LOGINScarlett’s POVIt’s funny, the things you remember when you finally have the time to breathe. When the world is no longer a battlefield, when love is no longer something stolen in the shadows, but something honest and ordinary and everyday.I used to think happiness was a finish line—a diploma, a wedding, a promise. But now, in the quiet after the storm, I see it’s a thousand small things: the scent of fresh coffee in the morning, Sebastian humming as he shaves, the sound of rain against our window on a lazy Sunday, the distant laughter of our friends drifting up from the street below.Our first apartment as Mr. and Mrs. Salvador isn’t the biggest or the flashiest in the city, but it’s ours. It’s filled with mismatched mugs, thrifted bookshelves, and all the little pieces of our journey—photos from Amanpulo, dried flowers from my graduation bouquet, a chipped mug from our first (disastrous) attempt at baking together. The walls are covered in reminders that perfection is overrated; lo
Scarlett’s POVIf our wedding felt like a dream, our honeymoon was the gentle sunrise after the most beautiful night.Sebastian surprised me, of course. The morning after the reception, I woke up in his arms—hair still smelling faintly of gardenias, his hand tangled in mine. I was half-asleep, but he was already grinning, mischievous and glowing.“Pack light,” he whispered in my ear, “and wear something you can run in.”I laughed, still giddy from everything, hardly believing this was real. The next thing I knew, we were at the airport, whisked away through VIP lines, sunlight streaming over the tarmac. He wouldn’t say where we were going—just squeezed my hand and said, “Trust me.”The flight was private, quiet, and filled with laughter. We played silly games, exchanged inside jokes, and melted into each other’s arms in the soft leather seats. I must have asked a dozen times, “Seb, saan nga ba tayo pupunta?” But he only kissed my forehead and winked.When we landed, I saw blue sky, pa
Scarlett’s POVIf you had told me years ago—when I first walked into St. Margarette, just another intern with trembling hands and guarded dreams—that I would be standing here, I never would have believed you. But today, beneath the soft glow of chandeliers and sunlight streaming through the chapel’s stained glass, I am about to become Mrs. Sebastian Salvador.The world outside is alive with summer: blooming gardens, blue sky, and the laughter of friends and family bustling around the grand venue. Inside my bridal suite, everything feels surreal and delicate. My wedding gown—ivory silk, simple but elegant, the kind I only used to admire in magazines—hugs my frame perfectly. Diane, Miza, and Shane hover nearby, fussing over last-minute details, their excitement contagious.“Scar, you’re glowing!” Diane squeals, fixing my veil.“Parang hindi ka kinakabahan, ha!” Shane teases, though her own eyes glisten with happy tears.I look at myself in the mirror, hardly recognizing the woman starin
Scarlett’s POVPagkatapos ng graduation, parang ang bilis ng lahat. Yakapan, tawanan, group photos, at paalam na parang walang katapusan. Pero sa kabila ng saya at ingay ng celebration, alam kong hinihintay ko lang ang isang sandali—ang sandaling kami lang ni Sebastian.Bago pa magdilim, sinamahan niya akong umuwi saglit para magpalit ng damit. Hinintay niya ako sa kotse, tahimik pero hindi mapakali. Paglabas ko ng gate, nakita kong seryoso siya, pero may kakaibang ngiti—parang may tinatago, parang may plano.“Ready ka na?” tanong niya, hawak ang isang maliit na paper bag na hindi ko pa napapansin kanina.“Ready saan?” biro ko, habang sumakay sa passenger seat.“Secret,” sagot niya, ngumiti ng pilyo, at pinaandar ang kotse.Habang bumibiyahe kami, hindi siya nagsalita ng marami. Pinatugtog lang niya ang mellow playlist naming dalawa—mga kantang paborito namin noong nagsisimula pa lang kaming magkakilala. Sa bawat tunog ng gitara at mahihinang bulong ng lyrics, bumabalik sa akin lahat
Scarlett’s POVWalang kasing lamig at kasing saya ng umagang ito. Graduation day na sa St. Margarette—ang araw na parang napakalayo noon, pero ngayon, parang ayaw ko pang matapos. Sa bawat hakbang ko sa corridor ng campus, ramdam ko ang bigat ng toga at cap, pero mas mabigat ang dami ng alaalang dala ko: mga gabing walang tulog para lang matapos ang lesson plan, mga iyak sa CR tuwing akala ko hindi ko na kaya, mga tawa at kwento ng kabarkada, at ang lahat ng lihim na itinago at tinanggap ko sa lugar na ito.Abala ang lahat sa pag-aayos ng toga, pagkuha ng pictures, at pagyakap sa mga kaibigan. Kahit saan ako lumingon, puro ngiti at iyak, puro kwento ng pagsisimula at pagtatapos, puro pangako na “magkikita pa rin tayo kahit saan man tayo mapunta.”Sa faculty area, nakita ko agad sina Miza, Diane, at Shane. “Scar! Dali, groupie tayo!” bulong ni Diane, sabay yakap.Tumawa ako, pilit na pinipigilan ang luha. “Grabe, parang kailan lang, ‘di ba? Ngayon, graduates na tayo.”“Deserve mo ‘to,
Scarlett’s POVHindi ko maipaliwanag ang bigat at saya ng araw na ito. Parang buong internship life ko, umiikot sa sandaling ito—final demo na! Lahat ng pinagdaanan, lahat ng iniyak, lahat ng kinimkim kong kaba at lungkot, parang sabay-sabay na gustong sumabog sa dibdib ko. Kaya habang abala ang mga kasama ko sa pag-aayos ng props at visual aids, ako naman, tahimik na nakaupo sa isang tabi ng faculty lounge, nilalamig ang mga palad kahit mainit ang araw.Nasa harap ko ang lesson plan, ilang ulit ko nang binasa, minarkahan, at inulit-ulit sa isip. Halos kabisado ko na bawat tanong, bawat activity, bawat transition. Pero alam kong hindi lang lesson plan ang tinataya ko rito—kundi ang buo kong sarili.Maya-maya, naramdaman kong may umupo sa tabi ko. Hindi ako agad tumingin, pero ramdam ko agad ang pamilyar na presence ni Clyde—maingat, tahimik, pero hindi mapakali.“Scar, may saglit ka ba?” mahina niyang tanong, pilit na umiiwas ng tingin sa mga kasamahan naming interns.Tumango ako, pil
Clyde’s POVHindi ko masabing chismoso ako, pero kahit anong iwas, napapansin ko kapag may kakaiba sa mga taong araw-araw mong kasama. Simula pa nitong linggo, parang may mabigat kina Sir Sebastian at Scarlett. Dati, kahit pagod si Scarlett, laging game sa kulitan, lalo na kapag kami ang magkasama
Sebastian's POVKinabukasan, mas maaga akong pumasok sa school. Tahimik pa ang faculty hallway—kakaunti pa lang ang tao, at ang bawat hakbang ko ay parang lalong bumibigat ang loob ko. Diretso agad ako sa library office, pilit na pinapakalma ang sarili habang nagpapanggap na may hinahanap lang sa f
Sebastian’s POVHindi ako mapakali buong gabi. Hindi ko alam kung paano ako nakauwi. Pabalik-balik lang sa isip ko ang eksena kanina—si Scarlett, umiwas ng tingin, umiwas ng yakap, umiwas ng kahit anong koneksyon. Ilang beses kong tiningnan ang phone, umaasang may mensahe siya, kahit simpleng “OK la
Sebastian’s POVHapong-hapo na ako buong araw—galing sa sunod-sunod na klase, meetings, at mga papel na kailangang i-check. Pero ang pinakaabangan ko, ang tanging nagpapagaan ng araw ko, ay ang makita si Scarlett kahit ilang saglit lang. Kaya nga nandoon ako ngayon, nakatayo sa labas ng library, ha







