Chapter Nine: Maturity, Money, Honey

It has been two months of enjoyment from Summer Vacation and It is time for a fresh start. I was enrolled to a good High School. It was really good. Made many memories there. My memory of High School is not depleted at all; remember I'm Twenty-seven years old but that High School Shenanigans, I can still remember them.

My new School was just another Kilometer away from my Elementary. My classmates from Elementary were my High School classmates too, that's the reason on the first day we were the noisiest room of all!

There was Vin, Ara, Maria, and some that I did not mentioned in the previous chapter. Though some of them were transferred to the next room beside ours 'cause school's here in the Philippines have Sections that are based on your remarks. We are the Star Section from Third Grade to Sixth Grade, so we were placed on the Rank One Room--'Section 1' or 'Section A'.

Sakura and the other pips were transferred to 'Section B'. I saw them, that's why I'm really sure. We have different teachers than the others, they were more open and not strict, just some cases that we are really bizarrely noisy.

We were nurtured to have a more matured mind than other sections. We were given each tasks. I was tasked to be a Sgt. at Arms, a military-like position at our classroom. We take these roles very seriously.

When I was voted and was given the opportunity to speak in front, I did. I stand straight like a true soldier would and speak fierce like a Commanding officer would if he were speaking to his newly recruit cadets:

'Good Morning everyone. Most of you know me, some not yet. My name is Ben Capaldi! and I thank you for voting me as one of our classmates Sgt. at Arms! I have a rule here as of today. I will have an authoritarian rulership here, guys. Just like last year. You know what I mean.' I slowly spoke these few words "ALL. HAIL. THE NEW. PRESIDENT!"

My friend Miguel smiled "ALL HAIL!"

I know It's embarrassing but we did it; showing these newcomers that we are the authoritarians at our classroom. After that, they respected us as their leaders and man we had a great year being leaders.

The struggle during this time were unremarkable, even so, I tried to calm myself and cope with the present situation I'm under. It's the first year and as everyone knows, first years are very fragile and DIFFICULT. New Teachers, not knowing who's terror or not. Classmate, what would they be considering this is the start of the peak season. MATURITY. Boys having constant erections. Girls starting to deal uneasy. I remember the first time I got into a fight over a girl. It was almost hilariously funny. It was me and Vin who started to make something more. A year to remember.

As we tried to cope ourselves at the height of High School, we found ourselves in a situation solving where they would become less stressful and less work thus making our lives better. Let's start:

The first thing we did was to make friends, of course you need to be an 'ANGEL' for the first year. Who won't? With the homeworks and projects pile up, where would we go to ease the pain? 'THE FRIENDS'. You won't survive without them. Next was to help these 'friends'. FIRST IMPRESSION LASTS. We help them, they help us. It was a mutual understanding, every single fucking day. We had so much friends that you couldn't fit them in two classroom. WE had friends in the Second, Third, fourth, Sixth and later the Fifth Room. It was a staggering amount of time spent in befriending these fucks. A small price to pay.

At first year, I became known as the 'counselor' for I was the one who help these people to cope with their situations. I understand their problems and solve the problem for them and what I get? Friendship. Longer than usual unlike Vin, his help has a price, like giving him a bounty over something that need to have a reward. To me MONEY ISN'T AN ISSUE at all but to him, YEAH IT IS!

He always told me during our first that he'd made stacks of money from these guys for a puff, and I MEAN THAT-A PUFF of advice. It was like saying two to three sentences and saying: 'I think that's the only time we have for our day's session. Same time Next week?' That's him. That's Vin. It's all about the money.

For the first three months of having authority in our classroom, Vin and I have been staggeringly successful in maintaining the room neat and behave. We want our Adviser to believe that we are very good loyal student and will abide to the school rules; well, that was three months ago. At the height of the first week of the fourth month we started to become noisy and lazy. He's lazy, I'm noisy.

During this time, I haven't got much more time for Sakura as we are busy with homeworks or projects our Teachers come up with. Every month is project month, though not, we feel like it. The only time I meet Sakura is recess and going home. I'm always with Sakura when going home everyday after School. I was thinking that IT should protect her from others with prying eyes. You know what I mean. The first year of High School is great for her. She matured rapidly. I mean, man. Those are great big melons and a great bottle-like body. I was very lucky that time; I am still grateful until now that I became part of her memory.

In the fourth month, it became known publicly that Sakura and I are partners or you know, boyfriends and girlfriends. They tease us and say things like 'nice' with ''ce'' being sounded longer. In hate it when they do that and I see Sakura's face a little embarrassed about it, but through it all we decided to continue with what we doin' and take no care or whatsoever with the teases.

By this time, Vin got a partner from the third room. Her name was Vanessa or 'Vane' (Va-neh) as Vin call her. They've been so close together and very sweet. We often see them eating recess together at the Canteen or outside the park every weekends. They were really sweet up until the sixth month. Oh boy! I thought, it didn't last long. But oh boy, again. After a week, Vin got himself another one! Her name was Sheila or 'She' by her friends and 'La' by Vin, of course, it also didn't last long. It was just one week then Sheila found a better man than Vin, as she told her friends who told me and Vin.

After the break up of Sheila, Vin stopped for a week to look for his babes while I stick to my only babe at that time, Sakura. Honestly, I thought, Sakura is one of the most loyal girl I knew, besides my mom that's why I loved her. During first year, I've never been close to Maria, who's my classmate and friend of Sakura, we've never talked longer than 10 minutes, actually. I can tell you that she always is as silent as she was way back Elementary, talking only to her closes seats.

A month passed, we found out that Vin was dating again, another girl, we don't know her name but what we know is that they are dating somewhere near the big mall we have in the vicinity but we never tried to sneak to them. We respect their privacy. NOT FOR VERY LONG! Just two weeks after that we found out; they suddenly broke up. WHAT A WASTE OF EFFORT from Vin, if he really exerted effort into it. I imagine being in his position what I would feel if a girl tries this to me but me and Sakura were really good with each other, we're cool, nothing bad is happening during this time.

By the seventh month at being First year High, I finally asked Sakura the magic words:

'Can you be my Girlfriend?' That was DECEMBER. I gave her a gift, a surprise one. I can see her happiness when I did that and by December 24th, we are OFFICIALLY partners; of course, some guys are jealous and also girls, just like Vin whose meticulously jealous at that time as her lvy dve went away AGAIN. Its his fourth. We call them girls the 'Vin Collections' like a perfume stand on the mall.

Sakura and I have been sweet during Christmas, though we both were disappointed because we can't spend Christmas together as she went to her Aunts and I went on Vacation to Japan with my other relatives. We just send messages through the internet and sends our loves and kisses to each other. I was at Japan whole Christmas and New Year and what fun I had. I knew Sakura was lonely and she knew I was too, but we keep reminding ourselves it's just three weeks without seeing each other, we see everyday during school days, why worry for three weeks? I worry that perhaps that long time I wasn't there, I weren't able to protect her to the abomination where she was. You know what I meant.

This season is Vin's Season too as he found another. YES! Another add on to his Vin Collections. This was her Christmas thot though they didn't do any 'thot thots' at least Vin's Christmas is as warm as a ham fully cooked under a small heat to tenderize.

New Year arrived, Sakura and I still messaging each other, thankfully. IT was an hour before the fireworks will be shown, I was at the hotel in Japan and her in their house, they just got home from their vacation.

Me: Happy New Year honeybunch

Sakura: Happy New Year too! my honeybunch :) You still in Jap?

Me: yeah. sorry.

Sakura: its alright.

Me: I wish Im there with you watching the beautiful fireworks.

Sakura: Same. wish were there to meet your relatives.

Me: ;) *sends photo of hotel room*

Sakura: haha! you at room? with who?

Me: just me...they gone to dinner at palais.

Sakura: Ohh...are u sure?

Me: Yeah very sure. why? thought I have someone with me?

Sakura: Huh? Nah. not like that. Its just so not familiar that u alone there.

Me: Oh. yeah. I see. don't worry, this is OUR room. me, mom , dad.

Sakura: Ohhh! :) Nice.

Me: If you were here, this would've been OUR room. ;)

Sakura; Haha! You ah! :) *Sends a heart*

Me: I love you.

Sakura: I love you more

Me: *send a man throwing hearts*

Sakura: I love You I love You I love You I love You I love You!!!!

Me: *Sends her last text back*

Sakura: haha. Enjoy your new year

Me: Same to you. enjoy your night. hopefully by next week we'll be together again.

A week after New Year, we came back to School and I'm with Sakura again and the surge of busyness comes. The bunch of homework and projects all piled up by the Eighth Month. We were all in a rush. By this time, I forgot about Sakura's security and my relationship to her may have been compromised.

By the ninth month, February. Month of hearts, I COMPLETELY FORGOT about Valentine's Day. I didn't bought any gifts of whatsoever.

The day of hearts has come. February 14th. Busy. Suddenly a burst of cheers can be heard at the classroom. Someone sent a letter to someone and they are all shouting and whooping!

I just glanced at what's happening.

At the end, it was for me, sent from Sakura, a letter in japanese form. at the End of the letter it contains the word: 'Translate it. I made it this way so that you can only read it at home and others won't. This made my tiring day a lively one. I went out the room and as soon as I head out, a cheering group again went to the second room, where Sakura is and a guy at their end have a flower and a chocolate at hand. They called the name of a girl "Uh...Sakura? Is there a Sakura here?" I felt like frozen in time, my eyes grew large and I didn't said a word, just a stare at what's happening. Sakura didn't know I was there standing at the door near their room; a guy with a guitar starts to hum and strum the guitar and slowly sings a 'kundiman' song (Traditional style of love song of the Philippines) while the guy at the end moves forward. The others where shouting in awe and affection as they see what was happening. Sakura was smiling as the guy walks slowly towards her with flowers and chocolate I never have. As soon as the guy is close to her, he gave the flowers and chocolates to Sakura and their music grew stronger and louder and everyone starts to sing along. I saw Sakura smiling and actually enjoying the moment.

I on the other hand, still holding on the letter she gave me. I was starting to cry when Vin went to me curious because I stopped at the front door. He saw what was happening and the reason why I stopped. Sakura noticed us watching and she stare at me, as my tears started to flow from my eyes. She saw that I have the letter. As soon as she stared, I went back to the room. I left Vin standing there. I saw Vin nodded in disagreement what was happening.