JOSHAM SORIANO
I sat down and plugged my earphones on as I wait for my friends to arrive. It’s the same first day of school scenario for me. Clean corridors, organized rooms, new faces, teachers pretending to be approachable towards parents, girls gossiping and boys laughing together…. It’s nothing new to me. Maybe the only thing that is new to me this school year is the fact that it is the second school year without Sadie.
I met Sadie way back my crayon years. She has always been inside my heart. But things went wrong and she slipped away from my fingers. I suffered one school year without her. I tried to move on. Right now, I’m in a relationship with no labels with Charlotte Grace Dy. Despite being in a colorful relationship with her, I still yearn for Sadie each day.
I could see Felix, Brent and Carlos running like they’ve been chased by a policeman. I wonder what’s up with them again. “Hey!”
Felix pulled me up from my chair and said, “Screw everything. We’re going down to the Principal’s office.”
“Why? It’s still the first day of school.”, I said in confusion. My friends and I are frequent visitors of the Principal’s office but not during the first day. I just arrived here. And I did not do anything wrong.
“She’s back.”, Brent said. A drop of his sweat rolled down his cheeks.
“W-Who’s back?”,I stammered as I followed them outside the classroom. We went down on a flight of stairs.
“Bingo!”, Carlos exclaimed.
“Her.”, Felix pointed out.
Through the windows of the Principal’s office, I saw a familiar figure. Long, wavy brown locks, fair skin and candle-like fingers… Sadie? I froze to my spot. It’s useless. She can’t remember me anymore.
“How’s your heart?”,Felix asked.
“I’m fine. I’m just fine with Charlotte. If I go back to her, she won’t remember anything for sure.”, I replied.
“Big fat liar. I bet you’re going to give Charlotte up within a month.”, Brent said as we went back to our classroom slowly.
“No. Within a week!”, Felix insisted.
Felix knows me very well. The four of us are good friends but Felix and I are closer. Ever since I was four years old, Felix has been my playmate. We’ve fought. We’ve teased. We’ve laughed and cried many times. Among my three best friends, he knows exactly how I feel no matter how much I deny it. We’re like blood brothers.
True. This might be very difficult for me. If ever Sadie and I cross paths again, my relationship with Charlotte will be affected. I like Charlotte….but not as much as I love Sadie.
/FLASHBACK/
I woke up to the sound of my little Chow Chow, Ash, barking. I pat its head and checked my phone. Ten messages….8 group messages from random schoolmates. 2 messages from my girlfriend, Sadie.
I know I’m too young to jump in to a relationship but both ‘rents are okay with it. Sadie and I have been going steady for four months already. This is our fourth month together. I dialed her number, hoping I could take her to a romantic dinner this evening.
“Hello.”, she answered the call.
“Good Morning, Sadie.”, I greeted her. We don’t have pet names for each other since we find it so irritating to hear.
“It’s almost noon, sleepyhead.”, She replied.
“Hey, calm down. Happy Fourth.”, I said.
