Tangled Hearts [On-Going - Slow Update]

CHAPTER 2

In the mirror, it was a pair of swollen eyes I saw. I cried hard last night, and went to sleep, hoping the next day will take away all the weariness in me. I mean, it was kind of hilarious to weep about it, but still, I ended up crumpling on my bed.

I finished my breakfast and my mom yelled, coming from the outside of our house. "Blaise! Andito na si CJ!"

When I heard his name, I suddenly lost my senses—that feeling of something choking me alive, while I stared at his figure. I wanted to go back to my room and avoid him, but I can't miss any day at school. My presence is crucial, at all times.

Glad, I snapped out and went outside, greeting him. "Good morning."

As usual, his arm landed on my shoulder, as we walked through the neighborhood. Before we could even reach the main street, Denisse greeted us outside her house. She still looks good even in her worn out school uniform.

We were childhood friends, the three of us. It all started when my family was new in this simple neighborhood. It's not that quite far from the center of the town, but it's the nearest that my Dad could find here. That time, I was yet to start my childhood. I had no playmate until little Clark James Saavedra befriended little Blaise Geronimo. He was the chubby boy who likes to run around and drag me to his playmates to join their little team. Because of him, I was able to fill my childhood with good memories.

Later on, we met pretty little Denisse Madrigal. She's the spoiled among us, making the other girls jealous of her favorite pink hairband, and she's dressed well. She used to be with a nanny, who would look after her when she'd join us. She grew up in a quite rich family, but, still, they are the down-earthed people I've known.

Years passed, the three of us became the closest among the children in the neighborhood. We went to the same high school, and have been looking for each other as if we were real siblings. We finished junior high with high honors, and now we're about to finish senior high this summer.

Denisse was walking beside Clark, while I'm on his other side. His arm was no longer on my shoulder, now that she's with us. I almost forgot, they are now dating, for real.

"Alam na nina Tito Den ang about sa inyo, Denisse?" I asked out of the blue.

"Hindi pa," she happily replied. "But, we're planning to tell them on graduation day."

"But, everyone at school knows about what happened between the two of you yesterday. Aren't you scared the news would reach them before you could even tell them?"

"If it happens, then, no choice. Besides, we both agreed to focus muna sa studies," she said.

"Nag-aalala na naman ang bunso natin," CJ interrupts, messing my hair I was fixing at the bathroom for a long goddamn time.

"CJ NAMAN!"

Pissed off, I paced past them, reaching the main road first. Luckily, a tricycle was loading passengers nearby, and so I quickly took a seat, leaving them behind.

This ain't a good way to start my morning.

I reached school and was greeted by my schoolmates, who recognized me as a student council member. I'm not as famous as the two, but rather I was known for entertaining students at our help desks.

Meanwhile, CJ was known for his athletic skills and Denisse is a pageantry champ. That's why, sometimes, I feel like I'm out of their league. I see myself as a tail at their back, trying to catch up with their fame. I even heard a rumor that I always clung to them to gain votes in every election of the council.

Now that they're together, my list of reasons why I should avoid them is near complete.

At the classroom, I headed to my seat, frowning. It was too late to realize I can't even avoid them here, simply because we are in the same class.

"Blaise, okay ka lang? Parang sasabak ka ata sa boxing ring sa higpit ng kamao mo," my seatmate noticed, which brought me back to my senses.

"Ah, wala 'to. Don't mind me," I assured.

"Sure ka ha?"

I nodded, before I caught someone waving at me in the corridor. It was an officer, calling me and seemingly needing my help all of a sudden. From my seat, I went out of the room. There, I saw the two who had just arrived. "Blaise!" he called, but the officer already dragged me away.

Right timing.

Thank God I had a reason to not see them now. I was summoned for an urgent meeting, that's why I was taken away immediately.

About the meeting, we are expected to take action upon discovering contraceptives in the school bathrooms. We were all shocked. Our president has already presumed that there were students making out around the school yesterday. That sounds ridiculous.

"The audacity of them to treat our school as if it's a motel?!" our secretary scoffed in disbelief.

"Aside from that, it would be much more scary if those were from lower years," our vice-president added.

"Gosh, I'm afraid the news will reach the internet. Mahilig pa naman magpost ng kung ano-ano ang mga schoolmate natin," the PRO said.

"That's why we're here to halt their plans. We will disseminate urgent memos that all the class presidents should encourage everyone not to circulate the rumors to the point that this issue will reach beyond this campus. And, of course, to remind everyone to respect the school grounds," our president commanded.

The meeting adjourned and we rushed to message all the class representatives about today's agenda. Because of that, I wasn't able to join my morning class. Anyway, it's not the first time. Besides, we are always excuse—

"Geronimo, why are you here, roaming around?" Miss Cory, my Calculus teacher, whom I crossed paths with in the corridor.

"Good morning, Ma'am. May urgent meeting po kasi ang council," I politely replied.

"Then, is it a valid reason for you to abandon your academic responsibilities? You have been absent for most of my quizzes. Do you want to fail my subject?"

"No, Ma'am. It's not my intention to skip the quizzes. Nagkataon lang po ng may mga meeting ang council every tim—"

"I don't want to hear your excuses anymore. The next time you skip my class, I'll immediately mark your grade F. Understood?"

I was taken back by what she had said. She walked past, leaving me feeling guilty for skipping her class. Never did I see this coming. I've always thought they're considerate to the council members, since we do have duties to keep the peace and order in the school. Wow.

Maybe, the rumors are true: Miss Cory is notorious for being inconsiderate and marking low grades. Among the subjects last semester, my lowest grade was hers.

I went back to our classroom, hoping the two weren't there. I was wrong. They seemed to be waiting for me.

"Blaise," he called me. I'm starting to despise his voice, but I don't have enough energy to react anymore.

"May problema ba? Namumutla ka na," he said, but I just shook my head.

"It's nothing—"

Denisse shrieked, as I fell on my knees. Clark tried to catch me, but I already found myself catching my breath on the floor.

I heard my name several times, asking me if what was wrong with me. I couldn't answer, until my sight went black.