It was still morning, but our house was already buzzing with energy. I'd told Roverth to come at seven to start the final calculations for our project—and like always, he arrived right on time, carrying the books and papers we needed.
"Whoa, you're early!" I said as I took his things. "I already cooked the adobo—are you hungry?"
"Thanks, but maybe we should finish the hard part first before we eat," he said, smiling and looking at my desk, which was covered with sketches, calculators, and a laptop.
"I found a new formula last night—maybe we can use it to fix the monitor's power supply." He laid down a paper full of numbers and lines, and I immediately understood what he meant.
As we worked in my room, I felt the dynamic between us had changed. It wasn't like before, when we felt we had to prove how good we were to each other—now, we were truly working as a team.
I explained how the monitor detects heart rhythms, while he solved the math problems to optimize the device's size.
"Hey, look at this!" I said excitedly, pointing to a part of my sketch. "If we do it this way, we can make it waterproof—so people can use it even in rainy areas!"
"That's such a great idea!" he said, writing it down in his notebook right away. "But we need to check if our materials can handle it first—we might go over budget."
I smiled as I watched him. It felt like I was seeing for the first time how careful he was with every detail—every number, every decision, he thought through thoroughly.
"You know, Roverth?" I said, stopping my drawing. "At first, I thought you were just too serious and wouldn't understand me. But now… maybe we really are a great team."
He paused his writing and looked into my eyes. "You too, Megan," he said, smiling softly. "At first, I thought you were too loud and didn't take work seriously. But now, I know you're the best partner I could have asked for this project."
My face felt warm again, so I quickly looked down and went back to drawing.
It was noon when Liza and Bea arrived, carrying snacks and a new laptop they said they'd borrowed from their cousin to speed up our digital presentation.
"Hey! Looks like you're almost done, huh?" Liza said, glancing at our project, which was now in its final stage. "But I have news—Marco's group is also making a medical device for the Science Fair. They say their design is more advanced than ours."
I felt a sudden weight in my chest. Marco was another top student in our batch—always second in rankings after Roverth, and they were always competing in contests.
"I'm sure theirs isn't better than ours," I said firmly, but I could feel Roverth was also having doubts.
"We need to make our project more special," he said, picking up a book about community health. "Maybe we can add a section on how this monitor helps rural areas—because we're not just graded on technology, but on social impact too."
"That's right!" Bea said, grabbing a paper and starting to write down our ideas for community outreach. "We can say it can be given to barangay health centers that don't have enough equipment!"
From then on, everything changed—we weren't scared of the competition anymore; we were more determined to make our project meaningful.
It was Science Fair day. I woke up early to fix our display board and the prototype of the portable heart monitor we'd made with recycled materials and cheap electronics.
When we arrived at school, I immediately noticed the crowd of students and teachers gathering in the gymnasium—everyone was full of hope and excitement.
"Nervous?" Roverth asked me as we set up our project on our assigned table.
"Of course!" I said, holding his arm to calm my breathing. "But I know we'll do well together."
As the judges started scoring, I felt the tension in the air. I saw Marco's group presenting their project—it looked more high-tech, but it seemed to lack a story about how it would help people.
When the judges reached our table, we started presenting right away. Roverth explained the technical parts and calculations, while I talked about the design process and how it could help those in need.
The judges asked lots of questions, but we answered them together. "Your project is wonderful," one of the judges, who was a doctor, said. "Especially the part about rural health—our only goal in medicine is to help people."
After all the presentations, all the groups gathered in the middle of the gymnasium for the announcements. "At this year's Science Fair, we don't just score on technology," the school principal said. "We also score on the heart and passion you put into your work."
When second place was announced, Marco's group won. Then, when it was time for the champion, I heard our names:
"And the winner of Best Project this year is the team of Megan Alzie Mandatore and Roverth Corringan—for their Portable Heart Monitor for Community Health!"
I couldn't believe it. Tears of joy streamed down my face, and Roverth suddenly hugged me.
"We did it!" he said, smiling so wide his eyes lit up with happiness. Liza and Bea ran over next, and we laughed and cheered together.
After the program, we walked out of the gymnasium with our trophy. "You know, Megan?" Roverth said, looking at me. "Maybe we really are a great team. Maybe we can work together again in the next contest."
"Sure!" I said, smiling back. "But next time, no more fights, okay? It's more fun when we help each other."
"Never again," he said, squeezing my hand for a moment. "I'll never get tired of helping you—no matter what."
As we walked home, I thought—why didn't I notice earlier that Roverth was more than just a campus crush or a top student? Maybe he was the one who'd be with me as I chased my dreams—not just in school, but in the future too.
When we reached the school gate, I saw my mom and dad waiting in the car. They rushed over and hugged me tightly. "We're so proud of you, sweetheart!" Dad said, patting my head. "We told your grandma—she'll be so happy for you."
I also saw Roverth's mom standing by their car, smiling and waiting for him. "Come on, Roverth! Let's go home to celebrate!" she called out. Roverth nodded, but he was still looking at me.
"I have to go," I said to him, smiling softly. "Thanks for everything—we wouldn't have won without you."
"It's not just me," he said, looking down for a moment. "You're the reason our project was special. And… can we meet tomorrow? I want to show you something."
"S-sure!" I said, my face warming up again. "Just come to my house tomorrow afternoon."
The next afternoon, Roverth arrived at our house carrying a small box and a book. "Hey, what's that?" I asked as I led him into our garden. "For you," he said, handing me the box.
I opened it and saw a small heart-shaped keychain engraved with "Science Fair Champions 20XX" and our names. "It's so beautiful!" I said, clipping it to my bag right away. "Thank you so much, Roverth."
"Here's more," he said, handing me the book—it was a collection of stories about famous doctors and scientists who'd changed the world. "Read this when you lose hope. My mom says it's important to always remember why you started the things you love."
I stared at the book, then at him. "Do you know what I want to do when I grow up?" I said, sitting down on a garden chair. "I want to be a cardiothoracic surgeon—I want to help people with heart problems, especially those who can't afford to go to big hospitals."
"Really?" he said, sitting down next to me. "As for me… I want to be a private investigator. I want to find justice for people who can't speak up for themselves. I heard a story about my grandpa once—he was an investigator in Europe, and he helped so many people."
I paused. "Europe?" I asked. "Will you not come back here if you study there?" A heavy feeling settled in my chest at the thought of not seeing him again.
"I'm not sure yet," he said, looking up at the darkening sky. "But no matter where I go, I'll never forget our project… and I'll never forget you, Megan."
Tears started streaming down my face. "Don't forget me, okay?" I said, holding his hand. "Maybe one day, you'll still need a doctor friend… or maybe I'll need an investigator to help me."
He smiled and wiped my tears with his hand. "I won't forget. Maybe one day, we'll work together on something even bigger—still helping people."
Months passed, and it was time for the second semester. Roverth and I grew even closer—we studied together, talked about our dreams, and sometimes cooked adobo and sinigang at my house.
But I noticed something different about him—he was often on the phone with his mom, and once or twice I saw him reading brochures about schools in Europe.
One day, he pulled me to the covered court—the same place we'd first talked properly after our fight. "Megan," he said, looking nervous. "I need to tell you… I'm going to Europe next year. I'll study criminology and investigative studies there."
My chest ached, but I forced a smile. "O-of course… you should chase your dream, Roverth."
"But we might not be able to talk much," he said, holding my hand tightly. "We might not see each other for a long time."
"I'm sure it'll be okay," I said, holding back tears. "We have video calls, right? And maybe when I go to college, I can study abroad too—maybe I'll see you again."
He smiled a sad but happy smile. "Okay. Just remember—you can achieve any dream you set your mind to. You're the most amazing person I've ever met, Megan. And I'll never forget you."
"You too, Roverth," I said, hugging him tightly. "Don't forget there's a chatty doctor waiting for you here."
Years passed after that. I studied medicine at one of the best schools in the country, and fulfilled my dream of becoming a cardiothoracic surgeon at St. Aurelius Medical Center. Every now and then, Roverth and I would video call—he said he was studying hard in Europe and had started helping with cases as a junior investigator. He always congratulated me on my successes, and I did the same for him.
Then one day, I got news about patients who'd died from unexplained complications at the hospital. As I read their records, I suddenly remembered what Roverth had said years ago: "Maybe one day, we'll work together on something even bigger—still helping people." In that moment, I knew—I had to call him. We needed to be a team again.
I ran to my office and grabbed my phone. I looked up Roverth's number in my contacts—it was one I'd never deleted, even after all these years. As the phone rang, my heart raced like a fast march. "Hello?" I heard his voice from the other end—deeper now, with the sound of maturity.
"Roverth? It's Megan," I said, my voice slightly shaking. "I have something to tell you."
"Megan! How are you?" I could feel the joy in his voice right away. "It's been so long. How's work at St. Aurelius?"
"It's okay… but there's a problem," I said, lowering my voice so no one would hear. "Some patients died after I operated on them—and I can't explain why. Their lab results don't add up, and it feels like some people here are hiding something."
He was quiet for a moment. "Are you serious?" he asked, his voice turning serious too. "What do you mean, hiding something?"
"I don't know yet, but I can feel it," I said, sitting down. "But I'm scared—I'm scared my colleagues will get hurt, or the hospital's reputation will be ruined. And I'm scared I'll be the next one accused."
He walked over and held my hand. "You won't be alone in this," he said, his voice calm but brave. "Like before, we'll work together. I'll find the evidence, you'll explain the medical details to me. If someone's doing this on purpose, we'll find them—whoever they are."
I looked at him, and suddenly remembered the day of the Science Fair—when he'd said I'd never be alone. "Do you know how much I missed you?" I said suddenly, unable to hold it back. "Especially when I was studying medicine—I often lost hope, but I'd look at the keychain you gave me and remember you saying I could do anything."
He smiled a sad but happy smile. "I missed you too, Megan. I often think about the days we worked in your room—how we'd laugh while studying. I told myself one day, we'd see each other again."
There was a knock on the door. "Dr. Megan? Your patient is waiting in the OR," a nurse said as she walked in. "You need to go now."
I looked at Roverth, knowing I had to leave. "Okay, I have to go," I said, standing up and grabbing my scrubs. "Why don't you look through the other records here while I'm gone? Maybe you'll find more details."
"Sure," he said, looking at the folders. "Be careful in there, okay? Someone might be watching you."
"Of course," I said, smiling at him. "And Roverth… thanks for coming."
"You're welcome," he said, smiling back. "Remember—our team isn't done yet. This might be the biggest project we'll ever work on."
As I walked to the OR, I thought—years had passed, but nothing had really changed. Roverth was still the one who'd drop everything to help me, and I was still the one who trusted him completely. Now, we were fighting for something bigger—not just a Science Fair trophy, but for people's lives. And I knew—with him by my side, we'd never lose.