In between Sunsets and Rain.

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Back at the house, I already sensed something was off. The air felt heavier. Too calm. Too... plotted.

I barely had one foot in the door when Mom called out from the kitchen, her voice as soft as ever but with an edge that made my stomach twist.

"Anak, halika nga rito sandali."

That tone. That "halika rito" tone. I knew I was in for something.

Dad was seated at the dining table, arms crossed, expression unreadable. A few papers were spread in front of him—official-looking, dangerous. My eyes narrowed.

"What's going on?" I asked, arms folded, ready for war.

Mom gently patted the seat beside her. "Umupo ka muna, anak. Kailangan nating mag-usap."

Dad folded his arms. "We've made a decision."

I didn't like how that sounded. I clutched my purse a little tighter, my fight-or-flight instincts kicking in.

"You're going back to school," Mom said, too calmly. "We're enrolling you at Valemontè De Lierre University."

I blinked. "Excuse me?"

"No more homeschooling," Dad added. "You've been in your comfort zone too long."

Comfort zone? I was this close to throwing my shoe.

"But—Valemontè?" I laughed, because what else could I do? "That place is crawling with people! And requirements. And stress. I just came from Spain, not prison!"

Mom raised a brow. "You'll adjust. And speaking of adjusting..."

"Adjust?" I repeated, almost offended. "Mom, I've been homeschooled for years! My social battery is permanently on low power mode!"

She exchanged a look with Dad, and I knew I was about to be hit by Part Two of the Torture Trilogy.

"This summer," Dad said, his tone deliberate, "you're going to Siaton."

The name didn't register at first. "Is that... a new cafe?"

"No. A province. In Negros Oriental. No WiFi, barely any signal. Your Lola lives there with your cousin."

My mouth dropped open. "What! You're exiling me."

"It's not exile," Dad replied with a snort. "Huwag kang OA. Hindi ka naman pinapadala sa Jurassic Park."

And just like that, I was officially sentenced—to school, to Siaton, and to what I was convinced would be the most uncivilized summer of my life.

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-Time skip: My first day at Valemontè De Lierre University-

First of all, let's be clear: it was March. The school year was basically breathing its last breath, and yet—they enrolled me pa talaga?!

I stood in front of the campus gates like it was a haunted mansion and I was the dumb girl in a horror movie who entered anyway. Valemontè De Lierre was huge. Like old-money-meets-modern-sosyal huge. Students walked past in coordinated uniforms, laughing with their barkadas, fixing their lanyards, and flaunting their emotional stability.

I? Had none of that.

I don't have friends. No barkada. Heck, I don't have pa permanent ID. I clutched my temporary student pass like it was a rosary and whispered a silent prayer.

And if that wasn't enough stress, the giant bulletin board near the lobby just had to scream at me:

SENIORS' BALL: APRIL 26
Theme: A Night in Versailles.