It was morning and the sun was already rising when someone suddenly shouted from downstairs.

 “Daniella! It’s already late! Get up or you’ll be late for school!” yelled Daniella’s mother.

 But it seemed Daniella didn’t hear her—she was still sound asleep, mouth open and not moving at all.

 “Honestly, it’s the same scene every year with this daughter of mine,” her mother muttered as she climbed the old stairs leading to Daniella’s room. Upon entering, she saw that Daniella was still fast asleep.

 “Daniella! Get up, it’s already late. It’s your first day as a senior in high school, and here you are—still sleeping!”

 Daniella slowly opened her eyes, and the first thing she saw was her mother’s furrowed brow.

 “Good morning, senyorita. Your breakfast is ready,” her mom teased playfully.

 “Really? Okay, I’ll follow you to the kitchen in a bit,” Daniella replied groggily, which made her mom pinch her ear.

 “Ouch, Mom! I just woke up!”

 “Don’t start with me, Daniella! Get up and eat before you leave. It’s such a chore waking you up! You’re worse than a rich girl with a team of maids!”

 While her mother continued to scold her, Daniella quickly got out of bed and rushed out of the room.

 “Mom really is louder than an alarm clock. But to be fair—she’s effective,” Daniella said with a smile as she walked toward the kitchen.

 While she was eating, her mom came down and started scolding her again.

 “You little rascal, I was still talking to you, and you just walked away from me again!”

 “Come on, Mom. It’s too early for all that noise,” Daniella complained as she chewed.

 “Well, you should be! Look at the clock. You’re already late!”

 Daniella turned to look at the wall clock—and to her shock, she only had 30 minutes left before the school gate would close. She quickly stuffed hotdogs and rice into her mouth without even chewing properly. Then she dashed to the bathroom, took a quick shower, got ready, and said goodbye to her mom.

---

Daniella’s school was close by, but if she didn’t leave early, she’d definitely get locked out. That’s why she was walking-rushing now just to make it on time.

 As she reached the gate, the security guard was just about to close it.

 “Sir, wait!” she shouted, raising her hand.

 The guard, Mr. Tony, looked back at her.

 “You haven’t changed, Daniella. Still late, as always. Go on in. Your class is about to start.”

 “Thanks, Mr. Tony!” she called back, waving as she ran toward her classroom. Thankfully, the teacher hadn’t arrived yet.

 She sat beside her best friend, Bree.

 “Good thing you woke up,” Bree teased.

 “Obviously I’m alive—you can see me, right?” Daniella replied with a smirk and a roll of her eyes.

 “Still sarcastic, huh? What I meant was, at least you weren’t late. Otherwise, you’d already have an absence on the first day.”

 “Thanks to my loud mom. If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t be here right now.”

 The class suddenly fell silent as their teacher entered.

 “Good morning, class. I just want to inform you that you’ll all be in the same section again this year. But there will be a new addition.”

 Everyone in Section C exchanged curious looks. They’d been classmates for almost four years, so they were all very familiar with one another.

 “Dan, do you think the new student is a transferee?” Bree asked.

 “I don’t know. Let’s just wait and see.”

 “You can come in now,” the teacher called out.

 The door opened. A few seconds passed before the new student walked in—and Daniella felt like her world stopped when she saw who it was.

 “Introduce yourself,” the teacher said.

 “Good morning. I'm William,” he said briefly, with no emotion on his face.

 Bree noticed how Daniella seemed frozen in her seat and immediately shook her arm.

 “You look like an idiot!”

 “Bree… tell me this is just a dream. William isn’t really our classmate now, is he?”

 “Yeah, it’s just a dream. Because you’re still sleeping and dreaming,” Bree teased, playing along.

 Daniella shot her a sharp glare.

 “Seriously, Dan. This is strange. William has always been in Section A every year here at school, right? He’s one of the top students—and now he’s in Section C? Why?”

 Daniella herself was wondering why William had been transferred to their class this year. She turned her gaze to the front—and caught William looking in their direction. She froze, like she was paralyzed.

 The teacher spoke again.

 “You’re probably wondering why William Franco transferred here. He’s one of the top students in your batch. But this year, we’re implementing a new program. William will be the tutor of one of you.”

 The students began murmuring.

 “So now, take out an index card. Write your full name and pass it forward. William, you’ll draw one.”

 “Yes, ma’am,” the class replied in unison.

 Everyone wrote their names and passed their index cards forward. The teacher handed them to William. Without wasting time, the teacher laid all the cards out in front of him.

 William silently passed his fingers over the index cards. Almost every girl in the class was secretly praying for him to draw their name.

 Finally, his finger stopped on one card. He picked it up.

 “Daniella Sanchez,” he said calmly.

 But it seemed Daniella didn’t hear her name.

 “Hey! He picked you!” Bree said, shaking her shoulder.

 “Huh? What?”

 “You nutcase! You’re the one William’s going to tutor. What on earth were you thinking about?!”

 Daniella turned to the front—and just then, her eyes met William’s. She couldn’t move. She couldn’t even blink.

 “Dan, are you okay? The wind might blow you away and you’ll stay like that forever!” Bree joked.

 Daniella snapped out of it, but when she looked back, William was no longer staring at them.

 “Okay, class. Back to your seats. Mr. William, please sit to the right of Miss Sanchez, across from her.”

 Time seemed to stop for Daniella. William was only a few inches away from her. He sat down quietly and calmly, while Daniella grew more restless. She kept sneaking glances at him.

 “This might just be the best year of high school ever…” Daniella thought, holding back a smile.

Since her first year of Senior High School, Daniella had harbored a crush on William. She always made an effort—pretending to casually walk through the hallway where he usually passed, sneaking glances into his classroom, or volunteering for events he participated in. And now, they were already in their final year… yet William had never shown even the slightest sign of feeling the same way.

The school day came and went, packed with classes, and Daniella was just about to head to home when William suddenly approached her.

“When you're done there, follow me,” he said curtly before turning around and walking away.

Though confused, Daniella followed him. She walked quietly behind him until William stopped at an empty bench near the basketball court. He turned to her, his face serious.

“About me tutoring you—there are a few rules to avoid any problems,” William began.

Daniella nodded silently.

“First, be on time. Don't be late. Second, if it’s not about tutoring, don’t talk to me. Got it?”

“Got it,” Daniella replied quickly.

“Third, I expect you to at least understand half of what I teach you. Focus on the lesson, not on me.”

Daniella winced and kicked the ground lightly with the tip of her shoe.

“Are you even listening?” William asked, brows slightly furrowed.

Daniella lifted her head and smiled. “Of course. I heard everything.”

“Then I’m leaving.” It looked like William was about to say more but decided not to. He turned and walked away.

Daniella watched him go, a smile forming on her lips.

“He hasn’t changed at all… still grumpy. But this might just be the best year for me. I’ll finally get to be with him. I won’t have to stalk him anymore just to find out where he is. And hey, he didn’t say I had to stop what I used to do, so I’m going to keep at it!”

She held both her cheeks with a dreamy smile, as if floating on air.

---

While Daniella was still in that dazed state, Bree finally found her after searching for a while.

“Dan! I’ve been looking all over for you! And what’s that look on your face? You look like you’re not even here.”

Startled, Daniella quickly turned to Bree.

“What happened to you?”

“Nothing. Come on, let’s go home,” she said, still smiling as she walked ahead.

“It’s just the first day of school and Dan’s already lost it. Unbelievable,” Bree muttered, following her out of the campus.

---

Bree’s house was closer, so she arrived home first. Daniella, on the other hand, had to cross one more street. She wasn’t used to riding a tricycle home—she thought it was a waste of money if the walk was manageable.

As she walked, that familiar feeling crept up on her again—the one she always got on the way home. Since first year, she’d often felt like someone was following her. But whenever she looked back, there was no one—no person, not even a stray animal. At first, it scared her. But over time, she got used to it. Maybe it was all in her head, she thought.

When she finally reached the front of their house, she saw her mother sitting in their little nipa hut, sipping coffee.

“Mom, I'm back!” she called out.

Maria, her mother, frowned. “You yell like you just came home from another country.”

“Didn’t you miss me?”

“No! Now go get changed before you infect me with your nonsense,” she replied before taking another sip of coffee.

Daniella just smiled and went inside.

“That’s my mom… she always goes along with my silly moods,” she said, shaking her head while looking for clothes to change into.

Ever since her father passed away, Daniella had made it her mission to keep her mom smiling. Even their daily banter helped distract her from the fact that it was just the two of them now. So even if her mother often scolded her, Daniella knew she was playing along—pretending not to, but playing along all the same.

---

After changing, Daniella sat at her mini table, opened a drawer, and pulled out a small box.

“I saved up for this for a long time…”

She opened it slowly. Inside was a necklace with a pendant shaped like the letter D, encased within a ring.

“You’re my final gift for him. Next year, we graduate. I don’t even know where he’ll go for college. So in case I can’t follow him, at least I’ll get to give this to him—and that’s enough.”

She stared at it for a while before closing the box and putting it back into the drawer.

“This is your last chance, Daniella. If nothing happens by graduation… it’s time to move on,” she whispered to herself, then smiled and left the room.

---

Meanwhile, William had just arrived home. Even though they had a car, he chose to walk. An elderly housekeeper—Lydia—greeted him at the door.

“Oh dear, why do you insist on walking when you have a car?”

William simply smiled and headed to the living room, sitting down on the sofa.

“What kind of answer is that? A smile?” Lydia grumbled as she followed him.

“Are you hungry? I made some snacks. Want to eat?”

“Just coffee, Lydia. That’s enough.”

“You sure?”

William nodded, so Lydia went off to prepare a cup.

While waiting, William leaned back into the couch. The house was quiet… but his thoughts were loud. He stared at the ceiling, and then suddenly smiled to himself.

When Lydia returned with the coffee, she noticed the smile on his face.

“William, are you okay? Why are you smiling like that? Did something good happen?”

William sat up properly. “Nothing much, Lydia. I just remembered something funny.”

“I see. Alright, I’ll leave you for now. I’ve still got things to do in the kitchen. Your mom and dad will be home in a few hours.”

Lydia walked off, while William quietly sipped his coffee.

William’s parents owned a company, so they lived comfortably. But despite their status, they weren’t arrogant. They were humble and taught William the same values.

He was naturally quiet. Most people assumed he was cold or unfriendly because of his serious expression. He didn’t talk much—and if no one asked, he rarely spoke.

Once he finished his coffee, he stood up and went to his room. It was time to change and rest. But in his mind, a new chapter of his final year in high school was beginning—and someone unexpected was about to become a part of it.

---

Daniella woke up early the next day. She didn’t want to be late again, so even before the sun had fully risen, she was already walking to school by 5:30 a.m.

As she neared the school gate, she noticed that William was arriving at the same time. Her eyes practically sparkled with excitement.

“Good morning, William!” she greeted cheerfully, her smile stretching from ear to ear.

William glanced at her briefly but walked straight through the gate without responding.

Daniella’s smile faded instantly.

“Maybe it’s just too early… maybe he’s not in the mood yet,” she whispered to herself, forcing a smile again as she headed inside the school.

When she got to the classroom, she quickly took her seat. Only a few students were there—William among them—and Bree hadn’t arrived yet. Since it was still early, Daniella rested her head on her arms while secretly watching William, who was busy reading a book.

It was as if William sensed her stare. He turned and caught her looking—but instead of looking away, Daniella smiled at him.

“Do you need something?” William asked lazily.

Daniella shook her head, still smiling.

William was about to go back to reading when he suddenly spoke again. “By the way, our tutoring starts during break later. We’ll do it in the garden—there are tables and benches there.”

Daniella nodded in agreement, her smile never fading.

---

Moments later, the bell rang. Students began pouring into the classroom. When their teacher entered, Daniella’s eyes widened in alarm.

“Second day of school and it’s already Sir Salvador?” she muttered, quickly grabbing a book and pretending to read, covering her face.

“Good morning, class!” the teacher greeted, scanning the room. He paused when he saw a student hiding behind a book.

“Excuse me! Can you put that book down? I haven’t even instructed you to use it yet,” he said sternly.

Daniella closed her eyes and sighed. She had no choice—she slowly lowered the book. The teacher squinted, recognizing her.

“So it’s you, Ms. Daniella Sanchez. I didn’t expect to be teaching you again in your final year.”

Daniella forced an awkward smile. She glanced at William, who was also looking at her.

“Nice seeing you again, sir,” she greeted with a strained smile.

“I thought you’d forgotten about me. There’ll be a quiz next week. I want to see if you still remember last year’s formulas. For now, pass your index cards with your name and section.”

He took his seat while the class murmured among themselves. Daniella frowned as she wrote on her card, sneaking a glance at William.

---

The class with Sir Salvador ended after introductions.

“Alright class, wait here for your next teacher. And Daniella, don’t forget about that quiz next week,” he reminded, looking directly at her before leaving the room.

Bree immediately rushed to Daniella’s side.

“Looks like you’ll be grilled by Sir Salvador again, Dan! You couldn’t escape him—he followed you all the way to senior year.”

“Exactly! And there’s already a quiz next week. And of all subjects, it had to be Math—the one I suck at. How am I supposed to pass?” Daniella groaned, clutching her head.

Bree leaned in and whispered, “Girl, are you serious? You have a tutor now—William! You should be thankful he drew your name. If he didn’t, graduation might be the last time you’d see him.”

Daniella smiled. “You’re right… Thank goodness. I forgot.”

Bree shook her head. “Dan, that was just yesterday! How could you forget so quickly? I seriously can’t deal with you.”

“Is it my fault I thought it was just a dream?” Daniella muttered.

---

When break time came, William headed to the garden first. Daniella followed quietly and sat across from him. She didn’t say anything as William was still focused on his book.

Suddenly, William shut his book loudly, making Daniella flinch.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, startled.

“What were your grades in Sir Salvador’s class?”

Daniella bit her lip and forced a laugh. “Why do you even need to know?”

“Because I’m your tutor. And based on what Sir said earlier, you barely passed his class.”

Daniella scowled.

“Excuse me? And you? What did you get in Math?”

Arms crossed, William stared at her seriously. “Ninety-nine.”

“What?!” Daniella almost yelled. “That’s insanely high—just one point shy of perfect!”

“You?”

Daniella fell silent. She fidgeted with her fingers before whispering,

“Seventy-five…”

“Can’t hear you.”

“I said seventy-five!” Daniella snapped in frustration.

William shook his head. “Good thing we have a tutoring program. Otherwise, you might not even graduate.”

“You really don’t hold back, do you?” she mumbled to herself.

“Did you say something?” William asked.

“Nope!” she answered with a forced smile.

Of all subjects, Math was the one Daniella feared the most. She did fine in others—not great, but passing.

William started organizing his materials. “Since Math is your weakness, we’ll focus on that first. Tomorrow, I’ll give you some sample problems from last year’s lessons. Try to understand them. I’ll prepare a short quiz afterward.”

Daniella’s eyes widened.

“A quiz? Are you serious? Maybe you should rethink that. Don’t rush into things.”

William shook his head, clearly disappointed.

“If you want to pass, you need to take this seriously. This isn’t for me—it’s for you. If I’d known you were like this, I wouldn’t have agreed to be your tutor.”

He stood and walked away, leaving Daniella speechless.

His words hit her hard. She just sat there, silently watching him walk off.

---

The next scene was just about to unfold when Lexie, Alexa’s best friend, suddenly appeared.

“Hey, Alexa! Are you even planning to eat today? You’re always locked up in your room, writing non-stop. You’re always late for meals!” Lexie scolded her, hands firmly planted on her hips.

Alexa set down her pen and stretched. “Sorry! The scene I’m writing is just too exciting—I couldn’t stop myself,” she replied with a smile, noticing Lexie’s gaze now fixed on the book she had been writing in.

“Why are you writing in that thing? You usually write in a notebook or on bond paper. Where’d you get it? It looks... old,” Lexie remarked, studying the book, though she didn’t touch it.

“I found it outside the church. It looked like someone had dropped it, so I picked it up. It’s too good to just leave lying around—it’s perfect for writing.”