NM

I blindly groped for my phone blaring its alarm and turned it off immediately. The noise was unbearable; I was not amused. Why does my school have to be so far that I'm forced to wake up at an ungodly hour every day?

I glanced toward the window. The rain was relentless, hammering against the glass as the wind howled ferociously outside.

Grabbing my phone, I opened Facebook and immediately checked Governor Trinidad's page. I was hoping—praying, really—that he'd announce a suspension of classes due to the storm.

Minutes passed as I scrolled and refreshed his page. Still nothing. No announcement. Seriously? I'm going to be late!

With an irritated sigh, I dragged myself out of bed and headed to the kitchen. I had no choice. Whether I liked it or not, I had to get ready for school, even if every fiber of my being screamed laziness.

I sipped my coffee and let out a content sigh. At least this part of my morning wasn't completely terrible.

Once my cup was empty, I dashed to the bathroom for a quick shower. Then I rushed to my room to iron my uniform. Everything had to be done quickly—I was racing against time.

Finally dressed and ready, I exhaled deeply. Yet the laziness lingered. Days like this, with the rain pouring and the air freezing, made you want to curl up in bed and do absolutely nothing.

"Hey, NM! Why are you in your uniform?" came a familiar voice. I turned slightly and saw Franz, my dormmate, leaning against the doorframe, her eyebrows raised.

"You're up early, Franz," I replied, brushing my hair.

"I just checked Facebook. Gov just announced—no classes today," she said casually.

My eyebrows knitted together in disbelief.
Seriously?
Now? When I'm fully dressed and ready to go?!

I groaned in frustration. "What a waste of effort!"

"NM, it's too early for you to be this noisy. Are you the human version of an alarm clock?" complained Mars, our other roommate, who was clearly woken up by my outburst.

I shot her an annoyed look. "Why are you complaining? My situation is way worse! I'm already in uniform, and now classes are suspended? What a joke!"

"Fine, fine! But keep it down, okay? Some of us value our sleep," she grumbled, burying herself under her blanket again.

As I changed back into my house clothes, Franz dropped an unexpected bombshell.

"I broke up with Jake."

Both Mars and I turned to her in sync.

"Finally!" we exclaimed in unison, earning an eye-roll from her.

"I knew you'd both be happy to hear that," she muttered.

"Who wouldn't be?" I shot back. "That guy was trash! He cheated on you so many times, and you—being the hopeless romantic that you are—let him walk all over you again and again."

Mars chimed in, "We're saying 'finally' because it means a lot of things. Finally, you've come to your senses. Finally, you're not being naive anymore. Finally, you're thinking about yourself for once. And most importantly, finally, you're safe from whatever diseases that jerk might've brought home. God knows what went on with him and those other women!"

Franz clapped her hands over her ears. "Okay, okay! I get it! But can't you just comfort me for now? Tell me that I'll be fine, that everything will be okay?"

"Hello? You are fine. And everything is okay—because you finally dumped his sorry ass!" declared Mars, unapologetically blunt.

I laughed, unable to deny the truth in her words.

Then, just as I was enjoying the moment, Mars turned to me with a mischievous glint in her eye.

"And you, NM. Stop chasing after someone who clearly doesn't like you. You're just as foolish as Franz was."

I gasped, offended. "Why is this suddenly about me? I was just helping roast Franz!"

"It's just a crush," I muttered defensively. "Is that so wrong?"

She didn't respond. She just shook her head at me.

Is it wrong to like someone who doesn't like you back? I don't think so. It's not wrong, but it sure is dangerous.

Later, I entered the cozy atmosphere of The Beanery, ordering my usual comfort food—Cordon Bleu, Kitkat Cheesecake, Lasagna, and an Espresso. Food is my heaven. Sometimes I hate how much I eat, but what can I say? Eating is life.

Settling into a corner table, I waited for my order, humming along to the café's playlist.

"Boom! Clap! The sound of my heart, the beat goes on and on and on and on..." I sang quietly, tapping my fingers to the rhythm.

When my food arrived, I dug in with gusto, mentally cursing Governor Trinidad for his late announcement. This meal was my therapy for a day already ruined.

Halfway through my meal, my eyes landed on Fuse Ethan Park, who had just walked into the café. And of course, he wasn't alone—his girlfriend Tanis was with him.

Great. Just perfect.

I sighed as I watched them take a seat at a nearby table, laughing and talking like the perfect couple.

I'd liked Fuse since elementary school. Back then, he was a chubby little kid, but I didn't care. There was just something about him. Even now, I still couldn't explain why I liked him so much.

My mood soured further when he reached across the table to hold Tanis' hand.

Of course, they're sweet. Why wouldn't they be?

Tanis wasn't someone I could hate either. She was kind and gorgeous—a total sweetheart. Everyone in Vera City loved her just as much as they adored Fuse.

They'd been together for four years. They complemented each other so well that I couldn't bring myself to resent them. All I could do was be happy for him.

Who am I, anyway? Just the girl silently pining for him since elementary school. Pathetic, right?

After finishing my meal, I stood up and headed for the door. But of course, the universe wasn't done with me yet.

I slipped on a wet patch of floor right next to their table.

Pain shot up my backside as I landed ungracefully on the floor. I wanted to disappear.

Tanis rushed over, helping me to my feet. "Are you okay? Be more careful next time, NM," she said, concern evident in her voice.

Her kindness made my heart flutter despite myself.

"Thanks," I mumbled, flashing her a weak smile.

I glanced at Fuse, who hadn't even looked up from his phone. Typical.

Why did I like this guy again?

As I stepped out of The Beanery, the rain resumed with a vengeance.

I groaned. Of course, I didn't have an umbrella. And to top it all off, Fuse's car splashed muddy water all over me as he drove off.

The taste of mud lingered on my lips as I stood there, soaked and humiliated.

What a day. Could it get any worse?