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Chapter 30
Huling Na-update:
2025-02-16 16:19:34
Kaugnay na kabanata
Rising from the ash Chapter 31
Chapter 31She walked over to the window, pressing her palms against the cool surface as she took in the view. She hadn’t spent much time on this side of the room before. From here, she had a clear view of the campus. Despite the darkening sky, the school grounds were still alive with activity. Students walked in groups, some chatting excitedly, others in deep discussion. A few hurried across the pathways, likely trying to get somewhere before it got too late. The light in the school flickered on, casting a kind glow over the walkways. The soft view of life outside reminded her that the world kept moving, no matter what she was dealing with personally. For a moment, Sophia allowed herself to relax. She watched as a group of students gathered around a bench, laughing over something. Another student jogged by, earphones in, focused on their own rhythm. There was something comforting about it all—the predictability of it, the way life went on regardless of how she felt. She sighe
Huling Na-update : 2025-02-16Rising from the ash Chapter 32
Chapter 32Ryan sat still, his posture was tense, aside exchanging laughs with Jessie, he didn't say much, his mind was racing. Embarrassment burned in his chest like a steady heat. He had let too much slip,—shown too much vulnerability in front of everyone. That wasn’t like him. He prided himself on being composed, unreadable, always the one in control. But tonight, that mask had cracked, and the whole group had seen it Worse still, Taylor had seen it.From his angle, he could tell she knew—really knew—that she had a mark on him. That realization unsettled him more than he cared to admit. Taylor was sharp. He knew that from the time they spent together She could read people like an open book, and now she had confirmation that she still held space in his mind. Even if he didn’t want her to.And then there was Jessie.Ryan’s stomach twisted slightly as he considered what she must be thinking. He did not want to mess things up and throw away his chances with her .Had she picked up on i
Huling Na-update : 2025-02-16Rising from the ash Chapter 33
Chapter 33 At the cafeteria, Sophia and her roommates had already settled in for dinner. The place was calmer than the night before—less crowded, students were not much there . It was a relief, really.They moved through the line quickly , each of them picking different meals from what they had chosen yesterday.it was equally nice as the previous days Mia, however, stuck with her usual—except this time, she added more protein to her plate. “You know I have to keep up the gains,it is healdt5,” she said with a grin when Sophia gave her a questioning look.Sophia shook her head with a laugh. “You’re serious about this, huh?”“Dead serious,” Mia replied, flexing her arm playfully. “Gotta stay strong.”Olivia, who had been quiet for most of the time, finally chimed in. “Honestly, I just want to eat in peace today. Yesterday was too much.”,plus that girl that was in here, banging on table and yapping about a broken phone about our face Sophia couldn’t help but agree, she had forgotten a
Huling Na-update : 2025-02-16Rising from the ash Chapter 34
Chapter 34 Mia clapped her hands together. “Oh, I love this. Go get him, tiger.” Sophia groaned but couldn’t deny she was a little curious to see how this would play out. Olivia was bold, there was no questioning that. But was it going to work in her favor this time? As Olivia strode toward the guy’s table, Mia and Sophia exchanged glances. “This is either going to be amazing or a complete mess,” Mia whispered. Sophia smirked. “Either way, it’ll be entertaining.” And with that, they both leaned in to watch as Olivia made her move. “Hey there,” Olivia said to him and sat down in the empty seat in front. “Hi,” he said as he stared at her. His voice was even more attractive. Oh my gosh, she said to herself. “I’m Olivia,” she said as she stretched her hand forward in a handshake. “I’m Jake. Nice to meet you, Olivia. What can I do for you?” he said with the coolest tone as he set aside his plate to stare at Olivia. And Olivia felt all the confidence in her disappear
Huling Na-update : 2025-02-18Rising from the ash Chapter 35
Chapter 35Ryan chuckled, shaking his head. “Tempting, but I’m trying to be better.” He looked at her then, his expression softer. “Thanks for sticking around, by the way.” Jessie shrugged. “Of course. You’re not as bad as you pretend to be, Ryan.” Ryan grinned. “Don’t ruin my reputation now.” "Come on, let’s get to our hostels. It’s getting dark out here," Jessie said, wrapping her arms around herself as the air grew a little chillier. Ryan smirked. “I’ll walk you to your dorm then. Let’s go.” Jessie shook her head. “You really don’t have to. I can walk there on my own.” Ryan gave her a knowing look. “Well, I insist. And besides, what kind of guy would I be if I just left you to walk alone at this hour?” Jessie rolled her eyes but smiled. “Fine, but only because I don’t feel like arguing.” As they started walking, Ryan looked at her, a slight frown on his face. “Hope I didn’t take up your whole day and ruin whatever plans you had?” Jessie stopped for a moment, as if
Huling Na-update : 2025-02-18Rising from the ash Chapter 36
Chapter 36 It was already morning when Sophia blinked awake, groggy and still sleepy. The soft morning light was already filtering through the curtain.She rubbed her eyes, then turned her head toward the clock on her bedside table.Her eyes widened.“Shii…” she muttered under her breath.This was the first time she had slept this late since the day she arrived at school,asides the first day when she came for clearance with her cousin. She sat up abruptly, pushing her covers aside as the things that happened the previous night flashed Through her head . It had been fun—probably the best night she’d had since coming to school. She and the girls had stayed up late, laughing, gossiping, and sharing stories until their voices turned loud from all the excitement.A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips. It was nice, having friends she could be herself around. She hadn’t realized how much she needed that sense of belonging.But reality hit her fast. She had overslept.Sophia swu
Huling Na-update : 2025-02-19Rising from the ash Chapter 37
Chapter 37They went into the shower together."Don't tell me you guys are going to bathe together? You know what, I don't care. Just hurry it up, please."They didn’t take much time bathing; they were soon out of the shower, and Lana watched them move with their towels.As they got dressed and grabbed their things, Taylor asked, "Have you called Ryan yet?""No, why do I have to?" Lana responded. "You both should be the ones calling him for the shit you pulled yesterday."The conversation naturally drifted to the events of the previous day."We don't have to call him. He owes us an apology for coming in here and talking like that to us," Taylor replied in a cold tone."Yeah, ours is understandable," Zach called out as he pulled up his jeans. "But why haven’t you? Even if it’s just to ask if he got to school safe.""No, I don’t need to call him. I'm sure he’s fine.""So… you’re really avoiding Ryan, huh?" Zach teased as he slipped on his jacket.Lana sighed, running a hand through her
Huling Na-update : 2025-02-19Rising from the ash Chapter 38
Chapter 38As the lecturer stepped into the classroom, Sophia immediately noticed that he was different from the one they had the day before. This man looked to be in his early 40s—perhaps even younger. He carried himself with an air of confidence, his neatly pressed suit giving him a polished yet approachable appearance. Sophia was a little taken aback. She had expected someone much older in this field, considering the depth of knowledge required for public health. But then again, times were changing, and younger professionals were making their mark in academia. The lecturer walked to the center of the class, set down his materials, and offered a friendly smile. “Good morning, everyone,” he greeted. “Good morning, sir,” the class responded in unison. “My name is Dr. Reynolds, and I’ll be taking you through Public Health this semester. I expect all of you to be engaged because this course isn’t just about theories—it’s about real-world applications. Public health affects eve
Huling Na-update : 2025-02-20
Pinakabagong kabanata
Rising from the ash Chapter 91
Chapter 91She really didn’t want to run into him tonight. It wasn’t like she had done anything wrong—she had just turned down seeing him today, and that wasn’t a crime, she felt bad for that. But if he saw her here, at a party, after telling him she was staying in? Yeah. That was going to be awkward and it sound be very dishonest on her part She could already imagine the teasing.Oh, I thought you were studying, Sophia?And worse, she wasn’t sure how she would explain it. She had planned to stay in, but Olivia and Mia had been too persistent. And maybe—just maybe—she had wanted a break after all.But none of that mattered right now. What mattered was avoiding Ryan at all costs."Hey, are you okay?" Olivia asked, noticing Sophia’s silence.Sophia quickly forced a smile. "Yeah! Just, uh, just checking something on my phone."Olivia nodded, clearly not suspicious. "You sure you don’t want to dance?""Positive," Sophia said quickly. "You guys go ahead.""Okay, suit yourself!" Olivia sh
Rising from the ash Chapter 90
Chapter 90As soon as they stepped through the open gates, the music seemed to double in volume, the deep bass vibrating through the air. The place was already packed, with people scattered across the front yard, laughing, drinking, and dancing. The energy was high—this was clearly the party of the weekend. Like the whole school was invited Sohpia hoped she wouldn't come across someone like Katrina or even worse ryan"Damn," Olivia muttered as she took in the crowd. "The person throwing this really didn’t hold back."Mia grinned. "I told you. Looks like The guy goes all out." Just as his girlfriend always bragged Sophia glanced around, already feeling slightly out of place. Parties weren’t exactly her thing, and the sheer number of people was a little overwhelming. They were all putting on expensive jewelry, carrying the biggest of phones they were clearly the wealthy type but she was not going to be swayed. She adjusted her dress slightly, trying to shake off the discomfort."Alrig
Rising from the ash Chapter 89
Chapter 89As soon as the ride pulled up outside their dorm, Sophia, Mia, and Olivia went downstairs and piled into the backseat, squeezing in together. The energy in the car was already electric, and Mia was practically bouncing in her seat with excitement."This is going to be so fun," she said, clapping her hands together. "I can't believe this is, like, our first official girls’ night out!"Olivia, who was sitting on the other side of Sophia, grinned as she pulled out her phone. "Alright, come on, girls, we have to take a picture before we get too distracted."Sophia groaned but leaned in anyway, knowing there was no escaping it. Olivia switched to selfie mode, angling the camera so all three of them could fit into the frame."Okay, everybody do something cute," Olivia instructed.Mia instantly threw up a peace sign, Sophia gave a reluctant but amused smile, and Olivia pursed her lips playfully before snapping a few pictures."Let me see," Mia said, leaning over Olivia’s shoulder
Rising from the ash Chapter 88
Chapter 88The ride to Zach’s place was mostly quiet, save for the occasional song playing from Ryan’s playlist. Lana sat in the passenger seat, her legs propped up on the dashboard as she absentmindedly scrolled through her phone. The party wasn’t starting for a few more hours, but since Zach was one of Ryan’s oldest friends—despite their history—he figured it would be easier to arrive early and get settled in before the place got too crowded. Lana, on the other hand, had her own reasons for tagging along early. She had packed her party outfit in a bag, planning to change at Zach’s instead of getting dressed at home. There was no way she was going to sit through an entire car ride in a tight dress and heels. She wanted to look perfect for it , and for Ryan also , she figured since he would be without a companion there, she could be like his plus one and she sure as hell wanted to look good for it As they pulled into Zach’s driveway, Ryan took a deep breath. He didn’t particularly
Rising from the ash Chapter 87
Chapter 87Justine shrugged, pretending to be indifferent even though her heart was hammering. “Well, yeah. I mean… was it weird for you?”Matt’s smirk deepened, his expression softening. “Weird?” he repeated. “Not even a little.”Her stomach flipped at the certainty in his voice.He tilted his head slightly, studying her with that same unreadable intensity. “What about you, how did it feel to you ?”She held his gaze, her lips curving into a small smile. “Not weird at all,it felt good if I am Being honest,” she admitted.Something shifted between them at that moment. The tension that had hung heavy in the air now turned into something else—something warmer, more electric.Matt leaned forward slightly, his voice lower now. “So… does that mean you liked it?”Justine felt heat on her neck, but she refused to look away. “I did.” She hesitated, then, with a small laugh, added, “Do you Want to do it again?”Matt exhaled a soft chuckle, shaking his head in amusement. “Are you sure about wha
Rising from the ash Chapter 86
Chapter 86Eleanor Walsh sat in the guest room, her hands folded in her lap, staring blankly at the window. It was almost midday and the sun was still out , but it did little to warm the kind of feeling inside her. She had been avoiding David since yesterday’s disastrous meeting, knowing full well that if they spoke, it would turn into a full-blown argument.She could still hear his voice from the boardroom, practically spitting in rage when she shut down the deal. “Do you even understand what you’ve done?” he had asked through clenched teeth as the investors left, their expressions unreadable.Yes, she understood perfectly. She had stopped him from making what she believed to be a huge mistake.David had been so furious that he hadn't even ridden home with her. Instead, he had taken a private car somewhere—she had no idea where, nor did she care to ask. It didn't matter to her at that moment. When he finally returned home, it was well past midnight. He had walked into their bedroom w
Rising from the ash Chapter 85
Chapter 85It wasn’t until close to noon that Sophia and her friends’ order finally arrived. By that time, Olivia had complained no less than ten times about how hungry she was, dramatically falling onto the bed and groaning every few minutes.“I swear, if that food doesn’t get here in the next five minutes, I might actually pass out,” Olivia whined, rolling onto her stomach and burying her face in her pillow.Mia snorted. “Relax, Liv. You act like you haven’t eaten in days.”“I might as well have! You don’t get it—I woke up starving, and Sophia’s generosity is the only thing keeping me alive right now,” Olivia said, turning to Sophia with puppy-dog eyes. “Thank you, by the way. I will never forget this.”Sophia chuckled, shaking her head. “You’re so dramatic. It’s just breakfast.”“No, it’s the breakfast,” Olivia corrected. “The one that will bring me back to life.”As if on cue, a knock sounded at the door, making all three girls pause for a second before Olivia sat up on the bed.“
Rising from the ash Chapter 84
Chapter 84A short while later, Justine stepped out and Matt led her to his car. She was trying so hard to ignore the fact that she was very nervous . He opened the door gently for her and she stepped in. They drove in comfortable silence, the radio playing a soft tune. The drive was a quiet one.Soon they arrived at his apartment, she wasn’t sure what she expected, but his place was surprisingly… homey. It wasn’t overly fancy, just warm and inviting. Like a bachelor wealthy enough to put up such a set up “Make yourself comfortable,” Matt said, setting the pizza and wine down on the coffee table.She sat on the couch, hugging a throw pillow as he grabbed two glasses and poured the wine. I don't know if I should say thank you for inviting me over but let's begin then "So, what movie are we watching?" she asked, accepting her glass.Matt smirked. "That depends—are you a rom-com kind of girl, or do you secretly enjoy thrillers?""Thrillers, obviously," she said without hesitat
Rising from the ash Chapter 83
Chapter 83Lana nodded, keeping her face neutral. “Sounds fun and you kind of look happy”Ryan narrowed his eyes at her. “That’s it? I thought you were going to drag me or at least drop one of your sarcastic remarks Lana shrugged, looking out the window. “What do you want me to say, Ryan? You’re clearly into her.”Ryan tilted his head. Something about her tone made him pause, but he brushed it off. “Yeah, I guess I am. She’s different, you know?”Lana forced a small smile. “Is it different?”Ryan nodded. “Yeah. But she turned me down today when I asked her to meet up.”Lana raised an eyebrow. “Ouch,that must hurt your ego.”Ryan sighed. “Yeah, but she said she had to catch up on notes, so it’s not that deep.”Lana scoffed. “Ryan, you have to start reading between the lines. Girls don’t always say what they mean.”Ryan smirked. “Oh? And what exactly do you mean when you say you’re ‘not into anyone’?”Lana froze for half a second before rolling her eyes. “Oh, shut up.”“No, seriously.
