CHAPTER FIVE
832 Words
“Hoy Mira! Over here!”
Trixie waved from their usual cafeteria table, her lunch tray already overflowing with fries and soda.
“Akala ko late ka,” Mira said, setting down her bag.
“Early ako pag may chismis,” Trixie grinned. “Speaking of—may kwento ako. Guess who’s coming for the alumni talk next week?”
Mira groaned. “Please don’t tell me—”
“Lance Villareal!”
Andre looked up from his notes. “She already knows. Hindi siya impressed.”
“Wait, you know him?” Trixie asked, curious eyes gleaming.
Mira fumbled for words. “Uh—narinig ko lang sa mga prof.”
“Ah. Kasi parang napansin ko last time, weird reaction mo nung nabanggit siya.”
“Ha? Weird? Hindi ah.” Mira forced a smile. “Siguro gutom lang ako noon.”
Trixie eyed her suspiciously, then shrugged. “Fine. Pero promise, we have to watch the talk! Alam mo bang genius ‘yun? Parang legend sa mga seniors.”
Andre smirked. “Legend? Or just infamous?”
“Both!” Trixie giggled. “Pero come on, Mira. Let’s watch, para may kwento tayo.”
Mira sighed. “Bahala na. Maybe.”
Inside, she already knew she’d end up going — mostly to see why people admired him so much.
---
The auditorium buzzed with chatter. Students filled every row, phones ready.
“Grabe, parang concert,” Mira whispered.
“Syempre,” Trixie whispered back. “Si Mr. Perfect kaya ‘yan.”
The host called his name. Applause erupted.
Lance stepped onto the stage — crisp shirt, calm face, eyes scanning the crowd with that usual detachment.
He didn’t look like the moody guy from the breakfast table. He looked… composed.
“Good morning,” he began. His voice was firm, low, steady. “When I was in your place, I thought grades were everything. But it turns out, what you really need to survive out there is how you handle failure.”
Mira blinked. Failure? That wasn’t something she expected from him.
As he spoke, he smiled once — small, genuine, quick. The audience murmured, surprised.
Even Trixie whispered, “Uy, ngumiti siya. History.”
Mira didn’t laugh. She just kept watching, something tugging at her chest. This is the same person na halos hindi makatingin sa’kin sa bahay?
When the talk ended, everyone clapped. Lance bowed lightly, avoiding the spotlight as he stepped down.
---
Outside the hall, students gathered in small groups.
“Ang galing niya ‘no?” one girl said.
“Pero ang sungit daw niyan dati,” another replied. “Sobrang suplado.”
“Baka kaya single pa rin,” someone joked.
Mira frowned. “Hindi naman lahat ng tahimik suplado agad.”
The girls looked at her, surprised. “Fan ka niya?”
“Hindi naman,” she said quickly. “Just saying.”
Andre, standing beside her, chuckled. “Defensive.”
She gave him a look. “Hindi ah. I just think people assume too much.”
Still, her words surprised even her. Maybe she was starting to understand him more than she thought.
---
Rain started pouring as the event ended.
Mira stood under the covered walkway, hugging her bag, debating if she should wait for a jeep or just call her mom.
Then she heard a familiar voice. “Hey.”
She turned. Lance, holding an umbrella. “Sumabay ka na. Wala nang masasakyan.”
“Okay lang, makakahanap ako,” she said automatically.
He sighed. “Mira, just get in the car.”
His tone was tired, not cold. That was new.
In the car, silence filled the space. Raindrops against the window became their background noise.
“Good talk,” she said finally. “Kanina.”
“Hmm.”
“I didn’t know you used to hate failing.”
Lance’s grip tightened slightly on the wheel. “Everyone hates it. I just learned to hide it better.”
She glanced at him, thoughtful. “You don’t hide it that well.”
He almost smiled. Almost. “Maybe I’m getting rusty.”
That small exchange — that half-smile — felt like the first real conversation they’d ever had.
---
That night, Mira was in her room reading when she heard a soft knock.
She looked up, surprised. “Yes?”
Lance peeked in, still in his work clothes. “Hey. Ma said you left your umbrella sa car.”
“Oh. Thanks,” she said, standing to take it. Their hands didn’t touch, but for the first time, the silence between them wasn’t heavy.
He nodded once and started to leave, then paused. “You did well today. Thanks… for not letting those people talk trash.”
Mira blinked. “Narinig mo ‘yun?”
“Walls aren’t that thick,” he said simply, then walked away.
When the door closed, Mira smiled faintly.
For the first time since she moved in, the house didn’t feel so cold.
- Writer
