School Year

Chapter 1

This is bad.

Really...

Really BAD.

Why?

It's just because my childhood friend turned out to be the school's heartthrob and ask a request that never a best friend does.

"Okay, so you want me stay away to you?!" Hindi ako makapaniwalang tanong ko sa kaniya.

Here we are walking home from school. Lagi kaming sabay umuuwi simula nung elementary dahil na sa isang subdivision lang kami.

"Yes. Can't you do that for me?" he pouts.

"Nicholas, I don't know if I could do that." I began to explain. Yes, I will never do that. Lalo na sa kaniya but I don't know why.

"Stephannie, you know my dream is to be famous. Please, just for the whole year."

"Di mo naman kailangan mangarap eh. Kasi simula nung nursery ikaw na lagi pinaka napapansin na lalaki. And 'just'. How can you say that to your childhood friend?" I argue.

"You are being childish Steph." Napatigil ako sa komento niyang yun. Ako childish?! "You know that since child we're arranged marriage. I can feel it. Kaya lang naman kita naging best friend kasi close ang mga pamilya natin."

Tahimik lang ako. Si Nich ba'to. Tsk. Oo nga naman, naging friends lang kami dahil close ang mga pamilya namin. Tama naman. Nagkikinabangan lang ang mga parents namin.

"Okay."

Huminto na rin siya.

"Okay? Payag ka?"

I smiled.

"Yes, we will going to act like strangers in the next morning. Right? Good thing I am born to be an actress." then wink.

"Really?!" tanong niya na parang manhid.

"Of course. Drama mo pa kanina. I guess we really born to be a star." the giggled.

Ginulo niya ang buhok ko. I think forever na tong manhid. At forever na rin akong artista.

He walk ahead of me. I watch his back as I follow him. Already? He's already keeping his space from me?

~

Mag dalawang buwan na simula non. Buong school year ah?

Nakilala ko si Dianne Gonzales at naging best friend ko siya. Masaya siyang kasama mas mabait pa dun sa lalaking yun. Lagi siyang nanlilibre at nagtutulungan kaming mag review during weekends.

"Kamusta na kaya si Nicholas??" tanong niya.

Pero isa rin siya sa mga humahanga kay Nich. At ang masama di niya alam na childhood friend ako ni Nicholas.

"Okay lang yun. Kahit nasa panganib siya maraming babae ang handang iligtas siya." sarcastic kong sagot.

Nasa cafeteria kami ngayon. Lunch break. I bought pasta and lemon juice while Dianne bought Hawaiian Pizza and a bottle of soft drink.

"Grabe ka naman, ikaw lang sa school siguro ang walang pagnanasa sa kaniya."

Watch your words Dianne. Pagnanasa talaga. Dati pa. Kaya kayo back off please.

"He doesn't deserve a beautiful and kind creature like me." I wink.

"Beautiful and kind creature, oh please!! Sa fantasies nalang yun nag-eexist no."

"I see ganun pala ah. Eh yung isang kalog na nerd kaya sa fantasies lang siya magugustuhan ni Heartthrob boy~." balik na asar ko sa kaniya. May standing ano pa yun ah.

"Shhh!!!" tinakpan niya ang bibig ko.

"Okay chill. I'll zip my mouth. Bakit ba?"

Lumapit siya sa akin at bumulong, "Nandiyan siya noh?! Nakakahiya! At tsaka di ako nerd iba yun sa geek."

A-andiyan siya? Oo. siyempre SCHOOL cafeteria to no at LUNCH BREAK ngayon. Just be the stranger character.

Maraming lumapit na mga babae sa table niya at kinalimutan ang kanilang mga pagkain. At isa pa si Dianne

"Wait lang Steph ah, I'll check,"

I sigh. How pity of me. The pressure of acting is killing me. I finish my food as fast as I can pero bago pa ako makaalis dumaan sa table ko si Nicholas.

Dumaan siya. Kasunod niya ang mga Admirers niya kaya ito natumba yung inuupuan ko.

Walang pakialam ang mga tumumba sa akin na parang sinasadya pa nila.

"Can't you watch your way?!"

Dahil sa lakas ng boses ko nagtinginan silang lahat sa akin pati na si Nicholas.

"Excuse me? Who are you referring?" mataray na sagot ng nakabangga sa akin. Okay so hindi siya mag-so-sorry?

Alright.

"Are you playing dumb? You don't need to you're like one." A smirk emerges from my face.

"Oh, it's Ms. Santiago from class-A. How dare you to speak like that to the most influential woman in the school."

I recognize the face. It's Scarlet Garcia. She is the Most Influential Women in the school. Ewan ko kung bakit siya natawag nun, pakialam ko. And she is also one of my classmates. How lame of you Steph. But she did it first instead of apologizing she mess with me.

"Oh~ my gosh. I can't believe it. Sorry not to recognize your face Ms. Garcia,"

"I knew you are going to say that, now little puppy go vow and apologize to me." she demanded.

"No I'm not." taas noo kong wika, "I just thought you don't like one of the Most I don't care about what is."

May ibang nag cheer sa kaniya pero mas maraming nag cheer sa akin.

"What did you said?!" ignoranteng tanong niya sa akin kulang nalang palapain niya ako sa leon.

Saktong tumunog ang bell.

"Oh, I'm not updated that you are a deaf. But sorry, can't you hear the bell. I don't have time. Bye-bye~" I get my bag and walk away as I wave my hand.

Feeling ko gusto niya akong habulin. Siguro tumatakbo sa utak niya ang iba't ibang scheme para patayin ako. How to kill tht Bitch Girl in the cafeteria without getting scratch? Sorry Scarlet that's the most impossible thing in this planet.

Let me give you an advice: NEVER mess with a girl like me. Or else I will make you eat your trash.

After that unti-unting nahuhubog ang self-confidence ko. Muli.