The Last String

|04| What the actual…

|04| What the actual...

Being friends with other people is really not my thing. I never had one since I moved out from the Philippines. The people always tried to befriend with me because of the surname that I bear, not because of who I really am. 

I don't know what slumber party feels like, or a night out with friends or watching movies and having road trips with them. I have no experience with those things. 

My life sounds so fun, right? 

"There's so many schools in New York and here you are. Fate really works, huh?" He said smugly.  

"I can't believe this." I said as I sit in front of him. He still has this goofy grin plastered on his face. I can see the weird looks that the students are giving me but they can't seem to b***h out on me because I'm with Gavin. He acted so oblivious but it's damn obvious that he's just ignoring the attention that he's receiving.

Ooh, smells fishy. 

"Well, believe it Sera. I'm real." He said after palming my face and chuckled. I snorted and grin but it immediately left my face when I saw his eyes. 

"What happened to you?" I asked him. I caught him off guard when I asked that because I saw how his smile flinched a little. 

"I can see through you, Gavin." I said in a calm, monotone voice. He furrowed his brows in curiosity. "What are you talking about?" He asked while he looked at me straight in my eyes. Those brown eyes lost its glimmer. He looks...shattered on the inside. 

"You looked, broken. It may not appear on the outside but I feel like it. C'mon Gavin, what's bugging you?" I asked. 

He sighed and smiled like I did something unexpected. "How did you know?" He asked. "I thought I mastered the art of faking." He mumbled. 

"I can feel it. Besides, the eyes are the window of the soul. There's so much emotions being held in you. It may break you if you keep on doing that."  I said with concern laced on my voice. 

"And what do you intend to do? Be my shrink?" He asked goofily. I chuckled and shrugged. 

"I can do that. But I want to do things that I haven't experience before. Maybe in the process of me discovering the world, you'll be able to find the inner peace that you wanted." I said while crossing my arms with a raised brow. 

"You are definitely something, Sera." He said while laughing. And with that, I knew that I got him. This is my first step of doing the things I have bargained with God. 

1. Make friends with other people. 

This is something that I am not accustomed with but I will try. There's so much things that I wanted to do. 

This will be fun. 

***

"I don't even know why I got Drama for my elective. I know I'm a great actress but seriously? I can't even...ugh!" 

"Don't worry, I have Drama as my elective too." He said cooly. I stilled and gaped at him. I didn't peg him for the guy that would like drama! I thought he would like taekwondo or any martial arts as his elective tho. 

"Do you have, like martial arts as elective?" I asked. Doing Kung Fu is better than being in a Drama class. I can't see the reason why my mother arranged the elective for me. Good thing I get to choose the other one. 

"No. It's part of the clubs tho. In fact, Taehyung is the team captain of the Taekwondo team." I thought so. Taekwondo originated in Korea, afterall. 

"When can I arrange it?" I asked. He put the beaker down and mix the chemicals with a mixing rod. We are in the middle of our chemistry class and I am glad that we get to choose our own partner. Gavin is busy mixing all the chemicals while I'm the one who's in charge of jotting down the notes and observing the chemical reactions happening. I can say that our tandem is a good one. I can see some groups having trouble with their activities while we are doing the activity smoothly. 

"You can do it online, Sera," he said. "I put five grams of sodium bicarbonate." I nodded and jotted down the information. 

In the end, we were one of those students who did the experiment correctly. 

"As expected of Mr. Smith," the teacher commended. "As for you, Miss Gray. You made me expect from you more. Your analysis in the experiment is so accurate and the terminologies that you used was far beyond the average. No wonder you are here in the star section." She said and smiled proudly. If you only knew. 

"That would be all. See you on my next class, good day!" 

We exited the science laboratory with our lab gown in hand. We need to drop these off by the science building entrance where the staffs will pick it up for laundry. We had our names stitched on the breast pocket meaning it's personalized. Maybe Mom ordered one for me because I can see the tag of her favorite designer on my lab gown. 

She has too much money on her disposal. 

"What do we have next?" I asked. Apparently, we have the same class schedule. I internally rejoiced when I learned that. I won't feel awkward and alone in this big school. I know I can manage on my own but I take the bargain seriously.

It's for your own good, Finn.

Yes it is. 

"It's lunch break so we'll go to the school's cafeteria." He said and draped his arms on me. I frowned as I tried to remove his arms on ny shoulders but he's that strong. What a guy. 

"I know that you're standing 6'3 and I lack in the height department but I really look like a midget right now with your arm resting on my shoulder." I said honestly and all he did was to laugh at me. 

"You're cute, yenno?" He said while removing his arm on me. 

"Oh yeah? Because I looked like a second grader." I said sarcastically and he burst into laughter again. His happiness is too shallow. 

"You're just hungry." He said as he opened his locker. I snickered as I leaned on the locker beside him. 

"You bet." 

I looked around the hallway and saw some students pointing on me like I'm an awesome subject that they see. I fought myself not to raise my brow and b***h out on them. So instead, I gave them a blank face. I let them see a glimpse of who I really am. 

"Where's your locker?" He asked as he shut his locker door. 

"Oh yeah, I forgot." I scratched the back of my head before going to my locker. He walked behind me as I reached my locker. I stashed my things inside nicely and grabbed my wallet which contains the cafeteria card before locking it.

"Let's go."

The walk to the cafeteria takes about six minutes. Why does the cafeteria needed to be located on the other building? The school is so huge that it takes forever to go from one place to another.

After a long walk, he decided that I should go look for a table and he will be the one to buy foods for us. He's no gentleman but he sure knows how to treat girls right by filling up her stomach.

With foods, but then...he can still fill it with something else...

Okay, stop it green brain. 

I settled for a table near the window because it offers great view. The sun is shining so brightly and it lightens up the whole room because it has glass walls. It looks so pretty. I will not be surprised anymore if they'll tell me that they used bulletproof glass. 

I tapped the table in boredom, almost producing a rhythm. The cafe line is really long but I saw how Gavin effortlessly got into the express lane. Talk about superiority. He sure is one of those kids who have connections and social power. I believed he's one of those who topped the social hierarchy that this school has as per the monthly update in the portal that notified me right now. 

It was the Student Council idea to have a social hierarchy status here in MAE according to what I've read in the portal. To be included in the top ten, you must have the requirements which are way too obvious. 

First, you need to have the looks. It's like choosing the face of the school. Since the rankings for girls and boys were separated, there are different perks for each. They'll be the school's ambassador. Simple as that. 

Next one is the money or social status. Since this is an all Elite student school, this hasn't affect that much in the competition. 

The third one will be the brains. The school idol should not only excel in having good visuals but also in academic aspects as well. 

The last one will be fame. If you're famous enough, then you can climb up in the social ladder. Everyone wanted to be part of the list. Everyone except for me. I just thought it sounds so idiotic and nonsensical. 

And do you know who topped in the males' category?

"Here's your pasta and bread. I bought pizza for you too and large iced tea for drinks." 

Why does he seems so perfect? 

"Thanks, Gavin." I said and smiled. Of course, we are talking about Gavin Wraith Smith. His name is next to perfection that's why I wasn't even surprised that he is the male school idol. 

And in women's division? Just some b***h that I wouldn't want to cross path with. She looks pretty.

Pretty nasty.

But the girl who ranked second is very familiar to me.

"Finn! Oh my God, it's really you!"

She walked towards me gracefully and enveloped me into a hug. Seeing her without her diner's uniform, she looks different. She's a bomb! 

Today, I met the people involved in my bargain with God. This play is getting interesting. 

"Maria!" 

What the actual f, right?

#

end of chapter four