Chapter 4
The next morning, Stacey woke up with a pounding headache. Gosh, uminom nga pala ako kagabi, she thought, rubbing her temples as she slowly sat up in bed. The night of partying had left its mark, but it was worth it... sort of. She took a deep breath, trying to shake off the remnants of last night's fun.
Before getting up, she reached for her phone and smiled when she saw Lucas’ message pop up. "Good morning, beautiful. Hope you’re feeling okay today," it read. Her heart warmed as she replied, “Good morning, babe! I’m fine, just a little headache but I’m good. How about you?”
Hay, this guy, she thought with a small smile as she sent the message. He’s so consistent. The simple affection he showed always made her feel special, even after everything that had happened.
After sending her reply, she scrolled through her phone, her eyes landing on her block’s group chat. Her notifications were full of messages, but one caught her attention immediately. The announcement read, "Important: Different professor for Contemporary 101 this semester. The class will be merged with another course."
Stacey sighed, slouching back into her bed. What a bad news to start the day, she thought, clicking her tongue. She wasn’t thrilled about the change. The merging of classes meant more people, more confusion, and who knew if her new professor would be as good as the last one? It was always something.
Stacey arrived 20 minutes before her Contemporary 101 class started, determined to grab a good spot. The classroom was far from the Engineering building, so she made sure to leave early. She wasn’t about to risk getting stuck at the back of the room with a poor view.
She scanned the seats, finally settling on the left side, third row. Perfect. It was a spot where she could easily see the board and still be close enough to the door for a quick exit if needed. Tama nga ang hula ko, she thought as she sat down, glancing around. The classroom started filling up quickly, and it wasn’t long before every seat was taken. Magiging puno ang classroom, for sure.
As more students filtered in, Stacey’s thoughts drifted to the uniform she recognized on some of them—white. Geez, don’t tell me mga nursing 'to??? she thought, eyeing a group of students entering, all wearing white uniforms. Nursing students always had a different vibe, and she wasn’t sure if she was ready to deal with that today.
When there was only one seat left, she gave it a quick glance, half-hoping someone would skip it. But no—of course, the last person to walk in was none other than Aiah. She took the empty seat, right beside Stacey.
Lord, hinahamon niyo po talaga ako, Stacey thought, pressing her lips together as she tried not to roll her eyes. Why do we always end up in the same spaces?
It wasn’t like they were enemies, but there was something about Aiah that always made Stacey feel a little... unsettled. Maybe it was the way their paths always crossed at the most inconvenient times.
"Hi? Uhmm, the seat is not taken, right?" the lady in the white uniform asked, her voice tentative as she pointed to the empty spot beside Stacey.
Stacey blinked, her eyes flicking from the girl to the seat and then back to her. For a moment, she considered pretending the seat was taken, but she knew that would just be petty. Besides, the girl didn’t seem like she was trying to start anything.
With a small sigh, Stacey gave a tight smile. “No, it’s not taken,” she said, her voice polite but a little curt. She shifted in her seat, trying to make herself more comfortable. The last thing she needed was more distractions today, but the universe seemed determined to keep throwing curveballs her way.
The girl in the white uniform looked relieved, sitting down beside her and settling her things. Stacey couldn’t help but feel a little annoyed by the situation. Why does it have to be her? she thought to herself as the last few students trickled into the classroom. Of all the empty seats, it had to be next to Aiah. Great.
Contemporary 101 had always been one of Stacey's favorite subjects. She enjoyed the discussions, the analysis, and the opportunity to showcase her knowledge. But today was different. Today, the mere presence of the person sitting next to her—Aiah—was making her feel irritable. Atat na atat na akong umalis, she thought, her mind already wandering to how much easier it would be if she could just slip out of the room unnoticed.
Stacey couldn’t help but notice how often Aiah was raising her hand, answering every question the professor threw at the class. It was like she was trying so hard to prove something, and the worst part? It seemed like the professor actually knew her. She wasn’t just some random student; Aiah was clearly a favorite. It bugged Stacey more than she cared to admit.
Normally, Stacey would be all over those questions, competing to show off just how much she knew. Ipa-paramdam ko talaga sa buong klase kung gaano ako kagaling, she thought, feeling the familiar competitive spark rise within her. But not today. Today, she wasn’t in the mood to battle for attention, especially not with Aiah so close, taking up all the space with her eager participation.
Instead, Stacey sat there, trying to focus on the lecture, but it was impossible to shake the feeling that every time Aiah spoke, it was just another reminder of how everything felt like a contest in that room.
"That's all for today, class. Next week na natin pag-usapan ang pairing para sa output this sem. See you on Monday," the professor announced, signaling the end of the class.
Stacey quickly gathered her things, not bothering to stick around and chat with anyone. She was ready to get out of there. The entire session had been a struggle, and now, with the mention of the upcoming output pairing, her mind was already buzzing with thoughts of who she’d end up with. She hoped the professor wouldn’t pair her with someone who’d drag her down or, worse, Aiah.
As she stood up, she glanced over at Aiah, who was still chatting with a few classmates near the door. Stacey rolled her eyes, feeling a little annoyed, but quickly forced a smile. Just get out of here, Stacey, she told herself. She didn’t need to engage in whatever conversation was happening right now.
She walked out of the classroom, mentally preparing herself for the rest of the week—hoping, at least, that the next class would be less... tense.
**
"Gwenny, bakit iritang-irita ako sakanya?" Stacey asked, her voice laced with frustration as she sat down across from Gwen, who was busy munching on her food.
Gwen glanced up from her meal, raising an eyebrow. "Sino? Si Aiah?" she asked, already knowing the answer but wanting to hear Stacey’s thoughts on it.
Stacey sighed, leaning back in her seat. "I don't know, I just can't stand her. Parang she’s always trying to be the star of the show, and the worst part is... the professor loves her. It’s like she’s got the perfect life or something." She paused, her frustration bubbling up again. "I mean, is it just me or does she always make everything seem so easy?"
Gwen chuckled lightly, shaking her head. "Stacey, you know you’re just being a little competitive, right?" She took another bite of her food, seemingly unfazed by her friend’s tension. "I get it, pero maybe she’s just trying to do her best, just like you do."
Stacey crossed her arms, pouting slightly. "I get that, pero it’s like there’s always this... this pressure to outdo each other, you know? I hate how it always feels like I’m in competition with her, even if I don’t want to be. At hindi ko talaga alam pero kumukulo dugo ko pag andyan siya sa paligid."
Gwen swallowed her bite, offering a knowing look. "Maybe it’s not her. Maybe it’s you who’s putting all that pressure on yourself."
Gwen paused for a moment, her expression thoughtful as she set down her fork. "Or maybe," she started slowly, eyeing Stacey, "you can see yourself from her. Sobrang parehas kayo, and hindi ka lang sanay. You used to be the famous, smart queen bee sa university mo before."
Stacey’s eyes widened slightly, and for a split second, she felt like Gwen had hit a nerve. The queen bee... It stung, but there was truth to it. Back at her old university, she had been the one everyone noticed. The one who aced everything without breaking a sweat. And now, here, it felt like all of that was slipping through her fingers. Aiah was taking up all the space, effortlessly being that person Stacey used to be, and it irked her more than she cared to admit.
She stared at Gwen for a moment, trying to process what her friend had just said. "What are you trying to say, Gwenny?" she asked, her voice quieter now, more introspective.
Gwen leaned back, resting her chin on her hand. "Maybe it’s not that you hate her. Maybe it’s that she reminds you of the version of yourself you miss. The one that was always in control. And now... maybe you’re just not used to not being the one everyone’s looking at."
Stacey's thoughts raced, but Gwen’s words hit her like a ton of bricks. It was true. She had always been the center of attention, and now, with Aiah in the picture, she was left grappling with the feeling of being replaced.
Stacey sat in silence for a moment, Gwen’s words echoing in her mind. But as the thought lingered, another, softer truth began to emerge in her thoughts. Pero sa totoo lang, she thought, I’m lowkey enjoying it here. It wasn’t all bad. Sure, the whole "being challenged" thing bothered her, but there was a quiet part of her that was at peace.
She realized that here, things were different. The pressure to always be the best wasn’t as suffocating as it had been at her old university. Tahimik ang buhay, she reflected. Malayo sa toxic na mga tao. No more constant competitions or fake smiles, no more feeling like she had to prove herself every single day. In a way, it was a relief.
"Actually, I’ve been thinking," she said aloud, her voice softer now. "I kind of like it here. Hindi kasing toxic ng dati." She paused, glancing at Gwen. "I mean, yeah, it’s not as exciting as being the center of attention, but maybe... maybe that’s okay."
Gwen raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. "Wait, so you're saying you're enjoying being a little... under the radar?"
Stacey shrugged, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Yeah. It’s different, and maybe I’m still figuring it out, but... it's peaceful. Less drama. And honestly, I’m okay with that.