Arrange Hearts

Prologue “Are you saying I’m marrying someone I don’t even know, or even I love?” I raised an eyebrow, trying to make sense of it. “I’m sorry, anak, but this is the only way I know para masalba ang—" “Ang kumpanya? Seriously? You think we’re in some soap opera? Come on, this isn’t me. I don’t want this.” I crossed my arms, unimpressed. “Whether you want it or not, you’ll do what I say, Ada.” Dad’s voice was firm, but I barely flinched. Ugh, I can’t deal with these people right now. They’re trying to force me into marrying someone I don’t even know—no name, no face, no favorite color. So weird. Kung makilala ko man naka imbentong arranged marriages, it’s over for them. I walked out. They called my name, but I just headed straight to my room and locked the door. CHAPTER 1 Days passed, and my parents still hadn’t dropped this ridiculous marriage idea. Everyday pinipilit nila ako with this marriage, even they know-- we all know wala akong choice but still... I mean, I could consider it—my collections would be at risk if we went bankrupt, and there's no way I’m letting my Diors drown in debt. pero mahirap pa din. Why? Because there’s someone else, my classmate—Felix. The guy’s a total package: handsome, moreno, smart, and confident. He’s basically a walking checklist of everything I want in a guy. The only problem? Well, if I get married, bye-bye Felix. And I’m not some desperate girl clinging to any option on the table. I was walking to class when I saw him. God, Felix really knows how to look good without even trying. We’ve had a few interactions. Marami na kaming interactions actually. I remember when nagkasalubong kami outside the library and tinulungan niya akong magdala ng books, God he's a gentleman **FLASHBACK** I was leaving the library, clutching my books close to my chest, when I saw Felix walking towards me. Oh no, why now? My heart immediately did its usual nervous flip. He hadn’t noticed me yet, so I had a few precious seconds to decide if I should hide behind one of the shelves or just walk past him like a normal human being. Before I could overthink it, Felix looked up and spotted me. Great, I thought as I quickly tried to fix my hair with my free hand. He smiled—that same effortless smile that always made my brain short-circuit. “Ada, hey!” Felix called out, walking over. His hair was slightly tousled from the wind, and he looked so casually perfect. “Kakagaling mo sa library?” “Uh, yeah,” I mumbled, already feeling my cheeks heat up. I adjusted the books in my arms awkwardly. “Ikaw? Saan ka galing?” “Just finished class. Medyo pahinga lang for a bit.” He glanced at the books I was carrying. “Mukhang ang dami mong bitbit ah, need help?” “Oh, no, it’s okay,” I replied quickly, though my arms were starting to ache. Why do I always refuse help?! But Felix, being Felix, didn’t wait for me to insist. He grabbed the top few books from my stack with ease. “Let me carry these. Para naman hindi ka mahirapan.” I let out a small, nervous laugh. “Thanks,” I muttered, feeling a mix of gratitude and embarrassment. We started walking together down the hallway, side by side. The whole time, I was hyper-aware of how close we were, and how my heart seemed to be racing faster than normal. Relax, Ada. It’s just a casual walk. “So,” he said after a few moments of silence, “anong pinag-aaralan mo ngayon? You seem busy.” I nodded, trying not to sound too flustered. “Yeah, medyo madami. Just working on some research for a project.” I glanced at him briefly, only to see him already looking at me. I quickly looked away, feeling the blush creeping up my neck. Bakit ba ako ganito every time? Felix chuckled softly. “Mukha nga. You’ve been spending a lot of time in the library lately, no?” I shrugged, trying to act cool. “Yeah, just trying to keep up. Alam mo naman, end of the term na, so things are piling up.” “Same here,” he said, nodding. Then, there was a short pause before he asked, “May break ka ba later? We could study together if you want. Para less stressful.” I nearly tripped over my own feet. Study? Together? My brain went into overdrive. “Uh… I’m not sure. Maybe. I’ll see kung matatapos ko agad ‘yung ibang stuff,” I stammered, desperately trying to sound casual. He smiled at me again, this time with that calm, reassuring expression. “No pressure. Just thought it’d be fun to hang out. Let me know lang.” I nodded, not trusting my voice at this point. We continued walking in silence for a few more moments, the tension between us growing. I was too shy to say anything, and I could feel my face heating up again. Why am I like this? As we reached my next class, Felix handed me back my books. “Here you go. Para hindi ka na mahirapan.” “Thanks,” I muttered, avoiding his gaze as I took the books from him. My hands brushed against his, and I felt a jolt of nerves shoot through me. Why does even the smallest touch feel like a big deal? “No worries,” he said, his voice warm. “See you around, Ada.” “Yeah, see you,” I replied, stepping into the classroom as quickly as possible. I glanced back just once and saw him walking away, hands in his pockets, still smiling slightly. As I slid into my seat, I let out a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. What just happened? Felix Davis, the guy who always made me feel like a complete klutz, just casually offered to study with me. And I had no idea what to do with that. **END OF FLASHBACK** See? whenever I’m near him, I’m awkward as hell. I probably make it super obvious I’m into him. Green flag, though. He’s kind and down-to-earth. Ugh, he’s the ideal guy. “Huy, te! Titigan mo na lang ba si Felix buong buhay mo?” Violet nudged me teasingly. She’s been my best friend since forever, and honestly, minsan ang kulit na. I rolled my eyes, but couldn’t resist glancing at Felix again. “Tingnan mo naman kasi! Grabe, ang perfect niya.” “Uh-huh. Pero seryoso, tapos mo na ba yung assignment sa Data Science?” “Huh? May assignment?” I blinked, realizing I’d completely forgotten. “Girl, sobra ka na kay Felix. Ayan na lang yata nasa utak mo!” Violet snickered. “Ugh, pakopya na nga,” I muttered. I’m usually on top of things—except lately, ever since my parents dropped this arranged marriage bomb on me. After copying her answers, I finally told her everything. “Wait lang,” Violet said, eyes wide with curiosity. “So, gwapo ba?” “Ewan. Hindi ko pa nga siya nakikilala, pero sure na akong no. Like, kahit ano pang itsura niya, ayoko talaga.” “As if,” she replied, smirking. “Sigurado ka ba? Malay mo guwapo, baka magbago isip mo.” I shook my head firmly. “Kahit guwapo pa siya, it’s still a no. Hindi ako nagpapakasal sa taong di ko kilala.” Days went by, and my parents weren’t giving up. They even cut off my allowance and locked my card. Great, right? Dad was really pushing this. My phone buzzed, and I quickly pulled it out of my bag. The message was from Felix—oh wow, this was a surprise. Felix Davis: Hi Ada! Sorry for the sudden message. Partner tayo sa binigay na project ni Ms. Parker. I stared at his name and the message for a moment, my heart doing a little happy dance. Partnering with Felix on a project? This could be interesting. I quickly typed back, trying to sound casual even though I was internally doing a victory jig. “Hi Felix! Really ba? Ang lucky ko naman pala, top student ang partner ko.” Felix Davis: Nah! Hahaha. Coming from you. I let out a soft giggle, feeling my cheeks flush. His reply was just as charming as ever, and it made me feel a bit self-conscious. Ugh, bakit ba ako ganito? I was definitely not used to being this flustered over a simple text, but there was something about Felix that made me feel all sorts of things. Acckkkk. Grabe ang favoritism mo, lord. I thought, trying to play it cool. This was turning out to be the highlight of my day, and it felt like I was in some sort of cheesy romance movie. Hala, baka mamaya magka-deadline na ako sa pag-iisip kung anong i-reply. I took a deep breath, trying to calm the fluttering in my chest. I needed to focus on the project, not just on how nice it was to be working with Felix. But then again, who could blame me for being a bit excited? Felix was smart, approachable, and—admit it, Ada—really good-looking. And now, I had the chance to work with him. I tapped out a quick reply, determined to keep things light and friendly. “Sige, let’s make sure we do a great job. Excited na ako!” As I hit send, I couldn’t help but imagine how the project would go. Maybe we’d end up working together smoothly, maybe we’d have to navigate some challenges. Either way, I was looking forward to it. And who knew? Maybe this project would lead to more conversations with Felix. I grinned to myself, trying to hide the giddiness that was bubbling up inside me. Kahit na anong mangyari, sana mag-enjoy ako dito. “MOOOM!!” “What now?” “I think I’m getting married.” “Yeah, honey, you are.” Except this time, I couldn’t help but smile. Tomorrow’s going to be interesting.