Beyond the Beat

Chapter 16

We were all sitting in the chair, the four of us. And we're waiting nervously for the announcement of the winner.

“Are you all ready?” Prof. Depfanny asked cheerfully, a bright smile on her face.

“Yes!!” The students in the gym shouted loudly, their excitement clear as they eagerly waited to find out who won.

“The winner for this competition is—” Ma'am Depfanny said slowly, building up the suspense.

“Kiros nayan!” shouted the third-year and first-year students, their voices full of support and energy.

“SPECH! Yan!!” our team shouted back, full of confidence.

“SPECH LANG ANG SAKALAM!” our team added again.

“KIROS PARIN!” their team yelled back, not backing down.

“MAGANDA PARIN SI Lumi,” our team shouted again, mixing a bit of teasing with pride.

The heck. I thought, trying to stay calm amid all the excitement.

Finally, Ma'am announced, “And the winner for this competition is no other than: The SPECH. Ms. Panganiban and Mr. Villarreal.”

“Oh my god!!!!!” our team exploded with cheers, happiness filling the room.

I already expected it, judging from the dean’s expression earlier, I had a feeling. Still, hearing it out loud hit my pride and emotions harder than I thought.

Chion and I walked to the front to receive our medals and certificates. I smiled awkwardly at the camera, feeling a mix of relief, pride, and a little nervousness all at once.

After the pictorial, I left right away even though a lot of people wanted to take pictures with me and were congratulating me. I was so tired. Socializing just isn’t my thing. With my earbuds in, I walked out of the school, wanting to get away from all the noise.

Just as I was about to stop a tricycle, someone grabbed my hand tightly.

“What the hell?” I said, looking at the person who dared to hold me like that.

It was Eros.

“What’s your problem, Eros?” I shouted, pulling at my hand, but he didn’t let go.

“Mag-usap tayo,” he said seriously, his jaw tight like he was trying to control himself.

I gave him a cold, hard look, my jaw tightening too. What could he possibly want to talk about? His never-ending cheating?

“What’s the catch, Eros?” I asked, teasing him but still tense.

He stayed quiet for a moment, staring at me with a look that made my skin crawl.

“What?” I asked again, this time colder.

“Can you stop acting so childish for once, Lumi?” His voice was serious, but there was something deeper in it.

My blood boiled instantly. “What the hell? Me? Acting like a damn child?” I said angrily, the frustration building up inside me.

I raised my eyebrow at him, mocking him a little. “Maybe you should stop being such a damn cheater.”

The air between us felt heavy, like something about to explode. I stayed cold and distant, stubborn as always, not wanting to show the hurt I felt. Eros didn’t let go, and he stared at me fiercely.

Neither of us was willing to back down. This wasn’t just about words. It was all the pain and anger beneath the surface, and neither of us wanted to give in.

Eros’ eyes darkened, and his jaw tightened like he was holding back something strong.

Without warning, he grabbed me and pulled me back inside the school.

“What the hell are you doing? Let go of me, Eros, damn it,” I said, refusing to give in, but his grip didn’t loosen.

“Shut up, Lumi,” he said seriously as he pushed me against the wall.

I gasped, my lips parted, unable to believe what he just did.

“I miss you, maldita,” he whispered slowly, looking right into my eyes.

My heart raced so fast, damn it, what was he doing to me? The cold walls I built around myself suddenly felt weaker.

“You really don’t like me,” he said softly, his voice almost breaking, searching my face for an answer.

He smelled so good, warm and almost addictive, like the faint scent of my vape that I liked.

“What?” I asked, confused.

“I heard you,” he said quietly, like it was hard for him to say.

“Heard what?” I asked again.

“You and Chion… talking at the bench,” he answered.

My mouth opened slightly. I felt guilty, he really heard what I said. But did it matter? He has Ellery, and then Ellery left him. So why was he acting like this now?

The moment was heavy with feelings we didn’t say out loud. His pain and my coldness crashed against each other, sharp and raw.

Neither of us knew what would happen next, but in that tense silence, the line between anger and something softer was very thin.

“You really hurt my feelings, Lumina,” he confessed quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.

“What the hell are you talking about? Ellery dumped you, not me,” I said, gritting my teeth, trying to keep my anger strong.

“Damn, Ellery isn’t even my girlfriend. I don’t even really know her,” he explained, his tone serious and honest.

“What?” I asked again, trying to hide the sudden rush in my chest. But then I forced myself to change the subject.

“But what about that tarpaulin girl?”

“Who’s that tarpaulin girl anyway?” I pressed, narrowing my eyes at him.

“Berly?” he asked, sounding unsure. I just nodded.

“She’s a friend,” he said, and then suddenly pinched my nose in a sudden, playful move that caught me off guard.

“But—” I was about to say something, but he cut me off.

“Shh, I don’t like anyone, Lumina. It’s always been only you, from the start.”

My lips parted in surprise, and I met his gaze. His jaw wasn’t tense anymore; it looked relaxed. His eyes, though, were glossy as he stared at me.

Fuck this unexpected confession, I thought, trying to steady myself as my heart threatened to break free.

The raw honesty in his words, the quiet strength behind them, it hit me harder than I expected.

“Yes, I don’t like you,” I confessed, my voice steady but with a hint of softness, “but I never said I don’t like having you around.” His lips parted slightly, surprised by my words.

“Tss,” I murmured with a small grin, enjoying the rare moment of catching him off guard.

“But you still don’t like me?” Eros asked, his voice sounding almost like a child’s, curious and a little hopeful.

“Yes,” I teased back, “but you’re making me happy, anyway.”

A wild smile spread across his face.

“Iyo pa,” he said playfully in Chavacano, claiming the moment as his.

“Lumina Maldita, kain tayo, Lumi,” he said, nudging me gently.

“Lumi? What’s that?” I asked, curious despite myself.

“Pagkain,” he answered with a playful smirk.

“What?” I tilted my head, pretending not to understand.

“Pagkain nga—yung sabaw tapos may itlog, tapos may sahog,” Eros explained, his familiar mischievous grin returning.

“Tss, bipolar,” I joked, teasing him.

“Anong sabi mo, baby?” he shot back, raising an eyebrow.

“Bipolar sweatpants, Benten,” I laughed, enjoying the playful banter.

His eyes sparkled with amusement and something softer, a glint that caught me off guard.

“Ang ganda mo. Your laugh is priceless,” he said, his tone sincere, catching me in a moment I wasn’t ready for.

I raised an eyebrow at him, trying to hide the flutter in my chest,the sudden warmth that buzzed beneath my cold exterior.

For once, the walls I kept so carefully built around my feelings felt less heavy, as if maybe, just maybe, he was starting to see the real me.