Russia Ocampo and her choice

Chapter 2

I’m starting to hate it…

Welcome to college, huh?

I know I accepted my family’s decision, but damn, I look like a freaking loner. I know that it’s normal to not know a single person in college at first, like what my parents always told me over the summer, but the students here are so different from me. They’re a whole different kind of people from my high school. And what I hate the most is, people exchange greetings then and there.

Yeah right, you people are lucky to go to college with your friends.

I’m the one who’s not, so what? Bullshit!

When I told my friends about the changes to my college plans, they were sad as well. But we just promised to stay connected. It’s not that there's anything we can do about it anyway.

How big is the Engineering Department of this school that I can’t find my classroom for the first period? I was about to ask a stranger for directions when my phone beeped. It is my older brother saying he was behind me, laughing at my misery.

With the help of Kuya’s “pleasant” personality, we were able to locate my classroom. I hate his pretentious smiles while asking some girls for directions. I’m not a possessive little sister, I just know my brother too well. He doesn't like talking to strangers. He's an unapproachable person, he's just pretending.

As soon as we were in front of my classroom, I entered without looking back at him. He just laughed at my actions. He knows that I don't want others to know that I’m his sister. I don't want attention regarding my family.

“Hi! Oh, you look annoyed. Perfect! Will you be friends with us?”

I looked at the person who spoke. It’s a girl my age, looking confident and unfriendly with an annoyed face. I raised my eyebrows, she was with another girl who looked annoyed at her.

“Excuse me?”

I said in a slightly annoyed, high-pitched voice.

“See? I told you Red, she’s a perfect addition to our friendship. She’s snobbish like us.”

Damn! I like her, she's not like the other rich kids. This duo is unusual.

“Aren’t you being rude to me? Calling me snobbish and saying I’m annoyed?”

She just shrugged at me. I like her already.

“Whatever, I’m Lily, by the way. And this girl beside me is Red. If you’re thinking about whether we were friends before, I’m telling you no. We just got to know each other during admission since we’re both late enrollees.”

“I’m Russia.”

We shook hands. They sat beside me. They’re not Electrical Engineering Students like me. Red is an Architecture Student while Lily is an Electronics Engineering Student. Since they’re late enrollees, they don’t have a block section, they’re like an irregular student.

I should have done that as well. They don’t have to endure being with annoying people for the rest of their classes.

Your fault for acting like a poor individual.

My inner self reminds me. I enrolled early so I could have a full scholarship. I know I don’t need to, but it’s such a waste not to. Why should we pay for everything when we can just pay for miscellaneous fees? My parents just gave me the money that was supposed to be my tuition fee, which made me feel ecstatic to the dismay of Kuya Arzt.

We have a first-year student orientation in the afternoon. Today is really just a campus familiarization for us first-year students.

“Want to go have coffee?”

Red stated. So she’s not shy after all?

“So you can talk, huh?”

The words came out of my mouth before I could stop myself.

“Right? We had the same reaction when she first talked to me. I’ve been talking nonstop, and she just keeps on nodding, and it makes me think if she’s mute or if she just wants her saliva to turn musty.”

I laughed at what Lily said. Damn this girl, her mouth doesn’t know how to filter. She reminds me of Amethyst and Passion.

“I just don't like talking too much. I freaking look friendly if I talk. I hate my soft features so much.”

Lily and I laughed at how true her statement was. Just a small movement of her mouth and her face already lightened up.

“Don't you have another class after this one?”

I asked. My schedule for today is Physics 1 in the morning and Statistics in the afternoon. Since they're not my blockmates, they might have morning classes aside from Physics 1.

“Nope, we both only have Physics 1 for today. If not for the orientation, Red and I would be free for the rest of the day.”

“Then let's have lunch as well? Then later let’s go to the auditorium together for the orientation.”

“Fine with us, right Lily?”

“Of course!”

Oops, I have to chat with Kuya Arzt. He might have planned to have lunch with me, thinking I'd end up having lunch by myself.

We ordered coffee at the Starbucks inside the campus. We headed out to the cafeteria for lunch after. But lo and behold, the students swamp there. They are like bees, buzzing everywhere.

“s**t! I’m kind of hungry already.”

I look at Lily. If her normal face is a bitchy one, her annoyed one is amusing to me. Her eyes were shooting daggers everywhere. Overall look? A murderous one.

“Should we eat outside?”

Red suggested. As if we had a choice, duh. We don't want to squeeze ourselves into an overcrowded cafeteria. Call us high-maintenance for all we care, but we don’t really want to.

“Where?”

I boredly ask.

“Anywhere that offers delicious food and is not overcrowded, duh!”

Oh…my… God. Did Red just sass at me? I dramatically clap my hands at her.

“Here I thought that Lily was just threatening you to be friends with her. I thought you were an angel while she was a devil tempting you.”

“Shut up!!”

I laughed at her. We then continued our way out of the campus. There are rows and rows of restaurants outside, from classy to fast-food chains. The fast-food restaurants are full, so we end up coming in the classiest one. When the receptionist saw me, she smiled, indicating that she knew who I was. I secretly signaled for her to pretend that I was just a normal customer. The restaurant is a branch of Tito Joseph’s chain-restaurant. Tito Joseph is my Dad’s oldest brother.

“Please tell us there’s still an available table for us to eat. I know this restaurant is well-known, and it’s even hard to get a reservation, but please tell us that we can eat here.”

Lily dramatically told Miss Nads, the receptionist. Miss Nads chuckled at Lily. She then looked at me, as if asking for confirmation of something. I just nod secretly even though I don’t know what she’s asking me.

“Our regular tables are occupied, but we have one available from our special tables.”

So that’s what she’s asking me.

The special tables are for us- family. If we want to eat here, the restaurant will have an available table for us. We can also bring friends if we want.

Wait, one table? Does this mean some of my cousins are inside? Damn, talk about luck.

“You have special tables?”

Red curiously asks Miss Nads.

“We’ll get that table, Miss.”

I said before Miss Nads could open her mouth about the purpose of those special tables. It’s not that I don’t want to be associated with my brother and cousins, I just want my college life to be peaceful and simple. I don’t want unnecessary attention.

You’ll know later why they would bring me unnecessary attention.

Miss Nads called one of the waiters to guide us to our table. I saw who was occupying the other special tables. Kuya Arzt and a woman in the first one. The triplets in the second one. At the furthest table are the basketball players of our school. One of the players is a cousin of mine. We took the third one. I saw all my cousins as well as my brother looking at me. I just rolled my eyes at them. They grinned teasingly, they knew my deal. I have already talked to them before the start of the Academic Year. One of the triplets even wiggles his eyebrows.

Asshole!

I ignored them and just sat down. I ordered my favorite carbonara and steak. What? I didn't have breakfast, okay? I woke up late, which is more annoying.

“Let's add each other's social media accounts?”

Lily suggested when we all finished placing our orders. Red and I nodded. Red then made a group chat. And named it Bitches of Secta.

“Really? That's the name?”

I sarcastically said to Red.

“What? Both of you are the only friends I have that are as bitchy as me. My high school ones are just wimps.”

“Don't tell us they got scammed at your appearance? The one that makes you look like a good person? And when they took the bait and learned the badass you, they're too afraid to free themselves from you? Then, they really are wimps.”

Red nodded and rolled her eyes. Unlike me, I have been friends with bitchy people in high school.

“What? Before you judge me- not that I really care, I’m not pretending to be a good person, okay? They're the first ones who approach me. I tried to be tolerable at first, but gosh, I really can't take how vain they are. When I had enough, I told them that they looked like a f*****g clowns no matter what they wore.”

Savage!

“Don't look at me. I can't relate, I don't have friends in high school, okay? Because I can't tolerate a single stupidity.”

I can totally see Lily being friendless.

“I can't relate as well, my high school friends are bitchy like me.”

Amethyst and Passion are also bitchy. Like one time, someone suddenly tried to slap me. Of course, I was able to avoid it easily. Passion slightly pushed the girl away from me. Then when we asked her why she was mad at me, and she answered that I'm her boyfriend’s crush, and she's jealous of me, Amethyst then told her that it's not my fault that she looked like a rug compared to me. And that incident was known to the whole school. That made us the untouchable trio during high school. I really miss Amethyst and Passion.

“Fine! It’s just me who had it bad.”

“Didn’t you both study here in Secta during high school?”

I’m curious as to why they just established their friendship.

“Yes, but we’re not classmates. I don’t belong to the top section. I also don’t like to be part of that section, or I'd just feel too much pressure. Those who belong to the top are super smart and talented and can multitask well. I just have a normal brain.”

“Nah, don’t look at me. I don’t belong to the top section either, but we’re still not classmates. What about you, Russia?”

Red asked me.

“I’m new here at Secta. I’m from Negros Occidental and just got pulled by my parents here.”

We continued to eat and when we were done eating, we tried to pay, but the waiter told us that the triplets also paid for our food.

They really won't leave my peace, huh? Damn them.

As if I didn't know, they didn’t pay a single penny. It's our privilege to eat here for free, even with friends. They really just want to annoy me.

We then went back to school. We were idle for an hour before the orientation started.

Nothing unusual happened in the auditorium. After the orientation, I bid goodbye to Red and Lily and went to the parking lot. I already texted Kuya, he's done for the day as well. He's going to meet me here in the parking lot, which is better for me, because remember? I don't want others to know my connection with him. I arrived at his car first. While waiting, I saw someone arriving, driving a black Mustang GT. He parked beside my brother's car. When he got out of his car, he was surprised that someone was standing near him. I'm standing on the outside of the passenger seat of Kuya’s car. We stared at each other for a couple of seconds. I looked away when Kuya arrived. I sat in the car. When I looked back at him, he was already walking away from the parking lot. Kuya started the car. When we passed the stranger, I saw him look at Kuya’s moving car. He boyishly smiled, and I found him handsome for that.

That smile should be banned.

He reminds me of my anime crush, Usui Takumi.