Chapter 7
If there was one day Aiah could’ve easily erased from existence, it would’ve been today. Saturday, exactly 2 PM, the time when her Contemporary class was about to start. She sat at her usual seat, pretending to look busy as her classmates filled the space with idle chatter. But her thoughts were a million miles away, trapped in one embarrassing moment that refused to leave her mind.
It had been almost a week since she'd last seen Stacey, and Aiah couldn’t shake the dread that had been building ever since. She thought back to that one impulsive moment on Instagram, the one where she’d liked Stacey’s post and—worse—followed her accidentally. Aiah cringed just thinking about it.
She kept telling herself it was nothing, that it was just a casual mistake. But the thought of Stacey possibly remembering, possibly laughing about it with her friends, sent a cold shiver down her spine. Sana wag niya maalala… she wished, her stomach tightening as she watched the clock tick closer to class time.
Aiah’s heart skipped a beat as she saw Stacey walk into the room, her presence as undeniable as the tension that immediately filled the air. Stacey, oblivious to Aiah’s internal panic, strolled confidently toward the chair beside hers, as if nothing had ever happened.
But Aiah couldn’t look at her. Not now. Not after what she’d done. Instead, she buried her face in the pages of her book, pretending to be absorbed in the text, though her mind was anything but focused. Her fingers gripped the edges of the book so tightly, she was sure they would leave marks. Every inch of her body screamed for a distraction, anything to avoid making eye contact or, worse, engaging in conversation.
Stacey sat down with a soft sigh, the chair creaking under her weight. Aiah could hear the faint rustling of her bag as she settled in, and for a moment, it felt as if the entire room was holding its breath, waiting for something to break the silence. But all that came was the sound of the professor walking in.
Professor Ortega entered, “Ready na ba kayo para sa pairing niyo for the reportings and performance task?” Professor Ortega’s voice echoed through the classroom, and as soon as the words left his mouth, a chorus of groans followed. The thought of being paired up for the dreaded reporting and performance task was enough to send shivers down anyone's spine.
Aiah’s stomach twisted nervously. She’d been dreading this moment since the professor first announced the task. She couldn’t concentrate on anything else, her mind only focusing on what could happen if she was paired with... her.
Professor Ortega didn’t seem bothered by the groans. He held up a small, weathered box—its edges soft from too many years of use. With a quick flick of his wrist, he began pulling names from the box. The class held its breath as the first pairings were read out loud.
“For the first lucky pair,” Professor Ortega began, his eyes scanning the paper in his hand. “We have Aiah Arceta from Nursing and... Stacey Sevilleja from Engineering.”
Aiah froze, her heart dropping into her stomach. The name echoed in her mind—Stacey Sevilleja. Her worst fear had come true. Her gaze shot toward Stacey, who had, coincidentally, just turned her head in Aiah’s direction. Their eyes met for a fleeting moment, and the awkwardness in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife.
Aiah didn’t know what to do, what to say. She felt paralyzed. All she could think about was that one moment on Instagram—the like, the follow. Would Stacey remember? Would she say something? Or, worse yet, would she pretend like nothing happened, and Aiah would be left drowning in her own embarrassment?
She quickly glanced down at the book in front of her, hoping to hide behind it. A faint blush crept up her neck. Sana hindi niya maalala... she thought desperately. Sana hindi ko nalang siya inistalk sa IG...
Stacey, meanwhile, simply nodded, unfazed. She seemed perfectly calm, almost indifferent, as she began organizing her things. Aiah, on the other hand, was a mess of nerves and second-guessing. What was she supposed to do now? They were going to have to work together for the performance task. This could either be a disaster... or a chance to somehow make things right.
The next two hours of class dragged on painfully for Aiah. Her mind, unable to focus on anything else, kept returning to the thought of working with Stacey. Every word the professor said, every instruction, felt distant and muffled. The only thing that mattered was the fact that she was now paired up with the one person she’d been trying to avoid.
Aiah knew what had happened between them—those awkward encounters, the unspoken tension that had built up over time. Stacey had every reason to dislike her. The Instagram slip-up was just the tip of the iceberg. Aiah had no illusions about how Stacey felt. She fully expected Stacey to complain, to make a scene, maybe even go to Professor Ortega and request a different partner.
But to Aiah’s surprise, Stacey didn’t do any of that. Instead, she simply smiled, a small, almost unreadable curve of her lips, and then went back to taking notes. Her focus was completely on the task at hand, as if nothing had happened. As if they weren’t standing at the edge of an incredibly awkward, possibly tense situation.
Aiah, still unsure of how to act, glanced at Stacey out of the corner of her eye. Stacey didn’t seem bothered at all. Her posture was calm, her attention completely on the lecture. It almost seemed like she hadn’t noticed the tension between them, or worse—maybe she was pretending not to. But no matter how Aiah tried to convince herself that everything was fine, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.
Every now and then, Aiah would catch a glimpse of Stacey’s notebook, her pen moving swiftly as she jotted down notes. Stacey was so focused that it felt like Aiah wasn’t even there, as if she were invisible. That only made Aiah feel more self-conscious. Was Stacey pretending to ignore her, or was it Aiah who was the one overthinking things?
Time crawled by, and Aiah’s thoughts became a blur of anxiety. She kept waiting for Stacey to speak up, to say something—anything—about the pairing. But all she got was that same quiet smile. Stacey’s behavior was confusing, to say the least.
When the professor finally dismissed them, Aiah felt a strange mix of relief and unease. It was over—for now. But as the students packed up and began to file out of the room, Aiah couldn’t help but wonder if this uneasy truce would hold, or if she was just waiting for the storm to hit.
As the class finally wrapped up, Aiah gathered her things slowly, trying to avoid making any unnecessary eye contact with Stacey. But just as she was about to stand up, she heard a voice behind her.
“You know how to contact me, right?”
Aiah froze, her hand still gripping the strap of her bag. She turned around, confused. Stacey was standing there, looking at her with an unreadable expression. Her calm demeanor hadn’t changed.
"Ha?" Aiah asked, feeling her nerves spike.
Stacey raised an eyebrow, as if it should have been obvious. “You followed me on IG, so you can message me there regarding the reportings and output.”
Aiah blinked, her mind trying to catch up with the words. Oh. Right. The Instagram follow... That slip-up she had tried so hard to forget. Of course, Stacey must have noticed. Of course, this was how they were going to handle things—through messages about the project. Aiah felt a flush creep up her neck, but she quickly pushed it down.
“Oh, okay,” Aiah mumbled, nodding awkwardly.
Stacey gave her a small nod in return, offering no more than that before turning to walk away, disappearing into the flow of students heading for the door. Aiah stood there for a few moments, feeling both relieved and strangely abandoned. Stacey hadn’t said anything harsh, hadn’t even given her a chance to explain the awkwardness of the follow. She’d simply... moved on.
It was as if she didn’t care at all about what had happened. Or maybe she did, but was choosing to ignore it. Either way, Aiah was left standing in the middle of the room, staring at her phone in her hand, still unsure of what to make of the entire exchange.
**
Kanina pa pagulong -gulong si Aiah sa kwarto niya at hindi mapakali. She had been going back and forth in her mind for a while now, wondering if she should message Stacey or not. She wanted to get the reporting done as soon as possible, so they could wrap it up before next week. The idea of dragging it out, working with a partner—especially Stacey—was stressing her out. She’d rather get it over with now, but it was going to take time.
She’d honestly rather do a solo report than have to partner up with anyone. At least then she wouldn’t have to worry about the awkwardness. And besides, their professor was lazy—he didn’t like to teach, always preferring to focus on his own stuff. She could already picture the frustration of working with a partner when they had to deal with a professor who wouldn’t really help them.
Aiah glanced at her phone, still unsure whether she should message Stacey. She thought of different ways to start the message. “Hey, how’s it going? About the reporting…” No, that sounded too formal. “So, the reporting…” Ugh, that was awkward too. The more she thought about it, the more complicated it seemed.
Aiah sat there staring at her screen for what felt like ages. She typed, deleted, and retyped a few more times before finally landing on something simple. "Hi, good evening. Are you free tomorrow?"
After what felt like an eternity, Aiah’s phone buzzed. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw the notification—Stacey is typing...
Aiah held her breath, staring at the screen, her mind racing with what Stacey might say. A few seconds later, the message came through:
"Uhm, I have a shoot tomorrow, but I am free 3 PM onwards."
Aiah quickly read the message, a strange mixture of relief and anxiety flooding her. Stacey’s reply wasn’t cold, but it wasn’t exactly warm either. At least she wasn’t blowing Aiah off, which made the situation a little easier to handle. Still, the thought of meeting up with her tomorrow for the reporting task was... intimidating.
Aiah tapped her phone screen a few times, thinking about how to respond. Should I just say okay? Or suggest something more specific? The uncertainty of their communication made it feel like they were both walking on eggshells.
Finally, she typed back:
"Okay, 3 PM works for me. See you then."
Aiah’s phone buzzed again, and her heart skipped when she saw the reply from Stacey:
“Is it okay sa Beanie Cafe nalang tayo magkita? Since the studio for my shoot is near there. Hope you wouldn’t mind.”
Aiah stared at the screen, her thoughts a mix of relief and unease. Stacey was being reasonable, but the last part of the message made her stomach twist. Hope you wouldn’t mind. It was as if Stacey was trying to make sure she wasn’t inconveniencing Aiah, but it still felt a bit… off.
Aiah quickly calculated the distance from her unit to the cafe. It would take her about 20 minutes to get there, but she wasn’t going to complain. After all, it made sense for Stacey—she was the one with the shoot, so the cafe location was more convenient for her.
Aiah thought for a moment, then typed her response, trying to keep it casual and neutral, even though she wasn’t feeling completely at ease.
"Okay, no worries," she typed back, her fingers hovering for a second before hitting send. She felt a bit better about the whole thing now, though a small part of her still wished this could all be over already.
She set the phone down, feeling a little less anxious but still bracing herself for tomorrow. It wasn’t ideal, but at least they had a plan.
**
Stacey was already on her way to the studio. Gwen had already messaged her, letting her know that she and Sheena were both there, ready for the shoot. Today, she was driving herself—alone. Her boyfriend was off on a family trip to Boracay, so it was just her today. She didn’t mind the solitude; in fact, it gave her a moment to think and prepare for the shoot ahead.
As she pulled up to the studio, she spotted Gwen and Sheena standing outside. They waved excitedly as Stacey parked and got out of the car. The moment Stacey stepped out, Sheena and Gwen were already there, rushing to greet her with tight hugs.
"Ang fresh mo naman!" Sheena exclaimed, pulling Stacey into a warm embrace. Stacey chuckled, feeling the familiar sense of camaraderie she always shared with her friends.
Sheena stepped back to take a look at her, her eyes scanning her outfit with an approving nod. Stacey had kept it simple yet stylish—a white skirt paired with a pink fitted top that accentuated her figure. Her makeup was already done, and she would just need a quick touch-up before they started.
“Thanks,” Stacey smiled, adjusting her skirt. "I was in a rush this morning di tumunog alarm ko jusko, but I'm glad it looks okay."
Gwen, who had been standing nearby, gave her a thumbs-up. "You look amazing naman Staks as always."
The shoot was for a brand owned by one of Stacey’s close friends, a friend who recently launched a clothing line that had been gaining some serious attention. Stacey had agreed to model for her friend’s new collection, knowing how much this shoot meant to her. It wasn’t just a job—it was personal.
After the group exchanged a few more pleasantries, they all headed into the studio, ready to start the shoot. Stacey felt the excitement building up as she prepared for another day of modeling. It wasn’t just about looking good for the camera, but also about helping her friend’s business grow. She was more than happy to be a part of it.
"Nice one, Stacey, kapit ka sa bewang ni Gwen, yan, nice," the photographer called out, his voice clear and focused as he adjusted the camera. Stacey smiled, holding the pose, feeling the familiar pressure of the shoot. Gwen was standing close, her hand lightly on Stacey’s waist, both of them working together in sync for the shot.
"Isa pa, tingin naman dito!" the photographer called again, motioning for them to shift slightly. Stacey adjusted her gaze, directing it towards the camera, trying to look natural yet elegant.
"Atras ka ng konti, Gwen," he instructed as he walked around to get a better angle. Gwen, without hesitation, took a step back, while Stacey maintained her stance, trying to stay relaxed.
The studio was filled with the sound of the camera clicking as the photographer captured their every move. It was a steady rhythm, one that Stacey was used to. The shoot wasn’t complicated, but it required precision—every little movement mattered, every little detail counted.
Gwen and Stacey were doing their best to make the shoot fun, laughing between shots, keeping the mood light so that Stacey didn’t get too tense. Stacey appreciated the teams effort; it made the whole process feel less like work and more like a collaboration between friends.
"Okay, perfect. Let's try something a little more dynamic now, Stacey," the photographer said, finally stepping back and checking the shots on his camera. "Gwen, you're going to turn slightly to the left, and Stacey, I want you to look over her shoulder, yeah? Let’s get that perfect shot."
Stacey nodded, ready to move into the next pose.
“That’s a wrap! Thanks for today, guys!” The photographer’s voice echoed through the studio, signaling the end of the shoot. Everyone relaxed a little, the tension from the camera's lenses lifting as they began to pack up their things.
Stacey, Gwen, and Sheena started gathering their belongings, but Sheena suddenly spoke up. “Kain tayo sa labas?”
Stacey paused for a moment, hesitating. She glanced at her friends, then shook her head. “Uhm, pass muna ako, guys. May lakad pa ako.”
Gwen and Sheena exchanged puzzled looks. They knew Stacey wasn’t one to go anywhere solo—especially since Lucas, her boyfriend, was away on his family trip in Boracay.
“Sino kasama mo?” Gwen asked, raising an eyebrow, her tone teasing. It was clear they were both curious.
Stacey let out a small sigh, feeling a little embarrassed, but she didn’t want to hide it. “I need to meet Aiah dyan sa cafe sa malapit, we need to talk regarding sa reporting namin.”
There was a brief silence before Sheena gave her a playful look. “Wow, so wala ng inis moment sayo?”
Stacey chuckled, a little embarrassed by the reminder of her earlier frustration. “Nah, andyan pa rin ‘yung inis ko, pero what to do? Alangan hind ko gawin ang reporting at bumagsak ako dahil ayoko sa partner ko?”
Gwen grinned, shaking her head. “You really have a way of making everything work, huh?”
Before Stacey could respond, her phone buzzed with a message. She quickly glanced at it. "I’m here." Aiah had sent the message 5 minutes ago.
“Speaking of Aiah,” Stacey said, showing them her phone. “She’s already at the cafe.”
“Okay, okay,” Gwen teased, crossing her arms. “Go ahead, don’t keep her waiting.”
Stacey smiled, feeling a mix of nerves and relief. She stood up, grabbing her things. “Thanks, guys. I’ll see you later.”
With one last wave, Stacey headed out of the studio, ready to face whatever conversation awaited her with Aiah.