Take my Surname

Making their way to the cafeteria, Aurielle and Latisha, the two beauties of Phoenix High, walked side by side to their regular seats.

Reaching their destination, they notice that it is occupied by Lucien and Lorena.

Stifling an embarrassed smile, Lorena pinches Lucien to say something, however, he seems to be frozen while staring at Aurielle. "Ahem.... Ahem.... What would you guys like to eat?" asked Lorena, breaking the silence between the four of them. "I am sure Lucien here wouldn't mind getting us all something to eat, right, precious brother?"

"I dare not "twinkie sweetheart," grinned Lucien mischievously at her, Call me that again, and I wouldn't mind making your face as flat as this table", she roared at him.

Easing the hanging air, Latisha turns to Aurielle saying "I would like to have spicy chicken. Alright, I would get you that, and I would have my banana bread with milk coffee", Aurielle said, walking towards the cantine.

Like a flash, Lucien stood up, rushing to her side. "Milady, Milady thou shalt not carry heavy things when your servant is right beside you."

"Are you always this weird, Lucien?"

"What do you mean by weird?"

"You are gumming to me like a bee pollinating a flower."

"Well, Rielle you do look like a flower, a very beautiful and extinct flower which is rare to find, and I don't mind pollinating you."

"What did you just call me?" "I called you Rielle.... Is there anything wrong with that?"

"Someone I once knew called me that....."

"Who was that?" he asked, squinting his eyes and moving close to her.

"Someone who I seemed to have forgotten about, doesn't matter anyway. Hey, don't stand so close to me flat face, and don't pollinate me. Thanks for the offer."

"Hey lovebirds, your order is ready;" their food was served, and Lucien took everything from the table smiling to the caterer saying,

"Oh thank you; we do look cute, don't we?" Lauren grinned at him.

Staring at the caterer, Aurielle shouts at him, stating, "Let me make this clear, we are not lovebirds; I don't even know his surname."

"Well, I wouldn't mind giving you my surname, Aurielle", mumbled Lucien, whereas his murmur was loud enough for her and the caterer to hear it.

"Not lovebirds," indeed the caterer said to himself.

Making their way back to their seats, Lucien and Aurielle join the remaining two, Latisha moves closer to her friend and asks her what took them so long? Obviously to exhausted to talk, Aurielle pushes the spicy chicken in front of her friends which makes the former forget the questions she wanted to ask.

After eating, Latisha and Aurielle make their way to their various after-class sessions, which their school offers other than normal lessons.

Phoenix High is an international, highly regarded, and respected school, accommodating over 500 students from different countries. Lessons are offered in five different languages, with various after-class sessions ranging from singing to piano lessons. Winning the international economic college degree yearly, making it the dream of every student to be accepted. It is composed of classes of all grades, from kindergarten through the 14th grade.

Whereas the 12th grade is the first step in enrolling in a university, taking these classes means entering directly into the 3rd grade of a university without having to start from the beginning. The classes differ from A to D, with class A being the genius class, consisting of students able to master more than 3 sessions; class B is occupied with students mastering just 2 sessions; class C students focus on 1 session; and class D is the athletic class, only having sports students. Being in the A class meant a promising future and fame; it meant excelling in economics, music, dancing, and athletics. The afternoon sessions had the purpose of building up the students' ability to represent themselves and the school in public. They are divided into the basic session, the intermediate session, and the elite session. Each student gets the opportunity to start in the basic session and expand their talent until they are promoted to the elite session to represent their school during competitions.

Latisha and Aurielle walked calmly into the elite singing session, as it was Monday.

"Latisha, my love...." someone exclaimed as soon as they walked into the room

"Oh! no, Aurielle save me. Tell him that I am not feeling well today. The last thing I need is to have him on my neck today."

"We both know that telling him that won't work; it's the 100th time he's heard that excuse."

"Why don't you just give him a chance and go on a date with him?" Aurielle replied to her while smiling in amusement.

"How dare you try to sell your friend out? You know what happened the last time I had breakfast with him? He ordered snails for us both!!!! Tell me which normal human being eats snails with beetroot in the morning."

"I had to run for my life; that was a traumatic experience that I never want to be confronted with again."

"Tisha, don't be so hesitant; you should try new things out; maybe you would have liked it; moreover, your mom seems to like him too."

"Please spare me that; of course she would like him"; 'he plays the piano so beautifully well', Latisha said while mimicking her mom's voice.

"Latisha...., you are looking so gorgeous today!"

"Oh, my George, thank you." "How have you been?" "How did you spend your holiday?"

"Did you travel somewhere with your parents?" Latisha asked, putting on a fake smile.

"Yes, my love, we had traveled to Dubai, and you wouldn't believe how hot it was.

It was so difficult for me to breathe, but what made it worse was that the kitchen didn't serve any snails or beetroot. Can you imagine that? Then Robert suddenly went missing too, and we all had to search for him at midnight..." George blabbered on, not noticing that Aurielle and Latisha had moved to the front to pick up their tasks.