Chapter 9

KAT‘s POV:

I didn’t know what scared me more.

The distance between San Juan and Raven University…

Or the fact that Pat was no longer waiting for me there.

For years, I knew every version of Patricia Dela Cruz.

The little girl who ran beside me on the way home.

The teenager who stayed when everything felt difficult.

The girl who always made sure I was okay.

But Raven University was different.

This was a place I didn’t know.

A place where Pat was becoming someone new.

And I hated that a part of me wondered…

Did she still need me?

—

The trip to Raven felt longer than usual.

Maybe because my mind wouldn’t stop.

I kept thinking about the last time I saw her.

The way she looked after losing.

The way she tried to pretend she was fine.

The way someone else was there.

Mathew Villanueva.

I didn’t even know why his name bothered me.

He wasn’t rude.

He wasn’t trying to take Pat away.

Actually…

He seemed like a good person.

And somehow, that made it worse.

Because it was easier to hate someone who was bad.

Not someone who seemed to understand her.

—

When I arrived at Raven University, everything felt bigger.

The buildings.

The crowd.

The energy.

Everyone looked like they belonged.

I walked around, searching.

Until I saw her.

Pat.

On the court.

Laughing.

Not the polite smile she gave everyone.

A real one.

The kind I remembered.

The kind from childhood.

The kind that made me feel like everything was okay.

For a moment, I just stood there.

Because I missed that.

I missed her.

—

“Kat?”

I turned.

Pat was standing in front of me.

Her hair was tied back.

She was still wearing her training clothes.

She looked tired.

But happy.

And somehow…

That made me happy too.

“You came.”

I smiled.

“Did you think I wouldn’t?”

She looked away.

“No.”

A small pause.

“I just wasn’t sure.”

The answer caught me off guard.

Because Pat used to know.

She used to know I would always come.

When did she start doubting that?

—

She showed me around campus.

Her favorite places.

The gym.

The library.

The café she studied in.

The places where she built a life without me.

I was proud.

I really was.

But somewhere inside…

I felt like I was only visiting.

Like I didn’t belong in this part of her story.

—

“You’ve changed.”

I said quietly.

Pat looked at me.

“Changed?”

I nodded.

“You’re different here.”

She smiled.

“Is that bad?”

“No.”

I quickly answered.

“It’s good.”

And it was.

But I didn’t know why it hurt.

—

Then she started talking about Raven.

About training.

About games.

About people.

And one name kept appearing.

Mathew Villanueva.

“Matt helped me adjust here.”

“Matt told me about the training schedule.”

“Matt was there after our game.”

I listened.

Because I always listened.

But every time his name came up…

Something inside me tightened.

—

“You’re quiet.”

Pat suddenly said.

I looked at her.

“I’m listening.”

She smiled.

“You only get this quiet when something’s bothering you.”

I looked away.

Because she knew.

She always knew.

“You learned too much about me.”

She laughed softly.

“I had years.”

And that hurt.

Because years.

I had years with her.

But Raven was giving her new ones.

—

We stopped outside the gym.

A group of players were practicing nearby.

Then I saw him.

Mathew Villanueva.

He was laughing with his teammates.

Confident.

Comfortable.

Like Raven was already home.

Then he noticed Pat.

And smiled.

And Pat smiled back.

It was small.

Simple.

But I noticed.

I always noticed.

—

“He’s nice.”

I said.

Pat looked at me.

“Who?”

I pointed slightly.

“Mathew.”

Her expression softened.

“Oh.”

She smiled.

“Yeah. He is.”

The way she said it bothered me.

Not because she liked him.

But because she sounded happy talking about him.

“He’s been helping me a lot.”

She added.

And my heart sank.

Because someone else was helping her now.

Someone else was staying.

—

“Do you like him?”

The question came out before I could stop it.

Pat stopped walking.

“What?”

I immediately regretted it.

I looked away.

“Mathew..”

I swallowed.

“Do you like Mathew Villanueva?”

For a few seconds…

Pat just stared.

Like she couldn’t understand why I was asking.

And honestly?

I couldn’t either.

Because I had no right.

I wasn’t her girlfriend.

I wasn’t anything.

Just her best friend.

—

Then Pat laughed softly.

“Kat.”

“What?”

“You know he’s just my friend, right?”

I shrugged.

“Friends can become something else.”

The moment I said it…

Silence.

Because we both knew.

Those words weren’t only about him.

Pat looked at me differently.

Like she heard something I didn’t mean to say.

“You never asked me that before.”

She said.

I looked at her.

“What?”

“About someone I like.”

My heart raced.

“I was just curious.”

“Are you?”

Her question was quiet.

Too quiet.

Because I knew what she was really asking.

Why do you care?

I didn’t answer.

Because the truth was too dangerous.

—

Before the silence became too much, someone called.

“Pat!”

We turned.

Mathew was walking toward us.

“Coach needs you.”

Pat nodded.

“I’ll be there.”

—

Later that day, Pat walked me to the entrance.

The same way she used to walk me home.

Except this time…

She wasn’t coming with me.

“Thanks for coming.”

I smiled.

“Of course.”

A quiet moment passed.

The kind we always had.

Safe.

Familiar.

But different.

Because now I knew.

Pat had a life here.

A life where she was happy.

A life where other people knew her.

A life where Matthew Villanueva existed.

“Pat?”

“Yeah?”

I wanted to ask.

Do I still matter?

Am I still the person you choose?

But instead…

“Take care.”

She smiled.

“You too.”

—

On the way home, my phone vibrated.

A message.

From Pat.

**Pat: Tell me when you get home.**

I stared at it.

And despite everything…

My heart softened.

Because she still cared.

She still waited.

She still wanted to know I was safe.

Maybe I was afraid for nothing.

Maybe Mathew wasn’t the problem.

Maybe the problem was me.

Because I had spent years hiding my feelings…

And now I was scared someone else would say them first.

I looked out the window.

Thinking about Pat.

About us.

About everything we never said.

And finally admitted something I was too scared to accept.

I didn’t hate Matthew Villanueva.

I was just scared…

Because I wanted to be the person Pat chose.

Not because I had always been there.

But because I was the one she wanted to stay with.