Not So Young

Not So Young Chapter 2

This story is dedicated to my friends in PSC De Montessori, especially that one that made a large dent on my 12-13 year old self (as of now). You'll know who. Eventually. ;) everyone's special to my life, having entered my early and mid-teenage years. Yes, even the arseholes and b***hes. 😸

But then again I could never underestimate the power of my readers now could I? This is also dedicated to you guys since you took the time to read it and some actually followed me. XD Plus, you are the reason I even continue writing my stories since most of the time I just forget about it and move on. (Ningas Kugon, much? 😅)

Anyway, just enjoy the story, peeps! 😺

~ Cokie 💜

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 2

5 months earlier...

"Hi, my name's Raneigh Candid Anderson. Call me Rennie or Ren. I'm 16 years old and I live in Parañaque City. I like to play the guitar, draw, and watch anime."

Don't get me wrong, this isn't some Miss Philippines introduction. I would've said it more enthusiastically if there ever came a time.

No, this is just an innocent student introduction for sophomore year in PoSaM High, short for Polo Sacred Montessori.

The LAST kind of school I wanted to be in.

It stood on the polluted roadside for 10-11 years, a small, worn-out school where you can memorize every place inside by just touring the school once. For me, anyway. My last school was too big for me petite self.

PoSaM had few students, partly because it was a montessori, mainly because nobody ever stayed there for long and I'm not exactly sure why.

I only know one thing: I didn't like this school if it wasn't for all the friends I made even before I introduced myself behind the teacher's desk. Plus, there's air conditioning.

I sat down on the 3rd chair of the 1st row, closest to the teacher. So much for having a surname that starts with the letter C and studying in a montessori.

"Hey, what should I say when I stand up?" A voice I met earlier said over my shoulder.

"Name, nickname, age and address. Oh, and hobbies too." I answered.

"Oh okay. Thanks, smartass!"

"What did she say?" Another voice I met earlier asked.

Their loud whisper fainted as I pulled my focus on a guy I also saw this morning. As expected, he was walking with his head down, phone on his hand and earphones connected to it. I could've sworn I could hear the music from way over here.

I wasn't that attracted to guys, especially a shy guy. I never thought of any relationships unless I was reading a book, and that wasn't even my own. However, I somehow feel weird around this guy. It seems like when I see him, the world stops momentarily until he passes. I wouldn't exactly call it a 'crush.' No, it wouldn't be that. It was just a sort of familiar yet shy feeling around him. Am I intimidated somehow?

I shook my head as if to shoo away a bug on my face and looked at the 2 people infront. They're introducing themselves together, why am I not surprised?

"Hello, my name is Krissy Rei Neviers. Just call me Kris. I am 16 years old, I live in Parañaque City and I love reading stories and hanging out with my friends."

"Hi, my name's Miranda Soho, no need for nicknames. I'm 16 years old, I also live in Parañaque City, Philippines, and I love to hang around with my best friends, dancing, and reading stories."

The two ultimate best friends I have seen in my entire life, Krissy and Miranda. They've known each other for over 3 years and are so inseparable, you can't tell them apart at times, substitute teachers would mix their names a lot, which they go fine with it.

They, again, sat behind me as the next, not so significant student at that time, took their place. Krissy looked like she came out of a haunted house, gathering her long, dyed-brown, permed hair to her right side, her long neck for support, "Did we do okay?"

Miranda nudged her a bit, "We did fine, Kris... Right?" She turned to me, clearly as pale as Krissy was, her black, 1 year rebonded hair flowing down her sides, the original strands placed on top of her head like a curly tiara.

I chuckled, "Yeah, you guys did great." Then threw a friendly wink at them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As a senior in this town, teachers still treat us like kids at times but expect to fulfill their commands like adults, which is quite unfair for us, really.

I ate my lunch during recess 'cause that's just how we roll.

"Hey, are you gonna eat that?" Klarra asked infront of me and I moved my lunch away from her 'cause I thought her drool was gonna plop down my food to mark its territory.

"You have your own food, Klar!" I exclaimed.

"Okay okay, sheesh. Just asking." She admitted defeated, hands in the air, pulling back to her seat.

Questions stormed after that from Krissy and Miranda about me. Where I live (already said in introduction.), what was my school before (Assumption Antipolo, I know, far away.), if I ever had a boyfriend (never!), etc. They were acting like we haven't seen each other for a long time and demanded every detail of my life during our separation, which was abruptly 15-16 years straight.

It felt nice to have friends like this.

I still had that aching feeling I had this morning though. The feeling that this isn't gonna last long and that someone's watching me.

I looked around the venue. Seniors being crazy as usual, boys of our batch in the canteen demanding more ketchup for their saucer, juniors at the corner being secluded from the whole school... Is that? Yeah, it's him. The guy from before. I kept quiet and tried to look away. I've got no time for staring.

"So," I said, "How much is the coke here?"