Chapter 8
(Arushi POV – Library)
The library was quiet—just the way I wanted it.
After that weird, heavy conversation sa football field tungkol kay Professor Haneul, I needed space. A place where I wouldn’t have to deal with Citrine’s unnecessary comments or Raegan’s conspiracy theories.
So here I was, sa pinakadulong table ng library, away from everyone, flipping through an architecture book kahit wala naman talaga akong balak magbasa.
I just needed the silence.
Pero syempre, hindi rin ako pwedeng matahimik ng matagal.
I felt movement in front of me. Someone sat down.
I looked up.
Margarett.
Napataas ako ng kilay. Out of all people, bakit siya pa?
Margarett Castro—student council vice president, known for being prim and proper, laging composed, and, according to the entire university, may crush daw sa’kin.
Not that I cared.
Or believed it.
I exhaled, closing my book. "Margarett."
She tilted her head slightly, analyzing me like I was some sort of puzzle. "You don’t usually hang out in the library."
I shrugged. "If you want."
She didn’t move.
Instead, she placed her own books on the table—thick law textbooks, kasi yun ang course niya—and stared at me with that same unreadable expression.
I stiffened.
Seriously? Ito na naman?
Margarett leaned forward slightly, as if she was about to say something important. "She used to teach sa ibang bansa, pero bigla siyang lumipat dito. No one knows why."
I frowned. "And you care about that because…?"
She smiled, pero may something off sa paraan ng pagkakangiti niya. "I like knowing things, Arushi. Lalo na about people na interesting."
I sighed. "So you’re saying interesting si Professor Haneul?"
I didn’t answer.
How was I supposed to?
Interesting? She was more than that. She was unsettling. Parang kilala ko na siya kahit ngayon ko lang siya nakita.
Parang matagal na kaming magkasama sa ibang mundo.
Margarett watched me carefully, as if hinihintay niya yung reaction ko.
And for some reason, I felt like she knew.
Like she was testing me.
She smirked, closing one of her books. "Wala naman. Just curious kung anong tingin mo sa kanya. Pero mukhang marami kang iniisip."
I rolled my eyes. "Wala akong iniisip."
She leaned back, crossing her arms. "Hmm. If you say so."
Tahimik kaming dalawa after that. Ako, kunwari nagbabasa, pero ang totoo, nag-iisip.
Bakit ang daming taong interesado kay Professor Haneul?
At bakit ako rin?
Something wasn’t right.
And I needed to find out why.
__
After spending an hour sa library with Margarett and her weird mind games, I finally made my way back to the lecture room for my next subject.
I sat at my usual spot near the window, slouching slightly while waiting for the professor to start the lecture. The room was half-filled, some students chatting, some scrolling through their phones. Citrine wasn’t here yet—probably busy flirting somewhere.
Raegan, on the other hand, was here. And she wouldn’t stop nudging me.
I rolled my eyes, shifting in my seat. "No, Raegan."
I ignored her, fixing my gaze on the front of the room as the professor started arranging her notes.
I sighed. "Nag-aaral?"
She gave me a deadpan look. "Shi. Alam kong matalino ka, but I also know na hindi lang yun ang ginagawa mo."
I didn’t answer.
Of course, she was right. Lately, I hadn’t just been studying. I had been thinking. Overthinking, actually.
About her.
The faceless girl in my dreams.
And now, Professor Haneul.
I snapped my head towards her. "What?"
She just laughed, obviously enjoying herself.
I groaned, rubbing my temples. "You and Forest keep talking about her like she’s some supernatural being. She’s just a professor."
Raegan smirked. "Then why do you look so bothered?"
I gritted my teeth.
Hindi ako bothered. Well… okay, maybe konti. But I wasn’t about to admit that to her.
She grinned wider. "Aw, love mo lang ako masyado."
Before I could reply, the professor finally started speaking. Raegan shut up—thankfully—and I exhaled, forcing myself to focus.
But my mind was already wandering.
Because the truth was, I wasn’t just bothered.
I was unsettled.
And I had no idea why.
---
Waiting Shed, University Gates, 6 PM
The air was cool, and the streetlights were just starting to flicker on. It was already 6 PM, and yet, nandito pa rin ako sa waiting shed, naghihintay kay Mama Primo para sunduin ako.
Citrine was already home. She left earlier with Min-Jae, who, unlike us, had her own car.
Ako? Wala.
Si Citrine? Wala rin.
All because Mommy Auburn forbade us from having one. Ayaw niya kaming magmaneho mag-isa. "It’s too dangerous," she always said. "Kapag kailangan niyo ng sasakyan, magpasundo na lang kayo."
Nakakairita minsan, but I understood. Mommy Auburn was strict, lalo na pagdating sa safety namin ni Citrine.
A bus passed by in front of me, the wind from it making my loose strands of hair fly in front of my face. I sighed, tucking them behind my ear.
The streets were getting less crowded as students left campus. Some were still hanging out, maybe waiting for their rides, like me. A few were walking towards the dorms nearby.
I glanced at my phone. 6:07 PM.
Mama Primo should be here soon.
I exhaled, stretching my legs a bit. Matagal-tagal na rin akong nakaupo rito, and the wait was starting to get boring.
Dapat yata sumama na lang ako kina Raegan sa bar, no? At least may ginawa pa ako ngayong gabi bukod sa maghintay.
But no.
I wasn’t in the mood to be in a loud, sweaty club full of drunk people. I wasn’t even in the mood to be around people right now.
All I wanted was silence.
But silence also meant thinking.
And thinking meant remembering her.
The faceless girl in my dreams.
I sighed, rubbing my temples.
Hindi ko na alam kung bakit ko pa siya iniisip. I mean, it’s just a dream, right? It shouldn’t mean anything.
Pero bakit parang may humihila sa’kin pabalik sa kanya?
Bakit kahit gising ako, naiisip ko siya?
And then… there was Professor Haneul.
My grip on my phone tightened.
It wasn’t just the way she looked or the way she spoke. It was the way she made me feel. The way her presence alone sent chills down my spine, like she was someone I was supposed to remember but somehow forgot.
It didn’t make sense.
I groaned, leaning back against the metal pole of the waiting shed. "Fuck this."
I needed to stop overthinking.
As if on cue, I saw familiar headlights approaching. A sleek, black SUV slowed down in front of me. The window rolled down, revealing Mama Primo’s face.
I didn’t hesitate. Tumayo agad ako, slinging my bag over my shoulder before opening the passenger door and getting inside.
The moment I closed the door, Mama Primo gave me a quick glance. "Ba’t parang ang lalim ng iniisip mo?"
I clicked my tongue. "Nothing."
She smirked, starting the car again. "Sure ka? Mukha kang may kaaway sa isip mo, ah."
I rolled my eyes, resting my head against the window. "Ikaw lagi mong sinasabi ‘yan. Wala akong iniisip, okay?"
Mama Primo just chuckled. "Hmm. If you say so."
And with that, we drove off into the evening, leaving the waiting shed—and my thoughts—behind.