NEW SCHOOL, new people. Would I be able to make new friends? I guess, like in my previous school, I'd be having a hard time adjusting and making new friends. It had always been like that. I was used to it anyway. My family and I had been moving around different cities since forever. Dad's working in a telecommunications company, and the whole family had been moving around whenever he'd get reassigned to a different area. That was why I had a difficult time making friends. I also knew that we would transfer to another city sooner or later anyway, so I guess I didn't want to experience any separation anxiety if I got close to someone I would leave behind. I just turned sixteen last April and dad's news that the whole family would again move was a very disappointing birthday gift.

I adjusted the strap of my backpack over my shoulder and eyed the massive gate bearing the seal of the school. ST. BERNADETTE ACADEMY. That's the name of my new school. I lifted my ID card and gazed at it. A small picture of my face stared back at me from the upper hand corner of the ID card. My name ALEXIS MARIE SALVACION was written in bold letters beside the picture. Student number 2356.

I eyed the sea of students rushing past by the gate, presenting their ID cards to a machine attached to the doorway. The students here looked different from my previous school—the girls were wearing their standard uniform only it was heavily accessorized with necklaces and bracelets and flowers pinned on their neckties. And, oddly, most of them were carrying anything pink: pink bags, pink barrettes, pink headbands, pink watches... you name it, and it's pink! A pink-infested school—how unique. I groaned inwardly. My favorite color—purple's a rather pretty color than pink—would be drowning here to nonexistent.

The boys on the other hand (and I could not believe I'm saying this at all because I was never interested in boys) were all cute and good-looking. And somehow, I found myself so lacking.

I heaved a heavy sigh and sauntered towards the gate and followed the other students inside. It was when I was in the quadrangle where I first met my future tormentor.

"Watch it nerd! Hindi kasi tinitignan ang dinaraanan, eh," said the pretty girl, wearing a pair of extremely large hoop earrings that should have been banned by the school admins, said.

Great. Just because I wore glasses and my visions weren't 20-20, I was called a nerd. First day of school and I was now the official school nerd.

"Sorry. Hindi ko sinasadya," I answered apologetically, although I was pretty sure she was the one who bumped into me. This incident kind of reminded me of several teen flicks I saw on TV. And my gut was telling me to lay low.

The girl rolled her eyes and said, "Whatever" and sauntered her way towards a group of girls not far from where I stood.

I adjusted the strap of my backpack and went to find my room. Room A-301 was scribbled on a piece of paper. I crumpled the paper and shove it inside the side pocket of my navy-blue skirt. I went to the said room, and it was already half-filled with students. I went to a desk at the back, pulled the chair, and sat down, waiting for the teacher to arrive.

I felt self-conscious when all the other students began talking animatedly with each other. Obviously, they were classmates the previous year. I was a newcomer, and like all newcomers, I was the recipient of curious glances and stares; although, no one seemed to approach me and ask for my name.

I just bowed my head, avoiding their eyes, when I felt someone sitting on the desk beside mine.

"Hi! Bagong student ka rito?" a voice asked from my right side.

I looked at the side to find a girl wearing pigtails with purple ribbons (thank God it's not pink!) smiling at me, looking at me as if expecting me to give her an answer. "Oo. Bago lang ako rito."

"Ako nga pala si Alicia," she said, offering her name. "Ikaw, ano name ang mo?"

"Alexis. Pero Alex na lang," I answered.

And before Alicia could say anything further, our teacher went inside the room and ordered for the class to settle down.

Do you know what I always hate during the first day of school? It's when the teacher would call the name of the new student and ask her to introduce herself in front of everyone. By now, I know I should have been used to it. But I never did. And so, I dragged my feet to make that long walk between my desk and the front of the class.

"Look at her glasses. It's so baduy," a girl said when I passed by her desk. Several sniggers followed. They obviously found what the girl said funny—or they just agreed that my glasses were old-fashioned.

They were right, of course. My glasses were horrible and a little outdated. But I never bothered to replace them even though mom offered to buy me a new pair.

When I was already at the front, I forced a breath out of my chest. "Hello. My name is Alexis Marie Salvacion. Sixteen years old. Uhm—nice meeting you all!" Then I immediately went to my desk.

We also immediately started our lessons.

I really hate the first day of school.

You could say that my favorite time of the day in my previous school was recess and lunch breaks. In St. Bernadette Academy, however, it was the opposite. In my previous school, the students were friendly despite my weirdness. Here, it was different. Amidst the sea of pinkness (and really, our uniforms were blue, but you could really see the pinkness in everyone) I couldn't find a single friendly face. I guess I was being a bit paranoid, though I couldn't help but hear the low whispers as I pass by a group of girls on one table or the sniggers I heard from another group.

I adjusted the frame of my overly large glasses and settled it comfortably at the bridge of my nose and walked towards the long queue of students buying their lunch. After I paid for my food, I carried the tray and went to search for an empty table to no avail. When I spotted a vacant chair, I walked towards the table surrounded by a group of girls. When I gave them a small smile as a gesture of my friendliness, the one closest to the empty chair placed her hand on the seat and said, "No nerds allowed dito."

I did not utter a word and left them to find another table. I hope they choke on their lunch. Several tables occupied by the other girls also commented the same thing. Really! Was wearing glasses already a prerequisite of a nerd? Okay, so maybe I was a nerd. But did they really have to hoard all the seats? Would I be like Lindsay Lohan in one of her movies, Mean Girls, and eat my lunch in the lady's room?

I had already given up the search for an empty chair when I spied a vacant table at the far-end corner of the cafeteria. I walked towards it and was about to place my tray of food down when someone grabbed my shoulder.

"H'wag diyan!" a girl said. When I turned my head to the side, I saw Alicia shaking her head. "Do'n ka na lang sa table namin kumain. Naka-reserved na 'yang table na 'yan."

I followed Alicia to a nearby table where three girls were seated. I gave them a small smile and was surprised to see that they returned the smile. I placed my tray down on the table and sat beside Alicia.

"Guys, bagong classmate ko si Alexis," Alicia said, introducing me to the others.

"Hello. Ako si Josephine Aragon pero Joey na lang ha," said a girl wearing a cap over her ponytailed hair.

"Ako naman si Madeline Cruz. Madie na lang din," said a slightly chubby-faced girl with a short bob. I also noticed she was wearing braces.

"Robyn Gutierrez," said a girl with shoulder-length hair, who also had dark, emo-vibes around her.

"At ako naman si Alicia Lopez at your service!" Alicia beamed.

I gave them all another smile and introduced myself to them, telling them why I transferred to this school and how grateful I was to them for letting me join their table.

"Huwag mong pansinin ang mga iyon," Madie said, then she took a bite of her hotdog-on-stick.

"Oo nga," Joey agreed. "Mga bitter lang sila at feelingera."

I told them I still couldn't understand why they would show animosity over a new student.

"Wala ka kasing suot na pink," Robyn explained as she snorted, obviously hating the word pink.

"'Di ko gets talaga," I said.

Alicia turned to me with a serious look on her face. "Napansin mo ba na halos lahat ng mga babae ay may suot na pink?"

I scanned the cafeteria and noticed the area drowning in pink. "Oo. Ano 'yon? Theme color ng school?"

Alicia shook her head. "Hindi. 'Yon kasi ang favorite color ng sikat na grupo dito. Ang Pink Angels."

I half-snorted and half chuckled. "Pink Angels? Ang pangit naman ng pangalan. Ano ba mayro'n sa grupo na 'yon?"

"'Yon din ang sabi ko," Robyn agreed. "Ang baduy kaya ng pangalan."

"Shh!" Madie said. "H'Wag mong sabihin 'yan nang malakas at baka sugurin tayo ng mga supporters' ng Pink Angels. Daig pa ng mga Pinksters ang mga Katniel sa pagka-protective sa iniidolo nila."

"May gano'n?" I asked, disbelief was very noticeable in my tone.

"Oo," Alicia said then she pointed a finger towards a group of pretty girls walking in the middle of the cafeteria. "Sila ang Pink Angels. At hawak nila ang buong eskwelahan.

A/N: Hello! Ito ang first attempt ko sa pagsulat ng Teen Fiction. Let me know what you think!

#TheNerdClubAlexis
#AlexisAndTheBet