Cliche (Love Series # 1)

t w e n t y - o n e

Thee

(pronoun)

\ˈthē\

: used as a singular form of “you” when it is the object of a verb or preposition.

°°°
I sat on my bed, my hair in a disarray and I felt my stomach cramping from the early residue of my, monthly days.

I blinked the sleepiness away, my eyes immediately on my phone as I scan the last night's messages. I smiled foolishly seeing the way our topic jumps from the past memories to the present us and the future that we both fear and expect.

It's the D-Day, the day where the final exam will start and after that, our graduation practice will commence. I bet we'll be sore from singing Rizal mabuhay, Calabarzon, paaralang minamahal, himno ng bayan, VMNHS hymn and lastly, the still undecided graduation song that will be sung in the end.

I only packed my review materials and a sling bag and I was off. Soon, I arrived at the gates, the man acting like a sikyu looked at my ID as if I was an underage girl going to a club before letting me in. My hands a bit sweaty from the heat as I walked over our room.

As soon as I went in, I find my friends with their heads lowered down as they seriously do their thing.

It was something unexpected since almost all of them wouldn't be this extreme and with that, I teased them.

"My, my, what a surprise! All of you are studying!"

Bool looked up from his notes and said "I'm listed in the top ten that's why" I burst in laughter at that and turned to Brix and Carl, the troublesome students and find that they were also studying.

I couldn't believe it, the two of them of all people, is studying, that's a once in a blue moon experience!

"Would you look at that?"

"Quiet! I'm reviewing!" Brix shouted making me chuckle before sitting down and continued reviewing.

The room was eventually submerged into silence, only the sound of papers rustling and foots tapping were heard. Our adviser finally came in and handed us the test paper.

It was fairly easy since I've almost memorized the important texts and finished the test hopefully with flying colors. I leaned back on my seat and watched Willmark on the sidelines, he was still busy answering his test paper. His elbow was placed on the table, his eyes focused on the test as he stopped for a second and then lifted his gaze away from his paper and almost met mine. Thankfully, I avoided it swiftly or else I would really be in trouble for looking at him for so long.

Then, school ended as I stretched my arms and crack my knuckles creating a popping sound before taking my notes and placing it neatly on my sling bag.

"Hey, let's eat Lomi, I know a good place" Evan suggested, well, I think it'll be a good thing since we just did five test straight in one day.

"We should walk then" Hanie replied, we all agreed since its still three in the afternoon and the sun is being shadowed by the clouds up above.

All of us went down, chatters from students rang in the narrow street along with the honks and yells from the passengers shouting 'Walang otso' Banana trees were seen standing high up on the sides as we got down from the down slope.

I walk along the bumpy roads, the smell of gas and street foods combining in the air but the most distinguishable is the scent of his perfume.

We stood sige by side, his tall frame  shielded me from the harsh sun, his steps were big unlike mine but we still walked in perfect harmony.

"So... " He started the conversation and I walked rigidly with my face taut as he continued. "How's the exam?"

"Oh... It's fine, I think I did good, yours?" I looked at him under my lashes, my voice a bit strained and I feel like I'm acting like a lovesick fool again.

"I think I did well too- I mean there's some questions that I didn't really understand since I'm always out but all in all, I think I did fine" he have a smile on his face and I couldn't help but mirror it.

"Oh yeah, you're always out aren't you? Always in the field playing basketball" I uttered before continuing our walk, the sweltering heat begin to take action on my palm.

He nodded with a wisp of smile, I turn my eyes away from him but not before catching a ghost of smile on mine. Our friends were already clamoring on the eatery, I rolled my eyes before taking a seat and noticed that he's sitting beside me.

"Mind if I join you?"

"Yup" I said popping the p with a big grin in my face before ordering.

My friends had finally calmed down and then I notice a stare from behind me. I look at Hao and he winked at me and before I knew it, I saw the gleaming look on my friend's eyes.

What I'm thinking should not happen, it should not-

"Eh?! I didn't know that you two are already dating!" Enard teased with his slightly nasally voice.

"What do you like, Jamark or Willmie?" Brix shouted while he and Carl laughed heartily.

"Yieeee! You two are so discreet!" Bool shrieked with a fake girly tone.

"No we're not! We just literally sat- all of you have your mind in the gutter!" I shouted at them while they laughed and continued to teased the two of us.

I think I wanted to be be a puddle, yes, let me be one because I really want to vanish in this place. It's too much! If I was in my early teenage years and I happen to be thrown in this situation, I would definitely flee in embarrassment or worse, blush in crimson red up to my neck.

"Don't mind them" he quietly muttered before pursing his lips upward making me look up to receive our order.

"I don't, they're always like that, just wait after we finish I'll beat them up!" I smiled wickedly with my eyes squinting in delight of hearing their screams.

I heard a chuckle besides me and happen to meet his eyes before he cleared his throat and urged me to eat.

I notice his ears, it was crimson red and secretly smile. How adorable.

Notes:

• The songs listed are typical graduation song that Rizalenians have memorized since their kindergarten days upto highschool. I've experienced sore throat from singing this, repeatedly!
• Sikyo a Filipino slang meaning security guard.
• Best friend Lomi batanggas situated near in Meralco village, it is a small eatery that offers Lomi batanggas.
• Batangas Lomi is a type of Filipino noodle dish prepared with thick yellow noodles served in a gooey soup thickened by sweet potato starch topped with loads of pork meat, pork offal, chicharon and kikiam.
• Walang otso, it means they don't have eight pesos which is the normal fee fir students that tricycle drivers offer. It's for teasing students who opted to walk to their homes.
• Pursing lips when pointing out things is such a Filipino trait. So when a Filipino purses her lips, it means she's pointing at something.

***
Did you all have a good day? Well- we just did a 200+ quiz, a prelim and it just made my head hurt. Ugh!

Anyways, I hope you all like this chapter!

Thank you everyone! I hope you have a good day today!

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