you a transferee student but suddenly the campus crush has crush on you

The bus wheels rumbled against the asphalt as it curved through the familiar roads of Camarines Sur, bringing me closer to my new school—Naga Central University. I clutched the worn leather strap of my backpack, my palms slick with nervous sweat despite the morning breeze filtering through the open windows. Three months ago, my parents had decided to move back to their hometown after years of working in Manila, and here I was, a transferee student starting my second year of college in a place where I knew absolutely no one. The campus came into view sooner than I expected—sprawling green lawns framed by tall acacia trees, colonial-style buildings with red-tiled roofs, and groups of students laughing as they walked between classrooms. My heart hammered against my ribs as I stepped off the bus, adjusting my oversized glasses and straightening my simple white blouse and denim jeans. I’d spent hours last night picking out what to wear, trying to find something that wouldn’t make me look too much like the awkward new kid, but I suspected I’d failed anyway. I pulled out the crumpled map of the campus that the admissions office had given me, squinting at the tiny print in the bright morning sun. “College of Arts and Sciences… Building 3… where are you?” I mumbled to myself, turning in slow circles as students streamed past me, casting curious glances my way. “Looking for something specific?” The voice made me jump, and I nearly dropped my map. When I looked up, I found myself face-to-face with a girl with curly brown hair tied back in a messy ponytail, wearing a faded band t-shirt and cargo pants. She was leaning against a nearby lamppost, a friendly smile playing at the corners of her mouth. “Um… yeah,” I said, shoving the map back into my pocket self-consciously. “I’m trying to find Building 3. I’m new here.” Her eyes lit up. “A transferee! Welcome to NCU! I’m Mia—third year, Creative Writing. Building 3 is just past the main quadrangle, follow me.” I let out a breath of relief and fell into step beside her as she led the way, chattering animatedly about the best canteen stalls, which professors gave the easiest A’s, and where to find the quietest study spots on campus. As we walked across the quadrangle, I noticed a group of students gathered near the fountain at the center, their laughter carrying across the grass. At the heart of the group stood a guy who made me stop mid-step. He was tall, with sun-kissed brown hair that fell just above his dark brown eyes, and he was grinning as he tossed a basketball from one hand to the other. Even in his simple PE uniform, he exuded an easy confidence that made everyone around him seem to fade into the background. Girls were watching him from across the lawn, whispering to each other and giggling, while guys clapped him on the back like he was some kind of celebrity. “Who’s that?” I asked Mia, trying to sound casual even though my voice came out slightly higher than usual. She followed my gaze and laughed. “That’s Marcus Dela Cruz—campus crush extraordinaire, star of the basketball team, and apparently good at everything else too. He’s in his third year, Business Administration. Every girl on campus has either had a crush on him or currently does. Including half the faculty, I swear.” I shook my head, turning away from the fountain. “Great. So even here, there’s a resident heartthrob. I guess some things never change.” Mia nudged me playfully. “Don’t tell me you’re not interested. I’ve seen the way you looked at him.” “Please,” I scoffed, though heat was rising to my cheeks. “I just got here. The last thing I need is to get wrapped up in some campus romance drama. I need to focus on my studies and maybe make some actual friends who don’t care about popularity contests.” Mia raised an eyebrow but didn’t push it. “Fair enough. But trust me—you’ll be hearing a lot more about Marcus whether you want to or not.” She was right, of course. Over the next few days, I heard his name everywhere I went. In the hallways between classes, in the canteen during lunch, even in the library where I’d gone specifically to avoid distractions. Everyone had a story about him—how he’d led the basketball team to the regional championships last year, how he’d tutored struggling students for free, how he’d organized a charity drive that raised thousands for the local orphanage. He sounded less like a real person and more like a character from a cheesy romance novel. I’d managed to settle into my classes fairly well, though I still felt like an outsider most of the time. My classmates were friendly enough, but they already had their established friend groups, and I was too shy to force my way in. Mia had become my only real friend on campus, and I was grateful for her willingness to include me in her circle, even if her friends spent half their time gossiping about Marcus. One afternoon, I was sitting in the library, buried under a pile of books for my Philippine Literature class, when someone pulled out the chair across from me. I looked up, ready to tell whoever it was that the seat was taken, but the words died in my throat when I saw who it was. Marcus Dela Cruz was sitting across from me, a stack of his own books beside him, looking at me with a warm smile that made my stomach do a strange flip-flop. “Hi,” he said, his voice deeper than I’d expected. “You’re the new girl, right? I think I saw you with Mia the other day.” I nodded, unable to form actual words for a moment. “Um… yeah. I’m… I’m Cici. Well, Dola now, but everyone used to call me Cici.” He tilted his head, his smile widening. “Dola. That’s a beautiful name. I’m Marcus.” “I know,” I blurted out, then wanted to crawl under the table and die. “I mean… everyone knows who you are. Not that I’ve been paying attention or anything. I just… heard people talking.” To my relief, he laughed—a genuine, warm sound that made me relax a little. “It’s okay, I get that a lot. I wanted to talk to you because… well, I noticed you in my Economics class yesterday.” “Your Economics class?” I frowned, trying to remember. “I’m in Professor Reyes’ 10 AM section. Are you?” “Yep,” he said, pulling out his notebook and flipping through the pages. “I saw you taking notes in the back row, and I have to admit—I was impressed by how detailed they were. I’ve been struggling with some of the concepts, and I was wondering if you might be willing to help me study sometime.” I stared at him, certain I’d misheard. The campus crush, the star basketball player, asking me for help studying? “You want me to help you study? But… aren’t you supposed to be good at everything?” He laughed again, rubbing the back of his neck self-consciously. “Not everything, unfortunately. Economics has never been my strong suit, and Professor Reyes’ exams are no joke. I saw how you answered her questions in class—you clearly know your stuff.” I still wasn’t sure if this was some kind of prank, but something in his eyes told me he was being serious. “Um… okay. I guess I could help you. When were you thinking?” “How about tomorrow afternoon? There’s a quiet café just off campus—they have great coffee and even better tables for studying. I’ll buy you a drink as payment.” Before I could think of a reason to say no, I found myself nodding. “Okay. Tomorrow at three?” “Perfect,” he said, standing up and gathering his books. “I’ll meet you at the main gate at two forty-five so I can show you the way.” As he walked away, leaving me sitting there staring at the empty chair across from me, I heard a gasp from behind the bookshelf next to me. A moment later, Mia popped her head out, her eyes wide with disbelief. “Did I just see what I think I saw?” she whispered excitedly. “Marcus Dela Cruz just asked you to study with him? And buy you coffee?” I shrugged, trying to act nonchalant even though my hands were shaking slightly as I packed up my things. “He needs help with Economics. It’s no big deal.” Mia rolled her eyes. “No big deal? Dola, every girl on campus would kill to have Marcus Dela Cruz buy them a cup of coffee, let alone ask them to study together. This is definitely a big deal.