Chapter 1

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𝙅𝙪𝙣𝙚 2014

𝗔𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗮 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘇 @AlexCutie5499 Good morning everyone! So excited for today! 😃 #FirstDayOfSchool #CollegeLife

Alexandra Martinez woke up early that morning. It's the first day of school and it's her first day as a college student. She's so excited she reports all her activities on her Twitter account.

𝗔𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗮 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘇 @AlexCutie5499 Already missing my high school friends. We won't be classmates in college anymore. 😕 @sam_roque @steffiebasilio @issay_18 #CollegeLife

𝗔𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗮 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘇 @AlexCutie5499 First impression lasts. That's why I have to pick the right outfit for my #FirstDayOfSchool. 😊 #CollegeLife

Before going out of her room, she posed on her oval shaped life sized mirror to take a picture of her OOTD for the day. It was a yellow sleeveless top paired with blue skinny jeans and yellow wedge pumps. She immediately posted it to her Instagram account with the caption and hashtag:

𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘇 #OOTD Have to be pretty on my first day as college student. 😊

She took her Louis Vuitton bag, put her pink notebook inside, with her pink pen with a brown rabbit on its cap and her gold iPhone 5S. She then went out of her room and met her sister on the hallway of the second floor of their two-story mansion. Angelica Martinez is likewise ready to go to school on her blue sleeveless Sabrina blouse paired with white skinny jeans and silver stiletto sandals. She's carrying a black Chanel handbag and a laptop encased in a black sleeve.

"Good morning Ate!" Alex said to Angel.

"What time did you wake up?" Angel asked instead. She's looking at her silver iPhone 5S surfing through her Facebook account. "My timeline's flooded by your tweets."

"Well, we have to start happy to be lively all throughout the day," Alex said.

"Super excited, huh?" Angel said. "Let's see if you're still as enthusiastic as you are right now when you start having assignments plus projects on top of your quizzes."

"Ate, it's just my first day at college. Don't scare me yet."

"I'm just telling you what to expect."

They arrived at their dining room at the first floor. They were greeted by their parents, Benjie and Alice, who are on their corporate attires ready to go to the office after breakfast. After saying their graces, the four of them started eating.

After breakfast, Angel and Alex proceeded to CPRU. Angel has her own car, gifted by her parents during her eighteenth birthday. Since then, she is the one taking Alex to school and after class, they both go home together whatever their schedules are. Alex waits for Angel's class to finish, since her class always ends later than her younger sister.

Alex and Angel both go to Carlos P. Romulo University. It is the most prestigious private school in the city. They have been studying in that school since preschool. Now, they are both college students, though belonging to different schools. The tertiary department of CPRU is divided into five schools. Angel goes to Business School, and Alex belongs to the School of Arts and Humanities.

But that morning, Alex is in the School of Social Sciences, because her first subject is Philippine History. She was early for her first class, just like most of her classmates on that subject. Upon entering, all eyes are on her making her feel embarrassed. She avoided her classmates' gaze by looking down, occupying the first vacant chair that she noticed.

She took out her phone and tweeted:

𝗔𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗮 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘇 @AlexCutie5499 First class of the day. Kinda scary. 😐 #FirstDayOfSchool #CollegeLife

When she looked up after the tweet, she saw the handsome face of her seatmate. She was quite taken aback that she just gazed at him.

"Hi!" the guy beside her said. He seems friendly with that cute smile on his face.

"Hello…" was what Alex managed to say. She suddenly became conscious at herself because the guy is too close to her.

"I'm Richard." He held out his hand.

"Alex." She accepted it and they shook hands.

"Alex… Nice name."

"Thanks." Alex smiled.

"So… what are you taking up?" Richard asked.

"BFA Interior Design. And you?"

"BS Bio."

"Wow!" Alex was impressed. She is amazed with those people who are good in Science because she's not good in that subject. Just like Math.

"I guess you're here for the History subjects as well?" Richard asked.

"Yeah... Same as you, I guess."

"Yup. Have to take them. Even if I don't really like History."

"Really? Me too," Alex said.

Richard nodded. "Boring."

"As for me, I love knowing what happened before. You know what I mean?"

Richard nodded.

"I just don't like memorizing things; especially my memory is very selective."

"Well, that's where I'm good at," Richard said. "I can easily remember things and my mind retains memories very well."

"I envy you…"

"But, I'm not good in arts," Richards said. "Even my penmanship is like abstract, you can't understand it."

"I thought you're not good in arts?"

The two of them laugh together.

Their professor for that subject came and the lecture began. It lasted for an hour and a half. After the class, Alex and Richard went out the classroom together.

"So, what's your next class?" Richard asked.

"Ahm…" Alex checked her schedule on her iPhone. "Math. School of Physical Sciences. You?"

"Filipino. I think my classroom is just on the second floor."

"Oh…"

They both looked at each other, as if wanting to say something. Both, though, does not know what to say.

"I'll go now," Richard finally said. "My class is about to start."

Alex nodded. "Okay."

"Bye!"

"Bye!"

"See you!"

Alex nodded.

Richard walked backwards waving at her, until he is beside the staircase. He went up and in a few moments he disappeared on Alex' sight.

Alex felt quite bad that a wonderful encounter such as that has ended quite quickly. Never mind. She is sure they will meet again. They are classmates at History, right?

She then took out her iPhone and composed a tweet.

𝗔𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗮 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘇 @AlexCutie5499 The guy I'm sitting next to Phil. History is super nice...

She smiled as she posted the tweet.

•

♥️♥️♥️

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Angel's first class is scheduled at ten o'clock, but since he is the Executive Vice President of the Junior Philippine Institute of Accountants CPRU Chapter, she had to go to the university early. They have to meet up and talk about some things regarding the beginning of the school year. This is also the start of her training because the EVP of the organization will automatically be the President next school year.

When she arrived at their organization's office, their incumbent president, Hannah, is already there. The leader gladly greeted her with a light kiss on her cheek.

"This'll be a great year for this org," Hannah said. "I have a lot of projects lined up. Our Dean will definitely love JPIA. Even the university administration might commend us. My ideas are so brilliant, other orgs will probably copy them. I won't be surprised if we get an award after the school year."

Angel just smiled at what Hannah said. The other members are more vocal with their support, though.

"We need to redecorate our office, Madame President," said one of their officers.

"You're right," Hannah agreed. "Our office is so plain and simple. I told Pia last year that this office is too boring. She said it's just okay, like it looks formal enough to be an office."

Pia is the ex-president of JPIA. She graduated last year.

"Oh well, past is past. Any suggestions on the new design of our office?"

The others immediately gave their suggestions. Angel did not bother joining in. She just focused on her 13-inch Macbook Pro and opened some JPIA files.

"I'm not quite feeling your suggestions," Hannah said. "It's too bold. Our office might look like a club… How about you, Angel? Don't you have any suggestion? You are our EVP, you know."

"You know that's not my thing," Angel said. "But don't worry. I'll ask my sister to help us. She is a Fine Arts student and she is very good in interior designing."

"Oh, great! Set me a meeting with her, okay?" Hannah said excitedly.

"Sure," Angel answered as she returned to her laptop. She opened the accomplishment report of the previous administration and then looked at their unfinished projects last year.

A female student suddenly entered the office.

"Angel!" the girl called as she immediately approached her.

"Hey! Excuse me, Miss-" Hannah said. "What are you doing here in my office? You are not an officer of our org, and you're not even a member of JPIA. I should know because I know all the accountancy students here in our school. Are you a first year? Sorry, but your membership is not automatic."

"This is Jessie, from The Echo," Angel said to Hannah.

The Echo is the official website and online publication of CPRU Business School, and Angel is the editor-in-chief.

"Well then, sorry but this is not The Echo's office," Hannah said. "I know you are the EIC, but right now you're here as my EVP. So you need to focus on JPIA-"

"I'm sorry, but this is really important," Jessie interrupted. "Angel, we have a problem. Paolo is leaving The Echo."

"What?"

Jessie gave Angel a white envelope, containing Paolo's letter. She opened it and read what it says.

____________________________________________

Dear Ms. Martinez, effective immediately, I am resigning from The Echo. I deeply apologize for this sudden decision, but I hope you understand. I really enjoyed working with you, but there are things that I have to attend to that are more important than The Echo.

Again, I deeply apologize. Thank you and I'm praying that The Echo will continue to soar high. Sincerely yours, Paolo Alemanya.

____________________________________________

Angel grabbed her cellphone and searched for Paolo's number. "Where is he?"

"I met him downstairs," Jessie answered. "He said he's taking care of his credentials. He's leaving for Manila."

"What?!" Angel stood up. "Hannah, I'm sorry but I have to fix this."

Angel hurried out of the office, with Jessie following suit. Hannah wasn't able to stop her.

"O-Okay… Just be quick!" is what she managed to say.

Angel and Jessie hurried downstairs.

"I saw him earlier at the Dean's office," Jessie said.

"I'll go check him there," Angel said. "Go to the registrar's office because he might be there instead. I can't run because of my sandals. I might not catch him."

"Okay," Jessie replied.

The two split up as planned. Paolo was not in the Dean's office, so Angel went out of the Business School building to search for him.

She found him in the student lounge on the side of BS. He's talking to his classmates, also saying his goodbyes.

"Paolo!" She immediately approached him.

"Angel." Paolo seems quite alarmed upon seeing her.

"Paolo… can we talk?"

"Ahm…" Paolo started walking away. Angel followed him. "I'm sorry, Angel. I'm going to Manila, and that's where I'll finish my studies."

"But... why? Why the sudden... change?"

"I know you'll say I'm stupid... I... I'm doing this for Jade."

"Jade? You'll follow her to Manila?" Jade is Paolo's ex-girlfriend.

"Yeah... Look, Angel. I messed up. I know I did a lot of mistake and I regret everything. I love her and I want us to get back together."

"But… you can do that even if you stay here in Tarlac, right?"

"I need to make this right this time, Angel. Like what I've said, you might not understand my decision."

"But Paolo... Can't it wait? This is your last year in college. You'll graduate this April. And, you know most of our members graduated last year. We need more writers, contributors, and there are a lot of activities lined up! We need to cover every single one of them!" Angel is really desperate.

"I know. I'm sorry Angel... I got to go." He turned and walked away.

"Paolo... Wait!"

Angel chased after Paolo, but the heel of her stiletto sandals got stuck in a break on the school's paved walk.

"Shucks!" She almost fell down. Good thing she was able to balance herself. "I shouldn't have worn these." She felt her foot hurt a little. It seems she sprained her ankle.

After removing her heel from the break, she continued following Paolo. She was on her way to the parking lot when her cellphone buzzed. It was Jessie.

"I found him," Angel said.

Jessie was quite surprised with her sudden statement. "...Good!"

"I'm following him right now. Talk to you later."

Angel ended the call. She continued walking while looking down at her cellphone since she knows the way all too well. She's just a few steps before turning left and she'll finally catch up with Paolo in the parking lot.

But when she turned left, someone also turned right. It seems like he did not see her coming. And so, both of them were not able to prevent colliding with each other.

♥️♥️♥️

Bryan de Vera's first class starts at ten o'clock, but he went to school early to meet up with the university's basketball coach. He finally thought of accepting his offer for him to join the team.

He's in first year college when he transferred to CPRU. He came from Manila where they used to reside. His parents moved to Tarlac four years ago, when his grandfather was diagnosed with liver cancer. Since he was still in high school that time, he remained in Manila where he was born and raised. But after his high school graduation, his mother insisted that he lives with them in Tarlac.

He was also a member of their basketball team back in high school, and their coach in Manila happened to be a friend of the coach of the CPRU basketball team. So his ex-coach recommended him when he moved in Tarlac. But since he is new in CPRU, he decided not to join the team. Also, he used to think that he might not like it in Tarlac so he might still return to Manila.

He eventually liked living in Tarlac, especially since his cousin and best friend Richard also moved in Moonville. So now, he decided to join the basketball team that he missed for two years. He's meeting up with the coach to finalize his recruitment.

Before meeting up Coach Rico, he decided to go to Business School first to put his things in his locker. He even met Paolo Alemanya who's about to go to the parking lot. He is his classmate is some of his management classes.

He was about to turn to a corner when a girl walked towards him. She seems to be in a hurry that she also couldn't avoid him. And so, both wasn't able to dodge that they collided with each other.

The woman shrieked upon the collision. She could have fallen, but Bryan was able to hold her. The girl held onto his shoulder, and that's when he recognized who she is.

It's Angelica Martinez, his classmate in all his subjects, which is quite unusual because CPRU does not follow the block section format. Out of all the people that he could bump into, it was Angel Martinez, the Terror Chick from Moonville.

"A-Are you okay?" he managed to ask.

"Y-Yes." She slowly let go of him. "Thanks."

Angel looked at him awkwardly. It was very unusual for her to be like that, because to him she is always so sure of her actions. She never even once lost her balance. She always has this grace and poise and elegance. That is why he felt weird seeing her like that.

He's not used to see her looked embarrassed, that is why he's enjoying the moment right now. She can't even look straight to him. And so he was able to properly see how she looks. She's simple but chic as always. She can carry any style effortlessly. And she's sexy without even trying.

𝘖𝘰𝘱𝘴! He thinks he had crossed the line there. He looked away, accidentally glancing at Angel's stiletto heels.

"You should not wear high heels if you don't know how to use them."

And with that, the Terror Chick was back.

"Bryan de Vera." She glared at him.

He smiled. "Angelica Martinez." This is the Angel that he's used to, fierce and tough.

Angel just ignored him and walked away. Bryan noticed that she seems to be having difficulty walking.

"She might have sprained her ankle."

He was about to proceed to his destination when he noticed a paper on the ground. It doesn't look like trash and it seems like an important document, especially because the paper used was the Business School stationery. He picked it up and read it.

It was Paolo Alemanya's resignation letter. He finally figured out why Angel was in a hurry. She was trying to catch up with Paolo, and he seems to be the reason why she did not catch him. Or, maybe it was because of the stiletto heels.

He read the letter again. An idea suddenly struck him. He smiled handsomely then continued on his way to CPRU's Business School.