Chapter 5
It was only after Stacey left the classroom that Aiah finally felt like she could breathe. She couldn’t deny it—there was something about Stacey’s aura that was incredibly intimidating. But despite the nerves, she couldn’t help but admire her. She looked like a real-life Barbie doll, always perfectly dressed. She loved pink—almost everything she owned was pink—but somehow, it didn’t look tacky on her. Instead, she carried it with such elegance, like she was the one making the color look classy. And she smelled so good. Do I have a crush on her? Aiah frowned at her own thoughts. Nababaliw na ba ako? She shook her head. No way. There’s no way I’d ever have a crush on her… but… I mean, she is really pretty.
Aiah quickly snapped out of her thoughts as her phone rang, the screen lighting up with Jill’s name. Shoot, she thought, glancing at the time. They had a meeting in five minutes, and she had completely forgotten about it. Panic surged through her as she scrambled to grab her things, never siya nakalimot ng mga org meetings at never din siya nalate.
I hope they haven’t started yet, she thought anxiously, taking the stairs two at a time. Aiah’s thoughts were all over the place, but she tried to push them aside. Focus, Aiah. Focus on the meeting.
She made her way toward the office, pag dating niya roon siya nalang at si Ms. Aguilar na adviser nila ang hinihintay. Nakahinga siya ng maluwag ng makita na busy pa sa mobile games ang mga tao sa loob. Isa sa mga ayaw ni niya ay ang nalilate, she always keep her schedule organized.
Aiah rolled her eyes, fighting back a grin as she heard Kiko's teasing remark. “Oh, andito na pala si Pres/Ms. University,” he chimed, his tone dripping with mock admiration. The room fell silent for a moment before a chorus of laughter erupted, feeding Kiko’s ever-playful energy.
“Boang!” she shot back, shaking her head in disbelief. She couldn’t help but laugh with the group; Kiko’s antics never failed to lighten the mood, even during formal meetings.
“That’s right, Ms. University, don’t let us down!” Kiko added, his face lighting up mischievously. Aiah gave him a playful glare but secretly appreciated his enthusiasm—it was hard to stay mad at someone whose only goal seemed to be spreading cheer. She knew that even in his lightheartedness, Kiko had a way of keeping the team united.
The meeting went smoothly as their adviser outlined September's activities and hinted at the preparations needed for November's foundation week. Once it ended, Aiah headed straight to Elesio grounds to meet up with her friends. Mukhang kanina pa sila nag hihintay dahil tinadtad na siya ng "Asan ka na" sa group chat nila.
"Ay, antagal mo naman ineng," Jhoanna teased, her voice light and playful when she spotted Aiah approaching. Maloi and Colet were both busy with something on their phones, not noticing Aiah's arrival just yet.
Aiah gave a quick glance at her phone before slipping it back into her bag. She hated being late, even by a few minutes. Her friends might laugh it off, but for her, punctuality was a matter of pride. "Where’s Mikha?" she asked, trying to divert the attention away from her tardiness.
"Papunta na," Jho replied casually. "Kakatapos lang daw ng practice."
"Uy, bakit sayo lang nag-update at hindi sa gc?" Maloi chimed in with a grin, her voice laced with mischief. "Kayo ha, may label na ba?"
Aiah’s eyes widened in mock surprise, but the blush on her face was enough of a giveaway. "Secret, baka asset," Jho teased back, leaning back with her usual carefree grin.
"Kelangan talaga pilosopo ‘tong si Jho," Aiah muttered under her breath, though the smile on her face betrayed her amusement. The playful atmosphere between her friends always brought some comfort, even on days when her mind was somewhere else—like thinking about someone she shouldn’t be thinking about.
In their group, relationships were nothing new. Maloi and Colet had been together since their first year of college, two years now, always the couple that set the standard for the rest of them. Their easy chemistry was enviable, and Aiah couldn’t help but admire them for that.
Jho and Mikha, on the other hand, were still in the courting phase. Aiah could tell that Mikha had a soft spot for Jho, but they weren’t quite official yet. That’s how it was with Jho—always keeping things light, always full of jokes and philosophical insights, but never letting anyone get too close.
And then there was Aiah, the only one in the group without a partner. She had never really been in a relationship before. Her friends often teased her about it, but she always brushed it off, laughing along with them. The truth was, she didn’t quite know what it would feel like to be in a relationship. She’d never had the chance, and maybe it was because she didn’t think anyone would look her way.
Or maybe, just maybe, she was scared to let someone in.
"Balita ko Aiah, nagmerge nursing at engineering sa contemp subject?" Colet asked, his voice full of curiosity as he looked up from his phone.
"Yeah, and guess what," Aiah said, her tone flat, almost resigned, as she sank into the grass beside her friends. "Kaklase ko si Stacey."
A hushed silence fell over the group for a moment. Even Jhoanna and Maloi stopped their playful banter, turning their attention to Aiah. Colet raised an eyebrow, clearly not expecting that bit of information.
"Stacey?" Jhoanna echoed. "As in, that Stacey? The one everyone talks about?"
Aiah nodded, her fingers tugging absentmindedly at the hem of her jacket. "Yeah, her," she muttered, almost as if saying it out loud made the situation more real—and a bit more uncomfortable. "Can you believe it? Of all the people, it had to be her."
Maloi chuckled softly, trying to lighten the mood. "Naku, lucky ka naman. Kasi kung ako, I'd be ecstatic to have a class with someone like her."
Aiah rolled her eyes, her lips curving into a half-smile despite the nervous energy buzzing through her. "Easy for you to say. She’s... intimidating."
"Intimidating?" Colet repeated, raising an eyebrow. "I thought you were the one who doesn’t get intimidated, Aiah."
Aiah sighed, her shoulders slumping. "I mean, I don’t, but she... She’s just different, okay? Like, everything about her is perfect. Her clothes, the way she carries herself, her... everything." Aiah frowned at herself, feeling a little embarrassed as the words spilled out. "And I can’t even get my head straight in class with her there. It's weird."
Jhoanna grinned, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Ahhh, so there’s more to this than just a random classmate, huh?"
Aiah shot her a playful glare, but there was a hint of truth in Jho’s teasing. "Stop it. It’s not like that. I mean, yeah, she’s pretty and all, but that’s it, okay?" She tried to brush off the unease she felt, but even as she said it, she knew she was lying—at least to herself.
Colet, ever the calm one, leaned back, hands behind his head, and looked at Aiah thoughtfully. "You know, maybe it's just nerves. You're used to being the one who stands out, right? And suddenly, here’s someone who's too perfect. That’s gotta throw anyone off balance."
Aiah thought about it for a second. Maybe he had a point. She had always prided herself on being the one who had everything figured out. But now, with Stacey around, it felt like she was the one trying to fit into a world she didn’t quite understand.
"Yeah, maybe," she murmured, looking out at the horizon as the sun slowly set. "But it’s not just that. It’s like... every time I’m around her, I feel like I can’t breathe properly. Like I’m the one out of place."
Her friends were quiet for a moment, giving her space to process her thoughts. Jhoanna, after a beat, smirked.
"Well, Aiah, sounds like you’re crushing on her."
Aiah shot her a look, eyes widening. "What? No! I’m not—"
"Yup, you're definitely crushing on her," Jhoanna teased, nudging her side. "And it’s okay. You’re allowed to like someone. Even if it’s someone as intimidating as Stacey."
"Whatever," Aiah muttered, trying to hide the heat rushing to her cheeks. She leaned back against the tree, not wanting to admit what was going on in her heart. "Let’s just talk about something else, okay?"
The teasing continued, but Aiah could feel her friends’ understanding beneath the jokes. They weren’t going to push her if she wasn’t ready to open up.
"Sa wakas, Mikhaela Janna Jimeneah Lim, dumating ka rin!" Maloi remarked, her voice dramatic as she spotted Mikha approaching them. Mikha was still wearing her volleyball varsity uniform, sweat still visible on her brow from practice.
"Sorry naman, si coach kasi eh. Ang haggard ko tuloy," Mikha apologized, rubbing the back of her neck, looking a little sheepish. She gave them a tired smile as she dropped her bag next to the group.
"Ganda mo pa rin naman," Jho said quietly, with a smile that could only be described as fond, causing everyone to glance at her.
The comment caused a ripple of laughter to spread across the group. Aiah couldn’t help but smile too, mahal na mahal niya talaga ang mga babaeng ito and di niya maimagine kung gaano kaboring ang college life niya kung wala sila.
The group was still teasing Jhoanna, throwing corny remarks her way, making her roll her eyes in mock exasperation. "Ugh kainis naman kayo," Jhoanna huffed with a playful grin.
Aiah couldn’t help but laugh along, enjoying the carefree teasing—until her gaze drifted toward the parking lot, where she spotted Stacey.
There she was, laughing with a guy—her boyfriend, —who was helping her into the car. The scene felt almost too perfect, too easy. Stacey’s laughter filled the air as her boyfriend gently guided her into the car, the kind of moment that felt almost too intimate to witness.
Aiah felt something twist inside her. The smile on her face faltered, and she looked away quickly, trying to regain her composure. "Pffft, pangit ng view," she muttered under her breath, a bitter edge creeping into her voice.
Napailing na lang siya, trying to shake off the strange feelings that had bubbled up when she saw Stacey with her boyfriend. Even she couldn’t understand what had just happened—why seeing the two of them together had triggered such a weird reaction in her. Nagkibit balikat nalang siya at kinuha ang bag niya ng magkayayaan ang grupo na umuwi na.