Chapter 1

First impression

Setting up on alarm, waking up early isn't what I deserved but what keeps me going, that redheaded guy who—uhmm, totally would not notice me and beyond that, hindi na ako aasa and for what I know, mag-aral talaga ang intensyon ko para pumasok sa school, no other reasons, promise.

"Be safe, Alex!" sigaw ni Mom habang papasok ako sa loob ng school bus operated by the Savvy's management.

"Mr. Driver! Don't go speed up okay! You're on board with children and I think they're too fragile!" sigaw naman ni Dad. Napailing na lang din naman ako dahil sa sinabi niya but I know their just too anxious to see me left and start learning outside the house and you know what's they have been afraid of? Getting me on the cheersquad—they don't want me seeing tossing up in air and having your underwear flashes to view by the some maniac audiences and I think that's alright.

I waved at my parents as I step on the school bus, kumaway din naman sila pabalik saka sila nagyakapan and I think they're crying. "You really had a great parents kiddo." Napatingin naman ako sa driver, "they're too dramatic."

Namilog na lang din ang mata ko sa sinabi niya saka natawa, "oh, okay... gotta find some seats."

"Get on the ride! We're going speed up!" Nanlaki naman ang mata ko sa sinabi ng driver saka ako nagmadaling maghanap ng upuan—and I choose not to socialize and seated with anyone kaya sa bandang dulo ako umupo.

The school bus were speeding up and my father were shocked by it pero natawa na lang din ako. Along the way para pick-up-in ang ibang students sa mga stop points ay unti unti nang nao-occupy ang mga upuan and the seats where am I sitting is a little bit jumpy and I think I don't wanna sit here next time.

Hindi ko rin naman na-imagine na maraming estudyante rin pala ang nag-aaral sa Savvy and I think it is not because of its high tuition, siguro na rin sa quality education kaya pinipili ng ilan na makapasok and some I think are with scholarships—err, that was me.

Nang makarating naman ang school bus saka huminto sa main entrance ay unti unti nagbabaan naman ang mga estudyante and sadly dahil nasa dulo ako, I had to wait for many of them to get out. Kung ano ano tuloy ang pumasok sa isip ko nang makababa ako ng school bus at makita ang mga rich kids na dumadating with their own car and for a minute—really, hindi ko alam kung gaano ako katagal nakatayo nang dumating ang isang Ferrari diretsyo papunta sa parking lot which was reserved for him! I didn't know rich kids could drive a million worth of car and I wanna be on it—not him, on the Ferrari—that's what I mean.

And I guess, hindi lang din ako ang babaeng naghihintay sa pagdating niya. There were other girls whose waiting, making gossips on the first day and taking a snap shot of him going out of his car—and were all devastated that he was not the only one walking out of his car, on the other side, a brunette girl came out and she isn't your typical beauty—she's exotic.

I watched him mostly walking towards the entering the building because as we all know, hindi namin makikita ang babaeng nakakapit sa kanya ng todo na kulang na lang ay magpakarga sa kanya at sabihing she's the girlfriend—pero hindi ko sa kanya tinuon ang atensyon ko, kundi kay red hair and he's gorgeous anyway.

Nang tumunog naman ang bell ay kanya kanya namang galawan ang mga estudyante papunta sa kani-kanilang mga classroom. As per my room schedule ay dumiretsyo na kaagad ako doon for my first subject. There were students inside pero walang professor kaya naman tuloy tuloy lang ako sa loob and manage to find an empty seat for myself.

I'm trying to get some conversation to some of my classmates but they were busy sliding off their fingers to their gadgets and to think they're in school—but whatever, it has free wifi and we actually deserved it.

Hindi naman katagalan ay dumating na an gaming professor at hindi ko na kailangan pang pilitin ang sarili kong maghanap ng kausap. Nagulat lang ako dahil si Miss Keltz ang pumasok, wala akong ideya na nagtuturo din pala siya, akala ko ay welcoming officer lang talaga siya. Oh, that's my bad.

"Oh, Miss Alex, you're on my first class." Turo pa niya sa akin nang makita niya ako, napatingin naman ang ilang estudyante sa akin, tiningnan naman nila ako pero hanggang doon lang 'yon except sa ibang boys na kung makatingin sa akin—I mean sa legs ko, gusto atang iuwi and to think I am wearing jeans. "So, good morning everyone. Some of you may know me, Miss Alex know me of course," she chuckles, "by the way, I'm gonna say my name eitherway and it's I'm Heide Keltz, your foreign language instructor!" she said the goes by clapping her hands and we aren't cheer by that.

Nagtaka naman ako sa subject and to think na hindi naman iyon sa pagkakatanda ko ang first subject ko. Nagtaas naman ako ng kamay.

"Oh, yes, Alex, you're very active on the first day, huh!" aniya pa na hindi ko naman alam kung anong isasagot sa kanya. "Okay, go on, what is it?"

"I though this is algebra class." Sabi ko dahilan para sabay sabay na magtinginan ang lahat ng mga estudyante sa room. "And I think, that's where I should go now..."

Mabilis ko namang kinuha ang backpack ko saka tumayo at naglakad palabas ng room saka ako hinabol ni Miss Keltz at hindi na niya pinakawalan ang balikat ko.

"Are you lost, Alex? I think we did go—"

I immediately interrupted her, "okay, Miss Keltz, I'm lost and I didn't listen on you yesterday and now I don't know where my room is."

"Do you want me to find it for you?"

Agad naman akong umiling sa suggestion niya, "that's great Miss Keltz but I can take care of it, see you around."

Mabilis naman akong naglakad muli, binasa ko naman uli ang schedule ko and it was a honest mistake dahil maling room lang naman ang napasukan ko at hindi foreign language ang first subject ko. While I was heading for my room, narinig ko naman sa hallway ang isang boses na mistulang may sinusuntok. Sinundan ko naman kung saan iyon nanggagaling at nahanap ko na lamang ang isang vending machine na sobra na sa kasuwertehan dahil humahaplos sa kanya ang kamao ni red hair.

Nang mapansin niya ang presensya ko ay napahinto siya sa ginagawa niya, "oh, sorry you got to find me doing this."

"No—no... it's okay, I won't tell them..." hindi ko alam kung paano ko pa lalakasan ang boses ko.

Napangisi naman siya, "oh, thank you... this vending machine eats my money and it won't give my snack away. This thing is new and already broken."

Dahan dahan naman akong lumapit sa kanya, "I think I can help."

"How?" tanong niya saka ako pumwesto sa harap ng vending machine.

Kumuha naman ako ng pera sa bulsa ko na agad naman niya akong pinigilan.

"No, that won't help, it's gonna do the same and eat your money."

Napangiti naman ako sa kanya, "just watch reddy." I said and he just crossed his arms and just like what I told, pinanood niya nga lang ako.

Hinila ko naman ang mahabang sinulid sa loob ng shirt ko saka ko pinutol at itinali sa perang papel, ipinasok ko naman iyon sa vending machine at hinayaan ko siyang pindutin ang snack na gusto niya—and he picked the sandwich! Oh, does he take breakfast kaya or not that's why he's getting it on the vending? Duh, maybe it is.

Nang maglaglag naman ang sandwich saka niya iyon kinuha.

"Thanks? But that cost you money." Aniya na nakakunot pa ang noo.

"No, I didn't!" sagot ko sa kanya saka ko hinatak pabalik ang sinulid at mabawi ang pera ko. "See, that's how you do a life hack!"

By his looks, he was impressed of what I did na hindi ko naman sure kung mag-wo-work, napasubo na lang din ako dahil gusto ko lang mapansin niya ako and it did! "I won't also tell them you steal on a vending..."

Deep inside, I feel horrible by it. "Oh, thank you..."

"Anyway, I'm Korg—" he was about to offered his hand but I interrupt him.

"Yes, I know 'cause we've met yesterday and you were the team captain of the football team and you got a sweaty shiny red hair that makes you hot and one of a kind..." and I get to speak slowly realizing all the words I said, "I think that's all I know."

He laughed... and it melted me away. Gosh! Red hair! "Okay, I remember..."

"Yeah..." I giggles and that's make me wanna hide.

"Ah, your—uhmm, name?"

"Oh! I'm Alex Carreon and as of now were willing to be yours." And I get shook up by what I said, "what I mean, willing to walk with you on the hallway... yeah, that's it!"

"So, Alex it is." aniya, "but yeah... I cannot walk with you down the hall 'cause I gotta hurry to my homeroom."

"Oh, shit—oh, sorry by that, I was gonna do the same and I saw you and then i—and you know what, I gotta go." Nagmadali naman akong umalis sa harapan at naiwan ko siyang nakatayo doon saka naisipan kong balikan pa uli siya ng tingin. "Nice to meet... you..." halos pabulong na iyon nang makita ko siyang tumatakbo na papunta sa kanyang room.

Hindi ko ine-expect 'yon, and I already blew my chance.

Naharap ko rin naman ang homeroom ko and as I expected, their eyes are on me and I couldn't make that away and to find pee shooter on the same class! Tinanong naman nang professor kung saan ako galing and I just made up something that I lost and pee shooter mumbled something on the back. Why would a straight guy do that? Oh... he might not.

Binigyan naman ako ng chance ng professor namin at dahil first day pa lang naman at adjusting period pa lang din naman kaya hinayaan na niya ang pagiging late ko. I don't wanna be proud of seated in a different classroom and tell them that as my story for being late, duh, mas okay na 'yong mawala—but I think that came up with a good reason.

The algebra class started everyone is bored of the lecture and I don't know why they're so snobbish about it. The lecture didn't really started but on my professor's lifestory regarding how he manage to live up 'till to this day and we really got bored by it.

Mas okay siguro kung si Miss Keltz ang first subject ko, madaldal pero may sense.

After hour and a half, natapos ang klase and we just have the fifteen minutes grace period papunta pumunta sa next room namin. Habang naglalakad ako nagulat ako nang biglang sumabay sa akin sa paglalakad si pee shooter.

"Oh, look whose walking with me." sabi ko pa sa kanya.

Napasinghal naman siya, "whatever, and I know you're not late because you lost. Duh."

Natawa naman ako, "why do you care?"

"I find you so—I don't wanna compliment you but I wanna have you as my friend?"

Napahinto naman kami sa paglalakad dahil sa sinabi niya, "what, seryoso ka ba diyan?"

He nodded, "yes, ano sa tingin mo?"

Napakibit balikat naman ako, "nothing, pee shooter."

Napataas naman ang kilay niya sa sinabi niya, "why do you keep calling me that?"

Napailing naman ako sa kanya, "I don't know... first impression?"

He grunts, rolling his eye, "anyway I'm Philippe—not the Philippines, okay? Just Philippe." He offered his hand, "and you can be my friend, dear..."

Nakipagkamay naman ako sa kanya, "okay, I'm Alex... and you also can be my friend... and are you straig—"

"Gay. Are we done?" diretsyo niyang sagot sa akin.

Tumango naman ako sa kanya, "yeah, yeah, I think we need to go on our next room."

"Glad you have your brain." He said out of nowhere and I don't get it.

Tumuloy naman kami sa next classroom namin at nagtabi na kami ng seats. I'm still not comfortable but yeah, I'm getting into it. Mayamaya lang din ay pumasok na ang aming professor at napahinto na lang din kami ni Philippe dahil kamukha ni reddy ang aming professor ngayon.

"Is that Korg?" I asked.

Umiling naman si pee shooter, "no, but I know who he is. It's his Dad."

Nanlaki naman ang mata ko at mabilis na nagtaas ng kamay at nakuha ko kaagad ang atensyon niya.

"Yes... uhm—your name?" he asked.

Tumayo naman ako sa kinauupuan ko, "Alex Carreon sir and I like your son."

He easily got confused to what I just said and he just responded, "okay, good to know that a beautiful girl like you admire my son."

"I do too!" bigla namang nagtaas ng kamay si pee shooter.

Namuo sa kunot ng mukha ang reaksyon niya, "thank you for that... and I think we need to get ready on our subject and not my son, do we understood?"

"Yes!" Phillippe and I said in chorus and all our classmates were looking at us.

"Mind your business girl." Pee shooter said rolling his eyes to our classmates who disgust us by showing our feelings. They should feel the same way anyway.

I look at Pee shooter and to my oh-so-loving professor slash red hair's dad is gonna a cool year for me and I don't regret this and I think this is gonna be so amazing—but I find it hard to believe when you need to rush into restroom and change your pads without any one knowing—I think that's gonna be hard but also that's gonna be alright.