The crowd in the grand auditorium of Dona Aurora Ledesma University buzzed with anticipation, their eyes fixed on the stage where the outgoing university president, Mr. Rolando Mucho, stood at the podium. With a smile that mirrored the pride of decades of tradition, he began to speak.
"Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed faculty, and honored guests," he began, his voice clear and commanding. "It is my great pleasure to introduce to you the guest of honor for today's Foundation Day celebration. A distinguished alumnus of Dona Aurora Ledesma University, a man of remarkable achievements, and a shining example of the excellence we strive to instill in our students."
The room fell silent, the atmosphere thick with expectation.
"Please join me in welcoming," Mr. Mucho continued, "the great-great-grandson of the founder of our beloved institution, Dona Aurora Ledesma, Mr. Jonathan Xander Saavedra."
A hush spread across the room, but for Aira, the air seemed to thicken, her heart leaping to her throat. Jonathan. That name, a name tied to a love that had ended in heartbreak, a name that had haunted her for years, now filled the room. And as the applause began to swell around her, Aira was frozen in place, gripped by a rush of emotions she couldn't begin to explain.
Jonathan had just arrived. Standing tall, looking even more handsome than she remembered—37 and exuding confidence, his presence commanding attention as he walked into the hall. His sharp features, neatly styled hair, and perfectly tailored suit made him a striking figure. But it wasn't just his appearance that shocked her—it was the sheer gravity of the moment. She never thought she'd see him again, let alone in this setting, this moment. Their past had ended in chaos, with Aira cutting ties, convinced that walking away was the only way to protect herself from the pain. Yet here he was, standing before her, now the president of the university, a man of power, legacy, and the last person she ever expected to face again.
Her heart raced, her hands trembled. The applause felt like a distant echo, muffled by the turmoil in her chest. A great play of fate, a cruel twist, she thought. How could it be that they were here—now? How was it possible? She felt dizzy, like her world had somersaulted upside down, the weight of memories and unresolved feelings crashing down on her all at once. This was the moment she least expected.
Panic coursed through her veins as a wave of disbelief hit her. She wanted to disappear, to sink into the ground and never have to face him again. Yet, as much as she wanted to run, something inside her longed for the connection that had once existed between them—despite the pain, despite the way they had ended.
Her chest tightened, her breath coming in short bursts, and she couldn't tear her gaze away from him. The man she had once loved was now the man she had to avoid, standing in front of her as if the years, the betrayal, the silence, had never happened.
The standing ovation seemed like a blur. She was trapped in the whirlwind of emotion, caught between the past and the present, between the person she had been and the person she had become. Aira wanted to cry, to scream, to ask the universe why she was forced to face this now. But she couldn't. Instead, she stood frozen, lost in the unexpected havoc of it all. The world around her faded, leaving only the overwhelming reality of Jonathan's presence and the feeling she could neither explain nor escape.
Aira sat in the front row of the auditorium, her position as a faculty member of the Elementary Department forcing her to be seated directly in the line of sight for everyone, especially Jonathan. Jonathan, now the new president of the university, was moments away from taking the stage, and she felt a growing sense of dread coil in her stomach.
As he walked toward the podium, she couldn't help but tense up. It wasn't just the weight of his title now—it was him. The man who had once held her heart and then broken it, the man who had hurt her deeply. She had cut ties with him years ago, unable to bear the consequences of their unfinished story. But now, here he was, standing before her in a position of power, and the anxiety coursing through her veins was nearly unbearable.
He arrived at the podium, his tall figure commanding attention. The audience stood as he prepared to speak, and the room fell silent. Aira's gaze darted nervously to the side. Would he recognize her? Would he look her way, and if he did, would it even matter after all these years?
Aira forced herself to bow her head, pretending to adjust her uniform as if nothing were wrong. Her heart pounded in her chest. She hoped that if she kept her face low, stayed hidden, Jonathan wouldn't notice her. She just had to avoid this.
Jonathan began to speak, his voice deep and steady. "First, I would like to thank our esteemed university president, my very own uncle, for the warm welcome," he said, scanning the crowd. His eyes briefly flickered over the faculty, making their way across the teachers who were standing, but Aira felt as though the world had stopped moving.
Don't look up. Don't let him see you.
Her hands gripped the edge of her seat, her knuckles white, as she focused on the ground, hoping to remain unnoticed. She could feel the tension tightening around her chest. It felt like the room was getting smaller, suffocating. This is insane. Just get through it.
As Jonathan continued, she could hear his words fade into the background. When he finished thanking the staff, mentioning them as part of his formalities, Aira felt a flicker of relief. She could finally sit back down. She straightened her posture, preparing to do just that.
But the moment she looked up, her heart nearly stopped.
Jonathan's gaze hadn't shifted. His eyes were locked on her—directly on her, as if he'd been waiting for this exact moment. The air felt like it had been sucked out of the room, leaving only the heaviness of his stare. No, no, no. Did he recognize me?
Aira's breath caught in her throat. His look—sharp, cold, calculating—made her skin prickle. It wasn't a warm, familiar gaze. It wasn't anything she had once known. It was something different. Icy. Distant. A look that seemed to pierce through her soul.
A fever ran through her spine, a mix of panic and disbelief. Damn! Did he recognize me? Her thoughts raced, but she couldn't make sense of them. He was looking at her with such intensity that for a split second, she felt utterly exposed. Vulnerable.
She quickly bowed her head again, feeling the weight of his gaze burning into her. The awkwardness, the tension—everything felt like it was about to unravel in front of the entire faculty.
Why was he staring at her like that? Why did it feel as though he was seeing straight through her, as if nothing had changed?
Aira finally managed to sit down, her body still tense from the encounter with Jonathan. The applause gradually faded, but her pulse remained rapid, her mind swirling in a whirlwind of old memories and feelings she wasn't ready to confront. She tried to center herself, hoping to regain some control over her thoughts.
Just then, she felt a sharp pinch on her side. She jumped slightly, startled by the sudden contact. Turning to her right, she saw Flor, her closest friend, grinning widely, eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Look, Aira!" Flor giggled, her voice light and teasing. "The new president is a total hunk!"
Aira's heart jolted, but it wasn't because of Flor's words. It was Jonathan, and the flood of emotions she was desperately trying to suppress. She didn't want to entertain the topic, didn't want to acknowledge anything about him, but Flor was too excited to hold back. She was beaming, almost giddy with admiration for Jonathan, and Aira—well, she just wanted to disappear.
Aira quickly averted her eyes, pretending to adjust her uniform, her fingers trembling slightly as she gripped the fabric. I can't do this. Not now.
"Okay," she murmured, her voice flat, hoping the response would signal to Flor to drop the subject.
But Flor wasn't fooled. She noticed the lack of energy in Aira's voice, the discomfort radiating from her friend.
"You okay, Aira?" Flor asked, her tone no longer teasing but filled with concern. "You don't sound like yourself. You've been kind of... off since the program started. Did something happen?"
Aira's heart skipped a beat, and she forced herself to take a deep breath. Why does she always notice everything?
"No, no... I'm fine, Flor," Aira said, a little too quickly, though her voice betrayed her. "Just... distracted, that's all." She tried to smile, but it felt fragile, like it could break at any moment.
Flor narrowed her eyes, unconvinced. "You sure? Because you don't look fine. You can tell me if something's wrong, you know."
Aira shifted uncomfortably in her seat, wanting desperately to avoid the topic. She couldn't talk about Jonathan—not now, not here. "I'm really fine," she said with a small, forced smile. "Just tired."
Flor seemed to accept the answer, though she clearly wasn't entirely convinced. She leaned back in her seat, but her gaze lingered on Aira, still concerned. "Okay, but you know I'm here for you, right?"
Aira nodded, grateful for Flor's care, but her mind was elsewhere. She turned her focus back to the stage, her thoughts clouded by the presence of Jonathan, who was still speaking.
It seemed like an eternity before he finished his speech, even though it hadn't been that long. His words were measured and steady, but each sentence felt like it was drawing out time, prolonging the tension in Aira's chest. She could feel her discomfort intensifying as his voice resonated through the auditorium. Just end it already.
Finally, Jonathan stepped back from the podium and made his way to the chair beside the outgoing president. As he moved, Aira took the opportunity to glance at Flor, a subtle urgency rising in her.
"Hey, Flor," she said, her voice softer than before, "could you... accompany me to the comfort room for a bit? I just need a moment."
Flor blinked in surprise. "Oh, sure. Are you okay, though?" She asked, her concern not entirely gone. "Do you need something?"
Aira smiled, though it was tight. "Yeah, just... a breather. I'll be fine. I'll meet you back here soon."
Flor seemed to consider it for a moment before nodding. "Alright, if you say so. Let's go."
Aira rose from her seat as casually as she could, feeling the eyes of the room on her as she quickly excused herself. She didn't care—she just needed to escape. The tension, the overwhelming rush of emotions—she needed to breathe, to be alone for just a few minutes. She didn't know what she'd do next, but right now, all she could focus on was putting distance between herself and that man.
ENTRANCED
In a trance, I loved you too much,
A love so deep, it felt like a touch,
But sanity and pride called for the choice,
To leave behind, though my heart had no voice.
I had to go, to save what remained,
A fragile soul, too much had it gained.
For the second time, I spoke, I begged,
But you turned away, leaving me wrecked.
Maybe lies of the past had taken their toll,
And in your heart, I never had a role.
The truth of my love, you could not see,
For your first love still chained you to misery.
So I cut the ties, freed my mind,
Left our memories, no more to find.
But here I am, in a trance, still lost,
Haunted by love, no matter the cost.
Once in a while, I drift back again,
To the place where my heart had once been.
In a trance, I remember it all—
A love that soared, then began to fall.
-Alexandra Mariz