It's the first day of school and I am excited to start it with positivity. Being a grade 11 student is really terrifying but I surely hope it won't last long.
I'm Atlantis Sofia Azur. Sweet 16. I was born in Townsville, Australia. I moved here in the Philippines when I was 11 years old. My parents are currently in Australia. I've been living with my Aunt Penelope for almost 5 years. My mother is a Communications Developer at a top Tele-communication company in Australia while my father is a Metallurgical Engineer. I have a twin sister and she's in America for a two-year exchange program. She originally came from Australia. Basically, I'm the only one away from them three.
I finished my introduction when a tall Mestizo grunge kid abruptly uncalled-for came in without the Professor's notice.
"Young man, since you're late, introduce yourself", the professor asked him to stay in the front.
I shiftily went to my chair and listened to his introduction.
The room is left with silence.
I can see his dark brown eyes eyeblinkly screaming in shyness. His hands trembling as if he's interrogated for a homecide case. He's sweating as if the AC in the room is busted. He stood there for long-minutes.
" I... am Clementine Izu Holtzclaw... I am 17... I...", he said in a juddering tone.
How ironic that he chose Humanities and Social Science but he can't even spit out a constructive sentence.
"Mr. Holtzclaw, Are you the representative for the Swimming Council of the recent National Pacific Swimming games? Also, are you the one who prefected the Mathematics and Science section of the Examination bearing as the Top student in the SHAPE?", the Prof. asked in awe.
I looked around the class and every girl is blushing and turning red while every boy is smirking.
He can't look at anyone directly except in my direction and for 6 seconds, our eyes met.
" Yes, I am", he replied and took his seat.
He sat in the corner and there he looked on his lap with his legs crossed.
I was simply gazing on him and trying to get a glimpse of him but for split-second he caught me.
I hurriedly looked at the board and started taking down notes.
When the History class ended, it's recess time so I went to the cafeteria and used my card to buy a Milkshake. I went back to the Ace building because I have our next class, Philosophy.
I took the shortcut to the Annex section when I saw Clementine getting punched from a far distance. I ran towards the area and there he's having epistaxis but one kid accidentally hit me with his stick that made me fell in the ground. The next thing I know, I'm in the infirmary.
I slowly opened my eyes and I just realized that my health condition kicked in that made me fell to the ground and not the light-weight stick. I turned my gaze and I saw the guy that hit me. He looks unrecognizable with his face covered in blood, his eyes harshly bruised and his rough-bleeding lips.
Thinking I'm already fine after long hours of sleep, I tried to stand up when...
" Huwag ka muna tumayo, your feet still hurts from falling into short-stairs. I already excused you in our Philosophy, Gen. Math and Political Science subs. The professors are fine with that and I hope you are too. The doctor said about your health ailm-"
"Don't say a word", I cut Clementine from saying about my condition.
" Are you okay now?", He asked in a very soft-spoken manner.
" What did you do to him?", I pointed the kid and he said he severely maltreated him for a sole reason touching me.
" Pero Clementine, that is over na. It was an accident naman and di naman niya sinasadya iyon. Grabe iyong ginawa mo sa kaniya tapos-", I told him and for quit second he was none to be seen in my back.
Hinanap ko siya and he was nowhere to be found. It's my first day in school and it turned out so bad. I guess it's a foreshadowing na rin na di maganda ang Senior High ko. I better best believe this theory.
" Excuse me, Miss. Pwede ka ba naming makausap?", a fashionable cheerleading girl asked me.
" For what?", Sambit ko sa kanila. They grabbed my hands and tied them. They cornered me in the gymnasium.
4 girls in front of me looking like flirtious rich hopeless romantic clearly cheerleading girls.
" Who are you?, Where are you from, How old are you, Who finance you?, Are you rich? or Are you poor?"
The girls kept on asking me such things but silence occupied the space when they asked how I'm related to Clementine.
" She's my girlfriend Steelle so shut the fuck up and fuck off", Clementine shouted while walking towards us.
The girls ran away to the exit hurriedly like horses in a war trying to escape a battle.
Clementine held my hands and cut the tie. He escorted me out the gym.
" Ano nga ulit pangalan mo? Atlantic?", tanong ni Clementine.
" It's Atlantis with an S. You can call me Sofia.", I responded with a smile.
" Okay Atlantic, I will call you Pacific", sambit niya.
" I can swim and dive to you hard", giit ni Clem.
"Ano???! Gago ka rin no. Uuwi na ako. Umuwi ka na rin.", dali ko sa kanya.
" Ihatid na kita, hintayin mo ako diyan. I'll go get my car", sabi ni Clem.
Di ko na siya hinintay kaya, kinuha ko na iyong bicycle ko but then I realized na di pa pala masyadong okay iyong paa ko grr kaya naglakad nalang ako tapos umaambon na rin ng kaunti.
I don't want to be with someone who introduced himself with only a name, who roughly maltreated a boy and who faked that I'm his girlfriend for the first day of school. Gosh, it's the worst school day ever.
Habang naglalakad ako, a Jeep Wrangler stopped beside me and keep on honking its horn.
" Atlantic, Hali na. Sakay na, gabi na. It's getting late", the window scrolled down and yeah, it's Clem.
I trusted God and I hope nothing happens to me. Wew, I let down my guard but within 6 seconds, few hours ago, he looks trustworthy and that led me to an hypothesis that he's a good person.
" I'm Clementine Izu Holtzclaw. I'm 17. I'm 1/4 Japanese, 1/4 Filipino and half German. My mom is a German and my dad is half Pinoy and Jap. We own a resort and hotel in Palawan and Boracay. My mom is currently in States because she works at Vogue as a permanent 4-year By-State Magazine Editor in Chief while my dad is in Austria for a business deal. I live in a Condominium few minutes away to the school. I live in my own terms. I have my car, my black card and my Villa. Growing up Autistic is hard, I guess I've attached myself to just being me into fights and gangs. It's not that I enclose myself to being bad, it's just it's my comfort to be in dark. That's my own aesthetic", Clem said in a story-telling line like voice.
" Marunong ka magluto?", Tanong ko sa kanya. Kumunot ang aking mga noo na napapatawa ako.
" Oo, anong iluluto ko? Caviar? Raw Beef Honey Steak? I do know how to cook a five-star meal. I learned it at young age though", giit niya.
He continued talking about his life.
Napatitig na lang ako sa kanya while he's driving me home.
Everything became muted as I focus staring on his deep dark brown eyes, thick eyebrows, long pointed nose, white-fairer skin, veiny hands, neat-clean fingernails, strong-definitive jawline, tough neck and Adam's apple, red as apple lips, wide smile and dimple, white aligned teeth and dark edges.
The Google maps said we're on our destination. I stopped staring at him and went off the car.
Aunt Penelope is outside looking worried.
The rain falls harder and thunderstorms.
It's not safe for Clem to drive like this.
He's just 17 years old living alone.
Clem can't go home.