confusion. “Hmm?”
Jhoanna’s hands flapped again. She tried to form the words through the firestorm in her mouth. “G—Gwen! Tu—Tubi—Tubig!”
“Ha?” Gwen blinked, unbothered.
Jhoanna’s hands shook as she clenched her fists, her body trembling with restraint. She tried again. “T—tu—h—”
“Ano?” Gwen frowned. “’Di kita maintindihan, Jho.”
Jhoanna’s vision blurred from the sheer spiciness clawing at her throat. Desperate, she frantically mimed drinking water, her hands cupping an invisible glass.
Gwen finally understood—but instead of rushing to help, she glanced around the table and shrugged. “Wala nang tubig, Jho,” she said casually. “Ayoko bumaba.”
Jhoanna's eye twitched.
The betrayal.
The absolute, unforgivable betrayal.
But Jhoanna’s pained face made Gwen panic. “Ano bang nangyari? Di kita maintindihan, Jho.”
“Gwen, please, tubig nalang. Hot sauce yung nalagay mo.” She pleaded with her eyes but it was too late. Gwen’s lips curled, and suddenly, she burst out laughing.
Hard.
Like, tears-streaming-down-her-face hard.
“Sorry, Jho,” she laughed hard. “Akala ko kasi ketchup.”
The sudden eruption of laughter startled the other girls, who immediately turned their attention to them.
“Anong nangyari?” Maloi asked, amused.
Gwen could barely breathe between her giggles. “Si Jho kasi—” she tried, wiping at her eyes. “Nagpa-abot siya ng pizza, tapos sabi niya lagyan ng ketchup…”
Jhoanna clenched her fists. Her entire mouth burned. “Gwen,” she desperately called. “Tubig.”
But Gwen didn’t hear her, still laughing. “So nilagyan ko naman—”
“Gwen. Please. ”
“—binuhos ko, eh ‘di ko naman alam na hot sauce pala!”
The girls howled. Stacey practically slapped the table in laughter, Maloi doubled over, and Sheena shook her head, giggling at the absurdity of it all.
“Okay ka lang ba, Jho?” Maloi asked, still laughing.
Jhoanna, on the other hand, was dying . Her head spun, her tongue throbbed, and her stomach—already aching from cramps—twisted in sheer misery.
But the worst part? She had to hold it in.
She couldn’t cough, couldn’t spit it out, couldn’t do anything but sit there and suffer because Aiah stirred beside her.
Jhoanna stiffened as Aiah stretched, shifting against her. The older girl rubbed her face sleepily before mumbling, “Ang galaw mo, Jho.”
“Sorry, Ate Aiah,” Jhoanna croaked, gently patting Aiah’s cheek with a trembling hand.
Aiah barely reacted, just grumbling something incoherent before lazily dragging herself towards the table, resting her head there instead. Within seconds, she was asleep again.
Jhoanna exhaled. Crisis averted. But her relief was short-lived because the girls were still laughing. Loudly.
And now, it was just annoying.
Jhoanna usually loved their laughter. She lived for it, for the warmth it brought, for the way it filled the room with unfiltered joy.
But right now?
Right now, her mouth was on fire.
Her stomach was twisting in agony.
Her back hurt from sitting still too long.
Her unfinished report was sitting in front of her.
And these girls, her sisters, were laughing at her pain.
Jhoanna closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, willing herself to stay calm.
Kalma lang.
Mga kapatid mo ‘yan.
With quiet resolve, she slung her shoulder bag over her right arm and gathered her things, her notebook, laptop, and the crumpled papers she had been working on. The weight of exhaustion pressing down on her shoulders, making her limbs feel heavier with each movement.
She just needed water.
And space.
As she turned towards the sliding door, Colet’s voice rang out from across the room. “Jho, saan ka pupunta?”
Jhoanna halted mid-step, looking back to find Colet watching her intently, concern flickering in her eyes. She forced a small, tired smile. “Kukuha lang ako ng tubig, tapos doon ko na ‘to tatapusin sa labas.”
Colet sat up straighter. “Samahan na kita.”
But Jhoanna quickly shook her head. “’Wag na, Ate Colet. Kailangan ko rin pumunta kay Ms. MQ para ipa-check ‘to. Nag-chat na rin kasi si Direk,” she lied.
At the mention of Direk , Colet hesitated, then slowly sank back onto her seat.
Jhoanna took that as her cue to leave. She tightened her grip on her things and pushed forward, making her way towards the door. Her body felt sluggish, her head pounding slightly from all the noise and exhaustion.
More than anything, she just wanted to crawl into bed and let sleep take over, but she couldn’t.
Not with a pending report.
She reached the water dispenser, her throat burning with remnants of the hot sauce disaster earlier. But as she pressed the lever, only air came out.
Empty.
Jhoanna sighed, rubbing her temple before turning to a nearby staff member. “Kuya, saan po pinakamalapit na may tubig?”
The staff, noticing her, quickly stood up. “Ay, lahat po ng dispenser ngayon sa building nililinis. Naka-bottled water po muna lahat.” He reached for the table behind him, grabbing a bottle and handing it to her. “Ito na lang, kaso hindi na malamig.”
Jhoanna exhaled, nodding in understanding. “Ah, gano’n po ba? Sige, thank you po.” She twisted the cap open and drank eagerly, hoping to soothe the fire on her tongue. But no matter how much she drank, the heat stubbornly clung to her mouth, as if mocking her efforts.
Before she could dwell on her misery further, a familiar voice called out.
“Oh, Jhoanna, uwi ka na ba?”
She turned to see Ms. MQ approaching, her sharp gaze immediately scanning Jhoanna’s face.
“Pwede na po ba?” Jhoanna asked, desperation creeping into her tone. “Masakit po kasi ulo ko.”
That wasn’t entirely a lie—her head was starting to ache. But in truth, she was more desperate to find fresh milk, anything to counter the lingering spiciness that refused to leave her tongue.
Ms. MQ frowned, her eyes flickering with concern. “O, siya, sige. Kahit mauna ka na. Baka magkasakit ka pa—ang pula-pula mo na, oh.” She reached out, rubbing Jhoanna’s back soothingly. “Ipahatid ba kita? O dala mo kotse mo?”
“Dala ko po kotse ko.”
“Kaya mo ba mag drive? May kasama ka ba?”
“Wala po. Umuwi na sila Mommy sa Calamba, pero okay lang po ako. Kaya ko naman po.”
Ms. MQ studied her carefully, eyes narrowing slightly, as if reading between the lines.
She knew that look.
That exhausted look.
“Makulit na naman ba ang girls?”
Jhoanna let out a long, heavy sigh before forcing a smile. “Makukulit naman po talaga ‘yung mga ‘yon, pero okay lang po.”
That familiar phrase— "okay lang."
Ms. MQ had heard it from Jhoanna far too many times. She could always tell when the girl was holding something back.
Still, she decided not to push.
Instead, she sighed and gave Jhoanna’s back another gentle pat. “Sige na, umuwi ka na. Chat mo ako pagka-uwi mo, ha? Para hindi ako mag-worry.” Then, as if sensing Jhoanna’s unspoken concern, she added, “Papauwiin ko na rin mamaya ‘yung girls, don’t worry.”
“Yung report po pala, hindi ko pa—”
“Jho, sige na. Kahit end of the week mo na lang i-submit. Magpahinga ka muna.”
Relief washed over Jhoanna’s face as she nodded. “Thank you, Ms. MQ.”
Ms. MQ gave her a knowing look before gently pushing her towards the door. “Sige na, umuwi ka na. Magpahinga ka.”
As Jhoanna turned away, she called over her shoulder, “pauwiin niyo na rin po ‘yung girls, ha? Pagod rin po ‘yung mga ‘yon.”
Ms. MQ smiled softly, watching as Jhoanna walked off, her bag slung over her shoulder, clutching her laptop and the half-empty water bottle.
As Jhoanna disappeared around the corner, Ms. MQ remained standing there for a moment, arms crossed, lips pressed into a tight line. She had seen that look before—the exhaustion masked with a smile, the kind that says, I’m fine even when it was obvious she wasn’t.
Jhoanna carried more than just the weight of her laptop and notebooks, she carried the responsibility of leading a group of girls who were as chaotic as they were talented.
Shaking her head, Ms. MQ let out a quiet sigh and pushed the meeting room door open.
Inside, the atmosphere was lively, almost too lively. The girls were sprawled out in different corners, engaged in their own little worlds.
Sheena, Maloi, Stacey, and Gwen were laughing at something Sheena was animatedly recounting, their giggles bouncing off the walls. Colet and Mikha sat across them, occasionally chuckling along. Meanwhile, Aiah had her head down on the table, seemingly deep in sleep, arms sprawled out like she had given up on life itself.
The second Ms. MQ stepped in, her presence was immediately noticed.
“Girls…”
Seven heads snapped towards her. Even Aiah, despite her previous unconscious state, groggily lifted her head at the sound of their manager’s voice.
“Pwede na po ba umuwi?”
“Ms. MQ! I miss you, our mother dear!”
“May pizza pa po, kain kayo.”
“Gusto ko na umuwi, Ms. MQ.”
A chorus of voices bombarded her from all sides, each one overlapping the other. Ms. MQ pinched the bridge of her nose.
Paano natitiis ni Jhoanna itong mga ‘to araw-araw?
She sighed and waved a hand dismissively. “Okay, pwede na kayong umuwi—”
A collective cheer erupted.
“Yehey!”
“YES!”
“Yun oh–”
“Pero!”
The room instantly fell silent. The girls, mid-motion in grabbing their bags, froze and slowly turned back to their manager, sensing something was up.
Ms. MQ crossed her arms, giving each of them a pointed look. “Girls, ilang beses ko na kayong sinabihan na ‘wag niyong inaasar si Jhoanna nang masyado, diba?”
At that, their excitement dimmed, replaced by curiosity and mild concern.
“Bakit po?” Sheena, ever the curious one, leaned forward.
Ms. MQ exhaled. “Ayun, sumama na naman ang pakiramdam. Umuwi na. Nagpaalam sa’kin ngayon lang—baka inasar niyo na naman buong araw?”
A collective silence followed. The girls suddenly found their nails fascinating, each one avoiding eye contact with their manager.
“Umuwi na po si Jho?” Aiah sat up straighter, rubbing her face groggily, trying to shake off her drowsiness.
“Oo,” Ms. MQ confirmed. “Masakit pa naman puson no’n ngayon. Lagot talaga kayo.”
The weight of their actions started settling in.
One by one, the girls mentally replayed their antics throughout the day, how they had teased Jhoanna mercilessly about her recent TikTok video, agreeing to Sheena’s little “invisible si ate Jho” agenda by pretending not to see or hear her all afternoon, ignoring her calls for attention just to mess with her.
Then there were the little things, the playful bites on her cheeks and hands, tugging at her hair, mimicking the way she talked, especially when she mispronounced words.
It was all harmless fun. Or at least, they thought it was.
And of course, there was the hot sauce incident from earlier.
The memory of Jhoanna’s flushed face, the way she desperately asked for water, trying to combat the overwhelming spiciness, made them all feel a little guilty now.
But this was how they showed their love.
Jhoanna was their leader, playful, loud, and always carrying this undeniable presence in every room she walked into. The seven of them had long since agreed, perhaps unspokenly, that the best way to match her energy was through teasing and playful chaos.
She was the best at everything—dancing, singing, and leading. She took on responsibilities effortlessly, like it was second nature to her.
And because they could never truly match her level of greatness, they chose to match her playfulness instead.
They had been together as a group for years, growing alongside each other, and teasing Jhoanna had become part of their dynamic. She laughed along with them, rolled her eyes at their antics, and occasionally threw back her own comebacks.
But they also knew when to stop.
Whenever Jhoanna turns serious, when her patience run thin or when something truly bothers her, they would immediately back off. They were always careful with their words, knowing just how far they could push before crossing the line.
Because there had been one time when they did cross it.
That time, Jhoanna had gotten mad— really mad. So mad that she walked out, cut them all off, and went completely radio silent for days.
No updates, no messages, nothing.
And that silence had been unbearable.
For the first time, they found themselves genuinely worried that Jhoanna might be done with them. That maybe she had grown tired of their constant teasing and finally decided to leave them behind.
Panicked at that time, the seven of them had shown up unannounced at Jhoanna’s condo, practically begging her to talk to them.
That night had become one of their most cherished memories.
What started as an awkward, tension-filled apology session turned into an impromptu sleepover, an open forum where they all poured their hearts out. They talked about their fears, their frustrations, and their love for each other, and by the end of it, their bond had only grown stronger.
It was a reminder that, at the end of the day, despite all the teasing, they would never intentionally hurt Jhoanna.
And yet, here they were again, realizing too late that they might have pushed too far.
The weight of that realization sat heavy in the room.
Ms. MQ, seeing their silent guilt, sighed. “Alam kong trip niyo lang siya asarin, pero tandaan niyo rin, napapagod ‘yan. At kayo pa rin ang dapat unang nakakaintindi sa kanya.”
The girls nodded solemnly.
“Chat niyo siya mamaya. Make sure she’s okay.”
“Po?”
"Importante ‘to, girls," Ms. MQ’s voice was firm but not unkind. She scanned their faces, her gaze settling on each of them in turn. “Ayokong matulog kayo nang may samaan ng loob, lalo na kung hindi niyo naman sinasadya.”
A heavy silence filled the room.
The girls exchanged uncertain glances, each of them shifting uncomfortably. Walang nagsalita but they could feel the uneasiness ng isa’t isa.
It wasn’t the first time they had teased Jhoanna too much, and it likely wouldn’t be the last, but tonight felt different. Because as they sat there, thinking back to past mistakes, they realized something.
They didn’t know if this time would end the same way.
Kapag hindi nagreply si Jhoanna mamaya, ibig sabihin nagtatampo talaga ‘yun.
And if hindi rin siya mag-message sa group chat bukas, ibig sabihin galit talaga siya.
That single thought echoed through each of their minds as they lowered their gazes to the floor, avoiding Ms. MQ’s knowing stare. She didn’t need them to confess to anything, she had been around them long enough to piece things together.
The guilt on their faces was enough proof.
Ms. MQ sighed, rubbing her temple before motioning for them to stand. “Sige na. Umuwi na kayo para makapagpahinga rin kayo.”
A brief pause. Then, as if remembering something, she added, “Ipahatid ko na kayo, ha? You have a week to yourselves, so mag-update kayo sa’kin ng mga plans niyo o kung sino mga kasama niyo. Chat niyo lang sa GC, okay?”
A chorus of quiet responses followed.
“Opo, Ms. MQ.”
“Noted po.”
“Yes, po.”
One by one, they grabbed their belongings, their usual excitement over going home replaced by the lingering worry. The earlier laughter and chaos in the room had dissolved, leaving behind an air of unease.
As they walked out into the quiet hallway, their thoughts were the same.
They need to fix this.