Chapter 5

II- High school.

Raffa's POV

"Mom, brother! I'm leaving!" I'm happy to say goodbye to mom and brother. I was holding the strap of my bag and ready to go to school. I faced both of them and waited for what they had to say.

Mama held my hand, I felt the money she put there. "Take care, Raffa. Enjoy your high school life!"

I smiled sweetly. "Thank you for being here mom. Be careful there." He smiled and nodded at what I was saying. I turned to my brother who now had his hand extended to me.

I looked at him in wonder. "Why older brother?" I asked him. He smiled at me and pointed to my bag.

"Your bag is mine, I'll take it." I shook my head at him and put my bag away.

My brother is treating me like a child again. I'm not young anymore. I'm in my first year of high school, and we're only one year apart, but it's like he considers me a baby.

My brother forced me to take my bag and put it on one of his shoulders. He's already carrying his own bag after carrying mine, it seems like it's not fair for him.

"Brother, it's okay. I'll take that." I can feel him walking on me.

"It's okay, baby sis. Big brother can carry two bags." There he is again with the baby sister he called me.

My brother is very kind and sweet but it's embarrassing because he considers me a baby.

"Bye ma'am, Raffa and I are leaving." Big brother said goodbye to mom even though we turned our backs.

I heard mom laughing. "Alright, take care of that, Aven, huh?"

"Of course, mom. It's my baby." I bit my lip when I heard that, the way he said it was so tender and sincere.

My brother and I just walked because our school is close from home. It's only walking distance and our fare will be wasted if we ride a tricycle. My brother is still with me. I'm a bit different because of people's looks. They misinterpret my brother's arm around me.

"Rafflesia," My brother suddenly called me.

"Why older brother?"

I can feel her breathing deeply. "You're in high school, Raffa. High school is fun and you'll really experience things you've never experienced before. I hope Raffa.. you don't get a boyfriend, okay?" I started to sneeze again because of what brother Aven was pointing out.

"Brother, that's not on my mind yet." He laughed maybe because of the way I spoke.

"Right, let me and dad be the only men in your life." Smiling but seriously he said to me. I nodded slowly.

My brother Aven's father died because he had a heart attack when I was only 7 years old. So my brother acts as my father and he also helps my mother in selling food every afternoon.

We walked while my brother told me everything about possibly becoming my teacher now that I'm in my first year. I will just be surprised because he will whisper to me when he insults that teacher. I think he already said everything about the first year teachers when we got to the school.

"Aven!" Suddenly someone called my brother and came in front of us.

"Oh?" Big brother asked the man rudely.

"Our new adviser is lifting chairs. Can we help?" The man looked at me a little more, which is why I looked down.

"Yes, but don't look at my brother like that." Brother Aven is more grumpy now. My brother is scary.

My brother confronted me. "Raffa, there's the blackboard so you can see your section. I'll just help my adviser. I'll see you in your classroom when we recess. Be careful." Big brother quickly kissed my forehead making me smile. He's really sweet, he's the best big brother I've ever met. I'm lucky because he's my older brother, he didn't lack me as an older brother, he even overflowed with love.

They turned their backs when they were with him and walked but I still heard their conversation.

"Your sister is beautiful, Aven!"

My brother hit his companion. "Bugog! Don't lust after my brother but you will be mine." Brother said seriously.

"I'm sorry!"

They were still chattering but I couldn't hear them because they were getting further and further away. I just smiled, my brother is very protective. I'm really lucky with him.

I, on the other hand, went to the blackboard that my brother pointed to, then I looked for my name. I smiled when I did that but when I searched for my name for a few minutes but still couldn't find anything, my smile immediately disappeared.

"Vasquez... Where is my name?" I couldn't stop being annoyed while looking for my name on a blackboard.

I was even more nervous because of that. I'm in 1st year high school and this is the first time to set foot here. It's hard to be a freshman. New school, new schedule, new teachers, new friends but not sure if I will have one. I wish I had a friend.

Just like before, all I could think about was playing. Now I'm a full-fledged highschooler. I really enjoy studying.

But.. I can't see my name here in the list. I'm nervous that maybe I wasn't really enrolled or maybe they didn't accept me because I missed some paperwork. I thought, nothing.

"You've been there for fifteen minutes, miss. Still can't find your name?" I looked next to me when someone spoke. I slightly looked up because the man was very tall. I bit my lip realizing that he was not an ordinary man. He's so handsome even though he's a little dark.

"Ahm.. yes. I can't see it," I said embarrassed. He laughed.

I stared at him, I felt my cheeks heat up seeing how beautifully he smiled. I couldn't help but smile too but immediately lost feeling how hard my heart was beating. Maybe, just because my name is not on the list.

"What year are you?" He asked with a sweet smile.

"It's first year."

I bowed down when he started laughing loudly, I wanted to get pissed off but I couldn't because he laughed so cutely.

"This list is for second year high schoolers, kid." My eyes widened at what he said.

Child?

All my admiration for this man's fatigue disappeared like a bubble. My face started to heat up with annoyance.

"Excuse me brother, I'm not a kid anymore. I'm in high school." I said annoyed.

"But you look like a child. You look like a baby to me. Haha joke! This board is on both sides, on the other side is the list for the first year and here is the second year, baby." He said it was even cooler. I really can't help but be annoyed.

Is this what life is like in high school?

"What baby? I don't even know you." I said annoyed.

He laughed. "Baby because you're still young. I just translated it into English. Haha!" What the hell, I'm just going to meet someone who is just as annoying as him.

I turned back. "The Tagalog for baby is baby, the English for child is child. You are still considered to be older than me, you don't know that. Thank you for pointing out where the list for children is first. year, brother." Then I walked to the other side of the board and looked for my section.

I closed my eyes in embarrassment because it was true that the sections for the first year were there. I opened my eyes and started looking for my name on the bondpapers.

I was in the middle of searching when someone stepped on my shoe. I couldn't see his face because there was a blackboard in front of him, but I recognized his leg and foot.

"I'm just going to baptize it, child. Haha! It looks brand new." I still heard what the man said.

Come on! I just bought this shoe. Do everything for me, just not my new shoes and socks.

That man is annoying! I have never been so pissed off in my entire life.

I heard him running, useless if I ran and chased him. Others might think that I like that man and that I am an addict who is addicted to him. Others can think that because he is really very happy. Nothing is perfect in the world, what mom said is true. That man is really handsome, he's like a sinto-sinto.

When I see you again, I'm sure I'll be able to do things I've never done before. The fight. I'm going to get stronger because I'm really annoyed by him stepping on my new shoes and socks. I haven't even entered the classroom yet, I feel like I'm sick.

I waited for myself to calm down because I could feel the irritation in my body. I started to get nervous. Why are there such students? Is that abnormal? He still looks like an actor, but his attitude is that of an uneducated person. Why did he step on my shoe!

I hope I never meet that kind of student again. My first day was amazing, it was crazy!

I will never forget it. That my first day in high school someone stepped on my shoe and called me baby which in English is child.

I just looked for my name and when I found it, I went to where the classrooms for the first year were. I still separate each door in the classrooms because that's where the section is posted.

My search didn't take long and I entered the classroom, I sat in the front because I didn't want to be in the back, I was sleepy when I was there.

"Hi!" I congratulate the girl next to me. He is mirrored and seems shy. I guessed right because he just gave me a simple smile and then turned to face the board again.

Maybe he's still missing me, I'll make sure that next week he'll be my friend. Because he looks nice. I'll just wait for him to lose his love for me.

"I'm Angel Rafflesia Vasquez, Raffa. It's nice to meet you." I said smiling to the whole class even though my knees were shaking from the nervousness. I just made repeated introductions on the first day of school. My teachers seem kind. My classmates are very quiet. Maybe we feel the same way about each other. I hope they all become my friends.

I hope I will be really happy this high school like my brother says. I hope I never encounter a student like the man who stepped on my shoes. It's annoying, I always remember him and it annoys me.

"Thank you class, don't go home and take a picture for you ID. See you tomorrow!" Our last subject teacher said happily and brought a photographer into the classroom. They set up and spread a white cloth on the blackboard.

Being in the front, I was the first to be photographed. It was embarrassing to smile because everyone was looking at me.

"Surname?" Asked the companion of the photographer.

"It's Vasquez."

"You will get your ID next week, smile!" I smiled at the camera and was almost blinded by the flash.

"You're beautiful. Next." I felt my face heat up because of what the photographer said. Everyone who sees me says that.