Zyren KaelVillafuer

Rowene was just a regular student at PNHS, preparing for the school’s 60th Foundation Anniversary. Stalls were rising outside the gates, colorful tarpaulins stretching across bamboo frames, and the familiar street near their barangay was temporarily transformed into a lively perya. Game booths lined the road. Music played louder each night. Three days before the celebration, Rowene focused on one thing—the Mardigra competition. She would represent her grade level at the school field that night. It was a big deal. Practice, coordination, pressure. She had no time for distractions. Every afternoon, she walked past the perya on her way home. It was still technically a road, just rented for the fiesta. She never expected anything from it—just noise, lights, and strangers. But someone notice