6 IV

"Because you look stupid."

It's been almost an hour since I woke up and it's been almost an hour since I started think about those words before I lost consciousness.

'Was that really Deilan?'

I was just lying down and looking at the ceiling until I heard someone knocking, making me sit down.

"Come in." I faintly answered, good thing the person knocking heard it. As soon as Marga entered, she embraced me in a constricting hug. I gently hit her arm. "T-tight!"

"Are you really okay? Are you hurt somewhere? Do you need to be taken into a hospital?" she was panicking.

"She's been panicking for over an hour." Thea, who was behind her, butted in. "Timothee wanted to come but he still needs to fix some things. Apparently, he wasn't assigned in a section yet but he already went in ours."

"What? Is he in trouble?" I asked and she just shrugged. I looked at Marga and laughed. "I'm fine, calm down!"

The day went on just fine. Timothee was pretty annoying, but gladly his situation was fixed and he's now confirmed as our classmate. Margarette was talking and talking. Thea was studying, and she seemed to be in a very good mood. Deilan didn't care about anything, including me.

'Typical day.'

And now, the four of us were now heading outside to leave the school.

"Oh, I just remembered that I have to go to the library today. I want to borrow a book." I stopped walking.

"We can go with you." Timothee kindly suggested but I shook my head.

"No, it's alright." I smiled. The library is a bit far from our building, and I don't really want to drag them there.

"Are you sure? It's okay for us, right?" Thea asked and everyone nodded.

"Nope, and besides, your drivers might be waiting." I insisted.

"Your driver is also waiting, you're always making him have a hard time." Marga laughed.

"I don't! I just texted him." I pouted. After persuading them really hard, they had no choice but to leave. They had a lot of things to say.

I stopped to catch my breath when I arrived at the library, it was farther than I remembered. When I entered, no one was there, maybe because most of the students have already went home.

"Good afternoon, ma'am." I greeted the librarian. "May I know where do you keep the pastry books you have?"

I have been looking for this one book form my favorite chef but I cannot find it in nearby book stores. A classmate who also likes baking was the one who told me that she saw that particular book here.

"They should be in aisle 23." she answered and continued to type in her computer.

"Thank you." I smiled and wrote my name in the log book that she pointed. After that, I went ahead and looked for the 23rd aisle.

When I found it, I moved on and tried to find the book that I was looking for. When I spotted the book, I quickly pulled the it.

"I finally found you." I mumbled. I looked for a table so I can just take pictures of it without having to borrow it. I took pictures of the pages of the desserts that I wanted to try making. When I was done, I places it on where I found it and got ready to leave, but then I heard something.

'Is someone snoring?!'

I followed the sound of this person's snores. I should wake them up, the library is gonna close soon.

'Why would you even sleep in a library?'

When I was already at the very end of the library, I finally saw the sleeping person. He was sitting down, head and arms on the table. Even from afar, I already know who is it. I sighed.

'Even if it's just your hair, I already know it's you.'

I sat down beside him and just looked on his face. I rested my head on my arms, copying his position.

"Handsome." I whispered while smiling.

I took the book in front of him.

'What the?'

This was the book that I was just looking for earlier. Huh, so they don't have just one copy, but why is Deilan reading it?

"You want to learn how to bake?" I asked while putting the book back beside him. Then, my gaze landed on his knuckles wrapped in bandages. "Did you fight someone? What happened?"

I lightly stroked the part where a bit if blood was still visible. I saw him flinch so I stood up immediately and hid behind a shelf. I let out a sigh.

'I have to train myself to just look from afar from now on.'

This is our last year in junior high school and we might not see each other anymore. Rumors about him leaving to study senior high school and college in another country have been circulating around the school. So I don't really want to have very intense feelings when we find out that the rumors are true.

I logged out of the library and walked outside. When I got out of school, I rushed to our car right away.

"How are you, manong Rey?" I greeted my driver.

"Still handsome."

We both laughed at his answer. I was just quiet the whole ride home.

'It's our last year.'

I wanna spend time with them. Not just with Deilan and my friends, but with everyone. And I only have nine months before this school year ends.

When I arrived home, I didn't see my mom and dad.

'They left really early this morning, so I thought they'd be back late afternoon the same time I go home.'

"*Manang? They're still at work?" I asked our housekeeper, the one in charge of the maids and the house when we're not here.

(Manang is the female version of Manong. It's a term you use for older women who isn't a part of family for respect.)

"They have already arrived earlier, but left immediately. They said it was for a business meeting." Manang Lourdes answered. White hairs on her hair were visible, but she's still really beautiful. When I was younger, she used to tell me stories about her as a young adult.

"Together?" I asked.

"Yes, ma'am." she replied.

I just smiled at her.

'That's weird.'

They both own their own company separately, why would they go in one meeting?

My mom established her own skin care company, while my dad inherited a chain of malls and made it more successful. My uncle was supposed to be the one who'll manage it, but he chose a more quiet life in New York.

I went to my room and showered. When I finished changing into my pajamas, I heard my phone ring. I looked at it and saw an unregistered number calling. When I was just about to answer it, the ringing stopped.

"Hmm? Wrong number, I guess."

I opened my facebook account on my laptop. I ignored the message requests and other notifications from people I don't know. When Marga's name popped up, I opened her chat right away. She said that our official school page has announced our dress code for this year's social night.

"Dress code? Since when did social night have a dress code?" I asked myself.

'Every girls should wear a dress that is not above the knee? Eh? Since when they did care about these details? What nonsense is this and why don't I know this?'

"I'm the vice president of the council!"

'As long as you're not naked, that's alright!'

Every grade 10 student must go? I thougt this was supposed to be for welcome grade 7 students? Why are we the ones who must go? And besides, our grade level is pretty active already in these kinds of things.

I scrolled down in my news feed and saw Deilan's family picture again. I touched my head.

'Why did my head suddenly hurt back then?'

Good thing it doesn't hurt now. I looked at the picture carefully. His little sister was really pretty, she kinda looks like him actually. Maybe she's in 7th or 8th grade now, I think I saw her in the campus once. The monolid and fierce eyes were from their father, along with the milky skin. Their mom was also fair and looks young. Their whole family has really good genes and extravagance was very obvious, even in just a picture like this.

Days passed by and the long-awaited social night was already later that night. Students are not required to go to school today, only the SSG or Supreme Student Government. As the vice president, I was dragged here to help and decorate.

There are only 12 students here and the teachers. We were supposed to have volunteers, but the teachers said too many students were willing to go.

'More students, more responsibility.'

And they should just get ready for the party later.

"Mara! Be careful! If you fall down, your cousins might come after us!" one teacher shouted. Since I was the tallest girl, they made me climb this adjustable ladder to hang some decorations. It was supposed to be a boy's job since it's pretty dangerous, but the ladder wobbles since they're heavier.

"I'm fine!" I replied. "Christian and Dave, hold it carefully, please! I don't want to fall."

"It's okay to fall, ate*. As long as you fall in the right person." Christian shouted back and laughed with Dave.

(Ate* in Tagalog means "Older sister"

The term just doesn't mean it's used for siblings/family only, it can also be used to other people as well that is older than you as a sign of respect.)

Christian is the grade 9 representative while Dave is the grade 8 representative. Even though we're in different grade levels, we all get along. It's not hard to socialize here in the school's junior high department since there's not really that much students.

"Deilan!" I heard the very flirtatious squeal of Chiala. I rolled my eyes.

'She's not even part of the SSG! Why is she here?'

She practically begged to enter the school, and the teachers can't ask her to leave. She said that she just wants to help and acted innocent.

'But she's not even helping!'

Chiala De Leon, grade 10, section 3. One of Deilan's fan girls that have no shame.

And yes, Deilan is here. He's the president.

Grade 11 and 12 are not part of the council because those grades were just added this school year. So they're not here for the election of the student council last year. The elementary students have their own council, so does the college. So me and my group only manages the high school department, which includes senior high even though they're older.

Deilan won because no he has no opponent, no one dared and he's proven that he's a good leader. He's responsible and an excellent student, he was that president that they all wanted.

The president who is now cutting colored papers with a frown on his face. He's holding the scissors tightly.

'What the? Is he mad?'

"Ate Mara! Focus!" one student named Sabrina exclaimed.

'Right.'

I tucked the last ornament to the ceiling and went down. Dave reached out his hand to help me so I took it and smiled at him.

"Okay, guys! You can have your lunch in 15 minutes!" ma'am Alexandra announced, she's the adviser of the SSG and also one of the teachers here. "We will dismiss you at 2pm, so you still need to come back here."

Since I was already done hanging the decorations, I just went to the table and sat down. I was not beside Deilan, but I was near enough to hear Chiala's chatters. He was just ignoring her though. His brows were furrowed, glaring at the paper that he was cutting using a pair of decorative scissors.

'I'm not sure if he's mad, or just very focused?'

The bandage wrapped in his hand is also gone, but there are still bandaids. I noticed that his hand is also struggling because the scissors were too small for it.

I smiled, trying not to chuckle.

'Well, the scissors are rather small, isn't this for little kids?'

"Deilan, you're doing it wrong!" the caterpillar beside him annoyingly said. For a minute, I forgot that Chiala was still beside him.

Deilan placed down the scissors and the paper and drank his juice. Chiala heaved a sigh as she was shamelessly staring at Deilan drink.

'Uhh, this is pretty weird?'

I looked at Dave who just say down beside me.

"Here, ate* Mara." he also gave me a juice.

"Thanks." I opened it and drank it in one go as I peek at Deilan at Chiala again.

"Ate*, try your best not to attack her." Dave told me, making me laugh.

"Don't worry, I won't."

"I know, I was just joking." he said.

"Ohh! Are you teasing me?" I looked at him.

"No! I'm really not!" he became flustered. "The whole school says that you're nice so I know you won't do that."

I laughed at his reaction.

"I was just teasing you." I assured him at patted his back. He blushed, I laughed more. He was always teased by other members of the council because of his innocence, I think it's cute and refreshing.

 "Deilan and Mara, come here!" ma'am Alex shouted. I thanked Dave before leaving and he nodded.

I walked towards ma'am Alex and felt that Deilan was also following behind me. When we were in front of her, she cleared her throat.

"I know that you're aware that SSG officers help in events like this, right?" she asked, we both nodded. "But now, we will change that. Later, you will not only help, but you'll be in charge. The teachers will still be there, of course, but we will just guide you and not interfere."

"But, ma'am, why are you just telling that to only us?" I asked her.

"Because you two will play a big part." she smiled. "As the president and the VP, you will serve as the emcees of the event."

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This story just reached 1.2k reads! I'm so happy! Thank you very much! When I first wrote this on a different platform, it took me a year to get this and those reads are probably just from me editing it since they count every press as a read there😭😂 But here, a view is counted each time somebody opens your novel regardless of how many chapters they read, so a person could open it, read 20 chapters at once, and it would count as a single view. Because in there, it counts it on every chapter, so like only 20 people read it and multiplied it on the number of chapters. But anyways, I am getting really chatty, thank you so much!

I would also like to apologize because I haven't updated for too long. I was really busy studying and drawing clients. Don't worry because I now fixed my schedule, so you should be getting updates every Wednesday and Sunday. If I don't update, bombard me with messages in my ig account😂😂

But seriously, please do. My ig username is yanylouise. So scold me a lot if I don't update on those days.

-yany :)