In between Sunsets and Rain.

Chapter 9: When Interested.

My soul left my body for three seconds.

Oh my god. May seniors ball pa talaga?!
I don't even know where the bathroom is.
I don't have nga a friend, date pa kaya?!

I messaged Asia, venting my frustration. "Ugh, I can't believe they actually enrolled me in Valemontè. I'm literally going into my senior year in the middle of it! And there's the whole seniors' ball next month, like... hello? I don't even know anyone here. Let alone have a date. I'm doomed."

A few minutes later, her response popped up, and of course, she had to joke about it.

"Honestly, I might just enroll too, just to join the chaos with you."

I stared at the message, blinking. I couldn't tell if she was serious or just being her usual playful self, but knowing Asia... she just might do it.

"Asia, don't even joke like that. I'm the one stuck here!"

But I couldn't help but laugh. She had this way of making everything seem a little less miserable.

God, I love her.
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As soon as I stepped past the classroom door, the shift was instant. Whispers flitted through the air like smoke. Heads subtly turned, eyes widened—some pretended not to stare, others didn't bother to hide it.

"May bagong student? Akala ko tapos na enrollment?"
"Shhh... who is that? Ang ganda niya."
"Grabe, parang model. Like straight out of Vogue or something."

I could hear it all even if I tried to ignore it. It was the hair, probably. Or the outfit. Or maybe it was just my face. I did look like I came straight off a magazine cover—because, well... I had.

A few students near the back straightened in their seats, nudging each other. One girl squinted.
"Wait, wait—di ba siya 'yung nasa campaign ng Solēa Skincare? 'Yung billboard sa EDSA?"

Yup. That was me.

And of course, no scene is complete without the token mean girls sitting by the window, their glossy lips pursed and side-eyes fully activated.

"Ugh, great. She's pretty and knows how to walk like a runway. Overachiever naman."
"Bet ko she's all face, no brains. Let's see how long she survives here."

I didn't flinch. I'd heard worse. Spain, shoots, castings—this? This was child's play. I just walked past them like the hallway was mine and took the empty seat by the window, slipping on my sunglasses just to drive the point home. Let them talk.

Let them all talk.

The teacher walked in a minute later, flipping through a folder, then glanced up and paused when she saw me.

"Oh Iha," she blinked, "you must be our new student—Rheagan Sophia Margaux Valliere?"

Heads turned. Again.

I stood up with a practiced smile. "Yes, ma'am. That's me."

Whispers again.

"Valliere? As in... like THE Valliere?"
"Wait, 'di ba that's Issaiah and Lysandre's last name? So she's... related?"

Great. Now I was not just the new girl, not just the girl-who-looks-like-she-eats-croissants-in-Paris, but also the girl with that last name. I gave the room a short nod and sat back down.

As the teacher droned on about our final projects, I felt a vibration in my phone. I peeked under the desk.

Asia:
"Babe. I'm at the registrar. Surprise."

My eyes widened.

No.
No way.
She didn't.

But before I could react, the door flung open again—dramatically, like a scene out of a teleserye—and in she walked.

White linen pants. Designer sunglasses. Lip gloss on point.

"Hi po, sorry I'm late," Asia said, flashing a dazzling smile. "I'm enrolling."

And just like that, the school year got way more interesting.

The room fell into stunned silence. Even the teacher looked briefly confused, as if unsure whether Asia had just wandered into the wrong building or descended from a yacht.

Asia spotted me immediately and gave me a cheeky wave. "Babe!" she beamed, as if we were at brunch, not in the middle of class. "You didn't think I'd let you suffer alone, did you?"

I sank lower into my chair, trying not to laugh. "You're insane," I mouthed.

She winked. "You're welcome."

The whispers around us multiplied like flies.

"Who is that?"
"Ang ganda ng bag niya, is that Dior?"
"Oh my god. May bagong it girls."

The teacher finally cleared her throat. "Miss...?"

"Anastasia Cruz, Asia nalang po," she said, walking over like it was a runway. "Transferring from St. Madeleine's International. You can check my files, I sent them yesterday. Super efficient, promise."

I stared at her. "You planned this?"

Asia just grinned, sliding into the empty seat beside me like this was always meant to happen. "I told you, babe. If you fall, I fall. Preferably on a well-lit campus with cute uniforms."

"You're actually unbelievable."

"You love it."

Unfortunately... I did.

Well, since Asia and I were transferred late, the school had no choice but to pair us up. Instant seatmates. Front row pa, because of course, all the back seats were taken by the "OGs." Asia didn't seem to mind—she plopped down beside me with all the energy of a socialite at a charity gala.

Then the door slammed open.

Literally slammed.

"Phones out, brains in," barked a voice that made the entire class sit straighter. Even Asia blinked. "I don't care if it's the end of the school year or the second coming of Christ—if you're in my class, you pay attention."

A man in a worn-out blazer and terrifying presence walked in, dropping a thick stack of folders on the table with a thud.

Oh no.

Mister Arnulfo Manansala.

His name carried the weight of terror across Valemontè's halls. Legend said he once made a guy cry just by returning his test paper.

Asia leaned toward me and whispered, "Why does he look like he eats chalk for breakfast?"

I was trying not to breathe too loudly. "Shh, you want to get us expelled on day one?"

He scanned the class like a prison warden, then his gaze landed on us. I swear my soul left my body for two seconds.

"You two," he said. "New?"

I nodded, praying he wouldn't ask us to introduce ourselves. I hate that part. It's like a sacrificial ritual.

He squinted at his clipboard. "Sophia Valliere and... Anastasia Cruz."

Asia waved like we were being announced at a party. "Present, sir!"

He blinked slowly, unimpressed. "Sit. Still. Don't flirt with the chalk."

Asia's face was frozen in a mix of horror and offense. "Flirt with—chalk?"

Oh, God. This year was going to be long.
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