The scent of fresh paint and glue still lingered in the air as I placed the last of the fairy lights along the edge of the stage. My arms ached a little, but it was worth it—everything was finally coming together.
“Alright,” I muttered to myself, brushing the dust off my hands, “snack break time.”
The afternoon sun poured through the windows as I balanced a tray of frappes and fries, each cup marked with names in messy handwriting. I handed Gian and Vriella theirs first.
“For the hard workers,” I said with a grin.
Vriella gasped dramatically. “You’re an angel, Ms. Garcia!”
“More like caffeine supplier,” Gian joked, snatching a fry.
“Same thing,” I said, laughing before turning away.
Next stop—Zevi and Jhessy. I found Zevi easily, sitting cross-legged near the banner supplies. He was painting the “Prom Night 2025” letters with ridiculous precision.
“Hey, here,” I said, handing him his drink.
He looked up, grinning. “You read my mind. I was this close to collapsing.”
“Where’s Jhessy?” I asked, glancing around.
He shrugged. “Probably at the costume room. Said something about checking fabrics.”
“Got it.”
With two cups left, I headed to the tech room, expecting to see Zacharias surrounded by tangled wires and blinking lights—but the room was empty.
“Zach?” I called, peeking inside. No answer.
Weird. He never leaves mid-setup.
I frowned, placing his drink on the desk. Maybe he went to get something? I turned around, scanning the hallway. No Jacob either.
“Great,” I mumbled, sipping my own frappe instead. The sweet, caramelly taste was comforting, a small moment of peace in the middle of all the noise and rush.
I leaned against the wall, watching students walk by with boxes of decorations and rolled-up tarpaulins. Everyone was busy, laughing, chatting. Everything looked… normal.
Until I heard it.
A faint sound—muffled, sharp—coming from one of the empty classrooms down the corridor.
At first, I thought I was imagining it. But then—
Thud.
A chair scraping against the floor.
Then voices.
Familiar ones.
“…you don’t get it!” a voice snapped—Zacharias.
“Then make me understand,” came Jacob’s reply, lower, but tight with irritation.
My heart skipped.
What—what were they doing here?
I hesitated, inching closer to the door. Their voices were muffled but loud enough to sense the tension.
“This isn’t about her, okay?!” Zach’s tone rose, anger breaking through.
“Then why do you keep bringing her up?” Jacob shot back, sharper now.
My breath hitched. Her?
I froze just beside the slightly open door, pulse quickening.
“Because you’re acting like you own her!” Zach said, the words muffled but clear enough to sting.
A heavy silence followed—then a soft, bitter laugh from Jacob. “I don’t own anyone, Dela Paz. But maybe you should ask yourself why it bothers you so much.”
The silence that followed was deafening.
I felt my chest tighten, my mind scrambling to process the words echoing through that narrow gap between the door and the wall.
They were talking about me.
I didn’t need to hear more to know.
My frappe suddenly didn’t taste so sweet anymore.
I stepped back, quietly, before either of them could notice me. My heartbeat was so loud it drowned out everything else.
As I turned and walked back toward the stage, my hands trembled slightly. I kept my head down, pretending everything was fine.
But inside, one thought kept looping in my mind—
Why does it feel like I’ve become the reason for something that’s about to break?
I couldn’t take it anymore. My thoughts were spinning faster than my footsteps as I headed straight toward the costume room, gripping the half-empty frappe like it might somehow anchor me.
I found Jhessy sitting cross-legged on the floor, surrounded by ribbons and unfinished sashes. She looked up the moment I walked in.
“Hey, what’s with that face?” she asked, narrowing her eyes.
I shut the door behind me, still catching my breath. “I—I think they’re fighting.”
“Who?”
“Jacob and Zacharias,” I said, voice low but trembling. “I heard them shouting inside one of the classrooms. They were saying things—about her.”
Jhessy blinked. “Her?”
“Yes! Her! And Jacob said something like, ‘Then why does it bother you so much?’” I said quickly, my words tumbling over each other. “And Zach was like, ‘You’re acting like you own her!’”
Jhessy stared at me for a moment, blank. Then she sighed. “And you think her means you?”
I hesitated. “Well… yeah.”
She slowly stood up, brushing the glitter off her skirt. “Delusional girl?”
“Hey!” I frowned, but my voice came out smaller than I intended.
She crossed her arms, giving me that classic Jhessy look—a mix of disbelief and sisterly scolding. “Alyza. There are so many her’s in this school. It could be anyone. For all we know, they’re arguing about a teacher, a project, or some girl from another section.”
“But—”
“No buts.” She poked my forehead lightly. “Stop being delusional, Alyza.”
I opened my mouth to argue but stopped halfway. She was right. She had to be right.
I let out a nervous laugh, rubbing my temples. “Yeah… oh right. Maybe I’m just overthinking it.”
“Exactly.” She smiled, picking up a gold ribbon. “You’ve been stressed with all these prom preps. Drink your frappe, calm down, and stop writing your own love triangle in your head.”
I sighed, slumping against the wall. “I hate when you’re right.”
“I know,” she said smugly. “But hey, if it was about you, trust me—I’d be the first to know.”
I laughed softly, letting her words sink in, but even as I tried to shake off the thought…
the sound of Jacob’s voice still echoed in my head.
‘Then why does it bother you so much?’
And for some reason, the more I tried to forget it,
the louder it played.
YOU ARE READING
His Code Name: ULAP (Code Name Series #1)
RomanceShe wasn't supposed to fall for him. Not when everything about him screamed mystery, danger, and the kind of perfection that didn't belong in her world. But from the moment he held her hand under the golden lights of the prom night, everything chang...
