Lost in Spotlight
Maloi’s POV
The stage lights shimmered like stars above us, and the deafening cheers from our fans echoed around the arena. My heart pounded—not from the performance, but from what I was about to do. I glanced at Colet, who stood a few steps away, her usual calm expression masking the energy we all felt onstage.
As the song reached its final note, the crowd roared, and my cue came. My fingers tightened around the mic, but my eyes never left Colet. The moment felt… huge. It was now or never. The other members struck their poses, and I couldn’t hold back any longer.
“Colet!” I called out, my voice cutting through the noise.
The members turned to me, startled. Aiah, who was closest, shot me a look that said, What are you up to now, Maloi?
“Will you be my date to the Star Magic Prom?” I blurted, stepping toward Colet with a sheepish grin.
The arena erupted. Fans screamed, and phones shot up into the air, capturing the moment. My heart felt like it was going to burst as I watched Colet’s face shift from confusion to surprise.
Colet’s eyes darted to the audience, then back to me. Her lips parted as if she were about to say something, but no words came out. For a moment, my pulse quickened in panic.
Then she smiled. A small, genuine smile that only grew as she raised her mic.
“Yes,” she said simply.
The cheers got even louder, if that was possible. Without thinking, I ran to her and hugged her tightly. I could feel her soft laugh, her hand awkwardly patting my back.
“You’re so dramatic,” she said, her voice just loud enough for me to hear over the noise.
“Of course I am,” I teased, pulling back to grin at her. “You wouldn’t expect anything less, right?”
She rolled her eyes, but the smile never left her face. “Thanks for asking. Kailan mo ‘to plinano?”
“Secret.” I winked at her, nudging her shoulder as the music for our encore started.
In that moment, everything felt perfect. It was exactly how I wanted it—unexpected, spontaneous. I could feel the warmth in my chest as we wrapped up the performance, but it was fleeting.
Backstage, as we were cooling down, Stacey pulled me aside with a sly grin.
“Was that planned?” she asked, her eyes twinkling with amusement.
“Yep,” I admitted, grabbing a bottle of water. “I just… felt like it.”
“You’re unbelievable, Ate Maloi,” she said, shaking her head. “But hey, at least she said yes.”
“Of course she said yes,” I replied, trying to sound confident. My cheeks burned at the thought. “She can’t resist me.”
Stacey sauntered over, humming a familiar tune with a mischievous grin. “Macolet, Macolet,” she sang in a teasing tone, drawing out the syllables as she swayed dramatically.
I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help laughing. “You’re so annoying,” I said, shaking my head as I grabbed a bottle of water and started stretching.
Stacey just laughed, walking off to join the others, still humming the improvised song. I brushed it off and focused on what I was doing, letting the moment pass without giving it much thought.
The next morning, we gathered in the practice room for a dance rehearsal. The usual buzz of energy filled the air as everyone joked around and warmed up.
I saw Colet sitting by herself, scrolling on her phone, so I decided to join her.
“Uy, good morning!” I said cheerfully, plopping down beside her.
She glanced at me briefly before returning to her screen. “Good morning, clingy.”
I gasped in mock offense. “Clingy? Me?”
“Yes, you,” she said without looking up.
“Come on, you love it,” I grinned, pinching her cheek lightly.
She finally looked at me, raising an eyebrow. “What are you doing?”
“Pinching your cheek,” I said matter-of-factly. “It’s so squishy.”
“You’re impossible,” she muttered, though she didn’t push me away.
“You don’t let anyone else pinch your cheeks, huh?” I teased, leaning closer. “Admit it—you like me better than them.”
“Or maybe I just don’t have the energy to stop you,” she replied, smirking.
“Sure, sure,” I said, pulling back but still smiling.
During lunch, I found myself sitting with Sheena and Gwen, while Colet ate with Jhoanna and Mikha across the room. The usual chatter filled the air, but I couldn’t help but watch Colet, her smile soft as she talked with Jhoanna.
“You’re always glued to Ate Colet,” Sheena pointed out, nudging me. “She’s probably relieved you’re giving her space for once.”
“Hey, I’m not that clingy,” I protested.
Gwen raised an eyebrow. “You call her your ‘uyab’ every other day. That’s not clingy to you?”
“Actually,” Sheena added, “you haven’t called her that today. Are you feeling okay?”
I shrugged, trying to sound casual. “She doesn’t call me ‘uyab’ back, so I figured I’d stop. No big deal.”
Sheena frowned, but before she could respond, Gwen cut in with a laugh. “You’re so obvious, Ate Maloi. You treat her differently from the rest of us.”
“Do not!” I said quickly.
“Really?” Gwen challenged. “You’re clingy with everyone, sure, but with Colet, it’s, like… next level.”
“Because she’s my best friend,” I said defensively.
Sheena and Gwen exchanged knowing looks but didn’t press further. But their words stuck with me.
The next day, we had another performance. The crowd was as loud as ever, the energy just as electric. I stood in my usual spot beside Colet, still buzzing from the day before. But as we hit the bridge of the song, something caught my eye.
Colet suddenly dropped to one knee. I froze, my attention immediately snapping to her. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small piece of paper, unfolding it with deliberate movements.
The word “SORRY” was scrawled across it, and she held it up for Jhoanna to see. The crowd gasped in surprise. It didn’t take much—everyone understood. Colet couldn’t take Jhoanna to the prom.
I stayed still, watching. My mind felt… unsettled. There was no dramatic speech, no show of emotion, just a simple apology. Colet’s usual calm composure remained, but the way she held that piece of paper, the way she waited for Jhoanna’s response… it hit something inside me. The room seemed to pause, everyone waiting, holding their breath.
I couldn’t place it, but I felt off.
Backstage, I found myself slipping into a quiet corner. The uneasy feeling hadn’t left. It gnawed at me, lingering in my chest like a puzzle I couldn’t solve.
“Ate Maloi, okay ka lang?” Sheena asked, crouching beside me.
I forced a smile, not wanting to admit that something was wrong. “Oo naman. Pagod lang siguro.”
But I wasn’t just tired. I was confused.
Colet had always shied away from grand gestures—quiet, reserved, and content with fleeting, unspoken moments. That was why I was the one who always went the extra mile for her, pouring my heart into the little things, just to make her feel how much I cared.
But then she did it—for Jhoanna. Boldly, openly, in front of everyone. Just like that.
The strange feeling grew heavier.
The next morning, I woke up in my condo, the sunlight streaming through the curtains. My phone buzzed incessantly on the nightstand. It was Stacey, sending our GC memes and gossip from Twitter. I scrolled through her messages, smiling faintly, but my mind kept wandering back to Colet.
I sighed and got ready for the day. Rehearsals were scheduled at 10 a.m., but I decided to head to the practice room early. The air in the condo felt heavy, and I needed the distraction.
When I arrived, the room was empty except for Colet, stretching quietly in the corner. She had her headphones in, nodding slightly to whatever song she was listening to. Her movements were effortless, her face calm and focused.
“Uy, early bird ka rin pala,” I said, dropping my bag onto the floor.
She glanced up, pulling out one earbud. “Gising ka na rin?”
“Yup. Condo felt too quiet,” I replied, sitting down beside her. “You?”
“Couldn’t sleep,” she said simply, leaning forward to stretch her arms.
There was nothing unusual about the conversation, nothing particularly deep or groundbreaking. But I couldn’t stop watching her—how her hair fell over her eyes, how she absently hummed the melody of her song.
I didn’t realize I was staring until she looked at me, raising an eyebrow. “Why are you so quiet? Weird.”
I laughed, trying to cover the awkwardness. “Wala lang. Still waking up.”
Colet smirked and nudged me lightly with her elbow. “You? Waking up? Ikaw na nga itong hyper kahit umaga.”
“Eh, baka iba lang ngayon,” I said, shrugging.
“Hmm,” she murmured, not pushing further. She put her headphones back in and returned to her stretches.
I stayed there, watching her, feeling that same strange tightness in my chest.
Later that afternoon, we were practicing choreography for our upcoming performance. I ended up paired with Colet for a partner routine, something that wasn’t unusual but felt different today.
“Relax, Maloi,” Colet said, smirking as I stumbled through one of the moves.
“I’m relaxed!” I insisted, even though my movements were stiff and clumsy.
Colet stepped closer, her hands resting lightly on my arms. “No, you’re tense. Ganito lang.” She demonstrated the move again, her touch firm but gentle.
For a moment, I froze, hyperaware of how close we were. Her expression was calm, patient, as if this was just another normal interaction for her. And it probably was. But for me, every second felt magnified, every little detail etched into my memory.
“Gets mo na?” she asked, stepping back.
“Uh, yeah,” I mumbled, feeling heat rise to my cheeks.
She nodded, satisfied, and returned to her position without another word. I watched her go, my chest tightening again.
That evening, after practice, I lingered in the studio long after everyone else had left. The silence was comforting, but it also gave my thoughts too much room to wander.
Why was I suddenly so affected by what Colet did the other day for Jho?
My phone buzzed with a message from Colet.
“Bakit nandyan ka pa? Uwi na.”
It was such a simple line, the kind of thing Colet always said. I hesitated before typing back.
“San ka? Nandito ka pa?”
The reply came almost instantly.
“Pauwi na rin ako.”
Relief washed over me briefly. If she was still here, then maybe…
“Wait mo kooo, coffee muna tayo sa baba!”
I added the plea in an attempt to lighten the tone, hoping she’d say yes like she usually did. I waited, watching the typing indicator blink on and off until her response popped up.
“Paalis na ko, may pupuntahan lang saglit kasama si Jho.”
Her words hit like a cold breeze, cutting through the warmth of my hope. Typical Colet—straightforward, no frills. But tonight, those words stung.
For a moment, I just sat there, staring at my phone. My fingers hovered over the keyboard, wanting to say something, to ask where they were going, to tell her to wait just five more minutes. But I stopped myself. What was the point?
Instead, I forced myself to type a short reply:
“Ingat.”
I didn’t wait for her to respond. I stuffed my things into my bag and headed out, my footsteps echoing in the empty hallway. The cold night air greeted me as I made my way to my condo, but it didn’t snap me out of the strange heaviness clinging to me.
By the time I got home, the silence felt almost suffocating. I dropped my bag by the door and flopped onto the couch, letting my head fall back and my gaze drift to the ceiling.
It was ridiculous. The weight in my chest, this… feeling. It made no sense. It wasn’t like me to dwell on things like this, especially over something so small, so insignificant. But despite my attempts to shake it off, it lingered.
I grabbed my phone and started scrolling aimlessly through social media, hoping to find something that would distract me, anything to push away this strange ache. But even as I flicked through posts and pictures, my thoughts drifted, slipping back to her.
Colet wasn’t just someone I enjoyed spending time with. She was my constant, my day one, the one who made everything feel more manageable. When she was around, everything just seemed easier, lighter. But now… it felt like her attention was shifting, her focus diverted somewhere else.
I sighed, tossing my phone onto the coffee table, but the weight in my chest didn’t go away. The city lights outside twinkled softly through the windows, but their brightness did nothing to chase the heaviness that clung to me.
The question that had been nagging at me all day returned, sharper this time, leaving me unsettled:
What is happening to me?
And no matter how much I tried to ignore it, why couldn’t I stop thinking about her?