Stressed

Ring! Ring! Ring!

The sound of the bell overwhelms the noise and chattering of students in the school corridor. Students are now going to their second period while Lincoln is just about to his first period of the day.

Lincoln missed his first period and is now running late to his second one. He breathes heavily through his nose as he is running towards his second class period while looking at his wrist and sandwich hanging in his mouth. He even tripped on a crushed can but fortunately managed to recover and push himself up using his right hand and continued running.

His footsteps were heard in the rooms as he was running and when he arrived he grabbed the knob to his room when he realized it was not fully closed and it slid inside stretching his arm inside and the door banging the wall behind.

"Oops." He said in shock with his eyes almost popping out and realized what he'd done. He hurriedly followed "Sorry." when he noticed that the lecture had already started, that he didn't mean to disturb.

His classmates tried to hide their laughter but it was obvious on their faces that they were trying so hard to not laugh, while his teacher put his hand on his face shooking her head, and said "Just go ahead... Sit down on your sit." and she sighed and carried on her lecture like nothing happened.

He walks towards his sit when he walked by his friend trying to talk to him when he put up his hands and said in a soft voice "Not now dude." trying to hide his voice from their teacher, and his friend signaling him an "okay" with a quick head nod.

Some of his classmates are surprised that he wasn't scolded when the teacher is a strict lady. Only his friends understand why and they are looking at him while he walks towards his sit looking down.

A week ago on a Friday night, he and his friends hung out at his friend's house and they had fun and so much fun that he lost track of time and forgot to call his mother to inform him, He didn't know that he would be there for so long. He called his mother but she didn't pick up and so he tried several times but still no response from her and so He thought She already went to sleep. He felt bad that He called so late now that she was asleep He told his friends he would be going home, but a friend insisted they stay overnight cause it's so late and Lincoln lives an hour away. He was hesitant but eventually agreed to stay for the night and just decided to leave a voice message and text his mother. At 11:00 in the morning, he was woken up by his friends and was confused about why they looked so down.

Aljur, Lincoln's friend decided to be the one to tell Lincoln the terrible news. Lincoln was devastated when his mother who raised him alone and cared for him moved on to the other side. He broke down, his tears slowly flowing down his face without him realizing, and the tears turned into cries of loss and regret. The night before was his last chance to talk to her and because of his selfishness, he lost his chance.

Blaming himself for not being there with her in her last moments, he lets out a loud grunt and clenched his fist as hard as he can and punching the tiled floor and splatting out blood. His friend grabs a hold of him when they realized that despair has already taken over him.

They can't blame Lincoln for blaming himself and they understand what pain he is going through right now. They want to comfort him but don't know how and all of them also felt pain and cry because they were close to Lincoln's mother. They know how great and kind of a person Aunt Julie is. Their relationship with her is like a mother.

Lincoln tries to struggle off his friend that is holding him and slowly his force weakens and cries and cries. Ashley tries to give Lincoln comfort by hugging her while tears also flow down her face.

Lincoln applied for another part-time job because of this his forced to take an absence from school and work from 8:00 AM - 11:30 PM. The only way he thinks he can thank his mother now is to give her an honorable burial. His friends also helped him in any way can be it mentally or financially.

Ring! Ring! Ring!

The second period has ended and Lincoln instead of going to their next class went straight outside and headed to his part-time job. Aljur and Gian try to catch up to Lincoln who is now in the front gate heading to work. They try to get his attention by calling his nickname "Con! Con! Lincoln! Colin!".

Lincoln heard the last syllable of his name calling him and turned around to see the two. He scratched the back of his head and apologized to them for ignoring them "Ah! Guys sorry I have five minutes to arrive to work let's catch up later, okay?" and grabbed them on their shoulders and smiled at the both of them and then he continued running, Lincoln turns around again while jogging and followed "I'll see you dudes at your house, AL?" He said to both of them, turning around again and sprinting.

"Yeh!" both of them replied and sighed. "We told him to quit his job and take it easy," Gian said scratching his face and clicking his tongue for Lincoln's stubbornness.

"Ma and Pa even insisted to take him so he didn't have to tire himself." AL said while looking at Lincoln sprinting and he followed "But he still doing sideline work and anything to make a buck. At our age, we are supposed to be enjoying our youth but..." He didn't finish what he was about to say and he sighed again instead.

Ashley slammed his hand on the back of Aljur and Gian surprising them and straightening their back. "Oww!" They both exclaimed and patted each other back looking at her angrily. "Stop, looking at him like that, and let's confront him about it later instead of you two saying bad things behind his back!" She said while her arms are resting on each other.

"THIS GIRL!" They both thought and replied exclaiming "We're not bad-mouthing him!". She replied "Then that's good, let's go third period's about to start." They hurried back to their classes.

Lincoln's sprinting made him pant excessively and aggressively add his stressed mind and worn-out body, just by looking at him you could think that he would drop in any second.

A fellow student working part-time as a delivery boy in one of the fast food competitors in the area saw him running on the side of the road from a distance and continued to pedal as he call get his attention "Server Boy".

Lincoln was so focused on running that he couldn't hear someone calling him. He was focused on running and keeping track of time not be late.

Pat!

"Hop in!" The student said as he pat him on the back and brake in front of him offering him a ride.

"Geo, Right?" Lincoln asked as he hurriedly get on the bike and hold on the back of the motorbike. "Si, I know your in a hurry too but on the side of the road." Tch! Tch! Tch!

Lincoln only laughed in response.

"Thanks for the ride" Lincoln said as he get off the bike and crossed the road to go the fast food restaurant in works at. Geo then also went ahead inside his work.

A variety of noise and chattering of people covered the restaurant packed with customers.

"Lin! Change later and serve this to the customers!" She said loudly to compete with the load chattering of people as he give 2 plates of dish and a bowl of soup.

4 Hour Later and it's now 11:00 AM any minute now and the restaurant will be flooded with customers. This is the time the restaurants's competition will start because of rush our this will be the busiest time in the day, this may last an hour but the longest is 5 hours.

"I hope it lasts for at least 3 hours again!" The restaurant owner screamed to hype and give energy to the crew.

From students to office workers the restaurant now is filled with hungry customers. The line lasts from outside and their competitors also has their restaurant flooded with customers.

"Con!" Someone called him when he turn his head he sees his friend in the line. His eyes widened but he couldn't talk to them due to being too busy.

Everytime he walks past towards them they exchange a bit of words, inefficient but that's the only way to converse to them.

They finished eating and customers started decreasing. "Has it already stopped?!" The owner said in dismay but her eyes widen and she simled when she opened the cash registered and saw it full of cash and coins.

Clap! Clap! Clap!

"Good work everyone, we manage to get through hell time! HAHA" The owner exclaimed while clapping his hands then headed in the kitchen.

"Your boss is nice isn't she?" Ashley said to Lincoln zoned out. "Huh? Yeah..."

"Anyways, I think we couldn't hang out later, When I went to the faculty I heard our teacher that she will do a surprise quiz to every section tommorow." Gian said while leaning and his arms on the table.

"Ah! I need to review... Ash-" He was interrupted by Ashley saying "Yeah, you can borrow my notes." He said while staring at the arm of the clock.

"Dude, He's tired." Aljur said.

Noticing that Lincoln is tired and zoned out they talked to the owner for him and asked for an early leave for Lincoln.

The owner being an understanding person she agreed and still give him a full day of salary.

They accompanied Lincoln to Aljur's place where he is currently staying with Aljur's family as an adopted son.

While zoned out he went ahead to his room after greeting Aljur's parents and then at front of his bed he dropped his body and he fell asleep instantly and started snoring.