"Kung siya ang makakauna, tapos na ako," Aila whispered shakily habang nakapatong ang noo niya sa mesa ng café.
"Chill," Audrey said, sliding a caramel macchiato in front of her. "Hindi pa naman siya nagsasalita. Wala pa sa GC. Tahimik pa ang bruha."
Pero si Aila, hindi mapakali. Ramdam niya ang threat. Angela was circling like a vulture, enjoying her power. That wicked smile sa elevator kanina wasn't just for show.
"Alam mo 'yung masakit?" Aila murmured. "Na-realize kong... ayoko nang matalo kasi hindi na siya laro."
Audrey blinked, her fingers tightening around her cup. "Aila..."
"I think I like him. I really do."
Silence. Heavy, raw, and terrifying.
Then Audrey sighed, "You better fix this before it explodes sa mukha mo."
Meanwhile, Ian stared at his screen. Blank. Like his mind.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡITQ8N1Ml0y
He'd been trying to write a project proposal, pero ang lumalabas lang ay isang draft ng message sa Notes app.
"I think I'm falling for her."
He looked at it. Then deleted it. Then rewrote it. Then closed his laptop altogether.
"She's unpredictable," he muttered, leaning back on his chair. "Annoying. Loud. She teases me like we've known each other forever."33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjX9rQ3BE7x
But also...33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiPS3bLukj7
"She listens. She doesn't flinch when I talk about things that scare other people. She makes me feel like I can be someone else. Someone lighter."
He dragged a hand through his hair. "Putik."
Later that afternoon, Angela strolled past Aila's desk with her signature smirk.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5IDkZXYXQs
"Dinner bukas, team," she announced. "My treat. Don't be late, Briones."
Aila stiffened. "May special announcement ka ba, boss?"
Angela leaned down and whispered, "Depends. Gusto mo ba ako ang magkwento tungkol sa challenge mo?"
Aila's breath hitched. "What do you want?"
Angela just winked. "I just want to see how far you'll go before the truth burns you alive."
That night, sa apartment nila Audrey at Maila, they staged a war council.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVvcMjEKhnf
Kimberly paced. "We should get ahead of her. Sabihin mo na kay Ian."33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIlHcDx2A3j
Aila shook her head. "Hindi pa ako ready. Hindi ko kaya kung mawala siya ngayon."
Maila frowned. "Pero hindi ba mas masakit kung sa ibang tao pa niya marinig?"
Aila swallowed hard. "I'm scared, okay? I didn't think this would go this far. I thought... kaya kong kontrolin. But I can't."
John, na tahimik lang kanina, finally spoke. "Then you need to decide. Kung ipaglalaban mo ba siya—o papayag kang manira si Angela ng hindi ka lumalaban."
The next morning, Ian found a sticky note on his desk.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjG3jnTJnG1
"Coffee break, 10AM? I'll bring your usual. – A"
And despite the chaos inside him, he smiled.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0j38XbxEL
What was it about her that made him... hope?
10AM. Rooftop café.
Aila handed him a cup of hot Americano. "Extra strong. Para sa taong walang puso."
Ian raised a brow. "Luma na 'yang joke."
"Pero effective," she grinned, trying to act normal even if her heart was breaking.
They sat in silence for a while. Then she said, "Ian, can I ask you something?"
He nodded.
"If someone hurt you... but they didn't mean to at first, and then they regretted it... would you listen to their side?"
Ian looked at her sharply. "Who hurt you?"
Aila blinked. "H-huh?"
"You always frame things like someone else, pero parang ikaw 'yung tinutukoy mo."
She looked away. "Forget I asked."
But Ian reached out, hesitated, then lightly touched her fingers. "I don't like being lied to, Aila."
Her eyes stung. "I know."
He pulled back. "And yet, I feel like I'm falling into something I don't understand."
Aila held her breath. Don't say it. Not yet. Please, not before I'm ready.
"I'm not ready either," she whispered. "But I'm here. That should count for something, right?"
Ian didn't answer. But he didn't let go of her gaze either.
That night, Angela's private message to Aila:33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk1pZrIfx7J
"Get ready, sweetheart. Bukas, sasabog na ang fireworks."
Aila stared at the screen.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIrIyFCoUge
I'm running out of time.
She clicked on Ian's chat box.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0oOj7IDw2Q
Typed:
"Can we talk before dinner tomorrow?"33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPuqXOtvUQ4
Paused.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4xria0TCVq
Deleted.33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf9CcRrbjSj
Typed again:33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCLzc8dd0cD
"There's something I need to tell you. I just hope it won't change everything."33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwuxWlGy9F2
Sent.
33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYPb5q7YSSR
and then Add to home screen.