Three

Kinabukasan, parang may sariling buhay ang tsismis sa Montenegro Imperial University. Hindi halatang eskwelahan ng mga elite sa society.

Sa hallway pa lang ng campus ay ramdam na ang kakaibang atmosphere. May mga nagbubulungan sa gilid, may mga matang sumusunod sa bawat kilos ni Maxine. Mga phones na discreet kuno pero halatang kumukuha ng stolen glances.

“Maxine Blaire Kensington, nakita sa private lounge ni Kael.” Maarteng wika ng isang estudyante.

“Halos maghalikan pa nga daw.” Ani naman ng isa.

“Akala ko ba wala siyang pinapansin?” Someone rolled her eyes.

“Grabe… ang tapang niya.” At kung ano-ano pa.

Halata ang inggit sa mga sinasabi at kilos ng mga 'to. At higit sa lahat—curious.

Napataas-kilay lang si Maxine habang naglalakad, designer heels clicking against the marble floor like a warning bell.

Huh. Fake news. Kagaya ng mga pagmumukha nila.

Gusto sana niyang sumigaw ng, Touch some grass, people! pero of course she won’t do that. Hindi siya sanay na ipagtanggol ang sarili. Hinahayaan niya ang mga inggitera na mas lalong mainggit sa kanya.

She lets the rumors grow.

Dahil mas interesting ang mystery kaysa katotohanan.

Once lang silang nagtagpo kagabi ni Kael Alessio sa rooftop. Isang confrontation na tila hudyat ng isang kasunduan. At Ilang pulgadang pagitan.

And suddenly, they’re almost lovers?

Pathetic jealous people.

Sa dulo ng hallway, may isang lalaking nakatayo. Navy blazer. Crisp white shirt. Hawak ang kape na parang accessory lang. Relaxed na relaxed ang postura.

Pero ang mata?

Diretso ang tingin sa kanya.

May mga babae na namang maglalaway sa kagwapohan nito.

Kael Alessio Montenegro.

He didn’t look away.

She didn’t either.

The hallway suddenly felt narrower.

Sinubukang umiwas ng tingin ni Kael sa dalagang naglalakad patungo sa kanya, pero huli na. Nasa harap na niya ito natila hinihintay na mapansin siya. He heard the rumors too, kaya gusto niyang umiwas rito.

Maxine stopped a few inches away. Casual lang. Elegant. Hawak ang mamahaling handbag na parang walang bigat ang mundo.

“Good morning, Kael,” she said softly, almost sweet. May matamis na ngiti sa labi niya—too sweet to be innocent.

Ramdam ni Kael ang tensyon. Parang may static sa pagitan nila.

“Morning,” tipid niyang sagot sa dalaga.

He looked down at his coffee, kunwaring may inaayos sa phone niya. Ayaw niyang ibigay sa dalaga ang satisfaction na napansin niya ito.

“You’re so cold, babe,” she pouted dramatically, loud enough for nearby students to hear. “Ba’t ba ayaw mo akong tingnan?” Maarte niyang patuloy, obviously, gusto niyang marinig at mapansin sila ng mga tsismoso't tsimosa.

May mga nagulat. May napasinghap.

Kael’s brows furrowed.

“We’re not close enough for you to call me babe, Miss Kensington.” Suplado nitong saad.

“Oops.” She placed a hand over her lips. “My bad. Akala ko tayo na mula kagabi.” Sinadya niyang sabihin iyon para gumawa ng ingay sa paligid. At hindi nga siya nabigo.

A few students choked on their drinks.

Kael’s jaw flexed.

“What are you talking about? Wala tayong relasyon, Miss Kensington.”

She stepped closer.

Too close.

“Are you out of your effing mind?” he added in a low voice, trying to keep it contained.

Maxine smiled sweetly. Mukhang nawala ang kompiyansa ng binata sa sarili nito. He looked affected.

Then she closed the distance.

Her palm landed flat against his chest.

Even through layers of fabric, she felt the heat of him. The firmness. The steady thump beneath.

She leaned in. Ilang pulgada na lang ang pagitan ng mga labi nila.

“You’re starting something you won’t finish,” Kael said quietly.

Pero this time, he leaned in too.

His minty breath brushed her lips.

Her heart betrayed her.

“You think I can’t finish what I start?” she whispered back, eyes locked with his.

“You underestimate me, Montenegro.”

His hand slowly moved to her waist. Hindi mahigpit—pero firm enough to make a statement.

His gaze darkened.

“I don’t want you running home crying like a baby, Miss Kensington.”

Napaarko ang kilay niya.

Hambog.

She smirked, her fingers sliding up to his collar.

“Try me, loverboy,” she murmured. “Baka ikaw ang umuwi na hindi makatulog.”

A few students pretended not to stare—but halatang nakatutok ang attention sa kanila.

His grip tightened slightly.

Her fingers slowly traveled upward, tracing the line of his jaw… hanggang sa labi niya.

She brushed her thumb lightly across his lower lip.

Deliberate.

Testing.

Kael inhaled sharply. His Adam’s apple bobbed.

“What do you want from me?” he asked, voice lower now. Not mocking. Not amused.

But serious.

Her eyes glinted. Mukhang umobra ang ginagawa niya.

“For you to trust me,” she whispered.

The words hung heavy between them.

Trust.

Kael almost laughed.

“Trust is earned,” he said. “And you? You weaponize it.”

She tilted her head.

“Only when necessary.”

“You manipulate narratives.”

“You control empires.” Hindi siya magpapatalo rito.

Silence.

“Don’t pretend you’re innocent,” she added softly. “You run this campus without lifting a finger.”

“And you walk into it like you’re planning to burn it down.”

She smiled faintly. Kung alam lang ng lalaki ang binabalak niya rito, he'll surely gone mad at her.

“Maybe I just like playing with fire.”

He leaned closer, their foreheads almost touching now.

“You’ll get burned.”

Her breath hitched—but she didn’t move away.

“Maybe I like the heat.”

His hand suddenly moved—resting lightly on her waist.

Not possessive.

Not gentle either.

Just enough pressure to let her know he could pull her closer if he wanted.

Gasps echoed faintly from the background.

“Careful,” he murmured near her ear. “You’re making people believe the rumors.”

“Let them,” she whispered back. “It makes things more interesting.”

“You like being talked about?”

“I like being unforgettable.”

His grip tightened slightly.

“You’re dangerous.”

“You’re tempted.” she snapped back.

His lips hovered dangerously close to hers.

“Don’t confuse curiosity with temptation.”

She smiled, breath brushing his mouth.

“Don’t confuse control with resistance.”

For one reckless second—

He almost kissed her.

Almost.

Instead, he pulled back abruptly.

“This isn’t a game you can win.”

She smirked.

“Oh, Kael, baby” she said softly, stepping back just enough to regain composure. “I don’t play games to win.”

“Then why play?”

Her eyes held his.

“To change the outcome.”

A flicker of something passed through his expression.

Suspicion.

Interest.

Challenge.

The hallway noise slowly returned. Students pretending not to stare. Phones subtly raised.

Kael straightened his blazer.

“Stay away from me, Maxine.”

She adjusted his collar lightly, fingers lingering.

“Make me.”

Then she walked past him like nothing happened.

He stood there for a moment, coffee forgotten in his hand.

Because for the first time in years—

Someone didn’t fear him.

Someone didn’t want his name.

Someone wanted something else.

And that terrified him more than attraction ever could.

Sa kabilang dulo ng hallway, Maxine kept walking.

Chin high.

Steps steady.

But inside?

Her pulse was racing.

This wasn’t just flirting anymore.

This was escalation.

And neither of them—

Was backing down.

🍁🍁🍁

“Gaga! Ginawa mo ’yon talaga?”

Halos mapasigaw si Sierra habang hinihila si Maxine papunta sa isang bakanteng corner ng cafeteria. Nasa paligid nila ang usual lunch crowd—may nagchi-chikahan, may nagre-review, pero malinaw na sila ang pinaka-invested sa usapan.

Maxine casually stirred her iced coffee, parang wala lang ang confession niya.

“Yes, Sie,” she said with a shrug. “Sinubukan ko lang naman. And guess what? Umobra.”

Napabuka ang bibig ni Sierra.

“Umobra? Anong umobra? Girl, buong campus pinag-uusapan kayo!”

Maxine smirked, crossing her legs elegantly.

“Exactly.”

“Sira ulo ka,” bulong ni Sierra, pero halatang amused at stressed at the same time. “So ano? Anong plano mo?”

Maxine leaned back in her chair, slow and confident.

“I can tell,” she said softly, eyes glinting. “Malapit ko na rin siyang makuha.”

“Maxine!” halos maubo si Sierra. “Mean! ’Wag mong sasaktan si Kael gaya ng mga naging lalaki mo. Kawawa naman ’yon. Good boy kaya ’yan.”

Maxine almost rolled her eyes.

"Ang arte lang." Pagkatapos ay napataas ito ng kilay.

“Good boy?” she repeated, amused. “Have you seen the way he looks at people? That man could run this university with one sentence.”

“Still,” Sierra insisted, crossing her arms. “Hindi siya kagaya ng iba mong nilaro.”

“Excuse me?” Maxine narrowed her eyes playfully. “I don’t play. I explore.”

Sierra gave her a flat look.

“For the last six months,” Sierra continued dramatically, counting on her fingers, “labing dalawa na ang naging boyfriend mo dito sa campus. Labing dalawa, Max!”

“Correction,” Maxine lifted a finger. “Not boyfriends. Situationships.”

“Pareho lang ’yon!” Sierra shot back. “Ano ba talagang hinahanap mo sa lalaki?”

Maxine went quiet for a second.

Her playful expression softened—just slightly.

Then she smiled again.

“I’m not done playing, my friend,” she said lightly. “At isa pa, I’m still young. Gusto kong mag-enjoy muna.”

Pero sa loob niya, may ibang bulong.

Kung mapapasakin si Kael Alessio Montenegro… siguro titigil na rin ako.

Sierra leaned closer, lowering her voice.

“On a serious note… hindi ka man lang ba natatakot sa karma?”

Maxine let out a small laugh. Ang mukha ng kaibigan ay parang mas takot sa karma kaysa kanya.

“You made twelve boys cry,” Sierra continued. “Literal na umiiyak sa hallway, girl. You broke hearts like it was a hobby.”

“I don’t believe in karma, Sierra,” Maxine replied calmly. “I believe in reality.”

“And what’s your reality?”

“That people leave,” she said matter-of-factly. “So I leave first.”

Sandaling natahimik si Sierra.

“Ahh…” she sighed softly. “So defense mechanism mo ’to?”

Maxine smirked again, pero mas controlled na.

“Defense? No. Strategy.”

“Strategy for what?”

“To never be the one begging.”

Sierra studied her friend’s face.

“Pero iba si Kael, ’no?”

Maxine’s fingers paused mid-air.

“Bakit mo nasabi?”

“Because for the first time,” Sierra said slowly, “ikaw ang mukhang naapektuhan.”

Maxine scoffed.

“Please. I almost had him against the wall kanina.”

“Exactly!” Sierra pointed dramatically. “Almost. Hindi ka sanay sa almost. Sanay ka sa sure.”

Maxine leaned forward, eyes narrowing.

“He held my waist, okay” she said quietly. “Firm. Like he wasn’t scared.”

Sierra blinked.

“And?”

“And he didn’t kiss me,” Maxine admitted, irritation flashing in her eyes. “He could have. Everyone expected him to.”

“Pero hindi niya ginawa.”

“Hindi.”

“And that bothers you.”

Maxine rolled her eyes.

“It intrigues me.”

“Girl,” Sierra deadpanned. “Same thing.”

Maxine bit her lower lip unconsciously.

“He told me to stay away from him,” she murmured.

Sierra gasped dramatically.

“Ay wow. Reverse psychology.”

“I told him to make me,” Maxine added, a slow smile forming.

Sierra covered her face.

“Hindi ka na magbabago.”

"Are you really my friend?" Hindi niya napigilang itanong kay Sierra.

"I am, that's why I'm reminding you to behave."

“He thinks I’m dangerous, Sie” Maxine continued, almost to herself.

“Well… are you?”

She looked up, eyes shining with something more than mischief.

“Only to men who think they can control me.”

“And si Kael?”

Maxine leaned back again, confidence returning.

“He doesn’t want control,” she said softly. “He wants certainty.”

“At ikaw?”

“I want him uncertain.”

Sierra shook her head, half impressed, half worried.

“Promise me one thing,” Sierra said seriously. “Kapag ikaw ang unang na-fall, hindi ka tatakbo.”

Maxine laughed.

“Me? Fall?” Over her dead gorgeous body!

Her mind flashed briefly—

Kael’s hand on her waist.

His breath close to her lips.

The way he pulled back instead of giving in.

She swallowed.

“I don’t fall, Sie,” she said smoothly.

“Everyone does,” Sierra whispered.

Maxine stood up, grabbing her bag.

“Not me,” she replied confidently.

But as she walked away—

Her heart beat a little too fast at the thought of seeing him again.

And for the first time in months—

She wasn’t sure if she was playing the game.

Or slowly becoming part of it.