First Crush

Hi guys! Here it is, chapter one.

The picture above is Cassy.

Some of the idioms are not mine originally. I just borrowed them for the sake of the story.

Please read the after note at the button of this story. :)

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Cassy's P.O.V

Beep beep beep...,

Uh, that annoying alarm again.

Beep beep beep...,

Errr..., I'm up! I'm up!

You little thing was rude, so very, very rude. From the middle of the marvelous dream, brought sharply into focus; the rambunctious blaring of you jarred me out of my peaceful sleep, and I jolted up, smashing the snooze button as hard as I possibly could.

I am sorry little thing, you, only is the one I can let out my frustration.

Waking up in an alarm is annoying, but I chose not to be grumpy about it. It could not help me in my plans which is to be successful. So, I prefer to complete the daily routines. Which are: to cook breakfast for my family, off to school at 7:30 AM 'til noon, and report to the library from 1:30 PM to 5:30 PM serve as my work to help me survive life and finish my studies.

You see, I don't have a luxurious life like others, I am the eldest in this family, and it's natural to help my parents. When father and mother flew from their home in Colorado, Central Visayas, Philippines- we thrived through life because they both did not finish school and had no idea how to live in the city.

I am not blaming them, don't get me wrong, but I am upset with life. I mean, why the hell? Why the hell did we have a challenging life like this? We barely eat a proper meal; to pay our loads of debts in different people of this city. So I settled working to help my parents and get out of this mortal coil.

Even though I am displeased with this life, I still respect my parents; so I follow my father's wish to have breakfast and dinner together as a family.

The five of us gathered into a small circle and began our small feast. Rice in a boiler with the viands: 1 salted fish and 3 pcs. of fried herrings. (This is the common viand for Filipinos) . Well, it is better than nothing.

While quietly enjoying the meal, I decided to ask my father a question...,

"Father?" I call his attention

"Yes?" He replied, looking directly at me.

Hmm..., With those black, brownish orbs, pointed nose, and perfect lips, I am looking at a man version of me except for the eyes. I got my eyes from my mother a "silver." They were so solid, so bright, the exact lustrous color of a polished shard of metal. If you look closer, you'd see the swirls of glittering onyx black and tinges of blue at the edges...,

Am I a pure Filipino? Nope. My father is not a Filipino but was raised here in the Philippines, and my mother is a hybrid.

I will tell you later about the complete tale of my family's origin. But for now-...,

Snap. Snap.

My father snapped his hand in front of me and pulled me out of my thoughts.

"Earth to Cassy, are there?" My father's concerned face came into my view.

"Yeah. Amm..., Would you like to share with me the tale of how you and your mother became a Christian?" I continue.

"Why?" He wondered.

"Nothing, just curious," I answered, shrugging my shoulders.

"Very well then, let me bring you back years ago."

"Do you still remember what I told you before in my teenage years? Back in our hometown - I am well known as a nuisance and loudmouth. It is because I am always drunk and wasted; I have a lot of enemies because of my deeds, and the man called literature evangelist came into our neighborhood and introduced to us the book of Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy?"

I nod three times, hinting at him to continue.

"It slowly changed me, including your mother. " He continues

"One time when we are not a full pledge Christian yet- me, my best friend, your mother, and her best friend are in the "cabaret" enjoying our Friday night, I have a lot of enemies waiting for their chance to beat me, and they came. I accidentally hit the man (one of my enemies, I presumed) who beat me hard, and I almost died. Realization hit me. I have wasted my life. When God gave me a second chance, I promised Him that I would serve Him and give my life to Him. And when your mother saw me wasted and beaten, she silently prayed, "if God would heal me, she will serve Him and become a fully pledged Christian"; so that was the summary of it." He finished.

"That man is a blessing in disguise, huh?" I asked and wondered.

"Yes." He answered.

"How come?" My brother, Geof, asked.

"Because my dear brother, if the man who beat up father did not come, our parents will never be a believer of God, like now. They will never realize that they need God even though it was a tragic reminder of them." My sister, Jess, answered in a sarcastic tone.

Geof noticed the tone and glared at her.

She just smiled at him and showed her tongue slightly out from her mouth to mock him.

If looks can kill- my sister Jess will be dead right now.

I just smiled at their bickering and continued eating.

Siblings. I murmured.

I wondered if they were not my family, what my life; can be? Probably boredom, loneliness, and misery. I am thankful to have them. Yes, we are poor; but with them: life brought an enormous enjoyment, and problems were, ignored. I remember a quote that said: "Sibling: a combination of a best friend and a pain in the neck." I like this quote because it fits us. They are my best friends. They help me emotionally, morally, and spiritually and at the same time, they can cause trouble and stress.

"Shoot!". I resoundingly said.

"Language Cassy." My mother scolded me.

"Sorry. I am almost late. I murmur while brushing my mouth to get rid of the bad breath and plaque in my teeth, then I get my bag and slightly shout, bye to mom and dad!" I almost stumble while running outside the door.

"Clumsy as ever!" My sister shouts and mocks me.

I did not turn anymore because I was late.

Lucky for me, our house is just a walking distance from the school, so I just ran, fast-walked, and then I will be on time.

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Here it is, my dream: to be part of this prestigious university; to improve myself; to be a degree holder; to get my master's degree and to be able to help my parents and siblings.

Entering the school gates: I assailed with the sea of students going to their respective buildings. I stop for a moment. Observing everything and slowly taking it, looking straight in the hallway, preparing myself for whatever is coming in. The halls crowded with people, and the chaos was so perfect, like a movie. Compared to every school hallway: that everyone described like there was the couple always making out on the left side of the hall; an about ten feet farther down, the cliquey girls; opposite them, the cliquey jocks, and between them, the parade of band geeks with their huge instrument cases; there were the aerospace tech kids who never did anything but make paper airplanes and the fashion kids that wheeled mannequins and clothing racks down the halls. Instead, it is a hallway full of busy people rushing to get to their respective classrooms, students sitting in the stairs and chatted animatedly and wishing to end the day quickly to go somewhere else or rest in their houses (like me).

Joining them, I nearly sprint to the hallway to get into my respective classroom for the whole semester. The freshmen students will be assigned (based on their chosen course) only in one room for their first semester in college until; next semester. It's up to them to follow and go with the given schedules. To be posted during enrollment time.

When I entered the room, rows piled upon rows of exquisitely arranged desks, tasting the vibrancy of the students occupying these desks. The teacher is writing on the neat, smart board, her arched back against the brilliant students: readying herself for the whole hour and observing the students while waiting for them to get settled.

Across the windows, the sun's gleaming rays bring light into the room. I scanned my eyes to find a vacant seat and instantly found it near the beautiful short-haired girl. She looks directly at me and grins. Me just me; I nodded and forced a smile on my lips and said "hi" to her as I settled beside her. She replied with a, "hello" and then I got quiet. I am not comfortable yet talking to the person on my side, who's I barely knew.

"Okay, students, settle down!" The teacher slightly shouted and used her teacher-mode voice to get everyone's attention.

As I glanced up at the angelic voice, I immediately noticed, or shall we say, checking her up. From her formed toned legs because of three-inch-heel, she's wearing; Up to her hourglass-like body. How many hours did she invest to achieve it? Slightly stopping for seconds to her D-size boobs; then up to her perfectly shaped neck; again took longer to her kissable lips with the unnoticeable smirk and stopped to her brown-black eyes that looking right back at me..., wait, what? Shoot! I am busted! I automatically forced my eyes to look somewhere else, ugh.., and then I heard a chuckle to my right side.

I automatically followed the sound of it and found an amused face looking back at me, smirking a bit, and said...,

"You're busted. Getting trouble on your first day, don't yeah? Don't worry; you are not the only one who is checking her out. Almost all students here are doing the same thing; unfortunately for you, she's looking to you too. So you're the only one who is busted." Said the short hair-girl whom I do not know the name.

"By the way, I am Recy, delighted to be your acquaintance. And you are?"

"Cassy, but just call me Cass or Kc, whatever you like," I replied

"Is, Cass, okay?"

"Yeah," I replied with a nod.

Our conversation stopped because the hot teacher spoke again and wrote something on the board that said,

"I AM MS. REBEKAH HANES"...,

"But call me Ms. Hanes or Ms. Rebekah. I will be your instructor for this semester in your major subject, "IT111". For this week, I will teach you the basics through a PowerPoint presentation. We will discuss first; the user's manual that you will be using for your hands-on activity starting next week. Please prepare enough money tomorrow, and I will let you photocopy the handouts on this subject-..., " She paused because someone was raising their hand for a question, maybe.

"Ma'am, is it necessary to photocopy? Do we have another option to choose?" One of my classmates asked.

"Oh, yes, you have another option to choose if you let me finish." She answered with a smile.

"Sorry." My classmate replied.

"Okay, as I have said, you can photocopy the handouts, or you can get me the soft copy later in my office. My office is on the third floor of this building. It is the computer laboratory of the school. Are there any questions? Before we will proceed to the introduction of IT111." She finished with the instructions.

"No, ma'am." We said in chorus..., or they said in chorus except some of us that just nodded our heads.

Then she started discussing our subject and gave an introduction about it. Miss Hanes distributed the syllabus and instructed us to read it- because we will have a short quiz about it and the others that we tackled.

As she gave us the time to read, I used it to roam my eyes around the room and secretly look at her. Then again, she looked back at me. Caught in the act, she blushed and forced her eyes to look down at her laptop and type God knows what.

I took the opportunity to observe her physically. God, she's flawless. I wonder if that's natural or not.

She looked up again and found me staring. I smiled at her innocently as if- nothing, happened. While she, on the other hand, gave me a blank expression; and looked back to her laptop, typing.

What was that? I wonder, and then I force my eyes back to the syllabus to reading.

The first-class passed smoothly, we had our quiz, and then we finished it just after a minute before the bell rang sign of the end of the first period.

The other subjects are boring. I hope that this day will move faster, please!

Unfortunately, the day moves agonizingly slow. Ugh...,

From my IT111 & IT 101 (my first two "major" subjects) that lasted 1 hour and 30 minutes each and Eng101, Psych1 (my first two minor subjects) that lasted 1 hour each.

Fate, you do love me.

Well, it's just the first day.

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At last, the bell rang for lunch. I nearly jump from my seat because of excitement and eagerness. Usually, the sound of it is annoying and brassy but, now it's melodic.

I fall in step with the crowd of students, teachers, and staff going into the canteen for lunch.

Some of them headed to a table, home lunches in their hands; others jumped in one of the three lines for school lunch. I joined them, stood in line, and waited for my turn to buy lunch.

While waiting, as an observant kid, I roamed my eyes to the whole canteen and stopped to her again, Ms. Hanes. As she walks with her colleagues, I can't help to let my eyes linger on her from her toned legs and body. But now she is busy, talking animatedly with her co-teacher, and she did not see me, so I am safe.

Finally, my turn to buy lunch, I smiled at the lady and said,

"Hi, can I have a can of cola, one drum stick of chicken, and 1 cup of rice, please?"

She put it in a tray and asked, "Is that all?"

"Yes, thank you!" I replied.

As I get out of the line, I nearly throw my lunch and hit someone. I quickly say sorry, look to my almost victim, and stop in my tracks, God it's her, Ms. Hanes.

Now, I am face to face with her. I cannot move and speak. I was mesmerized and almost hypnotized.

I am positive my pupils dilated, adrenaline-rushed, and heart-pounding as if attempting to get out of my chest. Great! I probably look like a fool now.

Attempting to calm down, I quickly close my eyes: controlling myself.

Making sure that I had control of my nerves, I opened my eyes again and talked to her.

"Sorry ma'am, have a nice lunch," I said quickly and almost sprinted to the nearest table, making myself comfortable to finish my lunch.

After eating, I go directly to the library and report for my first day. Unlike the other students, I am one of the irregulars because of my financial status. To support my schooling, I needed to have a part-time job, so I applied as a student assistant at the school. They assigned me to the library and told me to report after my class.

The librarian told me to organize the books accordingly, clean the dusty shelves, and enter new data into the computer.

While yours truly busy organizing the books, I heard an angelic voice saying,

"I did not peg you to be an assistant student. You look like one of the rich kids.." She said and finished without breathing.

I froze, swallowed hard, and thought a reply.

"Amm, I did not peg you to talk freely to one of your students outside the classroom?" I replied with a smile.

God! my crush is talking to me. Its like surreal. I cannot believe it. Wait..., Cassy! she is a teacher! For God's sake! Well, I am 17, turning 18. It is not illegal, right.., but not morally good because she is a teacher, and it can affect both of us, especially her. Get yourself together, girl!

"I need help." She finally said, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Yes, how can I help you, ma'am?" I replied.

"I need to find this book, Computer Dictionary, but I can't. Do you mind helping me find it?" She asked with a hopeful look on her face.

Me that can't say no to her, I obliged and help.

Come down nerves, gush! Please, girl, control yourself.

While scanning and looking at the shelves and tables, wondering if stopping the feelings are impossible. The affection started to form for my teacher. Wait., I am a girl, right? Why do I feel the attachment is intended for the opposite sex, not for the same sex?

And I finally found it.

"Ms. Hanes, here it is. The Computer Dictionary book. It was on the table. Maybe the other students or teachers used it and did not put it back on its shelf." I said to her.

"Well, thank you, Cassy." She said with a smile.

"You're welcome, ma'am," I replied.

She turns to go directly to the circulation section, where one can issue and return documents. "Maybe she'll borrow the book," I said to myself and wondered.

After that encounter, I continued my work, and then it was 5:30 PM, time for me to go home and rest since there was no assignment to be passed.

After dinner, I readied myself for bed and started to think about Ms. Hanes, my first crush this year. I wonder if this will pass by because it will be a disaster if it isn't.

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Hello readers! Let me end this here and proceed to chapter 2. :)

Stay tuned!