Clara awakes to her piercing alarm.
*5:45* it reads.
She groans and forces her body off of the bed. She makes her way to the bathroom and steps into the shower. She is shocked by the cold water that hits her scalp. She comes to her senses and adjusts the temperature of the water. Steam blows past the shower curtain and into the mirrors forming a fog. She turns off the water and pats herself dry.
She makes her way back into her room and stands in her walk-in closet, looking to see what she'll wear. She can't make up her mind.
"Jamie!" Clara exclaims as she FaceTimes her best friend.
"Hmm," Jamie moans as she hasn't even gotten out of bed. Her hair looks like a bird's nest and a pathway of her dried drool is imprinted on her cheek.
"What should I go for today? Girly preppy? Or hot tomboyish?"
"Whatever you think mystery guy will like more."
Clara's eyes widen in her realization. She completely forgot about Jason.
"OOO! Ahhhh! I almost forgot. Jeez. Thanks Jamie."
"Doooooooon't mention it," Jamie says falling back asleep.
She rushes to her vanity and does her makeup, thinking about Jason.
Clara chooses to go with an oversized, black graphic tee with Blackpink on it, black loosely fitting jeans, vans, and a beanie.
///////
Jason jumps out of his dad's car and motions towards the entrance of the school. His stomach is doing flips; his hands become numb. He waits for Clara to show up. As he stands near the stairwell, he rushes through his thoughts; "what to say, how to say it, do I smell alright..."
He walks back away from the stairwell in hesitation to look for Kyle and Brian.
He loses himself in his questions and doesn't see Clara is passing right by him.
His whole body clenches as he realizes.
//////////////
Clara and Jamie see Jason standing near the stairwell as she walks through the entrance. Clara panics and walks back out as Jamie follows.
"Ok. Smell check," Clara says hurriedly.
"Like a freshly picked flower," replies Jamie.
"Booger check."
"No bats in the cave."
"Food in between teeth check."
"All clear."
"Breath check."
"Like a bin full of trash."
"Ok good. WAIT WHAT?!"
"I'm kidding you crackhead. You smell great."
"Ehehhhh. Don't do that!"
"Hehe. Now I'll go in first. Then you. You got this."
Jamie enters the doors and glances at Jason from head to toe as she passes him. She makes it past the stairwell and through the main doors into the hallway and signals for Clara to come in.
As Clara makes her way into the door. Jason suddenly turns back away from the stairs. She walks by Jason.
Nothing.
Clara's face droops in disappointment as she motions towards the stairs.
//////////////
"Hey!"
Clara is jolted near the staircase as she looks back towards Jason.
He's walking towards her.
"Oh my gosh oh my gosh is he talking to me?" she asks herself.
"Hey! Uhm. Hi."
"Hi?" Clara says in a puzzled manner.
"Yeah. I- uh. I just-iwantedtoapologizeforyesterdayiwasjustinarushandididntwannabelateforclassandihadtogototheofficeforanIDandijust-"
"Hey hey," Clara says giggling, "it's ok don't worry about it."
Jason sighs. "I mumbled didn't I."
"I didn't understand a word you said." Clara can't stop giggling.
"Yeah. I'm working on that. I'm Jason by the way."
"Clara."
YOU ARE READING
kundiman.
Storie d'amorekundiman // tagalog // noun. : a traditional Filipino love song or serenade // kundiman - kung 'di man Jason and Clara: two friends, mixed signals, regret. Circumstances strike left and right, and the two seem to be destined to never be more than st...
