CHAPTER 1: FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

LALAINE’S POV

Have you ever had a crush?

What is love?

Do you believe in love?

Do you believe in love at first sight?

How about First love never dies?

How do you know that you are in love with someone?

According to psychology theory, love has 3 feelings; it is lust, attraction, and attachment.

Lust is different from love,

Attention is based on obsession,

Attachment isn’t exclusive to romance.

What does love do to a person?

Did you know that being in love can decrease appetite?

Being in love makes you happy.

Being in love can change you.

Love can make you sick,

But sometimes, love can be a pain reliever,

Love is blind to the point you can't see anyone but him/her, or let’s say you don’t see his/her faults, but you still love him/her. Sometimes when you fall in love with someone your whole world will just only spin with him/her

Having a trust can make your relationships stronger.

What if you fell in love for the first time but you were hurt?

But you really can't avoid being hurt when you love. Because not all love stories end in a ‘happy ending’

Sometimes you also need to be hurt just to learn. Just like the other said you can't learn to cook if you don't get burnt over and over again. Likewise with love you will be hurt first before you learn.

But what if you suddenly lose your feelings for the person you love?

Can you fight how you feel about that person, just don’t lose him/her forever?

The only thing that I can say is—

Love is definitely complicated.

I’m Lalaine Cole F. Mendoza, a freshman student at McKinley High School. I am a shy type, a simple girl happy-go-lucky person, and friendly. I have a white complexion but just have a cute height. My favorite color is pink. I love watching romance movies, I love reading romance novels that made me believe that when it comes to love there is always a happy ending…

I can dance but not very well. I am just a simple person; happiness is shallow for me. I have 5 siblings, our eldest is Kuya Wayne followed by Ate Elisse, Kuya Jim, Ate Stella, and the youngest from us Cody. Our loving parents are Steve and Liza who supported us in everything we wanted, and they were both hardworking for our family.

And we are one big happy family…

**

Ate Dudez woke me up this morning because this is my first day as being a freshman in McKinley High School, MHS for short. Dudez is my big sister's babysitter to her children, she’s with me because my family flew yesterday to Albay. My grandfather on my dad’s side passed away due to his old age, and complications.

It's just sad that I didn't go to Albay to see my late grandfather at least for the last time. My mom, dad, ate Ella

ate means big sister

and her kids, my little brother and my kuya’s kids

kuya means big brother

went for my grandpa’s wake. They were the only ones who went because I can't be absent from school. So, I was left at home with ate Dudez.

I quickly took a shower and dress in my high school uniform. Then, eat the breakfast that Dudez prepares for me. She called me again when Robert our neighbor friend arrived. He is in senior high school now. Oh, by the way, we just moved here to McKinley Homes in Bulacan three weeks ago. So, my parents and my sister told Robert to take care of me while they are not around. So, that’s why Robert is picking me up now.

I finally took a last glance at my mirror before leaving the house, and then Robert and I left for school. I barely know him thus I am so shy to talk to him right now. But he is kind, he is approachable and gentlemanly. I’m just kind of too shy to talk to him. And I'm not the type of person who talks with people, especially if I'm not very close yet to them.

We reached the campus quickly; it was just a few miles away from our subdivision. The trip to our school was silent until we arrived at MHS. As luck would have it, Robert broke the silence for us. As I said I am somewhat shy to talk to him.

“Laine, we are here. Welcome to McKinley High School!” Robert declares and flashes his smile.

I awkwardly smile and then nod to him. Oh, this is it! I looked at our school with every building that it has. The students are in hurry and looking for their respective classrooms. The school is so great, the building is very spacious and exquisite, it also has a huge covered court where the students can play various outdoor games. And do their physical activities, and also any other school events. This is only my second time here. Because the first time I was here was when tito Roel our neighbor took me here, and help me to enroll. He used to be a famous singer in his time.

I was excited and at the same time feel nervous. I don’t know anyone else here but just Robert. Hopefully, I can get along with my new classmates here. If we hadn't moved, I would have been with my classmates in elementary school that I got compatible with them and I've been with them for long years. It's also sad that I'm separated from my childhood best friend.

I suddenly miss them!

“What is your section, Laine?” Robert asks me and cuts me off to my thoughts.

I immediately turned to him. “A-ah, Diamond. 1- Diamond,” I stuttered and then looked back to the building and various students walking down the field.

“Oh, you're in the Jica building, it’s on the first floor. Come on, I’ll take you there,” he said with a smile. He led the way to that building, and he accompanied me to my classroom.

As soon as we arrived in front of my classroom, I hesitate to go inside. Of course, this is new, new ambiance and new classmates. I peeked at the window where I could see my new classmates. It looks like they’ve known each other and I'm the only one who doesn't.

I can’t understand how I feel right now.

Ugh! Then that, Robert saw my expression.

He also peeked at the window then turned to me, “It’s okay Laine, make some new friends. I think they are all good. They don’t bite,” he joked.

“I-I’m just kind of shy, you know, it’s the first day.”

“Yeah right. I know how it feels too, I was like that when I was in my first year. If you want, I can join you at lunch?” he said shyly while scratching his nape.

“Sounds good,” I nodded to him. “And besides I don’t know anyone here yet.”

He smiles at me. Then we said our goodbyes before I enter my room. Oh, God thanks to him he accompanied me. Robert is a nice guy, yeah, he is. My sister and Dudez are teasing me to him. Even though they barely know him because we just moved here. They always say that we are good to each other. But…

I just can’t. I like him as a friend only.

When I entered the room, I turned around and looked for an empty seat. I noticed they were looking at me maybe I wasn’t familiar with them, but almost all of them already knew each other. I looked in the left row looking for a vacant seat, but I saw that there were only male students sitting there. I turned to the right row again, until a curled hair girl called my attention. She waved her hand at me and gestured me to sit next to her, they put me in the middle of her friend.

I sat down in the middle of them and smiled at them both. “Thank you.” I shyly said then put my bag on the chair.

“Hi, I’m Cherry!” the curled hair girl greeted me warmly and held out her hand.

I reached for it with a smile. “I’m Lalaine Cole Mendoza, but you can call me Laine.”

“Wow! Cool name, I like that, Cole! It sounds sassy!” Cherry said in awe, I smiled as she complimented my name.

The girl on my left held out her hand to me and I handed it to her with a smile. “Hello, by the way, I’m Chelle. Are you new here? Because your face is not familiar to us.”

“Yes, we just moved here last summer. So, I'm kind of shy because I don't know anyone here.”

“I thought so! It's okay though, the others here are also newcomers, but almost all of us here knew each other because we're all the same in elementary school came from,” Cherry snapped.

“But don’t be ashamed, you're with us,” Chelle said happily.

Cherry clung her left arm to my right arm. “Yeah, right. You will get to know them too.”

“Thank you, girls!” I thankfully replied to them.

“No problem, Laine! From now on, we are friends,” Chelle winked at me.

Cherry flicked her fingers. “Of course! And we are glad to meet you,” she grinned. They’re really kind. How lucky I am to have them as a friend that for the first time they had immediately shown me kindness.

“So, where are you from school?” Chelle suddenly asked as she looked at herself in her pocket mirror.

I looked at both of them. “Ah, I studied at Saint Vincent also here in Bulacan. How about you two? Does your elementary school is just near here on our campus?”

“Yeah, McKinley Elementary School, it’s just also a public school,” Cherry replied as I nodded at her.

“So, you live in?” Chelle queried.

I looked at the watch I was wearing before I answered her. “At McKinley Homes, but we just move here, in Sta. Maria, we used to live.”

“Whoa! That's far from here, it's a good thing you moved here to McKinley and we met!” Cherry replied cheerfully.

“Ah, I see. It means that you are destined to meet us and to be friends with us. Yay!” We are meant to be, the three of us,” Chelle said softly laughing her eyes get even narrowed, I also laughed at her.

Cherry suddenly tapped Chelle on her arm. “So, you mean seems to have in a relationship?” she questioned as her eyebrow was a bit arched. Chelle nodded at her, “Eh, were three so, it’s the third wheel?” she added.

“Yeah, and you are the mistress! Just kidding!” Chelle said laughing so I also laughed because of what she said.

“You are crazy, Chelle! you even made me a mistress. I haven't even had a boyfriend yet!” Cherry immediately spanked her on the hand and tried to reach because I was in the middle of them. Chelle and I laughed even more at what Cherry said. Chelle's face was almost red with laughter. That’s why our other classmates turned their attention to the three of us seems to be wondering why we are laughing.

I observed the rest of our classroom it was big compared to my classroom back then, and it was neat and clean overall. Even my new classmates are all talking and having their worlds. They already knew each other based on what I see in them that they are close to each other. Although, there are also newcomers like me that I can see sitting quietly at the back. They all look kind even though you can see in others that some of the male students seem to be mischievous. While the others look innocent.

Luckily, I met Cherry and Chelle right away, I was happy and felt belonged with them, they treated me well right away. I think I can get along with these two amiable ladies. Thankfully, I immediately made two new friends despite the first day of school…

I hope to make more new friends…