"Faith, let's go to church." She heard Veron invite her. She had been lying in bed the whole day, still unable to process the fact that she would be taking the exam tomorrow.
"Veron, I'm nervous about tomorrow," she admitted as she sat up on her bed.
"That's exactly why we need to go. Let's seek guidance," Veron replied.
"Alright—alright, just wait for me," she said, getting up right away to find something to wear.
She prepared a simple outfit. Since there was a novena mass, they went there and offered their prayers. She and Veron ate afterward, then agreed that they should keep their minds relaxed and free of worries.
Moving on was hard for her, but she needed to accept that the man she loved had once again walked away.
Maybe someone else is meant for me—but how do I teach my heart to love again when he's the one it still beats for? she asked herself silently.
El! This isn't the time to dwell on heartbreak. Focus on the board exam. Her inner voice snapped her back.
"Faith," Veron said as she gently held her hand and gave it a light squeeze. She didn't say anything, but Faith knew she was giving her silent support.
"I'm sorry," Faith murmured.
Veron simply patted her hand. They needed to head home to prepare everything—what they would wear and bring for the next day.
Veron stayed at Faith's house for the night.
"Veron, good luck and God bless us," Faith said as they were about to sleep.
"You too, Faith. Good luck and God bless. Let's keep fighting," Veron replied.
She smiled and nodded at her. They needed a good night's sleep because they would have to wake up early to avoid being late for the exam venue.
Of course, they weren't assigned to the same school for the board exam, so Faith would be driven by her brother.
She woke immediately when her alarm went off. She quickly woke Veron, took a shower, got dressed, and made sure everything they needed was packed.
"Veron, let's go," she called.
"Wait a second," Veron replied groggily.
As they left the room, they saw her brother waiting for them.
"Eat something first," he said.
"Thank you, Kuya—even with your wedding coming up, you still made time for us," she said with a smile.
"Don't mention it. You need to eat—today's going to be a grueling exam day," he said, smiling as he gave her a pat on the back.
Her soon-to-be sister-in-law, Nadia, was also there helping their mom prepare.
"Come on, both of you. You need to eat," Nadia encouraged.
They both nodded and sat down to eat. Her family even packed snacks for them to bring.
"Good luck and God bless you two," her brother said.
"Thank you, Kuya," they replied.
"Veron, I'm riding with you later this afternoon," he joked.
"Sure," Veron laughed as they headed out. Faith was riding with her brother to the exam venue.
She got in Nathan's car and sighed, trying to calm her nerves.
"Shall we go?" he asked her.
She simply nodded, noticing how many people were also headed to take the board exam.
God bless us all. "I hope we all pass," she silently prayed.
She finally arrived at the school where she was assigned. There were already many examinees around.
"El, break a leg. You can do it," she heard Nathan say.
"Thanks, Kuya," she replied.
She gave her brother a quick hug. He patted her gently and gave her a nod of encouragement. She stepped out of the car and took a deep breath.
You're here now, Mariely—just do your best, she told herself.
XXX
The two girls should be back today, right? Becca wondered. They need rest too. I know how draining the exam is; they can come in tomorrow instead. That's what she thought as she walked around the school, checking each classroom and the faculty office.
Some teachers had already arrived. She also knew that the substitute teacher for the third-year sections C and D was only assigned until Friday. The pay was for two weeks of service.
She ran into Veron.
"Good morning, Ma'am," Veron greeted her.
"Good morning to you too," she replied with a smile.
"Veron! You haven't logged in yet!" Becca immediately recognized the voice—it was Mariely's.
"Oh, wait, wait!" Veron said and quickly returned to log her biometric attendance. Becca chuckled softly at the two before walking toward them.
Mariely noticed her and, though slightly surprised, quickly smiled at her.
"Good morning, Ma'am Becca," she greeted.
She's very professional, Becca thought, genuinely impressed. She smiled back.
"How was your board exam yesterday?" she asked.
The two girls exchanged glances and scratched their heads a bit sheepishly.
"We're entrusting the results to the Lord. We did what we could," Veron answered sincerely.
"I know you both can do it. I believe in you," she encouraged.
"Thank you, Ma'am Becca," Veron said with gratitude.
They both nodded and were about to return to the faculty room when Becca spoke again.
"Celestial, can I talk to you privately?" she asked Mariely.
The two exchanged another look. "Y–Yes, Ma'am," Mariely replied.
"Faith, I'll carry your stuff. The students are already here anyway," Veron offered.
"Thank you, Veron," she said, smiling at her fellow teacher.
Veron nodded and walked off, while Becca led Mariely into the office. Once inside, she took a deep breath before speaking.
"I know it's sudden to bring this up, Mariely, but I was surprised to hear that my son broke up with you. I hope you still did well in your exam yesterday," she said with concern.
Mariely was taken aback by the question and forced a smile.
"Let's just leave it be, Ma'am. That's how relationships are sometimes—you just have to accept it," she said with a sigh. "Maybe it was always meant to be you two." She struggled to continue, clearly finding it hard to talk about.
Becca could feel how awkward it was for her.
"Faith, please don't feel uncomfortable around me," she said gently. "I'll be the one to apologize for my son. No matter what I do, he just doesn't learn." She shook her head.
Mariely nodded quietly. "H—How is Zean? I—Is he doing okay?" she asked, though it was clearly painful for her to say his name.
"Don't worry about him. He's alive and kicking. His father sent him abroad to lead the company," Becca said with a sigh.
"That's good. I'm glad he's doing well," Mariely replied with a faint smile.
Becca saw the love in her eyes. It broke her heart. She clenched her fist and gently reached out to her.
"I hope you forgive him."
"It's nothing, Ma'am. I don't hold grudges," Mariely replied.
Becca nodded.
"Ma'am Becca, if there's nothing else, I'll return to the faculty room now," Mariely said politely.
"Y—Yes, sure. Thank you for your time, Mariely," she replied with a smile.
"It's no trouble at all, Ma'am. I'll be going now," Mariely said as she left.
Once the girl was gone, Becca sighed deeply. She looked down at the invitation card in her hands and sighed again, wondering what kind of gift to give the couple.