Bittersweet

Chapter 1

"Jessica?"

I feel a nudge.

"Jessica. Hey!"

Startled, I open my eyes and realize that I have almost fallen asleep in class. I yawn and continue with what we're doing. Our chemistry teacher gives us a look and then proceeds with what he's writing on the board.

The school year feelings are just starting to kick in. It's been almost a month since it started. We are high school juniors now. There are not much new students. I still got placed in the same section with Amy, one of my best friends. My other best friend is Sarah, her fraternal twin sister, who belongs to the other section, because we have 2 sections per year level.

I am the top-notcher of my class. I have been since grade school. People often ask me how I do it. The answer is, I don't really know. It comes naturally to me. I'm not like those students who study every single day at home---I'm not a nerd! I consider myself a little lazy, even. Thank the potatoes I have this talent.

"Sorry," I say to Amy, the one who woke me up. "Must have been the lack of sleep."

Amy rolls her eyes. "You always say that. What do you do at home, anyway?"

I ignore her question and play with my pen. "Hey, Sarah told me she wanted to tell us something," Amy tells me. "I think it's about a new program of the school. I don't know. I don't care."

"Oh, I see..." I say. "Let's wait for recess."

"Jessica Diaz and Amy Gonzalez, if you two don't shut your mouths, I am going to send you out!" our teacher yells. I give Amy a look and continue writing. She does the same.

At last, the bell rings, signalling recess. Amy and I wait outside the room for Sarah.

"Waiting for someone, girls?" someone with a familiar voice behind us says.

I turn around and see Sarah smiling at us. "Yeah, as usual," I say. We start walking towards the cafeteria. "Hey, your sister told me that you wanted to tell us something."

"What? Oh, yeah. It's not a big deal, anyway," Sarah says with a shrug. "I just heard that there will be a new program for the high school. I hope it's going to be fun."

"That's it?" Amy says, as if reading my thoughts. "Ah, I'm hungry. I hope there's carbonara. I can smell it."

Upon our arrival, I automatically search for a place for us to eat. Since I bring my own snacks most of the time, I don't have to go and fall in line to buy food. I sit down and wait for Amy and Sarah. And then, in my peripheral vision, I notice someone glancing at me multiple times.

I look around. I see students from different year levels. I couldn't figure out who the glancing person was. I shrug the thought off and continue eating.