Golden Rule with a Twist

Catalina is humming a song as she keeps fixing her already fixed necktie. Then she will also keep brushing her hair to her back and later on she will put those strands of hair that she put earlier on her back to the front, behind her ears, or to cover her ears. Like she’s trying different hairstyles that will look best on her. Also, Catalina will keep straightening her clothes like it wasn’t ironed at all. She kept doing things repeatedly for almost 15 minutes already and it doesn’t look like she has any intention to finally put an end to those unnecessary movements. It’s not like Catalina is running out of time and will already get late for her first class, she still has an hour before the classes start. And an hour for a 10-minute drive away from school is more than enough time to make sure that she won’t be late. Catalina is weird, a rare kind. Today is the first day of school, today is the start of assignments, group projects, and sleepless nights reviewing for the exams. Despite all of the frustrating things about going back to school, she’s excited. She's excited to finally get back to school. She's looking forward to this year, hoping for all the good things to happen. When she said good things, she means things that involve Blair Taylor, her crush for 7 years or should I say the girl that she secretly loves for freaking 7 years already. In the whole two months of vacation, Catalina never caught a glimpse of Blair. She went to the places where she assumed Blair would be but failed to find her. She’s also checking Blair’s social media accounts from time to time but never saw any update. She’s been frustrated the whole 2 months so it’s really reasonable for her to be this excited. After finally being contented in her appearance, Catalina stepped out of her room and found her Mom and Dad, sitting on the sofa, done getting ready and just talking about something while waiting for her. Despite living in luxury, Catalina doesn’t have a car. She’s just getting a ride from her mom, who’s the director of the school where she’s going. It’s not like Catalina doesn't have one because doesn’t know how to drive, well she really doesn’t know how but that’s not the sole reason. It was because Catalina is not interested in driving. She believes that driving a car doesn’t suit her. She believes that driving one will ruin her oh-so-perfect visuals.  After kissing her Dad on his cheek, Mr. Jones gets in his car to go toward his office while Mrs. Jones and Catalina made their way onto the school. On the way to the school, happiness can be seen all over Catalina’s face. A smile won’t leave her lips and there’s this glow in her daughter’s eyes. Mrs. Jones didn’t ask any questions and just back her attention on the road. It’s not like Mrs. Jones is not interested in knowing the reason for her daughter’s obvious happiness, it’s because she already knows the reason, that Catalina is just excited to see Blair. Catalina’s parents were well aware of Catalina’s obsession erm- secret feelings for Blair. They are giving them their full support and always hoping for the best for their daughter. They are even teasing Catalina to just court or seduce Blair to finally put an end to the years only full of stares, to finally put an end to that 7-year-old one-sided love. - "What's wrong with her? Earlier she was in a good mood- a great mood, actually, humming a song and even greeting almost everyone that she passed by earlier?" Hashmin asked after opening her can of soda to take a sip of it.  The two, Rein and Suzy looked back at Catalina who looks lifeless. Catalina turned white and gray. She's literally not speaking nor moving. She's just staring at her plate with her favorite pasta dish but doesn't look like she will be eating it any moment from now. It's lunchtime and it's impossible for Catalina to be tired already 'cause they barely do anything in the morning classes. You know those scenes, the teacher is just discussing what will happen for the whole school year, the teachers' classroom rules, like how she hates late coming students and won't let them enter the classroom. But after a month, the teacher won't be able to stand her words and sometimes she's even the one who will end up late. The remaining minutes will be spent talking with friends, catching with each other's lives, or just talking about the recent episode that a certain drama just released. Well, that's practically everyone but not Catalina. She’s been like that since the first period, no- since when she's still walking down the hallway towards her room. Since she saw Blair walking ahead of her but instead of entering the same classroom as hers, Blair entered a classroom adjacent to hers and Catalina can’t do anything aside from watching her take a seat beside her boyfriend. Catalina can’t remember how she managed to get in her own room or how the hell she managed to proceed with her classes. She just- She just felt so lost and unmotivated. All the energy, hopes, and the scenes she imagined to happen for this school year came crumbling down into pieces, leaving her dejectedly. “Well, she and Blair are in a different class.” It was Suzy who answered Hashmin’s question since Suzy and Catalina are in the same class and she’s also the one who led Catalina to their classroom. She saw everything that happened. She’s actually chasing Catalina at that time hoping for them to go together towards their classroom but when she spotted Blair walking ahead of them, she decided to just observe them while shaking her head to her best friend’s unrequited love.   “Really? But aren’t they always in the same class since they are in 5th grade?” Suzy nodded her head as she takes a bite of her sandwich. “Yeah. This is the first time that they became in different classes.” Since they are in 5th grade, Catalina and Blair are always in the same classes, and Catalina always believes that it was fate, that it wasn't just pure coincidence. That even fate wants them to be together. That sooner or later Blair will finally notice her. But after this- Catalina can’t help but be dispirited. She just lost a great opportunity, an opportunity to maybe grow closer enough for Blair to finally notice her existence.  “That's saddening.” “That was tragic.” The three snapped their heads towards Catalina who finally moved her hand to grab the fork and twirl the pasta around it.  “I’m just curious Cat, but how did you end up liking her up to this extent?” Catalina stared at Suzy in disbelief like Suzy just said something stupid. “What do you mean how? How can I not like her? She’s the coolest person that’s ever been alive.” Catalina said dreamily like she’s reminiscing those cool scenes of Blair. “Yeah. Yeah. We already know that. You’ve been saying that non-stop. What I mean is did the two of you ever talk or did she do something special for you to be this- this-” “This what?” Catalina asked raising one of her brows to one of her best friends, Suzy. Suzy just sighed and finish her statement with the phrase “-so in love?” that really sounds like that’s not what she really wants to add to the statement. Suzy actually wants to finish her statement with the words crazy, obsess but she also knows that Catalina hates it when they call her crazy or say that she’s obsessed with Blair. It’s not because Catalina gets hurt or she doesn’t want to face the truth but because she just doesn’t want to hear the same thing over and over again. She was well aware that she really looks stupid and crazy for being stuck in this one-sided love for 7 years already. She was sure that if other people discover that unrequited love of hers, they will be shocked and won’t believe it at first. The person that they referred to as the Queen bee, the person that already rejected multiple guys is actually crazy about a certain girl, something they never expected. But didn't older people taught us to expect the unexpected? Catalina also believes that she’s not that obsessed yet since hasn’t and doesn’t have any plan to do something that will prove that she’s obsessed with Blair. There's just one thing that is clear, and that is she really loves Blair. Catalina blushed at Suzy’s bold question, not only because she suddenly feels so shy at Suzy’s boldness but because she suddenly remembers those times that she and Blair exchanged words.  Catalina lowered her head, hiding her blushing cheeks, and just keep twirling the pasta around her fork as she speaks “What are you saying? I’m not that simple to fall on someone who I never really had a talk with so of course we already talked. She’s even the one who’s always initiating the talk.” “And when did that happened?” It was Rein who asked that question, that one friend in your group that barely talk, that cold and heartless person in other people but actually soft inside with her friends. “Well-”