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All Chapters of She Didn't Know He Noticed: Chapter 21 - Chapter 27

27 Chapters

Chapter 20

The lights were still too bright when I finally stepped away from the stage. My ears were ringing from the applause, my hands still shaking slightly as I held the bouquet close to my chest. Second Runner-Up. The sash felt heavier than I expected, not because of the fabric, but because of everything it symbolized.I walked toward the stairs leading down from the stage, careful with every step. The heels were stable this time, but my legs were tired, not physically, but emotionally. Para akong galing sa digmaan na naka-smile lang sa labas.“Diane.”I stopped. I didn’t need to look to know who it was.“Sevi,” I said softly, turning around.He was standing a few steps below me, hands in his pockets, wearing a simple black polo and jeans. No sash. No spotlight. Pero sa dami ng taong dumaan sa buhay ko, he stood out without trying.He smiled—yung familiar na hindi pilit, hindi scripted.“Sayang,” he said gently. “You should’ve won.”I chuckled, shaking my head as I took the last step down.

Chapter 21

There’s a certain kind of exhaustion that doesn’t come from crying. It comes from holding yourself together for too long. That was where I found myself after everything, after the pageant, after the public judgment, after Sophie’s downfall, after Ryan’s silence. Para akong nakatayo sa gitna ng bagyo na biglang tumigil, pero basa pa rin ang damit ko, nanginginig pa rin ang katawan ko. I realized something important in that quiet aftermath.Ayoko nang gumanti. Hindi dahil hindi ako nasaktan. Hindi dahil hindi ako galit. Kundi dahil sawang-sawa na akong maging galit.Revenge felt tempting at first. I won’t lie. There were nights when I imagined saying the perfect words, doing the perfect thing that would make them feel exactly what I felt. Yung tipong pantay na tayo.But then I asked myself—pagkatapos nun, ano? Would I finally be happy? Would the heaviness disappear?The answer was always no. So I let karma do its thing. Tahimik lang. Walang announcement. Walang drama. And karma didn’t d

Chapter 22

The bench felt colder than usual that afternoon. Hindi ko alam kung dahil ba sa hangin, o dahil matagal na akong umuupo roon mag-isa. The same bench. The same tree. The same spot where laughter used to come naturally, now replaced by silence that pressed against my chest.I poked at my food, appetite gone again.Ang arte mo, I scolded myself. Hindi naman kayo.But feelings don’t disappear just because you tell them to.I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn’t notice someone standing a few steps away.“Diane.”I looked up. Sevi. He wasn’t smiling. Not worried either. He looked… certain.“Can I sit?” he asked.I nodded, shifting slightly to make space. He sat beside me, elbows resting on his knees, staring straight ahead. For a moment, neither of us spoke. Tahimik. Mabigat. Parang may unsaid words na nakabitin sa pagitan namin.“You’ve been avoiding me,” he said finally.I let out a small breath. “Hindi.”“Don’t lie,” he replied gently. “You don’t have to.”I looked down at my hands.

Chapter 23

The morning of the camping activity felt strangely heavy and light at the same time., Heavy, because I knew I would be trapped in one place with too many emotions I didn’t fully understand yet. Light, because for once, there was no stage, no competition, no judgment. Just trees, tents, bonfires, and people pretending to be carefree.As I climbed the steps of the bus, the familiar scent of vinyl seats and early-morning coffee greeted me. The chatter inside was loud, laughter, teasing, bags being shoved into overhead compartments. Halatang excited ang lahat sa mga activities. Ako rin naman ay excited din. Pero hindi na katulad nuon. Gaya nga nang sabi ko, nakakaramdam ako nang bigat. Hindi natin alam ang mga mangyayari.I scanned the seats instinctively. Then I saw it. An empty seat. Window side. My heart gave a small, hopeful jump.Without overthinking, I walked straight toward it and sat down. I placed my bag on my lap and leaned slightly toward the window, watching the campus slowly

Chapter 24

The bus hummed softly as it rolled out of campus. I tried, really tried, to focus on the view outside. Trees blurring past. Morning light filtering through the glass. Anything but the fact that Sevi was sitting right beside me.Too close.Not touching, but close enough that I could feel the warmth from his arm.I adjusted my bag on my lap, pretending to be busy. My heart, on the other hand, was anything but calm.Normal lang ’to, I told myself. Isang bus ride lang.But then the bus suddenly jolted over a small bump. I wasn’t prepared. My body tilted slightly, and before I could stop myself, my shoulder brushed against his. Not hard. Just enough. I froze.“Sorry,” I blurted out instinctively, turning toward him.He looked at me, surprised, then smiled.“It’s okay,” he said softly.My cheeks warmed. I nodded quickly and turned back to the window, but my heart was already betraying me, beating faster than it should.A few seconds passed.“Diane,” he said quietly.“Yes?” I replied, still

Chapter 25

If boredom had a sound, it would be the facilitator’s voice echoing through the clearing that morning.“And now, we’ll do another trust-building activity—”I stared at the laminated instruction sheet in my hands, eyes glazing over.Another one?I shifted my weight, glancing around. People were yawning openly now. Someone behind me stifled a groan. Even the trees looked uninterested. Without thinking, I muttered under my breath—“Ang boring naman nito.”I barely heard it. But he did.“Talaga ba?”I stiffened. I slowly turned my head. Sevi was standing beside me, lips curved in that familiar half-smile, eyes amused.“Narinig mo ’yun?” I asked, mortified.He nodded. “Malinaw.”“Sorry,” I whispered. “Hindi ko sinasadya—”He leaned closer, lowering his voice. “Gusto mo bang tumakas?”My heart skipped. “…What?”He tilted his head slightly, eyes glinting. “Escape. Saglit lang.”I blinked. “Sevi, we’ll get in trouble.”He shrugged. “Sino ba makakaalam?”“Lahat,” I said flatly. “We’re literall

Chapter 26

I didn’t realize how long I’d been staring at the same patch of ground until my eyes started to blur. The campsite had gone quieter. Most people were busy preparing for dinner or fixing their tents, but I stayed where I was, sitting on a low rock near the trees, elbows on my knees, chin resting on my hands.Ryan’s words kept replaying in my head like an unwanted echo."May kakaiba. Alam ko ang kaibahan ng kaibigan at sa mahigit pa sa kaibigan."I shook my head slightly, as if I could physically shake the thoughts away."No. Stop," I told myself. "Huwag mong pansinin yun."“Diane?”I looked up. Sevi was standing a few steps away, concern written all over his face. His brows were slightly furrowed, lips pressed together like he wasn’t sure how to approach me.“Kanina pa kita hinahanap,” he said softly. “Okay ka lang ba?”I straightened immediately. “Yeah. Okay lang ako.”He didn’t look convinced.“You sure?” he asked, sitting down beside me. “Parang ang lalim ng iniisip mo.”I forced a

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