Maybe Tomorrow

Rousianna Seraphine Amedee used to be "that girl."

Top of the class. Teachers' favorite. The standard everyone tried to reach.

Elementary. High school. Academic competitions. Honor rolls. Leadership awards.
She was the overachiever. The achiever. The girl who never settled for second place. Sanay siyang nauuna. Sanay siyang pinapalakpakan. Sanay siyang siya ang standard.

Pero after the pandemic, something changed. Her grades started slipping. Her confidence slowly cracked. And the spotlight she once owned? Unti-unting napunta sa iba.

Kay Gabrielle Dominique Laurent.
Calm. Composed. Effortlessly brilliant. The kind of girl na parang hindi naman nag-e-effort, pero laging nauuna. Laging mas mataas. Laging mas lamang.

Sa paningin ni Rousianna, si Gabrielle ay hindi lang kaklase. Isa siyang threat. An academic rival na kailangang talunin para mapatunayan na hindi pa siya tapos. Na hindi pa siya kupas. Na kaya pa ng pride niya.

Pero paano kung habang pilit niyang kinokompetensya si Gabrielle, mas lalo lang siyang nahuhulog sa mga bagay na hindi niya kayang i-control?

The stolen glances.
The tension during recitations.
The silence that feels louder than arguments.

At paano kung ang taong gusto mong lampasan... siya rin palang unang makakaintindi ng downfall mo?

In a battle between ego and vulnerability, between rivalry and something softer-

Maybe love isn't about winning.
Maybe it's about healing.
Maybe... tomorrow.

_wayvchapters