Dying Embers

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight: Periodic Table

ᯓ★ play this while reading: i like me better — lauv 𝄞 ⋆ˎˊ-

"Stop bothering me, Chance!" I snapped, rolling my eyes. He'd been teasing me nonstop since the cafeteria incident kanina, and honestly, I was running out of patience.

Pero syempre, he just laughed. That annoying, effortless laugh na parang wala lang. We were walking down the hallway toward our first-period class sa hapon, and somehow, he had decided na siya ang magiging shadow ko today. Jilliana, on the other hand, biglang naglaho. She told me she was heading to the library to review, pero ayun pala — umuwi na lang nang hindi nagsasabi. Nalaman ko lang when she texted earlier. Kaya eto, stuck ako with him.

"Aminin mo na kasi na kinilig ka," Chance teased, his tone dripping with mischief.

"Really? Go wash your face para mabawasan kapal ng mukha mo," I shot back, crossing my arms.

He chuckled, shameless. "Baby, this thick skin of mine is my charm. Without it, I wouldn't be your Chance anymore."

Your Chance. My Chance?

My chest tightened. I quickly averted my gaze, heat rushing to my cheeks. Bakit ba ang dali niyang magbitaw ng mga linyang parang wala lang sa kanya pero may epekto sa'kin?

I reached for my cellphone to distract myself, but I couldn't find it in my pocket. I rummaged through my sling bag, only to realize... wala rin. My sling bag itself was gone. Napahinto ako, panic rising. Naiwan ko pala sa upuan sa cafeteria kanina. And the worst part? Matagal na kaming umalis doon. We had even stayed near the field for hours, lounging on the grass under the shade, enjoying the cool breeze. How could I forget something so important?

"Is something wrong?" Chance's voice softened. His teasing tone vanished, replaced with genuine concern.

"I think... naiwan ko 'yung sling bag ko sa cafeteria..." I bit my lip, feeling stupid.

Akala ko pagtatawanan niya ako. But to my surprise, his expression turned serious.

"Pumasok ka na sa klase," he said firmly. "Kukunin ko na."

"Huh? Pero malayo na ang cafeteria rito. Male-late ka, tapos may recitation pa tayo. Alam mo naman si Mrs. Valdez — once late ka, ikaw agad tatawagin."

When it comes to recitations and if a student is absent or late, she gets really angry or keeps calling them out to recite.

Pero he just smirked, that infuriating yet disarming smirk. "My girl comes first before anybody." He even threw me a wink before sprinting down the hallway, heading toward the cafeteria.

I froze, his words echoing in my head. My girl. My chest fluttered like it was betraying me, skipping a beat at the sound of it. He said it so casually, but it didn't feel casual at all. It felt like a claim. Like a promise.

I should've gone straight to class, but my feet betrayed me. I stayed. Waiting. Why was I waiting? Maybe because deep down, I wanted to see that grin of his again — the one that made everything else feel lighter. Warm. Safe.

And without realizing it, I was smiling.

My smile instantly faded the moment I heard that voice behind me. Pamilyar. Irritatingly familiar. It carried the kind of tone na parang kayang sirain ang buong araw mo in just one sentence.

"Look who's here."

I closed my eyes for a beat, silently willing myself to stay calm. Wala akong oras makipagbangayan. When I finally turned, there she was — Myka. She wasn't alone. May kasama siyang babae na hindi ko masyadong kilala, nakasunod lang sa likod niya like a shadow. I gave them a blank look, then walked past without a word.