CHAPTER 2

Wrong Sent “Hey!” Clarix, one of my girl friends with a short black hair that matches my height, snapped in front of my eyes. “I will really pray to Mt. Olympus to strike a lighting to you right now!” “What?” “You’ve been like that for the past weeks!” My forehead wrinkled and pouted to her. We are in the middle of our class, major subject, and she’s here telling weird things to me. “What are you talking about? I’m not doing anything to you!” “You don’t do anything to me, but bruh! You’re smiling like an i***t alone while shaking your head!” I got caught off guard. I continued writing or say, doing some doodles on my notes. This is really boring! I really hate this subject, but I couldn’t get a nap without the professor noticing me. I barely manage to open my eyes and listen to her. If it’s not because of Clarixs’ remarks on me a while ago, I will surely dozed off on the spot! She’s explaining our next tour next month. We must pick a hotel to stay for days to observe and do some video project. We need to interview some staffs and employees there about the hotel and try to do their job for a day. She will give a letter to our chosen inn. We have decided to go to this historic hotel because it was established since the American was here in the Philippines. Just imagining my parents’ arguments and blabbering about me costing them so much, as if I am the mastermind of these expenditures, makes me want to roll my eyes. My head hurts just by thinking of it! “I’m telling you! Whoever makes you crazier than ever, I’ll pray both of you to Mt. Olympus!” I chuckled. “What is your problem, Clang? What’s with your obsession in Mt. Olympus? You’re so loud. Your head is hotter than the sun’s embers!” “Your teeth is my problem! I can see your internal organs from time to time because you can’t stop smiling like an idiot.” I pinched her. The professor is looking at us. We can’t be catch. I don’t want any attention! “Stop it. We’ll both kick our ass out if you can’t tone down your voice!” “I’m telling you bit- “Ok. Fine!” I can’t stop but to giggle. “I will refrain from smiling- “Who is it?” I bow down to hide to our professor because I can’t help myself but to laugh at Clarix’s question. I tried to make her silent but she’s damn good at showing that she’s listening while being serious to ask stupid questions. “Stop it. We’ll talk after the class!” “I want to know now.” “Clarix! It is our major, c’mon!” “As if I care- “Ms. Pampano and Ms. Thomas!” Like the speed of light, I sat properly when I heard our surnames. I stomped Clarix’s shoe, and she just gasped and smile in front. She’s really good at it, huh. “Yes ma’am?” “Is there anything you want to add here in front?” She shook her head, as if reflexes, I shook my head too. “No, ma’am. We are just discussing about the hotel we selected.” She looked apologetic. “Sorry for interrupting, prof.” “Hmm, you two can talk it over when I’m done.” the professor looked at me. “So, where were we, class?” So, we focus ourselves in listening until her hour ended. It’s past 12 noon and I’m starving! “They’re here.” Clarix said while looking at her phone. We’re at the cafeteria to grab our lunch with our other friends. We are five in total. We are bestest of friends since juniors and until now that we are all in college. Clarix and I took the same course while the other three are all in different programs. We saw them at the corner of the café, Arie- the tallest in our group waved at us. She wears that bright orange lipstick again! She loves being unique in her ways and very careless of what other people may think of her. We picked up our speed because the cafeteria was packed with hungry wolves. “We didn’t order yet.” Dens quietly said. She’s the type of shy friend but easy to deal with and the reciprocal of me being the loudest. She has this beauty of a true Filipina, tanned, beautiful curly hair with pointed and small nose. “What you two took so long?” Ingrid said while scrolling through her phone. “I only have 30 minutes for lunch.” She is one year younger than us. She’s the most intelligent among us and loves doing karate. She’s shy and quiet on our freshmen years but when she joined us, her true colors showed. She’s also the friend I’m talking about who has a big crush for Dice before. Clarix rolled her eyes. “Is it our fault that Mrs. Rage doesn’t have a watch on her?” “Duh, you can be her clock though. That’s what we’re doing if our professor exceeds his time.” “Are you really a good student?” Ingrid shrugged. “I am. But you know. Sometimes.. most of the time, no.” “What is the menu?” I asked Dens. “They do have your fave,” She answered. “We should order now. The lines of students are getting longer.” We stood up and order our food. I can hear Arie’s murmurs at my back, trying to spot a guy again. I shook my head and help her look for her new prospect. Arie knew 50% of the lads’ population in our school. Crazy right? Minutes later we are eating at our table. The students are getting louder and louder because the seniors joined us here, they usually eat outside. There are so many students! I heard Arie starts complaining about their nearing practicum. "I think no one could actually do it! We are not experts!” irritation is all over on her face. She’s taking Psychology. “That’s why you’re doing it, Rie. It doesn’t mean to be perfect. You just have to experience the field.” Ingrid chewed her pasta. I nodded. “Field is better than modules and book activities.” “We’re going in a hotel last week of next month!” “Yeah, and I can almost taste mom’s harsh words.” I sighed. “Really? Can I squeeze in? When is it?” Arie said excitedly. Dens creased her forehead. “Why are you all doing the field? Is it practicum exam week already?” Clarix shrugged. “You don’t?” Dens shook her head. “Maybe it has no connection in Marketing.” She chuckled. I stopped eating when I heard my phone hooted. “I’m bored. Are your classes done?” “Where are you?” I smiled instantly. Do I look like an entertainer to him? Should I make him pay for it? I need the money for my upcoming tour. “We’re having our lunch break now. I’m not your entertainer! “Oh, I thought you’re studying so hard!” “Why don’t you clean your room or house? It’s weekend!” “Weekends you said, it’s for leisure and not for some household chores.” “Oh boy. How you and your brain works.” “Damn it!” I almost jumped when I heard Clang’s curses. She’s frowning to me, then looked at my phone. Intuitively, I slowly hid my phone down to my lap. “What is it?” Arie asked. Puzzled, they are alternately looking at me and Clarix who’s now looking like she’s going to pull my hair anytime. “Is there a problem? Between you two?” Clarix dropped her spoon and fork and looked at me suspiciously. She crossed her arms. “Who is it? Really?” I fake a smile. “Who’s who?” “Your boytoy.” I heard our friends’ gasped. “Clang!” Arie covers her mouth but smiling while Ingrid is giggling while closing our distance. Dens shot her brow up while smiling at me amazingly. “Oh my gosh!” Ingrid pressed herself more on me. “You have a sugar daddy?!” I jokingly slapped her face and distance myself a little bit. “Can you please not smile at me like that! It’s disgusting that I can see your gums!” “Oh, believe me! You’re like that for weeks now, Ranier.” Clang rolled her eyes. “Now you know the feeling.” “So, care to share? Who is it?” Arie grinned. “It’s nothing. This b***h right here is just overreacting to it!” rolling my eyes at Clarix. “You can chill guys.” “I bet not. We’re best friends since my mother knew my father.” “This is.., it’s nothing.” Ingrid nodded. “Nothing but making you glow like that?” I laughed nervously. “What glow are you talking about? I’m always glowing!” Clarix peered her eyes on me. “Why can’t you say it, if it is just nothing?” “Just talking to an old friend.” Ingrid is grinning like a fool. “How old?” “Stop it with the sugar daddy thing, I’m not like Arie.” Dens laughed. “Then who is it?” “What’s so important of his identity though? We’re just talking!” Clang near herself to the table. “For weeks? Is this your ex? Recent- “No!” “Then who?” Arie raised her eye brow. “You sound and looked defensive.” “Maybe it’s her recent ex.” They glared at me unbelievably. I laughed. They don’t like my last ex-boyfriend and hearing that I’m talking to him again makes them irk. “I’m not defensive and this is not my ex. Duh!” then we heard my phone beeped once again. They squinted their eyes on me. I sighed. “It’s Dice.” Arie frowned. “Alcones?” Clarix and Dens pouted and sighed. Ingrid laughed. “Oh, Mr. tweety bird?” They all laughed while I try to hide my smile. We used to call him tweety bird because of his long eyelash and his eyes particularly. It’s like tweety bird’s eyes! He doesn’t care though. He’s fine with it because he said it was true that it looked like the cartoon’s eyes. “You two are talking now?” “Nope. Just exchanging hi-hello’s.” Ingrid nodded. “He also messaged me the last time, but it ended there.” Arie, Dens and Clarix nodded too. That made me frowned. “He also sent me a message.” “Me too.” “Does it says, I love you?” Clarix asked to all of us. Ingrid laughed and fanned herself. “Yeah! I thought he really mean it and he’s.. you know, reflected of what happened from the past and now he realized that he loves me back- Dens eyes looked at her boredly. “Yeah, after how many years. Right.” “He said that it’s his friends’ fault.” I heavily said. “Maybe his friend sent it to many of his friends’ list.” “They exchanged their phone?” “Maybe his friend borrowed it.” They nodded and not putting so much big deal on it. While I.. “How is he by the way? I haven’t seen him in my feed. Does he still have f*******:?” Dens moved. “I have seen his story last time. He’s, I think driving and the other one is just snow and stuff.” “He repeated high school there.” “So we are advanced than him now?” “Yeah.” I quietly shoved the food in my mouth. “A year or two?” I nodded Ingrid looked at her wrist watch and jolted on her seat. She immediately finished her food. “God, I’m 3 minutes late! I’ll go ahead.” “You’re so graded conscious!” “Of course! My dad will kill me if I failed one of my subjects!” We all gazed at our wrist watch and let her go. She’s taking up Accountancy and very conscious about her studies. She quickly vanished while we finish our food. We still have an hour and half before our last class for this day. It’s only a minor subject. I feel like I am already drained, so drained that I just want to go home and rest. But, I know I couldn’t rest at home. “Dens, can I borrow your scientific calcu?” Clarix asked. “I’m not up for another humiliation in class!” They resume talking about their practicum and I was just listening. Dens looked at me that’s why I smiled, and she did the same. I sighed and put my phone back to my pocket and continued eating my food.