Smash to the Heart

Aerin’s POV

After Jex’s badminton match, I couldn't help but congratulate her. "Ang galing mo kanina, Jex!" I said, grinning at her.

She wiped her brow, still catching her breath but smiling back at me.

"Thanks, Aerin!" she replied. "It was tough, but I made it through."

We made our way to the track, where Soleil would soon be competing. 

She had been preparing for this race for weeks, and I was eager to see her in action. 

We found our seats in the stands, just as the announcer’s voice boomed through the speakers.

“Next, we have the competitors for the Girls’ 800m Sprint, round one!”

I glanced down at the lineup. My eyes locked onto Soleil’s name. 

“Go, Soleil!” I cheered, waving excitedly at her as she stood at the starting line, already looking focused and determined.

The announcer continued listing the competitors as they were called up to the line.

“From Southbridge Academy, Soleil Hart!” Soleil waved briefly at the crowd, her attention still entirely on the race ahead.

“From Westbrook High, Lyza Tiu.”

“From Silverdale Institute, Reina Caron.”

“From Greenfield School, Rika Yu.”

"From Riverdale Academy, Elayne Cruz"

"From Crestview Prep, Drea Villanueva"

“From North Hills Academy, Miv Reyes.”

Miv Reyes. 

The name didn’t ring any bells for me. 

It sounded unfamiliar, but when I looked down at the track, I saw her standing in the starting blocks — a girl with ginger hair and a confident posture.  

There was something about her that made me pause. 

I couldn’t quite place it, but she seemed familiar.

Galey turned to me, raising an eyebrow. "Who’s Miv Reyes?"

I shook my head. "No idea. I haven’t heard of her before."

We continued watching the race, but I couldn't shake that feeling. 

The more I looked at Miv, the more she seemed... familiar.

As the race started, Soleil settled into a good rhythm, but Miv was immediately in the lead. 

Her stride was smooth and powerful, and she looked focused, while Soleil kept pace behind her. 

As the race continued, Miv began pulling ahead, her form perfect as she rounded the bends with ease.

The announcer’s voice cut through the air again: "And in first place, Miv Reyes from North Hills Academy!"

I couldn’t help the sigh that escaped my lips. Miv’s performance was impressive— but also frustrating. 

Soleil came in second, just behind her, crossing the finish line with a determined, but disappointed look.

“Sana all,” Galey muttered under her breath. "I thought Soleil would’ve had this one."

I frowned, still thinking about Miv. Her name kept echoing in my mind. 

Why did she seem so familiar?

And then it hit me.

That girl. The one we argued with in the garden yesterday. The one who... no. It couldn't be.

"Soleil," I said suddenly, a realization hitting me hard. "Miv... siya 'yong girl from the garden!"

Galey raised an eyebrow, clearly puzzled. "What? Miv? 'Yong naka-away natin?"

"Yeah, I’m sure of it," I replied, narrowing my eyes at Miv, who was now celebrating her win with her friends. “She was one of the girls from that group.”

Soleil looked up at us, her eyes wide. "Are you serious? That’s her?"

"Yep, that’s her, and look that's her friends" I said, crossing pointing my fingers at them. "Those are the girls we argued with."

"Same sports” Galey muttered, shaking her head. “First the garden, now this.”

We all watched as Miv walked off the track, her confidence radiating. 

It was clear she was a strong competitor, and I couldn’t help but feel frustrated — not just because she won, but because of the tension from earlier. 

She was in our way. And now, she was even more of a threat than before.

Soleil, who had finished second, caught my eye and gave me a small, reassuring smile.

“It’s okay,” she said softly. “I’ll get her next time.”

I nodded, but my mind was still on Miv. This wasn’t over yet. We were going to have to deal with them, whether we liked it or not.

—

It was finally night, and the exhaustion from the day's events settled in. 

The division tournament had been intense, and I was glad to have some quiet time to unwind in my dorm. 

But, of course, Soleil wasn’t about to let me relax for long.

"Aerin!" Soleil’s voice broke through the silence, followed by the sound of the door opening. "May information ako far you!."

I groaned, already knowing what was coming. "Can’t you just let me have five minutes?"

"You wish," she said with a laugh, sitting on my bed. Galey and Jex followed her in, and I found myself surrounded by my friends in no time.

"Okay, okay. Anong meron?" I finally asked, sitting up and trying to act annoyed, though I was curious.

Soleil’s grin was wide. "I got the names of the girls we saw earlier today. The ones we’ve been wondering about since the garden."

I raised an eyebrow. "You mean the ones we had that little run-in with?"

"Oo, those girls," Soleil said with a smirk. "First up, the one who beat me earlier at the track: Miv Reyes. She won first in her heat today. That girl’s fast."

"Yeah, I remember her. She definitely knows what she’s doing," I said, recalling how Miv had surged ahead of Soleil during the 200m of the match.

"And then," Soleil went on, looking almost giddy, "there’s Margo Castellen. She’s the tennis player we watched earlier today in the second match. Her game is seriously impressive."

I blinked, the name clicking into place. "Oh, so that was her name."

"Yeah, I got the name from someone in the stands. Magaling siga. Her serves were on point. Kaya ate Aerin, galingan mo, ha. You have a serious competition."

I nodded, now putting it all together.

Margo had that focused, no-nonsense energy on the court, and I could see why she’d made such an impression on Soleil. 

"She definitely has the skills," I muttered.

Soleil continued, clearly eager to share the rest. "Then there’s Syra Lee. Badminton. I didn’t get to watch her much, but I heard halimaw daw siya with her rackets. Nanalo rin siya kanina sa match niya."

Jex, who’d been quiet up until now, suddenly spoke up with a grin. "Syra, huh? Well, isa ata siya sa mga naglaro kanina. Maybe she’s good, but not unbeatable."

I couldn’t help but laugh. "Ang confident mo naman."

Jex shrugged, her smile never wavering. "You have to be in our sport. But yeah, I’m not worried. Kahit 'di ko alam kung pa'no siya maglaro, I'm sure na matatalo ko siya."

"Right," I said, raising an eyebrow at her. "We’ll see how that plays out."

Soleil went on, clearly enjoying the conversation. "And Caia Dominguez. Swimming. She won earlier. First place and advancing to the finals."

So those are the four girls we need to watch out for."

Galey looked thoughtful. "We can’t underestimate any of them. Miv and Margo especially. And don’t forget, Syra and Caia are no slouches either. Also, lahat nila napanalo mga match nila ngayon. "

I felt the tension in the air. 

These girls were strong competitors, and if we were going to make it, we’d have to bring our A-game. 

But I also couldn’t shake the feeling that these girls—Miv, Margo, Syra, and Caia—were more than just athletes. 

There was something about them, something I couldn’t quite pinpoint yet.

"Well, we’ll just have to do our best. Galingan natin!" I said, standing up and stretching. "Tomorrow’s another day, and we’re ready."

Soleil grinned. "That’s the spirit! Let’s just relax tonight and get ready to kick some butt tomorrow."

The night passed with more laughter and some playful banter. 

But as I lay in bed later, I couldn’t stop thinking about Miv and Margo. 

I now knew their names, and I knew their strength. Tomorrow was going to be a test, but I was ready to take it on.