Chapter Text
The late afternoon sun, a tired ember in the western sky, cast a golden, melancholy light over the sprawling stone campus of Tracen Academy. The students are already going back to their dorms after a long day of boring classes, and a few of them are still training in the track and field. Si Goldship? She was just walking through the hallways after her math class, looking drained as ever. Sobrang sakit ng ulo niya trying to memorize all those formulas, especially that one na... ano nga ba? Pyhta? Phtho? Baka Pythagorean theorem ata yun. Let’s be real, hindi talaga math enthusiast ang lola niyo.As she headed for the exit, the tall girl was just vibing, singing quietly to herself. The moment she stepped out, she was greeted by a soft breeze, making her long, straight silver locks sway in the wind, parang nasa shampoo commercial lang(KERATIN?!). She was rocking her unique earphones na specially designed for horse girls like her, probably listening to some bop.
“That’s a goal to my ship
If you think I’m like a beautiful moon
It’s okay to betray those expectations, right?
Like a only wonder star
Have fun being pushed around
By feelings of the unpredictable”
TING!
Biglang tumahimik si Goldship mid-high note, as in stop muna ang concert, sabay hugot ng phone niya from her pocket. Kunot-noo siyang napa-check ng screen like, "Wait, may nag-notif? Ano na naman itong ganap na 'to?" halatang lowkey shookt at bothered sa kung anong tea o update ang bumungad sa kanya.
Ah, it was just my princess.
So ayun na nga, Goldship started typing while smiling like a total maniac. Caught in 4K talaga ang ateret niyo! Honestly, it’s giving major "secret admirer" energy. Everyone in school thinks they’re just the ultimate chaotic duo, straight up tropa vibes, ragebaiting, and bardagulan lang, pero little did they know, Goldship is actually down bad for McQueen.It’s the way nobody expected this from her kasi she’s always the class clown, 'di ba? Like, she’s always busy being a walking meme, so everyone thought her heart was just made of jokes and pure chaos. But surprise, surprise! May hidden romantic side pala si Goldship. The character development is real! Who knew na under all those pranks and loud energy, she’s actually out here being a softie for McQueen? Truly a "plot twist of the year" moment. She’s not just a comedian anymore; she’s officially in her lover girl era.
"Hahahaha! Grabe, pikon yarn? Ang daling ma-bad trip ni McQueen, parang batang kinukurot lang yung pisngi sa gigil," Goldship wheezed to herself, shaking her head while she was lost in the sauce of her own thoughts.
Honestly, she couldn’t tell if this was just a "happy crush" situation or if she was already down bad. The overthinking was real. What if she confessed, and McQueen pulled the "I don't see you that way" card? EMOTIONAL DAMAGE. But then again, she remembered how McQueen looked, and lord, the visuals and face card were top-tier. Everything about her was serving face and aesthetics. The hair? Iconic. The eyes? Mesmerizing. Those kissable lips and even her cute ears? Ackkk! Goldship was literally screaming internally because McQueen was just that girl. High-key, she’s the standard. Kamukha niya kasi si Sana of Twice, shy shy shy.
She was busy giggling like a rom-com main character when—THUD! Ayurn, plot twist: sinalubong niya yung poste. Napaka-clumsy talaga nitong kabayong 'to, ewan ko na lang! Nakaka-stress, I swear.
"OUCH! WHAT THE FUCK! Kailan pa nagkaroon ng poste rito?! Wala naman 'to rito kanina ah!" Goldship huffed, her face turning red from both pain and embarrassment. She started grinding her foot on the ground like she was ready to throw hands with a literal piece of cement. She gave the pole one last aggressive kick before stomping away, looking totally annoyed. Her "kilig" moment was rudely interrupted by a goddamn pole. Ganito ba talaga 'pag in love? Nababawasan yung IQ points? Charot.
The moment she stepped inside the dormitory, Goldship went full-on athlete mode and sprinted straight to her room. The girl just wanted to rot in bed while staring at her phone and rereading her convos with McQueen. Feeling She's Dating the Gangster, akala mo naman si Kathryn Bernardo sa sobrang delulu.
"Hehe, finally! Time to do my daily routine: stalking her account until I fall asleep," she joked to herself. She kicked off her shoes and changed into her comfy loungewear, because who sleeps in their uniform, di baaaa? Not this icon. She flopped onto her bed, giggling and kicking her feet like she was being tickled. Of course, kailangan mag-update sa socials kahit wala namang label. Lowkey soft launch, highkey baliw.
Hala, anyare? Weird na MIA si McQueen today, baka super busy sa life or sadyang dead zone lang ang signal niya, which is unlikely daw. Pero kahit na, lowkey kinakabahan pa rin si Goldship, syempre, "besties" sila, and you know how it goes, she can’t help but worry.
Goldship literally let out a big sigh and napailing na lang siya bago niya nilapag yung phone niya sa side. Like, she’s trying to act cool, pero truth is, McQueen is living in her head rent-free. Buong day na siyang distracted and honestly, she’s just down bad thinking about her.
｡ﾟ•┈꒰ა ♡ ໒꒱┈• ｡ﾟ
“Good morning po, M’lady. Andito na po ang almusal ninyo.”
Magalang na yumuko ang dalagang kasambahay, at napangiti si McQueen sa pamilyar na boses ni Yaya Isa.
“Salamat, Yaya Isa. Ako na po dito, maraming salamat,” sagot niya nang mahinahon.
Maingat niyang kinuha ang tray mula sa mga kamay ng yaya at dahan-dahang naglakad papunta sa maliit na mesa sa loob ng kanyang kwarto. Tahimik na isinara ni Yaya Isa ang pinto pagkalabas, iniwan si McQueen sa katahimikan ng umaga. Umupo siya at nagsimulang kumain ng almusal, kahit halatang wala sa puso niya ang pagkain. Magte-training na naman ba ako mamaya? Napabuntong-hininga siya sa sarili. What a shame, mas gugustuhin pa niyang mag-stay sa kwarto at kumain ng desserts kaysa magpakapagod na naman sa training.
Sumakit nang bahagya ang mukha niya habang inaalala ang training kahapon, ramdam pa rin niya ang hapdi sa kanyang binti, parang ayaw pa nitong gumalaw nang maayos. Grabe talaga, no rest at all, bulong niya, saka sumandal sandali sa upuan. Para ma-distract ang sarili, inabot niya ang cellphone niya at binuksan ang screen, curious kung sino ang nag-message.
As expected, bumungad agad ang sunod-sunod na notifications mula kay Goldship. Kung anu-ano na namang nonsense at weird messages ang pinadala nito, random jokes, emojis, at mga salitang minsan hindi na niya maintindihan. Napailing siya pero napangiti rin nang bahagya. Of course, Goldship na naman, isip niya. Sa totoo lang, sanay na sanay na siya. Kahit nakakairita minsan, naging parte na rin ng umaga niya ang mga kakaibang mensahe nito.
Napakunot ang kilay ni McQueen habang binabasa ang mensahe ni Goldship. Napaka-weird naman talaga ng babaeng ’to, naisip niya, bahagyang napapailing. Minsan hindi niya maintindihan kung paano gumagana ang utak niya, ang daming sinasabi, ang daming kalokohan. Pero aaminin man niya o hindi, may isang bagay na hindi niya maitatanggi. Buti na lang, sobrang bilis niya kapag nasa karera. Doon talaga lumalabas ang tunay na galing ni Goldship. Kahit gaano pa siya ka-eccentric at ka-strange sa pang-araw-araw, she’s undeniably a really good athlete. Huminga nang malalim si McQueen, letting out a small sigh, bago niya dahan-dahang inilapit ang mga daliri sa keyboard. Sige na nga, bulong niya sa sarili, sasagot na lang ako, at nagsimula na siyang mag-type ng kanyang reply.
McQueen lets out a soft titter and absentmindedly runs her fingers through her long, flowing purple locks as she reads Goldship’s antics. She barely understands what the horse girl is trying to say, parang puro kalokohan at sabog ang laman ng mga salita nito, but somehow, that only makes it more entertaining. There is something strangely charming about Goldship’s playful nature, yung pagiging makulit niya, walang preno at walang pakialam kung naiintindihan ba siya o hindi. McQueen finds herself smiling, amused and a little confused, yet drawn in by the lighthearted energy of this horse girl who seems to turn even nonsense into something endearing.