Dear Rival

{Chapter 11}

Shan's POV.

I don’t even know when it started.

Maybe it was the day she bumped into me that morning a few weeks ago, the one where we were both almost late, panting like crazy in the hallway. Or maybe it was when she stood in front of the class, confidently explaining arithmetic sequences like it was the easiest thing in the world.

Or maybe... it started long before that back when I realized that every time Tanya Dela Cruz beat me in a quiz, I didn’t feel mad. I felt... challenged. Intrigued. Alive.

Now here I am, sitting by the window of the library, pretending to review my notes but failing miserably. The words in my notebook blur into one messy page because my eyes keep drifting toward the open window, the one that perfectly overlooks the cafeteria.

And there she is. Tanya.

Her laugh echoes faintly even from here. She’s with that new guy, William. My jaw tightens without me realizing it.

He’s sitting comfortably across from her, one hand holding a drink, the other lazily propped on the table. Tanya looks at him with that bright, carefree smile, the kind of smile I haven’t seen in a while.

I tell myself it doesn’t matter. That it’s none of my business.

But my hand has been gripping my pen so tightly that the ink already smeared across the side of my palm.

“Dude, you’re spacing out again.”

I blink and look up. Brent’s leaning over the table with that lazy grin of his, one eyebrow raised. Beside him, Aiden and Jc are clearly watching me, trying to hide their smirks.

“Thinking about the new transferee?” Aiden teases, spinning his pencil between his fingers.

“Yeah, the one who’s always with Tanya,” Xian adds, snickering as he peeks out the window too. “What’s his name again? William?”

“Shut up.” My voice comes out sharper than intended.

Jc whistles. “Woah, relax, man. We’re just saying what we see. No need to go full volcano on us.”

Brent leans back in his chair, arms crossed, smirk still plastered on his face. “He’s right, though. You’ve been zoning out ever since William showed up. Did he do something? Or…”

He trails off, glancing knowingly toward the window.

“Or maybe it’s someone.”

I roll my eyes. “You guys seriously have nothing better to do?”

Aiden grins. “Come on, Shan. You’re always the serious, composed one. Seeing you glare at someone from across the field is kind of new. We’re just enjoying the show.”

“Whatever.” I snap my notebook shut, the sound echoing a little too loudly in the quiet library.

The table falls silent for a second before Cath, who’s been sitting behind us scrolling on her phone, finally speaks up without looking away from her screen.

“Maybe you’re just jealous because someone else is getting Tanya’s attention now. I mean, everyone’s talking about how William’s been walking her to class lately.”

“She can walk herself,” I mutter, more defensively than I mean to.

Jc bursts out laughing. “Ohhh, he cares! Ladies and gentlemen, Shan Villafuerte officially has feelings!”

“Shut it, Jc,” I say through gritted teeth, but that only makes them laugh harder.

Denise, quiet as usual, finally looks up from her notes. Her voice is calm, steady too honest for comfort.

“You like her, don’t you?”

Everything stops.

The laughter dies down. Even Cath looks up from her phone. Aiden and Xian exchange shocked glances while Jc almost chokes on his drink.

“Wait. WHAT?” Jc blurts out.

“She said you like her!”

I feel my face heat up, but I keep my tone flat. “You’re all idiots.”

I stand up, sliding my chair back and slinging my bag over my shoulder. “I’m going to class. You’re all wasting your time.”

But before I leave, I catch Brent’s smirk.

“Sure, bro. Keep lying to yourself.”

I ignore them and walk out, but the second I’m out of sight, my heart starts beating faster than it should.

Do I like Tanya?

No. Of course not. We’re rivals. She’s loud, competitive, stubborn

and annoyingly good at math.

But the truth is... I don’t hate her either.

When she wins, I actually feel proud even if I never admit it.

When she smiles, something in my chest twists in a way I can’t explain.

I take a deep breath as I walk down the hallway. The afternoon light spills through the tall windows, making everything glow gold. Then I see her Tanya, walking out of the cafeteria with William beside her.

He’s carrying her drink. She’s talking, animatedly waving her hands while laughing.

They look close. Too close.

Something sharp stings in my chest.

William says something that makes her laugh even harder, and my hand unconsciously tightens around the strap of my bag.

He’s new here. He doesn’t even know her that well.

So why does it look like they’ve known each other forever?

“Shan!”

I turn and see Keisha walking toward me, her ponytail bouncing as she walks. She’s with her friends. Shell, the w*****d reader who always looks like she’s daydreaming, Cath, who’s already whispering something to Shell with a grin and Denise, quietly trailing behind.

“Hey,” I greet shortly, adjusting my bag.

Keisha crosses her arms. “You okay? You look… mad.”

“I’m not.”

“Really? Because your face says otherwise.”

Cath grins. “It’s Tanya, isn’t it?”

I look at her, and she just laughs. “Relax, I’m just teasing! But seriously, if looks could kill, William would’ve been a ghost five minutes ago.”

Shell giggles. “Enemies to lovers moment kaya ‘to,” she says dreamily. “Parang sa w*****d stories. Una hate, tapos biglang love—”

“Stop.” I cut her off, exhaling. “It’s not like that.”

But deep down, I know they’re half right.

It’s not hate anymore. It hasn’t been for a while.

As they leave, I stay behind, leaning against the wall, staring at the floor. My mind won’t stop replaying that image of Tanya’s laugh, William’s easy smile, the way she looked so happy.

I hate how it makes me feel.

I don’t even know what this feeling is irritation, jealousy, confusion?

All I know is that when she smiled at him…

I wanted that smile to be mine.

And maybe that’s the part that scares me the most.

Because if Athena Dela Cruz. my rival,

my so-called enemy can make my heart beat this fast just by laughing at someone else’s joke,

Then maybe I’m not just losing in math anymore.

Maybe I’m losing in something I don’t even understand.