“Attention, students. May I have your attention, please?”
The principal’s voice echoed through the speakers, slicing through the comfortable hum of chatter in the SSLG office. Everyone froze—Gian mid-bite into his sandwich, Vriella holding her paintbrush, Zevi scrolling on his phone, and me, halfway through gluing a strip of gold ribbon onto the stage layout.
Jacob looked up from his laptop, brows furrowing slightly. “That’s unusual,” he muttered.
“Yeah,” I whispered, setting the ribbon down. “Announcements don’t usually come this late.”
Then came the words that made everyone glance at each other.
“Due to certain serious circumstances, the Prom Night will be delayed until further notice. However, don’t worry, students—all the plans, decorations, and preparations will still be continued. The event will just take place at a later date. Thank you for your understanding.”
The line clicked off, and silence followed.
For a moment, no one said a word. Then Zevi leaned back, sighing dramatically. “Well, that’s anticlimactic.”
Jhessy crossed her arms. “What kind of ‘serious circumstances’ though?”
“Probably budget issues,” Brianna said flatly. “Or maybe the teachers want to torture us with suspense.”
“Or,” Gian said with a mischievous grin, “maybe they’re just giving us more time to look hotter for prom night.”
Vriella groaned. “You would say that.”
I glanced at Jacob. He hadn’t said anything yet—just staring at the table, deep in thought.
“Hey,” I said softly. “You okay, Mr. President?”
He blinked, then looked at me. “Yeah. Just… thinking about how to keep everyone motivated now that the date’s changed.”
I smiled faintly. “You worry too much, Villanueva. We’ll figure it out—we always do.”
“Maybe,” he said with a small chuckle, “but I still have to make sure our Vice President doesn’t overwork herself in the process.”
I stuck my tongue out at him. “No promises.”
That earned a small laugh from everyone—the tension in the room easing little by little.
“Okay, team,” Jacob said, standing and clapping his hands once. “Prom might be delayed, but that doesn’t mean our spirit has to be. Let’s keep the preparations going. If anything, this gives us more time to perfect everything.”
Zevi raised a brow. “You mean you and Garcia get to spend more time decorating the stage together, huh?”
Jacob rolled his eyes, but a faint smile tugged at his lips. “Focus, Zevi.”
Jhessy smirked. “He didn’t deny it, though.”
Everyone laughed—even me, though I tried to hide it behind my notebook.
As the noise returned and everyone went back to work, I found myself looking at the empty bouquet vase near the corner—the sunflowers Jacob had given me now starting to wilt.
Prom was delayed.
But for some reason, it didn’t feel like a pause.
It felt like something else was just beginning.
The moment the announcement ended, the SSLG office buzzed again—laughter, half-complaints, and exaggerated sighs echoing around the room. But even with everyone back to their usual chaos, I couldn’t shake off this strange, heavy feeling that settled in my chest.
Prom was delayed.
The one thing we’d been working on for months—all those sleepless nights, countless decorations, and shared moments—suddenly felt… uncertain.
“Garcia,” Jacob’s voice broke through my thoughts.
I looked up. He was standing in front of me, holding out a bottle of water. His expression was calm, but his eyes—yeah, those eyes—were studying me carefully, like he could sense the storm inside.
“You good?”
I forced a smile and took the water. “Yeah. Just… disappointed, I guess.”
He nodded slowly. “Understandable. Everyone’s a bit down.”
“Yeah,” I murmured, twisting the bottle cap. “It’s just—this prom was supposed to be our project, you know? The first one we handled together as president and vice.”
Jacob chuckled softly. “Our first, huh?”
I blinked. “What?”
He tilted his head, his lips curling into that half-smile that always made my stomach do weird flips. “You said our first. Does that mean you’re expecting there’ll be more?”
I rolled my eyes, trying to hide my flustered grin. “Don’t twist my words, Villanueva.”
He leaned closer just a bit, whispering, “Too late.”
“Ugh, you’re impossible.”
Before he could respond, Zevi loudly cleared his throat from across the room. “Uh, excuse me, lovebirds? Some of us are trying to work here.”
The others snickered—Jhessy especially. “Oh, don’t mind them. They’re just jealous they don’t get free entertainment every time Jacob and Alyza start talking.”
“Jhessy!” I exclaimed, my face burning.
“What?” she said innocently. “It’s true!”
Jacob only laughed—that soft, low laugh that made everyone else smile too. “Alright, alright,” he said, raising his hands in surrender. “Let’s focus, people. Prom delay or not, we’ve still got tasks to finish.”
“Copy that, Mr. President,” Gian said with mock salute.
As everyone returned to their own corners, I stayed seated, pretending to review our checklist while sneaking glances at Jacob. He was talking to Lev now, giving directions with his usual confident air—but there was something softer in the way his shoulders relaxed whenever he caught me looking.
When the meeting finally wrapped up and everyone started leaving, I stayed behind to pack the art materials. The faint hum of the aircon was the only sound left in the room—until Jacob spoke again.
“Hey,” he said quietly. “You really okay?”
I looked up from the box of ribbons. “I told you, I’m fine.”
He sighed, walking closer until he was standing right in front of me. “You don’t have to pretend with me, you know.”
My heart skipped. “I’m not pretending.”
“Garcia.” His voice softened, the way it always did when he wasn’t being the president—when he was just Jacob. “You look like you’re about to cry.”
That was it. My throat tightened. I bit my lip, staring at the ribbons to avoid his eyes. “I just… I really wanted this to go perfectly.”
He didn’t say anything at first—just quietly took the box from my hands and set it down. Then, gently, he reached out and brushed his thumb under my eye, where a tear had slipped free.
“It still will,” he said softly. “Just… not today.”
I blinked, the warmth of his touch grounding me. “You really think so?”
He smiled faintly. “I don’t think, Garcia. I know.”
And for some reason—despite the delay, the stress, the chaos—I believed him.
Because when Jacob Villanueva said something with that much certainty, it was hard not to.
Outside, the late afternoon sun spilled golden light through the windows, touching the edges of his hair and casting a soft glow around him.
Prom might’ve been delayed.
But whatever this was—this slow, steady rhythm between us—felt like it was only just beginning.
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...
