Just Hold Tight (Bittersweet Solitude Series #1)

Special Chapter 01

Where it All Started

. . .

Nang unang nagtagpo ang landas namin ni Bianca, hindi ko inasahan na magkakaroon ng kahit anong koneksyon. It was just another dinner, another gathering with my circle of friends. Nandoon siya, kasama ng isa kong kaibigan, tahimik at tila nahiya na kasama ang mga tao. I barely noticed her at first, pero habang tumatagal ang gabi, there was something about her presence—calm, almost unassuming. There was a strange comfort in her silence, in the way she’d just observe without pushing herself into the conversation.

Ako naman, hindi rin masyadong mahilig magpapansin. Habang nakaupo kami sa mesa, Bianca was seated across from me. Napansin ko ang mapusyaw niyang mukha, ang mga mata niyang parang laging nagmamasid pero hindi naghihintay ng anumang kapalit. She was shy, yes, pero there was a subtle warmth that came from her, a kind of ease that settled in the air. Hindi ko maipaliwanag, pero parang naging komportable ako bigla sa kaniya kahit na wala pang ilang oras mula nang magkakilala kami.

Our first conversation was simple, halos walang bigat.

"Do you like the food?" tanong ko, as I caught her glancing at the plate in front of her. She nodded, giving me a small smile, her voice soft and careful.

"Yes po, it’s good," she replied.

That was it. Walang halong komplikasyon. But for some reason, that brief exchange lingered. May kung anong hangin ang bumalot sa amin, something that made me feel... lighter.

Although hindi siya ganoong kumibo, she didn’t make me feel awkward. Usually, when you meet someone new, there’s that pressure to fill the silence, to make an impression.

Pero kay Bianca... hindi ko naramdaman iyon.

We didn’t need to talk much, yet somehow, her presence was enough to make me feel at ease. Maybe it was the simplicity in her demeanor, or the way she’d quietly listen while others spoke. Parang everything just flowed naturally.

That was the start—isang simpleng dinner, isang payak na pag-uusap, but somehow, it stuck with me more than it should have. As the night went on, I found myself glancing at her from time to time, not in a way that felt wrong, pero more like curious. She had this quiet charm that wasn’t loud or attention-seeking, pero it was there, drawing me in little by little.

The odd thing was, hindi ko talaga maintindihan kung bakit. I had Ethan, and I loved him, walang tanong doon. But there was something about Bianca—something calming, something... different.

And even though I shouldn’t... I couldn’t help but feel a pull toward her, one that grew stronger the more we interacted.

Pagkatapos ng unang pagkikita namin ni Bianca, hindi ko akalaing susunod-sunod pa ang mga pagkakataon na magkakasama kami. It was as if the universe kept pulling us into the same spaces, sa mga gatherings ng mga kaibigan namin, at minsan, sa mga simpleng hangouts ng circle.

Hindi ko naman sinasadya, pero bawat pagkakataon na magkikita kami... parang mas lalong gumagaan ang loob ko sa kanya.

Bianca was still the same—quiet, reserved, pero may kakaibang appeal sa kaniyang pagiging mahiyain. Nagustuhan ko yung hindi niya pinipilit ang sarili na mapansin. She never tried to stand out, yet her presence lingered. Lagi siyang nariyan sa gilid, content to be a silent observer, pero hindi ko mapigilang mapansin siya.

As weeks went by, our conversations became more frequent, even though they were never long or deep. There was just a natural flow between us.

Isang beses, sa isa na namang cof namin, Bianca sat beside me. I felt the familiar ease settle in, like I didn’t need to try so hard to keep up a conversation. She’d ask about simple things—kamusta ang exams, mahirap ba ang workload sa third year?—and I’d answer casually, grateful for the calmness she always brought. Sa kabila ng mga magkaibang taon namin sa school—ako na 3rd year, at siya namang 1st year pa lamang, hindi namin naramdaman ang agwat.