Reckless And Refined

New face,New Crush

**Kylie’s POV**

The morning felt different. Alam kong may mangyayaring something exciting today, at ‘di lang dahil sa usual routine sa Rosewood Academy. Ang dahilan? Ang best friend kong si Junna. Finally, nag-transfer na siya sa school na ito, at kahit na iba ang vibe ng school na ‘to, excited na akong makasama siya.

At last, someone who gets me.

As soon as I walked into the campus, I couldn’t help but feel a little lighter, knowing that Junna was going to be here with me. Parang mas madali nang harapin ang araw, knowing that she’d be by my side again.

“Where is she?” I muttered to myself, scanning the courtyard.

And then, I heard it—her unmistakable voice, laughing loudly, unapologetically, from across the yard. Tumalikod ako at nakita ko siya—Junna, waving madly in my direction, her signature bubbly personality radiating like a beacon of light in the sea of uptight students.

“Kylie!” she called out, running toward me with a huge smile. “Surprise!”

She pulled me into a tight hug as if we hadn’t seen each other in years. I rolled my eyes but hugged her back.

“Akala ko mahihirapan kang makapasok dito?” I teased.

Junna grinned, her eyes sparkling. “Please, Kay. I’m unstoppable! No fancy school can keep me away from you.”

I laughed. It felt good having her around. Finally, someone who didn’t care about Rosewood’s uptight culture and wouldn’t judge me for wearing my hoodie everywhere. She was like a ray of sunshine in a storm.

---

**Ace’s POV**

When I saw Kylie walking into school today, she was... different. Usually, she looked like she wanted to be anywhere but here, pero ngayon? There was something lighter about her, almost as if the weight she always carried on her shoulders was suddenly gone.

Beside her was a new girl—someone I hadn’t seen before. She was bubbly, laughing loudly as she talked to Kylie. They were complete opposites, but somehow, they looked like they belonged together.

“Who’s that?” Ethan asked, appearing beside me, his eyes fixed on the new girl.

“I don’t know,” I replied, shrugging. “But she’s probably Kylie’s friend. They look close.”

Ethan stared at the girl for a moment longer before shaking his head, a grin forming on his lips. “She’s... something else.”

I raised an eyebrow, smirking at him. “What? You already interested?”

He laughed, looking almost embarrassed. “I don’t know, man. Maybe.”

We both watched as Kylie and the new girl continued chatting, completely unaware of the attention they were getting. It was refreshing to see Kylie like that actually smiling for a change. And her friend? Well, she definitely had Ethan’s attention.

---

# **Junna’s POV**

First day sa bagong school, and honestly? Hindi ako kinakabahan at all. I mean, sure, Rosewood Academy is fancy, pero ako? I can fit in anywhere. I was just happy to be with Kylie again. Knowing na magkakasama na ulit kami made transferring worth it.

“Kylie, this place is crazy!” I exclaimed as we walked through the halls. “Parang may sariling mundo ‘tong school na ‘to.”

Kylie smirked, pulling her hoodie up. “You don’t know the half of it.”

Before I could reply, napansin ko na may dalawang lalaking nakatingin sa amin habang naglalakad kami. One of them was definitely the super ‘englishero’ na sinasabi ni Kylie dati Ace Fronda, Student Council President and Mr. Perfect. The other guy was cute too, and I caught him looking at me.

“Uy, Kay,” I nudged her. “Is that the guy you mentioned? The ‘Ace Fronda’ you bumped into?”

Kylie gave him a quick glance before rolling her eyes. “Yeah, that’s him. Stay away from him if you know what’s good for you.”

I laughed. “He looks harmless. Pero ‘yung friend niya? Medyo cute, ah.”

---

**Ethan’s POV**

The moment I saw her, I knew she was different from the other girls at Rosewood. She wasn’t prim and proper or overly concerned about making a good impression. Instead, she was... carefree, like she didn’t have a care in the world. And it was hard not to notice.

“So, you’re going to talk to her?” Ace asked, nudging me as we walked to our next class.

“Talk to who?” I asked, pretending I didn’t know what he was talking about.

“You know who. Kylie’s friend. The new girl.”

I chuckled, rubbing the back of my neck. “I don’t even know her name yet.”

“Well, you better find out soon,” Ace said, crossing his arms. “Looks like she’s already interested in you.”

I looked back toward the two girls. Junna, I think that’s what Kylie called her, was talking animatedly, and for a brief moment, our eyes met. She gave me a small smile, and I felt my heart skip a beat.

Okay, this could be interesting.

---

**Kylie’s POV**

As we walked to our first class, I couldn’t help but notice how much attention Junna was attracting. In just a few hours, she had already made an impression on the entire class—chatting with people, making them laugh, and of course, catching the eye of Ethan.

“Seriously, Junna?” I asked as we sat down for lunch. “You’ve been here for half a day, and you’re already making waves.”

She grinned, taking a bite of her sandwich. “What can I say? It’s a gift.”

I rolled my eyes, but deep down, I was glad she was here. With Junna around, everything felt a little brighter, a little less overwhelming. Even if she was already causing a stir, I knew I could always count on her to make things more fun.

“Just be careful, okay?” I said, giving her a warning look.

She waved me off. “Relax, Kay. I’ve got this.”

---

**Junna’s POV**

As lunchtime came to a close, I noticed Ethan looking at me again. Ang cute niya talaga! I could tell he was looking at me too, and that made me feel a little thrill of excitement. I liked the attention.

“Kylie,” I said, nudging her. “I think your school just got a whole lot more interesting.”

Kylie gave me a skeptical look. “Just don’t get too carried away.”

I smiled, shrugging. “No promises.”

**Ethan’s POV**

Lunchtime came, and I couldn’t help but keep glancing over at Junna. She was sitting with Kylie, laughing and chatting like she’d been here forever. Every now and then, I caught her glancing my way, and each time she did, I felt my heart race.

“You’re staring, bro,” Ace teased, sitting down across from me.

I laughed, shaking my head. “I’m not staring.”

“Sure you’re not,” Ace said, smirking. “Just go talk to her.”

“Maybe,” I said, still not sure if I had the guts. But one thing was for sure—Junna was definitely on my mind.

---

**Junna’s POV**

As lunch started to wind down, I could feel the energy in the room shifting. People were still buzzing from the excitement of my first day, and I was loving every minute of it.

But then, I caught Ethan looking at me again. This time, there was something different in his gaze. Parang gusto na niyang lumapit, and I could feel my heart race.

“Kylie, I think I’m going to go talk to him,” I said, suddenly feeling bold.

“What? Now?” she asked, surprised. “Are you sure?”

“Why not?” I grinned, already standing up. “I’m gonna make my move!”

I walked over to where Ethan was sitting with Ace, trying to keep my nerves in check. As I got closer, I could feel all eyes on me, but that only fueled my excitement.

“Hey!” I said brightly, flashing my best smile. “I’m Junna. Nice to meet you!”

Ethan looked up, clearly caught off guard, but then a smile spread across his face. “Hey, I’m Ethan. Nice to meet you too!”

There was an instant spark, and I could feel the chemistry between us. This was going to be fun.

---

**Ace’s POV**

I watched as Junna approached Ethan, and honestly? I was a little surprised by how confident she looked. She was bubbly and full of energy, and it was clear that she wasn’t going to let the new environment intimidate her.

“Look at her go,” I said to myself, smirking.

Ethan was caught off guard but quickly recovered. He flashed that goofy grin of his, and I could see that he was already smitten.

“This could get interesting,” I muttered under my breath, watching the two of them interact.

---

**Junna’s POV**

Talking to Ethan was surprisingly easy. We shared laughs, exchanged stories, and before I knew it, I was completely immersed in our conversation. He was charming, and I could tell he was just as intrigued by me as I was by him.

“So, what do you think of Rosewood so far?” he asked, leaning forward slightly, clearly interested.

“I think it’s a bit"