Against All Odds: My Paramour

Sin 5:Classmates

Hep-Hep-Hooray is a shouting game where players have to say "Hep-Hep-Hooray" in that exact order. A host holds a microphone and points it towards a players face one by one, then whoever gets it wrong or confused with the order is eliminated from the game.

"Those games sounds great! I'll also add prize, I have some bags I don't really use anymore," our teacher added.

"Ma'am, maybe candies or snacks as prizes too!" one classmate suggested.

"Sure! And for other prizes, maybe let's add long pads, so once the Christmas break is over you guys won't ask one of your classmates for one," our teacher said, while laughing.

In junior high up to senior high school, teachers usually has us do activities and quizzes n long pad paper. Meanwhile, in college that shifts to using yellow paper instead.

"All right, so our Christmas Party plans are settled. And with that, let's start the lesson," our teacher announce, shifting our attention back to school activities.

"Awwwww," we all groaned in unison.

Day of the Christmas Party...

"J!" I heard someone call my name as I was walking through the school gate, and I turned around to see who it was.

"Oh Joule, you look wonderful," I complimented her as she walked towards me.

"Of course, I have to look good, it's the Christmas Party!" she said, spinning around to show off her outfit.

She is wearing a denim skirt with a polka-dot off-shoulder top, paired with white shoes.

"Wow, polka-dots you are that for good luck?" I teased, slightly giggling.

"Hmp, you just don't know how to dress properly. I mean look at you, pants and striped shirts? Even though I'm bisexual, I actually did not even think about wearing that type of style! You look so boyish with that fit," she said, criticizing me.

"Hey, this is an Indu shirt," I defended myself.

Indu is a local clothing brand, and it is currently the trendiest brand everyone wanted to buy. It is basically the fashion trend of the moment, even the gift I have right now for our exchange gift is an Indu item.

We'd done a name draw for our exchange gift, everyone wrote down three things they wanted that fit within our budget of 200 pesos.

"Yeah, it's a trend for men!" she teased further.

"Well, I'm comfortable like this. Besides, I'm not the only one wearing a T-shirt and pants, Kath's wearing basically the same thing," I justify. Kath is one of my closest friends among our classmates.

"Whatever, let's go," she said, grabbing my arm and pulling me through the school gate.

When we got to our classroom, our other classmates were already there, some fixing up the decorations we put up yesterday, others cleaning to make our classroom more presentable.

"Your fit is fire pre(a formal nickname for a friend)," Kath greeted me.

"Of course, it's Indu," I said, showing her the embroidered brand name.

"Let's take pictures first," Nicole suddenly appeared.

Nicole is also another one of my closest friends in class. The three of us, me Kath, and Nicole are literally a trio at this point.

"I'll take your pictures," Joule offered. "After that, it's your turn to take my pictures."

"Here, hold these," Nicole said, laughing, handling Kath and me a printed cutout of a mustache and an angry face emoji.

"Hahaha, dibs on angry face emoji! You can have the mustache one pre," Kath said, snatching the angry face emoji cutout.

"That suits you J!," Joule added, laughing.

"Just take the picture already, Joule, so we can get over this already," I said, laughing also.

Fast Forward...

"Alright, whoever wants to take food home, go ahead," our teacher announced.

It was already time to head home, and the Christmas Party was officially over, still fairly early, around 3:30 PM. Not bad, considering our party started around 1 PM. Everyone else in school had already gone home too since their party are also over. We are practically the last ones left here.

It was such a fun long day. W3e played so many games, and I ate so much I was completely stuffed.

"Aren't you taking food home, pre?" Nicole asked me.

"Nah, I'm good and beside there is no container to actually put the leftover food, how am I supposed to bring it home?" I replied to Nicole's question.

"This one's yours ,Vaness," our teacher said, handling Vaness a tray of spaghetti.

"Are you sure, ma'am? Guys, are you sure you guys don't want the spaghetti anymore?" Vaness asked.

"Take it home, Vaness, you and your mom deserve it," said Claire, assuring Vaness while laughing.

Considering how much Vaness's mom had cooked, she really did deserve to have her daughter bring plenty home. The only problem now was how Vaness would carry a whole tray even though it was only about a quarter full, she didn't have any plastic wrap to cover it with.

"Come on, let's go to Angeles," Claire suddenly said, walking up to us.

"We've been gathering near our classroom door to talk about how the Christmas Party went out and to discuss what we have gotten from the exchange gift.

"Hey! You all should head home already," our teacher suddenly approached us, as if she's sensing we were planning to go somewhere after the party.

"Yes, ma'am," Claire said with a huge grin, the kind that made it obvious she was planning something not entirely innocent.

Claire was one of the more troublesome ones in our class. Even though she was a girl, she had a habit of a rebellious, feisty streak. In a way, her personality was similar to Joule's friends outside our class, the ones who loved getting involved in fights and dramas. She seemed to know every piece of gossip in the whole school, and every conflict too.

"Hey, did you guys hear that? Ma'am said you should all go home," said Nicole as she walked past us.

"Where are you headed, pre?" Kath asked.

"I'm probably just going home since the Christmas Party's over," Nicole answered as she started walking away.

"Don't you want to come with us?" Kath asked her again.

"I've got stuff to do at home. I just want to rest," Nicole said, waving goodbye to us.

"Wow, Nicole is such a good kid," Joule said giggling.

"Alright, who else is coming to Angeles? Come on, it's a rare chance," Kath invited the rest of our classmates.

Kath also had a wild streak, the "YOLO as much as possible" type of person who just wanted to enjoy life and explore as much as she could. But she wasn't the reckless kind either. She still knew her limits and respected her parents' rules.

"Come one lets head to the jeepney terminal, times ticking guys," Claire said, sounding rushed.

"I'm coming too!" I said, clearly excited.

This wasn't my first time going to Angeles. However, this is the first time I'd gone with friends. Angeles is pretty far from us, almost an hour of jeepney ride I think.

"Alright lets go!" Kath beamed with excitement as she started to walk towards the gate.

"Wow, it's a miracle you're actually coming, Joule," I teased Jo.

"It's just this once anyway," said Jo, while shrugging her shoulders.

As far as I know, her older sister was in our country currently. Whenever her sister is around, Joule usually can't hang out with us because shed be spending time with her family. Her sister lived abroad and only come home once in a while.

"Does anyone know how to go to Angeles?" Claire asked.

The group heading out is me, Joule, Kath, Claire, Bryce and one more of our classmates.

Bryce is one of Joule's closest friends in our class a guy with a somewhat gentle way of carrying himself. Some of the other boys in our class would sometimes ask if he was gay, since his mannerisms and way of speaking came across that way, but he always said he wasn't. He seemed to be in denial though, joke aside, lets not assume anyone's orientation unless they've said so themselves.