Our room is packed, good thing that there were two vacant seats at the back. After I sat in place I redid my make-up. I knew that I looked haggard after all the misery that I experienced earlier. I put on pressed powder, blush-on and lipstick. I was distracted when my cellphone rings.

I flaunted a grimace as I saw the name that was displayed on the caller id.

Stefan

Calling...

I answer my phone lazily.

“Hey Babe?”

“Stop calling me Babe, Stefan. Not today okay? Not now that I am having a bad day!” I heard him chuckles from the the other line.

“It’s just the first day of school, honey.” I rolled my eyes even he couldn’t see them.

“What is it?” my straightforward replied.

“I’m gonna pick you up after your class!” What the hell was he talking about?

“Yes honey, I am on my way to your province. Aren’t you excited to see me?” His smooth voice became more irritating.

Since high school both of our parents planned my engagement with Stefan. He is the son of one of Dad’s business partner. He is six years older than me. He currently handles their family’s cement factory business.

“I’m not sure when will my last class will be dismissed.” I answer sluggishly.

“Its fine with me, I will wait patiently at the gate of your school,” he replied in a sweet voice.

I mumbled my annoyance. “Whatever, I hope that it rain!”

“Pardon me?”

I dropped the call without giving Stefan a definite answer. Minutes passed someone seated on the vacant chair next to mine. I put back my make up kit inside my shoulder bag and I got a notebook and a ball pen. I moved my gaze towards my seat mate.

She was so pale. Her skin is as white as the pages of my notebook. I don’t think she puts any make-up on her face. Her hair is in bobcat style. If one didn’t blink twice, she can be mistaken for a guy.

“Hi!” my cheerful greeting to her but she didn’t even have the energy of reciprocating my hospitality. I rolled my eyes. I’m not accustomed of meeting rude people. On my previous school in Manila almost all of my classmates were friendly to me that’s why I wanted to try again.

“Hmm... I guess, we’re classmates,” I laughed a little. She responded with her snob stare. Have more patience Katarina! I chanted to myself. It’s the first day of school maybe she’s just adjusting to her new environment.

“By the way I’m Kat and you are?” I swallow hard.

Just what I expected I received no response from her. To save myself from grave humiliation I focused my gaze on her school ID. I read it carefully.

“Okay! So you are Mariah Whitney Celine Hilario!” I bestowed my sweetest smile.

“Your parents must be music lover,” I continued.

Well, what to expect I never got any response from her. I got tongue tied. I think I started to sweat. I never had been embarrassed like this in my whole life.

“Don’t you laugh at my name!” her straightforward statement. My jaw dropped. Wow! At last she made a response!

I didn’t know why I was still happy even though she was rude to me!

I made a quick reply. “I’m not laughing. I just want to be friends with you!”

Is my entire classmate going to be this weird? Now I’m beginning to believe on the saying that Engineering students are the weirdest!

Fifteen minutes had passed and our professor didn’t show up. This was a one hour subject that’s why we had to wait until 8:20 before we can leave our classroom.

I just got busy browsing my cellphone. Then I heard strums of guitar...

My mouth dropped open as I darted my stare on the guy sitting on the armchair in front. That ruthless brute! Beside him stood a guy with a guitar.

“Don’t tell me that we are classmate?” I talked to myself. The whole class remained silent as they listened to the two.

Even though his presence infuriated my well being, I couldn’t help but to admire their impromptu performance. I felt like that I was watching an acoustic concert.

I moved my gaze towards my Mariah, I mean Whitney. Oops Celine whatever! She made a yawn. She’s the only one student who got bored on our class. It seemed that she didn’t appreciate the performance of our two classmates.

A round of applause surrounded our whole class; one of my female classmates stood in front of Mr. Ruthless. Her curved body was magnified by her denim mini skirt and off shoulder top. She even handed a bottled water to Mr. Ruthless.

“Nice one Marowe,” she pinched the guitarist’s right cheek.

“You’re really good Ervic! Oh my! I think I’m in love!” Her no holds bar flirtatious remarked to Mr. Ruthless who seemed to enjoy her company.

So that brute has a name! He is Ervic! I thought he never received baptism when he was still a baby because of his cruelness.

Our female classmate started to snake her arms around Ervic’s neck. They were staring at each other eyes; as if they were the only people in our class.

Marowe made a fake cough. The girl never minded his presence; she even sat on the chair besides Ervic. I thought the people in the province are conservative, pure and shy type, now what happened?

The girl’s eyes twinkled as Ervic bestows a swift kiss on her right cheek. Our whole class started to cheer.

Wait! What was that? Should I expect a make out session after this?

***

When the clock ticks at 8:20 AM I could not wait to leave the classroom. I scanned the handout to learn that my next class is on Room 402 for the subject College Algebra.

I sat comfortably on one of the chairs in front. I got few glances from my classmate as they arrived one by one to our classroom. During enrollment I was already informed by the Registrar that I belonged to a bloc section.

I offered the vacant seat beside me to Mariah as she passed by me but she just shook her head and proceeded to one of the vacant seats at the back.

Ugh! It’s only the first day of school and two of my classmate already annoys me. Good Lord! What have I done?

Ervic marches his way inside our classroom as his arm envelops the waist of our flirty girl classmate. I just rolled my eyes as they passed by me.

“Is she the granddaughter of Mayor Joson. She’s gorgeous!” I heard murmurs from the back.

“Ervic, have you seen her?” one guy asked the brute.

“She’s not that appealing. She’s lucky that she came from a wealthy family. Jasmine is the prettiest girl for me,” he uttered in a voice that I can hear perfectly.

Grrr! It’s a good thing that our professor came before I could strangle Ervic’s neck. I really had no idea why he hated me this much!

A male professor walked smartly towards the table in front. I guess he’s around 40-45 years old. He was wearing a dark blue polo and black slacks pants. He slightly moved his eyeglass then his eyes wandered around the class.

“I’m Alexander Crisostomo, your professor for College Algebra!” he uttered in an authoritative tone of voice. His strict aura made our whole class silent.

We were asked to prepare index card; where we will write our complete name and section. I inscribed my name legibly.

Joson, Katarina T.

BS CE 1A

After we pass the index card, Sir Crisostomo shuffled them.

“Salazar, Albert!” I could feel the tension of the guy that rose from his seat as his name was called. So we are having a graded recitation on the first day of class. This is exciting!

I’m not that pressured since I have already done my advance reading on this subject. I graduated as a Valedictorian in high school that’s why I wanted to maintain my good grades.

“Define algebraic expression!” Sir Crisostomo maintained eye contact with him.

Without blinking, my anxious classmate browsed on his textbook speedily. Our professor laughed sarcastically.

“I guess you haven’t read our first topic.” The poor guy slowly nodded as he caught the fierce gaze of Sir Crisostomo.

“You will remain standing until I order you to take your seat!” Albert almost flinched because of our professor’s intense voice.

Sir Crisostomo wrote Albert’s grade on the card. I’m perfectly sure that his grade was zero!

After that, the noise made by the shuffling of index card was the only thing that was heard on the four corners of our classroom. Fright and panic manifested on the face of my classmates.

“Galvez, Cristina!” Sir Crisostomo’s voice thundered across the room.

Cristina was trembling as she ascends from her seat. “Answer my last question!”

She bowed her head.

“I’m sorry sir!” Her voice croaked. Our professor’s eyebrows were meeting halfway now.

“What are you doing in my class?” He shouted angrily as he clenches his jaw. Cristina’s sobs envelop the room.

“Did you come to school to flaunt your stylish clothes or show your classmates your luxurious gadgets?”

I make a few deep breathing. Even though I knew the answer to his question I still got nervous because of the frightening atmosphere on our class.

Sir Crisostomo continued, “You are here to study! You are a future engineer of this country but you want your knowledge to be spoon fed by your teachers?”

“Remain standing!” he said strictly. Cristina’s face is now soaking with tears.

“Anyone on this class who can promise a brilliant future to this country?”

I was about to raise my hand but I was halted. My eyes widened upon seeing Ervic raising his right hand. Our professor acknowledged him. Afterwards, Ervic stood up confidently.

Hmm... Let me see if this brute has brain!

“State your name!” Sir Crisostomo requested.

“I’m John Ervic Fuentabella Sir!”

“You can now answer my question.”

“An algebraic expression is a constant, a variable or a combination of variables and constants involving algebraic operations of addition, substraction, multiplication, division, raising into powers and extraction of roots,” he stated the answer from the textbook in verbatim.

Sir Crisostomo nodded as he beamed nicely to Ervic. “Very well said, at least the future of this country is not hopeless!”

After he scribbled Ervic’s grade on the index card he wrote something on the board.

Then he shambled the index card again.

“Joson, Katarina!”

I stood up immediately. Sir Crisostomo stared at me with high interest.

“It’s my honor to be the professor of Mayor Valeriano Joson’s granddaughter!” He beamed at me. Soft murmurs erupted on our classroom.

“I’m sorry to say this, but I have no mercy in failing my students; whether or not you’re the son or the daughter of the country’s president!”

My knees started to tremble not because of the questions on the board but because of his harsh statements towards me. Still, I write my answer with ease.

“Very good Miss Joson! Keep up the good work and make your grandfather proud.” I breathed a sigh of relief.

As I returned to my sit, Sir Crisostomo starts to lecture again to our class about the importance of education.

***

After Sir Crisostomo discussed the topic, he grouped our class by two. He shuffled the card then he picked two cards simultaneously.

Almost all of my classmates were called and the only two left were me and... that brute Ervic!

Luckily, we became group mates! Ugh! I hate this day!

“You will be partners on all the challenge activity and assignments on this class!” Sir Crisostomo explained.

So we will be partners for this whole semester? Wow! Just wow!

I sat slothfully on the vacant seat beside him. I tried to escape from his gaze as I gritted my teeth. I still couldn’t forgive what he did to me this morning.

Before he left, Sir Crisostomo ordered us to spend the remaining fifteen minutes answering the challenge activity on the papers that he distributed to the whole class.

Ervic just stared at me blankly. He picked up his backpack hastily and left our classroom. I knew I could answer this activity in a blink of an eye but wasn’t it unfair that he left all the works to me?

He is intelligent, he can easily ace this subject but why did he leave me? I run as fast as I could in order to catch up with him at the corridor.

“Ervic!” I yelled. But it seemed that he had no plans of turning his head back.

“Ervic!” I called him once again. I cast a deep sigh when I saw him halted.

“We are not yet done with the activity!” I said more sharply.

He looked at me sluggishly. “You are the granddaughter of the greatest mayor of this town! You can do it by yourself!” his callous remarks. I shot one brow up.

“W-What is wrong with you?” I asked stammering a bit. He didn’t reply.

“Don’t you think that I can forget what you did this morning?” I said in frustration.

“You intentionally get me lost in school!” I uttered while pointing my index finger towards him.

“Now Ervic, answer me! Tell me why the hell do you hate me?” Intense dismay was noticeable on my expression.

Ervic remained in silence. He just looked at me without any expression on his face then he started to walk away.