Melodies Of The Heart (Completed)

Chapter 12

The next morning, I arrived at school with a sense of determination. After a restless night of tossing and turning, I had resolved to talk to Zavier and explain everything. I couldn’t let my doubts and fears dictate my future. As soon as I walked through the gates, I made a beeline for the cafeteria, where Zavier usually hung out before classes started. As I scanned the room, my heart skipped a beat when I spotted him sitting at a table near the back.

Zavier was sitting at a table near the back, his profile illuminated by the soft morning light streaming through the windows. A surge of nervous energy coursed through me as I made my way towards him, rehearsing in my mind what I would say.

But just as I was about to approach, my steps faltered, and my breath caught in my throat. There, sitting across from Zavier, was a girl, her laughter ringing out like music in the air. They were engrossed in conversation, their heads bent close together, sharing a private moment that made my heart sink.

My steps faltered, and I stopped just inside the entrance, uncertainty gripping me. A girl with her perfect hair and infectious smile, was everything I wasn’t feeling right now. She leaned in closer to Zavier, their heads almost touching as they looked at something on his phone. They seemed so at ease, so comfortable together.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart. I had come here with a purpose, and I couldn’t let anything—or anyone—deter me.  Nanginginig ang mga kamay ko habang lumapit sa kanila, my mind racing with a million thoughts. What if she was his girlfriend? What if I was just intruding on their moment?

With a heavy sigh, I decided to turn on my heel and walked away, the sound of their laughter echoing in my ears. The resolve that had burned within me just moments ago now felt like nothing more than a flickering ember, extinguished by the harsh reality of the situation.

“Maggie?” Kaagad akong napahinto sa paglalakad ng marinig ang boses ni Zav sa bandang likuran ko.

I took a deep breath before facing him. “Hi, Zavier,” I said tentatively, trying to keep my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me.

Surprise flickering across his face as he saw me. “Oh, hey, Marguerite, ikaw mga talaga,” he said, his voice tinged with confusion. “What’s up?”

“I... um, I wanted to talk to you,” I said, my gaze flickering briefly to the girl beside him before returning to him “Pero sa ibang araw na lang siguro busy ka yata.”

He nod at the girl dahilan para tumayo ito at umalis. He motioned me to sit na kaagad ko namang sinunod. His brow furrowed in concern. “Is everything okay?”

“Last afternoon, I waited for you at the oak tree like we planned,” I began, trying to keep my tone neutral despite the disappointment simmering beneath the surface. “But you didn’t show up.”

Zavier’s eyes widened in shock, and he glanced at the girl walking away before turning back to me. “Wait, what? I... I didn’t know we had plans.”

My heart sank at his words. Had I misunderstood? Had I imagined the whole thing?

“I texted you,” I said, pulling out my phone and showing him the message thread. “And you replied.”

Zavier’s expression turned from confusion to realization, and then to concern. “Marguerite, I think there’s been a misunderstanding, that's not me” he said gently. “I left my phone in the music room yesterday afternoon. I didn’t see your messages until this morning. Sarado pa ang music room kaya hindi ko nakukuha ang phone ko until now.”

A wave of embarrassment washed over me as I realized my mistake. I had jumped to conclusions, assuming that Zavier had intentionally ignored me. The realization made me feel small and foolish.