Chapter Three

"Elijah, how's your Mock Math Exam?"

My mom just got home from the office. She just usually walks inside the house, kisses me on the forehead and asks me about my exams.

"It was good." I mumbled while slowly chewing my egg sandwich. She popped out of her bedroom and sat in front of me with a great suspicious face.

"What exactly do you mean by that?" She looked serious and I don't want her to get mad.

"I got 5 mistakes." I shrugged and walked towards my bedroom.

"Five? But you said last time that you would ace this exam. You had three mistakes on the past one. Elijah, what is happening to you?"

I stopped my tracks, faced her frowning almost screaming face, and looked her in the eye. "I topped the exam last time Mom, so stop worrying. It's just a little bit hard this time."

Mom disappointedly shook her head and palmed her face.

"Is this the result of you constantly using your phone? Elijah, I want you to study your whole exam coverage before you go to bed. I will look at you at the camera. You get me Elijah?" She strictly said with her arms on her chest.

I slowly closed my eyes and spitted fire inside my head. My mom is a good mother to me. She asks what I need, gives me what I want and tells me what I can get from being a good girl. I have been raised to follow rules and to receive punishments for disobedience. I don't want to experience penalties again. Therefore, I need to follow.

"Ok." I whispered.

"I love you sweetie. And don't forget to set your reminder for your Voice Lessons tomorrow. Ok? " Mom walked and kissed me again then walked her way to her room. Then I began my whole night. I never got to sleep.

......….

"Are you okay El? You look like you haven't slept for a week." Paula said while eating a banana.

I shook my head and read through my Science Notes.

"Why are you studying Science? That exam is tomorrow El. I hope you know." She reminded me while chewing a handful of banana in her mouth.

"I know. That's why I need to study."

She looked at me with disbelief and shrugged her way off. "You are so weird El. You should be studying Math right now because we will have the exam at this hour. I didn't even study why are you so studious. I feel bad for myself."

I chuckled and continued reading. I was about to flip a page when I heard loud laughters entering the classroom. "Irina please let me copy your answer later. You only got 1 mistake yesterday and that was so hard!"

I was frozen when I heard what Angelica said to Irina. Slowly, I raised my head and saw Irina smirked towards Angelica while nodding.

Suddenly, my hands started trembling and I didn't even notice them until Paula covered them with hers. She nodded at me with comfort and smiled. Unknowingly, my hands have been in fists and I was almost screaming aloud.

Irina Gonzales, the Council President has been a consistent honor student. Together with Nicole, Irina participates in every competition she could lay her hands on. She is usually the top of every exam and I hate that. She has been into sports and I hate it when I am compared to her. So I don't usually attend whatever activity she attends to 'cause I hate her guts.

Math is mine. The top spot is mine. And I hope she knows that.

I raised my eyes again and met hers. She just smirked at me in an insulting way and sat on her seat. Never have I ever felt so low.

"What a real bitch," Paula said and I can never agree more. I started reading my books again and swore that I will sweep the exam. I will sweep it with Irina's face. That would complete my day and inspire me to do more sweeping.

...…..

"Bro you were on fire. Gonna fan this hot lady here." Aubrey and Paula kept on doing some random fan dance in front of me and people around us are looking at us as if we are a bunch of idiots.

"Bro how did you freakin ace that exam? If you are my daughter, I can die right now and I will know that my kid would have a good future," Aubrey looked at me as if I was impossible.

"Mr. Chan was about to kneel in front of you Bro. I tell you. The moment you said your score, he was earnestly praying to the Gods, "Where did this child come from?" Paula said.

I was snickering to myself as we walked to the cafeteria, which is a few blocks away from our classroom. I was almost inside when Angelica's fiery glare met me in the entrance. If only her eyes can slice me, I would have died a moment ago. I turned my head to look at my friends and as usual, I saw Paula's grimace. I can literally read "bitch" on her face and Aubrey's face reflected hers.

Irina was making a scene in the Cafeteria as she cried herself out. "Bro what the heck is her problem? Why is she crying for having maybe three mistakes in an exam?"

Aubrey was becoming hysterical as she tried to mirror a meme on her face. She was raising her hands like asking whatever is freaking happening. "Bro she cried because of 3 wrong answers, so would that give me the right to slash my head 'cause I didn't even get the half of whatever she got?"

Paula laughed her ass out and I just heard them high fived. These girls are so ridiculous that I am so thankful of it. These people just take every pain in your mind and you just become happy.

As we walked through the crowd, Paula was so loud. She gets to talk to random people whon we pass by. Such a social butterfly. I don't even know those people and I'm not sure if she really knows them. But I just looked at her while she smashed the heads of these guys like they were best of friends.

Aubrey on the other hand was busy taking pictures of everything we pass by. She even went beside me to take stolen shots and that didn't make me uncomfortable, because I am so used to it.

People were also greeting me. I don't even know them but I didn't want to be rude.

When we proceeded to the line, I saw Jayson with James and Jessie. They were falling in line and before I was able to change directions, Jay already raised his head from his phone to meet my eyes. He was startled at first but regained his composure a few seconds later. I saw him straightened his back and looked in front. James just tapped him at the back when he caught me looking at them and just laughed. Jayson on the other hand was snickering as if something is amusing. That didn't make me feel comfortable at all.

I looked at Paula who is now joining Aubrey in taking random selfies with random people.

When it was my turn to buy chocolate milk, Aunt Maria, the one who selling the food, said that there were none left. I have been a frequent customer and Aunt Maria knew what I always wanted. The person before me glared at me while raising five chocolate milk, which she easily gave to Irina Gonzales on the bench. They were intensely glaring at me and I hate it.

"Oh. Ok. Thank you Auntie."

My friends met my eyes asking why I didn't buy anything but I just shrugged and went on my way to a corner giving way to other customers.

I tried to busy myself with my phone but then I can't control looking up to watch people drink their milk. Something that I really wanted to do after every exam I take. "I want one." I quietly whispered and just continued waiting for the two girls.

A moment later, a large hand blocked my view when it presented me two Chocolate Milk. My eyes were literally sparkling and my hands automatically raised themselves to reach the heavenly sight. But then I woke up and realized that it wasn't offered with words to me. Maybe this person is mocking me or something.

I followed the owner of the hand and saw Jayson Elizaga handing me out two Chocolate Milk while drinking iced tea. "What's this?"

"For you."

"W-why?" I asked.

"I saw you a while ago. I just realized that I didn't like these so I will just give them to you." He turned his eyes to the side to avoid mine. His ears were turning red and he was glaring at James who was raising his phone and laughing. Was he taking pictures?

I didn't want to accept them but then he just got my hands and gave to me. He walked on to James' location and I saw him slightly punch the guy on the shoulder.

I was taken back to reality when Paula slapped my butt while wiggling her eyebrows. She got that meme face, "Bro who told you I was never right?"

"Hey guys." Aubrey stated that made Paula and I look at her.

"Why did Nicole walk out?." She pointed out where Nicole was and Jessie was the only one left there. She was left there with her intense glare that is given to my direction. I tried looking behind me trying to prove to myself that she isn't glaring at me. But then there was no one. My friends got their eyes on me telling I was the one she was looking at.

Today I just gained a lot of haters. I aced the Math exam but in return, I got enemies. What a great trade.

"Bro, why is she looking at you like she is about to consume the all memes inside your body?" Aubrey asked.

Paula shook her head and ate a bunch of chips. "I was so lucky enough not to be perfect. No good grades and beauty. Those things will get you into harm. I tell you."

I closed my eyes and prayed. Can't these people stop glaring at me every single day? I am getting tired of it.