[Clayrin Aisfine Ezz]
I ended up in HUMSS Section A—the same section as Jovenyl—after Section D got dissolved. They said our old classrooms were going to be converted for the incoming ABM and GAS sections.
So now, Humanities and Social Science students share the floor with other strand students.
The transition wasn’t that hard for me. I already knew several people in Jovenyl’s section, and luckily, Yvette was transferred along with me. Talk about a win.
Today is November 5.
Just two more months until Christmas. I can almost taste the sweet food we’ll have during Noche Buena.
> Does Jow even celebrate Christmas? What religion does he follow again?<
“Clay, are you okay?” Jovenyl called out to me.
I snapped out of my thoughts. I was sitting on the smooth floor, leaning back, while the two of them—Jovenyl and Yvette—stood near the blackboard, scribbling whatever came to mind.
Our classroom was quiet. No one else had arrived yet. The chairs were all still neatly arranged. Outside, the sun hadn’t fully risen; morning dew still clung to the windows when I came in.
“You’re spacing out already? Do you miss our old section or something?” Yvette asked.
I shook my head and made an X with my arms.
“Never. That class was a toxic jungle. So many jealous boys and girls. Ugh. It was like living in a bad soap opera with NPCs pretending to be main characters.” I even mimed gagging for emphasis.
Jovenyl laughed, hands on her hips.
“Did you just call them NPCs? They’re actual human beings, you know.”
> Cute… she really healed. She’s laughing again.<
I found myself smiling at her. Jovenyl’s laugh—it was sincere, loud, and beautiful. I love seeing her like this. Genuinely happy.
“You guys heard about that good-looking transfer student from Ilocos Sur?” Yvette said suddenly, making a disappointed face. “I wonder if he’s ever been to Vigan. That place is gorgeous.”
She was talking about Lumiel—our childhood friend.
I just shrugged.
“Do you like him or something? Girl, you seriously need to take a break from K-dramas,” I teased.
“She’s got a point,” Jovenyl chimed in.
“You two are so mean,” Yvette whined, pouting. “It’s just a crush.”
> Cute. Like a baby carabao begging for milk.<
“Just because he’s your childhood friend doesn’t mean you get to block me from crushing on him,” Yvette snapped.
Jovenyl and I exchanged glances, then burst into laughter.
“Silly girl. We’re not against you, we’re against him,” Jovenyl said. “Why waste your time on a guy like that?”
“He’s a flirt. Dangerously charming,” I added.
Yvette didn’t say anything. She just turned back to the board and kept writing.
That lunatic. She clapped back with chalk and vengeance.
She drew an umbrella. My name was on the right handle, and Jow’s on the left.
I pressed a hand to my forehead. “Hey! Erase that before anyone else walks in. If someone sees that, Jow’s going to be in trouble with the boys in our class…”
“Why did you even draw that?” Jovenyl asked. Her face twisted in confusion.
Before Yvette could answer, Jovenyl wiped it off with her hand.
“Clay doesn’t deserve someone like Jow,” she said—loud and sharp.
I blinked, startled. She had taken Yvette’s joke seriously.
I quickly signaled Yvette with a panicked look.
Yvette immediately hugged Jovenyl and apologized. Jovenyl calmed down and hugged her back.
I let out a long exhale and tried to regulate my breath. Twice I inhaled and exhaled again.
But my heart—it started pounding. Hard. Loud. Unsettling.
I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone. The screen was off, but my reflection was still visible.
My expression confused me.
> Wait… Am I upset? Why am I upset? About what?<
The reflection stared back—a warped version of myself. Angry. Eyes narrow and sharp, lips pressed into a tight line, brows furrowed in a way that looked alien to me. My cheeks felt hot, flushed with something I couldn’t explain. It felt like I was watching a stranger wear my face.
> Is that what anger looks like… on me?<
I shoved the phone back into my pocket and stood up.
Stretched my arms, shook the tension out of my body.
“I’ll go to the restroom,” I told them, stepping out of the classroom.
I needed to wash this face off—whatever this expression was.
---
Class ended for the day. On our way out of campus, the three of us split up. Yvette lived close by and walked home, while Jovenyl and I usually took the bus.
She was unusually quiet.
As we walked, I nudged her lightly.
“Hey, are you at that point in life where, if aliens showed up and asked to take you away, you’d just say yes?” I chuckled weakly.
She didn’t laugh. Just let out a long sigh, her shoulders slumped as she looked at me.
> What's wrong with her?<
“Hey, hey,” I said, trying again, “Do you know what you call tea that’s all gone?”
She didn’t respond, so I answered my own joke.
“Emptea! Get it? Empty-tea?”
She crossed her arms, her brows knitting together.
“That’s what you get for scrolling too much Facebook, Clay.” She muttered.
She took a few calming breaths and stepped closer. Then she tapped my shoulder gently.
“Sorry about earlier,” she said softly. “With the umbrella drawing thing.”
> Oh, that’s what she’s been thinking about?<
I scratched my temple awkwardly.
“No, it’s fine. If anything, you should forgive Yvette. She was just messing around. She didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. I mean… Jow is your ex. Anyone would feel weird seeing someone pair him up with another girl, especially since it hasn’t even been a year since the breakup.”
She shook her head.
“That’s not why I got upset,” she said. “What really pissed me off was the thought of Jow hurting you… the way he hurt me.”
The moment those words left her lips, something sharp and invisible pierced my chest.
My breathing grew heavy. My ears burned. My neck felt warm. Sweat gathered at my temples.
> Jovenyl… I don’t like how you said that.
> You—someone who’s moved on, already flirting online—
> And he… he’s still thinking about you. Still holding on.<
“Forget about what happened earlier,” I told her, firmly. “Besides, I’m aromantic. I don’t even get flustered by real people. My heart’s only ever responded to 2D. Even when I find anime characters cute or hot, all I can think is, ‘friend material.’”
She gave me a light chop on the head.
“You can’t date fictional characters.”
“Ouch! My dream…” I mumbled.
She slung her arm around my shoulder.
“Come on, we’ll miss the bus. I am *not* walking three kilometers home.”
“Same,” I agreed quickly. “Hey, wait—we live one barangay away from each other!”
“Yeah, but we’re near the border of each, so that’s like, what, a few meters?”
I slapped my forehead.
> Right… I forgot about that.<
To be continued.