III.
1701 Words
The front office had the sterile smell of freshly printed paper and floor polish. A friendly staff member at the counter welcomed her, ran through her schedule, locker assignment, and handed her a crisp map of the school marked with a yellow highlighter. It was all a blur—so many numbers, so many hallways—but Raya nodded and thanked them politely, holding onto the packet like a lifeline.
She found her locker without too much trouble and fumbled through the combination. On her third try, the lock clicked open. She exhaled in relief, then began carefully arranging her notebooks and pens—trying to pretend her hands weren’t shaking just a little.
“Cute keychain,” a voice chirped beside her.
Raya turned, startled. Two girls were standing nearby, smiling curiously. One had warm, honey-brown skin and hair tied up in a messy bun with a scrunchie. The other wore oversized glasses and a hoodie that said Caffeine First, Questions Later. "You're new here" she asked.
“Thanks,” Raya said, touching the tiny jeepney charm dangling from her bag. “I’m... from the Philippines.”
“I knew it!” the girl with the scrunchie said, clapping her hands once. “I’m Irene! My mom’s half Filipino—she grew up in Davao. She always makes lumpia for bake sales and no one believes she didn’t buy it from a restaurant.” She grinned wide. “This is Wendy.”
“Hi,” Wendy said with a soft wave. “Welcome to Maplewood.”
“I’m Raya,” she said, slowly smiling. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“What’s your first class?” Irene asked, already leaning against the locker beside hers.
Raya pulled out her schedule and checked. “Um… Social Studies. Room 108.”
“No way,” Wendy said, leaning over to peek. “Same class!”
“Then you’re stuck with us,” Irene declared. “Let’s go before the hall fills up with slow walkers.”
As they made their way through the corridor, Raya took in her surroundings—the trophy cases filled with football photos, the colorful posters for drama club, and the American flag hanging above the entryway. It all felt so big.
“Is this your first time in the States?” Wendy asked gently.
“Yeah. It's my first time being too far from home as well.” Raya adjusted her backpack strap. “Everything’s… bigger. And colder.”
“You should see January,” Irene said. “We basically become snow zombies.”
They reached Room 108 just as the warning bell rang. Inside, the classroom was bright with sunlight and noise. Students were laughing, throwing paper footballs, slouching in chairs, finishing homework. The typical first-period chaos.
Wendy nudged Raya forward. “C’mon, I’ll introduce you to the gang.”
They crossed the room to where a small group sat near the windows. Irene leaned closer to whisper, “We kinda sit in the same spots every day. You’ll get used to the chaos.”
She pointed discreetly to a guy with neat hair and wire-rimmed glasses, typing something on a tablet while sipping from a thermos.
“That’s Chan. Smartest guy in school, hands down. He’s the student council president and he somehow has time for charity club, research club, and like, every academic competition ever.”
"This is Raya, she's from the Philippines" Irene politely spoke.
“Hi,” Chan said, glancing up with a polite smile. “You’re from the Philippines? That’s cool. Welcome to Maplewood.”
“Thanks,” Raya replied, a little impressed.
“Jay’s next,” Wendy said, nodding toward the guy beside Chan, lounging in his chair with his hoodie up and both earbuds in.
He pulled one earbud out and offered a lazy smile. “Hey. I’m Jay. If you ever need a music recommendation, I’m your guy.”
“She sings,” Irene added with a mischievous grin.
Jay perked up slightly. “Oh really?” His eyes gleamed with curiosity. “We’ll have to hear that sometime.”
Raya raised an eyebrow. “You just met me.”
“Exactly,” he said, slipping the earbud back in. “Best time to find out.”
Wendy rolled her eyes fondly before pointing to the guy sitting just in front of them, casually tossing a football between his hands.
“That’s Felix. He’s kind of the golden boy around here—track star, football captain, every coach’s favorite. And—” she threw a look at Irene, who pretended not to blush, “our girl here has something going on with him which I'm not gonna say, but I know you get it already.”
“Oh shut up,” Irene hissed, smacking Wendy’s arm.
Felix turned with a wide grin, clearly having heard the entire thing. “Guilty as charged,” he said, winking at Irene before turning to Raya. “Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too,” she said, laughing at the playful tension between them.
Somehow, it didn’t feel so nerve-wracking anymore. Just a little strange. A little warm. Like maybe she hadn’t landed in the wrong place after all.
Raya’s heart was starting to settle. These people were surprisingly... nice. Casual, but welcoming. And then—
"His family is hosting me..." Raya said casually as she pointed at Alec.
Irene tilted her head. “Alec! You didn’t tell us you were hosting someone!”
Raya turned just in time to see Alec looking up from where he sat near the back. His hoodie was up, as usual, and one earbud was still in, but there was a faint flicker of surprise in his eyes.
“I didn’t think it mattered,” he said flatly, before nodding at Raya. “Hey.”
“Hi,” she replied, trying to ignore the small flip in her stomach.
She chose an empty seat in the middle row just as the teacher walked in and called for quiet.
“Alright, everyone. Before we begin, we’ve got a new student joining us today.” The teacher looked toward Raya. “Why don’t you introduce yourself?”
Raya stood awkwardly, brushing her braid over her shoulder. “Hi… I’m Raya Guinto. I just arrived from Cebu, Philippines. Um, it’s my first day, so please don’t let me get lost.”
A couple of students chuckled.
“Cebu?” a guy from the back called out. “So, like… you probably sing, right? Filipinos always sing.”
Laughter followed.
Raya felt her cheeks flush. “Not... all of us,” she murmured.
“C’mon!” another student teased. “Give us a sample!”
“Yeah, just a little!” Wendy chimed in with a grin. “You do have a nice voice.”
Even the teacher smiled. “Only if you want to, Raya. No pressure.”
She hesitated. A hundred eyes on her felt like too much. But then… why not? She’d sung at family gatherings back home. And maybe this was her chance—to make a different kind of first impression.
Taking a breath, she began softly:
“Kahit maputi na ang buhok ko…”
“Pagkat sa ‘yo ako’y magiging…”
Her voice was gentle, melodic—filled with something sweet and nostalgic. It floated through the room, threading into the morning hush. By the time she finished the few lines, the room had gone still.
Then—
“Yo, that was beautiful!” someone blurted.
Applause followed. Even a whistle.
“She wasn’t lying. That’s talent!”
Jay nodded approvingly. “You’re sitting with us at lunch.”
Raya laughed, warmth blooming in her chest. For the first time since landing in this strange new place, she felt something solid beneath her feet.
Belonging.
The bell rang, and a chorus of chairs scraping against linoleum filled the room. Students filed out in waves, and Raya quickly grabbed her things, trailing after Irene and Wendy.
The hallway buzzed with life—lockers clanging shut, footsteps echoing off the walls, snippets of conversation bouncing from every direction. As they wove through the crowd, Irene turned to her with a grin.
“So… how was your first American class?” she asked, bumping Raya gently with her shoulder.
Raya gave a helpless laugh. “I didn’t understand a thing.”
Wendy snorted. “Welcome to Social Studies.”
“I swear, the teacher was talking like a hundred miles per hour,” Raya added, her voice still carrying a trace of amused panic. “And I was like, ‘What even is a Revolutionary War timeline?’”
Irene laughed, linking her arm with Raya’s. “Don’t worry. I was born here, and I still zone out every time they say ‘Boston Tea Party.’”
“Wait until we get to the Cold War,” Wendy added with a dramatic eye-roll. “Spoiler: it’s not actually about being cold.”
Raya giggled, the tension in her shoulders easing as they walked. There was something comforting about their energy—like she didn’t have to pretend to get everything right away.
“If you need help,” Irene said more seriously, “just say the word. I can send you notes or we can study together. I mean, my mom’s half-Filipino—she used to help me with Tagalog. I can return the favor.”
Raya blinked, touched by the offer. “Really? That would mean a lot.”
“Of course,” Irene said, grinning. “That’s what friends are for.”
“Yeah,” Wendy chimed in, “and we take our friendship perks seriously. Like snacks during study nights and roasting your crushes without warning.”
“Great,” Raya said, chuckling. “Now I’m scared and grateful.”
They laughed together, blending seamlessly into the flow of students heading to their next class. For the first time since she arrived, the unfamiliar corridors didn’t seem quite so daunting. She had people. She had a place—maybe not fully yet, but the edges of belonging were starting to form.
And that was enough to make her smile.
- Writer
