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
Quinn Scarlett Laurent’s POVSabado na, at para bang ibang mundo ulit ang pakiramdam ko pagpasok sa St. Margarett College. Ibang-iba sa high school kung saan kami nagduty buong linggo—dito, kami ulit ang estudyante. “Hoy!” tawag ni Shane mula sa likod ko kaya napalingon ako. Nandoon na sila—sina M
Third Person’s POV Hapon na nang matapos ang huling araw ng Science Fair. Unti-unti nang nag-aalisan ang mga estudyante, habang ang mga guro naman ay nagtungo sa faculty room para sa nakatakdang meeting. Kasama na rin doon ang mga pre-service teachers mula sa St. Margarett, kabilang si Scarlett at
Third Person’s POVMaaga pa lang ay buhay na ang buong campus. Halos lahat ng estudyante ay abala sa kani-kanilang booth, may nag-aayos ng materials, may nagpa-practice ng presentation, at may mga guro namang paikot-ikot para siguraduhing maayos ang daloy ng Science Fair.Sa gitna ng ingay at galaw
Third Person’s POVTahimik ang buong unit nang makarating sila. Wala nang ingay mula sa labas, tanging mahinang tunog ng aircon at ang marahang galaw ni Sebastian habang inaalalayan si Scarlett papasok sa loob.Halos hindi na rin nagsalita si Scarlett mula sa biyahe. Pagod na pagod na ang katawan n







