Happiness Is A Choice

Let's be normal. Okay?

"Hi, babe. Hi girls." - James, Tanch's boyfriend said as he kissed Tanch on her cheeks.

Aria and Patty mouthed hello and continue typing on their phones.

The three were at the cafeteria, its lunchtime and they're waiting for Sarah and Lacey who got stuck at the cafeteria-never-ending lines again and again.

"Hello, James."

Tanch smiled at James, of course not like the smile she's giving to Sarah.

"I'm feeling sick yesterday. Did you miss me?"

Tanch hesitantly nods.

"Ah yeah, your mom called me yesterday morning."

"Oh good. I miss you too babe."

James leaned closer to Tanch in an attempt to kiss her. Tanch quickly noticed it and move her face away from him and pretend to be speaking with her two friends.

"Why are they still not here?"

"Who are you referring to?"

Tanch looked back at James and replied.

"Lacey and Sarah."

"Sarah?"

"She's a transferee and Lacey's classmate that we became friends too."

"Oh is that so, where are they?"

"Probably stuck again in cafeteria-never-ending lines." - Aria boredly said.

"Finally they're here!"-Patty exclaimed while looking at Tanch's back.

"Hey, guys. Sorry, we're late. Let's eat. I'm starving." - Lacey said as she took a piece of bread and put it inside her mouth before actually taking a sit.

"Sarah, sit here beside me."

Tanch tap the chair beside her and smiled beautifully at the most beautiful girl in her eyes.

Sarah reciprocated her smile and get herself comfortable beside her.

"Sarah. Sarah. Sarah The infamous Sarah Jane Riveria." James said while smirking and looking at Sarah. To be exact, mocking her.

Sarah sent him daggers through her stares.

"You knew Sarah?" Tanch, the most curious one asked.

"Of course. We're schoolmates during middle school. Right, Sarah?"

Sarah didn't even reply. She just grabbed her spoon and feed herself to calm her mind and her fist.

I want to punch his ugly face right now.

Sarah thought.

"Really?" Tanch faced Sarah and try to look for an answer to Sarah's expressions.

Sarah kept her emotions cold. She didn't speak nor look at anyone. Just feeding herself with a spoonful of pasta.

"Come on Sarah. Tell them. How much you almost killed me and how dyke you are."

Tanch and her friends stopped eating and look at Sarah, hoping to get some honest answers.

Tanch's heart skipped a beat at her boyfriend's confession. She doesn't know why but her inside was celebrating.

Shut up, self.

Sarah raised her head and look blankly at James. She wasted 5 seconds of her precious time just by killing him on her mind.

"I'm full. I'll go to the room first." Sarah stood up from her seat and walk out of the cafeteria not even bothering to look at her friends.

She just walked and walked outside the cafeteria feeling the rage lifting up to her mind and guiding it to her fists.

She heard Tanch or maybe Lacey, truth is she doesn't care, called her name before she finally gets herself out of their view, and James laughing like a maniac. Sarah felt her tears rolled down on her cheek, a tear caused by anger.

She wiped the tear and walk away far from everyone.

Fuck you asshole.

-

"What the hell is wrong with you James?" Tanch finally found her strength to speak and confront her oh so-called boyfriend.

"What babe? I'm just telling the truth. I'm just trying to protect you. You don't know her. She's a murderer! She's a dyke! She's just fooling you with her angel-like features. She's a demon. She-"

"Stop it, James! I don't care if she's dyke or what. She's my friend and I don't like you saying bad things about her!" Tanch full of rage shouted at James.

"What the hell babe."

"You know what James, do us a favor. Leave. Us. Alone."

James sighed and mouthed fine then left their table.

Aria we're the first one to break the intense silence.

"Tanch, you ok?"

She just sadly nod and remembered her plan to chase Sarah. She bid goodbye to her friends and try to find Sarah but she couldn't find Sarah anywhere.

"Sarah. Where are you?" She asked herself, hoping that she will give her the answer but she failed.

Sarah didn't go to their Literature class that makes Tanch more worried. She kept thinking where could be Sarah, why didn't she showed herself in literature class.

Is she mad at me?

Tanch thought that makes her gloomier.

PE, last class for today.

Tanch silently prayed that Sarah will show herself in PE class.

She changed into her PE uniform and walked outside the locker room and walked inside the gymnasium.

Her expression lit up when she finally sees the girl that never left her mind scrolling at her phone while listening to some good music.

Tanch, with her heart beating so fast, walk closer to Sarah and tap her on her shoulder then place her palm on top of it while sticking out her point finger closer to Sarah's left cheek.

"Baka." Tanch foolishly stated as soon as Sarah looked at her and her point finger touched her soft cheeks.

(Hey guys. Just so you know. Baka is a Japanese word that means fool or i***t. Learned this on Gokusen 1. That action is what Yankumi always do with Shin. Lol, that's enough.)

Sarah smiled at her, a smile that failed to reach her eyes.

Tanch sits beside her and gets one earbud on Sarah's ear only to put it on her's.

She's listening to Iris by Goo Goo Dolls.

"Why didn't you show in literature class?"

Sarah shrugged her shoulders and mouthed,

"Not in the mood to."

Silenced enveloped them for a moment before Tanch got the strength to speak again.

"You know, I don't care if you're a dyke or if you almost killed James. I'm sure there's good enough reason for that."

Sarah smiled at her, a real one, and Tanch's heart melted at the sight.

"Not a dyke but a lesbian."

"Oh. Is there any difference between those two?"

"Yeah. A lot."

Tanch missed this. Having a conversation with Sarah, being close to Sarah, and having her perfume invade her nostrils.

I miss her.

Their PE teacher interrupted Tanch's wild thoughts and steal her attention from the goddess sitting beside her.

"Hello, guys! You're probably eager to go home already but before that let's do some fun first."

The teacher was holding two basketball ball. He motioned the student to stand because they'll do some basketball shots.

Girls were lined up on the free-throw line as they wait for their turn to try and shoot the ball on the ring. Tanch cringed as she saw the ball didn't even touch the ring. She's bad at this. And she's aware that this is bad because their teacher will grade their performance for today and she won't get any good grades. Thankfully, the teacher gave them a few minutes to practice.

Everyone has 3 chances to shoot the ball on the free-throw line and 3 point line. In each line, they need to shoot at least two to get a perfect score.

Tanch managed to shoot two shots on the free throw line and nothing on 3 point line.

Geez. It's so hard. The ball was really heavy. I hate playing sports in PE.

Tanch glanced at Sarah as she starts dribbling the ball. Sarah throws the first one and it shoots. The second, the third, and even on 3 point line, all of its shoot in the ring.

Wow, she's good at this.

"Didn't know you're good at this."

"I was born for this." Sarah winked at Tanch and rub the tip of her nose with her fingers.

Tanch felt her cheeks get hot.

I'm blushing. She's just so cute doing that gesture.

Sarah walked back to the bleachers and Tanch took this opportunity to hold her cheeks with her hands.

Hormones calm down. Let's be normal. Okay? Okay.

Tanch wiped her sweat and reached for her bottled water and take a few sips. Once she's done drinking Sarah grabbed the bottled water in her hand

"Can I drink the rest?"

Unconsciously, Tanch nodded and follow Sarah's every movement.

How she remove the lid of the bottle. How she brought the bottle up to her lips and how she drinks the rest of the water.

Tanch gulped consecutively, feeling her mouth dry again.

The hell.

Sarah wiped her lips with the back of her hand and smiled at Tanch and mouthed thank you.

Tanch heard Sarah whispered something like "Tasty." or maybe her mind was only fooling her.

Tanch blushed, yeah, boldly blushed. She averted her gaze to Sarah and try to look at everywhere but Sarah.

Wow. What the hell happened? I'm- I- I- I don't- asdfghjkl.

"Okay, class. Good work. We still have 15 minutes left. Do you want to use it in a game?"

The boys cheered and happily stood up.

"We're lack of one player. Anyone else wants to play?"

There are 12 boys in their class but unfortunately, 3 of those are not fans of basketball.

Sarah raised her hand and stoop up.

"May I?"

Sarah joined in the game but before she walked off she glanced at Tanch winked and mouthed

"Watch me."

When the game started, opponents went easy on her thinking 'She's just a girl.' but once she fired her first shot, their opponents felt that she's 'something' and focus on her. But two is not enough to stop her. Even if she couldn't shoot the ball she's making a play for her teammates. To sum it all, Sarah became the star of the other team and brought victory to their team.

Tanch doesn't like watching basketball, never did she and never she will not until she saw Sarah play.

How she runs, how she dribbles the ball, how she shoots, how every shot she'll look back at me and winked, she looks beautiful in everything she does.

Tanch almost literally melt. Her heart was beating so fast throughout the game. Tanch lost her tongue. She couldn't speak. She doesn't know what to say.

"How was it?"

Sarah approached her all sweaty but still look gorgeous and yummy. She wiped her sweat on her forehead with her handkerchief.

And Tanch lost herself and just stare at the girl standing in front of her showing her pearly white teeth.

"Tanch?"

"Ah. Ow, you're good."

She affirmed while nodding then averted her gaze from Sarah and just stare at the ground.

I think I'm blushing. Am I?

"What? Good only? I'm the best!"

Sarah said pouting then grabbed her bag to change clothes in the locker room, as well as Tanch.

Tanch giggled at Sarah's playfulness and she couldn't stop her lips smiling at the very cute girl walking beside her.

"Yeah, yeah you're the best."

"But still your boyfriend is better than me?"

Sarah opened her locker and look for clean clothes.

"I don't know. Maybe no, maybe yes."

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"I never saw James played."

"Why?"

Sarah asked while inside the cubicle beside Tanch's.

"Well. It's just that I'm not a fan of basketball. So, no, I never seen him played."

"But you watched me earlier."

Tanch turned her back to Sarah who just got outside the cubicle in an attempt to hide her rosy cheeks.

"Ah yeah, it's just- I don't have a choice-"

"We always have a choice."

"Ah yeah, ahm. Well, we're in the same class so-"

"Tanch."

Tanch faced her while fidgeting her nails.

"W-what?"

"You're blabbering."

In embarrassment, Tanch once again turned her back to Sarah and pretend she's organizing her locker.

"Ow, sorry about that. It's just that-"

"Tanch its okay, you don't have to explain. I'm just making fun of you."

I can't take anymore embarrassment.

Tanch just nods and watches Sarah from the corner of her eyes.

"Are you done?" Sarah asked as she finished fixing her hair.

"Yeah."

"Ah, Sarah. Do you- Ah, I can give you a ride." Tanch stop walking in the hallway and held Sarah on her wrist.

"Thanks, Tanch but don't worry about me. I can go on my own."

"But I still want to."

"Maybe next time."

Tanch just nodded and let go of her wrist. Sarah waved at her and bid her goodbye as she goes opposite of the parking lot.

Sarah, I think I'm going crazy.