Scarlet Strings of Love

Chapter 5: Tanzen

"Dance, when you're broken open. Dance, if you've torn the bandage off. Dance in the middle of the fighting. [...] Dance when you're perfectly free" —Jalaluddin Rumi

"Good afternoon class, I will be your professor for today," and Ysabelle stopped listening after that. One look and she knows that this teacher is already hitting on someone. Well, Ysabelle could only hope that she's good at teaching as she is with flirting.

The professor started talking (professor daw siya since she already finished her masters degree. Ysabelle could only care less) and as she was talking about maths and other thingamajig about her subject, something— or rather someone, catches her eye.

"Laurence?" she whispered to herself. She tried to remember is Laurence was present in the orientation before, and she did not see him. Or maybe because she feels scared to look around, she's scared she might meet his eyes.

She misses him.

She misses Angelo.

"Miss," someone tapped her shoulder. Her train of thoughts were interrupted and she was brought back to reality. Where she realized it was her turn to introduce herself to the while class.

She stood up.

"Sorry 'bout that. I was preoccupied," she said.

"Oh, you're a foreigner?" the professor asked.

"Not really," Ysabelle replied. "My mother's English, my father's the Filipino one. So..." she trailed off and the professor nodded, prompting her to go on.

"Anyway, good afternoon everyone, my name is Ysabelle Dela Cruz. As aforementioned, Mum's English, Father's Filipino," she started. Everyone was staring at her. "Uhm, I actually graduated here last year. In the high school department, I mean. So in other words, I am an old student. That's all, thank you and I hope we all get along swimmingly."

She smiled before quickly sitting down. The rest was a blur. Some students were amazed at how she spoke, her accent and all that jazz. She was like a celebrity in that subject, and she even confirmed that who she saw was, indeed, Laurence. Kumaway kasi si Laurence after magpakilala ni Ysabelle so she was able to confirm it.

"Ysabelle!"

Tumigil sa paglalakad si Ysabelle at hinarap ang tumawag sa kaniya. Hinintay niya si Laurence na makaabot sa kaniya at sabay sila maglakad.

"Hi," she said.

"Musta?" he asked.

She shrugged, "Fine. I guess."

"Luxus?"

"He's well."

"I saw you with Mendoza and Vallada," Ysabelle nodded. "Who's that girl with them?"

"The red-head?" tumango naman si Laurence. "It was a coincidence na table namin ang pinuntahan nila, but I don't think Luxus thought the same when he saw Red."

"Red?" Laurence asked.

"The red-head's nickname."

"The resemblance is almost uncanny, isn't it?" Laurence said after a couple seconds of silence.

"Yes," Ysabelle nodded. "If not for the Australian slangs and her jolly personality. Hindi gan'on si Anne."

Laurence nodded. "Hey, anong org sasalihan mo?" he asked, changing the subject.

Ysabelle looked at Laurence, saying, "Dapat alam mo na 'yan. Ilang taon na tayong magkakilala."

She couldn't say friends because she doesn't know if it was the right term for their relationship. After what she did to Persephone...