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It felt foreign but at the same time it also felt right, wearing new uniform, setting foot at new school and having new look. She had bangs and was also wearing eyeglasses, so LA wouldn't recognize her easily and follow her. She was feeling nervous and excited as scenarios flashed in her mind, as she imagined what might happen and she would do if she saw Alyssa. She wondered if she was her batch mate or better, classmate, if she were, she imagined sitting next to her, introducing herself and how she would make her remember her. How she wished Alyssa remembered her. How she wanted to be her best friend and comfort her whenever she needed just like what she did to her. It made her stick to where she was standing so she shook her head.
Hey Dennise, first things first. Pumasok ka na sa school.
She reminded herself because she got out of her bubble and realized she was still outside the gate. She would probably be late for her first day here if she would just attend her classes in her mind. She looked around and saw new faces entering the large school's gate, who were already comfortable with their surroundings. She told herself she would be, too. She took a deep breath.
Dennise started walking towards the gate leaving all the doubts and uncertainties outside as she entered her new school. As soon as she set her foot inside, she knew there was no coming back.
"This is it." She told herself and started her new life in her new school.
Her first week at Greendale High, she could say it was hard. She was still adjusting with the environment but good thing not with her studies. She felt like she always entered the wrong room but she would then remember that she transferred school. Her classmates were friendly, they would start a conversation with her and she would talk to them. She didn't like how friendly the boys were though, as a girl, she already knew what some of their actions mean, Dennise was undeniably a head turner after all. Even with her changed look, she could still carry herself just fine and some recognized her because she had been here before whenever they had games against this school so she also knew some students here, particularly her fellow volleyball players. Within her first week in school, many guys had already showed motives on her but she entertained no one. She had no plan on having a relationship again, she just had her breakup with LA and she didn't want to commit another mistake again.
Some of her classmates offered to give her a tour around the school and she chose to be with the girls of course. Alyssa was nowhere to be seen though, she wasn't her classmate, she didn't know much about her. She wanted to ask her classmates about her but she was too shy. Whenever she went out of their classroom, she secretly looked at every room hoping to see Alyssa but she never found her. Maybe because it wasn't easy to find her in rooms in a span of seconds only.
She felt lonely despite having her classmates company, she was still trying to talk to Ella but her best friend was still mad so she just asked for updates about her to Synjin. She just cheered herself up whenever she felt sad since no one else would.
Since she had been already toured by her classmates around the campus, she sometimes wandered alone, trying to memorize every places. She would spend her whole break time wandering around whenever she didn't feel hunger, the only spot that made her smile the whole tour was the quadrangle, because that was where the stage was at. She remembered that stage because that was where Portmanteau performed and won the Battle of the Bands, she knew because she had watched the video on social media. She wondered how would it feel to watch them play live there.
"Absent daw si Sir!" Dennise heard one of their classmates announced, their class president, it made her mood light up a bit, she thought of going outside again. It was a normal school day and Dennise was getting bored. Their teacher just left a seatwork for them to do. After getting done with it, Dennise stood up to pass her work. She then excused herself to go to the comfort room. When the president allowed her, she immediately went outside. She wasn't really going to the comfort room, she would just wander alone again.
She couldn't go anywhere where she could waste her time though, in the garden, quadrangle, because there were still classes ongoing and she would be easily noticed. She shouldn't be caught especially by the principal, she was told that the principal often checked the campus, like hunting a student to scold. So she just decided to go to the library since it was really one of her favorites place to go to. She never went there during class hours so she wasn't sure if students were allowed to go there. There was one way to find out so she made her way to the library.
She entered the library and almost got deaf because of the silence. It seemed like no students were here so she kinda hesitated to log in. Since the librarian didn't ask her anything while she was logging in, she just continued then headed towards the bookshelves. She searched for a random novel, after she picked one, she sat leaning on the bookshelf in an Indian seat position. She started reading the book she picked. Her boredom got somehow lessened like the novel she was reading took her somwhere else, she continued reading in peace.
She got too engrossed with the story that she didn't notice it was almost time until she saw the librarian walked past the bookshelf where she was at. She immediately closed the book and stood up to return it to where she picked it. Upon returning it, she saw through the shelf that the librarian was waking someone up. Since she was close to them she heard the librarian.
"Baldo, gising." the librarian said. She thought Baldo was an odd name for a girl. She assumed the student was a girl since she was wearing a uniform like hers. She saw the student raise her head but she couldn't see her face because she was facing the librarian.
Tsk, pati ba naman library ginawang bedroom.
"Andiyan na naman 'yung principal, alam mo naman masipag maglibot. Lumayas ka na dito." The librarian added then left her. The student slightly smiled at the librarian. Dennise's eyes grew wide in shock after seeing who it was. The student immediately stood up and took her things before leaving the table.
"Thank you po Ma'am." She heard the student say, she heard Alyssa say. She saw her walked past the bookshelves where she was at. She confirmed it was really her. She got too stunned to even move. The librarian caught her attention who saw her on the aisle.
"Psst, ikaw baka mahuli ka rin ng principal. Bawal dito during class hours eh. Balik ka na lang." The librarian said then left again. Then why didn't the librarian told her that earlier? She wondered at the same time thanked that she didn't because that made her see Alyssa after weeks. She just nodded then headed to the door to leave. She again saw Alyssa who was hurrying to leave while holding her phone. And again, she had done nothing but let her gaze follow Alyssa.
After seeing Alyssa once at the library, Dennise started going there more often whenever she had time. Mostly during their break time, but she seldom saw Alyssa there. She only saw her during class hours, so she always spent her vacant time at the library. Alyssa always had her bag with her whenever Dennise saw her there which made her think if Alyssa were cutting classes which was true but she didn't know.
It was weird 'cause Alyssa studied in library.
Ba't 'di na lang siya nag-home-school?
Dennise would often ask herself whenever she would watch Alyssa at the library while she sat 3 tables away from Alyssa. She still didn't find the urge to approach her. She was content by just watching her from afar. Sometimes Alyssa was studying, sometimes she was sleeping. She would pretend she was reading something but the truth was, she was just using the book so Alyssa wouldn't notice. Alyssa didn't notice, but Ma'am de Guzman, the librarian did.
"Iha." Dennise got startled when the librarian called her attention. She looked at her.
"Po?" She asked.
"Nagiging suki na rin kita rito bukod kay Baldo, ano bang pangalan mo?" Ma'am de Guzman asked her. She suddenly felt embarrassed.
"Uhm, Dennise po." Dennise answered, she thought that was the end of it but she was wrong, Ma'am de Guzman interrogated her.
"Pansin kong lagi mong tinitignan lang 'yan si Baldo, may gusto ka sa kanya?" She was shocked by the question but then the librarian stopped her when she was about to say she didn't. "Okay lang 'yan Dennise, may mga nagkakagusto talagang babae sa batang 'yan. Pero wala pa ring girlfriend kahit babae ang tipo." Dennise thought she couldn't get any more shocked, but then again she was wrong.
"She's what?" She asked, still shocked with what she just heard.
"Babae ang gusto niya." The librarian repeated. Dennise mouth opened in shock.
She's into girls?
It truly was a shocker that it took her minutes before it sunk in.
"Hindi mo ba alam iha? Akala ko kalat na sa buong campus. Aminado rin naman siya. " The librarian asked. Good thing it was only the three of them who were there, if not, the librarian would probably get scolded for talking inside the library. But she talked with a low voice. "Baka pasukan ka ng langaw niyan." The librarian joked so Dennise immediately closed her mouth.
"I just want to be her friend." Dennise explained. "And, I'm straight." The librarian nodded.
"Ganon ba, pasensya na napansin ko lang. Madali lang kaibiganin 'yan. Lapitan mo lang." The librarian advised.
"M-maybe next time." Dennise said. The librarian left her and she was still trying to absorb what she had just learned about Alyssa. She sighed then shook her head and stopped melting Alyssa with her stare.
It might change things but Dennise didn't stop with what she was doing. She was not homophobic. In fact she got more and more curious about Alyssa. She still past her time at the library and didn't miss a gig they had. Alyssa became more interesting to her, she even liked the song she had composed and hoped Alyssa would sing it someday instead of Kiefer.
The life she was having in her new school was way too far from what she had in her past school. Before, she was always busy not just because of her studies and the volleyball team she was into but also the extracurricular activities she had. Now, she had no plan joining the volleyball team for she didn't want to play against her former team. It somehow felt good so far, having less responsibilities and just peacefully 'follow' Alyssa. She might as well be considered as a stalker but she didn't want to be like that though she was becoming more like it. Instead of getting bored of it, she was having fun, especially after getting another paper plane.
It was on Sunday while she was at the mall, she spent her time alone in the National Book Store. When she got out, after a few steps, she felt something not too sharp but light hit the back of her head. When she turned to look, she saw a paper plane on the floor. How her eyes widen, she automatically smiled upon seeing it then picked it up and immediately looked around to see who flew it. But people made her confused, she didn't know who hit her until she never found out who. She just kept it.
But it seemed like the fate had been wanting Alyssa to meet Dennise already, because Dennise seemed to have been content with just looking at her from afar. Seemed like fate got tired of waiting for Dennise's move.
It would be Dennise's first time to watch a game in the gym, she wanted to watch because it was Greendale High versus her former school, CSA. She missed the team and she was also hoping Ella would watch since both of them used to watch each other's game to show support though she had a doubt since she was no longer part of the team and Ella's still mad at her.
When she saw her former teammates arrived at the gym, she hurried towards them. She greeted them and she saw how everyone was surprised by her presence, they hugged her. They missed their former Captain, they were happy to see her again but also sad at the same time because she transferred.
"Goodluck guys!" Dennise wished them luck.
"Thank you Capt!" They all said even their current team Captain, Carmela Tunay. Dennise smiled but it didn't reach her eyes. After asking how everyone was, Dennise approached Carmela and whispered something.
"Si Ella? Is she gonna watch?" She asked Mela but the latter gave her a sad smile and shook her head.
"Tampo pa rin 'ata sa'yo Capt., kapag tinatanong namin about sa'yo puro siya 'di ko alam. Bakit ka ba kasi lumipat?" Dennise felt guilt about it and couldn't do anything about it.
"Ganon ba? Hmm sige thank you. Uhm una na 'ko goodluck ulit." Dennise said not answering the question. Carmela understood that she didn't want to talk about it so she just let it go, she waved at Dennise and Dennise waved back.
She was sad about what happened between her and her best friend, Ella still kept on avoiding her. That made her feel down that she couldn't even cheer for their team. Ella once told her how risk taker she was. Now it was her relationship with her that was risked.
Then it happened, Alyssa accidentally hit her with her paper plane again. The first time she returned it, she was too sad to even realize it was Alyssa.
On the second time she did. She had no clue why her mood had lighten up a bit. How glad she was after finally having the chance to talk to Alyssa again and amazed after hearing how Alyssa talked. She was always stuttering, but instead of laughing about it, she found it adorable. She again learned something about Alyssa, it was her having a crush on one of the school's cheerleader, Laura Lehmann. Alyssa even bribed her just for her not to tell anyone about her secret.
If you only knew, I never missed your gigs. Not even once.
"Teka lang miss!" Dennise turned to look at Alyssa, how she kept herself from smiling because of Alyssa's begging face. She badly wanted to laugh. "Last na to, please wag mong sabihin kay Laura."
"Galingan mo sa saturday ah? Bye Alyssa!" though she didn't want to end talking to Alyssa yet, she still decided to because she wasn't ready to talk to her yet. She started walking away from her and left the gym.
Lol, what am I so nervous about? 'Til we meet again Alyssa.
How that secret closed the gap between the two of them, Dennise no longer had to watch Alyssa from afar.
How Laura actually helped Dennise be with Alyssa.
And how that day changed the rest of her stay at Greendale High.
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Chapters reference (para sa mga nakalimot na ng scenes since i wont be rewriting the scenes again):
Chapter III, IV, V, VII
A/n:
Sobrang tagal ba HAHAHAHAHA sorry guys labyu sobrang busy lang po. Hope you liked this chap!