kundiman.

chapter 2.

"You'll have to get an ID downstairs," says Jason's home room teacher. "Is it in the office sir?"

The teacher looks at Jason blankly. "My name is Mrs. Washington."

Mrs. Washington's voice was comparable to a smoker who smoked 3 packs of cigarettes everyday for the past 25 years and gargles razor blades every morning. Her short hair didn't help Jason's case either.

"Oh. I'm sorry ma'am. I didn't mean to-"

"Just get the ID Jason."

"Yes ma'am," he says shamefully.

He exits the room and makes his way down the stairs. He whips out his phone and looks at his wallpaper: a picture of him and his mother.

"Mom, the day hasn't even started and I'm already messing everything up. What a start to th-"

He runs into someone. He catches the person instinctively. He looks directly at the person's face. Tender but radiating, gentle but glowing, elegant but bright. Her lips shining like dew, cheeks plump and pink like a rose, and her eyes like almonds; she begins hijacking Jason's every thought. "She's beautiful," he thinks. He hurries to stand her up.

//////////////

"Jason. How could you be so stupid? Ugh. You're literally an idiot. Why would you bow? And then you reach out to grab her boobs like you were gonna help them feel better. GAHHHHH," he says walking into the office to get his ID.

He would spend the next 4 periods thinking about that girl at the stairwell. He couldn't get her face out of his head.

The feeling of her silky hair perfectly falling around his hands as he caught her keeps replaying in his mind.

"Jason."

Her eyes sparkling with every blink.

"Jason?"

Her cute button nose turning red because of the cold.

"Jason!"

"Huh?? What??"

"Please introduce yourself to the class," says his history teacher impatiently. The students are told to present three facts about themselves. Every teacher seems to have the same ice-breaker activity and Jason has zoned out in every single one of them.

"Oh oh. I'm sorry. I'm Jason-" and he continues to tell the same three facts he's said since first period.

//////////////

Jason walks out of fifth period as the lunch bell rings. As he motions towards the hallway, a large voice blurts out, "Hey!"

He turns around to see two buff students with their hoods on walking his way. They're wearing football uniforms over their hoodies.

He immediately knows who they are by the smell of the cheap aerosol body spray. He prepares himself for the worst.

The two meatballs corner him against some lockers, when he begins to recognize the one to the right. "K- Kyle?"

"JASON!!!!!" The meatball to the right picks Jason up in a bear hug, nearly crushing him (which is saying a lot giving Jason's 6'3, 195 pounds of pure muscle).

"AHHHH!" Jason lets out as Kyle puts him back down. "BOY YOU'RE A SIGHT FOR SORE EYES!"

Jason and Kyle Macario have been best friends since they were little. They grew up as neighbors; they played football together, they constantly wrestled each other, they basically were like brothers. Kyle moved to a different part of town in middle school, but Jason made sure to keep his friendship with Kyle alive. 

"I've been looking everywhere for you. You didn't get my text?" Kyle asks.

"No, my phone's been in my backpack. I haven't checked it."

"You are such a freshman. Loosen up kid."

"Oh shut up," Jason giggles. Kyle introduces Jason to the other meatball, "Jay, this is Brian Gonzales, sophomore Left Tackle."

"Nice to meet you," Jason says as he instantly regrets shaking his abnormally strong hand.

"So how's your first day?" Kyle asks as they make their way to the cafeteria.

"Garbage," Jason says grumpily.

"Why? What happened?"

"Well first I didn't know I needed an ID right away. So I had to go all the way from the second floor to the office. Then I ran into this girl-"

"What? A girl? Was she hot?" Kyle asks like a maniac.

"She was pretty. Yeah."

"So what happened?"

"I accidentally ran into her coming down the stairs. I apologized by bowing."

Kyle gives Jason a disgusted look. "Yeah I know. Leave me alone," Jason says.

"How'd she respond?"

"Well, what's even worse is, when I bowed I didn't realize I was so close to her and my head hit her boob."

"Ohhhh my gahhh," Kyle says with his palm on his forehead.

"I didn't mean it!"

Suddenly, Jason spots Clara walking into the cafeteria. His face flushes white.

"Yo, you good? You look like you seen a ghost," Kyle asks.

"That's her," Jason says pointing to Clara as she opens the door and walks inside with her friends.

"Clara?" Brian asks perplexed.

"Clara? HAHAHAHAHA! Bro! That's Brian's sister!"

Jason turns bright red again and offers his apologies to Brian.

"Dude I'm so sorry I had no idea. I didn't mean anything. It was an accident I swear. Like I didn't know she was your sis-"

"Bro calm down," Brian says laughing, "it's cool. You seem like a cool dude. Want me to put in a good word for you?" Brian says jokingly as he shoves Jason.

"Ha. Haha. No no I'm good," Jason says rubbing his shoulder.

"So you cool with Jason hitting on your sister?" Kyle asks Brian playfully.

"Shut up Kyle," Jason whispers.

"Nah it's cool haha. But if you even think you're getting in her pants you're as good as dead," Brian says as he glares at Jason, clenching his fists.

"No no. There'll be none of that," he assures Brian.

"Good. But to get to her you need to change your look. You look like you haven't showered in weeks. She'll never like you looking like that," Brian says.

"Uhm. Sure. Ok," Jason agrees.