And I Love You Still

CHAPTER 3: Unsolved Equations

AVERY watched her friends, Lucille and Jayden, with a smile as they wrestled over a notebook.

Jayden had the pen clamped between his teeth and was holding the notebook high above his head. Being tall, it was impossible for Lucille to reach it.

She called for help, but Avery only sat back calmly and shook her head.

The three of them were sitting on the bleachers under the big mango tree, waiting for the bell to ring—the signal that their afternoon classes were about to begin.

Eventually, Lucille gave up. She stopped trying to snatch the notebook that, in truth, belonged to Jayden anyway.

“I give up. If you don’t want to let me copy your answers, fine. I’m sure Avery’s answers are more accurate, anyway,” she said, glancing at her friend.

Avery only laughed.

“Oh, don’t, Avery. We have the same answers,” Jayden said, sitting down beside Lucille. His arm brushed against hers.

“You should at least try to solve them first before copying. You always want the shortcut, Lux,” he teased, snapping his fingers in front of her face. “There’s no such thing as an easy way out—everything’s earned.”

Lucille blinked, unable to argue. She had to admit it—Mathematics was her waterloo.

It wasn’t their teacher’s fault; Mr. Bernardino explained everything clearly, and she could follow the lessons fine. But the moment he gave out exercises, her mind would go blank.

She didn’t mind asking Jayden for help; he was good at teaching. But she disliked sitting beside him too long—he never missed a chance to tease her about his supposed “courtship.”

Between him and Avery, Jayden clearly had the upper hand when it came to Math.

Lucille, on the other hand, excelled in Communication Arts and was skilled in computer coding. Yet somehow, every time she reviewed her Math notes, the numbers and formulas blurred into meaningless doodles. She couldn’t even remember the difference between an arithmetic and a geometric sequence—despite copying everything carefully from the whiteboard while Mr. Bernardino solved examples.

“You know, I should thank your weakness in Math,” Jayden said, eyes locked on hers. “It gives me the chance to be close to you.”

Lucille rolled her eyes, changing the topic before he could get any cheesier.

“Let’s just play Mobile Legends. Let’s see who’s better at that.”

Avery burst out laughing.

“In that game, I’m sure you won’t beat Lucille,” she said.

Jayden chuckled but finally handed her the notebook. Lucille quickly copied what she needed, eager to finish before Jayden could flirt again. She happened to glance up and notice Avery staring toward the third-floor balcony—where the senior high students usually stayed.

“Who are you looking at up there?” Lucille asked.

“Huh? No one. I just saw Ms. Angeles talking to three students. Maybe they cut class again,” Avery replied casually.

The bell rang. The three hurried inside as the first class of the afternoon began.

Lucille and Avery didn’t sit together—thanks to their adviser’s strict seating plan. The teacher knew exactly who to separate, warning them that without assigned seats, they’d spend the whole class gossiping.

That afternoon, after class, Lucille didn’t wait for Avery. It was her group’s turn to clean the room. But before they could finish mopping, the others had already rushed home. Only she and Chelsea were left.

“I’ll take out the trash,” Lucille offered. “You finish mopping.”

Their school’s waste area was far, tucked behind the Grade Seven building—a spot teachers jokingly called “the dumpsite.” For a private school, it was embarrassingly messy.

She was startled when the trash bin suddenly slipped from her hands—only to find someone had caught it.

Zareb.

He was holding the bin, looking unimpressed.

“Where are the boys? Why are you doing this alone?”

Without waiting for her answer, he dumped the trash neatly onto the pile already there.

“Can’t the student council do something about this?”

Lucille blinked. “Why are you looking at me like that? Your classmate’s the student council president, not me.”

She knew he had a point, though. The student council elections at their school were more like popularity contests. The president might be sincere, but her officers? Lazy. They only moved when their adviser threatened their grades—or offered plus points.

Zareb tilted his head. “Aren’t you the vice president?” he asked, shaking out the bin to get rid of stuck plastic wrappers. Then he rinsed it clean under the nearby faucet.

Lucille just stood there, watching him.

They walked back to the classroom in silence, Zareb still carrying the bin. They ran into Chelsea on the way, already holding her bag.

“I’ll go ahead, Lux! My ride’s waiting outside the gate. You lock up, okay?” Chelsea said before hurrying off.

Zareb ended up turning off the lights and locking the classroom himself.

“Shouldn’t you have gone home by now?” Lucille asked, unsure what else to say.

He only shrugged.

When a tricycle passed, he hailed it. “I’ll take you home. Your Aunt Natasha might be worried—it’s getting dark.”

He let her board first before sitting beside her.

Lucille stayed quiet. From the outside, they probably looked like a couple. Zareb’s arm rested casually on the seat behind her. Every time the tricycle turned, she felt her leg brush against his. At one sharp turn, she almost fell forward—but his hand caught her waist, steadying her.

Her heart skipped. She looked up at him. He was gazing out the window, counting houses as they passed, expression unreadable.

When they arrived, she reached for her pocket to pay, but he stopped her.

“I got it,” he said, handing a fifty-peso bill to the driver.

Then he held out his hand to help her down. She hesitated—but took it anyway. The warmth of his palm lingered.

They entered the gate still holding hands. She could feel his grip tighten slightly. She stopped and looked up at him. He smiled—a small, quiet smile that made her heart flutter and her knees weak.

“Go on inside,” he said softly, smile widening.

“My hands…” she murmured, glancing down at their intertwined fingers. Zareb let go at once.

Her mother appeared by the doorway. “Since you’re already here, Zareb, come join us for dinner.”

“Oh, no need, Tita,” he said politely. “I just wanted to make sure Lucille got home safe.”

He said goodbye respectfully before leaving.

Lucille’s mother shook her head with a knowing smile and went inside. Lucille followed, feeling her cheeks grow warm.

TWO days later, her parents surprised her over dinner.

“I heard you’ve been struggling with Mathematics, Lucille?” her father said.

“My grades aren’t bad, Papa. You can even ask Avery,” she replied quietly.

She didn’t mention that Math was the only subject where she barely maintained an 85. It wasn’t a terrible grade, but for achievers like her, it wasn’t exactly good either. Still, she wasn’t aiming to be the top of the class. Getting a certificate of academic excellence each quarter—and a medal by the end of the year—was enough.

“I already asked Zareb to tutor you,” her father continued.

Lucille nearly dropped her fork.

“Ah, that boy—so responsible. Talented in everything he does,” her mother chimed in, smiling.

Lucille blinked. Even Mom’s praising him now?

“That’s not necessary, Papa. We already have group study sessions. They help a lot,” she said quickly, though she wasn’t sure where her father got the idea. Avery, maybe?

“Papa, Avery could tutor me instead. She’s good at Math too,” she added, forcing a smile.

Her father chuckled. “Oh, come on. You know Zareb’s the one who helps Avery with her assignments.”

Lucille frowned.

“Lucille, those eyes,” her mother warned when she saw the look on her face.

“I just don’t want to bother him, Papa. He’s busy helping at the repair shop, right? I’d just be another distraction.”

But her father waved it off. “That’s not an issue. I’ve told him many times to focus more on studying. Tutoring you will only make him review his lessons too.”

Lucille sighed and said nothing more.

When she was younger, she used to sneak over to Avery’s house just to see Zareb. She’d pretend to play, even though the real reason was him. But after she confessed her childish crush, he’d started avoiding her. Whenever she came by, he’d suddenly have somewhere else to go.

And now—after all these years—just hearing his name made her chest feel tight.

“I told Zareb to bring Avery along when he comes over. It’ll be more fun for you that way,” her father added cheerfully.

Lucille lost her appetite. She excused herself and went upstairs.

As soon as her bedroom door shut, she grabbed her phone and messaged Avery. Did you tell my parents to make your brother tutor me?

When Avery didn’t reply, Lucille called her instead.

She heard her friend yawn on the other end. “Can’t this wait until morning, frenny? Go to sleep.”

“Wait. Is your brother there?”

“Why? If it’s him you want, why not call him directly?” Avery teased.

“Stop it, Avery! Lower your voice, he might hear you!”

“Then what’s this about, huh? You’re calling me at midnight.”

Lucille hesitated. Should she tell her? Finally, she asked, “Were you the one who told my parents to have your brother tutor me in Math?”

Avery let out a loud huh? through the phone.

“Why would I do that? Maybe they noticed your grade during report card day?”

Lucille sighed. She hated that Avery had a point. She ended the call.

Then her phone pinged. A new message.

Hi.

Her breath caught. The phone slipped from her hand and tumbled off the bed.

It was from Zareb.

They’d been f*******: friends for a while, but he had never messaged her before. He’d occasionally like her posts, but never commented—never reached out.

Lucille buried her face into her pillow, groaning.