Melissa couldn't stop smiling as she stared at her clearance paper. I didn't anticipate that we would have something like this till college.
I yawned lazily as I looked at the students who were waiting to have their last signature signed by the registrar so they could go on holiday.
My ears were filled with the sound of their laughter. I was simply eating peacefully while my back rested against the grills of the high-rise building where I was waiting.
"Would you believe it? We made it through the semester." Melissa stated once again. Countless times did she say that while her eyes were twinkling from joy.
Sasha's group has just arrived. They were catching their breath after walking up a lengthy flight of stairs.
I simply smiled and waved to Marcus, who was standing behind them. Finally, he learned how to get along with others and socialize with them. At least, it wasn't only Latrelle who he was hanging out with all the time.
Jez was on the other side of the way with her classmates. That witch isn't paying attention to me because she's preoccupied with the attractive man who was also waiting on the line.
Jaztine, on the other hand, was just standing there gazing. I have no idea what she was thinking when she became so smitten with my friend. There were a lot of straight guys in this place, and she would be completely interested by a gay.
After the line moved, I found myself a little off balance due to the Senior High School students behind us who were really hyper.
"I'm sorry, Miss." The student, who was holding a pair of fish crackers, spoke out. Her other companions laughed and muttered something to her.
"Okay." I stated it without much excitement. I discovered during the last few weeks that I had been acting in this manner all along. I even went so far as to miss meals on occasion. T. H. is completely unable to communicate with me. I didn't get any texts or chats, not even through Messenger. If he didn't want to talk to me, he should have ask the help of his friends.
"Just imagine..." she stopped off, unsure of what to say next, "that we were on vacation!" she said enthusiastically.
"I'm free of stress!" she exclaimed with a pout. "Wait, do you want to come with us?"
I raised my eyes to her before snatching a piece of her bread. "Our semester break would be over in a heartbeat, and then it would be time for another holiday. I had to go see my parents."
"You know what, when you join us, you'll be free from all of your worries, at least for a while," she said, scratching her chin.
Our place in line has been shifted since the line has been moved. The entire procedure was relatively swift because we have the complete list of what we need. Everything had been paid, the registrar had already gave us our grade.
My attention was drawn to my grades in each subject as my eyes wandered over the page. Melissa took it from my grasp.
"Wow!" she exclaimed, completely taken aback.
"Wow, a perfectly flat one! That was amazing!" Marcus, who had arrived in front of us out of nowhere, reacted.
"Get back in your line." Melissa told him firmly.
I'm not sure if they were close with each other, but based on Melissa's tone of voice while she was speaking with him, it came as a surprise that she wasn't blushing. I kept my gaze fixed on them as they moved closer to each other. When their arms come into contact, they simply laugh.
"You don't have a failing grade on your record. Congrats!"
"Thank you very much! Congratulations, as well. I am confident that you do not have a failing grade."
He shrugged his shoulders. "I sincerely hope so. Okay, I'll just go back to my line." He remarked this as he waved his hand goodbye
We bumped with Wanwan and Bruno just as we were ready to descend the stairs.
"Hi! Congrats! You've both the clearance." Bruno exclaimed gleefully. Perhaps he was unaware of something, or he simply dismissed it.
"Duh! You only have a few minutes left, and then you're finished." Melissa answered.
I gave Wanwan a fleeting glance, but she was too preoccupied with her phone. Melissa's brows were furrowed while also looking at her.
Melissa can't stop talking about Wanwan even after we've already gotten down "That girl, she's the worst! She was simply pretending to be on the phone! She won't even look at us."
It had only been a few weeks since we had learned everything. After that, Wanwan returned to her previous seat. We didn't even get a basic "sorry" or any apology from her. There is nothing at all.
"Don't wait for her to say sorry." I recall Sasha's words to me as we crouched behind the door.
We were waiting for Wanwan to go out that day, and Melissa and I pretended to be doing something else, which is why we didn't get home early.
However, the truth was that we were simply waiting for her to express regret. She happened to be in the same place at the same time as Sasha's group.
"If you truly have a place in her heart and she has treated you as a friend in the first place, she would never do something like that." Sasha made a remark before she left us.
Vanna and Drianne, who was carrying a book, trailed after her.
"If she sincerely appreciates your friendship, she will not find it difficult to swallow her pride." Just before she winked, Drianne added a postscript.
Melissa drew her palm in front of my face and smiled. "Just send me a message or text if you want to come along with us, okay?"
"Where would you go on vacation?" I asked as I glanced at her.
Her lips parted slightly, as if she couldn't believe what I was saying.
"We're still undecided whether we should go to Cebu, Pampanga or Manila."
If they decided to travel to Manila, it would cause me a great deal of anxiety. I was looking forward to seeing something different and calm. I wished to gaze at some lush greenery or mountains.
"Okay, I'll just inform you."
The day flew by in a blur. I wasn't able to communicate with the four on those days. Only when I feel the need for it. Jez was out of town, so we didn't have much time to talk or phone each other, but she was checking in to make sure I was okay.
Just like today, we're currently on a video call because she's in the Ilocos region.
"What are you planning to wear?" She asked in reference to T. H.'s upcoming birthday. I forgot that there was only one week left until his birthday, and that I would be seeing Rosella again.
"I'm not sure, Jez. I only have a limited amount of money to spend on clothing. Please, just assist me with it." I had done a great deal of preparation for it. I don't want to appear as if I'm beggar when I arrive at that party. Sure, it'd be extravagant.
The door opened without a knock, and Latrelle's topless body greeted me as he walked in. "Where is my brief, Kaoree?!" His cheeks became flushed.
Jez, on the other end of the phone, burst out laughing. "Gosh! You were also the one who did his underwear laundry?" I nodded, but couldn't help but laugh as well.
Latrelle stole my phone from me. Although I tried my best to grab it back, he was far more powerful than I am.
"What's the point of having her as a maid, Jez?" His jaw clenched as he threw my phone into the bed with incredible force.
He's a jerk, to be honest. Suppose he dropped it on the floor, I wouldn't hesitate to slap him in the face. To top it all off, he was so bold as to close the door so loudly that it hurt my ears!
I heard a giggle under my bed. When I realized what or who it was, my blood began to boil up to my head.
"Marcus!!!"
Her two feet were clearly visible, although I had failed to notice them earlier
He went out from his hiding place, "Don't make a noise!"
"Huh! Jez, I'm confident to say that Marcus was the one who hid his underwear."
"Hey, don't make any noise! You're so loud!" He hid behind the closed door.
"Anyway, girl. Just simply go with Melissa so that you can relax and spend quality time with yourself."
I smiled.
"What is it that you are smiling about? Just go with her! Don't worry, Latrelle and I have you covered!"
"Latrelle?" I said, my eyes widening.
"Yes. She would cover the cost of your trip." She shook her head, her face flushed with disappointment. "I'm so noisy! I shouldn't have said that because he said that it should be kept a secret. But, please, come with Melissa, okay? Deal or deal."
The corners of my mouth curled into a grin. However, I would reimburse him after I returned from vacation.