what's the name?

Chapter 2

I quickly wrapped the towel tightly around my body, shivering slightly as I turned off the water. Stepping out of the shower, I was met with Mariel's slightly irritated expression. "You were taking forever!" she exclaimed, her arms crossed. "I thought you'd fallen asleep in there." I just shrugged, knowing better than to argue with her when she was in a rush.

Back in my room, I vigorously rubbed myself dry with the towel, then quickly pulled on my cycling shorts, undergarments, and a plain white sando. Sitting down on my bed, I positioned myself directly in front of the electric fan, letting the cool air wash over me. I dabbed a bit of white powder on my face, just enough to even out my skin tone, and applied a swipe of my favorite pink lipstick. Reaching for my Dove deodorant, I sprayed it under my armpits, the electric fan helping it dry quickly.

Next came my blouse and socks, followed by a generous application of lotion to keep my skin from drying out. Finally, I slipped into my school skirt, smoothing it down over my hips. I grabbed my comb and meticulously styled my hair, making sure every strand was in place. A quick spritz of my favorite floral perfume on my uniform, and I was almost ready to face the day.

Just then, Mariel burst into my room. "Can I borrow some perfume, face powder, and lipstick?" she asked, already rummaging through my things. "I need to fix myself up too." I laughed, handing her the items she needed. After we were both satisfied with our appearances, I turned off the light in my room and headed out, carefully closing the door behind me. Slipping on my black school shoes, I couldn't help but feel a pang of insecurity. Despite all the effort I'd put into getting ready, I still felt like the ugliest person in the world.

I grabbed my tumbler from the refrigerator, the cool condensation refreshing against my palm. Mariel and I walked out of the house, ready to start our day. But as we stood in the doorway, a sudden wave of panic washed over me. Something was wrong, something was missing. Then it hit me: my money! I hurried back inside, rushing to my room to grab the 150 pesos I needed for the day.

"Sis! Hurry up! We're getting late!" Mariel called from outside.

"Tsk, the flag ceremony isn't until 7:30, and it's only 6:28 am right now. Don't overreact," I retorted, rolling my eyes.

"I still have assignments to do in my room; I was too lazy to do them yesterday," she replied sheepishly.

"It's your fault!" I said, shaking my head. We walked to the highway and waited for a tricycle to take us to school. After a few minutes, one finally arrived, and we hopped in, the engine sputtering to life. The ride was bumpy and noisy, but we were finally on our way. We paid 10 pesos each when we arrived at school.