Sofie's POV
Class began right away the next day. No greetings. No warm-ups. Just a plastic skeleton placed beside the board like a guest speaker.
Ma'am Cruz tapped her marker on the table. "This is your new best friend. Name it. Know it. Respect it."
We started with the skull. The vertebral column. The thoracic cage. She moved fast, expecting us to keep up. Random recitations. Sharp corrections.
One girl from the back nervously answered, "Jaw bone?"
Ma'am Cruz didn't blink. "It's mandible. Use the proper term."
She wrote the next quiz schedule on the board. No questions asked. Just the way she liked it.
Then she turned back to us, uncaring of the energy in the room.
"There will be a practical exam in two weeks. Group activity. Five members per group. These will be your lab teams for the rest of the semester."
And just like that—chaos started again.
I gripped my notebook tightly. Five members. I only really talked to Trisha and April—and even then, our conversations were still a little shy. Athena and RJ were from Section C too, but they already had their own little worlds forming.
Trisha leaned over and whispered, "I'll group with you. Let's find three more."
Around us, the room was alive with whispers, shifting chairs, side glances. It felt like musical chairs but with academic survival on the line.
But before we could even move—
CLAP!
Ma'am Cruz smacked her hand against her palm, loud and sharp. The room froze.
"Enough. Since most of you can't organize quietly, I'll do it myself. Mixed sections. No complaints."
A wave of groans.
"Section C and F will be blended for each group. Five per group. I'll go by the list. When I call your name, sit together."
She started reading names, mixing us like puzzle pieces that may or may not fit.
And then—my name.
"Sofie Abalos, Trisha Mariano, RJ Ramirez… and from Section F, Johnmark Aguilar, and Lance Dela Cruz."
My ears rang a little. Johnmark Aguilar?
I hadn't seen much of him, just the back of his head once in the hallway—and I think he was the one who said "Sorry" that day I bumped into someone. But I remembered the name. It stood out for some reason.
Trisha raised her eyebrows at me like, Wow. RJ looked thrilled. I was... unsure.
We moved to one corner of the room and gathered around a table. Johnmark was already there, backpack slung lazily over his chair. He gave a polite nod.
"Hey," he said. Calm. Relaxed.
"I'm RJ," RJ said brightly, sliding into the seat across from him. "Section C's certified mayor, diva, and distraction."
Johnmark chuckled. "Nice to meet you."
Lance joined a moment later, quiet but giving off friendly vibes. Trisha leaned over to me and whispered, "He seems okay pala."
I nodded, pretending I was focused on opening my notebook—but I couldn't help stealing a glance at Johnmark. He was listening, not saying much. His gaze flicked to me once. I quickly looked away.
Then Ma'am Cruz spoke again.
"Group leaders, I expect your reports by next week. Assign roles, research, and make sure everyone contributes. If one of you slacks off, the whole group suffers."
RJ immediately raised his hand. "Ma'am, can I be the leader? I thrive under pressure and attention."
A few people laughed. Ma'am Cruz gave him the classic teacher glare.
"Fine. But if your group underperforms, you answer to me."
RJ winked. "Copy that, Ma'am."
Johnmark's POV
Being grouped with three from Section C wasn't part of my expectations today. I figured they'd keep us with familiar faces at least for the first big activity. But when I heard Sofie's name, something about it made me look up.
Sofie Abalos.
I'd noticed her before not because she was loud, but because she wasn't. She blended into the background, always scribbling something or watching quietly. There was a calm in her. A contrast to the usual chaos of first-year classes.
RJ, on the other hand, was... an experience.
He looked at me with bright eyes and said, "You look responsible. You're on research with me."
I shrugged. "Alright, sure."
He assigned Lance the skeleton-handling role and Trisha the visuals.
Then he turned to her.
RJ's POV
I wasn't born to be average. I was born to organize chaos—and maybe stir up a little drama along the way.
This group? Perfect casting.
Johnmark had mysterious lead guy energy. Tall, quiet, but with a brain behind those eyes. Lance looked like he could carry our skeleton friend like a baby. Trisha had steady vibes, the kind that balanced out the noise.
And then there was Sofie.
She was... subtle. But I noticed how she kept adjusting her pen when Johnmark spoke. Not obvious. But I knew kilig when I saw it.
"You'll compile everything and write the report," I said to her. "You have neat handwriting, I can tell."
She blinked. Caught off guard. But she said, "Sure."
I clapped. "Perfect! Bones and brains. We're going to be iconic."
Sofie's POV
The rest of the class blurred. Between diagrams, fast facts, and Ma'am Cruz throwing oral quizzes like darts, I felt my energy draining. But our group held. We were oddly... balanced.
Before we left, we all agreed to meet at the library the next day.
As I zipped my bag, I heard his voice.
"Sofie, right?"
I looked up. He was beside me. Not close. Not far. Just... there.
I nodded.
"Nice meeting you," he said.
Then he walked away with Lance.
Trisha nudged me hard. "Kilig?"
I rolled my eyes. "It's just group work."
"Sure," she teased. "Group work with a guy who already knows your name."
I didn't answer. But somewhere between the bones of the thoracic cage and that simple "Nice meeting you", something in me started.
Not love.
But a beginning