Fatima's Diary Entry
Date: June 22, 2026 – 5:30 PM
Mood: Kittens? / Soft / Ano ba talaga, Jericho?
Dear Diary,
I think my brain chemistry is permanently altered. O baka naman side effect lang ito ng pagkahimatay ko noong isang linggo at hindi pa talaga lubusang bumabalik ang wisyo ko. physical science tells us that every action has an equal and opposite reaction, pero bakit ang reaction ng puso ko sa lalaking 'to ay laging out of budget?!
Kanina, dumaan ako sa likod ng lumang gymnasium para kunin yung extra inventory ng visual aids para sa Intramurals opening banner. Sobrang dilim at medyo nakakatakot pa naman doon dahil bodega na ang turing ng school sa area na 'yon. Pero alam mo kung anong nakita ko, Diary?
I saw Jericho Sandejas. The ruthless, arrogant, non-stop-trash-talking varsity captain, sitting flat on the dirty concrete floor. At hindi siya nag-iisa. He was surrounded by three tiny, stray kittens.
Diary, he was talking to them! In a high-pitched, baby voice! Ang sabi niya: "O, dahan-dahan sa pagkain, baka mabilaukan kayo. Huwag kayong mag-alala, hindi ko kayo iiwan gaya ng ginawa ng nanay niyo."
He was feeding them milk with so much care. Yung malalaking kamay niya na sanay humawak ng magaspang na basketball, sobrang dahan-dahan ang galaw para hindi masaktan yung mga kuting. I stood there for a solid five minutes, frozen. out of character, Diary.
Sobra. He caught me watching him, at sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon, nakita ko siyang tuluyang namula at nataranta. At doon ko napatunayan... may puso pala ang halimaw.
The Revelation Behind the Gym
The old gymnasium was a place mostly avoided by the student body. It smelled of old wood, rusty iron, and decades of forgotten high school memories.
Timmy dragged her feet along the narrow gravel pathway leading to the back entrance, holding a checklist of the properties she needed to audit for the upcoming events.
Her mind was still preoccupied with Jeco. Ever since her fainting spell, he had been acting like a hyper-vigilant bodyguard masked as an annoying rival.
He would randomly drop chocolate bars on her desk with post-it notes that read, "Kumain ka, baka magwawalis ka na naman sa sahig," or he would forcibly carry her heavy binders, claiming he was just "protecting school property."
Timmy sighed, turning the corner near the overgrown bougainvillea bushes. She was about to push the rusty screen door open when she heard a low, unfamiliar sound.
"Hey, cat-mander. Sabi ko sa 'yo huwag mong aagawan ng gatas si Chonky, eh. Kasya naman kayong tatlo dyan."
Timmy stopped dead in her tracks. Is that...
Jeco?
She leaned closer to the gap between the concrete wall and the bushes, her eyes widening at the sight.
Jeco was sitting cross-legged on a piece of discarded cardboard, completely unbothered by the dust ruining his pristine uniform slacks. Resting on his lap was a tiny, calico kitten, while two other black-and-white kittens were aggressively licking a small plastic saucer filled with milk.
"Ubusin niyo 'yan, ah," Jeco whispered, his voice incredibly gentle—a complete contrast to the booming, commanding voice he used on the basketball court.
He reached out a long finger, carefully stroking the calico kitten’s head. The kitten let out a soft purr, rubbing its tiny face against his palm.
"Puyat ako kagabi kakagawa ng program layout natin, pero dumaan pa rin ako sa 7-Eleven para sa inyo. Kaya dapat magpalaki kayo nang mabilis, okay?"
Timmy felt a sudden, sharp tug in her chest. The sight of him—so big, so masculine, yet so incredibly tender with creatures that couldn't give him any academic validation or sports trophies—shattered the image she had built of him over the past five years. He wasn't just a shallow, arrogant jock.
As she took a step back, overwhelmed by the sudden rush of warmth in her heart, her school shoes crunched loudly against the dry leaves on the ground.
Jeco’s head snapped toward the noise instantly. His eyes widened in absolute shock when he saw Timmy standing there. Within a fraction of a second, his cool demeanor vanished, replaced by pure, unadulterated panic. He scrambled to his feet, almost tripping over his own gym bag, his face turning a deep, fiery shade of red.
"T-Timmy! Ano... anong ginagawa mo rito?!" he stammered, quickly stepping in front of the cardboard as if he could hide the kittens behind his broad frame. "Bawal ang mga estudyante rito! Spatial hazard 'to!"
Timmy slowly walked out of the bushes, a teasing, triumphant smile finally making its way to her lips. This was her golden opportunity to tease him back.
"Spatial hazard mo mukha mo, Jericho. Core memory unlocked. Ang tapang-tapang sa court, softie pala sa mga kuting."
The Unspoken Shift
Jeco rubbed the back of his neck, refusing to meet her eyes. The flush on his cheeks extended all the way to his neck and ears.
"Huwag mo ngang sabihin kahit kanino 'to. Lalong-lalo na sa mga ka-team ko. Masisira ang reputasyon ko bilang captain."
"Aba, dumedepende 'yan sa magiging ugali mo sa susunod na mga araw," Timmy barged past him, crouching down in front of the kittens.
The calico kitten immediately walked toward her, sniffing her fingers before letting out a tiny mew. Timmy’s heart melted completely. "Hi, babies... Ang liliit niyo naman. Saan ang nanay nila?"
"Wala na. Noong isang linggo pa hindi bumabalik," Jeco muttered, his voice quiet as he sat back down on the cardboard, a safe distance away from her but close enough that their knees were almost touching.
He watched her gently pick up the calico kitten with expert care. "Marunong ka maghawak?"
"Of course. May tatlong pusa kami sa bahay. Lahat rescues," Timmy replied, looking up at him.
For a moment, the world seemed to slow down. The afternoon light filtered through the cracks of the old gym ceiling, casting soft, golden streaks across Jeco’s face.
He was looking at her, not with his usual mocking gaze, but with an intensity that made it hard for her to breathe. The usual shield of their rivalry felt completely useless in this quiet, forgotten corner of the school.
"Salamat," Jeco said softly, breaking the silence.
"Para saan?"
"Sa hindi pagtawa. Akala ko talaga aasarin mo ako habang-buhay kapag nalaman mo." He looked at the kittens, a small, genuine smile on his lips.
"Nahanap ko sila noong araw na nag-away tayo sa Office ni Ma'am Peralta after the corridor talk. Sobrang inis ko sa 'yo non kasi ang sungit mo, kaya naglakad-lakad ako rito para magpalipas ng galit. Tapos narinig ko silang umiiyak. Sila yung nagpalamig ng ulo ko."
Timmy’s heart did a violent, dangerous flip. So... he found them because of me? Baliw ba ako for thinking it's something to be proud of?
"Hindi naman ako ganoon kasama, Jericho," Timmy whispered, her voice softening as she placed the kitten back on the floor.
She stood up, dusting off her skirt, trying desperately to regain her composure. "Sige na, kailangan ko nang ibalik 'tong inventory list kay Ma'am Peralta. Huwag mo silang kalimutang pakainin bukas."
"Timmy," Jeco called out just as she reached the door.
She turned around. "O?"
Jeco stood up, his tall frame cutting through the light. He looked at her for a long, quiet second before speaking. "May progress na yung registration forms. Gusto mo bang... sabay na nating i-check mamaya bago umuwi? Dito na lang sa student council room. Ako na magdadala ng pagkain."
Timmy felt her cheeks burn, but for the first time, she didn't fight the feeling. She adjusted her glasses and nodded. "Sige. Pero ayaw ko ng Skyflakes. Gusto ko ng fries."
"Noted, Madam Secretary," Jeco smiled, and this time, it was the kind of smile that didn't have an ounce of mockery in it. It was beautiful.
The Safety of the Diary
By the time Timmy reached the student council room, her hands were trembling as she locked the door from the inside. She dropped her bag, sat at her desk, and opened her pink diary with frantic energy, writing as fast as her hand could manage:
Diary, burahin mo na lahat ng sinabi ko noong mga nakaraang araw. HINDI SIYA DEMONYO.
Jericho Sandejas is dangerously kind, and that is a million times worse than him being mean. Kapag masungit siya, madaling magalit.
Madaling lumaban. Pero kapag ganito siya kasoft? Paano na ako lalaban, Diary?
My defenses are officially crumbling. At natatakot ako, dahil baka bukas, hindi ko na maalala kung bakit ko ba siya kinauutan noong una.
Outside, leaning against the concrete wall of the corridor, Jeco pulled out his black notebook. He didn't care if students were passing by and staring at him. He flipped to a new page and wrote down his thoughts with a soft, steady hand:
“Nakita niya akong nagpapakain ng mga kuting. Akala ko katapusan na ng buhay ko, pero ngumiti siya sa akin nang walang pang-aasar. It was the first time she looked at me without glaring. Her smile... tangina, Jeco, lagot ka na. Mas gusto kong tignan yung ngiti niya kaysa manalo sa kahit anong championship game sa mundo. I need to clear my schedule for later. May fries date—meeting pala kami.”