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Lahat ng Kabanata ng Emma & Connor: Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 10

13 Kabanata

Chapter 1 THE First BELL

Emma’s POV I pressed the strap of my backpack tighter against my shoulder as I stared up at the wide glass entrance of Manatee High School. The sun glared against the polished windows, and for a moment, my reflection stared back at me : messy curls tied back in a ponytail, hazel eyes that revealed too much nervousness, and a old cardigan over a faded white blouse. The first thing I noticed about Manatee High was the size. Not the buildings—they were impressive, yes—but the hallways themselves, wide and polished, stretching endlessly with sunlight bouncing off glass doors and shiny lockers. I pressed the strap of my backpack tighter into my shoulder and tried not to panic. Every step felt heavier than the last. I tugged at my skirt, trying to smooth the wrinkles, then glanced down at my scuffed vans,. My dad would have said, “You’ll be fine, Em. Just breathe.” He always tried to make me feel bigger than my circumstances. But he didn’t understand. Manatee High wasn’t just a schoo

Chapter 2 The Hayes house

CONNOR’S POVThe front doors of Hayes Manor creaked open before I even touched the handle. Gerald, our butler, gave me a nod as if I were a guest, not the son who lived here. “Welcome home, Mr. Hayes,” he said.I hated when people called me that. That was my father’s name. Inside, the marble floors gleamed so bright they reflected the chandelier overhead. The smell of polished wood and my mother’s favorite roses clung to the air. From the outside, my house looked like perfection. Inside, it was a battlefield. “Connor.” My father’s voice carried from the dining room. I felt my jaw tighten. He was still in his business suit even though it was past seven, tie knotted perfectly, hair silver at the edges but cut sharp. My mother sat beside him, a perfect porcelain statue with a glass of wine in hand. “You skipped practice,” my father said without looking up from his phone. “I had classwork.” “You had excuses.” His eyes finally met mine. Cold. Calculating. “If you want to keep tha

Chapter 3 Cafeteria Introductions

Emma’s POV By the second week at Manatee High, I had almost stopped getting lost. Almost. The hallways still looked the same no matter which direction I turned—white walls, lockers that stretched forever, and students who always seemed to know exactly where they were going. I had learned to keep my map folded inside my binder like a secret weapon, just in case. That day, after an exhausting math class, I headed to the cafeteria clutching my tray and trying not to look as out of place as I felt. The smell of pizza and fries filled the air, mixing with the chatter of a hundred voices. I scanned the room, looking for an empty table, but of course, every seat seemed claimed by clusters of friends. “Hey, you can sit here.” The voice came from Connor. He was sitting with two boys from my English class, one with sandy hair and mischievous eyes, the other dark-haired and calm-looking. I hesitated, glancing at the tray in my hands, then back at him. “You sure?” “Yeah,” he said with

Chapter 4 – Unexpected Company

Emma’s POV By Friday, I had learned that cafeteria pizza wasn’t nearly as bad as everyone said—it was the company that made it better. Julie and I usually sat together near the back, laughing over random gossip or her endless stories about her cousin’s luxury car obsession. Today, though, things were different. I spotted Chelsea waving at me from across the room. She was wearing a lavender sweater that made her look like she’d stepped out of a magazine, and she had the kind of confident smile that drew attention without trying. “Emma! Over here!” she called. Julie followed my gaze and frowned slightly. “You know her?” “Yeah—Connor’s sister. I met her yesterday.” “Oh,” Julie said slowly. “Well, go ahead. I’ll find you later.” I hesitated for a second, unsure why her tone sounded a little… flat. “You can come too, if you want.” She shook her head quickly. “Nah, I promised to sit with Mia today. You go.” I nodded, balancing my tray, and walked over to Chelsea’s table. “H

Chapter 5 – Between Two Worlds

The next morning, the school hallway buzzed with chatter, the kind that always made me feel like I’d walked into a TV show already in progress. I found Julie at her locker, stacking her books with a little too much force. Her lips pressed into a line before she turned and saw me.“Hey,” I said softly.She hesitated, then exhaled. “Hey.” Her tone wasn’t as icy as yesterday, but it wasn’t warm either.I fiddled with my notebook. “About yesterday… I didn’t mean to ditch you. I just—”“I know.” She closed her locker and slung her bag over her shoulder. “I was being stupid.”I blinked. “Stupid?”She gave a weak laugh, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Yeah. I was just… jealous, I guess. I thought you weren’t gonna sit with me anymore. It was dumb.”The apology threw me off. Julie wasn’t the type to admit when she felt insecure — usually, she acted like she didn’t care about anything.I smiled, a little relieved. “It’s okay. I probably should’ve said something too. Yesterday was ju

Chapter 6 – Little Shifts

(Emma’s POV) The week drifted by faster than I expected, and for the first time since I started at Manatee High, I didn’t feel like an outsider. I wasn’t one of the glossy rich kids, but I wasn’t invisible anymore either. I was just… there. Present. By Thursday, the smell of paint had already become part of my routine. Art class was tucked away at the end of the east wing, and it always felt like a different world—messy tables, mismatched stools, sunlight cutting through high windows. I liked it. That morning, the girl who sat next to me looked up from her sketchpad. “You’re Emma, right?” she asked. “Yeah,” I said, smiling a little. “And you’re Lilla.” She grinned. “Guess word gets around. Connor Adler’s friend, right?” I blinked, feeling my face warm. “We’re… kind of friends. I guess.” “Relax,” she said, laughing. “I’m not about to ask for his autograph or something. He’s cool, though. His sister Chelsea’s in my drama class—total natural.” I found myself smiling wider.

Chapter 7 – First Kiss

POV: EmmaBy the time the final bell rang, my stomach was a mess of nerves and excitement. Everyone had been talking about the Friday night bonfire since Monday, and somehow, Connor had actually invited me to come along with their group.I stood by my locker, trying to keep my hands from shaking as I adjusted the strap of my bag. I’d gone home during free period just to change — into my mom’s favorite sundress. It was soft lavender, faded from years of washing, and smelled faintly like vanilla. My dad had told me once that she wore it to one of their first dates. I don’t know why, but wearing it tonight felt right, like I wanted her with me somehow.“Emma!” Julie’s voice rang through the hall before I could close my locker.She was walking toward me with Mia and James on either side — all three of them still in their cheer and sports gear, laughing about something. Julie’s ponytail bounced perfectly, not a strand out of place.“You look nice,” she said with a bright smile. “Going some

Chapter 8 – Day After

POV: ConnorBy the time we got back from my dad’s charity event, I was ready to collapse.It wasn’t even that late — just one of those nights that felt longer than it was. Fancy suits, fake smiles, people asking about “the family business” as if I cared. The worst part was pretending to.Dad loved these things — the attention, the handshakes, the speeches that went on too long. Chelsea called them “performances.” She wasn’t wrong. Mom stayed quiet the whole night, smiling for the cameras, laughing when she needed to. We were all pretending.As soon as we got home, I ditched my tie on the living room couch and escaped to my room before Dad could pull me aside to “talk business.” My phone buzzed on the desk. One new message.Emma:Did you survive your fancy event, Mr. High Society?I couldn’t stop the smile that tugged at my mouth.Me:Barely. I think I forgot how to breathe somewhere between the shrimp cocktails and Dad’s third speech.Three dots appeared. Then—Emma:That bad, huh? Sh

Chapter 9 – Different Worlds

Emma’s POVMonday mornings always feel too bright after a night that meant something.The sun coming through my blinds looked too golden, too loud — like it was mocking me for smiling in my sleep. I could still feel it — the soft press of Connor’s lips, the warmth of his hand brushing against mine, the quiet that followed. It didn’t even feel real.Dad had already left for work when I came downstairs. He left a note on the counter, written in his sloppy handwriting: “Lunch money. Proud of you, kid.” I smiled and tucked it into my backpack. The whole walk to school, I replayed Saturday night in my head like a favorite movie — every look, every laugh.By the time I reached my locker, my stomach was in knots. I hadn’t seen Connor yet. Would he act the same? Would I?“Hey, stranger.”Julie’s voice made me jump a little. She was leaning against the lockers, arms crossed, a perfect glossy smile on her face. Mia stood beside her, balancing her cheer bag on one shoulder, her ponytail high and

Chapter 10 — Confused Hearts

POV: Emma By Thursday,the week felt heavier than usual. Every time I walked past Connor’s group, laughter bubbled up from the boys, and my mind went straight to that afternoon at the parking lot. The teasing glances, the grin on his face—everything replayed like a movie stuck on repeat. Julie hadn’t helped either. She’d dropped her words with that quiet, careful tone she always used when she was about to say something that would hurt but pretend it didn’t. “People like Connor… they don’t really date girls like you, you know? Not seriously.” She said it with a shrug, spooning yogurt like it was just gossip, not a jab to my chest. I’d laughed it off then, but it stuck. Every hallway glance from the other girls, every soft whisper when I passed, made it echo louder. By the time lunch rolled around, I was exhausted from pretending I didn’t care. Julie and Mia were already sitting at our usual table, with James half-leaning on the bench across from them, earbuds in but listening

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