Beautiful encounter

CHAPTER 5

It's been a week since we first met Tricia, and each day has brought new discoveries about her. At first, we saw only her angelic side-sweet, kind, and seemingly perfect in every way. But as we've spent more time with her, we've come to realize that, like everyone, she has a more complex side beneath the surface. It's not a bad thing at all; in fact, it's refreshing to see her opening up and letting us in on the parts of her personality that aren't immediately visible.

She's not just the quiet, angelic girl we initially thought; there's depth, humor, and maybe even a bit of quirkiness that we didn't expect. Watching her feel comfortable enough to show us her true self has only made our bond stronger.

During recess, we decided to head to the cafeteria to grab some snacks. It was packed with students, making it a challenge to navigate through the crowd and get what we wanted. After waiting for what felt like ages, we finally bought our food and started walking back to our classroom. As we got closer, we noticed a crowd of students gathered around the door. Something was definitely going on.

We could hear a girl's voice shouting from inside the room, and it was clear that things were getting heated. Curious and a bit concerned, we pushed our way through the crowd to see what was happening. As we entered the classroom, we found one of our classmates, Catherine, in the middle of a very public quarrel with her boyfriend.

Her voice was raised, and the tension in the room was thick. On the floor, we noticed her boyfriend's phone-it looked pretty beaten up, almost broken. It wasn't surprising, though, considering that they come from well-off families, so the phone could easily be replaced. Still, the scene was uncomfortable to witness. Catherine, usually composed, was now showing a side of herself that wasn't so flattering. The argument was drawing attention from everyone around, and it was clear that she wasn't putting her best foot forward in front of her peers.

It was hard to say what had triggered the fight, but the whole situation left a strange atmosphere in the room. It was as though the tension from their argument had spilled over, casting a shadow on what had been an ordinary break. While Catherine's outburst was probably a release of pent-up emotions, it wasn't the kind of impression most people would want to leave on their classmates. Everyone exchanged uneasy glances, not sure whether to intervene or stay out of it, but it was obvious this was a moment that wouldn't be forgotten anytime soon.

The loud ring of the bell snapped everyone back to reality, signaling the end of recess. As students shuffled in and out, the tension lingered in the air. Moments later, our teacher walked in and began the lesson, but it was obvious no one could fully focus—not even me. My mind kept drifting back to the incident. What triggered their fight? I wondered. Does she even realize what she's done? My thoughts spiraled, raising more questions than answers.

The atmosphere in the classroom was tense after the teacher left, leaving us in an awkward silence. Catherine, known for her exceptional academic performance, had always stood out. Despite having a boyfriend, she managed to balance both her personal life and studies effortlessly. However, after the recent incident, something felt different. She wasn’t the same, and though I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, I knew something had changed. Perhaps it was just a passing thought, but the day ended without much fanfare, and we all went our separate ways.

A week passed, and the incident seemed to be forgotten, buried under the routine of school life. Then, one day during class, our teacher announced, “Okay, for your performance task, I want you to group yourselves into five.” Naturally, Soren, Tricia, and I planned to be in the same group, but we were still short two members. As we brainstormed who to ask, something unexpected happened.

Catherine approached us.

“Is your group full?” she asked, her voice calm and composed. This was different from how she had seemed the previous week—now, she looked serene, even more beautiful than usual. Catherine had always been the type to turn heads, with both beauty and brains to match. There was no reason for us to turn her down.

"Uh, we're actually looking for more group members," Soren replied, flashing a friendly smile.

“Then, can we join?” she asked, gesturing toward her boyfriend, who stood quietly beside her.

“Of course,” Soren said without hesitation.

And with that, our group was complete.

What we didn’t realize at the time was that we had not only found group members but also new friends. Through working on the performance task together, we grew closer, learning more about each other as the days passed. The awkward tension that had once hung in the air faded away as we bonded over shared responsibilities, ideas, and even lighthearted moments.

As we spent more time together, the curiosity that had lingered in my mind about Catherine began to clear up. The incident from the previous week—her sudden shift in behavior—started to make sense. It turned out she hadn’t acted without reason; in fact, it was quite the opposite. She had simply lost control of her emotions, overwhelmed by what her boyfriend had done.

He had taken a picture of Catherine while she was asleep and, without thinking, posted it on social media. The picture quickly gained attention, racking up views and comments that spread like wildfire. What seemed like a harmless prank to him had caused Catherine immense embarrassment. She had been unable to maintain her usual composure, her embarrassment bubbling over into frustration and anger.

That explained why she had been acting differently throughout the week. The once confident and composed Catherine had been battling her own turmoil, trying to regain her sense of control and dignity. Understanding this brought a new sense of empathy toward her. It wasn’t just that she was intelligent and beautiful; she was also human, dealing with pressures and insecurities just like the rest of us.