Threaded in Memory

04 - Patterns of the Heart

Zavian

11 Years Ago

May ilang bagay akong sigurado sa buhay ko.

Una: Kaya kong manalo sa kahit anong debate, kahit hindi ako prepared.

Pangalawa: Wala akong talo sa porma, kahit Lunes pa 'yan ng umaga.

At pangatlo: Wala pa ring mas nakakainis—and weirdly impressive—kaysa kay Saoirse Sandoval.

Kahit pa anong taon, anong subject, o anong event—lagi kaming magkalaban. At kahit kailan, hindi siya nagpapatalo. Kahit sa stare-down. Kahit sa pagpapatalas ng lapis. Competitive 'yon, okay?

Pero lately, something felt... off.

Not in a bad way. Just in a "bakit biglang naka-slow mo 'yung background music kapag dumadaan siya" kind of way.

Like now.

She walked into the design lab ten minutes late—hair in a messy bun, glasses on, sleeves rolled up. Mukhang hindi pa kumakain, pero ang lakas ng dating. Parang she was made of caffeine and ambition.

I should've been annoyed.

But instead? I stared. Only for like... five seconds. Okay, seven.

"Valencia. Bakit parang nakanganga ka?" Andreus nudged me.

"Wala. Gutom lang."

"Ahh. Gutom sa atensyon."

I rolled my eyes. I wasn't about to admit to my best friend that I was... distracted.

By her.

By the girl who once told me my entire color theory midterm looked like it was styled by a blind unicorn. By the same girl who argued with me for twenty minutes last week about button placement. And yet. Here I was, watching her sketch like it was choreography.

"Ang intense ng tingin mo. Kayo na ba ni Sandoval?" Yves added, ever the instigator.

"Ha? Kami? No. Diyos ko. Imposible 'yon." tanggi ko.

"Sure ka? Kasi mukha kang nagkaka-feelings sa mortal enemy mo."

"Hindi 'yon feelings. Allergy lang."

"Allergy mo mukha mo, nasa denial stage ka lang."

Ugh.

I shoved them off and focused on the assignment in front of me. Costume design draft. Terno-inspired silhouette. Must incorporate both historical reference and contemporary edge.

But every time I sketched something, I imagined what Saoirse would say. Too safe. Too stiff. Too boring. Too "meh." And for some stupid reason, I wanted to impress her. Not beat her. Impress her. And it was weird. Very weird.

---

Later that day, Ma'am Reyes paired us up again for the final exhibit pitch presentation.

"You two. Valencia and Sandoval. Power pair. Let's see if you can pitch better than you fight."

Saoirse groaned so loud, akala mo tinanggalan siya ng wifi.

"Ma'am... again? Seriously?"

"Do you want to fail? Kasi kung gusto mo, I can pair you with someone na hindi mo kagalit—pero wala ring ambag."

That shut her up real quick.

We stood up and moved to the front of the room. My hand brushed hers for one second—accidental lang 'yon ah—but she stepped back like she touched a hot iron.