Fatima's Diary Entry
Date: June 16, 2026 – 8:30 PM
Mood: Hyper-caffeinated / Exhausted / In Denial
Dear Diary,
Gusto ko lang sabihin na opisyal ko nang pinagsisisihan ang desisyon kong pumunta sa Starbucks kanina. I should have insisted on the library. At least sa library, bawal sumigaw. Bawal magbato ng ballpen. At higit sa lahat, walang libreng kape na may kasamang panlalait.
Pagdating ko doon ng exactly 4:25 PM (dahil walang puwang ang pagiging late sa vocabulary ko), nandoon na ang bwisit. At akala mo naman kung sinong seryosong estudyante—nakalatag ang iPad niya, may highlighters, at may nakahanda nang Iced Caramel Macchiato para sa akin. For a split second, Diary, na-touch ako. Sabi ko sa sarili ko, "Wow, may pakinabang din pala si Jericho."
But of course, he is Jericho Sandejas.
The moment I sat down, he looked at my drink and said, "Inunahan na kita, baka kasi mag-meltdown ka na naman sa math budget natin kapag walang asukal ang utak mo." At doon nagsimula ang dalawang oras ng walang humpay na bangayan.
He wanted a rock-concert-themed opening ceremony, I wanted a traditional, prestigious sports parade. Pure chaos, Diary. PURE CHAOS. Pero ang pinakamalalang part? Noong paalis na kami, aksidente niyang natabig ang natitirang kape ko... diretso sa sapatos ko.
I swear, he is the bane of my existence.
The Caffeine and the Conflict
The bell above the Starbucks door chimed softly as Timmy pushed it open, seeking immediate refuge from the humid afternoon heat.
The cafe was packed with students from neighboring schools, the hum of chatter blending with the grinding of coffee beans. She scanned the room, her eyes immediately landing on the corner booth near the window.
Jeco was already there.
He had discarded his school vest, wearing just his white uniform polo with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, exposing the lean muscle he’d built from years of varsity training. He was chewing the end of a green highlighter, completely absorbed in a spreadsheet on his iPad.
Infairness, mukha siyang tao kapag tahimik, Timmy thought, but she quickly shook the dangerous thought out of her head before approaching.
"You’re early," Timmy said, thumping her heavy laptop bag onto the wooden table.
Jeco looked up, his eyes instantly crinkling into that familiar, teasing crinkle. He pushed a tall, condensation-covered plastic cup toward her.
"Five minutes early is on time, Madam Secretary. Maupo ka nga, mukha kang sasabog dyan."
Timmy eyed the drink suspiciously. "Anong nilagay mo rito? May lason ba 'to?"
"Iced Caramel Macchiato, extra shot of espresso, less sweet. 'Yan ang laging hawak mo kapag pumapasok ka tuwing exam week, 'di ba?" Jeco leaned back, crossing his arms with a smug grin.
"Huwag kang mag-alala, walang lason 'yan. Mahal ang kape ngayon, hindi ko sasayangin ang pera ko para lang itumba ka."
Timmy felt a sudden, uncomfortable warmth rush to her face. He actually noticed what I drink during exam weeks? She quickly cleared her throat, pulling out her laptop to hide her slight flustered state.
"S-Salamat. Let's just get to work. We only have three days to finalize this proposal."
For the next hour, the corner booth became a battlefield.
"We need a grand fireworks display for the opening ceremony, Timmy," Jeco argued, tapping his pen on the table. "Silver anniversary ng Intramurals 'to. Dapat ma-hype ang buong St. Jude!"
"Fireworks? In this economy, Jericho?" Timmy shot back, turning her laptop screen toward him to show the terrifying budget projection.
"Saan natin kukunin ang pera para doon? Sa sports clinic niyo? O sa allowance ng varsity? Kung gusto mo ng fireworks, ikaw ang mag-solicit sa mga alumni natin!"
"Edi mag-solicit tayo! Ako ang kakausap sa kanila, basta aprubahan mo lang sa paper side," he countered, leaning over the table, his face dangerously close to hers.
"Masyado kang safe magdesisyon, Timmy. Matuto ka namang mag-risk."
"Meticulous ako, hindi safe! Ayaw ko lang mapagalitan tayo ni Ma'am Peralta kapag nag-short ang budget!"
The Climax of the Coffee Date
By 6:30 PM, the table was littered with crumpled papers, sticky notes, and half-empty cups. Despite the constant arguing, they actually managed to finish eighty percent of the program flow.
Timmy had to reluctantly admit that Jeco’s insights into the sports tournament scheduling were actually brilliant. He knew how to allocate resting periods for the athletes without making the calendar stretch too long.
"Okay, fine," Timmy muttered, typing the final edits into the document. "In-include ko na yung request mo para sa professional referees para sa championship games. Swear, Jeco, kapag hindi ito na-approve, kasalanan mo 'to."
"Subukan lang nilang hindi i-approve, eh ako ang magpapanalo ng trophy para sa school ngayong taon," Jeco bragged, stretching his arms over his head, his polo tightening against his chest.
Timmy rolled her eyes, packing her things into her tote bag. "Yabang. Sige na, kailangan ko nang umuwi. May quiz pa tayo sa Community Engagement bukas."
"Hatid na kita," Jeco offered casually, standing up and grabbing his gym bag.
"No, thanks. May tricycle naman sa labas," Timmy declined instantly.
As she reached over to grab her phone near Jeco’s side of the table, her elbow caught the edge of her remaining iced coffee. Jeco saw it happening in slow motion and lunged forward to grab the cup—but his hand clashed with hers instead.
Splash.
The brown liquid poured directly over the edge of the table, soaking right into Timmy’s pristine white school shoes and socks.
"Oh, shoot! Sorry!" Jeco exclaimed, immediately dropping to his knees. He grabbed a handful of paper napkins from the dispenser and began gently wiping the coffee off her shoes. "Kasalanan ko, natabig ko yata nung kinuha ko yung bag ko. Direct hit sa sapatos mo."
Timmy froze, looking down at him. From her angle, she could see the crown of his dark hair, the sharp line of his jaw, and the genuine worry etched on his face.
His hands were warm as they brushed against her ankle through the napkins. For some bizarre reason, the anger she expected to feel didn't come. Instead, her chest felt incredibly tight.
"J-Jeco, tama na. Ako na," she stammered, stepping back abruptly. "Naka-tricycle naman ako. Malalabhan naman 'to."
Jeco stood up, looking guilty—a rare expression on his usually arrogant face. He rubbed the back of his neck. "Seryoso, hatid na kita. Baka kasi... ano, malagkit 'yan habang naglalakad ka."
"Hindi na talaga. See you tomorrow, Sandejas," Timmy said hurriedly, her heart pounding against her ribs for a completely different reason now. She practically bolted out of the coffee shop.
Once inside the safety of the tricycle, Timmy clutched her tote bag to her chest, her breathing shallow. She pulled out her pink diary with a trembling hand, staring at the fresh stain on her shoes.
Diary... bwisit talaga siya. Pero bakit ganon? Noong hinawakan niya ang paa ko para magpunas, bakit parang nakalimutan kong galit ako sa kanya? temporary insanity lang 'to, Diary. Sigurado ako. Overdose lang 'to sa caffeine.
Meanwhile, Jeco was left standing by the Starbucks counter, watching the tricycle disappear into the evening traffic. He looked at his hand, still feeling the faint warmth of her skin. Slowly, he pulled out his black notebook from his bag and scribbled:
“Natapon yung kape. Sobrang naguwi ako, pero ang bango pa rin niya kahit amoy Caramel Macchiato na siya ngayon. Note to self: Buy her a new pair of socks tomorrow.”