Chapter 2

Blonde

After our second period class, I asked pee shooter if he got the next class and when showed up his schedule to, I was surprised by it because we got the same schedule and because of that he teases me that the two of us are gonna be a good friends this year. Not sure about that, but I guess, pee shooter's confidence will also help me too figure out mine. We just had three hours in two different subjects and it already got me bored. Luckily, we doesn't need to share an introduction to ourselves where you can freely check it out on social media. Stalk it whenever you got time.

"Our class resumes after lunch break, so saan tayo?" tanong ko kay pee shooter and he isn't listening to, so I get to poked his eyes and so when he look at me. It goes straight into the hole of his nose.

"Nose rapist, Alex," he looked at so disgusted by it. "I'm busy okay, gotta update my profile, so if anyone wanna hook—check it out, then they'll know me better."

Napataas naman ako nang kilay sa sinabi niya, "would you rather say hook up instead?"

Pinandilatan naman niya ako saka hinigit papunta sa elevator, "We'll go to cafeteria, and I hope your stomach is full 'cause I'm gonna forced you to eat their foods." Ngisi pa nito sa akin.

Hindi na ako nakapagsalita pa nang bumukas ang elevator, "didn't know the school has an elevator?"

"Yeah, you don't." sagot niya sa akin, "you were busy wondering around and you didn't even listen to Miss Keltz, that's why, maybe you're not with us that time."

Napatango na lang din naman ako sa kanya, "maybe... was I?" kunot kong tanong sa kanya. Napaikot ang kanyang mga mata saka napabuntong hininga na lang din. "You look so manly with your gay attitude, huh."

And then he glares at me, "don't say that again."

Tumango naman ako sa kanya saka i-zinip ang bibig just to show that I'm obeying him to go quiet but I don't think I can do that and I think that's fun!

Nang bumukas ang elevator, ilang estudyanteng naka-suot ng varsity jacket ang bumungad sa akin at madali dali silang pumasok sa loob nang hindi pa kami nakakalabas kaya nahirapan akong sumisiksik and I don't know why pee shooter loves staying there kaya hinila ko na siya palabas.

"Hey! You!" paalis na sana kami ng tawagin kami ng isang varsity player, lumingon naman kami sa kanya at pinigilan niya namang sumara ang elevator. "Are you the new student who comes to help Korg?"

And because of that attention, tumango naman ako kaagad sa kanya at ngumiti with pride. Who knows, baka sakaling maging prom queen kaagad ako nito even though the class just started. "Why are you asking?"

He laughed and they follow him, so I don't know what they are laughing too but surely, that wasn't me. "Korg calls that girl desperate blonde and I think it really suits you."

My eyes widened by what he said, "I'm not!!!" I defended myself but it's got too late when the elevator closes and left me just a loser into their eyes. "Dammit! How can they even say that?" I mumbled.

Agad naman akong hinawakan ni pee shoter sa magkabilang balikat ko at tiningnan ako directly from my eyes, "was the really true?"

I didn't even get to know what to say and so I just nodded.

"Why didn't you even tell me?!" he exclaimed and I can't still get the point.

I shake up my head to ease the confusion, "what's the big deal? He's just Korg. A football player. The team captain, what's the matter with that, huh? I think he's just a normal person to me..." I said, "I think..."

He sighed out of jealousy, that must be it because he's rolling his eyes on me and I think he is really jealous because those varsity players are one of a hell, too gorgeous to speak up with some girl they didn't even know. But it is still weird that he's too manly—can't even tell he's gay but vocal into praise an appreciation about men. That really blows my brain, 'cause you know, mind and head are not specifically, so, brain is not that much complicated to explain.

"It is not just Korg, he's Korg, get it?"

Napakibit balikat na lang din naman ako sa kanya, "still... don't."

"We're really gonna have much to talk about... Ares."

"Alex!" I corrected him.

"Okay, Alex, Alex it is." aniya pa.

"That's so easy to remember with only four letters and you forget it already!"

He looked at me without traces of humor in his face, "that's why I forget it, it's so basic that I needed to get you a complicated name."

I sighed, "whatever... let's just go to the cafeteria."

"That's where we're going!"

"Okay, fine!" I said in defeat.

Hindi na naman ako nakipagtalo pa sa kanya at tumuloy na lang din kami sa building ng cafeteria. As usual, pagkapasok namin doon ay nakapila ang ilang students para kumuha ng foods nila sa serving line. Kumuha naman kami ni pee shooter ng tray saka pumila na rin kaming dalawa.

"Why the serving line has long queue?" tanong ko naman sa kanya.

Napailing naman siya sa akin, "I don't know, I'm not a school staff to answer your question."

"That's fair." Sagot ko na lang din sa kanya, "but do you think, we can still have bring our own foods?"

"You can but you already paid for the cafeteria's food, you know what, just follow the line and get on with it."

"What's the problem of asking and I think you know too much about this school?"

He smirked, "yeah, I've been attending this school since elementary and mostly everyone knows me." and he randomly called a group of students and called their names, can't it make him reliable for that because I don't know those people. "See, they know me..."

"'Cause you called them, right?"

"Absolutely." He exclaimed, "and by the means of that, you get to know by everyone..." even you don't know them... it was just really a made up names, I don't know them..." he said almost in whisper 'cause he might not wanted to hear by anyone around us.

"Okay, but you still didn't answer my question."

"Same as you and we'll talk about that." He countered.

"You're too talkative for a manly person." I murmured.

He turned back on me, "what?!" he said, intimidating me by trying to widened his eyes on me. "Okay, that's just too absurd, just keep quiet, Amy, okay?"

I rolled my eyes, and mumbled, "it's Alex, damn."

When we get to served by the school staff with their daily menu of pasta—though filled with vegetables and I don't probably gonna take this and should have my money back 'cause of this. Wala akong alam kung saan makakakita ng carbonara na ang sahog ay broccoli, spinach at mushroom but the smell is great but the looks of it were so gross and I think that's fine.

There were many seats and tables around, so you don't have to be a waiter—you know, you have to wait for everyone to finished their meals and took it after the leave, I think I'm done explaining.

Pee shooter and I finally take a seat and I watched him moving out his food from the tray and because of that, I did the same and he didn't noticed it. When I try to eat my meal, my brain's going back and forth of hesitation.

"What are you doing? Aren't you gonna eat that?"

"Yes... only the apple and biscuits." I answered.

"But that'll make you hungry, eat Arci." He said and just glare at him for saying another stranger name and I think he's doing it purposely. "Alex, did I get that right, huh?" I nodded coming out with smile. "Good, yeah, so eat."

"Are you trying to be the boss?"

"Nope." He simply said. "I was just making sure you eat."

"Really?" he nodded. "Okay..." kinuha ko naman ang tinidor at dahan dahang pinaikot ang pasta and I cannot joke it up because he's watching me. I'm sweating inside and my body's trembling and I couldn't bear to have it in my mouth for the whole break and then I get to saw my little angel—no, I mean, this hot young stud who slays his slick back red hair that kinda looks like he showered from too much hair gel but still hot. "Look! That's Korg!" I immediately pointed him coming at the building and easily put my plate under the table and when he goes back on me, he didn't even noticed it!

His both hands were on the table and it's like he wanted to grip on something but the table is flat and can't hold it better. I think it is. "So you're gonna tell me, what you and Kord did talked about, all of it!"

"All of it?" I asked in confused.

He nodded, "yes, all of it!"

"Philippines!" pee shooter and I were surprised by a girl who I don't think randomly seated on our table but because he knows him. After the girl almost bump pee shooter out of the seat, she notice me and smile, "who are you?" she asked.

Napangiwi naman ako sa kanya, "I'm Alex."

"She's new!" Pee shooter said, "and a friend of mine."

Agad namang lumingon si ate girl kay pee shooter, "how come you didn't tell me? She must be an asset to the club!"

Umeksena na rin naman kaagad ako ng sabihin niya iyon, "what club are you talking about? 'Cause exactly I'm looking for it right now."

"Oh," namilog naman ang bibig niya sa sinabi ko. She offered her hands, "I am Bella and if Philippines aren't telling you anything about me, we're bestfriend since 1st grade."

"Yeah," pee shooter nodded. "Though she might seems too quirky at all times but she's friendly and stop calling me like I'm a country 'cause I'm not."

Bella just laughed on him.

"Bella, right, Bella... that's too easy to remember, huh." Ngiwi ko pa saka lumingon kay pee shooter.

Tinawanan naman aniya ako, "Bella's name isn't easy to remember."

"I agree." Bella added. "My whole name isn't kind your thing but my last name is Galagenzer and that's not an ordinary last name because who knows who would have that, just me, only me. Bella Galagenzer!"

Napangiwi na lang din naman ako ng tuluyan dahil hindi ko alam kung ano pang sasabihin ko sa kanya. I was caught off guard by all of her words and I'm out of it kaya hindi ko na alam kung ano pang conversation ang sisimulan 'cause I think they will be bored by it.

"So, not by intruding—"

"Oh, you're not Alice." Pee shooter said.

"I thought her name is Alex?" Bella's creasing her forehead.

"That's what I'm telling." I said, "by the way Bella, what's the club you're into?"

"Just a club, you know, Drama club for boring people but we're not really boring. Philippines is there so, you can be in it too."

I nodded to what she said, "I'll get that in my brain."

They narrowed their eyes on me and I don't know why? "Brain? What that does supposed to mean?" Bella asked.

I shook my head, "no, nothing really. It was all nonsense and we can not talk about me anymore if that's okay."

"Okay." they agreed in chorus, without any thoughts, they just give it up. "Do we need to continue what we're talking about earlier?"

"Yes!" Bella exclaimed. "I saw you guys were talking so serious and I just killed the tension between you guys, so tell me what is it?"

"Nah, it was nothing." Pee shooter said, Bella looked at him. "Really, nothing to talk about."

"I know you're gay Pilipinya but you can tell me what's going in your head. Like what, hot guys stripping their clothes off, in their briefs and or guy whose been in your fantasy jerking—" Pee shooter stopped her by putting her hands on her face.

"Stop, right now, Bella and I think you need censorship from now on."

Bella sighed, "suck it, Philippe, I just missed you!"

Pee shooter nodded, "yeah I know and you should stop like we haven't seen each other for a long time."

Bella nodded, "okay, I'll get that in my mind."

"Mind." I murmured and they looked at me, "no, nothing, you never heard me. I was never here actually. Just act like I'm a ghost." Saka ko tinaas ang kamay ko at umaktong zombie sa harapan nila.

"Stop, it's not funny." Pee shooter said. "Can we just eat?" he added, "and where did your food goes Alexis?!"

"On my stomach..." I reasoned.

"Okay... I thought you didn't like it 'cause you can actually ignore what I'm just saying, you know..."

Bumagsak naman ang balikat ko sa sinabi niya at hindi ko alam kung ano pang sasabihin ko. These people are so funny yet so annoying and I don't know but I love their company! Oh, this is how normal student goes really?

"Blonde!" agad namang napa-angat ang ulo ko nang marinig ko iyon, maging ang dalawa ay hinanap din kung sino iyong tumawag at napunta na lang din ang tingin namin sa mga varsity players sa kanilang tables. Hindi sila 'yong kanina sa elevator, I think it's just another people from the team. "Get here!" sigaw pa nito nang makuha ang atensyon ko.

Paulit ulit ko pang tinuro ang sarili ko to clarify kung ako nga ba iyong tinatawag nila pero tumatawa lang sila.

"Don't go, Alex." Bella warned.

"I think I should have." Sagot ko naman sa kanya.

"No, you don't, they just wanna mess up with you." Pee shooter said.

Napangisi naman ako sa sinabi niya, "oh, maybe you're jealous because they're looking for me." nanlaki naman ang mata niya sa sinabi niya saka ako tumayo, "I'm going anyway..."

Pinigilan pa ako ni Bella pero hindi ako nagpatalo ako tumuloy sa kanilang table. And to find out na nandoon din pala si red hair sa table nila, bigla naman akong napatalikod at naglakad palayo pero hinabol ako at hinila sa braso papunta sa table nila.

"You're not going anywhere, Blonde."

Nang nasa harapan na ako ng table nila, they're just staring at me and I don't know how to start a conversation.

"Hey, you!" Korg said pointing at me, "I didn't get your name."

"Alex." Sabi ko. "That's my name, yehey..." I chanted but it turns out so awkward and they just laughed.

"Okay, Alex, thanks for helping me earlier and sorry for my teams mate messing up with you."

"But you call me desperate." Sabi ko naman.

"Woah!" his teammates howl.

"I didn't call you that." He said, creasing his forehead. "But anyway, you just look like desperate."

And then his teammates didn't stop.

"Oh, sorry for helping you anyway."

"I didn't asked for it. You insist!"

Nanlaki naman ang mata ko sa sinabi niya, "I didn't! I just wanted to help the person whom I admire—but then now, I don't, so don't be that person who thinks he's pretty, which definitely accurate but you can't persist me to say that again. Jerk!"

Napatayo naman siya sa kinauupuan niya, "you're really pretty and you talk too much and you know what I like..."

"What?" I asked to just had a conversation.

"Banging up a blonde."

Hindi ko naman inexpect na sasabihin niya iyon, "woah, you wanna bang me up? Why don't you do it now, huh?! I insist!"

"No, no!" agad naman akong hinila ni Pee shooter at Bella sa kanilang table, "we're sorry guys, she didn't mean that anyway. To get banged up. So just get lost and don't mess with her again." Bella said while they're pushing me away from their table and I think that's get a commotion from everyone.

Nang bumalik naman kami sa table, saka nagbell indicates that the lunch break is over.

"Well, you really did bring up a some people to binge." Pee shooter said, "and I think you really mess it up, Alessandra."

"Oh, that's not my name." sagot ko naman sa kanya.

"Yes, it is and we need to go back on our class." Pee shooter said.

Inayos ko naman ang gamit ko saka kami naglakad palabas ng building and they were looking at me and then a sudden ay tatawa na lang bigla. I don't know why but they were so amaze what did I just said. Banging up! Wow, I really did a great job... but what's that word anyway?