Four

“Are you going to join the Miss University this coming weekend?”

Biglang bungad ni Sierra sa kanya habang pareho silang nakatambay sa working room ng fashion department. Kalat ang mga tela sa mesa—may chiffon, may satin, may mga sketch pad na puro design. Nasa gitna sila ng project nilang ‘Dress What You Like’, pero mukhang mas interesting ang bagong topic.

Hindi agad sumagot si Maxine dahil busy siya sa pag-cut ng emerald satin, steady ang kamay, parang surgeon para hindi siya magkamali sa pagtabas ng tela.

"I don’t know, Sie,” sagot niya casually. “Marami tayong projects na hahabulin. Baka hindi ko ma-meet ang deadline.”

Napahinto si Sierra, dahan-dahang ibinaba ang gunting. Takang napatingin sa kanya.

"Girl.”Simula nito. “Next week pa ang submission natin. Ikaw pa ba? Kayang-kaya mo 'tong tapusin kahit isang gabi lang.” Masyadong bilib ang kaibigan sa kanya.

Maxine smirked.

"Preparation is important for your importation, girl.” Panggagaya nito sa kaibigan.

"Preparation my face,” Sierra rolled her eyes. “Sumali ka na. Lagi kasing kulelat ang fashion department pag dating sa Miss University. Magaganda nga reps natin, pero pag Q&A na? Lutang.”

"You’re so mean,” Maxine laughed softly.

“As if ikaw hindi?” Sierra shot back. “You literally told one candidate last year na ‘beauty fades but stupidity stays.’”

Maxine covered her mouth dramatically.

“I was being honest.”

"Exactly my point.”

Sandaling katahimikan ang namutawi sa kanila. Tanging tunog lang ng gunting at pagaspas ng tela ang maririnig.

Then Maxine asked, kunwari nonchalant—

"Wait… kasali ba si Kael?”

Huminto si Sierra.

Slowly, she looked up.

Naningkit ang mga mata niya.

“Ay wow. Biglang may interest.”

"Curious lang,” Maxine said defensively, hindi tumitingin.

“Curious my foot. Strategic ka na naman.”

“Sagutin mo muna.”

Sierra leaned back, crossing her arms.

“Of course kasali siya. Siya palagi representative ng business department. At guess what? Palagi siyang nananalo as Mr. University.”

Maxine’s hand paused mid-air.

"Always?” she asked calmly.

"Always,” Sierra emphasized. “And every year, partner niya si Klea Ramos.”

Napatigil ng tuluyan si Maxine sa kanyang ginagawa.

“Klea… who?”

“Klea Ramos. Classmate niya. Smart. Elegant. Old money vibes. Very Miss Universe peg.”

Sierra tilted her head. "Bagay na bagay sila sa stage. People call them the ‘royal pair.’”

Royal pair.

Parang may kumirot sa dibdib ni Maxine, pero hindi halata sa mukha niya.

"Never heard of her,” she muttered.

"Because you only focus on Kael,” Sierra teased.

Maxine shot her a look.

“Excuse me?”

“Girl, don’t even deny it. Simula nung rooftop incident, ikaw na ang pinaka-updated sa galaw niya.”

Maxine stood up slowly, hawak ang tela.

"So she’s his usual partner?” she asked, voice neutral.

"Yes. Two years straight sila ang nananalo. Chemistry daw. Powerful daw tingnan.”

Chemistry.

Powerful.

Maxine faced the mirror na nasa gilid ng room, inilapat ang emerald satin sa katawan niya.

"And you’re telling me fashion department has been losing?” she asked softly.

“Losing badly,” Sierra confirmed. “Wala tayong crown in years.”

Maxine stared at her reflection.

Then she smiled.

"Then I’ll join.”

"What?!” Sierra almost dropped her scissors.

"I’ll represent fashion,” Maxine repeated calmly. “It’s about time someone fixed that reputation."

Sierra’s face lit up.

“That’s my girl!”

Pero hindi tuwang-tuwa si Maxine.

She turned slightly, eyes sharp.

“So… this Klea,” she said slowly. “She’s confident?”

"Very.”

"She thinks she’ll win again?”

"Probably.” Mukhang mas ginagatungan pa siya ng kaibigan.

Maxine’s smile deepened.

“Good.”

"Good?” Sierra blinked. “Why good?”

“Because I don’t like boring competitions.”

Sierra narrowed her eyes.

“You’re not doing this just for the department, are you?”

Maxine shrugged.

“I like stages.”

"Liar.”

Maxine laughed softly.

“Okay fine. I also like breaking traditions.”

"Or breaking couples?” Sierra teased.

Maxine’s gaze flickered.

"They’re not a couple.” Alam niya dahil stalker lang naman siya ng binata.

“Stage couple,” Sierra corrected. “Pero everyone ships them.”

Maxine’s jaw tightened subtly.

"Ships?” she echoed. Bakit hindi niya narinig o napansin man lang?

“Yes. ‘MontRamos’ pa nga tawag sa kanila.” Mukhang napuno na ito sa tingin ni Sierra.

Silence.

Maxine placed the fabric down carefully.

“This weekend,” she said softly, “that name won’t trend anymore.”

Sierra stared at her.

“You’re jealous.”

“I’m competitive.”

“Same difference.”

Maxine stepped closer to Sierra.

"Tell me something,” she murmured. “If Kael stands beside her again… smiling… confident… like he already owns the crown—”

“Okay dramatic—”

“—don’t you think it’s about time someone unsettles him?”

Sierra swallowed.

“You really want to shake him, don’t you?”

Maxine’s lips curved.

“He’s too composed. Too sure of himself.”

“And you want to see him lose control?”

Definitely, yes! Gusto niya itong lumuhod sa harap niya habang nagmamakaawang mapansin niya.

"Just a little,” she whispered.

Sierra folded her arms.

“And if he still chooses to stand beside Klea?”

Maxine paused. Paano nga ba? Pero hindi rin naman siya magpapatalo.

For a second—just one—her expression softened.

Then it hardened again.

“Then I’ll make sure he looks at me,” she said firmly. “Not her.”

Sierra stared.

"Girl… this isn’t just about a crown anymore.”

Maxine looked back at her reflection, imagining the spotlight.

“I don’t chase,” she said quietly. “I position myself.”

"And what exactly are you positioning for?”

Maxine turned her head slightly, eyes gleaming.

“For the moment he realizes I’m the only one who can stand beside him.”

Sierra shook her head slowly.

"You’re dangerous.”

Maxine picked up the scissors again, slicing cleanly through the satin.

"Good,” she replied. “Because I’m done being overlooked.”

She glanced at Sierra one last time.

"This weekend,” she said softly, “let’s see who really deserves the spotlight.”

And deep inside—

It wasn’t the crown she wanted.

It was the look on Kael’s face when he sees her walking toward him—

Not as a rumor.

Not as a challenge.

But as his equal.

🍁🍁🍁

Gabi ng Mister and Miss University.

Hindi ito isang fairy-tale moment.

Hindi rin ito slow-motion cinematic scene.

It was loud. Mainit. Nakakasilaw ang mga nagkikislapang mga ilaw. At sobrang overwhelming para kay Maxine.

Maingay ang backstage—may nag-aayos ng kanya-kanyang heels, may umiiyak pa sa kaba, may nagdadasal sa gilid. Saka amoy hairspray at foundation ang hangin.

Maxine sat in front of the mirror, staring at herself.

Her emerald gown fit perfectly.

Pero hindi siya mapakali.

Her hands were cold.

Sierra noticed.

“Hoy,” she said softly, kneeling beside her. “You’re shaking.”

“I’m not.” Pagdi-deny niya. Kahit pa isiping sanay na siya sa ganitong patimpalak, iba pa rin pala kapag makakasama mo ang taong kinasusuklaman mo.

“You are.” Sierra insisted.

Maxine looked down. Her fingers were trembling slightly.

“I just… I didn’t think I’d feel like this.”

“Like what?”

Maxine swallowed.

“Small.”

Sierra frowned.

“Small? Girl, you look unreal.”

“That’s the problem,” Maxine whispered. “I don’t want to just look good. I want to matter.”

Silence.

Sa labas, nagsimula na ang sigawan.

“KAEL! KAEL! KAEL!”

Maxine froze.

Her chest tightened—not out of jealousy, but of mixed emotions.

“What if…” she started, then stopped.

“What if what?” Sierra pressed gently.

“What if he doesn’t even notice me?”

That was the truth.

Not the crown.

Not Klea.

She just wanted to be seen. Paano niya maisasakatuparan ang balak kapag hindi siya mapansin ng binata.

Sierra held her hand.

“He notices you, okay?”

“Paano ka nakakasiguro?”

“Because you don’t look at someone like that unless they live in your head.”

Maxine forced a laugh.

“Ang drama mo.”

“Girl, observant lang.”Katwiran pa ni Sierra.

Kael was laughing when she saw him.

And that hurt her ego more than she expected.

He looked relaxed.

Comfortable.

Beside Klea.

For a second, Maxine almost turned around. Parang may kumurot sa puso niya.

But then Kael looked up.

And when their eyes met—

His laughter stopped, para bang hindi nito gusto ang presensya niya.

That subtle shift? She felt it.

He stepped forward.

“You’re here.”

She raised a brow.

“Last time I checked, I’m a student here.”

He almost smiled sarcastically.

But there was tension in his jaw.

“You didn’t tell me you were joining.”

She shrugged.

“Would that have changed anything?” Hindi niya pinansin ang katabi nito.

He paused.

“… I don’t know.”

That honesty caught her off guard.

Klea stepped in politely.

“You look beautiful, Maxine.” Halos umarko ang kilay niya sa lamyos ng boses nito.

And it didn’t sound fake.

That made it worse.

“Thank you,” Maxine replied. “You too.” Labas sa ilong na sabi niya.

There was no hostility.

Just quiet competition.

Just unspoken comparisons.

Kael looked between them.

“You don’t have to do this,” he said softly to Maxine. 

“Do what?”Napakunot-noo ang dalaga, anong ibig sabihin nito?

“Turn tonight into something else.”

Maxine stared at Kael. Parang nalasahan niya bigla ang pait.

“You think I came here because of you?”

His voice lowered looking intently at her.

“Didn’t you?”

That question hit. Nasapul siya nito straight to her heart.

Nainis siya sa sarili dahil hindi siya nakasagot kaagad.

Hanggang sa tinawag na ang lahat ng contestants ng host.

Maxine felt her heartbeat in her throat.

Kael stepped closer, lowering his voice so only she could hear.

“Why are you really here, Maxine?”

Parang pumitlag saglit ang puso niya nang tawagin nito ang pangalan niya.

It sounded sexy to her ears.

But she forced herself steady.

“Because I got tired of watching.”

“Watching what?”

“You.”

That word hung between them.

He looked stunned.

She continued, voice barely above a whisper.

“You look so confident up there. So sure. So untouchable.”

“And you hate that?” he asked quietly.

“No,” she admitted. “I hate that I wasn’t part of it.”

There it was.

The real reason.

Not jealousy.

Not pride.

Just longing.

His expression softened.

“You could’ve been.”

“You never asked.”

Silence.

The announcement boomed.

They had to go.

But neither of them moved.

Kael spoke first.

“You scare me, Maxine.”

Her brows furrowed.

“Why?”

“Because when you walk into a room, I stop thinking straight.”

Her breath caught. Mukhang tumalab na ang kamandag niya. Sigurado siya, matutupad na rin ang mga plano niya.

“Then why stand beside someone else?”

His jaw tightened.

“Because it’s easier.”

That stung.

“Easier?”

“Yes,” he admitted. “Klea and I—we’re safe. Predictable. No complications.”

“And I’m complicated?” Parang nainsulto siya sa sinabi nito.

“You’re intense, Maxine.”

She looked down, hurt flashing in her eyes.

“Kailangan ko bang mag-sorry dahil intense ako?” She arched her brow.

“Don’t apologize,” he said quickly. “I don’t want easy. I just don’t know how to handle… you.”

Her voice softened. Ganoon naman pala. Akala niya iba na.

“You don’t handle me. You stand with me.”

For the first time that night—

He looked unsure.

Not Mr. University.

Not the confident golden boy.

Just a guy trying to understand his feelings.

When she walked out, she didn’t feel powerful.

She felt exposed.

Every step echoed in her head.

What if I trip?

What if they don’t clap?

What if I’m just… trying too hard?

Then she saw him across the stage.

And he wasn’t smiling at the crowd.

He was watching her.

Not proudly.

Not challengingly.

Just… carefully.

As if she mattered.

Their paths crossed.

Their hands brushed accidentally.

Electric.

He leaned in.

“You’re shaking.”

“So are you.”

He almost laughed.

“Don’t lose.”

“Why? May reward ka sa akin kapag nanalo ako?” she asked softly.

Tumawa ito.

"Let's see, Maxine. But right now, I want you to win for me."

"Really, huh?"

“Because if you lose, you are no longer the overconfident Maxine I know.”

Her throat tightened.

“And if I win?”

He looked at her longer than necessary.

“Then I won’t know how to stand next to you anymore.”

That wasn’t arrogance.That was vulnerability.