"Intramural is near. What's your plan?"
We all looked at Josh when he asked. The second subject teacher didn’t came before recess so we were free to do what we wanted. Most of us were even eating our snacks, so as me.
"We are the seniors so we already know that we will be in charge of this event. I heard that they changed the rules. We haven't even said what," Jelo answered.
"If we're going to talk about the booths, what do you prefer? The majority should win because if only a few people vote in the booths you choose, you don't belong there. It's also not for sale to junior high students." Mau didn't bother to chew the foods on her mouth and swallowed it directly.
I bet, her stomach will hurt later.
Fiona immediately raised her hand."I want to choose Photo booth. You know that young people today are interested in taking pictures. That's why I'll choose it and I'm sure that my designs would be perfect."
I nodded at his suggestion."And who's going to be your partner on your chosen booth? You should have two or three to manage that. It doesn't need more assistants, tho, since it's just for picture taking."
"Rose, of course. I won't take no as an answer." She even pulled on Rose's uniform and glared at her.
"If you really don't sell, I'll pull your hair." She shook Fiona's hand and adjusted her uniform.
"Guys! Owemji! You're going to laugh at the gossip I heard!" Kyla entered the room while gasping for breath.
He probably ran to the second floor. We're even shocked when he suddenly entered the room. He suddenly shouted!
"It turns out that you and Fiona are different now, Kyla. The amount of gossip has added to it," Daniela said as if you weren't surprised when the gay man suddenly entered.
She is the one next to the door reading. I saw how the book slipped on her hands when Kyla entered the room but she caught it immediately. She maybe thought that no one saw.
"What's that, gay? We're talking about Intramural here and you just interrupted," Mau said angrily.
He immediately sat down in front of us so my gossiping classmates flocked to our place. We're like forming a circle and I swear, it really sucks. I can already smell their gunshots. God!
"When I passed by on the principal's office, I heard all of the teachers were having their general meeting. I heard about the change of rules in Intramurals. And you know what's worse?"
"What?!" we all ask.
"It's going to be a competition between our section and the other." He screamed and even pointed to the end of our room.
The room next to us that he pointed is the Section-A. The most hated of us all. Don't tell me it will imitate the rules of the Acquaintance Party?! No way!
"What kind of competition is it?" wrinkled when Jelo asked.
"In each section, there should be five chosen booths. Then each section will compete to see who has the most sales will win. Exempted from the 2nd grading examination and the whole section will win." They made even more noise because of what Kyla said.
Exempted? It's not that bad because my classmates get high grades. But can we compete with them? I'm not sure.
"Like what happened at the Acquaintance Party, Section A and B will compete. And the rest will be C and D. Shit!" He even comforted himself that you thought he was really stressed.
I knew it. It's not a good idea for me. The bragging rights of the people of section A and I might just embarrass them.
"Just tell me the booths that you have decided. I will list to pass on to our adviser." I stood up to go to the front to ask the opinion of them all.
"Rose and I are definitely in our photo booth."
I nodded to Fiona and wrote on ¼ the booth and their name. I asked the same question and Mau raised her hand so I pointed her.
"I want the Food booth, bess. And I want you to be my partner. Maybe it's okay even if it's just the two of us, isn't it?" he asked me so I nodded.
"That's a great idea. Let's think about that later. Any suggestions? We need three more booths."
Jelo raised his hand."I want a Dedication booth and Josh will be my partner. Is it okay with you?"
Josh nodded. "Of course, Pres. You're with me so I'm comfortable in our booth."
I immediately wrote down what they said. "What else? Just two, think about it."
"I think the Movie booth also sells so that's it. List Kyla there as my partner."
Kyla even shook her head because of what Daniela said, she means against it.
"We have no choice, Kyla. Just go with the flow." She did nothing when I listed the two of them on paper.
"No one else raised their hand so it's just me. Hanna and I have a blind date," Steven suggested.
"Are you okay Hanna?" I asked as I wrote the booth on paper.
When I looked at him, he nodded shyly. "A-All right, it's okay."
"Then it's final! Our section already has five booths."
When the bell rang, my classmates immediately left. I stopped cleaning our teacher's table when Jelo appeared in front of me. He helped me clean up even though I didn't say so.
"Thank you, Pres. Aren't you going to do anything? I'd like to come with you to give this list to Mrs. Dela Vega."
He smiled so her dimples appeared."All right. I really want to accompany you since I also have to tell her that I'll be in charge of our section."
"Thank you even though I can do this alone."
We were heading to the principal’s office when we noticed a disturbance in the quadrangle. We are not gossips and gossips but we are worried about what is going on there.
"Excuse me, what's going on here?" I asked one of the students who was also intruding.
"Caseth was bullying a nerd. He's starting to hurt again."
After I heard that, I didn't wait any longer and immediately squeezed to get to the front. I don't know what's running on his mind again! He became like this after I avoided him completely.
"Shara! Don't come near the middle. You'll just be damned!" I ignored what Jelo said and still continued to scramble.
It's been a week since we didn't talk or even take a glance on each other. I was the first to avoid because I didn't want to be ruined again because of him. When he started bullying me, he rarely bullied others. But when we ignored him, he returned to hurting others.
"Please, don't hurt me," a female nerd's voice begged.
She's from Section-D because I read that on her ID.
"I already told you, didn't I? The fool will receive punishment," Caseth replied arrogantly to him.
"What is this?!" I groaned so all their attention went to me.
He was shocked after seeing me but immediately changed his expression like he doesn't care. Is this what he changed in the days when I didn’t care about him?!
"Don't interfere if you're not involved here. Just leave if you don't want to get involved," he said reluctantly.
I laughed at him."Aren't you still going to stop what you're doing?! Think you're still really young at any time."
"And you? Why are you interfering in this? To be a hero to everyone?"
I know I was bored with what he said because it always was. He never said anything nice. And a hero? I'm just telling him to stop doing such stupid things!
"A graduating student with a foolish actions. Seriously, Caseth?" I couldn't believe what I was saying to him.
I couldn't move immediately when he approached me."Who are you to scold me?! You're just nothing but a pitiful scholar in this Academy. Someone like you is not suitable for my school."
Everyone sighed and murmured. While me? Still couldn't process those words coming from him. D-Did he just humiliate me in front of the crowd?
"W-What did you ---"
"It's good that you've come to your senses now, Caseth. That girl doesn't deserve to study here. Get her out of school," his classmate interrupted me.
What I hate most of all has happened. Everyone's hatred and disgust because of my state at this school. They're not like that to me, they all treated me as their friend. But because of what he said, they looked at me differently. Of course, he's the owner of this Academy. He always uses his power here to get others to obey.
Suddenly, the nerd Caseth bullied stood up and looked at me."I don't need help. It's also my fault so I need to face this on my own."
I didn't speak anymore because he would only embarrass me more. Suddenly, the students split up and the SSG Councilors spat. Racer was there and gritted his teeth when he saw me.
"Are you okay? Did he hit you?"
I shook my head and smiled hard."I-I'm fine. Don't worry, he didn't hurt me... physically."
"All of you, go back to your respective classrooms. Take Caseth to the detention room," he ordered his companions.
He looked at me without reaction before joining the SSG Councilors while Racer and I were the only ones left here.
"Let's go to the cafeteria. Come eat with me."
I just let him drag me until we got to the cafeteria.
He went to the counter to order food for us like he usually do whenever we're going to eat together.
I still can't believe Caseth told me that. Of all the times that he bullied me, he never said those words to me. He always teases and taunts me but why is he suddenly different now? It was like going back to the old Caseth I first met, the time we didn't know each other.
"Why did you get in trouble? I thought you're avoiding him." He put the food down in front of me and sat down.
"I was just stopping him from hurting the girl. You know it's easy for me to feel sorry, don't you? But, I didn't expect that he's going to humiliate me in front of them." I toyed with the straw of juice and stabbed in the ice.
"I know you also know that he used to be like that, before you met. We couldn't stop that side of him. A bully is always a bully. He might also be affected by what you're doing to avoid him."
I stopped what I was doing and looked at him. He looks like he was stopped on my reaction so he just ate.
"What do you mean that he's affected? He's annoyed because he can't bully me anymore, right?" I asked him confusingly.
"That's not what I meant. Don't mind it, just eat. You have to eat your anger at him."
I just sighed and obeyed what he said. He treats the food 'to that's why I don't want to waste these foods. He helped me consume what he ordered before he insisted on taking me to my room.
"I can handle myself, Racer. Thank you so much everyone. You're always there for me," I smiled widely and hugged him.
I felt his sudden stop because of what I did. I didn't mean to look at his back and I just regretted it. I saw his annoying face again. Fuck him! I thought he was detained but why was he released?!
Tsk. He probably used his position and I don't care about it anymore.
I slipped out of Racer's embrace and saw how Caseth's jaw tightened. I rolled my eyes at him when our eyes meet.
"W-Why did you do that?" Racer still seemed stunned and couldn’t get over what I did.
"Uh... Friendly hug?" I ask for an answer.
Caseth smirked on us when he passed by. It's as if he meant to let us know because that's how he really is. Lack of attention.
"Thank you, Shara. And at least I got your hug." He ruffled my hair and simply glanced behind me.
"It's nothing, of course."