Chapter 2
1153 Words
Monday – 6:49 AM – Aira’s Dorm
Aira stared at her reflection.
Same hoodie. Same tired eyes. Same girl who once said she was done with love.
But something’s different.
Hindi halata, pero ramdam niya.
The shift is internal—silent, uncertain, fragile.
Napabuntong-hininga siya at isinuot ang earphones. Hindi naka-play ang music, as usual. Gusto lang niya ng ingay na hindi nakakaistorbo.
And maybe, just maybe, she wanted to block out her own thoughts too.
7:34 AM – Sa Hallway
“Good morning.”
Simple. Casual. Mababang boses.
Napalingon si Aira. Si Calix.
Naka-lean sa wall, may bitbit na kape. Isa lang. Hindi ‘yung tipong pa-cute na “dalawa agad, para sa ‘min.” Pero ‘yung presence niya, steady lang.
Hindi nanliligaw.
Hindi rin nagmamadali.
“Hey,” sagot niya. “Ang aga mo.”
“Gusto ko lang makakita ng pamilyar bago pumasok sa 7AM hell,” biro niya.
Aira let out a soft chuckle. Konti lang. Pero totoo.
And that was enough.
10:42 AM – Lecture Hall
While the professor rambled on, Aira found herself scribbling.
Not notes.
Just thoughts.
> “I think I’m scared of being seen… because what if no one likes what they see?”
She glanced sideways.
Calix looked focused. Tahimik. Parang hindi siya yung tipo ng lalaking makulit.
But he noticed her gaze and turned—offering the tiniest smile. Walang tanong. Walang pressure.
Just… presence.
And it felt safe.
Flashback – 18-year-old Aira
“Aira, bakit hindi ka pa rin nagpapatawad?” tanong ng ateng pinsan niya noon.
“Hindi kasi sila nagsosorry,” sagot niya.
“Kailangan ba nilang humingi ng sorry para mag-heal ka?”
She never answered that question. Until now… maybe she was starting to understand.
Healing doesn’t always come from closure.
Minsan, healing comes from something new.
Something kind.
Something quiet.
12:21 PM – Campus Garden Benches
“May free time ka?” tanong ni Calix habang hawak ang sandwich.
“Meron, pero hindi ako gutom.”
“Sama ka na lang. Hindi ako sanay mag-lunch mag-isa kapag may pwede namang kausap,” sagot niya.
Aira sat down beside him. Hesitant pa rin, pero less defensive.
“Saan ka natutong maging… ganito?” tanong niya.
“Ganito paano?”
“Yung… hindi demanding. Hindi pushy. Yung parang… mabait lang. Natural lang.”
Calix thought for a second, then smiled.
“Maybe kasi I’ve been on the receiving end of too much noise. Kaya ngayon, gusto ko na lang maging tahimik sa tamang paraan.”
That hit something inside her. Parang biglang may tumama sa mismong ugat ng pinipilit niyang limutin.
3:03 PM – Group Chat with Mira
MIRA 🌼:
Update me bestie. Ilang beses na kayo nagkatinginan today?
AIRA:
Hindi siya yung tipo ng guy na kailangan ng eye contact para mapansin mo.
MIRA 🌼:
OMGGGGGGG STOP. Kinikilig ako para sayo 😭
AIRA:
Hindi pa ito love ha.
MIRA 🌼:
Alam ko. Pero hindi ba ang healing, parang love din? Dahan-dahan muna.
6:17 PM – Calix’s Dorm, His POV
Nasa harap ng laptop si Calix, binabasa ang PDF ng assigned reading. Pero paulit-ulit niyang naiisip ‘yung tanong ni Aira kanina.
> “Saan ka natutong maging… ganito?”
He smiled faintly.
Truth is, may pinanggalingan din siyang sugat.
Hindi lang halata. Hindi niya sinasabi.
Pero minsan, ang pagiging mabait… hindi dahil sa sobrang saya.
Minsan, dahil sa sakit na ayaw mo nang ipasa sa iba.
8:43 PM – Aira’s Journal Entry
> “He’s not rushing me.
He’s not making me question my worth.
He’s just… there.
And I think that’s the scariest part.
Because the last time someone made me feel safe…
they left.”
Tuesday – 4:47 PM – Start of Rainfall
Nasa labas si Aira, naglalakad papuntang gate nang biglang bumuhos ang ulan. Wala siyang payong. Wala ring matatakbuhan agad. Gusto niya sanang bumalik, pero…
“Aira!”
Napalingon siya.
Si Calix. Hawak ang payong. Tumakbo palapit. Walang second thoughts. Walang drama.
“Ikaw talaga,” sabi ni Aira habang binubuksan niya ang backpack, pero basa na ang isang strap. “Laging may payong?”
“Laging handa,” sagot niya, sabay abot ng payong. “Halika.”
Naglakad silang sabay. Mabagal lang. Walang pilitan. Katahimikan lang ang pagitan nila—pero hindi nakakailang. ‘Yung tipong tahimik, pero punong-puno ng unspoken peace.
Dialogue – Under One Umbrella
“Gusto mo bang may lumalapit pa sa’yo?” tanong ni Calix.
Aira blinked. “What do you mean?”
“Alam kong gusto mong mapag-isa most of the time. Pero… gusto mo bang may pilit pa ring humahabol sa’yo?”
Tumigil si Aira. Hindi dahil galit. Pero dahil tinamaan siya sa tanong.
Matagal siyang hindi sumagot.
“Sobrang sanay na ako sa wala,” sagot niya. “Na minsan, kapag may dumarating… natatakot na lang ako. Kasi baka mawala rin.”
Tahimik si Calix. Tumingin lang sa kanya. Hindi siya hinusgahan. Hindi rin siya kinumbinse.
“I won’t promise I’ll never leave,” sagot ni Calix. “Pero kung aalis man ako, sigurado akong hindi dahil sinayang kita.”
Those words hit harder than she expected.
Flashback – Aira, 19 Years Old
“Kung hindi ka magbago, aalis ako,” sabi ni Daryl, isa sa mga naging ex niya.
Aira remembered how she begged, how she blamed herself.
Only to realize later—she was never the problem.
Back to Present – 5:01 PM – Sa Waiting Shed
Basang-basa ang paligid. Mabigat ang ulan. Pero tahimik silang dalawa.
“Alam mo ba,” simula ni Aira, “kahit ilang beses akong nasaktan… hindi ko pa rin tuluyang kinaya maging manhid.”
“Bakit?”
“Kasi kahit anong gawin ko… umaasa pa rin akong may taong darating, hindi para sirain ako, kundi buuin.”
Calix didn’t answer.
Instead, he gently adjusted the umbrella to keep her covered more than himself.
At sa simpleng gesture na ‘yon…
Aira knew.
She was starting to believe again.
Later That Night – 9:44 PM – Aira’s POV
Nasa kama siya. Walang music. Walang distractions.
Just her thoughts.
> “He didn’t push. He didn’t pretend.
And for the first time… I wasn’t afraid of being seen.”
Calix’s POV – 10:01 PM – Sa Dorm
> “She’s still holding back. I can see it.
But something changed in her eyes today.
And that’s enough for me. I don’t need her to fall.
I just want her to feel safe standing next to me.”
Aira POV
MIRA 🌼: Chat that Night
MIRA:
Hoy, anong meron sa ulan?? May nagpapaulan sa puso mo dyan ah!! 😭😭
AIRA:
Di ko alam. Pero parang hindi na siya kasing lamig dati.
MIRA:
GIRLLLLL. PAINIT NA YAN. ITO NA YUN.
Aira’s (Internal Monologue)
Maybe love doesn’t always start with butterflies or grand gestures.
Maybe it starts with someone holding the umbrella…
even when you insist you’re okay getting soaked.
- Writer
