Fatima's Diary Entry
Date: June 24, 2026 – 7:15 PM
Mood: Confused / Frustrated / Ewan ko sa 'yo, Sandejas!
Dear Diary,
Gusto kong magmura sa lahat ng wikang alam ko. Bakit ba napaka-unpredictable ng mga lalaki? Akala ko ba okay na kami pagkatapos ng "kitten incident" noong isang araw? Akala ko ba civil na kami dahil maayos kaming nag-review ng registration forms habang kumakain ng fries? Pero bakit ngayon, bumalik na naman siya sa pagiging super toxic, masungit, at parang laging naghahanap ng away?!
Kaninang breaktime, lumapit sa lamesa ko si Mark Javier. Yes, Diary, si Mark—ang team captain ng kabilang school (Macapagal High) na kasama sa friendly matches natin para sa Intramurals. He was actually very polite. Binigyan niya ako ng imported na Cadbury chocolate tapos nagtatanong lang naman tungcol sa security permits at parking layout para sa mga sasakyan ng team nila. He even asked for my Viber number para raw "easy communication" pagdating sa logistics. Business matters, Diary! Completely professional.
Pero biglang sumulpot si Jericho galing sa kung saan. At grabe, Diary, kung nakakamatay lang ang tingin, malamang nakaburol na si Mark ngayon. Jeco literally snatched the chocolate bar from my desk, slammed his own Hydro Flask sa pagitan namin, at sinabing: "Ang security layout, sa Co-Chairperson itinatanong, hindi sa Secretary. At bawal mag-distribute ng outside food dito sa campus."
Like, anong pinapakain sa kanya ng coach niya at bigla siyang nagka-attitude problem?! Buong hapon niya akong hindi kinibo, at kapag nagtatanong ako tungkol sa budget, dadabugan niya lang ako ng piraso ng bond paper.
Napakagulo mo, Jericho. Napakagulo mo talaga.
The Intruder in Section A
The morning breeze inside the Senior High School building was usually quiet, but today, the atmosphere in Section A felt incredibly tense. Timmy was sitting by her desk, neatly highlighting the final category guidelines for the cheerdance competition.
Jeco hadn't arrived yet, which gave her a peaceful window to actually get some work done.
"Excuse me? Are you Fatima Flor Go?"
Timmy looked up, adjusting her glasses.
Standing by the classroom door was a tall guy wearing the blue and gold varsity jacket of Macapagal High. He had a clean haircut, an easygoing smile, and carried himself with the confidence of an elite athlete.
"Ah, yes. Ako nga," Timmy replied, standing up politely. "Ikaw ba si Mark? Yung contact person para sa guest schools?"
"Yes, that's me," Mark smiled, walking into the classroom and stopping right in front of her desk. He pulled a large, purple Cadbury fruit-and-nut bar from his bag and placed it gently on top of her notebook.
"For you. Sabi kasi ng coach ko, medyo strict daw ang Student Council dito sa Serenity Academy, kaya mas mabuti nang magdala ako ng suhol para mapabilis ang approvals ng entry passes namin."
Timmy chuckled, waving her hands dismissively. "Naku, hindi naman kailangan 'to. Pero salamat. Upuan mo muna 'to habang hinahanap ko yung approved layout ng parking zone niyo."
"Take your time," Mark said, leaning his hip against Jeco’s empty desk. He watched her profile as she scanned her computer files, his eyes filled with undeniable interest.
"You know, Miss Go... you're very different from what I expected. Akala ko matapang at masungit ang Secretary ng Serenity. Sobrang amo mo pala sa personal."
Timmy’s fingers froze over her keyboard. She felt a slight blush creeping onto her cheeks.
"Ah... seryoso lang talaga ako pagdating sa trabaho."
"Well, if you're free this Friday after the checking of documents, maybe I can treat you to dinner? Just to formally thank you for coordinating everything," Mark offered, his voice dropping into a smoother, more charming tone. "Can I get your Viber number?"
"Her Viber number is strictly for school emergencies, Javier."
The freezing cold voice cut through the air like a knife.
Timmy and Mark both looked up to see Jeco standing in the doorway. He was gripping the strap of his gym bag so tightly that his knuckles were stark white.
His jaw was clenched, his dark eyes staring directly at Mark with an intensity that could curdle milk. The casual, lazy posture Jeco usually maintained was gone, replaced by a rigid, intimidating stance.
The Territorial Captain
Mark didn't back down. He stood up straight, facing Jeco with a calm, athletic composure.
"Sandejas. Long time no see. Kausap ko lang ang Secretary niyo tungkol sa parking regulations."
Jeco didn't say a word to Mark. Instead, he marched straight toward Timmy’s desk, his heavy steps echoing in the quiet classroom.
Without asking permission, he reached out, grabbed the Cadbury chocolate bar, and stuffed it directly into his own bag. Then, he unclipped his heavy stainless steel Hydro Flask and slammed it onto the desk right between Timmy and Mark, effectively cutting off their line of sight.
"Ang parking regulations at security clearance, sa akin itinatanong. Ako ang in-charge sa venue logistics," Jeco said, his voice dangerously low, his eyes drilling holes into Mark’s face.
"At bawal ang labas-masok na estudyante mula sa ibang school dito sa Section A kung walang visitor's pass. Ground rules ng Serenity, Javier. Baka nakakalimutan mo."
Mark raised his hands in mock surrender, a small, knowing smirk playing on his lips. "Chill, Sandejas. I was just being friendly. Professional coordination lang naman."
"Tapos na ang coordination. Pwede ka nang umalis," Jeco countered, stepping slightly forward, using his massive frame to completely shield Timmy from Mark's view.
"Alright, alright. See you at the friendly matches next week, Captain," Mark patted Jeco’s shoulder, but Jeco brushed it off instantly. With a final, lingering glance at Timmy, Mark walked out of the room.
The moment Mark left, the silence in the classroom became heavy and suffocating.
Timmy sat there, her jaw dropped, her mind struggling to process what had just happened.
"Jericho, ano ba yung ginawa mo?!" Timmy stood up, her voice trembling with rising anger.
"Napakabastos mo! Bisita natin 'yon! Coordinator siya ng Macapagal High, bakit kailangan mo siyang tarantahin ng ganyan?!"
Jeco turned around to face her. His expression was a dark, brooding storm. "Bastos? Ako pa ang bastos ngayon, Timmy? Nakikita mo namang gumagawa ng paraan yung lalaking 'yon para makipag-landian sa 'yo, tapos hinahayaan mo lang?!"
"Anong makipag-landian?! Nagtatanong lang siya tungkol sa sasakyan ng team nila! At binigyan niya lang ako ng chocolate bilang pasasalamat!"
"Hindi ka naman mahilig sa prutas at mani, 'di ba?!" Jeco shouted back, his voice rising, making a few classmates who were just entering the room stop and stare.
He ran a hand through his hair, visibly frustrated, his chest heaving. "Kung gusto mo ng tsokolate, sabihin mo sa akin! Bibili ako ng isang kahon para sa 'yo, huwag ka lang tumanggap galing sa ibang lalaki!"
"Bakit ba napakapakialamero mo?! Ano bang pakialam mo kung kanino ako tumatanggap ng pagkain?!" Timmy yelled, her face burning with a mixture of confusion and a strange, terrifying flutter in her stomach.
Jeco stared at her, his eyes blazing, his lips parted as if he wanted to scream something out loud. The tension between them was so thick it was almost palpable. For a split second, Timmy thought he was going to say something life-changing.
But instead, Jeco just clenched his fists, grabbed his binder from his desk, and turned his back on her. "Wala. Bahala ka sa buhay mo, Fatima."
The Cold War and the Confession
For the rest of the day, Jeco treated her like an absolute stranger.
During their joint Student Council presentation in the afternoon, he didn't look at her once. When she handed him the printed budget copies, he snatched them out of her hand without a word.
When she asked if they should check on the kittens behind the gym after school, he simply muttered, "Ako na lang ang pupunta. Huwag ka nang madamay doon," before walking away.
The sudden shift from his soft, gentle demeanor to this cold, distant wall hurt Timmy more than she cared to admit. By the time the dismissal bell rang, she felt an overwhelming sense of loneliness.
She slowly packed her things, her eyes stinging with unshed tears.
She walked out of the school gates and boarded a tricycle alone. The entire ride home, her mind was a chaotic mess. She pulled out her pink diary, her tears finally blurring the ink as she wrote:
Diary, bakit masakit? Sanay naman akong nag-aaway kami. Sanay naman akong sinusungitan niya ako. Pero bakit noong nakita ko siyang galit na galit dahil lang kay Mark, at noong hindi niya ako kinausap buong araw, parang gusto kong umiyak?
Ihate this, Diary. I hate that he has this much power over my mood. normal rivals don't act like this. They don't look like they want to destroy the world just because someone else gave their rival a chocolate bar. Lord, anong ibig sabihin nito? Please, sabihin Niyo sa akin na nagkakamali lang ako ng hinala.
At that exact moment, Jeco was sitting on the wooden bleachers of the covered court, completely ignoring his team’s practice. He had a brand-new, unopened pack of classic milk chocolate bars sitting beside him—the kind he knew she actually liked because he had seen her eating it once during JHS.
With a heavy sigh, he pulled out his black notebook, his pen pressing so hard into the paper it almost tore through:
“Nakita kong nakangiti siya sa ibang lalaki ngayon. Sobrang nag-init ang ulo ko, hindi ko napigilan ang sarili ko. I acted like a complete psycho, and now she probably hates me more than ever. Pero tangina, hindi ko kayang tignan na may ibang lumalapit sa kanya. Noong hiningi nung Javier na 'yon ang number niya, gusto ko na lang manuntok. I’m completely jealous, and it’s killing me. I think I don't like her anymore. I think I finally love her, and it’s the scariest thing I’ve ever had to write down.”