Limitless

Chapter 10: Failing

Kattie’s P.O.V.

Having a friend like Thylane feels so surreal for me. My usual friends were outgoing and super social, while my new friend here in my new school is far different, she has an intimidating aura that let her lesser friends—or should I say I am her only friend, she is well dedicated with her studies, she wants to ace our class, she doesn’t waste her time without reading a book, learning a new skill is her favorite.

“Thylane, what’s that book?” I asked her for I am so bored merely staring at her reading her book, she barely talks so I understand her. She suddenly looked at me with her intimidating look so I got a little bit nervous.

“You bored?” she asked me, I just nodded. I saw that she suddenly set aside her books and put them in her backpack.

“No, Thylane it’s okay, I can sit here for a long time. You can continue reading your book.” I told her, for I don’t want her to feel bad for herself.

“I’m done reading that book, I am just re-reading it.” She said and stand up. She gestured me to follow her. I got confused at first but I still followed her.

“Where are we going?” I asked her, for we were heading against our classroom. All I thought is we’ll be coming back to our classroom, but I guess weren’t.

“Somewhere.” She said and walked again. She walks fast, even though she’s not that tall. I just followed her pace. We ended up in an empty classroom.

“What are we doing here?” I asked her again but she just shrugged her shoulders.

“You were bored, right? You can sleep here.” Like what? Sleep, for Pete’s sake, I thought she will accompany me to buy something to ease my boredom. I never thought she will drag me into this building to let me sleep, so she can read her books. What a bookworm!

“Hmm. I was just kidding. Well, anyway this place is where I spend my alone time. It is peaceful here.” Yeah, she’s right, this is a peaceful yet creepy place. Who can spend her alone time in a place like this? It looks like an abandoned classroom. Or it looks like a place where a great m******e happened.

“I know, you think it is creepy.” She talked again. “But this is the only place no one dares to enter this place is sacred for me. For this place, witnessed everything…” I wait for her next sentence or word to say but I haven’t heard anything until I realized that she was already holding her book and silently reading a new novel. I just sighed and roamed my gazed around the room. And I saw a guitar. I went there and hold that guitar.

“Thylane, I’ll play this,” I said as I gestured to get the guitar, she just nodded.

While Thylane, is reading her books I started strumming my guitar, while strumming it I remembered my first ever friend. Marcus.

Elementary

“Marcus babe!” her mother shouted from their house, we were neighbors.

“Marcus, your mom is the sweetest mom,” I told him in an excited tone. He just made a face and frowned as he faced his mom. I just laugh at the moment, for he was so stubborn. He is a complete carbon copy of his father.

“Kattie, you should go here later, okay?” her mother called me again. She is inviting me for dinner and I can’t say no.

I went to our house and removed my bag, once I removed it my nanny helped me unload my things and she even helped me to have a quick shower. After having a quick shower I went upstairs to my parent's home office.

“Mom, dad. I am home! I had already taken a shower, tita-nanny helped me. Mommy I got 1 star, dad my teacher told me that I can be a great model in the future!” I said excitedly. My parents smiled at me and kissed my forehead.

“I love you, my daughter.” My father told me and he kissed my cheeks again “Love, always be kind and humble your heart, is that okay?” I nodded at what he told me, he just kissed me again in both of my cheeks.

“My love, you want to become a model. We’ll strive for that, okay?” I nodded at my mom. I am so happy that my parents accepted my dreams, at a young age they were always supporting me even though I am not doing good in school like Marcus.

“By the way dad, tita Maram invited me for a dinner.”

“Hmm, should tita-nanny accompany you?” I put my hands u9nder my chin to think about it.

“Hmm, dad tita-nanny can just send me and after dinner, I will ask Aunt Maram to call you here. Is that okay?”

“Well said, baby. That’s it. Nanny, please accompany Kattie, she will cross the road, don’t allow her to run around okay?” my tita-nanny nodded and after that, she send me to Marcus' house. Upon my arrival, Marcus is busy with a strumming instrument in their living room.

“Marcus, can you teach me?” I said out of curiosity. I am curious about his strumming device. It feels like it is enjoyable to try.

“Do you want to?” he asked me back, I happily nodded so he gave me the guitar.

“I am still learning, all I know is the basic strumming so that’s the only thing I can teach you,” he said honestly.

“It’s okay!” I told him and he started to show me how to do the strumming.

Since that day we have always done that thing, after he learned new chords, he will teach me. Until we entered high school, we finally know how to play guitar, but we never tried to show it in front of people. Marcus grew up as a fine teenager, he got the looks that can capture every woman’s heart. And he hates it so he used me as his cover. How I wish he never did that.

***

I shook my head for I remembered those tremendous times in my life. I just continued playing the guitar enjoying the rhythm and melody. Until I heard a sound of a fallen object. I immediately looked at Thylane.

“Come here.” She told me, and I immediately went into her back, I am hiding behind Thylane’s for I got nervous.

“Who’s that?” she asked. Someone sighed heavily out of nowhere that gives me chills.

“Show me who you are.” Thylane said in her demanding voice. After that, I saw a shadow a human shadow who went out from the backdoor. I closed my eyes for I am afraid of what will happen next.

“Who are you?” Thylane asked, I gradually opened my eyes and when I saw who’s the person is. My eyes widen.

“Marcus? Marcus Del Rosario?” I said in a shocked tone.

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Marcus Del Rosario...

Why you make a come back in my life...

I was excited to see you too when we started High school

Flashback of Katie about the Freshmen high schooler Marcus

“Mom, I am so excited to enter my class.”

“You look so pretty and fine, love.”

“Aww, mom.”

“I’ll drive you there.

I am excited now! I'll be at the same school as Marcus. I went to their house to knock and look for him, but he is nowhere to be found the planter said he headed to school.

I was a little bit sad that time but still managed to smile because I can maybe see Marcus in our school. I saw him!

"Marcus!" I shouted at him when I entered the gate, but he just passed by me. He never even take a glimpse of me.

We are not in the same class so I check on him, but he is busy reading his books. I waited for lunch to get his attention but he never gave me one. So I just stayed like that. I saw how busy a student he is right now. He is the top achiever and the most charming student in the school. One week has passed and I still check on him on how he is as a student, I always saw him with the short-haired girl with glasses. I saw how he smiles. I concluded that he might already get his girl so I make friends with other girls too.

I became part of a famous group but ended up being their slave. I was always there their puppet. I smile but I am not happy, I always wanted to be with Marcus again but he has his girl so I wouldn't join their company.

"Katie-babe let's go to the canteen," my friends called me.

"Uh, I have to do something," I tried so much not to stutter while saying those words. I am afraid of what they can do to me.

"Shut up!" She shouted and hold my uniform firmly.

"I saw you since day one, you are always trying to get Marcus' attention!"

here we are again I am again getting dragged towards him. I hated this now. I don't want to be connected with him anymore. I always ended up getting hurt physically.

"Never get yourself too close to him!" she said and leave me, but went back again to give me a hard slap.

I cried, I silently cried because I was too hurt. He is my friend! I always wanted to say that but I always ended up being the bad person, a s**t, a girl who always wanted to get Marcus' attention.

I went to the comfort room, to cry and to wash my face, I put little make-up on before going to the guidance council. I wanted to cry with Ms. Castro.

"Good morning Miss!" I greeted her extra happily. But all I saw was a worried face of hers, she immediately went near me and hugged me.

"It's okay love, I am here." She said as he hug me.

She always gives me comfort like how my mom gave me the same energy whenever I am at home. I ended up sleeping again in that room. The moment I woke up I saw a familiar back talking with Ms. Castro when I heard his voice I know it was Marcus.

"Is she sleeping?" He asked Ms. Castro.

"Yes, she always sleeps here when she is sad." Ms. Castro said.

"I hope she's okay."

"Don't worry it is all on me."

"Thanks."

I pretend to be fully asleep when he went to the bed where I was sleeping, he just holds the back of my palm and put it on his forehead as if I were his grandmother. He whispered something that made me open my eyes.

"I know you're awake." He said that made me immediately open my eyes and he just shook his head and leave with a wide smile.

“Zion!” my mom shouted while I was busy playing on my computer.

“What?”

“How could you still be arrogant, when you got this kind of grade!” she is mad now. How could they be so grade conscious? That was unfair. In life, we don’t have those grades.

“Really? You won’t say a thing?”

“Mom, it was passed right?”

“But you were doing good with your academics before!”

“Mom, that was before. I am not that kind of kid anymore.”

“So what would be your future now?”

“Hmm, could that grades can dictate my future?”

“Mom a year from now I would be entering college. I can’t just focus on the path I don’t want. I am busy filling my skills.”

“Son, that’s my point. You would be entering college ans such an awful grade is not a good start.”

“Mom, college is different from high school. You know that right?”

“Yes, son.”

“So please don’t pressure me in achieving such high grades.”

“Mom. Don’t worry too much. I am just living a happy life while I still can. I don’t want to put the burden on you anymore when I enter college.”

“Son…”

“Mom, I want you to just let me. Let me do what makes me happy and I will the same. But if the thing that makes you happy will give double pressure. Mom, I can’t pursue it.”

“Hmm, my baby boy is growing up…”

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