Chapter 2: The First Step

Gabrielle had never clicked "Submit" with that much fear in her chest.

The moment her application for the San Andres Career Development Program went through, she sat frozen in the library cubicle, blinking at the confirmation message on her laptop screen.

"Thank you for applying! We'll be in touch soon. - SAU Career Dev Team"

She stared at it like it might disappear.

"Done na?" Lara whispered from beside her, sipping her milk tea like this wasn't a life-altering moment.

"Y-yeah," Gabrielle breathed, heart still thudding. "Done na."

Lara smiled proudly. "Girl, that's growth. G na G ka na for 2025!"

Gabrielle laughed nervously, shutting her laptop. "Or G for good luck nalang sa'kin."

The next few days passed like a blur. She still wore the same oversized sweaters and kept to her small circle, but something inside her had shifted.

For the first time in a long while, Gabrielle wanted something.

And that made all the difference.

Wednesday - Announcements

She almost didn't open the email. Nakalagay lang sa subject line:

[SAU Career Dev] Congratulations!

Her heart dropped. She clicked it with shaking fingers.

Hi Gabrielle,

Congratulations! You've been selected to join the San Andres University Career Development Program - Batch 7.

Orientation starts next Monday. Please confirm your attendance.

She blinked. Once. Twice.

"Gabbie?" Lara asked across the table. "You okay?"

"I got in," she whispered.

"WHAT?! AYYY! Deserve!" Lara nearly knocked over her drink.

Gabrielle grinned, cheeks pink. She didn't know what was more shocking - that she got accepted... or that she was genuinely excited.

Monday - Orientation Day

She showed up twenty minutes early, still debating if she looked too trying hard. She'd swapped her usual hoodie for a neat, tucked-in blouse and ironed jeans. Simple, clean. Still her - just a little more put together.

She found a seat near the back of the multi-purpose hall. A few other students were scattered around, most of them unfamiliar. She fiddled with her ID lanyard and tried not to panic.

And then -

"Hi, is this seat taken?"

Gabrielle looked up - and met a pair of warm brown eyes, a soft smile on his lips.

Austin Luis Garcia.

He was wearing a black polo, lanyard slung carelessly around his neck, and carried that same kind of relaxed charm that made people instinctively comfortable.

She shook her head. "No, go ahead."

"Thanks," he said, sitting beside her. "I'm Austin, by the way."

"Gabrielle," she replied quietly.

He nodded, grinning. "Nice. So... career dev survivor din pala tayo."

She smiled, unsure of what to say. But something about his presence was easy. He leaned back, arms crossed, gaze scanning the room.

"You nervous?" he asked.

"A bit," she admitted.

He tilted his head. "You don't look it. You look... chill. Parang tahimik lang pero deep. May mystery vibe ka."

She blinked, caught off guard. Was that a compliment?

"Thanks... I think?"

He laughed. "It's a compliment, promise."

The speaker started talking, but Gabrielle barely heard the intro. For the first time in a long time, she was sitting next to someone new - someone who didn't know who she used to be. And strangely, that felt freeing.

-----------------------------------------

The program orientation was divided into three parts: a welcome talk, group icebreakers (the horror), and a short introduction to the mentors assigned for the semester.

Gabrielle sat stiffly through the talk, trying to keep her expression neutral while secretly overthinking every part of her body language. Do I look too stiff? Too friendly? Too aloof? Should I have brought a notebook?

Next to her, Austin seemed entirely unbothered. He leaned back in his chair, occasionally tapping notes into his phone, and even raised his hand to ask a question about scheduling - confidently, like it was nothing.

"Ang tapang mo," Gabrielle muttered without meaning to.

He smirked. "Sanay lang sa tanong. You'll get there."

Group Icebreaker: The Name Game

They were asked to form small circles and introduce themselves with a fun fact.

"Hi, I'm Carla. I'm addicted to milk tea."

"I'm Paolo. I play in a band."

"I'm Reggie. Fun fact... I failed my first interview and cried in the bathroom."

Everyone laughed. Gabrielle's turn was next.

She cleared her throat. "I'm Gabrielle... and I draw as a hobby. Mostly digital."

"Uy, art girl!" someone said. "May sample ka?"

She smiled nervously. "Wala dito. Maybe next time."

Austin, now part of the same group, added, "Maganda 'yung laptop stickers niya. She designed them herself."

Gabrielle blinked at him. Wait how did he know? Did he see my laptop?

"Oo nga, pakita mo next time!" Carla added.

Gabrielle nodded shyly. "Sige..."

She wasn't used to people being this warm, this welcoming. And for once, she didn't feel like fading into the background.

Post-Orientation

After the program ended, most of the participants lingered outside the hall, chatting and swapping social media handles.

Austin nudged her. "Add mo ko sa Instagram, ha. Para pag nagpa-print ka ng stickers, isa ako sa first order."

She laughed, pulling out her phone. "Sige, pero disclaimer - lowkey lang talaga art ko."

"I like lowkey," he said, tapping "Follow" with a grin.

She rolled her eyes, smiling. "Cheesy."

"Hindi ah. Sincere."

Before she could reply, a voice called out from behind her.

"Gabrielle?"

She turned - heart skipping.

Aiden Perez was standing a few steps away, carrying a folder and dressed in semi-formal slacks and a blue polo shirt embroidered with the school's logo. He was probably one of the program's speakers or guests, but Gabrielle had been too nervous earlier to fully process it.

"Uh... yes?" she said, surprised he remembered her name.

He smiled, adjusting the folder under his arm. "You're part of this batch? That's great. Congrats."

"Thank you..." she said quietly, eyes wide.

"I saw your name on the list this morning," Aiden continued. "Glad to see more creatives joining this term. Looking forward to seeing your work."

Gabrielle nodded mutely. Was this real life?

Aiden gave her a friendly smile and nodded at Austin politely before walking off to talk to another organizer.

Gabrielle stood there, stunned.

Austin leaned in and whispered, "Okay, Mr. Campus Crush knows you by name? Should I be worried?"

She shook her head, cheeks burning. "I - don't even know how he knows me..."

But a quiet, giddy warmth bloomed in her chest.

Maybe this was the beginning of something more.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

The following week, Gabrielle walked into the seminar room for the first official day of the Career Development Program training. Her nerves were at a low simmer now - not the full-on panic from last time, but still enough to make her heart race as she took a seat near the back.

The session was led by an industry guest, a successful alumna from the marketing world who shared her journey from campus life to running her own PR agency. Gabrielle listened intently, writing notes, but found her thoughts drifting more than usual.

She was here.

In a room full of ambitious, driven people who, unlike her, seemed to know exactly where they were going.

"Don't overthink it, Gabbie," she whispered under her breath. "One step at a time."

As the speaker continued her presentation, Gabrielle took a deep breath, looking around the room. Across the table, she caught Austin's eye. He was furiously taking notes, occasionally nodding to himself. He gave her a small, reassuring smile, and that simple act of kindness made her feel a little lighter.

Mid-Session Break: A Chance Encounter

During the coffee break, Gabrielle stepped outside to get some air. The afternoon heat of Manila was starting to press in, and she wasn't sure if it was the weather or the nerves getting to her. She leaned against the stone railing overlooking the garden, breathing deeply.

"Fresh air, huh?"

Gabrielle turned at the voice, and saw Austin standing there, holding his cup of iced coffee. His hair was a little tousled, and there was an easy confidence about him that made it hard not to feel drawn in.

"Yeah," she replied, offering a small smile. "Needed a minute."

"You're not the only one," Austin chuckled, leaning next to her. "That last lecture was full of technical terms I had to pretend I understood." He glanced sideways at her. "You seem to be handling it pretty well, though."

Gabrielle shrugged, trying to play it cool. "I'm just here to learn, so... trying my best."

Austin gave her a side-eye. "I bet you're handling this whole 'career program' thing a lot better than you let on."

Gabrielle wasn't sure what to say. Was it that obvious? She forced a smile. "I'm just... trying to find my footing."

Austin tilted his head, studying her for a moment. "You know, sometimes people try to blend in because they're afraid they'll stand out for the wrong reasons. But... you know, standing out can be pretty cool too."

Gabrielle blinked, surprised by his words. She hadn't expected something so direct, but it felt... oddly comforting.

Before she could respond, a voice cut through the air.

"Gabrielle, right?"

Gabrielle turned, feeling the sudden shift in energy. Aiden.

Her stomach flipped. Was he... was he talking to her?

"Uh, yeah." Gabrielle cleared her throat. "Aiden, right?"

Aiden smiled. "I saw your artwork last week in the student gallery. You've got some real talent."

Gabrielle's heart skipped. "T-thank you." She wasn't sure how to keep her voice steady.

Aiden glanced at Austin, giving a polite nod. "Hey, Austin."

"Hey, Aiden," Austin replied casually, though there was something in his tone that Gabrielle couldn't quite place.

There was an awkward pause.

"Well," Aiden began, shifting his attention back to Gabrielle, "I just wanted to say I'm really looking forward to seeing what you bring to the program. I think you'll do great."

Gabrielle smiled faintly, too overwhelmed to respond. Her brain couldn't quite compute what was happening.

"Thanks," she managed. "I - I hope so."

Aiden nodded, then turned to walk back toward the seminar room, his footsteps light on the pavement.

Austin, who had been unusually quiet, glanced over at Gabrielle. "You okay?"

Gabrielle's heart was still pounding. "I - I don't know. Did that really just happen?"

Austin chuckled. "I think so. You're getting noticed, Gabbie."

The Rest of the Training Day

The rest of the session passed in a blur. Gabrielle tried her best to focus, but her mind kept replaying the brief conversation with Aiden. He had noticed her. For real.

And what Austin had said kept echoing in her thoughts - "Standing out can be pretty cool too."