Chapter 3
** It was a busy week for all of them because it was exam week and with it came the tryouts for the foundation week events. Serafine barely had a moment to breathe, let alone catch up with her friends. It seemed like everyone was swamped with last-minute studying and preparations. The campus, once buzzing with casual conversations and laughter, now felt like a whirlwind of stress and deadlines.
Serafine tried reaching out to her friends, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to even get a hold of them. They were either buried in their books or caught up in practice sessions for the upcoming events. She couldn’t help but feel the distance between them grow, even if it was temporary. The exhaustion was starting to take its toll, and the loneliness crept in when she had a quiet moment to herself. Parang mamatay siya sa stress at kalungkutan. Maaga pa para mag overthink.
She couldn't stop herself. Despite the whirlwind of exams and preparations, Serafine found her fingers drifting to the group chat. She paused for a moment, wondering if anyone would even reply with all the chaos going on.
Then, with a small sigh, she typed: Hoy mga boorikat, buhay pa ba kayo? She hit send and immediately regretted it.
It sounded a bit too casual, maybe a little too loud for the quiet tension she was feeling inside. But it was too late now. She stared at her phone, waiting, as if her message would somehow pull her friends back from the busy haze of their own lives. It didn’t take long before the group chat lit up.
Sage was the first to reply. "Buhay pa! But barely. Need caffeine ASAP."
Jill followed quickly with a voice message: "Oh my God, I feel like I’m drowning in assignments. Can we please just survive this week and then we can all hang out again?''
Amara chimed in next: ''Surviving, but I’m pretty sure my brain’s already fried. Help meeeee."
Marga is typing... "Auq na sa earth"
Gosh namiss ko 'tong mga babaeng 'to. Mukhang kelangan na nila mag walwal. They badly needed it, ubos na ang energy nila sa sunod-sunod na exams at activities. At dahil tinatamad siya mag type pinindot niya ang video call at agad namang nag join ang mga kaibigan niya.
"WAAAAAH I MISS YOU GIRLS HUHU" inilayo niya ang airpods sa tenga niya dahil halos mabingi na siya sa sigaw ni Marga.
"Last day naman na ng exam bukas hihi baka pwede na tayo mag walwal after?" sasabihin niya palang sana kaso naunahan na siya ni Jill.
"Sure pwede naman bukas ng gabi" lahat naman umagree sa plano.
"Kamusta ka Serababes?" pangangamusta ni Amara
"Okay lang. Stressed, malungkot at bored" sagot ko
"Haynako kaming bahala para di ka mabored hehe" pinanlakihan naman ni Jillian ng mata sila Amara. May binabalak na naman 'tong mga 'to panigurado.
"Haynako din Jillian , tigilan niyo ko ha. Pag yan kalokohan masasapok ko kayo"
"Hindiii promise hhahaahaha" at humagalpak siya ng tawa. Tsk Baliw. Matapos ang kamustahan namin, nag end call na rin kami. 9:50 pm na at maaga pa ang pasok ng lahat.
Serafine was just about to drift off to sleep when her phone buzzed repeatedly on the nightstand. At first, she thought it might be another late-night study group message or maybe a reminder from one of her friends. But as the notifications kept coming in, she groggily reached for her phone, only to find a series of text messages from different unknown numbers.
Pucha talaga si Jillian, pinagtripan na naman ako. Nayayamot niyang sabi matapos makita ang mga text message galing sa mga hindi niya kilalang nilalang. Puro pa jejemon lintek talaga wala manlang matino!
Binalik niya ang cellphone niya sa nightstand at pinillit matulog. Bored ka at malungkot Sera pero hindi ka deseperada para magreply sa mga jeje na yan.
**
The next morning, Serafine woke up with an energetic vibe, a shift from the restless night before. Good vibes lang, Serafine, she told herself. She needed to keep a positive mindset, especially that it was the last day of exam. The pressure was on, but she was determined to tackle the day with a fresh attitude. The thought of spending time with her friends later that day helped lift her spirits.
She quickly got ready, putting on a bright smile and setting a good intention for the day ahead. As much as the upcoming exams were on her mind, she also felt a surge of excitement-- magwawalwal ang mga masipag mag-aral. It would be a much-needed escape from the stress of exams and the tension in her heart.
Before she hop on her car she checked her phone to see any messages from her friends and block gc. May isang message mula sa block nila na nagpapaalala na wag malate dahil terror ang prof at 3 messages naman galing sa unknown number. Wala naman siyang balak pansinin ang mga 'to, but one message caught her attention.
From: Unknown number
11:25 pm
Hey, i just saw your number in X because your friend plugged it. I know it's weird to get a message from a complete stranger but i just hope you are doing well. I mean, lahat naman tayo may problema sa life pero lahat yan nasosolusyunan. Bored lang ako hahahaha sorry kung ang weird ko pakinggan. Have a good night xxxx
EH? Anong pinagsasabi nito?? Lintek talaga si Jillian ano kaya nilagay nun sa x. Out of curiousity napaopen siya ng app.
@jillrobles
Good evening madlang pipol!!
Bored ba kayo?? Pakimessage naman 'tong friend ko na sad girl hahaha mabait naman 'to maarte lang.
May pinagdadaanan lang sa life kaya pag sinungitan kayo sa reply pagpasensyahan niyo na hehe
09266624854
Nawa'y makapasa tayo lahat sa exam :))))
PUTA>????? tarantado talaga 'tong kaibigan niya. Baka makita ni Hero ang post niya at isipin na desperada ako makahanap ng kausap.
Inopen ko ang gc ng grupo namin at nagtype ng message.
TANGINA MO JILLIAN HUMANDA KA SAKIN MAMAYA!!!
Capslock para intense. Hindi na ako naghintay ng reply, sumakay na ako agad sa kotse at dumeretso sa school. Mamaya na si Jillian at si Hey stranger, exam muna iisipin ko for now.
Three exams down, and Serafine was walking out of the last one with a sense of relief and confidence. She could feel the weight lifting off her shoulders, the tension from the past few days slowly fading. The questions had been challenging, but something about how she had approached them gave her a quiet assurance. She wasn’t just hoping she did well—she knew she had nailed it. Since first year ay Resident Scholar siya at hindi naman sa pag mamayabang pero topnocher siya ng block nila.
With an hour break before her final exam, Serafine found herself seated in the classroom, her thoughts wandering as she absentmindedly tapped her fingers on the desk. She glanced at her phone again. The text messages from the stranger still lingered on her screen, the words oddly calm and introspective—definitely not the usual “jeje” messages she was used to.
Wala namang mawawala kung magrereply ako di ba? Besides di niya naman ako kilala at di ko rin siya kilala.
She typed .. "Hey, stranger..." nag-iisip pa siya ng idudugtong ng bigla siyang gulatin ni Sage na napadaan sa classroom nila.
"Ay pucha" hindi niya mapigilan mag mura sa gulat at agad niya naman napress ang send button. Tsk. Hey stranger lang ang natype niya.
Sage caught Sera staring intently at her phone. With a mischievous grin, she leaned over and teased,
“Uy, tutok na tutok sa cp! May katext ka na siguro noh? Haha, galing talaga ni Jill”
Sera quickly looked up, her cheeks turning a faint shade of pink.
“N-no, wala! Wala akong ka-text!,” she stammered, trying to hide the screen, but Sage had already seen the unknown number which she saved as "stranger"
Sage chuckled, raising an eyebrow,
“Ah, sure. ‘Wala’ daw, pero nakasave as stranger yieee"
Her phone vibrated and stranger replied
"Hii"
“Mga trip niyo talagang dalawa ni Jill eh noh" she muttered after she saw the text message, trying to act nonchalant but failing to hide the embarrassment.
Before Sage could tease her any further, she checked the time and her eyes widened.
“Crap, I'm late!” She quickly shoved her phone into her bag and rushed toward the door.
“Catch you later, Sera! Don’t let that mysterious ‘Hii’ distract you too much!” she called over her shoulder as she dashed out of the classroom.
Sera sat there, still holding her phone, staring at the message on the screen.
Who even is this? she wondered, her curiosity getting the better of her.
Sera sat there, still holding her phone, staring at the message on the screen. She was about to put it down when her phone buzzed again.
The message from the stranger read:
"I thought the number your friend posted was wrong, good thing you replied."
Sera stared at the message for a moment before typing a quick reply:
“Napagtripan ako ng mga kaibigan ko eh haha tsk"
Stranger: haha i see. pero is it okay lang na itext kita? sabihin mo lang kung hindi ah.
She quickly composed a message: De oks lang, bored din naman ako at walang kausap. Then she hit send and turn off the screen Focus muna tayo sa last exam bago makipag textmate.
After the exam, Sera quickly packed her things, eager to leave the classroom. Her mind was buzzing—not just because of the test, but also because she couldn’t wait to check the text from the stranger. She walked briskly to the parking lot, excited to meet up with her friends.
When she reached the parking lot, she spotted four girls waiting near the car. They were chatting and laughing, clearly in high spirits.
“Ay, andiyan na siya!” Sage called out, flashing a grin. “Ang tagal mo! Wala na bang ibang exam?”
Sera smiled back, trying to hide her nerves. She was wearing a cute, casual outfit—a flowy top and jeans with comfy sneakers, perfect for hanging out after the exam.
“Wala na, tapos na,” she said, but her thoughts were still drifting to the mysterious message. Should I check it now?
Jill noticed her distracted expression and raised an eyebrow.
“Okay ka lang? Parang may iniisip ka,” she asked, her tone a mix of curiosity and concern.
Sera brushed it off with a grin.
“Yeah, I’m good. Just... excited na mag-chill.” She couldn’t help but smile as the thought of going to RC crossed her mind. RC's the best place to relax after the madness of exams, whether we pass or not!
Sage, always in the mood to celebrate, clapped her hands together.
“Alright! RC time! Let’s go. We all deserve it after today!” she said, clearly looking forward to their usual hangout spot.
RC was the spot they always went to after exams—a famous club in the city. They were regulars by now, and even though they never really knew if they passed or not, it was their tradition to celebrate.
When they arrived at RC, the familiar buzz of the club instantly greeted them. The neon lights outside lit up the night, casting a colorful glow on the street. The bass from the music inside thumped through the walls, blending with the laughter and chatter of people already hanging out.
Sera couldn’t help but smile as they entered, the energy of the place lifting her spirits. The club was cozy yet lively, with dark wooden floors, comfy couches, and a bar that always had their favorite drinks ready. The soft glow of fairy lights hung above the tables, giving the place a chill, almost intimate vibe, despite how packed it always was.
As they walked in, the staff behind the counter waved at them, recognizing the five ladies right away.
“Back again, ladies?” the bartender called out, a playful grin on his face.
“Of course,” Marga replied, rolling her eyes but smiling. “We live here, apparently.”
They headed to their usual spot—a corner booth by the window that gave them the perfect view of the busy street outside. The booth was surrounded by plants, making it feel like a little oasis in the middle of the bustling club.
Sera slid into the booth, feeling a sense of comfort settle over her. She loved RC. It was where they could unwind after the chaos of exams and just be.
“Okay, so what are we celebrating tonight?” Jill asked, settling in beside her and flashing a grin.
Sera’s phone buzzed again, pulling her attention momentarily. She glanced down and saw it was another message from the stranger. She hesitated for a second before tucking the phone back into her bag, focusing on her friends.
“Tonight’s about celebrating... surviving the exam,” Sera said with a laugh. “No need to worry about whether we passed yet!”
"Cheers" sabay-sabay na sabi nilang lima. Namiss nila 'to. Lasa ng alak na halos dati ay araw-arawin nila lalo na nung freshies palang sila.
"Oy Sera, ano may nireplyan ka ba sa mga nagmessage sayo?" sinamaan niya ng tingin si Jill, akala niya ay nakalimutan na nito ang ginawang pag plug ng number niya.
"Ay oo bhie meron haha nakita ko pinangalanan niyang stranger HAHAHA" sabat ni Sage kaya napalippat ang sama ng tingin niya dito na kanina ay nakabaling kay Jill.
“Eh di ko alam ang pangalan malamang stranger sinave ko. Tska siya ang bukod tanging hindi jejemon” pag depensa tska nag shot ng tequila.
Tumabi naman sakanya si Amara na kanina lang ay nasa dance floor
”Patingin nga ng number baka alam namin kung sino “ nakiusyoso na rin si Marga na busy lumantak ng pulutan.
“okay eto yung number” at dahil curious nga din naman ako kung sino yung nag message saakin ay sinabi ko na sakanila yung number.
”Si Max” nagkatinginan silang lahat pakatapos sabihin ni Jillian yung pangalan.
Max??? Max who? 🙃