Hey, stranger …

**Max**

Maxiene couldn't believe it. Of all the people in the world, why did her mystery textmate have to be Serafine? The same Serafine she’d been secretly crushing on since the first time she saw her play on the court weeks ago.

"Gusto kong sampalin ang sarili ko," she muttered under her breath, still frozen in place. "What the fuck, Maxiene???"

She wanted to chase after Sera. Apologize. Explain. Do something. But her feet wouldn’t move, as if they, too, were shocked by the revelation.

Serafine was Ms. Stranger—the one person Maxiene had poured her late-night thoughts into, the one who made her heart race with every reply. And now? She just ruined everything.

Maxiene replayed the scene in her mind—the way Serafine’s expression changed, how her lips pressed into a thin line before she turned away. She was disappointed.

"Shit," Maxiene groaned. "Wrong move, Max."

Her phone buzzed in her pocket, but she didn’t dare check. Would Serafine even reply if she texted her now? Or was this the end of the one thing that made her nights exciting?

There was only one way to find out.

With a deep breath, Maxiene unlocked her phone and typed:

Maxiene: Sera, let me explain.

Now, all she could do was wait.

Nagliwanag ang mukha niya ng umilaw ang phone niya pero agad naman itong nadismaya ng hindi ito galing sa inaabangan niya.

Maxiene sighed, gripping her phone tighter. Of course, it wasn’t Serafine.

Her heart sank a little as she read Gly’s message:

Glyniss: Tara na andito na kami ni Cassidy sa parking lot

For a second, she considered ignoring it. Her mind was still reeling from what just happened—Serafine walking away, the unspoken tension hanging between them, and the suffocating regret settling in her chest. But what else could she do?

With a frustrated sigh, she shoved her phone into her pocket and forced her legs to move.

As she walked toward the parking lot, she kept glancing at her phone, hoping—praying—that another message would pop up. One from Serafine.

But it never did.

By the time she reached Gly and Cassidy, she had already made up her mind.

If Serafine wouldn’t text her back… she would make the first move..in person

"Oh bakit parang lukot na lukot ang mukha mo?" Of course her friends would noticed the sudden change in her mood.

"What happened? Hindi ka ba sinipot ni Mystery textmate?" Cass asked her as the car started to move. 

Maxiene groaned, leaning her head against the car window. She should’ve known Gly and Cassidy would notice—nothing ever got past them.

“Shut up,” she muttered, crossing her arms.

Cassidy gasped dramatically. “Oh my god, tama ako, no? Hindi ka sinipot ni Mystery Textmate?!”

“Damn, Max,” Gly chimed in, glancing at her from the rearview mirror. “That sucks. Akala ko ba this was it? The moment of truth?”

“Oh, it was,” Maxiene said bitterly. “And now I wish I could undo it.”

Cass and Gly exchanged a look.

“Hala, anong ginawa mo?” Cass pried.

Maxiene hesitated. Should she tell them? That the person she’d been secretly texting—the one who made her stomach flip with every message—was actually Serafine? The same Serafine she’d been crushing on for weeks?

That she panicked the moment she realized it and probably just ruined everything?

“Max…” Gly pressed, snapping her out of her thoughts. “Spill.”

She exhaled sharply, closing her eyes.

“It was Serafine,” she admitted. “Serafine was my Mystery Textmate.”

The car fell into stunned silence.

And then—

“PUTANGINA.” Cassidy practically screamed, making Gly jerk the steering wheel. “As in Serafine Sevilleja?!”

Maxiene buried her face in her hands. “Yes.”

“Oh my god—wait, what happened?!” Gly demanded. “Bakit parang gusto mong ihampas sarili mo sa dashboard?”

Maxiene groaned. “Because the second I found out, I just—froze. I didn’t say anything. She got mad and walked away.”

Cassidy gasped again, more dramatic this time. “Hala, girl. You fumbled.”

“I know,” Max muttered. “Now I don’t even know if she’s ever gonna reply.”

Gly sighed, shaking her head. “So… anong balak mo?”

Maxiene clutched her phone, staring at her empty inbox.

There was only one thing left to do.

“I’m gonna fix this" i said with confidence in my tone

Napailing naman si Cassidy " Mukhang serious na 'to ah, Lover girl ka na ulit"

Maxiene rolled her eyes at Cassidy’s teasing. “Wala ako sa mood makipag asaran” she muttered, though a small smirk played on her lips

Gly chuckled from the driver’s seat. “I mean, she’s not wrong. You’re actually serious about this, huh?”

Napaisip ako ng sandali bago magsalita "Yeah.."

Cassidy smirked, shaking her head again “Damn, Max. You’re down bad.”

Maxiene groaned, slumping against the seat. “I know,” she admitted. “Pero kasi… magaan siyang kausap. I feel comfortable with her—even before I knew it was her.”

Gly hummed in agreement. “Makes sense. I mean, it’s different kapag nakahanap ka ng taong you can just talk to nang walang pressure, diba?”

Max nodded. That was exactly it. With Ms. Stranger—with Serafine—everything felt easy. It wasn’t forced. She could say whatever was on her mind without fear of judgment.

But now? Now, she had to deal with the weight of reality.

Cassidy crossed her arms, tilting her head. “So… what’s the plan, lover girl?”

Max sighed, staring at her phone. The message was still marked as ‘delivered,’ but there was no reply.

“I’ll fix it,” she repeated, this time quieter. “I just don’t know how yet.”

Gly and Cassidy exchanged a look before Gly spoke up. “Then start by not running away from it. Kung gusto mo talagang ayusin ‘to, you have to face her.”

Max swallowed hard, knowing Gly was right.

"Sana magreply na siya sayo! Magkikita pa naman kayo sa court bukas, hindi ba awkward?"

"Yun nga eh pero basta kakausapin ko siya sa personal"

Before we even noticed nasa tapat na pala kami ng bahay ko "Wag malilate ha Cass!'

Cassidy groaned. “Ugh,  Yes Capt!. Oo na, ‘di na ako male-late!”

Gly chuckled. “Wow, miracle ‘to pag nauna pa ‘to sa ‘tin. Ako nga na di player never nalate”

Maxiene smirked as she unbuckled her seatbelt. “Good. Ayoko ng hinihintay ka namin sa warm-up drills.”

“Ang sungit,” Cassidy muttered but grinned anyway.

Max shook her head, opening the car door. “See you tomorrow, mga erp. Ingat kayo pauwi.”

“Good luck kay Serafine!” Gly teased before driving off, leaving Maxiene standing outside her house, heart still heavy with anticipation.

She sighed, glancing at her phone one last time. Still no reply.

Tomorrow, she’d have to face Serafine on the court. And she was going to fix this—no matter what.

-----

Maxiene stretched as she woke up, the sun barely peeking through her curtains. She looked at the clock—7:00 AM. Call time was in an hour. She groaned but quickly jumped out of bed, already feeling the nerves building up inside her.

She grabbed her phone, fingers hovering over the screen. There was still no reply from Serafine. She hesitated for a moment but then typed out a quick message:

"Good morning :) Good luck sa game!"

It wasn’t much, but it was something. Something to break the silence, to show that she still cared, even if Serafine hadn’t responded the night before.

Maxine threw on her practice gear, quickly tying her hair into a ponytail. The match against the sophomores was going to be intense, and no matter what happened with Serafine, she needed to focus.

As she grabbed her bag and headed out the door, her mind wandered back to the game. If the juniors won later versus freshmen, they would be facing them on championship, but for now, she just had to survive the day.

The court was where it all began—and maybe, just maybe, where it would all be fixed.

But first, she had to survive the nerves. And Serafine.

Maxiene quickly found a spot in the corner of the auditorium, joining her teammates as they began their warm-up stretches. The buzz of excitement and nervous energy in the room was palpable as they all prepared for the match.

As Coach Mickey barked instructions, Maxiene tried to focus, pulling her body into a deep stretch. But her mind kept wandering back to the message she’d sent earlier. She couldn’t shake the thought of whether Serafine would even respond or if she'd just ignored it completely.

Cassidy soon joined them, flashing a playful grin at Maxiene. "So, any luck with our Ms. Stranger?" she teased, nudging her in the ribs as they continued stretching.

Maxiene just shot her a glare, trying to keep her focus. “Wala pa, at hindi okay." She stretched her arms overhead, trying to get the tension out of her body.

Coach Mickey clapped his hands, getting everyone’s attention. “Alright, ladies. Let’s get this match started. Get your heads in the game!”

As they moved into their positions on the court, Maxiene stole a glance toward the entrance, scanning for Serafine. She hadn’t seen her yet, but she knew it wouldn’t be long.

The game was about to begin. And Maxiene had more than just a win to focus on today.

Maxiene's voice cut through the air once again as she dove for the ball. "Mine!" she shouted with fierce determination. Her hands met the ball mid-air, securing it with precision. Volleyball was in her blood, and at that moment, she was completely in her element.

Every movement, every instinct, felt like second nature. The ball was her world, and she could already hear the crowd’s energy building as the match intensified. The seniors had to win this, not just for the team, but for the thrill of competition.

She passed the ball quickly to her teammate, setting up for a perfect spike. The feeling of the game pulsing around her—the rhythm, the teamwork, the strategy—was exhilarating. It was where she felt most alive.

And Serafine... Serafine was watching.

Maxiene took a glance at the opposing side of the court where Serafine stood with her teammates, her presence adding an extra layer of intensity to Maxiene’s drive.

She couldn't afford distractions, not now.

"Focus, Max, mamaya na siya" she whispered to herself as she moved into position for the next play.

Volleyball had always been her escape, and today, it was her path to victory.

They were going to win, no doubt about it. They had to.

As the final whistle blew, Maxiene couldn’t help but smile. The court was filled with cheers and high-fives as the team celebrated their hard-earned victory. 2 wins, 0 losses—the Seniors were on a roll, and if they kept this up, they would be back-to-back champions.

Maxiene joined in the celebration, laughing and patting her teammates on the back. There was a buzz of excitement in the air as they huddled together, victorious. They had played hard, and it paid off.

Cassidy slapped Maxiene’s shoulder, grinning. “Galing mo, lover girl! Seryoso, tumaas na ang level mo, ha!”

Maxiene chuckled, shaking her head. “Wala lang, basta masaya na manalo.” She glanced around the gym, looking for Serafine.

Her eyes locked onto the other team’s side of the court, where Serafine stood, catching her breath after the game. Their eyes met for a brief moment, and Maxiene felt her heart race again.

It wasn’t the time for a conversation yet, but Maxiene couldn’t shake the thought of how to fix things between them.

She turned back to her teammates, trying to push those thoughts aside, but the idea of talking to Serafine lingered. She had to do it. She had to make it right.

As they gathered their things, Coach Mickey clapped his hands, breaking her thoughts. "Good job, girls. But don’t let the excitement get to your heads. We’ve still got one more match. Let’s keep our focus."

Maxiene nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly. The road to the championship wasn’t over yet, but today was a good step forward.

Maxiene’s heart skipped a beat when she saw Serafine walking out of the auditorium, surrounded by her friends. Without thinking, she pushed her way through the crowd of celebrating teammates, determination in every step.

"Serafine!" she called out, her voice louder than she intended.

Serafine turned, her expression softening as their eyes met. The brief flash of surprise in her gaze quickly turned into something more guarded. Maxiene could feel the weight of everything she wanted to say but didn't know how to yet.

She slowed down as she approached, taking a deep breath. "Hey, I... I just wanted to say—" she began, but her words caught in her throat.

Cassidy, Gly, and the rest of Serafine’s friends hung back, sensing the tension but also recognizing the need for the two to talk.

Serafine gave a small, almost hesitant nod. "Yeah?"

Maxiene’s chest tightened. She knew she had to say the right things, but it felt like the whole world was watching.

“I just—I didn’t mean to mess things up last night,” she said, her voice quieter now. “It was… a stupid mistake. I should’ve handled it better.”

Serafine’s eyes softened, and she shifted her weight, clearly thinking. "I’m not mad, Max. But I was confused. I didn’t know what you wanted from me."

Maxiene’s words came out a bit shakier than she intended, but they felt right. She stepped closer to Serafine, feeling the flutter of nerves again as she spoke.

"I'm sorry, Sera," she said, her voice quieter now. "Nagulat lang ako nung nakita kita. I mean, ang ganda mo kasi at tinamaan ako ng hiya."

Serafine blinked, then laughed softly, her eyes bright with understanding. “You’re cute,” she said, her tone light but warm. "Hindi mo naman kailangan mahiya, Max. I’m just a person.”

Maxiene felt a warmth spread across her cheeks, but there was something comforting in Serafine's words. The tension that had been holding her tight seemed to loosen with every word they exchanged.

“I know,” Maxiene mumbled, feeling a little embarrassed. “It’s just… I’ve never really been good at this kind of thing.”

Serafine stepped closer, offering a small smile. “It’s okay, we can take it slow.”

Maxiene exhaled in relief, her nerves slowly fading away as she realized that Serafine wasn’t upset, wasn’t holding anything against her. They were on the same page now.

“We’ll figure it out,” Maxiene said, her voice a little steadier now.

Serafine nodded, her smile turning into something softer, more reassuring. “Yeah, we will. Alis muna ako ha? Kelangan ko lang magbihis dahil kami na ang next game”

Maxiene gave a small nod, understanding. “Yeah, of course. Good luck sa game, Sera.” Her voice was warm, but there was a little flicker of something else—something hopeful.

Serafine smiled again, a hint of mischief in her expression. “Thanks, Max. I’ll catch you after, okay?” She turned to walk away, her footsteps light and confident, but there was a subtle glance back over her shoulder, as if she was already looking forward to what would come next.

Maxiene watched her for a moment, her heart beating a little faster. That was all it took—a small exchange, but it felt like everything had shifted. The tension, the uncertainty—it was all gone.

She took a deep breath, still feeling the warmth of their conversation. Now, more than ever, she was ready to support her team and face whatever came next. But for the first time, her thoughts weren’t just about the game. They were about Serafine.

“Good luck, Sera,” Maxiene whispered to herself as she turned to head back to her teammates.