"Palibhasa kasi manhid ka! Hindi marunong mainlove kaloka!"
Yan naman lagi nilang sinasabi eh. Sabi ko sa isip ko habang nakatitig sa umiiyak kong best friend. Hindi naman ako manhid! It's just, I think im not capable of loving someone. Or maybe i don't know what's the feeling of being inlove! I argued at them inside my head. Not letting those words slipped my mouth, I looked at my other best friend and smiled without showing my teeth.
"Els, baka hindi pa siya tinatamaan ng pana ni Cupido!" She laughed as she hugged Ella, whose sniffling and wiping her tears. I glared at them before pushing myself off of the table where i was leaning the whole time.
"Okay guys, first period will start in 10 minutes. I think we should talk this after school." They both opened their mouth to protest but I shut them off, "anu ba yan! Ke aga aga yan problema niyo? Summer is over, jeez. So it means that problem about love is over too." I said, air quoting the word love.
Hindi na sila nakapag salita kaya binuksan ko na ang pintuan ng students council's office. I pointed the door at them, Fille laughed while shaking her head while Ella was stomping her feet ranting that I didn't care about her feelings at all. As if naman! Psh, it's not just a good idea to start a year with a love problem, specially inside my office.
"Good morning Students! Welcome back to School..."
Bang Pineda's voice boomed above our heads as she welcomed everyone in our school. Owh! Bang's real name, Sheila Marie Pineda. She's one of my best friend since i was in 5th grade. Me, Ella De Jesus, Fille Cainglet and Sheila Pineda were best friend and buddies since 5th grade, and that's because of our parents.
"Good morning Dennise!" A cheerful voice greeted me when I entered the cafeteria. I smiled at her and greeted her back with a 'hi'. Jia Morado, one of Ella's friends.
Sa hindi ko malamang dahilan ay napatingin ako sa lamesahang nasa pinaka dulo ng cafeteria. I smiled at then and waved my hand. Two of my best friends were there sitting and talking with the others. Thou Ella rolled her eyes and pressed her face on her palms above the table.
"Baby Ji, how's our club going?" Tanong ko sa katabi ko. I saw her wide smile in my peripheral vision kaya humarap ako sakanya. "I know that smile. What's up?" I asked her.
"Nothing Dennise. It's just, I think you'll have a headache in our club this year!" Then she showed me the clipboard she was holding. My eyes almost bulge out of my eye sockets when I scanned the list. "55 members, means... Hunger Games!"
"Bakit andami?! Halos buong school na to ah?" Gulat kong sabi. Totoo naman kasi. I mean, yeah! A little of exaggerating in there, pero hindi malayong buong school yun. Maliit lang kaya school namin, specially that this is just the high school department.
"The school has two thousand student Dennise. Huwag ka ngang OA."
Napasimangot ako at tumitig sa makapal na eye glasses ni Jia, "yeah. Too much to handle."
"Eh bakit hindi mo kasi ipahawak kay Fille yung isa pa nating club? Or sa ibang students?" She suggested.
"Do you think gusto nila?" Tanong ko at tumingin sa buong caf. Puno na ito kaya umakyat na kami sa stage. I cleared my throat getting every student's attention. They snapped their heads in my direction and settled down on their own sits.
"Yeah! Kailangan lang natin ng boto ng buong school." Jia said while getting the clip board in my grip. "You're the president, but it doesn't mean dapat ihandle mo lahat ng clubs sa school na to."
"I know, but that was the rule that was written in our agenda notebook. And it was made by the old student council's president. And for pete's sake ayokong mabago yun." And most of all, ayokong isipin nilang hindi ko kaya. Since two of the old president of the student council's was my sister and brother. Psh, so it means I need to continue it for the third time.
Yeah! I have a sister and a brother. They're both older than me. Justine Christian Lazaro our eldest, 26 years old. Obviously in his high school years he was the ruler of the school, since this school was an all boys school back then. Then my sister Justine Angelica Lazaro, 21 years old. She became the most popular in this school too. In their years they both ruled the school, they handled every clubs and occasions which means... As a president, owner and ruler of the school. I should do the same? Right? Since it's a blah blah whatever it is.
"Dennise, you're still young. 16 ka palang! You should enjoy senior years since..."
Hindi ko na pinatapos si Jia as I looked at the crowd. I checked everyone's face. Most of them are new, the grade 9s. The seniors which were my batch mates were nowhere to be found. I frowned at the realization that 3 tables were the only representative we have.
"Good morning." I cleared my throat as i saw my dad at the corner of my eyes. I straightened my back. Looking at our table I opened my mouth to say my words but someone interrupted me with a question.
"Ei! If you're the students council's president, the daughter's owner of the school, the cheerleading squads president, volleyball player and holder of all the clubs in this school. Why did you choose to sit and be friends with the nerds' table over the jocks and popular bitchy ones?"
My mouth agape because of how long the question is. I scanned the four corners room and saw a boy in his white shorts above the knee and red polka dots polo being pulled by someone who's leaning her face on her arm above the table. He waved her hand with a toothy grin.
"No hats allowed please. If you haven't read the rules of the school, everything that you're wearing is against the rule." I started off and looked at my dad apologetically, he smiled at me and shook his head. "I don't want to start this morning's announcement with the rules of the school, so please mr sit-down and stop asking questions which is not even school related."
His friends at the table forcedly pull her down. He frowned at me that made the whole school laughed in unison. The soft laughters from us was the indication that this school year for them will be full of happiness and excitements.
I felt a nudge on my side so i cleared my throat that made us all stop from our laughters. "Okay okay! Welcome back students!" I cheerfully greeted that made Fille and the other on our table raised their eye brows at me.
"Naks! New president, new aura ah?" Narinig kong sabi ni Jia kaya tumawa ako ng mahina and pressed the remote that was on the table in front of me.
"Still intimidating? Or what?" I asked her when we walked out the back door of the stage.
"Honestly, totally different with your brother and your sister." We both laughed and took our places by my dad's sides.
"Hi princess." He kissed my cheeks before placing his arms above our shoulders. "Your sister is so proud of you. She was here."
My eyes widened as I bit my lip to stop myself from squealing because of excitement. Napalibot ako ng tingin sa buong cafeteria hanggang sa nakita ko na ang aking hinahanap. She run her right hand through her red hair while her left hand was inside her white uniform's pocket. She looked around until she met mine, she smiled at me.
Looking at my sister while walking towards us made my heart thump in my chest. She's wearing the same confidence like my dad and mom. The way she walked it's full of poise, the way her hips swayed side by side reminded me that my sister was indeed a model back in her University years. She broke our eye contact when she turned around to look at one person in the middle of the crowd. I saw how she smirks that made me smile at myself.
"Same gestures." My dad whispered.
"Right Mr. Lazaro, smiles, aura, and everything. Identical it is."
Hearing my dad and Jia talked about me and my sister made me smile. I love it every time people compared me to my family members. Hindi kagaya sa iba, that every time they're being compared maiinis or magagalit na sila. I mean, they're my family. So it means pare pareho talaga kami. Thou i know we have differences.
My kuya Justine was popular back when he was in high school, he was one of the jocks but he never bullied anyone. He's the serious type, like my dad. He was the valedictorian back then, people loves him because he's really mabait and all. Kaya niloloko namin siya na sobra niyang bait noon na nagbago ngayon. Psh! He's a guy. So it's normal na maloko siya.
On the other side, my sister was also popular. Kung gaano naman kabait noon si kuya ganun naman siya kasama. Yeah! She was bully back then, my dad almost removed her name in the students council's list since she was really a bitch. She was intelligent too, but unlike kuya she didn't get the valedictorian throne. In fact her best friend got it which made her more than happy.
Kung iba ang papipiliin kung sino kila kuya at ate, siguro si kuya pipiliin nila. Since he was the best in his years. Kasi mabait na matalino pa, kahit sobrang sikat siya sa school dati. But for me, i will choose my sister. Why? Kasi she enjoyed it. No stress, nag go with the flow lang siya. She finished high school with flying colours with a bunch of happy memories with her friends.
"Good morning miss Pres!" Ate Justine bowed her head as if she was greeting a Queen. I laughed as i jumped for a hug. "Aww, baby we're not home yet." She giggled.
"Just hug me sissy."
"Dad, you never told me that the school's new president is acting like a baby."
I kissed my sister's cheek and removed my arms around her neck. "Maybe the new president is really a baby, Jus." She raised an eye brow before looking at Jia.
"Good morning ate Justine." Jia greeted walking towards us and kissed Justine's cheek. "Nice to see you here! The nerd's squad wanted to see you since summer vacation." She pouted her lips to point out our table.
"Oh, im sorry 'bout that. I was working in the Hospital during summer break." Justine shook her head, she tightened her grips around my waist. "Don't take it seriously baby. Don't listen to what kuya told you last night." She whispered. I nodded as we listened to the movie of that school that was playing in front of the students.
It was a movie made by the students year by year. The new students loves it because of the funny scenes that was acted by the students. There was my kuya's face at the end of the first episode, which meant the episode that was shown was acted by him and his batch mates, next thing was the five next presidents before my sister. Then i laughed when it started with her episode.
"Jeez. High School was really fun." She dramatically wipe her cheeks that made me smile and kiss her jaw. "You have a sugar rush again Dennise." She whined quietly.
"Not baby anymore?" I pouted.
She shook her head as she focused herself on the movie. I stared at her face and this time I wipe her cheeks because of a single tear that run down her eyes. It's just obvious that she really missed her high school days. Indeed it was the best years of her life, since after High school nag kapalit na sila ni kuya. She became independent, buy her own apartment that was too far from us. She lived by her own, make money by her own, and she does it alone. Same as kuya, though kuya acts like me sometimes.
"This is your bitchy-gorgeous president! Justine Angelica Lazaro signing off. P.s, to all the next presidents... Please be whoever you are! Don't take it seriously like my brother Justine Lazaro did, who made his life unforgettable and unique (take note the sarcasm)." she waved her hand adorably as she sway her booty that made us all laugh.
Justine hugged me even tighter at my back as my dad made his way at the back of the stage. 5 more episodes before the movie ended. A guy named Myco Antonio walked pass us, he smiled at me before putting a blue tooth ear piece at my right ear.
"Ready baby?" Justine asked kissing my forehead.
"Yes. Kinda nervous Jus."
"I was nervous back then baby, they won't notice it since our aura is intimidating and confident. Just be yourself." She smiled.
Closing my eyes and breathing deeply I smiled at myself before making my way up the stage. The students clap their hands as my dad called me on the stage. He offered me the clip board but i refused to get it as my sister said, be yourself.
"Hi!" I greeted them, I looked at their reactions that made me frown inside my head. "I know you're expecting for your new president to do a grand entrance." I pouted my lips. They all laughed which made me smile at them. "My brother was a douche but a genius one! And my sister was a bitch but made her senior days the most unique ones. I think as their youngest, i'll be both." This time i heard their roars. I cleared my throat and raised my eye brow. "Sorry but not sorry, im bitchier and cleverer than them. So as a president we'll make this years the most unique and most unforgettable ones!"
The room became quiet as a familiar voice asked the most annoying question that made my dad and sister laughed.
"So this year, you'll fall in love too? Explore what high school life really means is?"
Feeling depressed by Ella's question. I shook my head as i heard everybody's laugh by my reaction. This is so... An unforgettable start. Argh! Why can't they stop talking about love? It's not even interesting.
I scanned the room and my eyes met a pair of an unfamiliar brown eyes. Trying to break the eye contact I looked at the person's side and the boy who asked a question smirked at me and looked at the person whom i was looking before him.
Then before I knew it, I heard Ella's voice chanting her question inside my head.
You'll fall in love too?
~~~