7: the persistent pursuit

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MAVIS

I leaned against the side of the lockers, arms crossed as I watched Ashi from across the hallway.

She was talking with Jai Sam and Mali, the usual quadro, laughing about something, probably teasing each other like always.

But my focus wasn't on the conversation—they could be talking about flying pigs for all I cared.

My focus was on her.

It's been days since that hallway confrontation, and despite Ashi's hard shell, I knew I'd cracked something.

That flicker of confusion, that flare of frustration—it wasn't just an annoyance. I knew better.

There was something deeper, and if she thought I was going to give up just because she threw a few cold words my way, she had another thing coming.

"Ano, Mavis? Itutuloy mo pa ba?" Gian's voice snapped me out of my thoughts as she slung an arm around my shoulder.

I smirked, nodding. "Oo naman. Akala niya tapos na ako? She's got no idea what's coming. I didn't pursue her for nothing"

Sace appeared on my other side, holding up her phone where she'd typed out a quick message to our group.

"Ano na? Flowers today?"

"Yup" I confirmed. "First delivery is about to arrive. Let's see kung kaya niyang deadmahin 'to."

Colen joined us, raising an eyebrow at me. "And you think flowers are enough? Ashi doesn't seem to like the type of person na mapapa-oo mo lang sa bouquet."

"Flowers lang ang simula" I replied, shrugging. "Basta, you'll see. This is just a warm-up."

Sace snickered, already imagining how Ashi would react. "I swear, ikaw lang ang makakagawa nito. I'd be too scared to send something like that to Mali, but I guess kaya ko ring subukan."

I glanced at her, smirking. "Eh ano nga, you've been chicken for months. Time to step it up, Sace."

Sace rolled her eyes but grinned. "Fine, fine. Pero wait lang, Colen, you're not off the hook either. Kailan mo ba aaminin kay Jai?"

Colen blinked, caught off guard. "Ako? Bakit ako? I don't have a thing for Jai."

Gian snorted, shaking her head. "Right. Basta Sam and I are okay— but Colen, we all see how you look at Jai, you kiss her pa nga di'ba?"

"Kaya nga mas lalo akong naging hate niya" Colen pouted.

"Fool, make a move kasi, yung decent!" Sace snickered

"Fine, but we're talking about Mavis and her grand romantic gestures right now, not me" Colen huffed, quickly changing the subject as I laughed.

Suddenly, I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. The message I'd been waiting for.

"First delivery just arrived" I announced, grinning. "Ashi's gonna love this."

We all turned our heads toward Ashi's locker, where the school's delivery guy was making his way through the crowd with a large bouquet of red roses.

He stopped right in front of Ashi, who was deep in conversation with Jai and Mali.

"For me?" I could hear her ask, her brows knitting together as the guy handed her the bouquet.

She read the attached card, her eyes narrowing instantly.

To Ashi, 

Because you make the hallways brighter. –Mavis.

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