Chapter 136 My Number One
Mia's POV
"Please tell me, Mia... you're not breaking up with me."
Liam's voice was soft, almost pleading, as he pulled away from the kiss. His hands were still on my arms, like he was afraid that if he let go, I would disappear.
I couldn't speak right away. I just stared at the boy who had become my comfort and my greatest weakness.
"Liam..." I whispered, my voice trembling despite how hard I tried to stay strong. "Are you really sure you want to be with me?"
He frowned, confused, but I forced myself to continue before I could lose my courage.
"You know my situation," I said quietly. "Ever since my dad died... and my mom left me with my siblings... everything changed for me."
My chest tightened as I spoke, but I didn't stop.
"I promised my father that I would finish college. That I would become someone he could be proud of." I swallowed hard. "That promise... it's the only thing that keeps me going, Liam."
I looked down at my hands, afraid that if I looked at him, I would break.
"If I fail... if I get distracted... then everything I sacrificed would be for nothing." My voice cracked slightly. "Becoming a lawyer... that's not just a dream for me. It's how I honor him. It's how I survive."
Silence filled the space between us, but it didn't feel peaceful. It felt heavy.
Painful.
"And I will do whatever it takes to graduate," I added, more firmly this time, even if my heart was shaking. "But I don't want you to give up your own dreams just because of me."
Finally, I looked up at him. And when I did, I saw the same look in his eyes that always made me weak.
Liam smiled. "My only dream right now..." he said slowly, stepping closer, "...is to marry Atty. Mia Villaruiz someday."
My breath hitched. His dimples appeared as his smile widened, and just like that, my defenses started to crumble. I felt my cheeks heat up, my heart racing against my chest like it didn't want to listen to my mind anymore.
Because no matter how hard I tried to be strong and told myself to choose my dreams first, a part of me still wanted to believe him. I still wanted to choose him. And that was what scared me the most.
"I promised you, Mia... you will graduate."
Liam's voice was steady, but there was something in his eyes that made my chest tighten. He wasn't just saying it. He meant every word.
"I will do everything I can to support you," he continued, gently squeezing my hand. "I will show you every single day how much I care about you... how much I love you."
I felt my breath catch.
"You don't have to carry everything alone anymore," he added softly. "I will make sure you finish your studies. You will walk across that stage with your head held high... with flying colors. And one day..."
He smiled at me, the kind of smile that always made me forget my fears.
"One day, I will be the first person to call you Atty. Mia Villaruiz. Because I know you will make it."
My heart ached in the most beautiful and painful way.
"Liam..." I whispered, my voice trembling.
I stared at him, at the way he looked at me like I was already the person I was still struggling to become.
"Well... if you promised to stay with me," I said slowly, gathering the courage I didn't even know I had, "to love me no matter what happens..."
I took a deep breath.
"Then I will wait for you," I continued, my voice softer but full of meaning. "After graduation... I will be there. And I can't wait to spend my lifetime with you."
His smile deepened, his dimples showing as his eyes softened even more.
"Thank you, Mia," he said quietly, like my words meant everything to him. He took my hand and held it tighter, as if he was already claiming a future that didn't exist yet.
"After you graduate," he went on, excitement slipping into his voice, "we will leave the city."
I blinked in surprise.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"I already made plans," he said, a little proud, a little nervous. "I contacted someone I know there. We can start over... somewhere new. Just the two of us."
My heart started racing.
"Where?" I asked, curiosity and excitement mixing inside me. He chuckled softly and shook his head.
"I knew you would ask," he said teasingly. "But I want it to be a surprise."
I pouted slightly, but he only smiled more.
"I've been saving, Mia," he added, his voice more serious now. "I already made a deposit for our new place."
Our new place. The words echoed in my mind, warm and terrifying at the same time. I felt excitement bloom inside me, but also a quiet sadness.
Because leaving meant saying goodbye to everything I struggled through. And goodbye... to the people who became my family.
"Hey," Liam said gently, noticing my expression. "Don't worry. You will love it there."
He paused, then added with a grin,
"To make you feel better... it's actually near Josh's city. The place where he grew up."
My eyes widened.
"Really?" I asked, my voice lifting with excitement.
He nodded, and just like that, the heaviness in my chest disappeared.
A new place. A fresh start. The days that followed became a blur of responsibilities.
Final exams were approaching, and everything felt intense. I buried myself in my books, trying to stay focused, reminding myself of my promise.
But even in the middle of all the stress Liam never stopped. He would send me pictures of the place he found. Small updates. Little details about the life he was planning for us.
Sometimes it was just a photo of a simple room. Sometimes it was a message about furniture, or a café nearby, or how peaceful the place looked.
And every time my phone lit up with his name I couldn't help but smile. Little by little, I started to imagine it. A life away from everything that hurt me.
A life where I could finally breathe with him.
And I allowed myself to hope again. I couldn't wait to leave the city behind. To forget the pain. To start over.
"Congratulations, Mia, for excelling in all your subjects in the final exam!" Liam said, his voice warm with pride as he followed me inside our small apartment.
I paused for a moment by the door, still trying to process everything that had happened today. The results of the final exam had finally been released this afternoon, marking the official end of our classes. All that was left now was to return to the academy to process our clearance and attend the graduation rehearsals.
I should have felt nothing but happiness. And I did... somehow. But deep inside, there was a quiet doubt I couldn't ignore.
"I still can't believe it," I murmured, setting my bag down as I looked at him. "Everything feels so... unreal."
Liam smiled at me, his eyes soft, as if he already knew what was going on inside my head.
"You deserve it, Mia," he said gently. "You worked hard for this."
I forced a small smile, but it didn't quite reach my eyes.
"Yes... I did," I replied softly. "But..."
I hesitated, unsure if I should even say it out loud. Still, this was Liam. The one person I couldn't lie to, no matter how hard I tried.
"A part of me feels like... I don't know," I admitted, looking down at my hands. "Like maybe I'm not really number one."
His expression shifted slightly, confusion flashing across his face. "What do you mean?"
I took a deep breath before finally meeting his eyes.
"You're smarter than me, Liam," I said honestly. "I know you are. If you really wanted to, you could have done perfectly in the final exam without even trying."
My chest tightened as the thought I had been pushing away finally surfaced.
"It feels like... you held back," I continued, my voice quieter now. "Like you made mistakes on purpose... just so I could be on top."
Liam laughed softly, the sound light and familiar, as if everything in the world was simple and right.
"Well... maybe I could be," he said, rubbing the back of his neck with a small grin. "But I'm honestly happy being your number two, Mia... as long as I'm still number one in your heart."
I couldn't help it. I giggled, shaking my head at him.
"That was so lame," I teased, even though my chest felt warm hearing those words.
"I know," he admitted, laughing with me. Then his expression softened, turning more serious as he looked at me. "But if you want me to be honest... I really did study hard. That's all this is." I blinked, surprised by how sincere he sounded.
"You earned this, Mia," he continued gently. "You're better than me. It's about time you start believing that."
His words settled deep inside me, but instead of comfort, fear crept in.
"I'm sure you'll be the valedictorian," he added with quiet confidence. "And I wouldn't be surprised if colleges start offering you scholarships left and right."
My smile faltered for a split second. The principal's warning suddenly echoed in my mind, sharp and heavy. Those photos. The threat. The possibility of everything being taken away from me.
My chest tightened, but I quickly forced myself to smile before Liam could notice.
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," I said lightly, trying to sound normal.
But inside, my mind was in chaos. Liam looked so sure and certain that everything would work out for us.
And I wanted to believe him. Because believing him was easier than facing the truth, that everything we had could fall apart at any moment. Still, I held onto his gaze and smiled a little brighter.
As long as we're together, everything will be fine.
At least that's what I kept telling myself.