EPISODE 2
1263 Words
We only had three days of rest before practice started up again for Independence Day.
I took a deep breath as I reached the Mercy Building—the home of the Grade 7 classrooms. Across from it stood the Grade 8 and Grade 9 buildings, humming with first-day energy.
I was about to step inside when someone suddenly slung an arm over my shoulder.
“You didn’t wait for me!” Lily.
I laughed. “Well, you were still talking to Clint, weren’t you?”
She let me go and elbowed me lightly. “He was just asking a question.” I shrugged, and together we slipped into our classroom.
“Good morning, everyone!” A woman stood at the front, smiling warmly. “I’m your class adviser, Farah Dela Carmen. To get to know each of you better, we’ll start with introductions. Name, hobby, and what you’d like to be in the future. Let’s begin on this side.”
The girl beside me stood first. “Good morning! I’m Ylanna Martinez. My hobbies are watching movies and reading books. I want to be both a business executive and a doctor someday.”
She was stunning—her features carried a hint of Western blood. I must have been staring, because I didn’t notice it was already my turn until Ma’am Dela Carmen’s eyes landed on me.
“Miss?”
Flustered, I shot up from my seat. “Good morning. I’m Zoe Olivia Fortich. I love swimming and riding jet skis. In the future, I just want to be successful.”
I sat down quickly, grateful it was over. Lily stood next.
“Hi! My name is Lily, L-I-L-Y Diaz. Most of the time, I just study and dance. Maybe I want to be a nurse in the future… for now, ma’am.” A few classmates chuckled, including me.
The whole morning went on like that, with teachers popping in to either introduce themselves or dive straight into lectures. By lunch break, Lily and I were heading toward the cafeteria.
“What’s your lunch?” she asked.
“I forgot to pack one,” I admitted.
“That’s fine. It’s the first day. But tomorrow, don’t forget,” she reminded me.
The cafeteria was overflowing with students, just as we expected, but there was still plenty of space to move around. After waiting in line for what felt like forever—twenty minutes at least, I finally got my food. Lily didn’t buy much since she’d brought her own; she only grabbed a drink.
“Let’s sit over there,” she said, pointing to a table by the window.
We settled into a four-seater. Lily across from me. We had just started eating when someone approached our table.
“Girls, can I sit with you?” We both looked up.
“Oh! Ylanna!” Lily exclaimed.
“Of course,” I said, smiling. She sat beside me.
“Sorry—I don’t really have friends here yet. We just moved from the US five months ago.” We listened quietly. She carried a heavy accent, almost sing-songy.
“Oh, really? Where in the US? My aunt lives in LA,” Lily offered.
“Washington,” Ylanna replied. Lily nodded thoughtfully.
We ate in silence for a while until Ylanna spoke again. “Do you think high school here will be hard?”
“Not really. It depends on the environment,” I answered. She nodded, and so did Lily.
“Don’t worry. From now on, Via and I are your friends,” Lily said.
“Really?”
“Of course,” we both answered in unison.
Her smile brightened. “Have you two known each other long?”
“Yes.”
“Yup.” Again, Lily and I spoke at the same time, making Ylanna laugh.
“Childhood friends,” I added.
-
After lunch, the three of us wandered around campus. Near the gate, a booth caught our attention.
“Hello world, hello biniverse! Welcome to XUHS! You can take free photos here!” an officer greeted cheerfully.
“It’s free? Let’s go!” Lily tugged us over.
We signed our names and year levels, then squeezed into the photo booth. They even handed us three hard copies afterward. We were still browsing booths when a voice called out behind us.
“Lily! Via!”
I turned and whispered, “Clint…” then gave Lily a teasing look. She elbowed me.
“Hey, Clint!” Lily greeted. “Where are you headed?”
“Just came from the photo booth,” she explained quickly.
“You?” I cut in.
“Heading back to my classroom—it’s just across from your building,” he said.
I nodded. “Alright. We’ll see you around.”
“Yeah, just let me know if you need anything,” Clint replied before heading off.
The moment he was gone, Ylanna leaned closer. “Is that your crush?” she asked Lily.
“What? No way!” Lily defended herself immediately, cheeks turning red.
I snickered. “She said no… but not completely no. Just ‘so-so,’ right?” She smacked my arm and marched ahead, her face bright pink.
Back in the classroom, introductions continued with a few subject teachers launching straight into lessons. I didn’t mind—it felt good to be ahead.
Last period was with Ma’am Dela Carmen again.
“Class, I have an announcement. Next month will be our Acquaintance Party. We’ll be joined by Carmelite College and Corpus Christi High School.”
“Ma’am, how long will it be?” someone asked from the back.
“One week. Next week, you may claim your team shirts from the cashier,” she explained.
“What activities, Ma’am?” another asked.
“Mostly games. Ball games, cheer dance competitions for each grade, a ‘Fiesta sa Nayon,’ and a campus pageant.” The room buzzed with excitement.
When the bell rang, we should’ve been free early, but the gates wouldn’t open until 4:00 PM. Instead of rushing, I pulled out my notebook to copy down my class schedule.
Beside me, Lily was glued to Flappy Bird. On my other side, Ylanna quietly read a book.
From behind us, some girls were squealing. “Do you think Sebastian will be there?”
“Who’s Sebastian?” another asked.
“The basketball player from CCHS—he’s a senior!”
Their voices carried across the room, but before I could roll my eyes, a knock on the door drew everyone’s attention. Rico stepped inside.
“Good afternoon, everyone. Via, Lily, Sir Jihoo wants you in the faculty room later.”
The girls in the back squealed again, though I wasn’t sure why. I just nodded after a beat. “Okay.”
Lily, of course, didn’t hear a thing—she was still deep in her game. Rico left, and I bent back over my notebook.
“Ylanna, is someone picking you up?” I asked.
She didn’t answer. When I looked up, I caught her staring at the doorway, even though no one was there.
“Hey,” I nudged her.
She blinked and flushed pink. “H-Huh?”
“What’s up with you?”
She shook her head quickly. “N-Nothing. What did you say again?”
“I asked if someone’s picking you up.”
“Oh! Yes. I’ll wait at the shed—my mom’s coming.” I nodded, though a tiny frown tugged at me.
The bell finally rang, and in an instant, the classroom emptied into the hallway.
- Writer
