Chapter 1: 1st Day in College

In the dim light of dawn, Aria stirred from her sleep, her mind still lingering in the realm of dreams.

As the remnants of her subconscious adventures faded, only one memory remained vivid: a scene from her childhood, etched in the corners of her mind like an old photograph.

She found herself standing on the sidelines of a dusty basketball court, watching with awe as a young boy, slightly older than her, effortlessly dribbled the ball with skill and finesse. His laughter echoed in the air as he weaved between defenders, his movements fluid and graceful despite his chubby stature.

Intrigued by the game unfolding before her, Aria felt a spark of curiosity ignite within her. But she was shy, so she waited until the game ended.

As the game ended, Aria took a deep breath and mustered up the courage to approach the chubby boy. He looked up at her with a friendly smile, his eyes reflecting the same curiosity and excitement that Aria felt.

"Hi," Aria said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I-I'm Aria. Ano pangalan nyo po?"

The boy's smile widened as he replied, "I'm Orion. Nice to meet you, Aria."

Aria felt a rush of relief wash over her as she realized that Orion was just as shy and nervous as she was. With a newfound sense of confidence, she continued, "I, um, I was watching you play, at ang galing mo po."

Orion's cheeks flushed with embarrassment, but he grinned sheepishly and said, "Thanks. Matagal na akong naglalaro eh."

Encouraged by his humility, Aria smiled back and asked, "Pwede mo po ba akong turuan kuya Orion? I've always wanted to learn how to play basketball, pero I never had the chance."

Orion's eyes lit up with excitement at the prospect of sharing his passion with someone else. "Of course! I'd be happy to teach you Aria."

Aria felt a surge of gratitude and excitement as she nodded eagerly.

With a warm smile, Orion led Aria to the edge of the court, where he began to explain the basic rules of basketball and demonstrate fundamental techniques. Patiently, he guided her through each movement, offering encouragement and gentle corrections along the way.

With Orion's support and guidance, she began to dribble the ball with more control, make accurate passes, and even attempt her first few shots at the hoop.

With each successful attempt, Orion cheered her on, his enthusiasm contagious. "You're doing great, Aria! Keep it up!" Encouraged by his words, Aria pushed herself to do better.

As the sun dipped below the horizon and the sky darkened, casting long shadows across the court, Orion and Aria reluctantly called an end to their practice session. But as they gathered their belongings and prepared to part ways for the evening, Aria couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation for the future.

"Thank you, kuya Orion," she said, her voice filled with gratitude. "I had so much fun today."

Orion smiled warmly at her, his eyes shining with pride. "Anytime, Aria. Practice tayo ulit ha?"

With a nod and a smile, Aria bid farewell to her new friend.

As the dream faded, Aria couldn't shake the warm feeling in her heart.

*Brrrrnng brngggg*

Aria woke up suddenly, the shrill sound of her alarm jolting her from her reverie. She reluctantly turned off the alarm and sat up in bed, the warmth of the dream still lingering in her mind.

Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Aria rose from her bed and began her morning routine. With the sun peeking through the curtains of her condo, she moved around the room quietly.

As she made her way through the spacious living area, Aria glanced at the clock on the wall and realized she had overslept.

'Ah late nanaman ako, sa first day of class pa.' Aria internally swore.

With a sense of urgency, she hurried through her morning routine, eager to make up for lost time. She skipped her usual leisurely breakfast, opting instead for a grab-and-go option to save precious minutes.

As she dashed around her condo, gathering her essentials, Aria mentally reviewed the route to campus, calculating the fastest way to get there without being too late.

Despite her rush, Aria made sure to double-check that she had everything she needed for the day. Laptop, notebooks, pens—she had it all.

With a final glance at herself in the mirror to ensure she looked presentable, Aria grabbed her bag and dashed out the door, ready to face the day head-on.

As Aria hurried out of her condo, she was greeted by the lively energy of the city. The streets were already bustling with people going about their morning routines, and the sun was casting a warm glow over the buildings.

Aria hailed a passing taxi and quickly hopped in. "To USTP, please," she said to the driver.

As the taxi weaved through the city streets, Aria couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation building within her. Despite the rocky start to her day, she was determined to make a positive impression and dive headfirst into her college experience.

As they approached the campus gates, Aria could see the familiar sight of students chatting excitedly and eagerly making their way to their classes. She then paid the taxi driver and stepped out onto the campus grounds.

Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, Aria walked briskly towards the Physical Education building. She knew that her first class of the day was Physical Education, and she hoped that being a few minutes late wouldn't make too much of a negative impression on her instructor.

Arriving at the gymnasium, Aria stepped inside and was immediately greeted by the sound of basketballs bouncing and the faint echoes of laughter and chatter. She glanced around the spacious gym, searching for her classmates and the instructor. There are many groups of students in the gym so Aria opened her section's group chat and found that they gathered at the right side bleachers of the stage.

As Aria approached the group of students gathered in one corner, her steps faltered slightly, her natural shyness making her hesitant to interrupt their conversation. But with a deep breath to steady her nerves, she mustered the courage to speak up.

"Excuse me," she said softly, trying to catch the attention of the group. "Is this the architecture 1B class?"

A few heads turned in her direction, and one of the students, a friendly-looking girl with a warm smile, stepped forward to greet her.

"Yes, it is," the girl replied, her voice welcoming. " I'm Emily, nice to meet you."

Relieved to have found the right group, Aria returned the smile, her nerves easing slightly at Emily's friendly demeanor.

"I'm Aria. Nice to meet you, Emily," Aria replied, her voice soft but sincere.

"Wag kang mag-alala, hindi pa nakarating ang instructor natin." Emily reassured her.

"Thank God, di ko gusto ma-late sa first day sa college. Thank you pala Emily." Aria gratefully replied.

Feeling a wave of relief wash over her, Aria took a moment to compose herself before joining the group of students. She sat beside Emily and chatted the time away.

As the students gathered and waited for the instructor to arrive, Aria glanced around the gymnasium, her eyes scanning the room for any sign of their teacher. However, there was no sign of them yet, and a sense of anticipation hung in the air as the minutes ticked by.

After what felt like an eternity of waiting, a guy in his mid 20s strode in with a sheepish smile on his face.

"Sorry sa delay, everyone," the instructor said, their voice carrying across the room. "Grabe ang traffic sa may bridge."

A collective sigh of relief swept through the students as they realized that their instructor had finally arrived. Despite the delay, there was a sense of understanding and forgiveness in the air.

The students gathered around the instructor, eager to begin their introductions and get to know each other better.

"Good morning class! So to formally start this class, I'm Rex Ramos and I'm your PE instructor for this semester. As your PE instructor, my goal is to inspire and empower each of you to lead an active and healthy lifestyle. Now, let's take a moment for each of you to introduce yourselves."

As the instructor gestured for the students to take turns introducing themselves, a sense of anticipation filled the air. One by one, the students stepped forward, sharing their names, interests, and aspirations for the class.

Some spoke with confidence while others were more reserved. Amidst the introductions, Aria listened intently, taking note of her classmates' names and interests.

When it was her turn to speak, Aria took a deep breath and stepped forward, her heart pounding with nervous excitement.

"A pleasant morning to everyone, I'm Aria," she began, her voice steady and clear. "I'm passionate about drawing and painting. Also, I love playing sports especially basketball. I'm excited to be here and to learn from each of you."

As Aria finished her introduction, a warm round of applause erupted from her classmates. Aria felt a surge of gratitude at the welcoming response.

As the last of her classmates finished their introductions, Aria couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement bubbling within her. She wondered who among her classmates would become her friend, her confidant, her partner in crime throughout the semester.

Her gaze lingered on each face, searching for signs of shared interests and potential connections. Some classmates met her eyes with friendly smiles, while others seemed lost in their own thoughts, their expressions unreadable.

With a smile playing at the corners of her lips, Aria made a mental note to reach out to her classmates after class.

The PE instructor, Sir Ramos, began outlining the activities, his authoritative voice cutting through the chatter of the students.

"Class, I will now form you into 5 groups based on your surnames alphabetically," he announced, his gaze sweeping over the room as he mentally organized the students.

Aria listened attentively, waiting for her surname to be called.

"....Alright, Group 3 will consist of students with surnames starting from Javier to Morales," Sir Ramos declared.

Aria Lim's heart skipped a beat as she heard her group being called out.

Aria approached Group 3 and exchanged polite greetings with her groupmates.

"Aria right? I'm Emily, Emily Kho from earlier," Emily said enthustiastically.

Aria returned Emily's smile, feeling a wave of warmth at her friendly demeanor. "Yes, that's me. Salamat pala sa warm welcome earlier."

Emily grinned, her excitement evident in every word she spoke. "Walang problema! I think we'll make a great team in Group 3," she exclaimed, her enthusiasm shining through.

Aria nodded in agreement.

"Now that I have divided you into 5 groups, I will assign each group a specific circuit exercise in the next meeting." Sir Ramos announced, his tone firm yet encouraging.

"For now, let us watch our very own basketball men varsity play on the court." Sir Ramos continued, gesturing towards the basketball court where the varsity players were already warming up.

"Hey, I couldn't help but notice your phone case. Big fan of Steph Curry?" Marcus Morales, a fellow classmate, asked Aria with a friendly smile on his face. He couldn't help but notice Aria's phone case adorned with Stephen Curry's basketball image.

Aria looked down at her phone case, her own smile widening at the recognition. "Oh, definitely! Paborito kong player si Stephen Curry. His skills on the court are just incredible," she replied, enthusiasm evident in her voice.

Marcus nodded in agreement. "Yeah, napaka-galing niya. His three-pointers are legendary," he remarked, admiration coloring his tone.

*dribble dribble*

*squeak squeakk*

As Marcus and Aria chatted about their shared admiration for Stephen Curry, their attention was drawn to the varsity boys playing basketball in the gym.

"Wow, look at them go," Marcus remarked, his eyes following the swift movements of the players on the court.

Aria nodded in agreement, her gaze fixed on the intense game unfolding before them. "Parang ang effortless lang sa kanila," she commented, a sense of awe in her voice.

"You know, watching them play just makes me want to get out there and play too," Aria continued with a hint of excitement in her voice.

Marcus turned to her, a curious expression on his face. "Really? Naglalaro ka rin ng basketball?" he asked, genuine interest in his tone.

Aria nodded eagerly. "Yeah, Noon pa ako naglalaro; elementary and high school and I've been itching to get back into it. I think I might even try out for the women's basketball varsity team here," she said, her voice tinged with excitement and determination.

Marcus's eyes widened in surprise, followed by a supportive grin. "I'll definitely be rooting for you," He replied with genuine encouragement in. his tone. "Me too, Gusto ko rin sumali sa men's basketball. How about we play sometime?" he asked.

Aria's face lit up with excitement at Marcus's suggestion. "Sige bah Marcus!" she exclaimed.

Marcus grinned, his eyes alight with anticipation. "Great! Dapat may time tayo to hit the court together and practice before the tryouts," he suggested, his tone eager.

Aria nodded eagerly in agreement. "Sure. The more practice, the better," Aria agreed since her basketball skills had gotten rusty after coming in Cagayan de Oro.

As Aria's gaze scanned the players on the court, she caught sight of a familiar face among the varsity boys. The tall guy who kept driving amazing layups.

'Ba't ang pamilyar niya? Where did I see him?'

There was something about the way he moved, the way he dribbled the ball with ease, that sparked a sense of recognition within her. But she couldn't quite place where she had seen him before.

The mysterious player has a tall, lean, and imposing figure that dominates the court. The mysterious player dribbles the ball to the basket, passing over his defenders with ease. With explosive power, he drives for a layup. In mid-air, he releases the ball with precision, the swish of the net echoing success.

As they continued to watch the game unfold, Aria couldn't help but wonder about the identity of the familiar face among the varsity boys. Perhaps with time, the memory would resurface, and she would finally uncover the connection.

The game ended and Aria still find herself drawn to the mysterious man.

' ...Where did I see him?' Aria wondered but her thoughts were shortlived.

'basta I will join the varsity here sa women basketball!' Aria declared with determination, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

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