Lahat ng Kabanata ng BLURRED LINES : Kabanata 11 - Kabanata 20

(Olandria’s POV) After a while of drawing aimlessly, I didn’t even realize I had walked all the way to the balcony until my hands were gripping the railing, fingers tightening against the cold metal. The air outside hit differently. Cooler, sharper and exactly what I needed. “Are you serious right now?” I snapped into the open air, my voice breaking the stillness of the night. It wasn’t directed at anyone and maybe that was the problem. “Plagiarism?” I let out a hollow laugh, pacing once before returning to the railing. “Out of everything… that’s what you pick?” My chest rose and fell unevenly, “I didn’t do anything,” I muttered, quieter now. “I didn’t…” but the words died in my throat because saying it out loud didn’t make it feel any less fragile. I dragged a hand through my hair, exhaling sharply. “So what? Someone just wakes up and decides to ruin my life for fun?” The question hung there. Unanswered. The tears were not forthcoming and so, I stayed there for a few

(Olandria’s POV) The lecture room felt different now that we were actually seated in it and not just passing in tour mode. Now, we were present and it became more alive. The wooden chairs creaked softly as people adjusted, sketchbooks flipping open, pens clicking, whispers fading into something quieter… more focused. I sat beside Karl, my sketchbook resting on my lap, pencil tucked between my fingers but unmoving. I was thinking about everything else. “Why do you look like you’re about to fight the air?” Karl whispered, leaning slightly into me. “I might,” I muttered. She grinned and flipped her brown wavy hair playfully, “Give me five minutes, I’ll join you.” A few seats ahead, I spotted Ernest. His back straight, elbows resting lightly on his knees, camera hanging but untouched. His attention was fixed forward like he had already decided this mattered. He didn’t look back and for som

(Ernest’s POV) The hallway felt longer on the way back. Not physically. It was the same stretch of polished floor, the same muted lighting casting soft shadows against the walls but something about it dragged; like each step had weight now, like I was walking through something thicker than air.I exhaled slowly, running a hand over the back of my neck as I turned the corner. I shouldn’t have gone. Not because I regretted checking on her, but because of the way she had looked at me. It was defensive, like I had crossed a line I didn’t even realize was there. Maybe I had. My jaw tightened slightly. The memory replayed, no irritation… just clarity. There had been no hesitation in the push she gave me. No second-guessing, just instinct. That said more than anything she could have said out loud. I reached our door and paused for a second, fingers resting lightly against the handle before pushing it open. The room was exactly as we left it. Undisturbed.

(Olandria’s POV) Sleep didn’t come easy and when it finally did, it didn’t stay. I woke up before my alarm, staring at the ceiling with that heavy, disoriented feeling that came from too many thoughts and not enough rest. For a second, I didn’t move, then reality settled back in. The room. The workshop. Yesterday. My chest tightened slightly as I turned my head, my gaze landing on the chair where I had dropped my bag. My phone was still there, screen dark, quiet… like nothing had happened. I knew better but still, I reached for it. I unlocked it and checked, the debit alert didn’t change which meant that, it was still gone. Almost half. My grip tightened briefly before I locked the screen again, tossing it back onto the bed like it had burned me. Don’t think about it. Not now. I pushed myself up, running a hand through my hair as I swung my legs off the bed. If I kept moving, maybe my mind wouldn’t catch up. Across the

(Olandria’s POV) The room didn’t settle, even after Dr. Hale moved on, even after the quiet murmur of voices returned, something still lingered; thin, tight, stretched across the space like a wire that hadn’t snapped yet. I could still feel it. The image. Me. My grip tightened slightly around my pencil, though I wasn’t drawing. I couldn’t. Not with that still sitting in my head like it had been burned there. She wasn’t present. The words echoed louder than they should have. Great, an A-list Art tutor reading me in front of everyone. Ugh! I rolled my eyes, forcing my gaze down to my sketchbook. Focus. Just focus. Except, I couldn’t even tell if I was focusing anymore or just… pretending to. “Next.” Dr. Hale’s voice cut through again. Ever calm, precise and too soon since I wasn't exactly proud of my work…yet. My shoulders stiffened