Chapter 9

October 2013

"But I don't want to go to school!" I cried to Ate Stella. I was already late for school but she was still persuading me to go. I didn't want to!

She looked at me helplessly and replied, "Your mother will scold us both! Why don't you even want to go to school!?"

Instead of answering her question, I just wailed. "Ate Stella! I don't want to go to school! Please! I don't want to, Ate Stella!"

She looked like she's about to cry too. "What are we gonna tell your mother?" she asked hysterically, "And your teacher! They've been asking for you for the last three days you're absent! I can't tell them that you're still sick! They won't believe me!"

I just continued to cry while shaking my head. She sighed and tried to looked me in the eyes. "Just tell me why you don't want to go to school?" she asked, now gently that I was convinced to rethink my judgment that she wouldn't understand.

Ate Stella has always been with me since I was a baby. She would play with me whenever no one else would. She would take me with her to the market or even to her house whenever I was left alone. She was a friend, a very good friend, but...I didn't want to tell her about the man. Everyone in the family would then know. I couldn't handle that. My classmates were enough.

I dried my eyes and lifted myself. "Take me to school, Ate Stella?"

Her brows touched as she gave me a puzzled look. I tried to smile. "I'm okay now."

She just sighed. "Okay, let's go."

~

My mouth literally dropped while my brows furrowed, looking utterly mortified.

I gawked at James' boldness. I just couldn't believe that he would say such thing in front of other people. And now, those other people were howling crazily but the guy beside me chortled like he just didn't act like a total idiot. I was the one embarrassed on his behalf.

I averted my eyes from him and forced myself to get over it.

"Tati, you can sing!" Livvy said as the teasings died down. I glared at her and exclaimed,"No!"

There was no way I would sing again. That would be suicide, let alone with James! My voice would probably just crack.

My classmates started to protest and I saw James grinning in my peripheral vision. Why was everybody against me?! I searched for Louise, trying to find some alliance, but I saw her just smiling at me. I gaped at her and she simply shrugged.

"Tati, you even made the song for our task before! We all heard you sing when you taught us that!" Livvy insisted.

The others agreed and continued to encourage me. I glanced at James and the guy seemed to be very pleased. I glared at him before looking away. "Fine! Okay! Can we now move on?!" I glowered to everyone and they all cheered in return. I sighed and tried to hide my smile.

•••

I was about to sleep after recording our dance when my phone lit up. I checked who it was although I might know who, and I was right. It was James. He has been messaging me since earlier but I never replied. He was still online so I couldn't open our conversation and see all his chats. He would see it and I still didn't intend to reply. I just contented myself with what I saw outside.



And even though I tried to suppress it, a smile still crept on my face. I put my phone away and slapped myself, albeit gently, just trying to wake myself up.

I groaned when it seemed to be not working. I should really stop this. It wouldn't work.

•••

I was having a mental breakdown after Ma'am Angelica, our English teacher, announced just now that we will perform our play on Friday. On Friday! It was three days from now and we still weren't ready! The props were yet to be finished and the actors were yet to memorize their lines! Oh goodness.

"I have asked your other subject teachers to spare you this whole morning so you can practice and finish off what you need to finish", Ma'am Angelica stated, "Just make sure to use your time wisely. I'll leave now so you can all start."

"Goodbye, Ma'am Angelica!" my classmates chanted which snapped me out of my little breakdown. I then went to Louise. "Are there still a lot of props that aren't finished?" I asked my friend.

"Unfortunately, yes", she responded with an apologetic smile. Instead of answering, I ransacked my brain, trying to prioritize what we needed to do. "What props?"

"The buildings, the sign, the stand, the—"

"—Okay, everyone! We're all gonna finish the props today!" I shouted over the growing noise, "The girls will help Daniella to paint the buildings! The boys will help build the stand and other things that are needed to be built, Harlyn will lead you! Dylan and Carol will help me and Louise finish the sign! Those who will find themselves with nothing to do", I stalled because those were all the tasks for now, "clean the room! Everyone got it?"

Some responded jokingly, "Yes, Ma'am!" and some just nodded. "Okay! Now, move!"

•••

After an hour, we had finished the sign in which "Welcome to Las Vegas" was written.

"How will we hang it?" Dylan asked.

"There are hooks in the ceiling there in the stage", Carol answered him.

"That's settled then. We'll just have to buy some strings?" they nodded with what I said. "Okay. Let's help with the buildings!"

We got up from where we were sitting and went outside to the hallway where most of our classmates were, making and painting small buildings out of cartons. Some boys were at the end of the hallway facing an empty classroom and the rest, I supposed, were in the gymnasium trying to frame the stage. The ones with us were making the stand for the statue of the lead character. I glanced at them and noted James with just his undershirt hammering the studs on the stand. He wasn't looking so I took the chance to study him.

His bronzed body wasn't really that robust like other men but compare to the boys his age, he was of a great stature. His broad shoulders were really eye-catching as if it were sculpted to perfection. It was settled above his small waist.

I pouted. How in the world could a guy's waist be that small? I eyed him up and down, and thought that he looked comely and very much boyish...just like how I preferred it to be.

What?! Oh goodness. Just as I was about to look away, James gazed at my directions. Shit.

He smirked at me and I wasn't gonna lie and say that it wasn't one of the hottest thing I had ever seen, because...it really was. I gulped and averted my eyes from him, screaming in my head. I focused my attention below, on the floor where my classmates were huddled, painting the buildings. Good thing, they weren't looking or else I would be so embarrassed. Tati ogling James?

I shivered. I never dreamed to die in shame. I squatted and tried to help my classmates, ignoring James' presence from afar.

•••

We were at the gymnasium by eleven, sizing up the stage. We tried to place the props on their designated areas and it looked great. The other props were yet to be delivered here in school. It would be just the bed and the tables.

I examined the space below the stage where we were going to perform. The stage just served as a background since it was too small for our play. I pursed my lips trying to envision what it would look like with all the props.

"Tati, when will we bring the bed?" Jane Tolentino asked beside me and I responded, eyes not on her, "Tomorrow would be great, Jane." I then turned to her and added, "So the actors could rehearse with it."

"Okay. I'll try", she answered and I smiled at her. "Thank you."

I turned to leave to wash my hands. It was helplessly covered with paint. I trudged towards the washing area looking about.

High School of San Roque wasn't a prestigious school or whatsoever. It was a private one, albeit small, with just a handful of facilities. Though it was the biggest school in our town so I was contented with it. The fact that I was able to study in such school was enough.

When I was nearing the washing area, I spotted a guy with just his undershirt on. I stopped in my tracks, not knowing if I should proceed or not. I could go to the other washing area to avoid him but it was at the other side of the school. Or I could just wash there and ignore him but he wouldn't probably have it.

I exhaled loudly. I didn't really want to walk under the scorching sun for another five minutes so I continued to walk towards James. When he noticed my presence, he looked over his shoulder. I didn't meet his gaze and just stared directly at the faucet like it was a master who was summoning his slave, me.

I turned on the faucet and placed my hands under the running water when I reached it. My eyes didn't stray away from my hands when he asked, "Worked hard, huh?"

I didn't answer and I heard him scoff, "You're gonna ignore me now? Really? Like you didn't just mused at my body earlier?"

I turned to him, looking very much mortified. "No such thing happened!"

He raised an eyebrow challengingly at me. "I wasn't even looking at you! I was just checking on your progress with the stand!" I insisted rather poorly that he bursted out laughing.

Realizing just how bad my lie was, I chortled with him. Now, we were both laughing like some crazy clowns.

As our laughter subsided, James remarked, "You sure don't know how to lie."

"Oh, I assure you I am the best at it. I was just fazed right now", I responded, a smile still lingering on my face. He was silent for a while but when he spoke I immediately wished that he didn't.

"You know, if you let me court you, I could let you ogle at my body everyday", he cocked and I smacked him with water. "You, asshole!"

I splashed more water at him when he just laughed. He covered his face to shield it from the slaps of the water. When I felt my hand starting to get numb, I stopped splashing him with water and continued what I came here for.

I glanced at him and our eyes met. I didn't know I was smiling when he uttered, "Your asshole." I averted my eyes away as my smile grew wider.

At that moment, I really wished I could freeze time.