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Transferring to a new university is never simple. By her third year in college, Colet understood that better than anyone. She had imagined many possible outcomes, new classmates, unfamiliar professors, different expectations but she kept those thoughts to herself. Most people saw her as someone distant and unaffected, a girl who rarely reacted to anything. Because of that, her parents assumed the move would not trouble her. They believed she would adjust easily.

The truth was different. Colet knew how hard it would be to start over in a place where no one knew her. She just did not have the energy to argue or explain what she felt. So when the decision was made, she simply said okay.

On her first day, she sat quietly in the auditorium while the student body president welcomed everyone back. Colet faced the stage, appearing attentive, but her eyes wandered. She observed the room through quick side glances, silently studying the people around her. Someone slipped into the seat beside her, but she did not turn to look.

“First day and late ako agad,” the girl whispered. “Dumating na ba si Campus Queen?”

Colet kept her eyes forward. “Campus Queen?”

“Yes.” The girl paused, then noticed Colet’s unfamiliar face. “Bago ka dito no?”

Colet nodded.

“I’m Sheena.”

Colet shook her hand. “Colet.”

Just then, the auditorium door opened. Almost everyone turned at once. Colet followed their gaze.

“That’s the Campus Queen,” Sheena said, her voice bright with admiration. “Aiah Arceta.”

Colet glanced at Sheena and saw her smiling widely.

Aiah entered with a calm and unreadable expression. She walked down the aisle as if the attention meant nothing to her. Students watched her every step. When she passed Colet’s row, their eyes met.

Colet’s face did not change. It rarely did. People often mistook her stillness for indifference, and most of the time it was. Very little managed to hold her interest. Yet she noticed something unusual. Aiah held her gaze a moment longer than expected before continuing to the front row.

Only after Aiah sat down did the president resume her speech.

“I can’t be friends with you,” Sheena suddenly said.

Colet turned to her, silent but questioning.

“You’re trouble,” Sheena explained nervously. “Nakita ko kung pano ka tingnan ni Aiah. I’m sorry, Colet. I know you’re new and probably need someone to hang out with, but I can’t be that person.”

Colet shrugged lightly. “Okay.”

Sheena blinked. “Okay?”

“Yes,” Colet replied evenly. “I don’t mind being on my own.”

—

Colet filled the edge of her notebook with small, careful sketches while waiting for her first professor to arrive. Drawing kept her hands busy and her thoughts steady. At least finding the classroom had been easy. She did not need the added stress of getting lost on her first day.

Even so, she could feel the room watching her.

A few students glanced her way, then looked again, as if confirming what they already suspected. She was the unfamiliar face. The new girl. She pretended not to notice, though she was aware of every stare.

“Ikaw na naman?”

Colet looked up and saw Sheena standing beside her desk.

She gave a small shrug in response.

A faint smirk tugged at her lips when Sheena pulled out the chair next to her and sat down. So much for not wanting to be friends, Colet thought quietly.

“You’re in my seat.”

Both of them looked up.

The guy standing in front of her desk wore an irritated expression, like this was a problem he had dealt with too many times before.

Colet slowly turned to Sheena. “Who’s this?”

“Vince,” he answered before Sheena could speak. “My name is Vince. And again, you’re sitting in my seat.”

Sheena swallowed nervously.

Colet remained calm. “When I came in earlier, he told me there’s no seating arrangement.” She nodded toward a guy with glasses across the room.

Vince glanced at the boy, who immediately lowered his head and avoided eye contact. Then Vince looked back at Colet. “And I’m telling you that you’re sitting in my chair.”

Colet met his stare without blinking. Her face revealed nothing.

“Tayo.” Vince kicked the leg of her chair. “Sabi ko, tumayo ka!”

A few students gasped softly.

Before anyone could say more, the classroom door opened.

The noise in the room died instantly. Aiah stepped inside.

She paused at the doorway, her sharp gaze landing on the scene in front of her. Silence stretched across the room and no one dared to move. Colet noticed the change immediately. Vince’s confidence slipped and his hand trembled slightly at his side. He swallowed hard under Aiah’s steady stare.

Aiah did not say a word. She simply kept looking at them and that was enough.

Vince stepped away and slid into the chair beside Colet, as if he had been planning to sit there all along. Only then did Aiah walk forward. The air felt heavy, as though everyone was holding their breath.

She stopped in front of Vince.

“You’re sitting in my chair.”

Whispers rippled across the room. It did not make sense. Everyone knew Aiah always chose a seat at the back, usually the one in the center of the last row. There was no official seating plan, but there was always an unspoken rule: one seat was reserved for her. It was never this one. It was certainly not the chair beside Colet.

“Sorry, Aiah. I thought—”

“I don’t care what you thought,” she interrupted, her voice cool and controlled. “I said you’re sitting in my chair.”

“Pero di’ba—”

“Do not make me repeat myself.”

—

Sheena Weirdo: Just finished my second class. Sabay tayo mag-lunch, wait mo ko sa caf.

Colet was already in the cafeteria when she read the message.

Earlier, Sheena had insisted on walking her to her second class. She had talked the entire way, complaining that befriending Colet was a terrible decision. Still, she never once considered leaving her alone. Colet did not laugh at the irony. She only lifted the corner of her lips, amused by how someone could repeatedly say, I do not want to be your friend, while guiding her through hallways and pointing out classrooms.

Balancing her tray, Colet scanned the crowded cafeteria for an empty table. Most seats were taken, but one table in the corner remained open. It was easily the best spot in the room, quiet and slightly tucked away. She wondered why no one had claimed it.

As she set her tray down, she felt it again that people were staring.

Even the cafeteria staff who had handed her food seemed to pause a second too long. Colet ignored them the way she always did. She had grown used to being watched without explanation.

Then the noise in the cafeteria thinned into silence. She did not need to look up to guess why. Still, she did. Aiah Arceta stood at the entrance.

Her eyes were fixed directly on Colet.

They held each other’s gaze across the room, neither looking away. Colet’s face remained unreadable, though confusion flickered quietly beneath the surface.

Behind Aiah, Sheena had just entered. She froze when she noticed where Aiah was looking. Her eyes followed the line of sight until they landed on Colet.

Sheena pressed her palm to her forehead in disbelief.

Colet raised an eyebrow slightly and tilted her head, silently asking what the problem was.

Aiah moved first.

She walked to the counter without saying a word. She did not state her order or reach for her wallet. The staff began preparing her food immediately, as if they had memorized it. When her tray was ready, she carried it straight to Colet’s table.

She placed it down and sat across from her.

Colet instinctively looked around for Sheena. She spotted her sitting far away at another table, pretending to be deeply interested in her own food. A small crease formed on Colet’s forehead, but it disappeared as quickly as it came. She returned to eating.

Aiah began eating as well. Vegetables, no rice and a few pieces of fruit.

The silence between them felt heavier than before. Colet glanced at the surrounding tables. Students were openly whispering now. She caught sight of Sheena again, who looked more worried than ever.

“She’s not going to join us,” Aiah said calmly.

Colet looked back at her. Their eyes met.

“Do not mind them. Just eat.”

Colet’s expression stayed neutral. “She was supposed to sit there.” She pointed lightly at the empty chair with her fork. Then she gave a small shrug. “But it does not matter.”

She continued eating.

The whispers grew louder.

Are they talking?
Is she seriously talking to Aiah?
She will not last here.
Do they know each other?
Two weeks, she will disappear.
One week. I bet.

Colet’s face did not change, but she tilted her head slightly, puzzled.

“Two,” Aiah said.

Colet blinked. “What?”

“I will give you two chances to ask questions,” Aiah replied. “Make them worth it.”

Colet glanced at the surrounding tables again. Everyone was still watching. She cleared her throat, straightened her posture, and looked directly at Aiah.

“Why are they staring?”

“Because you are sitting at my table.”

Aiah finished her food neatly and placed her utensils back on the tray.

Colet did not hesitate with her second question. “Why are they saying I will quit in one or two weeks?”

Aiah stood, lifting her tray.

“Because you are sitting at my table,” she repeated. Then she looked down at Colet. “I told you to make it worth it.”

When Aiah walked away, the silence she left behind slowly dissolved into noise again. Conversations resumed, chairs scraped the floor, and the world continued as if nothing had happened.

Sheena did not.
She hurried toward Colet the second Aiah disappeared from sight. “Ano ba’ng ginagawa mo?” she whispered harshly.

Colet looked up at her, calm as ever. “What?”

“Kay Aiah ‘yung table na ’yon. Walang umuupo doon. Ever.”

“I didn’t know,” Colet answered, her tone steady.

Sheena dragged a hand down her face in frustration before grabbing Colet’s wrist. “Halika nga.”

They walked toward the garden, away from curious ears. The trees offered shade, but Sheena still looked tense.

“You need to understand who Aiah is,” she began. “She has always been the top student. Apo siya ng may-ari ng university. But that is not the only reason people stay out of her way.”

She stopped walking and faced Colet. “She is part of the Taekwondo team.” She lifted her arms and threw an exaggerated kick. “Legit. Hindi biro.”

Colet raised a brow. “Okay.”

“Marami na siyang napahiya na bullies,” Sheena continued. “She used to step in whenever she saw someone being picked on.”

“Used to?” Colet asked quietly.

Sheena nodded, and this time there was no playfulness in her expression. “Before, Aiah had a lot of friends. She was outspoken. Confident. If she saw someone being bullied, she did not wait for permission. Kahit apo pa siya ng owner, she never hid behind that. She used what she had, yung utak nya and her Taekwondo skills.” She lightly punched Colet’s arm. “Protector.”

“And now that changed.”

“Yes.” Sheena’s voice softened. “Her father was a professor here. People liked him. But her grandfather never approved of him. Then her father got involved in a serious issue. No one really talks about it. He had to leave the university.”

She hesitated before adding, “The worst part? He did not just leave the school. He left Aiah too.”

The weight of that settled between them.

“That is when she changed,” Sheena said. “She pushed her friends away. Naging tahimik. Always alone. And people started noticing something strange. Anyone who tried to get close to her eventually transferred or dropped out. Sunod-sunod.”

Colet nodded slowly, remembering the whispers in the cafeteria.

“So ayun,” Sheena sighed. “Sayang ka sana. I actually felt like we would get close. Tahimik ka pero may dating ka. Then you went and talked to her. Hindi lang basta upo, Colet. You talked to her. I saw it.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Nakikinig ka ba?”

“Yes,” Colet replied. “I heard everything.”

“Then why are you so calm?” Sheena demanded. “Anong sinabi niya sa’yo?”

“She said she misses you.”

Sheena froze. “Ha? Sinabi niya ’yon?”

“No.”

Colet started walking again, and Sheena caught up just to smack her arm. 

“Loko ka! Huwag ka ngang ganyan.”

Colet stopped.

When she turned around, her expression had shifted. It was still composed, but there was something firmer underneath it.

“Listen carefully,” Colet said quietly. “I do not say things like this often.”

Sheena straightened, suddenly attentive.

“I do not know what it feels like to lose a friend,” Colet continued. “I have never really had one. I am quiet, yes, but I see things. I did not need to ask to know you were one of the friends Aiah pushed away. And I can tell it still hurts.”

She took a small step closer.

“Today, you stayed with me. Ang dami mong reklamo, but you still stayed. That means something.”

Sheena swallowed.

“I am not planning to disappear,” Colet said. “Unless my parents decide to move me again, I will graduate here. I am not leaving because people whisper. I am not transferring because someone is intimidating. And I am definitely not running because of Aiah.”

Sheena pouted slightly. “How can you be so sure?”

Colet held her gaze.

“Because I have survived worse than whispers,” she said evenly. “I have lived through heavier things than this.”

Her voice remained calm, but it carried certainty.

“I am not glass, Sheena. Hindi ako basta nababasag.”

By the third day, people no longer bothered to hide their curiosity. The looks were open now, moving from Colet to Aiah and back again as if trying to understand something that did not fit the usual pattern.

In their Pol Ideo class, Colet arrived early and chose her seat by the window. The morning light rested across her notebook while she reviewed her notes. She liked having a few quiet minutes before class began because it helped her settle her thoughts.

When the door opened, the atmosphere shifted in a way that had already become familiar.

Aiah entered the room with her usual composed expression. She carried herself with the same quiet confidence everyone expected. There were empty seats at the back, including the one she had claimed since first year. No one ever sat there out of habit.

She did not even glance at it.

Her eyes found Colet almost immediately. After a brief pause, she walked down the aisle and stopped beside her desk.

“You’re early,” Aiah said, her voice even.

“So are you,” Colet replied.

Aiah pulled the chair next to Colet and sat down without asking permission, as if the space beside her had already been decided. A few students noticed and exchanged looks. Aiah rarely sat next to anyone. She preferred distance, and people respected that boundary. With Colet, she seemed comfortable breaking it. More than comfortable, she appeared to choose it.

As the lecture began, the professor wrote a question across the board about how institutions preserve power. The room remained quiet. No one volunteered an answer.

After several seconds, Aiah raised her hand.

She spoke clearly, outlining how systems maintain control by shaping rules, protecting authority, and isolating those who challenge them. Her explanation was structured and confident, the kind of response that usually ended the discussion before it truly began. The professor nodded with approval.

Colet listened carefully. When Aiah finished, she lifted her own hand.

A few heads turned.

“I agree with most of that,” Colet began, her tone steady. “But I think it’s not the whole picture. Systems don’t survive only because they block or isolate threats. They also survive because people believe they can’t be changed. When that belief starts to fade, the system is forced to adjust. Power isn’t just about protecting itself. It can also be flexible to keep control.”

The room went quiet again, though this time the silence felt different. Several students glanced at Aiah, anticipating the usual response. She was known for defending her arguments thoroughly, sometimes relentlessly.

Aiah turned toward Colet.

Instead of narrowing her eyes or preparing a counterpoint, she studied her expression with interest. There was no irritation in her face and no tension in her posture.

After a brief moment, she gave a small, genuine smile.

“That makes sense,” Aiah said. “You’re right. I focused too much on resistance and not enough on adaptation.”

The professor looked pleased by the exchange and continued the lecture. Aiah rarely conceded so easily. In the past, she would have pushed the debate further. Today, she did not.

Whispers rippled quietly across the room and Colet noticed them, but her attention stayed on Aiah.

“Based on their reactions, you usually debate longer than that,” Colet said under her breath.

“Usually,” Aiah replied.

There was something different in her tone.

Colet leaned back slightly. “You think I’m right.”

Aiah met her gaze. “I think you’re interesting.”

The words were simple, but they carried weight. 

Throughout the rest of the class, Aiah remained seated and whenever Colet spoke during the discussion, Aiah leaned in slightly, as if trying to catch every word. It was subtle, but noticeable to anyone paying attention.

When the bell rang, students packed their bags quickly, whispering under their breath. Aiah stayed seated.

“You challenge people easily,” Aiah said quietly.

“I only speak when I think something is missing,” Colet replied.

Aiah’s lips curved again, softer this time. “Then do not stop.”

There was something unguarded in the way she said it, a softness that did not match the distant image people had built around her. For someone who had slowly withdrawn from everyone else, Aiah seemed unusually open with Colet. She did not pull away. She did not rebuild the space she once guarded so carefully.

Instead, she stood only after Colet did, walking beside her as they left the classroom together, close enough that the distance between them felt intentional rather than accidental.

Colet and Sheena were seated on one of benches at the Oval, where students usually gathered between classes.

Sheena sat cross-legged, focused on a bag of chips on her lap, while Colet leaned back comfortably against the bench, one leg stretched out, a thick book resting open in her hands. She looked completely at ease, as if the noise around them did not exist.

“Nag-aaral ka pa rin?” Sheena said with a dramatic sigh. “Baka gumraduate ka na next week sa sobrang sipag mo.”

Colet did not lift her eyes from the page. “My mind doesn’t really know how to be quiet,” she replied calmly. “I’d rather keep it busy with reading than stare at you and silently judge all your life choices.”

“Grabe ka!” Sheena laughed and tossed a piece of chip at her.

Without looking, Colet caught it neatly and slipped it into her mouth. 

Sheena stared at her in disbelief. “Wow. May pa-catch pa.”

Before she could say anything else, she heard a familiar voice.

“So totoo ang chismis!”

Sheena turned so quickly that her chips almost fell. Colet did not move her head, but her eyes shifted toward the direction of the voice.

“Jho?!” Sheena jumped to her feet, her face lighting up. “Jhoanna!”

She ran toward the girl, “You’re back! Ang haba ng bakasyon nyo ah!”

“OA ka,” Jhoanna replied, laughing as she caught Sheena in a quick hug. “Nauna ka lang pumasok ng ilang araw!”

She pulled away and noticed how Sheena kept glancing past her shoulder, as if expecting someone else to appear. Jhoanna narrowed her eyes.

“Hindi ko kasama,” she said, lightly tapping Sheena’s forehead. “Nasa class pa sila ni Mikha. And for sure, tulog na ‘yon sa likod.”

“Wala naman akong sinasabi,” Sheena defended herself, trying to look innocent.

“Sus,” Jhoanna muttered, amused.

Her attention shifted to Colet, who was still reading as if none of this concerned her. Jhoanna tilted her head slightly toward Sheena in silent question.

“Colet,” Sheena called.

Colet finally closed her book, sliding a bookmark between the pages before placing it carefully inside her bag. She stood and walked toward them with unhurried steps.

“Hi, Jhoanna,” Jhoanna offered her hand. 

Colet shook it firmly. “Colet.”

Colet adjusted the strap of her bag on her shoulder. “I have my next class,” she said.

“Huh? One hour pa ‘yon!” Sheena protested.

Colet only gave a small wave without turning around. 

They watched her figure disappear.

Jhoanna let out a low whistle. “She’s THE Colet Vergara?”

Sheena smirked, clearly pleased. “The one and only.”

“Na-meet na ba niya si Stacku?”

“Not personally,” Sheena admitted. “Pero nung eksena sa caf? Nando’n si Stacku at si Maloi.”

Jhoanna slowly nodded. “And?”

“And nothing,” Sheena said, throwing her hands up. “As if naman bigla kaming mag-uusap.”

“And you expect makikinig siya sa’kin kung kakausapin ko?” Jhoanna asked, raising an eyebrow.

Sheena gave her a hopeful smile. “I’m hoping.”

Jhoanna crossed her arms. “As if you can convince Mikha.”

“I will try,” Sheena insisted. “May strategy ako.”

“Ang sabihin mo, you’ll convince Gwen muna para may kakampi ka kay Mikha.”

Sheena grinned. “At least may plano ako.”

“Eguls talaga sa’yo,” Jhoanna teased.

Sheena nudged her lightly with her elbow. “Bakit hindi mo kasi tanggapin? Stacku clearly has a soft spot for you. Konting lambing mo lang, papayag ‘yan.”

Jhoanna rolled her eyes, but the slight curve of her lips betrayed her. “Delusional ka.”

“Confident lang,” Sheena corrected. “May difference ‘yon.”

By the second week, Colet had grown used to the way attention worked around Aiah. It was not loud but it was constant. People noticed when she entered a room. They noticed when she stopped walking. They noticed when she chose where to sit. And now, they noticed Colet too.

She did not change anything because of it.

That afternoon, she stood by the third floor railing, her notebook open in her hands. She was not drawing yet. She was watching shadows move across the courtyard below.

Footsteps stopped beside her. She did not look right away.

“You don’t get tired of that spot?” Aiah asked.

Colet glanced at her, then back down. “It hasn’t done anything wrong yet.”

Aiah’s mouth curved faintly, but she said nothing more.

They stood side by side, their shoulders almost aligned. Students passed behind them, their voices quieter than before. Colet flipped her pencil between her fingers, unconcerned.

Aiah noticed how natural she looked standing there, like she belonged anywhere she decided to be.

“You always carry that,” Aiah said after a while, her eyes on the notebook.

“It gives my hands something to do.”

“So your hands don’t stay still.”

Colet shrugged. “They don’t like to.”

Aiah nodded slightly, like she understood more than what was said.

Silence settled again, but it did not feel empty. After a minute, Colet closed her notebook.

When she stepped away from the railing, Aiah moved with her.

They walked down the corridor together. People stepped aside without being asked.

Colet noticed. “You make hallways wider,” she said.

Aiah glanced at her. “Do they feel narrow to you?”

“No,” Colet said simply. “Just different.”

Aiah looked forward again.

They reached the staircase. Colet rested her hand on the railing before going down. Aiah’s gaze dropped briefly to her fingers, then away again.

“Do you ever go to the library?” Aiah asked.

“Sometimes.”

Aiah waited.

Colet looked at her. “It depends if it’s quiet.”

Aiah nodded once. “It is.”

Colet did not say she would go. She started down the stairs. Aiah followed anyway. They stopped near the exit.

Colet adjusted the strap of her bag.

“Why aren’t you with Sheena?” Aiah said.

Colet looked at her.

“Why do I have to be??”

Aiah held her gaze for a second longer than necessary.

“Nothing,” she shrugged. “I just thought you two were close.”

“I’m not close to anyone.”

Neither of them moved right away. Then Colet turned and walked toward the gate. Aiah stayed where she was. But her eyes followed until Colet disappeared into the crowd.

The next day, Colet headed to the University’s covered court gym to spend her free time. Only a few students were scattered across the space, shooting hoops or talking quietly near the sidelines. She had chosen a quiet corner along the bleachers, placing her bag beside her and opening her book.

For now, the space felt entirely hers. She stretched her legs along the bench, leaning back to enjoy the rare freedom of being alone, her attention focused on the words in front of her.

Then the air shifted.

The sound of shoes hitting the floor made Colet look up. At first, she thought it was just one of the basketball players coming back, but then she saw it was the Taekwondo team.

They walked in together and spread out across the court like they had done it a hundred times before. Some of them started jogging around to warm up, while others stayed in place and stretched their arms and legs. Their movements were smooth and practiced, showing how used they were to training together. Colet noticed Vince right away. He was easy to recognize, talking and laughing like he always did.

Then Aiah walked in last.

She wasn’t loud, and she wasn’t trying to get attention, but somehow, Colet noticed her immediately. Aiah carried herself with quiet confidence as she moved toward their area. Her eyes moved around the gym. And then Colet felt it.

It was quick and subtle, so quick that anyone else might have missed it. Aiah glanced at her.

She did not move. She did not even adjust her posture. She merely looked down at the page she had been reading, pretending not to notice.

But Aiah noticed anyway. Her gaze lingered longer than necessary, tracing Colet’s calm movements with quiet interest.

The rest of the team continued setting up their mats and fixing their uniforms. Some of them began stretching, their arms and legs moving in steady. The sound of their warm-ups filled the gym, but Colet stayed where she was, sitting on the bench with her legs folded, her attention still on the book in her hands.

Then Marco noticed her, captain of Men’s Taekwondo team.

He was standing near Vince, wearing a small smirk. Colet saw him from the corner of her eye when he looked back at his teammates, like he was thinking about something, before turning his attention fully to her. He started walking in her direction, slow and confident, like he had already decided what he was going to do. The way he moved made the air feel heavier, even before he said anything. Across the court, Aiah saw it too.

Her expression did not change, but her eyes stayed on Marco. She straightened slightly where she stood, her body more alert now. She did not move closer, but it was clear she was paying attention, quietly watching and ready in case she needed to step in.

Marco stopped a few feet away, his smirk widening. “So, this is the new girl,” he said, loud enough for Colet to hear. “Vince said you caused quite a scene on the first day.”

Colet closed her book slowly, setting it in her lap. She looked at him directly, expression calm, unflinching, as though the gym around them existed for her alone.

A quiet tension filled the space between them. The only sounds came from the team stretching and the faint echo of a basketball bouncing somewhere in the gym.

Colet stood up, deciding it was not worth her time. She picked up her bag and started walking away, calm and unhurried. But Marco followed her.

His footsteps came closer behind her as he had no plans of letting her leave that easily. From across the court, Aiah noticed.

Her eyes stayed on them. She did not interfere, but she was fully alert now, watching the distance between Colet and Marco, ready in case something went wrong.

“Wait, kinakausap pa kita.” His hand grabbed her shoulder. And that was when everything changed.

Colet turned around, meeting his eyes for just a heartbeat, and then down at his wrist. Her fingers closed around it, firm.

In one smooth, controlled motion, she twisted his arm and shifted her weight, leveraging his momentum. Marco stumbled forward, his legs betraying him, and with a sharp thud he hit the polished floor of the gym. The sound echoed across the court, carrying through the quiet hum of the Taekwondo team’s warm-ups.

A hush fell immediately. Some students froze mid-stretch. Vince was shocked, leaning against the wall with his mouth slightly open. Aiah’s eyes widened slightly but her lips curved faintly, a small smile that spoke of pride and quiet approval. She remained where she was, observing, letting her presence alone communicate readiness to step in, though Colet clearly did not need it.

Colet released Marco’s hand, stepping back casually, adjusting the strap of her bag as if nothing had happened. Her expression was calm, composed and entirely unbothered.

Marco groaned, rubbing his arm and struggling to sit up, utterly aware that he had misjudged her. He tried to glare, but it came off as weak and unsure.

The Taekwondo team, Aiah included, had stopped moving entirely.

Colet did not look at Aiah. She did not need to. Her calm, measured posture and the slight adjustment of her bag were enough. She moved toward the door and left. 

Not so meters away from the gym, Stacey raised her eyebrow after listening to Sheena and Jhoanna talked for what felt like forever.

“Both of you are crazy,” she said, shaking her head.

“Were you even listening!?” Jhoanna fired back, clearly annoyed.

“Oo nga!” Sheena agreed. “Kanina pa kami kuda ng kuda dito, parang hindi naman kayo nakikinig eh.” She looked over at Mikha, who was sitting on the other bench with her arms crossed. “Mikhs naman.”

Mikha leaned back and sighed. “I heard you. Loud and clear. I just don’t think it’s going to work.”

“But it’s worth a try,” Jhoanna insisted.

“Oo nga,” Sheena added quickly. “Malay n’yo, this is really it. We’ll get Aiah back na.”

No one responded. The silence that followed felt heavy, like everyone was thinking the same thing but no one wanted to say it out loud.

Sheena let out a frustrated sigh. “Of course. You don’t believe us. Or baka ayaw n’yo naman talaga na mabuo pa ulit tayo.”

Maloi, who had been quiet the whole time, finally spoke. “Sheena, do you really think this is going to work? Tingin mo with everything that happened, may chance pa that we can fix this? Come on. You know na hindi lang si Aiah may problema dito.”

Gwen frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“She’s right,” Mikha said as she stood up and grabbed her bag. “Even if Aiah comes back, this group is too damaged already.”

Before Mikha could walk away, Stacey spoke in a calm but sharp voice. “I wonder whose fault was that.”

Mikha turned to her. “Don’t act so innocent.”

Stacey crossed her arms. “Wow. Finally, may courage ka na magsalita. Go. Ibuhos mo. What’s your problem with me, Mikha Lim?”

“Stop it, Stacku,” Gwen warned.

Maloi stepped in. “Wag ka nang makisali.”

“Hindi ako nakikisali,” Gwen shot back. “Ayoko lang mag-eskandalo tayo dito.”

“Guys, kalmahan n’yo,” Sheena said, trying to stand between them.

“Sinisimulan kasi ng mga ‘to eh!” Maloi pointed at Gwen and Mikha.

Gwen scoffed. “Don’t bring your squammy attitude here.”

Maloi’s face turned red. “What did you just say?”

The argument only got louder after that. They started talking over each other, bringing up old issues and blaming one another. It was messy and painful, like all the things they had been avoiding were finally spilling out.

“Girls—” Jhoanna tried to say softly.

No one stopped.

“Girls—” she repeated, louder this time.

Still, they kept going.

“Girls!” she shouted, her voice firm and full of authority.

All of them froze.

They noticed Jhoanna was not even looking at them. She was staring toward the gym.

They followed her gaze.

Aiah had just walked out of the gym. A few meters away, Colet was walking past. Suddenly, Aiah ran toward her.

They watched in silence as Colet stopped and turned around. They could not hear what they were saying, but it was clear that Aiah spoke first. Colet replied quickly, her expression unreadable. After a few seconds, Colet turned her back and continued walking.

Aiah stayed where she was. Then she smiled.

It was not forced nor fake but it was soft and real, the kind of smile they had not seen from her in a long time.

All of them stood there, surprised.

When Aiah finally walked back inside the gym, Jhoanna slowly turned to the others. “Did she just—?”

Sheena shrugged, but there was a proud smile on her face. “Do you still not believe me?”

Mikha was still staring at the gym doors. “How is that even possible?”

Stacey blinked. “Grabe. Did she hit her head or something?”

Maloi shook her head slowly. “We saw how Aiah allowed her to join her sa table niya sa caf before. But this? Smiling like that?”

Sheena placed her hands on her hips, feeling hopeful for the first time in weeks. “There’s still hope. Nandiyan pa rin si Aiah. And we’re going to get her back.”

Stacey looked at her, now more convinced. “So what’s your plan?”

Sheena smirked. “Ready to hear me out na?”

Mikha walked back to her seat and placed her bag down again. She looked at Sheena and gave a small nod. “Fine. Go.”

“Yeah,” Gwen added, calmer now. “Tell us everything.”

And after a long time, the six of them finally leaned in together, ready to agree on something again.

The library was quiet in the way only late afternoons could be. Colet preferred this hour. There were fewer students, fewer whispers and most importantly fewer eyes trying to figure her out. She sat near the far end of the second floor, books stacked neatly to her right, yellow highlighter resting between her fingers. The world around her had faded into background noise.

She and Aiah had not really talked since the first day. There were moments, but never this. Never just the two of them with nothing happening around them.

Colet underlined a sentence, unaware that someone had stopped at her table. Two cups of coffee were placed in front of her.

She looked up slowly. Aiah stood there. 

“You’re blocking the light,” Colet said calmly.

Aiah shifted half a step to the left. “Better?”

“Yes.”

Aiah pulled the chair across from her and sat down without asking.

“You handled Marco well,” Aiah said instead.

Colet closed her highlighter. “He grabbed me.”

“You did not hesitate.”

“I do not usually.”

Aiah nodded slowly, as if confirming something she had suspected. “You have training.”

“Yes.”

“What style?”

“Enough.”

A faint almost-smile appeared on Aiah’s face. “That is not an answer.”

“It is the only one you are getting.”

They fell into a brief silence until Aiah spoke again. 

“I see you’re still not intimidated.”

Colet met her gaze evenly. “You never strike me as someone who torture people.”

“And yet,” Aiah said quietly, “people think I do.”

“People think many things.”

Another pause.

“You are not afraid of me,” Aiah observed.

“No.”

“Most are.”

“They do not know you.”

“And you do?”

Colet did not answer immediately. She took another sip of coffee.

“I know you chose to sit beside me,” she said finally. “Twice.”

Aiah’s fingers stilled around her cup. Silence stretched between them again, but it did not feel empty.

“You do not talk much,” Aiah said.

“Neither do you.”

“And yet we keep ending up in the same places.”

“That is not entirely accidental,” Colet replied.

Aiah’s gaze sharpened slightly. “Explain.”

“You asked if I go to the library,” Colet said. “You said it was quiet.”

“And?”

“And you came.”

Aiah held her stare.

“You make it sound intentional,” she said.

“Was it not?”

Aiah did not answer right away.

“I finished training,” she said instead. “I was nearby.”

“And you brought two coffees by coincidence.”

A faint breath left Aiah’s nose, almost amused. “You question everything.”

“Only what is unclear.”

“And what am I?”

Colet’s eyes did not waver. “Undecided.”

Something shifted in Aiah’s expression. “You think I do not know what I am doing,” Aiah said quietly.

“I think you do,” Colet replied. “You just do not know why.”

Aiah leaned forward slightly, lowering her voice. “And you do?”

“No.”

“Then why are you so calm?”

Colet considered the question. “Because you have not given me a reason not to be.”

Aiah studied her face, searching for something uncertain. She did not find it. “You are different,” Aiah said.

“So are you.”

“That is not an answer.”

“It was not a question.”

For a brief second, Aiah smiled.

“You are distracting,” Colet said.

“From studying?”

“Yes.”

“Should I leave?”

Colet looked down at her open book, then back at her. “You are already here,” she replied.

Aiah’s lips curved again. They did not say much after that. Two cups of coffee sat between them, growing colder by the minute, while the distance that had existed since the first day quietly began to narrow. And when Colet looked up minutes later, she caught Aiah already looking at her and neither of them looked away.

The next day, Sheena and the girls didn’t waste time. Right after Colet’s last class, they cornered her outside the building.

“Sandali lang,” Sheena said, already pulling her by the sleeve.

Even though she had no idea what was happening, Colet followed them to the small garden near the campus chapel. They stopped at a bench, Colet sat in the middle while the six of them stood in front of her like she was on trial.

She raised an eyebrow. “Why do I feel like I’m about to be interrogated?”

It was Stacey who spoke first.

“We saw what happened yesterday,” she said, crossing her arms. “And also nung nakaraan, she let you eat with her sa cafeteria. By the way, she hasn’t done that in two years.”

Colet stayed quiet.

“And,” Stacey continued, pointing at Sheena, “Sheena said na lagi siyang tumatabi sa’yo sa class.”

Still nothing from Colet. The silence stretched.

Maloi leaned forward. “Nagsasalita ka ba?”

“Yes?” Colet replied calmly.

“So… talk?”

“Is there a question?” she asked, genuinely confused.

Mikha smirked. Stacey rolled her eyes. Maloi sighed and looked at Mikha. “Wag kang ngingiti diyan.”

Mikha shrugged. “What? May point naman siya.”

Before they could start arguing, Jhoanna stepped in. “Tumigil nga kayo.”

They quieted down. Jhoanna faced Colet. “Aiah is our friend.”

“Was our friend,” Gwen corrected.

“Shut up,” Jhoanna said without looking at her. Then back to Colet, her voice softer now. “We used to be her closest friends. Just because things changed doesn’t mean we stopped caring.”

She pointed at Stacey, Gwen, Maloi, and Mikha. “In denial lang ‘tong apat na ‘to. But the truth is… we miss her.”

Colet frowned. “Isn’t that her decision?”

“Agree,” Gwen said. “And she already decided.”

Sheena shot her a look.

“I mean,” Gwen quickly corrected herself, “that’s why we’re here. We want her to change her mind.”

Jhoanna’s expression softened. “Colet… we need your help. We want Aiah back.”

Colet blinked. “I still don’t understand. Anong role ko dito?”

Sheena stepped forward like she had been waiting for this moment.

“Ganito kasi ‘yan, bestie.”

Colet gave her a look. “Bestie?”

“Yes. At wag mong ideny.” Sheena noticed the tiny smile on Colet’s lips. “Aiah has been alone for a long time. Hindi siya nagpapapasok ng tao sa buhay niya. Ang taas ng walls niya. But when you came? Something changed.”

She swallowed. “We saw her smile because of you. She talks. She stays after class. We can see it. Yung Aiah na kilala namin? She’s still there.”

Colet leaned back on the bench. “And?”

Mikha tilted her head. “Aiah closed her door to everyone. Ikaw lang ang kinakausap niya. And she approaches you. Hindi ikaw ang humahabol.”

She smirked slightly. “Connect the dots? One plus one? Sheena told me you’re smart.”

Colet exhaled. “I am smart. And I think you’re all overthinking this.”

Stacey stepped forward. “It’s worth a try. We need a bridge. Mukhang ikaw lang ang makakapag-convince sa kanya.”

Maloi added bluntly, “Wala na kaming choice. And to be honest? I think she likes you. Like… really likes you.”

That was it. Colet suddenly laughed. Not just a small laugh, it was loud and uncontrolled.

Sheena stared at her. She had never heard Colet laugh like that.

“What’s funny?” Mikha asked and she looked like offended.

Colet wiped the tears forming at the corner of her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she said between laughs. “I just— you guys are so clueless.”

The laughter slowly faded. She straightened up.

“What do you mean?” Jhoanna asked carefully.

They all stepped closer. Colet looked at each of them before speaking.

“We have a past.” Silence. “Aiah’s my ex-girlfriend.”

“Aiah’s your WHAT now?!” Sheena was shocked.

Mikha and Gwen’s eyebrows shot up. Stacey, Jhoanna, and Maloi froze with their mouths open.

Colet nodded. “Yeah. We broke up a year ago.”

“Last year?!” Maloi repeated.

Mikha crossed her arms. “And how long were you together?”

“Three years.”

“THREE YEARS?!” they said at the same time.

Sheena stared at her. “And you didn’t think to mention that?!”

Colet tilted her head. “I didn’t know I needed to—BESTIE.” Her tone was dripping with sarcasm.

“Unbelievable,” Stacey muttered.

Gwen, now serious, asked quietly, “Bakit kayo nag-break?”

Colet’s expression changed. The laughter was gone.

“It’s our story.”

She stood up and slung her bag over her shoulder.

“And if you haven’t noticed,” she added, “I’m not really the talkative type.”

She looked at them one last time.

“I’m sorry. I can’t help you.”

Then she walked away, leaving them under the mango tree in complete shock.

For a few seconds, no one moved.

Sheena blinked. “Aiah had a girlfriend… and we didn’t know?”

Stacey slowly sat on the bench Colet had just left.

“So,” she said quietly, “what now?”

Before anyone else could react, Sheena suddenly grabbed her bag and ran.

“Hoy— Sheena!” Maloi called, but she was already gone.

She spotted Colet turning at the corner of another building.

“Colet!” she shouted.

Colet stopped walking and slowly turned around just in time to see Sheena running toward her, slightly out of breath.

“Sheena, I already told you—”

“I’m sorry.”

That made Colet pause. She looked at her carefully. “Why are you apologizing?”

Sheena tried to steady her breathing. “You broke up just a year ago.” Her voice softened. “Alam naman natin kung ano’ng pinagdaanan ni Aiah that time. And I can only imagine what you went through too. Maybe you were trying to fix things? To save the relationship?” She sounded unsure, like she was stepping into something fragile.

Colet didn’t answer right away. Then she gave a small nod. Sheena swallowed. “If I had known, hindi ko na sila pipilitin kausapin ka like that. I know how hard it is to let go of someone you never wanted to lose in the first place.”

Colet straightened her posture. “It’s in the past.” Her voice was calm but not cold. “I don’t know what happened between you and her, but I’m guessing you tried your best to keep her too.”

Sheena let out a small, shaky laugh. “Syempre. Si Aiah ‘yon.” Her eyes started to water. “Ang hirap sukuan. I never planned to. Pero she kept pushing me away.”

A tear slipped out before she could stop it.

Colet stepped a little closer. “You’re a good friend, Sheena.”

Sheena sniffed and laughed. “Nakita mo lang na paiyak na ‘ko, nambola ka na. Wag nga! Di ka ganyan.”

Colet raised an eyebrow. “I’m serious.”

Sheena wiped her tears with the back of her hand. “I just hoped she felt that. Para hindi niya ako basta na-let go. Ako kaya yung huling sumuko sa kanilang lahat.” She forced a small laugh to lighten the mood.

Colet’s expression softened.

“She noticed,” she said quietly.

Sheena blinked. “Weh?”

Colet adjusted the strap of her bag on her shoulder. “Yeah.” A tiny pause. “I did.”

For a second, Sheena just stared at her. Then she broke into a wide smile. “Hindi mo na idedeny? Wala nang bawian ha!”

Colet turned around and started walking again, but Sheena shouted, “Bestie na kita!”

Colet didn’t turn back this time. But Sheena swore she saw her shoulders shake a little, like she was trying not to smile.

It was almost late lunch when Colet walked into the cafeteria. In the far corner, as expected, Aiah sat alone.

Colet lined up, ordered, paid, and told herself she would just eat quietly. That she wasn’t getting involved. That this wasn’t her responsibility. She still ended up sitting across from Aiah.

Aiah looked up while chewing. There was no surprise in her expression, only an awareness.

“Your friends talked to me,” Colet said.

Aiah swallowed before answering. “So you were told.”

Colet let the silence breathe. She knew better than to rush Aiah into speaking.

After a while, Aiah spoke again, her voice softer and less guarded. “I wasn’t in a good place back then.”

Colet listened without interrupting.

“I kept thinking it would pass,” Aiah continued. “That I’d wake up and feel like myself again. That I’d have the energy to show up for everyone the way I used to.” She exhaled slowly. “It didn’t happen.”

She stared at her tray.

“I didn’t want to let them go,” she said. “But every time they tried to pull me back in, I felt like I had to pretend I was okay. And I wasn’t. I didn’t know how to explain that without sounding ungrateful or dramatic.”

The cafeteria noise faded into the background.

“So I stopped answering,” Aiah admitted. “It was easier to disappear than to admit I was barely holding it together.”

“They thought you didn’t care,” Colet said gently.

“I know.”

There was regret in her voice and she didn’t sound defensive.

Aiah glanced toward the window. “Now it’s been too long. You can’t just vanish and then walk back in like nothing happened.”

“Why not?” Colet asked.

“Because people move on,” Aiah replied. “And maybe they should.”

“Did they?”

Aiah didn’t answer directly. Instead, she said, “Maybe they’re better off without me complicating things again. I don’t think my presence would matter much now.”

Colet studied her carefully. “I think they miss you.”

Aiah’s fingers stilled around her fork.

“They miss the old me,” she murmured.

“Maybe they just miss you.”

Aiah looked up at that.

“You didn’t see me back then,” she said. “You didn’t see how bad it was.”

Colet held her gaze. “You think I didn’t?”

Aiah’s expression shifted slightly.

“I know what it looks like,” Colet continued. “When someone pulls away because they’re trying not to break in front of everyone else.”

“You weren’t pushing them away,” Colet added. “You were trying to survive.”

Aiah swallowed. “It still doesn’t change the fact that I left.”

“You stepped back,” Colet corrected quietly. “There’s a difference.”

“It doesn’t feel like one.”

“That doesn’t mean it isn’t.”

Aiah hesitated before asking, “And if I try now and they don’t want me there anymore?”

“If they didn’t want you,” Colet replied calmly, “they wouldn’t be asking someone else how to bring you back.”

Aiah looked down again, thinking.

“They’re not angry,” Colet continued. “They’re just waiting.”

“For what?”

“For you to believe you’re still allowed to sit with them.”

The words settled between them.

“I don’t even know how to start,” Aiah admitted.

“Then don’t start big,” Colet said. “You don’t have to fix everything in one conversation. Just show up.”

“And if it’s awkward?”

“It will be,” Colet answered honestly. “But awkward doesn’t mean unwanted.”

Aiah let that sink in.

“You don’t have to prove you’re okay,” Colet added. “You just have to be honest about not being okay.”

There was a long pause before Aiah spoke again. “And if they don’t accept me the same way?”

“Then at least you’ll know you didn’t walk away twice.”

That made Aiah go quiet. After a moment, she murmured, “One step.”

“You’ve done harder things,” Colet said.

Aiah studied her carefully. “Why do you sound so sure?”

“Because I’ve seen you survive worse.”

Aiah’s gaze lingered on her, searching.

Then, more softly, she asked, “Did you also think the same?”

Colet didn’t look away.

“Think what?”

“That I wasn’t pushing you away,” Aiah clarified. “That I was just… trying to survive.”

The question hung between them, heavier than the others.

Colet took a slow breath before answering. “There were days I didn’t understand,” she admitted. “There were days I thought you just didn’t want me there.”

Aiah’s expression faltered.

“But,” Colet continued, steady and sincere, “I never thought you were cruel. I never thought you stopped caring. I just knew you were fighting something you didn’t know how to name.”

Aiah blinked quickly.

“I wished you asked me to stay,” Colet added, her voice calm but firm. “But I never believed you were pushing me away for fun. I knew you were drowning.”

The honesty settled deeply. Aiah looked down at her hands. “I didn’t know how to ask you to stay.”

“I know.”

Another quiet pause passed between them, but this one felt different.

When Aiah finally looked up again, there was uncertainty in her eyes, but there was also something else. There was hope that maybe not enough to fix everything but enough for one step.

Few days after the cafeteria conversation, the campus was back to its usual chaos. It was in the middle of the week and somehow, things felt both the same and different at the same time. 

That was how Colet found herself walking outside the campus that afternoon with Sheena. Her hands inside her pockets, listening more than talking. A few steps behind them were Stacey and Maloi, close as always, murmuring to each other. Mikha and Gwen weren’t around, which didn’t surprise Colet.

She had noticed it the past few days.

Sheena was often with Mikha and Gwen. Stacey and Maloi usually stuck together. There was a thin and invisible line between them now.

And yet, whenever someone laughed too loud or tripped over nothing, all of them still looked in the same direction. Maybe they were divided but not detached.

Jhoanna suddenly appeared from the side street, running toward them like someone was chasing her.

She stopped in front of them, bent over, hands on her knees and she’s trying to catch her breath.

“Anyare?” Sheena asked immediately.

“Si Mikha!” Jhoanna gasped. “Si Gwen—”

“Ano nangyari?” Sheena stepped closer.

Jhoanna tried to speak again but only air came out.

Before anyone else could react, Stacey suddenly appeared beside them and grabbed Jhoanna lightly by the collar.

“Magsalita ka, hoy! Did something happen to them?!” she snapped and panic was clear in her voice.

Colet blinked. She hadn’t seen Stacey look that shaken before.

“Nasa— andun sila—” Jhoanna pointed weakly down the street.

Maloi smacked Jhoanna’s arm. “Ayusin mo! Nasan yung mga kaibigan natin!?”

Sheena shot Maloi a quick look, surprised by the choice of words.

“Nasa bilyaran,” Jhoanna finally managed. “Nakikipag-away dun.”

“What the hell!?” Stacey muttered.

Sheena, Stacey, and Maloi ran immediately toward the billiard hall across the street.

Colet stayed for half a second longer. She tapped Jhoanna’s back gently.

“Breathe,” she said quietly.

Then she followed the others.

The billiard hall was loud even from outside. When they pushed the door open, the scene inside was already heated.

Two pool tables in the middle. A crowd forming around one of them.

Mikha stood in front of a group of boys, jaw clenched and her chin lifted in defiance. Gwen was beside her. 

“What’s your problem?” one of the boys sneered. He was taller, broad shoulders, cue stick resting against his palm like he was itching to use it.

“You think you’re funny?” another added.

“Say it again,” Mikha challenged, stepping forward.

Gwen grabbed her arm slightly. “Mikha.”

One of the boys laughed. “Easy. We were just joking.”

“Ulol niyo,” Gwen snapped.

That was when Sheena, Stacey, and Maloi burst in.

“Hoy!” Stacey shouted. “Ano ’to?”

The boys looked momentarily surprised. “Oh, may backup,” one of them smirked.

Maloi immediately stepped between Mikha and the guys. “Anong problema niyo?”

“They started it,” one boy said casually. “We were playing. Grabe makatitig eh.”

“Because you were talking shit,” Mikha shot back.

The tension thickened. One of the boys suddenly shoved Mikha lightly on the shoulder. It wasn’t hard but it was enough.

Sheena reacted first, pushing the guy back. “Huwag mo siyang hawakan!”

Stacey moved forward too. “Touch her again and I swear—”

Another boy grabbed Stacey’s wrist to stop her from pointing. That was when everything escalated at once.

Maloi lunged. Gwen shoved someone. Chairs scraped loudly against the floor. The crowd backed away but didn’t leave. For a few seconds, Colet stayed near the entrance.

She watched. She saw how Mikha swung first at the boy who pushed her. Gwen tried to block another guy reaching for Sheena. Stacey was already yelling threats while trying to free her arm. Maloi shoved someone twice her size without hesitation. They were chaotic and messy but they were together. Even divided, they moved like instinct.

One of the boys grabbed Gwen’s shoulder too roughly. Another raised a cue stick, not swinging yet, but threatening. That was when Colet stepped in.

She moved fast. She grabbed the wrist of the guy holding the cue stick and twisted it sharply. The stick fell with a loud clatter. Before he could react, she shoved him back hard enough that he stumbled over a chair and crashed to the floor.

The room quieted for a second. Another boy lunged at her. Colet sidestepped easily and drove her elbow straight into his ribs. He wheezed and dropped to his knees. Someone tried to grab her from behind. She hooked her foot behind his ankle and flipped him over her hip in one smooth motion. He hit the ground with a loud thud.

Now people were backing away for real.

Mikha blinked. “Okay—”

Stacey stared. “Damn.”

The tall guy with the broad shoulders rushed at Colet angrily again. She didn’t hesitate. She caught his arm mid-swing, twisted it, and forced him down until he was on one knee. With her free hand, she pushed him forward. He lost balance and hit the floor like the others. Silence fell.

Three boys on the ground. One clutching his ribs. One holding his wrist. One just staring at the ceiling in shock.

Colet stood in the middle, breathing steady, barely even winded. She looked around once.

“Anybody else?” she asked calmly.

No one moved. The owner of the billiard hall finally shouted from the counter, “Labas! Lahat kayo!”

The boys scrambled up, dragging their friends with them, muttering curses but not daring to look back. When the door slammed shut, only the girls were left standing in the middle of the room.

For a moment, no one spoke. Then Maloi broke the silence. “Remind me never to piss you off.”

Sheena grinned despite the situation. “Okay, that was kind of hot.”

“Shut up,” Gwen muttered, though she looked impressed.

Stacey walked up to Colet and examined her. “You good?”

“I’m fine,” Colet replied.

She glanced at Mikha and Gwen. “You two?”

Mikha rolled her shoulders. “We were handling it.”

“Clearly,” Colet said dryly.

Sheena looked around at all of them. She looked at Mikha’s messy hair, Gwen’s clenched fists, Stacey’s still angry expression, Maloi’s protective stance. Even after shouting at each other and weeks of tension. They had run without thinking.

Sheena let out a shaky laugh. “Grabe. Bilyaran lang, naging action movie.”

Jhoanna finally arrived at the door, still catching her breath. She froze at the sight of the boys outside nursing their bruises.

“Did we win?” she asked weakly.

Mikha smirked. “Obviously.”

Colet picked up her bag from the floor and slung it over her shoulder like nothing major had happened.

But when she glanced at the girls standing closer together now than they had been all week, she allowed herself the smallest smile. Divided or not they still showed up.

The next day, Colet found herself back in the library, sitting at the long table near the windows. Her books were open in front of her, but she hadn’t turned a page in minutes. She didn’t have to look up to know when they arrived.

The sound gave them away first and when she finally lifted her head, all six of them were standing a few steps away, pretending to look for seats.

Colet held their gaze for a second longer than usual. Then she tapped the table once with her pen. It was small and casual but it was enough.

They walked over. Sheena and Jhoanna sat across from her, already whispering about something. Mikha dropped into a chair beside Gwen, though she sent Colet a suspicious look, as if still unsure what side she was on. Stacey and Maloi opened their laptops immediately, acting focused, though their screens stayed on the same page.

It felt almost normal. A few minutes passed before the library door opened again. Sheena noticed first. She straightened in her seat so suddenly that Jhoanna followed her line of sight. One by one, the others turned their heads.

Aiah stood near the entrance. She had probably planned to just pass by. Maybe grab a book or maybe pretend she didn’t see them but now she had and she froze.

For a moment, no one moved. It felt like the entire table stopped breathing.

Colet watched everything quietly. She watched the tension in Aiah’s shoulders, the way Stacey’s fingers tightened around her pen, the way Maloi subtly nudged Jhoanna’s foot under the table like she needed grounding.

Aiah looked like she was considering turning around.

Colet reached for the back of the empty chair beside her and pulled it out slightly. The sound was soft but clear enough to carry.

She didn’t say anything but she just made space.

The six girls noticed. Their eyes shifted from the chair to Aiah, hope written all over their faces even if they tried to hide it.

Aiah exhaled. Then she started walking. Not toward the shelves but toward them.

Each step looked careful, like she was testing whether the ground would hold. When she reached the table, she placed her bag down gently. She gave a small, awkward smile before sitting on the chair Colet had pulled out.

The silence lasted for few seconds. Then Sheena suddenly punched the air.

“Yes!”

Jhoanna quickly high-fived Sheena under the table, trying to suppress her laugh.

Colet glanced around. Mikha was looking down at her book, but the corner of her lips betrayed her. Gwen shook her head like this was ridiculous, though her smile was wide and unguarded. Maloi’s face was already red, and she kept blinking like she refused to cry in public.

Stacey, however, didn’t look away from Aiah. She studied her for a long second, jaw tight, tongue pressed against her cheek like she was holding back a hundred emotions at once.

Finally, she let out a breath.

“I’m happy,” Stacey said.

Aiah looked up, surprised by how direct that sounded.

Stacey continued, her voice softer this time. “Please don’t leave again.”

There was no accusation in it but just honesty.
Aiah’s smile changed. It wasn’t awkward anymore.

“Not planning to feel regret for the same reason,” she replied.

Sheena wiped at her eyes dramatically. “Grabe, ang aga-aga umiiyak ako.”

“You’re always crying,” Mikha teased.

“At least may feelings,” Sheena shot back.

Soft laughter rippled across the table, quiet but real. Colet leaned back in her chair and allowed herself a small smile.

There were no grand speeches and no dramatic apologies. Just a chair pulled out and someone choosing to sit down.

The days after that library morning felt lighter. It wasn’t perfect and not magically fixed but lighter.

Aiah started sitting with them again. At first, conversations were careful, like everyone was afraid to press the wrong button. Then slowly, old habits returned. Sheena got dramatic over the smallest things. Mikha teased without mercy. Stacey pretended she wasn’t soft. Maloi overreacted. Gwen complained but stayed. Jhoanna kept the peace like always.

They were still divided sometimes, Mikha and Gwen on one side, Stacey and Maloi on the other but now the space between them didn’t feel like a crack anymore. It felt temporary and fixable.

And somewhere in the middle of that slow reconciliation, the six of them started noticing something else. Aiah was trying.

But she lingered when Colet packed up. She asked about her classes. She stayed when Colet stayed. She listened more carefully when Colet spoke.

“She’s down bad,” Mikha whispered one afternoon.

“Yeah,” Stacey replied.

“Ayaw nya lang aminin” Jhoanna added gently.

The plan started as a joke. “What if ikulong natin sa room?” Maloi suggested.

“Kidnapping is illegal,” Gwen deadpanned.

“Romantic kidnapping,” Sheena corrected.

Stacey rolled her eyes. “You’re all useless.”

In the end, it was Jhoanna who suggested something simple.

“Alam ko na,” she said. “Picnic kunware tayo!”

So they prepared.

It was Sheena’s idea to use the garden near the campus chapel. It was the same place where they once cornered Colet. Stacey handled the food because she didn’t trust anyone else to do it right. Maloi brought fairy lights “for vibes.” Gwen complained the whole time but still helped carry the basket. Mikha kept making sarcastic comments but arranged the blanket perfectly anyway. Jhoanna made sure Aiah didn’t back out.

“Hindi ka na pwedeng umatras,” Sheena warned her.

“I’m not,” Aiah said, though her hands were cold.

Getting Colet there was easier than expected. Stacey told her they needed help carrying something. When Colet arrived and saw the picnic set up in the middle of the garden, she stopped walking.

There were blanket, food and lights. Six girls standing awkwardly around it.

She raised an eyebrow. “This feels suspicious.”

“Bonding,” Mikha said quickly.

“Without us,” Gwen added.

Before Colet could question further, Sheena grabbed the others. “Tara na! Bigla ko naalala may gagawin pala tayo!”

“Ang arte mo,” Maloi muttered, but she allowed herself to be dragged away.

Within seconds, it was just Colet and Aiah standing in the middle of the garden.

Colet looked around once more. “So this is not bonding.”

Aiah let out a nervous laugh. “Not exactly.”

They sat on the blanket, a careful distance apart at first.

The air was calm. Late afternoon sun filtering through the trees. The kind of setting that made everything feel more honest than usual.

“You didn’t have to do all this,” Colet said.

“I didn’t,” Aiah replied. “They did.”

“And you let them.”

Aiah looked down at her hands. “I’m trying to stop running.”

That made Colet glance at her.

“I thought I was protecting everyone,” Aiah continued. “But I was just scared.”

“Of what?”

“Of being seen when I wasn’t okay. Of disappointing people. Of disappointing you.”

Colet stayed quiet.

“I keep thinking about what you said,” Aiah added. “About not walking away twice.”

Colet’s expression didn’t change, but her attention sharpened.

“I don’t want to make the same mistake,” Aiah said softly. “I don’t want to assume it’s too late just because it’s uncomfortable.”

She finally looked at Colet.

“I don’t expect things to go back to how they were,” she admitted. “But if there’s even a small chance… I want to try.”

The words weren’t dramatic but they were real.

Colet studied her for a long moment.

“You’re asking for another chance?” she asked carefully.

“I’m asking,” Aiah said, choosing her words, “if you’d let me show up properly this time.”

There it was. It was not a grand confession but an offering. Colet leaned back slightly, supporting herself with her hands behind her.

“You know,” she said casually, “when I was deciding where to transfer, I had options.”

Aiah blinked. “What?”

“Three universities,” Colet continued. “All good. All closer to home.”

Aiah frowned slightly. “Why are you telling me this?”

“They made me choose.” Colet said. “I chose this one.”

She held Aiah’s gaze.

“Why do you think?”

It took a second. Then understanding slowly replaced confusion on Aiah’s face.

“You—” she started, but her voice failed her.

Colet didn’t look away.

“I didn’t come here by accident,” she said quietly. “I don’t do things without thinking them through.”

Aiah’s eyes filled before she could stop them.

“You were trying too?” she whispered.

Colet’s lips curved slightly. “You think you’re the only one who doesn’t walk away easily?”

Silence fell between them again, but this time it wasn’t heavy or uncertain. It felt like possibility.

Aiah let out a shaky laugh. “So… we’re both stubborn.”

“Yep.”

“And scared.”

“Obviously.”

Aiah shifted a little closer, not touching, but near enough that the space didn’t feel wide anymore.

“I can’t promise I won’t struggle again,” she admitted. “But I can promise I won’t shut you out.”

Colet looked at her for a long second.

“Good,” she said. “Because I’m not transferring again.”

That earned a real laugh from Aiah.

Across the garden, hidden badly behind a tree, six girls were peeking.

“Are they smiling?” Maloi whispered.

“Yes,” Jhoanna confirmed.

Mikha smirked. “Told you she was down bad.”

Stacey crossed her arms but couldn’t hide her grin. “They’re both idiots.”

Sheena clasped her hands dramatically. “Love wins.”

Gwen sighed. “If you shout that, I’m leaving.”

Back on the blanket, Colet reached for a sandwich and handed it to Aiah like it was the most normal thing in the world.

“No more disappearing,” Colet said.

“No more pushing you away,” Aiah replied.

And this time, when their shoulders brushed, neither of them moved away.

~ End ~