Chapter 2

"Enter," a calm, crisp voice called out from inside.

Lauren pushed the door open. Anne was sitting behind a sleek glass desk, typing furiously on her laptop.

Naka-salamin ito ngayon, at ang buhok nito na kadalasang nakapusod sa klase ay nakalagsik nang bahagya sa balikat nito.

"Good afternoon, Prof. I’m here to submit the revised structural layout for the archive project," Lauren said, keeping her tone strictly professional as she stepped inside.

Hindi muna tumingin si Anne sa kaniya, her fingers still dancing across the keyboard.

"Put it on the table, Miss Miller. I will review it before tonight’s faculty meeting."

Napakunot ang noo ni Lauren. Hindi siya gumalaw sa pwesto niya.

"I’d prefer it if you look at it now, Prof. Para kung may corrections, magagawa ko na agad bago ako pumasok sa next class ko."

Napatigil si Anne sa pag-type. Slowly, she took off her reading glasses and looked up, her piercing gaze fixing straight onto Lauren.

The silence in the room became heavy, filled only by the soft hum of the air conditioner.

"You’re always in a hurry to defend your work, Miss Miller," Anne murmured, leaning back against her leather chair. She gestured toward the empty space on her desk. "Fine. Unroll it."

Agad na lumapit si Lauren. She unzipped her portfolio and spread the large architectural tracing paper across the glass table.

Dahil sa laki ng layout, kailangan niyang yumuko nang bahagya, blocking Anne’s view for a split second.

As Lauren flattened the edges, the scent of her rain-scented perfume faintly filled the space between them.

Anne’s eyes flicked from the blueprint up to Lauren’s face, tracing the sharp focus in the student's eyes before looking down at the actual drawings.

"I adjusted the core column placement," Lauren explained, pointing a finger at the center grid.

"Ginamitan ko ng reinforced concrete arches instead of sheer steel columns. It cuts the material costs by fifteen percent, and it naturally creates a cross-ventilation system sa basement area para hindi kailanganin ng high-powered exhaust fans."

Anne leaned forward, her face now inches away from Lauren's hand. Kumuha si Anne ng isang silver drafting pencil at itinuro ang intersection ng mechanical grid.

"And what about the load-bearing calculations here? By removing the steel supports, you’re transferring sixty percent of the roof weight to these outer walls. Kapag lumindol, gigiba ang facade mo, Miss Miller."

"Hindi gigiba 'yan, Prof," Lauren countered immediately, her stubborn streak kicking in. Lumapit pa siya lalo para ituro ang structural calculations na naka-pencil script sa gilid.

"Look at the tension tie rods na inilagay ko sa cantilever beams. The load is distributed horizontally, hindi vertically. Imbis na labanan ng building ang external forces, sasabay siya sa movement."

Anne followed Lauren's finger, her own hand accidentally brushing against Lauren’s wrist.

None of them moved.

Parang may biglang kuryenteng dumaan sa pagitan nila. Anne’s breath hitched slightly, her gaze dropping to where their skin met before moving back up to meet Lauren’s eyes.

This wasn't just about blueprints anymore. In the quiet intensity of the office, the professional distance they were both trying to maintain felt fragile, like thin glass under immense pressure.

Anne cleared her throat softly, pulling her hand back and placing her pencil down. The clinical, cold facade was back, but her voice was slightly lower now.

"A highly unconventional solution," Anne said, her eyes locked onto Lauren’s.

"Most students would play it safe. But you... you like testing limits, don't you?"

Lauren felt a sudden heat rise to her cheeks, but she didn't look away.

"Only when the existing rules don't make sense anymore, Prof."

Isang dumaang ngiti ang nakita ni Lauren sa mga labi ng propesor bago ito tumayo at lumakad patungo sa bintana.

"The design is brilliant, Lauren. Keep this up, and you might actually survive my department. You can leave the draft here."

Hearing Anne use her first name for the very first time made Lauren’s chest tighten in an entirely new way.

She quietly packed her things, her heart racing as she walked toward the door.

As she pulled the door open, she heard Anne speak one last time without turning around.

"Be here by 6:00 PM tomorrow, Miss Miller. We have a lot of work to do."