CHAPTER 7

Kapittel 7

Vanessa

I got my books faster than expected and arrived at my class on time with the cost of my legs shaking and lungs burning. Running from one building to another and taking stairs to the fourth floor was a sport since the building's elevator was only exclusive to instructors and Student Council Officers, per se the student handbook. Luckily, there wasn't much effort for an explanation to Mr. Boro, the math instructor was already expecting me in his class and he was the one who introduced me to the class so I only stood on the platform, in front of my new classmates while staring at the wall until he told me where to sit, at the back, beside a brown-haired ebony girl with the sleeves of her uniform rolled up to her shoulders and face wearing a welcoming smile.

"Hi! I'm Georgia but I prefer being called Georgie," she introduced herself cheerfully as she offered me her hand, her nails adorned with bright colors and cutesy designs. I clandestinely looked at Mr. Boro who was facing his back to us while writing the current class objectives on the board before turning my attention back to her and took her hand for a handshake. I almost gasped when I noticed that her hands were very soft, like a child's hand. It was obvious that she's never done any hard work using her hands, maybe writing only.

"Nice to meet you," I whispered with a small smile on my face. This is it, a little start of forming a friendship in this school, I hope I could have one genuine friend in this school at least and hopefully, it's this girl. I couldn't count the guy I met earlier—Asher, as a friend as we only met for a bit of time and hadn't asked him to be one. Hopefully, we'll meet again.

"I'm the vice-captain of the cheerleading squad, by the way," she added as we pull our hands away.

"Mhmm-mm, I see." I slowly nodded before grabbing my newly bought mathematics book from my bag and turning my attention to Mr. Boro who was beginning to discuss the entire lesson.

As moments pass by, the lesson became a bit harder and the explanation about the equation slowly becomes more complex to understand but I managed to keep up with it by listening and looking at how Mr. Boro presented the formula, the notes can be done later after he discusses the entire topic or when I get the point. I was focused on every word coming out from his mouth when I felt a small tap on the sleeve of my uniform. I turned around and looked at my new seatmate who was staring at me with confused eyes.

"Why aren't you taking notes?" she asked then turned her head back to the front and watch Mr. Boro scribble new sets of formulas and expressions on the board.

"I'm kind of busy understanding the process," I whispered, not taking my eyes off the board, "Taking notes can be done later."

"Oh," I heard her made a small gasp, "Will you help me understand this later?" she asked. I watched her hand burning as she writes faster and faster, keeping up to Mr. Boro's pace. "Mr. Boro usually clears the entire board after he finishes discussing the topic. I can lend you some notes if you haven't copied all in return," she added.

"There's no need to offer a trade you know," I whispered and she made a bewildered expression as if I was telling the truth.

I sighed and ripped a part of my notebook then took my sight off the blackboard for a second to write that it's for real and if she'd like, I can help her understand the lesson during lunchtime, then I swiped it to her direction, my eyes back to the front and took notes when finished his lesson and begin erasing the contents on the board much to my irritation. Georgia was right, he immediately erases what he writes on the board after discussing. He then discussed having a quiz at the next meeting as the bell rang on time.

"Goodbye, class," Mr. Boro bid goodbye and he dashed out of the classroom in thin air and everyone began packing up and left the classroom, probably heading to the cafeteria for some snacks or to their next class.

I remained in the classroom, taking note of the upcoming quiz happening at the next meeting on my organizer. I tend to be forgetful of reminders and stuff that are about to come so living without my organizer is another definition of death to me. As I finished taking notes, I noticed that there was a hand holding my shoulder all this time. I looked up and saw Georgia staring down at me with gratified eyes.

"Yes?" I asked and flipped my organizer close.

"About the note that you swiped..." she trailed off, seeming to be shy and took her hand off my shoulder, like she touched something hot.

I stood up and began packing my things. "Oh, that? I meant it and it's actually no problem."

I heard her gasp audibly while I was in the middle of clearing my table, "Really?! Thanks, totes! Can I have your number?" then a scratch paper was handed to me by two fingers, "Here's my number and please text me which part of the cafeteria do we meet on lunch."

I took the offered scratch and stared at it, pretending that I was reading what was written. "Sure. Thanks." I then stepped away from my spot and put my chair back into place, Georgia then came to my side next, her high-heeled black school shoes creating clicking sounds on the shiny floor. We both simultaneously went out of the classroom and walked down the hall together.

"So..." I heard her trail off, "Where's your next class?" she asked, waving her silky, black hair.

I nonchalantly pulled my phone out from my skirt's pocket and turned it on to see my new wallpaper, a photograph my daily class schedule handed by the registrar from earlier, "Physics in a room just by the floor above," I answered her question.

"Lucky you," she groaned but sounded more like a moan to me, "I got my next class on the other building. See ya!" She then took faster steps ahead of me and bid goodbye, walking down to the staircase.

I gave her a smile in return and a small wave. It seems that my plan of making friends and going good and smooth as well as my next class schedules.

"That's all and don't forget your assignment that are to be passed next week. An essay about any small thing you like that you can relate to English Literature, to be passed on Thursday!" Mrs. Beloy, the English instructor reminded all of us as the others packed their bags and went out of the room, meanwhile, I swiped my organizer from my left to the center then opened it and took notes about the assignment.

While writing, I heard the echoing sound of heels clicking on the ground and I heard Mrs. Beloy's 70's style, Marilyn Monroe-like voice ask, "Oh, Vanessa, why are you still here, my darling?"

I looked up at her with a small smile. "I'm just taking notes about the assignment, Mrs. Beloy," I answered and proceeded back to scribbling.

"A diligent student, I see," I saw her nod approvingly by the reflection of the lustrous table, "Very well, good luck on your first assignment in my class, and please do turn the lights off when you leave," Mrs. Beloy then goes on towards the exit, the exorbitantly clicking of heels echoed, reverberating to my ears until the door clicked close. She didn't even wait for me to say yes, I thought while writing.

I finished writing a few moments after she left, I packed my stuff like the usual and turned the lights out before leaving the classroom, following Mrs. Beloy's instructions.  My English class happened in the Marshal building that is approximately beside the cafeteria so it wouldn't be another tiring walk or run like what happened earlier this morning. I pulled out my phone to text Georgia who I promised to meet with at lunch.

To: Georgia

A beep then came in a nanosecond with Georgia's reply popping out.

From: Georgia

From: Georgia

I sent her another text saying okay before heading down the staircase and walk to my next destination.

Though the cafeteria is spacious, it is also crowded. Every space was jam-packed with both students queueing on the counters and talking to the cafeteria staff about their orders, sitting on table sets while eating food. I looked around, observing each group in a different table set in the area. As per usual, I see a group that I could identify as jocks based on their greatly built bodies and balls on hand, they were talking, laughing, and having fun with each other. The nerds were all noisy discussing light being a particle and wave with books on hand, probably for references while completely forgetting their uneaten lunch, same with the geeks who are busy discussing about games, instead of science stuff while stuffing in fatty food in their mouths. There were also the trendy girls who were busy tapping on their phones and taking pictures of their veggie lunch before eating them. I stopped my observation and went ahead to the Santino's stand find Georgia but I saw no familiar face so fished out my phone in an attempt to call her when I heard a voice calling for my name.

"Vanessa!"

I turned on my heels and finally, I found her, waving at me at an empty set with only her bag on top. I gave her a small smile in response and took steps towards her when a red fabric with letters engraved suddenly came to my sight as my nose crashed to a huge wall. 

"Oof—" I groaned and touched my aching nose, taking a small step back. I apologized to the person I crashed into without looking at him, "I am so sorry. I wasn't looking at where I was walking." My nose hurts, ow.

I heard a small chuckle along with a deep voice that said, "No, it's fine. I wasn't looking at where I was walking too."

Wait, that voice sounds kind of familiar, "Lazarus?" I said the name of my long-time friend in middle-school as I slowly look up to see the face of the person I crashed to and much to my anticipation it was indeed Lazarus!

"Oh, you!" I puffed. He just chuckled loudly and latched an arm around my shoulder in response that drew attention to half of the population in the cafeteria's area we are at, much to my embarrassment and disdain. Oh boy, it seems to me that he's a school celebrity here.

He stopped laughing and turned his head, looking at the people around us who were staring at us with eyes wide, starstruck. "What are y'all looking at?" He asked and they immediately looked away, everything then went back to normal, awkwardly.

"Hey there, my homegirl," he shook me, tapping on my shoulder. I looked at him with a big smile on my face. I missed this guy, his optimistic and playful personality keeps me up whenever I'm down during middle school, back then, whenever I see this guy, I always imagine there's a shining halo above his head because of the way he speaks and interacts with anyone brightly, and I still do until now, the only difference is, he's somehow emitting a playboy like aura.

"It's been a long time," I pat his chest as I observed his features. He sure has changed a lot. His body's gotten hard and muscular, his face has gotten pretty much mature and most of all...

"You've gotten taller," I told him what was in mind.

An arrogant smirk formed on his face as he moved his hand from my shoulder to my head and ruffled my hair like I'm so hair dog, "Who's the shorty now, huh?" he teased.

"Callate!" I told him to shut up and removed his large hand from my head.

"Owh, and you've got a little naughty too," he said with the same arrogant, amused smirk plastered on his face. I was about to rebuke him when a voice reverberated and echoed.

"Lazarus!" it was a guy, wearing the same varsity jacket that Lazarus was wearing. There were other people with him wearing the same jacket too. I assume that Lazarus has gotten in a sports club since he plays five sports, as I can remember, he excels at soccer best from those five sports.

He looked at the person who called him and nodded. "I gotta go," he said leans and down to kiss my cheek before running off to his peers, "See you around, sunshine!"

"Oh. My. God!" I turned my head and almost lost my heart when I found Georgia beside me, staring at the direction where Lazarus left, "You know Lazarus Caballero?!" she asked me, facing me with bewilderment in her eyes. "And he kissed your cheek!" she added.

"Yeah, we used to go to the same middle school together," I nodded and answered, looking around, "Where are we sitting?" I then asked.

"You two go to the same middle school?!" she ignored my question, "I am so jealous," she bit her lower lip and began letting out a muffled shriek, her hands making their way to my shoulder that Lazarus has just recently touched as if she's scared and excited touch my shoulder at the same time.

"Yeah, that's part of his playfulness," I took a few steps backward and trailed off awkwardly, "I see that you got a big crush on him..."

"Well yeah? Like, he's the..." then she begins listing all of Lazarus' achievements that I already have known of since middle school, "Who wouldn't have a crush on him?"

"I would," I smiled at her, "Now let's forget about him and study math okay?"

"You're no fun." Georgia pouted as we walked to the spot where she was sitting and I just laughed, nervously wondering if Lazarus unknowingly ruined my plan for having a genuine friend.

The rest of the day was half a bore and fun. The morning classes were a complete headache because the subjects were mathematics and science, the afternoon classes saved me though, the subjects were geography and history, subjects that I both love because they were partly memorizing and I don't need to overthink to solve problems and hate because the teachers are pretty much boring— from my experience in my former school but fortunately, the instructors were unlike in the ones in the former school who were all talking and changing slides. They were teaching as if their life depends on it, which I find good.

After the bell rang, I went straight to the library to borrow some books. It's been my habit to borrow books after school and read it during free time or weekends when I'm too immersed in studying and reviewing. It's my only fun aside from doing my hobby, playing tennis as I don't want to ruin my eyes by spending most of my time with my phone. After borrowing two books, I headed towards the parking lot since the gate's that way also.

"Ooh... mhmm..."

I heard a small moan coming out of nowhere along with deep groans it seems that some students are sexually active in this school too. But it's kind of weird though, they're doing it in an open parking lot, looks like they're the likes of exhibitionists. Maybe they took advantage of the small parking space and decided to do the ooga-booga while hiding. I shook my head, remove my rambling thoughts. Why should I care? People are free to do whatever they want, if they're caught then they're caught. Seeing them doing community service won't be a surprise. I continued sauntering to the walkway when the moans got louder, my peripheral vision seeing a pair of figures bodies stacked together and humping. One was a familiar face, the other wasn't.

That person with the familiar face... wait—

I immediately covered my mouth when I realized who the other person was, particularly the guy. It was Friso.

I walked faster and faster. Nothing to think of but just to get out of here, to be far away. Now I know why Enen was surprised last night's dinner. It's because he studies here too.