Between Bruises and Butterflies

St. Augustine Academy – Main Hall (8:00 AM)

The first bell of the day rings, signaling the start of another busy morning at St. Augustine Academy. Students are milling about in the hallways, chatting excitedly, some with barely-contained energy, others already focused on the day's classes. Sienna walks through the corridors, feeling the weight of the past few days catching up to her.

SIENNA (thoughtful, eyes distant): "I don't know how much more I can take of this... rivalry, these unspoken feelings. It's all a mess."

Her phone buzzes in her pocket, snapping her out of her thoughts. It's a notification from the school board. She hesitates before opening it, knowing it could be another announcement she'll have to deal with. She taps on the message, and her eyes widen.

MESSAGE: "Exciting news! St. Augustine Academy is proud to announce the upcoming 3-Day Festival! Mark your calendars for March 1st–3rd. Full details to be shared in class!"

SIENNA (muttering to herself, a smirk tugging at the corners of her lips): "Here we go..."

CUT TO: CLASSROOM (8:45 AM)

The students are seated in their desks, the chatter slowly quieting down as Mr. Salcedo walks in, holding a sheet of paper in his hands. He looks around, his usual stern demeanor replaced with something more... anticipatory.

MR. SALCEDO (looking at the class, smiling for once): "Alright, everyone, listen up! I know you're all getting antsy about the festival, but this year's event is going to be unlike anything we've seen before."

The class falls silent, all eyes on Mr. Salcedo. The festival is always a big deal, but this time, the air feels different. The tension between students, the growing anticipation—it's all building up.

MR. SALCEDO (grinning, teasing): "I'll leave the details to the Student Council, but I'll tell you this—there will be surprises, and I mean big surprises."

He glances briefly at Sienna, who catches his eye for a moment. She raises an eyebrow but doesn't say anything. The class is buzzing again, but her focus shifts toward Damien, who's sitting a few seats away, his gaze locked on her. Their brief eye contact sends an unspoken tension through the room, but it's quickly interrupted by the sound of Mr. Salcedo's voice.

MR. SALCEDO (slightly amused): "And no, you will not be able to avoid it this time, Castillo."

Sienna's gaze flicks to Mr. Salcedo with a look of feigned innocence, but the glint in his eye tells her he's not buying it.

SIENNA (grinning, teasing): "I wasn't planning on it, Mr. Salcedo."

DAMIEN (muttering under his breath): "Yeah, right. You're always planning your next escape."

Sienna rolls her eyes, but her heart skips at the sound of his voice so close to hers. She turns to face him, but before she can say anything, the bell rings, signaling the end of the class.

CUT TO: OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL GATES (12:30 PM)

Sienna steps out of the gates after her last class of the day, her phone buzzing with messages from Jayjay and a few other friends, all excited about the upcoming festival. She shakes her head, amused, but her thoughts keep drifting back to Damien.

SIENNA (quietly, to herself): "Why does this feel like something big is about to happen?"

She's pulled from her thoughts when she sees Zion standing by the basketball court, leaning casually against the fence, eyes fixed on her. He grins, giving her a wave.

ZION (mocking, smirking): "Are you ready for the festival, Castillo? I hear things are going to get pretty intense this year."

Sienna stops in her tracks, crossing her arms as she eyes him warily.

SIENNA (dryly): "Are you ever not messing with me, Santiago?"

ZION (laughing, stepping closer): "What can I say? You make it too easy."

Sienna rolls her eyes, but before she can respond, she hears a voice behind her.

DAMIEN (gruff, almost possessive): "What's going on here?"

Sienna doesn't need to turn around to know that Damien is there. The presence behind her, the intensity in his tone—it's all too familiar. She feels a slight tug in her chest, but she keeps her voice steady.

SIENNA (shrugging, trying to sound unaffected): "Just Zion being Zion."

DAMIEN (voice low, almost challenging): "Don't let him get to you."

Sienna's heart beats faster at the way he says it, the way his eyes lock with hers. She wants to tell him she's fine, that she doesn't need anyone to defend her, but something about Damien's protectiveness makes her feel... something else.

SIENNA (looking away, trying to shake off the feeling): "I can handle myself, thank you."

DAMIEN (grinning, his voice a little softer): "I know you can. But I'm still not letting you do it alone."

Sienna doesn't know how to respond, so she says nothing, her heart racing in her chest as they stand there, the tension between them thick and undeniable.

CUT TO: THE SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENT (3:00 PM)

The loudspeaker crackles to life, and the principal's voice booms through the hallways.

PRINCIPAL (over the loudspeaker, excited): "Attention, students of St. Augustine Academy! We are proud to officially announce the 3-Day Festival, beginning on March 1st! Get ready for the ultimate test of your creativity, teamwork, and school spirit! There will be games, performances, competitions, and a lot of surprises in store, so make sure to sign up for events! This will be the event of the year—don't miss it!"

Sienna's heart races at the mention of the festival, the excitement palpable in the air. Her phone buzzes again, this time a message from Jayjay.

MESSAGE (from Jayjay): "Let's win this festival. I'm counting on you!"

Sienna smiles to herself, but her mind races, wondering what else this festival will bring—and how much more complicated things are about to get.

TO BE CONTINUED...