CHAPTER SIX: Rumors Around Campus
717 Words
Thursday.
7:12 A.M.
Victoria Rian Nicolas arrived at Room 304 carrying her usual tote bag and a cup of iced coffee.
As she approached her seat, she noticed a folded sticky note on her desk.
> Reserved for my favorite project partner.
>
> — J.H.
She let out a quiet laugh before placing the note inside her planner.
A few minutes later, Joseph walked in.
"Morning."
"Morning."
"You saw the note?"
"I did."
"And?"
"It was unnecessary."
Joseph grinned.
"But it made you smile."
Victoria paused before shaking her head.
"I won't admit that."
"I already saw it."
Before she could answer, Professor Santos entered the classroom.
"Good morning, everyone."
---
The discussion that day focused on ethical dilemmas in business and public service.
Halfway through the lecture, Professor Santos suddenly closed her notebook.
"Instead of listening to me, let's hear from the class."
She looked around.
"Mr. Hernandez and Miss Nicolas."
Joseph immediately sighed.
"I knew this was coming."
The class laughed.
Professor Santos smiled.
"I want both of you to discuss this scenario."
She projected a case on the screen involving a company accountant who discovered evidence of fraud committed by a close friend.
"What should the accountant do?"
Joseph spoke first.
"If the evidence is credible, it should be reported."
"Friendship shouldn't interfere with justice."
Professor Santos nodded.
"Miss Nicolas?"
Victoria stood.
"I agree."
She looked at the screen before continuing.
"Professional responsibility demands honesty, even when it's difficult."
"Protecting someone who committed fraud may seem compassionate in the short term, but it harms everyone else who depends on the truth."
She paused.
"The hardest decisions are usually the right ones."
The room became quiet.
Professor Santos smiled proudly.
"Excellent."
She looked at the rest of the class.
"Notice how they approached the same problem from different disciplines, yet arrived at the same ethical conclusion."
Several classmates nodded.
One whispered,
"No wonder they're partners."
---
When class ended, Joseph and Victoria walked toward the library.
As they passed the student plaza, they heard familiar voices.
"There they are."
Joseph looked up.
His varsity teammates were sitting on a bench.
One of them, Marco, stood and waved dramatically.
"Captain!"
Joseph sighed.
"Ignore them."
Too late.
Marco jogged over with a teasing grin.
"So..."
He glanced between Joseph and Victoria.
"This must be the famous Victoria."
Victoria blinked.
"Famous?"
Joseph shot Marco a warning look.
"Don't start."
Marco ignored him.
"Our captain suddenly spends his free time in the library."
"The library!"
He placed a hand over his chest.
"We thought he was sick."
The rest of the team burst into laughter.
Joseph rubbed the back of his neck.
"We have a project."
"For three weeks?"
"Yes."
Marco turned to Victoria.
"I've known this guy for almost three years."
"I've never seen him voluntarily enter a library."
Victoria looked at Joseph.
"Is that true?"
Joseph coughed.
"I prefer outdoor learning."
She couldn't hold back her laughter.
"So that's why you looked lost on our first day."
His teammates cheered.
"She got you, Captain!"
Even Joseph laughed.
"Okay, okay. I deserved that."
---
After leaving the group, the two continued walking.
"I'm sorry about them," Joseph said.
"They can be... loud."
Victoria smiled.
"I think they're funny."
"They like you."
"Really?"
"They don't tease just anyone."
She looked down for a moment.
"I've never really had many friends outside Accountancy."
Joseph looked surprised.
"Seriously?"
She nodded.
"My schedule is usually class, library, home."
"No organizations?"
"I joined one."
"What happened?"
"I resigned after a month."
"Why?"
"I couldn't balance everything."
Joseph remained silent.
He understood that feeling more than she realized.
There was a long pause before he finally spoke.
"You know..."
"What?"
"You don't always have to carry everything alone."
Victoria looked at him.
For the first time...
Someone had said those words without pity.
Without judgment.
Simply because they cared.
She offered him a small smile.
"I'll try to remember that."
As they reached the library steps, neither noticed several students watching from across the courtyard.
"Are they dating?"
"I don't think so."
"They look good together, though."
Victoria and Joseph heard none of it.
To them, they were still just classmates.
Just project partners.
Just friends.
Neither realized that, little by little, their names were already beginning to be mentioned together around campus.
- Writer
