AMARA’S POV

"THAT'S all. That’s the task Miss Dela Cruz assigned to us. She’s hoping we can finish it within an hour, so let’s not disappoint her," I said.

My gaze swept across the classroom, checking if everyone understood my explanation. Judging by their nods and focused faces, they did.

"Okay, Miss Alcantara," one of my classmates teased, grinning playfully. I raised an eyebrow at them, shaking my head with a faint smile before returning to my seat.

I started working on the activity right away. After a few minutes, I was already done. I leaned back on my chair and let my eyes wander around the room, watching how busy everyone was with their papers. A quiet sigh escaped my lips.

Just two more months, and we’d be leaving this university behind.

My thoughts were interrupted when I suddenly felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I took it out and checked the screen.

A message from Seb.

But instead of opening it right away, I froze — because at that exact moment, a memory I’ve been trying to forget suddenly came rushing back.

I felt my uniform cling tightly to my skin as Emmy poured cold water all over me.

"Serves you right," she hissed, her voice dripping with venom. "You’re always so desperate for attention."

The bucket clattered to the ground, hitting my thigh with a sharp sting.

"What did I ever do to you?" I snapped, my patience finally breaking.

"You’re such a show-off! You always want everything to revolve around you. You even stole my spot as the top student!"

My brows furrowed in disbelief. That’s it? That’s her reason for doing all this? So childish!

"So, that’s why you’re mad at me? Because you think I took everything away from you? Why don’t you just try harder to surpass me?" I shot back.

I said those words not to insult her, but to challenge her — hoping she’d focus on improving herself instead of hating me. I wouldn’t mind if she surpassed me; she’s my classmate, and I can accept defeat.

But it seemed she misunderstood me. Her face darkened even more.

"What did you say? No matter what you do, you’ll never beat me! Because I have a complete family—while you? Your mom abandoned you!"

Her words struck me like a slap. Of all things to bring up, she chose that.

"Don’t involve my personal life in your issue with me!" I said firmly.

"Why not? It’s the truth, isn’t it?" she mocked before shoving me hard and grabbing a fistful of my hair.

"Let go of me! Can’t we talk about this without fighting?" I tried to reason with her, even as pain shot through my scalp.

But she only smirked. "What if I like this? You have no idea how much I enjoy seeing you suffer!"

She yanked my hair again, forcing me to almost kneel on the ground.

"Please, Emmy... let me go," I begged, my voice trembling.

"You’re just a transferee, yet everyone looks up to you! Even my parents are mad at me because of you! I should be in your place!" she shouted, pointing accusingly at me before releasing my hair.

When she grabbed it again, the pain became unbearable — so I fought back. I pulled her long red hair with all my strength.

"You don’t deserve the attention you’re getting! That should’ve been mine!" she cried.

For a second, I saw tears in her eyes — and guilt twisted in my chest. But before I could speak, she yelled again, voice breaking.

"You deserve to disappear from this world!"

I lost my balance and fell to the ground. Then she kicked me hard in the stomach. Pain ripped through me, stealing my breath. I saw her smirk before glancing over her shoulder.

That’s when I realized she wasn’t alone.

A tall man stood nearby, holding a large piece of wood — Carlo, her boyfriend.

My heart pounded in fear. One swing from that, and I’d be fighting for my life.

"Emmy, please. Don’t do this," I begged again, tears streaming down my cheeks.

"Please?" She laughed bitterly. "You think I’ll pity you? This is my only chance! Once you’re gone, everything will go back to normal — including my parents’ love!"

My hands trembled. Lord, please... help me.

"Emmy, listen to me," I pleaded softly. "Maybe you just misunderstood them. No parent stops loving their child."

"Shut up! You don’t know anything!" she screamed. "Because of you, they hate me! Being the top student is the only thing I’m proud of — and you took that away!"

"I’m sorry..." I whispered, almost breathless. I never meant to take anything from her.

"I don’t want your apologies," she spat. "I want you dead."

"Do it now, Carlo!" she screamed.

"Emmy, no! Please—no!"

And then, out of nowhere, a man appeared.

He was tall, broad-shouldered, and undeniably strong. Even in my terrified state, I couldn’t help but stare for a second — his presence was powerful, almost commanding.

Before I knew it, he had grabbed Carlo’s arm, stopping him mid-swing.

"Let go of me, damn it!" Carlo yelled, struggling against the stranger’s grip.

But he couldn’t break free.

"S-Sebastian," Carlo stammered when he recognized the man.

The man — Sebastian — turned his gaze toward me. Our eyes met, and I froze. His jaw clenched tightly as he looked at my soaked uniform and bruised skin.

"What the hell did you do?" he growled through gritted teeth.

"Carlo, are you just going to let him do that? Fight back!" Emmy shouted.

Before anything else could happen, another person arrived — a woman with long, wavy hair. She gasped at the scene before yelling, "Seb, let him go! There’s a girl hurt over here!"

Sebastian released Carlo with a rough shove. "You’re lucky. But we’re not done. Now get the hell out of my sight," he warned.

Carlo stumbled backward, fear flashing in his eyes before he ran away. Emmy followed, but not before glaring back at me.

"We’re not done yet, Amara. I’ll be back!" she spat before disappearing.

The woman rushed to me, her voice trembling with worry. "You’re Amara, right? What did they do to you? Are you okay?"

"I-I’m fine," I whispered weakly before everything went dark.

“She’s the girl you were talking about before, right?”

A faint voice reached my ears as I slowly opened my eyes. The first thing I saw was a white ceiling — then white walls. My head felt heavy, and my mind blank.

“She’s pretty… and she seems kind,” the voice said again.

I blinked several times, trying to adjust my blurry vision. Two figures slowly came into view — a stunning woman and a handsome man. Both of them looked familiar, though I couldn’t remember where I had seen them before.

“She’s awake, Sebastian,” the woman said softly.

She stood from the couch and moved closer to me, sitting on the chair beside my hospital bed.

“How do you feel?” she asked.

“Water, please…” I croaked weakly instead of answering. My throat felt dry.

“Here, take it slow,” she said, carefully handing me a glass of water.

“By the way, I’m Kolin,” she introduced herself with a warm smile, “and this is my cousin, Sebastian.”

“H-hi… I’m Amara. But, why am I here? What happened?” I asked, still confused.

“You were being bullied,” Kolin explained gently. “We rescued you.”

Her words made my memories rush back — the cold water, Emmy’s angry face, Carlo holding that piece of wood. My heart started pounding again.

“W-where are Emmy and Carlo? What if they find me again? What if they hurt me?” I asked, my voice trembling as fear returned to me.

“They’re at the police station now,” Kolin reassured me, her tone calm but firm. “The school has already taken action, and your dad filed a case against them.”

Still, I couldn’t stop shaking. “Where’s my dad? I want to see him. Please, bring me to him!”

“He’s still at the police station, Amara. He’s taking care of everything,” she said softly.

But panic had already taken over me. My breathing became uneven, tears filling my eyes. “Please… I just want to see him,” I pleaded, clutching her hand tightly.

“Sebastian,” Kolin called, concern in her voice as she looked at her cousin for help.

Sebastian stepped forward. His tall figure cast a shadow beside my bed. He gently placed a hand on my shoulder, his touch surprisingly calming.

“Amara,” he said in a deep, steady voice. “Look at me.”

Slowly, I raised my gaze to meet his eyes — dark, serious, and full of something I couldn’t explain.

“You’re safe now,” he said, voice low but firm. “They can’t hurt you anymore. I promise.”

For some reason, those words reached deep inside me. My breathing slowed, and the fear began to fade. His voice carried a strange comfort — like safety itself.

“Th-thank you… I owe you my life,” I whispered, tears falling freely down my cheeks.

He nodded and gently brushed the tears away with his thumb.

“What about me?” Kolin said with a playful pout.

I managed a small smile. “Of course, you too. Thank you, Kolin.”

The smile hadn’t even faded from my lips when Sebastian moved closer. He sat beside me on the edge of the bed, his eyes locked on mine.

“No one will ever hurt you again,” he whispered.

I froze, stunned by his words — by how sincere they sounded. I didn’t even know him, yet his voice carried something that made me believe him instantly.

Then, without another word, he wrapped his arms around me. His embrace was warm, protective — as if he was shielding me from the world.

I hugged him back, not caring that Kolin was still there watching. At that moment, all I felt was safety and peace.

He leaned close to my ear and whispered the words that would stay with me forever.

“Starting now, I’ll protect you. I won’t ever leave you, Amara...”

AMARA’S POV

“Starting now, I’ll protect you. I won’t ever leave you, Amara...”

Those words kept replaying in my mind. I smiled faintly, remembering the day my life was in danger — the same day my friendship with Sebastian and Kolin began.

Thinking about everything that happened, I still don’t know how I managed to overcome it all. For a while, I developed a phobia and became wary of people, especially when it came to making new friends. But because of Sebastian and Kolin, I gradually recovered. I found myself again and started anew.

Maybe I’m just bored right now. I’ve finished all my assignments, so my mind keeps wandering.

Then, I felt someone tug at my shirt. I looked up, startled, and saw Jazz standing beside me, holding something out with a puzzled look.

“Stop daydreaming, Amara,” he said.

I raised an eyebrow at him as he handed me a bottle of water, which I didn’t take right away.

“Here, it’s for you,” he added, probably noticing my confused expression.

“Huh? Who’s it from?” I asked curiously.

“Who else? It’s from your hot and handsome boyfriend,” he said teasingly, biting his lip.

I winced at his words. Boyfriend? I don’t even have one . What is this guy talking about?

I wasn’t sure if I heard him right because of the noise around us, but I didn’t want to ask him to repeat it. I might draw attention, and gossip spreads fast around here. I pouted and leaned closer to him.

“The last time I checked, I don’t have a boyfriend,” I said, rolling my eyes.

“What about your Sebastian, then? Hmm?” he teased, waving his hand in front of my face unnecessarily.

I froze at his words. I didn’t know why, but my heart suddenly pounded faster when I heard that name.

“Seb?” I whispered, almost inaudibly.

“Yeah! There he is!” Jazz pointed outside.

I followed his gaze — and there he was. Seb’s serious eyes softened into a smile when he saw me. I raised my hand in greeting, and he arched a brow before smiling back.

I gestured for him to wait, and he nodded. Then, I suddenly remembered my phone — the message I had ignored earlier.

From: Seb

“I’m heading to your room.”

So that’s what the text was about. I quickly hid my phone and turned my attention back to Jazz.

“Jason, Seb is my friend. My best friend,” I clarified. How many times did I have to tell him that?

He made a face and looked around nervously.

“Shh! Jazz, call me Jazz,” he said softly but firmly. He really hated being called by his real name.

His real name is Jason, but even though he’s male, he embraces his feminine side. Thankfully, his parents fully accepted him — and so did Kolin and I.

“You started it,” I said. “Now look what’s happening.”

“Everything starts that way. People say it’s just friendship, but in the end, they always end up falling for each other,” he teased.

“Jazz, Seb and I are just friends, okay?”

“Whatever. Then why does he only talk to you? What about the rest of us girls?” he asked, pouting and flipping his short hair dramatically.

“I don’t know, why don’t you ask him yourself?” I replied.

He shook his head quickly. “No way, he’d probably punch me. I’m not brave enough for that, girl.”

I laughed at his response, pulling out my phone to text Seb to wait for me outside.

As soon as the bell rang, I hurried outside.

“Hi,” he greeted me.

When I got close, he leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. My heart skipped a beat, and warmth spread across my face. I was used to his affectionate gestures, but lately, they made me feel different.

“Hi. Why are you here? Didn’t you have class earlier?” I asked, trying to hide my flustered expression.

“I wanted to see you. We had a free period anyway,” he said casually.

“But we’ll see each other later. You shouldn’t waste your time waiting for me,” I said.

“It’s fine, Amara. I told you, I wanted to see you,” he replied seriously, his tone soft but intense.

I felt my face heat up again. To ease the tension, I suggested, “Let’s go to the garden?”

He nodded, and I walked ahead. I could feel him following, and soon he was beside me, his arm slipping naturally around my waist. I glanced down, embarrassed by the curious stares around us.

Who wouldn’t look? Sebastian Laqueza walking with a girl—his arm around her waist—was enough to draw attention. We probably looked like a couple.

“So, are we having lunch together later?” Seb asked as we reached the garden.

“Oh, I forgot to tell you—I’m having lunch with Kolin,” I said apologetically.

He smiled slightly. “It’s okay, I understand. You two need to catch up sometimes.”

I knew he’d take it well. We hadn’t seen Kolin for weeks because of our busy schedules, and finals were coming up.

“Why didn’t you bring her with you?” I asked.

“I told her I was going to see you. She just grinned—I guess because she already knew you had plans,” he said, shaking his head.

I chuckled. “You really don’t know your cousin well. She loves teasing you.”

“Yeah, that little brat,” he said, smiling.

Suddenly, I remembered something and gasped. “Oh! Grandma asked me to give you this.” I handed him a paper bag, slightly crumpled from my bag.

“What’s this?” he asked, eyeing it curiously.

“Cookies! Grandma baked them for you. Just for you—she didn’t give me any,” I said, half-joking.

“Then we’ll share,” he said, taking the cookies from me.

“I’ll thank Grandma later,” he added, breaking off a cookie and holding it near my lips.

I knew what he wanted. Without hesitation, I opened my mouth.

“Why are you so messy when you eat?” he teased, raising a brow but smiling.

I took the cookie from him. “I’ll finish it, thanks,” I said.

He grabbed another cookie for himself, and as he chewed, I caught myself staring. My throat went dry, and I quickly looked away.

‘What are you doing, Amara?’ I scolded myself silently.

“I—I think I should go. Our next class is about to start,” I said quickly, avoiding his gaze.

“Alright. I’ll call you later,” he replied.

I nodded and walked away without looking back.

Instead of going straight to class, I went to the restroom first. I immediately checked my reflection in the mirror and froze. My cheeks were flushed, and my face felt unusually warm.

I bit my lip. I shouldn't feel this way.

But every time he did those little things, kissed my cheek, wrapped his arm around me, or looked at me that way—I couldn’t help it. For three years, I’d buried these feelings, convincing myself they were nothing. Because I knew the truth: he was my friend.

“What am I going to do?” I muttered, staring at my reflection.

Then, a voice spoke behind me.

“I didn’t know you had a habit of talking to yourself when you’re alone.”

I almost rolled my eyes when I saw who it was.

“Is it a crime to talk to myself?” I asked innocently, though sarcasm laced my tone.

She stepped closer and stood beside me. We both looked at our reflections in the mirror.

“You look crazy,” she said flatly.

“It’s fine. Just don’t mind me,” I replied, trying to ignore her.

I thought she'd stay quiet for a while,

but I was wrong.

“Stay away from Sebastian, Amara.”

Her voice was cold, firm, and full of something I couldn’t quite name.

I looked at her, and her expression was unwavering, with a hint of desperation in her eyes.

“And why would I do that?” I asked, annoyed.

“Because I’m telling you to. You’re not stupid, you know exactly what I mean,” she said, her calm demeanor giving way to frustration. Her voice was almost a shout, and her words were laced with insult.

“Who are you to order me around? Seb is my friend, and I won’t stay away from him. If you want him, tell him yourself,” I snapped.

What right did she have to order me around and insult me?

“I can’t!” she shouted, voice trembling with emotion. “I can’t, because you’re always with him! I don’t exist to him because all he ever sees is you!”

I froze. I opened my mouth to retort but closed it again, unsure of what to say. Should I correct her or just let her feel what she felt?

“I need to go,” I said finally, turning toward the door.

But before I could leave, she grabbed my arm.

“Wait, we’re not done yet.”

“Let go of me, Claire. My class is about to start,” I said, trying to pull free.

“I won’t. Promise me you’ll stay away from him first, then I’ll let you go,” she said desperately.

That was the last straw.

“If you like him that much, then tell him. Be honest,” I said, yanking my arm away.

I bit my lip, regretting my words. I shouldn't have said that.

“Why don’t you tell that to yourself, too? I know you like him, Amara,” she shot back, her tone cutting but steady.

“Maybe the one who should be honest here is you.”

I stared straight into her eyes. She wanted a fight, and I wasn’t about to back down. She pushed me to

say these words.

“What if I say yes? But I know my limitations weell, Claire.” I said quietly but firmly.

I turned toward the door and added, “Sorry— but I’m not as desperate as you are.”

AMARA’S POV

INSTEAD of going back to the room, I went straight to the girls’ locker room.

It was almost time, so I was sure no one would be there anymore.

"She's right."

Tears started to pool in the corners of my eyes.

Claire was right.

If there was anyone who needed to be honest between the two of us, it should be me.

“N-no, I shouldn’t feel this way about him. H-he’s my friend,” I said, shaking my head.

I held onto my locker, trying to gather some strength. My knees felt weak, and I almost collapsed onto the cement floor.

I shifted my position so that my back was against the locker. Feeling completely drained, I slowly slid down and sat on the floor.

And then—I cried my heart out.

“WHERE have you been? Jazz told me you didn’t take your last subject,” Kolin greeted as soon as I reached the door.

She met me right there, and behind her stood Jazz, flashing me a peace sign. I took the bag from her hand that she had been carrying for me.

“Sorry, I was just worried, so I told her,” Jazz said apologetically.

“It’s fine. Thank you, by the way,” I said, grateful that she carried my bag.

“Is there a problem, Amara?” Kolin asked as they walked beside me, matching my pace.

“N-nothing,” I replied quickly, avoiding her gaze.

“Nothing? Then why are your eyes red? Did you and Seb fight?”

I stopped walking. I looked at the two of them before taking a deep breath.

“No, we didn’t fight,” I said softly.

“Then why did you cry?” she asked, her tone teasing but full of concern.

“I didn’t cry. I was just sleeping,” I lied. It was the only way to stop Kolin from asking more questions.

“Don’t lie to me, Amara. I know you. I know when something’s wrong, so just tell me.”

I sighed inwardly. How I wish Kolin could be more like Jazz—quiet and understanding. Jazz might be gay, but unlike others who love to gossip, he’s the calm type, especially in moments like this.

“Nothing, really. Come on, I just want to go home,” I said.

Kolin rolled her eyes. “Fine. But when you’re ready to talk, just call me, okay? I’m only one call away.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Those are song lyrics, Kolin.”

“For now, take care of yourself. Seb will definitely notice if something’s wrong,” she reminded, her eyes lingering on me. Just one look, and she already understood. When she smiled, I finally felt a bit of relief, and a small smile formed on my lips too.

“I’ll make up a story, okay? Just go with the flow,” I said.

She nodded her head. Jazz did too, even though he clearly had no idea what was happening. I knew it wasn’t fair—he’s my friend too—but someday, I’ll tell him everything I’ve been hiding.

“Okay—speaking of my cousin, here he comes.”

I turned to where she was looking and froze when my eyes met Seb’s. Instinctively, I bowed my head, unable to hold his gaze.

I followed his gaze. I lowered my eyes the moment Seb met mine.

"Did you cry?" he asked, crouching slightly to see the face I was trying so hard to hide.

"I told you, he’d notice," Kolin murmured.

Thank goodness it didn’t seem to reach her cousin’s ears.

"I—just sneezed," I lied, looking away.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him nod. I didn’t expect that. Wouldn’t he question me? Just… nod?

And why did that hurt? Was it because it felt like he didn’t care? Shouldn’t I feel relieved that he didn’t ask why I had cried? But he was the reason behind my tears—the reason my heart ached the way it did.

Frustrated with myself, I grabbed my phone. I dialed our driver’s number. I just wanted to go home.

"I can’t reach our driver," I muttered.

"Why are you calling him?" Seb asked.

I ignored him and continued dialing.

"Because their driver is supposed to pick her up," Kolin answered.

"I thought you were coming with us?" Seb stopped walking and looked at me.

Even without looking at him, I knew his eyebrows were knit together in a single line.

"Oh, right… c-could we maybe do it next time instead?" I asked hesitantly. I didn’t look at him as I said it. I even bit my lips unconsciously.

"But we already made an agreement. You’ll join Kolin for lunch and… okay, fine," he finally relented.

Hearing that, I lifted my gaze toward him. But somehow, what I saw on his face didn’t match his words.

"What a waste… such a waste of everything Aunt cooked. And it’s so delicious too," Kolin said, emphasizing every word.

I felt a pang of guilt at her words. Aunt really had put effort into cooking.

"Fine, I’ll go," I finally agreed.

I heaved a sigh. It was embarrassing to admit, but I was just going to have dinner and then head home immediately.

"Really? Okay, we’ll go ahead then. Bye!" Kolin waved as she pulled Jazz along, who had been silent until now.

Jazz didn’t resist at all. I just laughed, realizing what was happening. He completely lost himself, dazed, all because of Seb. How could I have forgotten he had a crush on him? No wonder he always acted like this whenever I was with Seb—silent and dreamy-eyed.

"Wait, Jazz! Kolin!" I shouted after them, even as they were already far ahead.

As we started walking again, I noticed his stern, serious expression and the way his gaze seemed sharp, almost piercing.

"Why are you so quiet?" I asked Seb, unable to stand the expression on his face any longer.

But he didn’t answer. He didn’t even look at me.

"Hey! Come on, I already said I’ll go with you." I stopped walking and stood in front of him. I tiptoed a little and held his face, forcing him to look at me.

Why has he been ignoring me and just staring like that?

"So stop sulking, okay?" I said, though our lips were only inches apart.

It felt awkward—the color of his lips was so red, so tempting. I swallowed hard, and I knew he noticed. Embarrassed, I quickly let go of him.

Why am I being so flirty these past few days? Why do I notice so many things about him? Even his breathing feels… attractive!?

"I'm not sulking. I'm fine," he said in a low, husky voice.

Wait—no. I shouldn’t give in to temptation. He’s my best friend. I know how I feel about him, and I should also know my limits.

Get your senses back, Amara!

I cleared my throat. "Oh, come on, just admit you’re sulking," I teased, poking his side.

I wanted to poke closer to his abs, but… maybe not.

"Kate…" he said my name.

My hand froze in midair. There was a warning in his tone.

Even though I wanted to tease him more, I couldn’t. He only needed to say my name once, and I already knew what it meant—especially when he called me Kate. It meant he was serious. And when Seb is serious, you’d better be serious too. That’s just the kind of person he is.

"Alright, alright. I’ll be quiet," I said softly, like an obedient lamb.

I looked down, but quickly lifted my gaze when he reached out his hand toward me. I stared at him in confusion.

"Hold my hand," he said in that deep, calm voice.

I smiled and, without hesitation, intertwined my fingers with his.

"Let’s go," he said gently, flashing that perfect smile of his.

We started walking again, our hands intertwined, fingers fitting perfectly together.