CHAPTER 1

Lezah Eam

It's been a while since summer vacation ends. Me and my friends live together in one house after we travel from our country to here in the Philippines. It's almost 7 years now since we lived here in the Philippines enjoying our days full of laughter and smiles. We bought our first owned house in McKinley Hills Village here in Taguig, Metro Manila... after staying to the first house that we stayed at for 2 years.

Now as we are living by ourselves, we can now enjoy our daily lives without someone monitoring or telling us orders on what to do and what not to do. We grew up in that kind of nature when we turned 7 years old until the time before we escaped and moved here. At first we are scared facing another nature outside our country, here in this country you need to strive hard and work for you to live. We witness that everyday from that day until now. People here work very hard to achieve their dreams and goals. They're not like me, like us in our country where everything was planned. From the time you first talk, first walk, first smile and all the first... it was all planned and could never change. That's what me and my friends grew up with, a world where everything was planned and can't live in your own way.

Now the school starts again. We're on our senior years now in high school since we just graduated in elementary when we went here and stop a year for some adjustments we did. So now we are all on our 12th year and also graduating from our high school years.

I was putting my things inside my bags when someone knocked and opened my door. It's Kiara.

"Lez, are you done? Lets go down downstairs to eat our breakfast." Smiling she said.

"Ha? Ahhh yeah, I'm almost done. Call the others too. I'll go downstairs after I finish arranging my stuffs." I replied and smiled.

She nod and then close the door as she was leaving, but then as Kia has a loud voice... I can still hear her voice calling for others telling to eat breakfast downstairs. 'Hahahha she's being loud again.'

Kiara or as we call her Kia, since her name was long enough... so we just call her Kia as mostly of us do too. Kia was like a mother figure to us since she was a bit older to us well for just a month...she really do act mature after we live together... but sometimes she acts cute too... especially when her beloved boyfriend was on her side. Tchh.. she's mature but childish at some moments. That's her nature though.

After a minute, I'm done with my things so I get my bag and immediately go downstairs to eat breakfast.

"Ohhh... we have so many foods for our breakfast ha... You're the best Kie. Always be. Hehehehehe." Elreyn told Mikie with her angelic smile.

Here is Elreyn... in short Reyn, this girl was the meanest among all of us together with her buddy Julie well except for me as they call me bitch girl it's because I'm so bossy especially when I'm serious as they say.... so back to Reyn... as I was saying, she was mean... well when I say mean... she have everything a mean girl has...well she's rude, sometimes a bully... especially to her baby... that's her on the outside but inside....hahahaha she's soft and adorable. The duality of Reyn will always be special to us because of her rudeness and all.

"Hahahaha of course... it's for all of us you know... and also it's our first day of our last years in high school too, so we need to be full to start our day. And Ben please fetch Auntie Ari and Uncle Jay for us to start eating breakfast with them. Go sit and wait for a while...except for you Reyn, you go with me taking some stuffs in the kitchen... others will be here any minute by now." Says our happiest and best cook, Kie.

And here's Mikie, in short Kie. Kie was a cheerful kind of girl every now and then, she was always cheerful and happy. She's the cutest among us and also the best cook in our group. She cook the best food that I've ever been eaten in my whole life. Well what do you expect... she was from the family of chefs and also their family has the best restaurant to eat with.

Ben just nod then went to the kitchen to fetch the two outside for them to join us eating out breakfast. After a few moments, Ben entered together with the couple and directly went here in the dinning area and then started to eat as we are now complete. We talk some stuffs while eating our breakfast like 'how are we preparing for our first day?' 'are we ready?' 'are we excited?' just those questions and others too.

"Why are you being like this darlings...? How many time do we have to tell you not to bother calling us when your eating breakfast. Your all so stubborn to start an argument again...you kids..." Auntie Ari said while looking at us and then shrugged as she gave up arguing as she know she can't win.

"Now...go eat... eat... and be full. After this do your routine and immediately go to your school...your be late if you keep slowing things here... go go go..." Uncle Jay said not knowing what to do first.

Auntie Ari and Uncle Jay was been married for almost 40 years now. They're the one who took care of us and taught us many things about this country. They helped us coped on our first year living here. They treat us like their own child, since they don't have children now as they died from an accident before. But now they adopted two child who became our guardian and big sister and brother. They seem like a better parents for us, a better family, as they protect and guide us as well as they also love us too.

"Hehehee it's okay uncle Jay... we will not be late.... Teachers are just early and we're just arriving there on time... hehehehe so bye bye for now. We gotta go!" I said cheerfully and leave with my backpack hanged on both of my shoulders.

Our school was not that far from the village, it was just 2km from our home to the university. A 10 minutes drive, so at exactly 7:20 we arrived at school and most importantly we have still 10 minutes to do our stuffs and anything.

Before the twelve of us attended four different school, because of the reason that maybe one of our parents will find us and maybe will corner any of the twelve of us, so we decided to attend at four different school. But last year... the other 10 friends of mine transferred at the school where me and Wood attending. And if you will ask why they transferred? They will just simply say... 'It's our senior year, so...' like HELL?? What's the connection of our senior years in high school with their transfer to the school where me and Wood attended. So yeah hopefully that were on same section this year 'cause last year the ten of them sorted on B and C, since they're transferees.

So here we are....

"Hello Richardson University! Damn! I miss coming here hahaaha... Finally I went on top now....hahahha Lezzzz we're classmates now wahahahhaa dream come true!" Kie exclaimed as soon as she stepped out in the van.

"Gosh Kie.... stop being so loud...everyone is looking at us. ugh..." embarrassed, I said.

"Hahahaahahah first day and Lez is being so shy... hahahha this was new. Hahahaha damn I'll gonna add this to my Lez Moments...hahahahaa" Wood said while laughing so hard that he now holding his stomach because of it.

"DAMN YOU RENWOOD KYLE SMITH!!!! I'LL GONNA BURN YOU TO DEATH! DAMN IT!" I shouted annoyed at Wood because of what he said.

Now everyone was looking at us... "Thank you for getting their attention WOOD." I sarcastically said to him.

"Welcome Lez... It's my pleasure... hahahha"

In this scene reminds me of our situation two years ago..

Me and Wood was always together going to school and going home to...unless if we use our van. Here every time Ken will remind Wood about me then theirs Reyn who will shout at me to not letting her man going near on some girls and all. She's just a jealous one same with my man which is the more strict and jealous of everything.

This thought coming through my mind in this kind of vibes reminds me how I miss them so much before and still do right now. Even how stubborn and crazy they are... they're just been part of my life and became important to me at all times. Maybe this was how strong our friendship is, our bond is. This maybe so uncool but... "I love you guys...." I whispered but then they still heard and now starting to tease me again... especially with this damn guy beside me. "Awieeeee Lez is so sweeeee----"

"Shut your damn mouth Wood or I'll gonna burn you here right now? Damn....Tsss. Let's go."

We walked from the parking lot to the field where the flag ceremony was held. We went to our designated position and wait until the ceremony was done.

"Students of Richardson University, welcome back in school again. I'm so excited to see all of you today. As the principal of this school, I hereby announced that this school year the class will start now." The principal announced.

Students shouted after the principal's announcement about the start of classes at Richardson University. Me and my friends just smile and enjoy the noise and fun of the other students.

As another year has start, me and my friends are happy that we are still together and still on each other side. I looked up the sky and said to my mind, 'today the class will start, so then this will be the start of our next chapter of our lives.

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