The Girl I'll Only Love

THREE: I had to go

"I think it's good if you tell her." He pulled me aside to let his classmate enter the classroom.

I didn't know we were actually blocking the way.

"It's hard." I breathed out heavily.

"I know but wouldn't it feel better?"

"....I don't know."

I looked down at my feet, biting my lips... a habit I always do when I'm really troubled about things.

"Pepper senpai?"

"Hai?"

Still not looking up, he pat my head and said, "It's okay. You don't need to rush yourself."

-----BELL RINGS------

"....."

"You're going to be late for class."

I looked up now and saw these sophomore kids going into their classroom, looking at me as if they haven't seen a junior before.

Jacob picked up his bag, which was apparently on the floor the whole time and hung it over his shoulder.

I took his arm.

"Punta ka nga pala sa party mamaya."

"Party?"

"Just meet me and Yisol later, 'kay?"

"Sige, will do senpai!" He smiled and saluted me once.

Wow, he reminds me so much of my brother in Japan. I miss my family. Well, no use to be sad over it. I'll see them after I graduate anyway.

I didn't realize that I was really late.

And when I did, I ran so fast to my classroom.

WHY WAS JACOB'S CLASSROOM 2 FLOORS LOWER THAN OURS?!?!?

Shoot.

I am dead.

If Mr. Rodriguez get there first.....

Oh god.

"....Ikenouchi?"

"HERE!!!!!!!!" I screamed with all of my breath.

I had to stop in front of the door to breathe in and out a few times. My lungs can't do this.

"So, Ms. Ikenouchi is late for the first time?"

I bowed. I got used to bowing when I was in Japan.

"I'm sorry. Di ko po kasi namalayan na oras na."

"Hmm. Javier?"

Ouch! May nabunggo sa akin. Si Angelica!

"Present po!!"

"New student, right? And late?"

"Sorry po."

"Hay. Ano pa ginagawa niyong dalawa diyan? Go to your seats. It's both your first time to be late and I am hoping it's the last so I'm letting you off the hook this time."

"THANK YOU PO!" Sabay naming nasabi. Tumingin siya sa akin tapos ngumiti.

Natawa siguro na sabay at sakto yung sinabi naming pareho.

The whole school day went about this way:

Yisol and Mark were texting each other. Mark being in the other room across from ours.

They were fighting about something again.

And our classmates kept talking to Angelica.

She's new and people are curious.

And me?

During class, I'm a nerd. You can't talk to me. I'm taking down notes and listening to the boring teachers' lectures.

I mean it.

They ARE boring.

If only they would make entertaining lectures, studying would be better.

After class though, Jacob waited for us outside our classroom and we all went to the party Yisol wanted to go to.

I had to.

She's my bestfriend and I want her to think BETTER of me.

Better than JUST being her bestfriend.

On the way, Yisol kept telling me, "I think Jacob doesn't want you to meet that guy."

And kept asking me, "Why is he here anyway? I bet he's here to protect you."

I just also kept shrugging and told her, "No. I invited him, be quiet. I'm here for you and I don't want to be all alone with you talking to Mark's friends. I want to at least talk to someone."

When we got to the party, specifically to a bar named Of Every Thrust (YES I AM SO DONE WITH THESE PEOPLE NAMING THEIR BARS THIS WAY), there was a big surprise waiting for us.

Angelica was there too.

Angelica Javier.

And as I predicted, Jacob went straight to her.

He was making this silly grin on his face saying, "I'm sorry but there she is. Bye senpai! And thanks for inviting me!"

Ass.

So long story short, I was left alone for a while.

I just played games on my phone ever since I got there until....

"Pep, here's the guy I want you to meet."

I was sitting on one of the couches available in the bar and Yisol was standing in front of me.

With a guy beside her.

"He's Alfonso. We call him Fons."

Yisol was all smiles, excited to see me bright up or something.

But I didn't smile. I just nodded once.

"So.... Fons, this is Pepper. Pep for short."

The guy also looked like he was made to meet me and didn't want anything to do with me.

But he sat beside me. A few inches away. But still too near.

He was looking away though.

Looking at the girls dancing.

I tried breaking the silence.

I can't afford to stay at this place just to play games in my phone.

"You were made to meet me, huh?"

He didn't look at me but he clenched his fist immediately after I started talking. 

"Y-yeah. I'm so sorry. I s-should g-go now."

He stood up quickly but I stood up too.

I don't know what came over me but I walked right in front of him.

To face him.

"It's okay! I need company anyway."

"Oh. Good then." He sat back down and I sat beside him.

And then we went back to this silent atmosphere.

This time however, he was the one who broke the silence.

"I didn't want to go to the party."

"Me too."

He looked at me with disbelief.

"REALLY?"

"Yeah!"

"They were right then! We do have something in common!"

He laughed and then I noticed the dimple on his cheek. He was a good looking average guy if you ask me. He had black hair, bronzed skin tone. His eyes were small but you could still clearly his dark brown eyes.

The thing that turned me off though was this lone black earring on his left ear.