Buzz… buzz…

My eyes were half-opened, disturbed by a non-stop vibration from my table five minutes before the actual alarm strikes. I picked my phone up—not by choice—and tapped the blur green button on the screen to answer the call.

“Hello?.... wh—”

“HELLO WE UP RUN THIS CITY YO! SO GOOD ALJI IM LITTY YO! Uhm Good Morning!” a familiar voice sang a TWICE song and cut-me off amidst my sentence.

Ah, it's Natasha.

“God, Tasha, it's 7 A.M., what’s up?” I answered, making sure she heard that huge irritation behind my tone after waking me up just to sing out of tune. I’m guessing she intended that—probably because she knew that kind of thing annoys me.

“Are you not coming to school?! It’s the last day of University Day!” her voice was a little overpowered by the song as it continuously played on the speakers behind. I swear if this is not her, I would just end the call directly.

“Perhaps? Maybe a little late than the usual hours?” I yawned after answering her.

“Are you kidding me? The infamous ‘Ms. Punctual’ telling me she will be late for school?” her voice delivering the sentence with inside sarcasm.

“Okay Corazón, first and foremost, “this day” so called University Day doesn’t seem exciting to me at all. Second, I just don’t feel like going either.” She’s well aware that I am not into this kind of event, but she tends to get forgetful when excited, like now.

“You are unbelievable! We are supposed to literally throw hands because this is the last day that there would be no classes for this week. Plus, maybe you forgot, you are the school photographer!” she responded like she is so done with me.

“I hear you. Alright, I will get ready now. While you wait, don’t do anything stupid.”

“Uh, who do you think you are talking to? I am the most well behaved—” Tasha’s voice abruptly got cut-off when I ended the call in the middle of her statement.

Payback is so good.

I groaned burying my face in my pillow for a few more minutes before getting up to fix my bed. Nonchalantly, I walked past the big digital clock in my wall and grabbed my towel to take a bath. These are the kind of days that I don’t have to hurry looking at it. I may sound such a boring person, but it’s just in my nature to not really pay attention on these sorts of occasions.

After washing and applying sunblock, I decided to put on a plain white V-neck shirt, tucking it on my faded blue high waist jeans, matching it with white rubber shoes. I grabbed my watch and then cleaned the thick lenses of my eye glasses.

I went to the other side of the room to check myself against the large mirror, pulling my mid-long curly hair to a ponytail while loosening-up some strands on the sides. For a second, I found myself staring back at my sea blue-green eyes through my reflection,

“Please don’t change colors when you see her,” I said under my breath and picked up my small backpack.

I departed from the house probably at 08:10, climbed up to my black Audi and drove my way to the university for about twenty minutes. The Sun God must be in a good mood, because its heat is warm against my skin when I open my windshields. I arrived at the parking lot of our school at eight-thirty sharp and executed a few inhale-exhale drills before heading out.

Why am I even nervous? I thought to myself, closing my eyes for a bit and leaned on my seat.

Suddenly, my phone screen lightened-up and displayed Tasha’s message saying “WHERE ARE YOU NOW?!” I smiled and replied that I was already in the school, just parking my car. As I opened the door, I saw some students outside dating. I shrugged my shoulders without giving it attention and grabbed my bag, cracked the knuckle of my index finger and focused on my own thoughts.

Even though I am still walking a few meters away from the entrance, the cheers and screams inside already got me a little overwhelmed as they really are loud. After I presented my I.D., I nodded to the guards and went to see the situation in the center ground of the school. Though I have just arrived, I already can feel eyes staring at me, and some mumbles I couldn’t hear behind my back.

“There you are! I’ve been waiting here for ages!” Tasha shouted while running towards me and gave me a tight hug.

“Sorry, am I that late? I don’t seem to have the enthusiasm to get here today, specifically because it's “University Day” I pointed out rhetorically.

“Are you through?” she asked sarcastically and rolled her eyes. “Did you bring your camera?” giving me an obvious fake angry attitude.

“Yes, Ms. President I did. Your school photographer will be signing in.” I answered back.

“Whatever Herondaile, let’s go. You’ve been a good view here for both girls and guys for too long” she retorted while slapping my arms lightly and dragged me into the council area.

Good view? What the hell is she talking about now again.

16:00

Couple of hours have passed and the sun has already been gliding down. Time might have flown that fast but it was exhausting. I had to take a couple of shots from the different booths and games today as well as some students who pleaded to have me take pictures of them to be displayed on the page of our school. Another tiresome part is changing memory cards to replace the full ones. I also had to run and hide away from the booth captors several times—since the students who organized the event included dating booth that is usually just present in Valentine’s Day— and I swear, every time they call my name from those big ass speakers, I cursed for hundreds of times, while trying not to break my camera hanging around my neck when I dash. Natasha doesn’t seem to notice me being in an edgy situation, because she was busy giving her full attention towards that “really handsome and smart-ass guy” as she describes, who has been checking her out for weeks now. Cliché.

These booth captors only laid down when the last game for this day, which is volleyball, started: Navy Eagle Marines vs. Yellow Tiger Engineering—sounds like a real good fight between these two courses, but not enough to make me watch or make my mood get better. I sigh heavily.

In the first half of the game, I decided to take a break and called Anastasia—one of the seniors like us on our school council— to fill-in my spot in taking shots for the rest of the sets for school publication. I then headed at the back of the school, towards the trees and fresh air to be able to breathe.

I haven’t seen her around. I wonder where she is… my mind suddenly interrupted me while walking. I shook my head a little to dismiss the thought and settled myself to the usual bench I sit on every day. when I am early in the school. I forgot to carry any of my book or sketch pad so I tried to capture photos on some blue birds pecking on the ground instead.

“I thought I’d found you here and I did,” a familiar soft and low voice spoke behind me while the wind blew gently, causing the trees and grass to rustle. I froze on my seat like I was casted with a petrificus totalus spell. I tried to calm my nerves, that is starting to get tense before turning my head to see the owner of the voice.

“Found me… here?” I said returning the words, trying to act confused while my body has been sending chills on my spine non-stop, the time I faced her.

“Seems like your name had gotten prominent on the speakers for the date booth, I guess you were hiding here.” she uttered while her ice-blue eyes stared at me, making it hard to steady looking at her back

Those eyes, they really do look cruel and cold… familiar…

“Oh, uhm, yes, I don’t like them, it’s annoying actually. It’s been like that for years” I chuckled nervously. She gestured to sit down next to me and I swear, my body gave a new wave of hot flushes.

“You look flushed, is everything okay?” she asked and moved a little closer to me, leveling her face to mine.

Oh my God, she is too close, not to mention her pleasant smell…

I stared at her for a moment, before I realized that I did. I blinked my eyes several times to snap myself off, “Yes, I am okay, sorry…” I said, shaking my head. “Do you mind if I ask, why are you also here?” I said courteously.

Did I stare for too long? That is so embarrassing!

“I lost my pen here yesterday and I thought I could check again. I found it just beside that tree over there. then I saw you” she pointed her look to the other side of where we are seated and back at me.

“Oh, that’s uhm great, I am glad you found it, Ms. Rianne” I said my voice was a little shaky so I cleared my throat to cover it up.

Stop setting yourself up, for god’s sake!

“Your breaths are uneven. Relax, Hestia” she smiled, her voice was gentle but her tone was assertive. Our eyes met once again and this time, her gazes were intense. She tucked a strand of my hair in my ear and touched my eyelids using the phalanges of her index finger.

Holy lord, her touch is so… soft.

“Your eyes, are they changing c—” I looked away before she could finish her sentence. I looked down and tried to close my eyes a little forcefully.

I told you to not change color!

I was beginning to panic on how to dismiss the situation, instead I told her that it’s time for the awarding ceremony to escape it “I think the awarding has started Miss” while nictating my eyes before standing up. I felt like she will not let go of this matter but gladly she stood up and walked with me towards the inner court.

It was already 17:00 and thankfully the color of my eyes went back to normal after I abruptly checked on my phone. The ending ceremony is about to end and were already giving out the awards to the winners. Natasha who was in front, organizing the medals and trophies sent me a “WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?” stern look.

“I guess you’d be able to find your way here. I will leave you for now. It’s nice to see you well” Ms. Rianne smiled again, her voice soothing but endearing. I can’t help myself to take a sharp breath after that smile.

“Sure, uhm, it’s nice to see you well too, Ms. Rianne,” I smiled back, even though my hands were still cold and pale while I looked at her walk past some students who were staring and gushing over her.

Well, who wouldn’t stare and blush, she looks like a goddess after all.

The day in school has just finished and I’m now waiting for Tasha who ran a quick report on the dean’s office. I thought about what happened just recently with Ms. Rianne. “Your eyes, are they changing c–” her voice echoed in my mind. How can I be so careless? I should have suppressed myself more

“Hessie, you, okay?” Tasha tapped my shoulders, ruining my train of thoughts. “Yeah, of course, just a bit tired. Let’s go? I’ll drive you home” I told her and gave her a smile.

She was curious for a moment, but she might have sensed I wanted to keep it to myself first. Instead, she changed the topic and talked about the guy she was with on our way home.

The remaining hours felt like minutes. It’s already 23:05 and I’m just staring at the reflected images on the walls of my room coming from my galaxy lamp projector, still not over what happened earlier. I couldn’t seem to forget Ms. Rianne’s intense gaze towards me. Her eyes were so intimidating—so regal and beautiful. Her long wavy hair is so pretty too.

Alright there, enough. I scolded myself and pulled a pillow on my head. I can still smell her perfume and how soft her finger above my cheeks.

I let out a big sigh and forced myself to fall asleep, hoping Ms. Rianne won’t follow me in my dreams. Even though it would be fair to see her there.