Beautiful encounter

CHAPTER 9

When I entered the room, I noticed Tricia sitting in her usual seat, but something was off. Her eyes were distant, her expression blank, and it felt like she was somewhere far away, lost in her own thoughts. She wasn’t paying attention to anything happening around her, as if the world had stopped existing in her mind. Concerned, I sat down beside her.

"Tricia, what’s wrong?" I asked gently, unsure of what was going on but knowing something wasn’t right. Before she could even respond, tears started to spill down her cheeks. It was sudden, as if the dam holding her emotions had finally burst.

Without hesitation, I wrapped my arms around her. I didn’t need her to say anything. In that moment, words weren’t necessary. I could feel her pain, her need for comfort. She clung to me as she cried, her body shaking with each sob. The room seemed to fade away, and all that mattered was being there for her.

It wasn’t long before the others noticed. They gathered around, concern etched on their faces.

"What happened to her?" Ate Cath asked, her voice filled with worry.

I just shrugged, meeting her gaze with a helpless expression. I didn’t know. I could only offer my silent support, hoping Tricia would find some release in her tears. We all sat there, quietly, until her sobs finally subsided.

As her sobs quieted down, Tricia finally started opening up. I’ve always known how fragile she is—what might seem small to others can feel like the weight of the world on her shoulders. And this, whatever had happened, was clearly tearing her apart.

“I don’t know what to do,” she whispered, her voice trembling with fear and uncertainty. "I got a message from my cousin," she continued, pausing to wipe her tears, though they kept flowing. "She said her mom saw me yesterday… with Brix. And now she’s told my mother about it."

The tears returned in full force, her shoulders shaking as she tried to catch her breath. My heart sank deeper. Tricia and I shared a similar burden—our families, especially when it came to relationships, were incredibly strict. It wasn’t just disapproval we feared; it was real punishment. Her father was known to be harsh, and I knew that if he found out, things could get really bad for her. She might even get beaten for something as innocent as walking home with a boy.

Now, I understood why she was breaking down like this. The fear of what might come, mixed with the helplessness of not knowing how to fix it, was too much for her. "I don’t know what to do. I can’t let Brix go. I love him so much," she cried, her voice trembling as she clung to that one truth she could hold onto. It was painful to see her like this, a stark contrast to her usual happy, carefree self. Watching her unravel, the light in her eyes replaced by fear, was tearing me apart. It hurt in ways I couldn’t fully describe.

"Shhh, stop crying now," Ate Cath said softly, leaning over and placing a gentle hand on Tricia’s back. "Here, have some water," Katharina added, handing her a bottle. Tricia took it with shaking hands, trying to calm herself down between sobs.

"Let’s not overthink things just yet," Ate Yang spoke in a calm, composed voice. She had a way about her that always impressed me—no matter the situation, she never lost her cool. "You said your aunt only saw the two of you together, right?" she asked gently, and Tricia nodded, wiping at her tears.

"And you weren't doing anything wrong, correct?" Ate Yang continued, pressing just enough for clarification without judgment.

Tricia shook her head. "No, we weren’t. We just walked together. He walked me home. That’s it. No more, no less."

Ate Yang turned her gaze toward me, signaling for me to take the lead. I knew what that meant—it was my turn to step in, to plan. Among us, I was always the strategist, the one who figured things out. I had already been running different scenarios in my head since Tricia started talking, calculating every possible outcome. I had a feeling how this would play out, and though there was no perfect solution, there was a way to mitigate the damage.

"Okay, so here’s what you’ll do when you get home," I said, looking directly at Tricia. She looked at me with a mix of hope and fear, listening intently. "First things first: act normal. Don’t act defensive. Don’t bring up what your aunt said or what you think she told them. Just be yourself. If you act suspicious, they’ll pick up on it immediately."

Tricia nodded, though I could see the fear still clouding her eyes. I continued, "If they do ask, you deny it. Tell them you were just walking with a friend. Use my name if you need to."

She looked at me, a little hesitant but also relieved. "Are you sure that will work?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

I nodded. "For now, it should. It's not a perfect solution, but it’ll give you some time. It’s an innocent enough situation that you can deny it. But," I paused, making sure she was paying attention to this next part, "one day, the truth will come out. There’s no hiding forever. You’ll need to be ready for that day. But for now, this should buy you time."

Tricia took a deep breath and nodded again. "I’ll try. I just—" Her voice faltered. "I don’t want to lose him."

"You won’t," I reassured her. "Not today."

The room was quiet for a moment. Ate Cath, Katharina, and Ate Yang stayed close, each of them offering silent support. It was a heavy situation, but I hoped that with our help, Tricia would feel strong enough to face what was coming. One step at a time, that’s all we could do for now.