Let Me

Episode 2

Meet Him

I chose nursing as my pre-med.

Habang si Roxanne naman, architecture—still the same, still surrounded by blueprints and the boyfriend she’s had for years.

The months before college blurred into a kind of freedom I used to only imagine. Clubbing until sunrise, hiking unfamiliar trails, spontaneous trips abroad, and that quiet vacation in Batangas with my cousin—everything felt like a reward I had been waiting for my entire life.

Then came college.

Nineteen.

And finally, I was living exactly the life I wanted.

May sarili akong kotse—Dad’s gift. A condo—Mom’s birthday present. And no rules left to follow.

Total freedom. Just like they promised.

Being an only child had its perks. With Mom and Dad always busy, I learned how to move on my own, decide on my own… live on my own.

That morning, I stood in front of the mirror, studying myself.

A silk blouse rested lightly on my skin, the top buttons undone just enough to let the air slip through. Simple. Effortless. But I knew better than to pretend it wouldn’t get attention.

My skirt hugged my waist perfectly, the slit brushing against my thigh with every step.

Hindi ko kailangang magpakita nang sobra.

Konti lang… sapat na.

I picked up my bag—just enough space for my tablet, phone, and a slim wallet filled with cards.

Hindi naman sa pagmamayabang… but I had my own strengths.

I was good at school. Always had been.

Curious, competitive—I tried almost every sport I could get into.

And now, I was stepping into a world where everyone seemed just as privileged, just as polished.

An elite school.

Expected.

Still, I focused on what mattered—my first day, new connections, and building a life that felt just as exciting as it looked.

Funny enough, the friends I found weren’t anything like the life I had been living.

They were… simple.

Innocent.

Focused.

Scholars.

Joaane.

Stacy.

Maloi.

Tatlo sila—and somehow, I was drawn to them. Maybe curiosity. Maybe admiration. Maybe I just wanted to see if people like them were as genuine as they seemed.

And they were.

By the second semester, nothing had changed.

Sila pa rin.

And me?

I changed, quiet a bit.. . I am really easy to be influence around me. They are so dedicated that somehow, it makes me change. Nadoon pa rin ang mga wild and freedom na pinagnanasahan ko noon, but madalang na since college is so hectic.

Somewhere along the way, I grew tired of the noise—the parties, the late nights, the reckless kind of freedom.

I wanted quiet.

Structure.

Something… real.

A shift Roxanne never failed to mock.

“So girls… gusto niyo bang—”.

“Don’t influence them, Rox,” I cut her off, giving her a look. “They’re so dedicated. They need to focus. Tama Girls?”

She rolled her eyes, but smiled anyway. “Grabe ka na talaga. But Girls.. minsan kailangan din nating you know... Mag loosened up.. Make a party.. enjoy... .”

"Stop it.. bad influence ka talagang bruha ka.. ", natawa kaagad sila.. Sanay na sila but this time , it is different. "Dont make pansin sa kanila Girls.. We need to focus and finish this. "

We were seated in a cozy coffee shop just outside campus, papers spread across the table as we worked on our case study. The soft hum of conversations and the scent of coffee filled the space.

Roxanne was there too, casually tagging along, her presence a contrast to the calm focus of my friends.

“Okay, so if the patient presents—” Stacy started, flipping through her notes.

I leaned in, scanning the data on my tablet, fully immersed.

Until something shifted.

A presence.

Unfamiliar… yet oddly recognizable.

" My prince…" Nagulat ako nang marinig iyon mula kay Maloi.

I didn’t mean to look up.

But I did.

And everything stilled.

He had just entered.

Wearing a pristine white medical coat, pressed to perfection, fitting him like it was made specifically for him. Clean. Sharp.

Controlled.

Too controlled.

My chest tightened without warning.

There was something about him

The way he walked.

The way his eyes briefly scanned the room.

And then

For a split second

They landed on me.

Recognition. Halatang halata sa hitsura niya. An amused look, directly on me.

Dangerous and quiet.

My fingers tightened slightly around my pen.

No.

It couldn’t be

"Ang gwapo talaga niya…", dugtong niya pa.. Akala ko sobrang inosente ng babaeng ito… May kalandian pa rin palang nalalaman…

"Oiee.. Crush mo Maloi... ', pang-aasar kaagad ni Roxanne sa kanya. "Ang gwapo.. "

Pero mas nagulat ako, pati si Stacy, ganoon din, nakamamangha sa lalaking kanina pa patingin-tingin sa aming banda.

"Sino namang hindi magkakagusto sa exchange student sa department ng Medicine. He has everything you know. Money. Look , Brain.. lahat na nga papangarapin mong maging ama ng anak mo. ", sabi pa ni Maloi na ikinagulat ko.

Kapag sinabi kong magaling din yan sa kama, OMG... Maybe they will make a way for him also.. Nooo.. Hindi pwedy..

"Halatang focus lang 'yan sa libro at walang lovelife… Walang life.. baka nga hindi yan papatong sayo Maloi.. . Kaya ikaw maloi.. ",

"Roxanne.. Make tigil na okay.. the heck.. We should go and make pasok na for our last subject. ", Nagmamadali na akong tumayo, but this guy makes a scene and walks towards us..

Naalala niya ba ako?

Fate, or whatever you call it, really has a way of pulling things back—of forcing paths to cross kahit ilang beses mo pang iwasan. For what? Para ipaalala? Para guluhin ulit? O para siguraduhing hindi talaga siya dapat kalimutan? Ang tagal ko pa namang naka-move forward noon… Minsan pa , nakikita ko pa ang sariling ginagawa ang mga nagsasarili. Nai-imagine ko kung paano niya ’yon ginawa sa akin. Para akong naghahanap sa kanya. And now that I finally move forward, dumating na naman ulit siya…

“Ferrero.”

The name cut through the air.

Someone had called him.

He turned slightly, acknowledging it with a calm nod.

But before he fully walked away

His gaze flickered back to me.

Lingering.

Knowing.

Bigla akong naalarma nang mapansin kong papunta sila sa banda namin. Akala ko aalis, but..

Ano… mag-a-announce ba siya sa mga kaibigan kong birhen na—

“Hi!”,

Nagulat ako. Sa sobrang pag-iisip ko, nasa harap ko na pala siya. May hawak siyang Starbucks at sandaling sumulyap sa paligid na parang sinusuri muna ang buong lugar bago huminto ang tingin niya sa akin.

Roxanne has a curious look.

Habang ang iba ay gulat na gulat na nandito sa table namin ang crush nila.

“It is nice to see you here,” Aniya, kalmado ang boses.

Huminga siya nang marahan, parang may bigat na kasabay ng salitang binitawan niya.

“Finally… Kaiah.”