SCHOOL BUS
Spray Paint on Canvas (40in x 30in)
This painting depicts three high school students sitting at the back of a school bus.
“Eat faster, kids. Your school bus is coming,” Mom reminded while we were having our breakfast.
All of a sudden, a sound of a horn echoed outside the house. Mom kissed us on our cheeks and reminded us to study well. Chloe and I grabbed our backpacks and lunchboxes and ran towards the school bus. I already hopped on the bus’ step, but my sister was still running halfway.
“Chloe, faster,” I shouted.
Once we were inside the bus, I looked for vacant seats and spotted two at the back.
Eight years later…
Chloe and I walked through the aisle and sit at the back of the school bus. I and my sister were now seniors in high school.
The bus didn’t move yet, because it was still waiting for another passenger. People inside the bus looked out the windows; my sister and I did the same thing and saw Isagani opening the gate of the house he was taking care of. A boy wearing the same school uniform like ours came out.
“I didn’t know Isagani has a companion in the house now,” I said. “Could that be his son?”
“I don’t think so. Isagani has no wife and child yet,” said Chloe. “Actually, I saw a moving van yesterday and a couple of people carried packages into the house. Maybe, a family has recently relocated.”
Once he entered the school bus, murmurs started to flow. Somehow, I could perceive what their lips were saying:
“Who’s he?”
“Is he new in our school?”
“He's cute, isn't he?”
As he walked through the aisle in the bus, all of the girls were all eyes on him. He seated next to Chloe, since it was the only remaining vacant seat.
“I think he’s cute when he’s close,” Chloe giggled near my ear.
When I turned to her, I noticed that the new boy was facing us.
“Turn down your voice,” I whispered to my sister. “He’s looking our way. I think he heard what you just said.”
My sister’s face instantly turned red. She was frozen in the seat, until we reached our destination. Chloe stood up even before the bus came to a halt in a parking space in the school. She grabbed my hand till we reached the front end. We were the first ones to come out of the school bus, although we had seated at the back.
She walked fast down the corridor to our classroom and I couldn’t cope up with her pace, although there was no point of hastening because we were not really late.
What made things worse for Chloe this day was when our first class was interrupted to introduce our new classmate – the boy in the school bus. Chloe was my seatmate on my right, and I saw how her lower jaw fell in surprise. Just like what had happened on the bus, murmurs started to flow in the classroom.
Our new classmate’s name was Clayton Delaper, a transferee. His family used to live in another country, but they had decided to come back here in their native land. He hadn’t developed a different accent and still talked just like us.
The teacher told him to sit in a vacant seat and a desk at the back of the class, and all of the girls’ eyes followed him except for Chloe. Well, I have to admit that Clayton was kind of a good-looking guy. But believe me, please. I only had to take one more bath just to reach his level.
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Chloe & Chleo
Romantik"[W]hen I woke up, I realized I was falling in love with my own sister." - Chleo Solaire Jr. Chleo Solaire is a young contemporary artist whose dream is finally fulfilled when he had his first ever solo exhibit of his paintings. But no one...
