Chereads / Red String / Chapter 2 - Smile

Chapter 2 - Smile

Sweats were pouring down his forehead as he swiped it with his uniform, he stood in line as he participated on the morning prayer at school. Kristian just barely made it in time so he run to school after he got off from the jeep.

The morning prayer usually last for about 30 minutes so that the class can proceed at 8 am. After the morning prayer students began to head to their respected classrooms in an orderly manner.

He picked up his backpack which he put at the ground earlier due to his rush. His classroom was located at the second floor at the leftmost room.

Grade 11 - OLMC

Being in a religious school it cannot be avoided that they will have a class related to the God. Theology was the study of God and religious belief, this was what their class supposed to talk about but unfortunately they indeed up with a twisted personality teacher. And their topic today is about abortion which does not have anything to do with religious belief.

"Hey! Lungay ( Kristian's nickname at school ) what do you want to do after school?" the boy sitting next to him asked.

He looked at the boy and noticed that he was wearing a hairband which is a band worn around or over the head. This boy was named John Phillip Alvin Pacquiao, a former student of Science High School who also transferred here at Saint Paul Academy the same as Kristian.

His nickname lungay was actually referring to the flexibility of his arms not about his body proportions. It was because of an accident during his childhood where he was hit by a motorcycle, then he was dragged for several meters before the motorcycle stopped.

All of the bones on his left leg was broken and he was covered with blood, fortunately they lived nearby at school so his parents immediately received the news and took him to the hospital. After several months of treatment and rehabilitation he recovered from the accident and was able to walk normally again.

"Wanna play a game? Let say LOL you and me." he smirked while looking at his friends expression which instantly changed after hearing what he said.

"Are you playing jokes on me? Even 5 of me can't defeat you so how can I stand a chance against you?" although he was also eager to play LOL he was not going to agree with Kristian's request as he knows that Kristian was better than him. [1]

"Okay, let's just play together I haven't played for a while." it was already time for their second subject which is Media Information Literacy.

Their teacher was a fat man named Karl Abello, who they call Brother Karl because he was a seminarian before he started teaching at school. He was also very strict at his students and he strive into disciplining them.

The moment he entered, the classroom who was very noisy and lively earlier quieted. The boys behave properly while the girls behave elegantly, they displayed nothing that can arouse Brother Karl's anger.

They have only 1 hour for each class so after one hour of silent lecture the second subject was finished. After this was their break so they have plenty of time to talk with their friends

"Hey hey, have you seen the candidates for the Miss SPA?"

"Yeah, I saw them yesterday and they all look like angels"

"You think so? But I think that candidate number 2 was the most angelic among them"

"What was her name again?"

"I don't know"

"Do you?"

"I also don't no but I heard Kristian is quite close with her"

"What the f*ck! Kristian the most passive boy at class who has no interest at girls? That Kristian?"

"Yes! That Kristian"

Meanwhile the one who they are talking about was sitting just behind them and clearly heard each and their every word.

"Hey!" he yelled at them which startled them and almost at the same time turned their heads to look at him.

Their expressions were all complicated and they started looking at each other. It was a very awkward moment especially when you're talking about someone but that someone was right behind you.

"Kristian sorry about that we were just surprised that you know her" the one that talked was a pale looking young man named Niño Galimba but everyone call him with just his last name.

"Were just friends where is there to be surprised?" he felt that something was amiss with Galimba's question so he looked at him intently.

"Friends? Are you sure about that?" another boy said. It was a fat boy who is not really that large unlike Bro Karl. He was one of Kristian's good friend Jeff Laurence Cantutay who they call "jpoy" they are close because they have the same hobby which is playing DOTA 2. [2]

"It's the truth, Jpoy what are implying by this? Do you like her?" although he said it like it was only normal but something inside of him felt pain which he cannot explain.

"And what if I really like her? What are you gonna do?" Jpoy was also persistent as he did not back down at Kristian's joke.

"If you truly like her then I'll help you get close to her, I mean that's what friends are for right?" even though he was clam when he said it, it still caused a stir in his heart.

'Maybe I'm the one who like her?' he silently thought to himself before he mockingly laughed to himself.

"Come on guys let's eat some snack I'm kinda hungry" Jpoy said to them while rubbing his belly.

"Your always hungry and we all know that" Kristian mock him and everyone laugh all together as they all head to the school canteen. Jpoy just rubbed his nosed out of embarrassment as he followed them to the canteen.

"Oi Kristian by the way where's your cousin? I didn't see him this morning" The long haired Jan Rey asked as he counted his money on his wallet.

"Oh? You mean Mark? He told me last night that he will not attend class at the morning so maybe he has something important to do." Kristian was also counting his money but not on his wallet but on his pocket.

This was a habit he had picked up a long time ago, he dislike using wallets to keep his money it was better to just keep it at his pocket as he felt it was safer.

"Maybe they have a conflict again?" Galimba asked while he looked at the cute girl that pass by.

Kristian seeing Galimba's maniacal actions hit him on the head. "Keep your eyes restrained and also they did not have a conflict. I guess that Mark is just being lazy that's all."

"You guys should stop talking and …" halfway through his sentence he stuttered as he look at a distance in daze.

A girl not far away from him was also looking at him with a smile. A smile that could melt away his worries, a smile that was similar to an angel. Everything around him seem to have stopped and all he saw was that beautiful smile.

[1]: League of Legends (abbreviated LoL) is a multiplayer online battle arena video game developed and published by Riot Games for Microsoft Windows and macOS. The game follows a freemium model and is supported by microtransactions, and was inspired by the Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne mod, Defense of the Ancients.

In League of Legends, players assume the role of an unseen "summoner" that controls a "champion" with unique abilities and battle against a team of other players or computer-controlled champions. The goal is usually to destroy the opposing team's "nexus", a structure that lies at the heart of a base protected by defensive structures, although other distinct game modes exist as well. Each League of Legends match is discrete, with all champions starting off fairly weak but increasing in strength by accumulating items and experience over the course of the game. The champions and setting blend a variety of elements, including high fantasy, steampunk, and Lovecraftian horror.

[2]: Dota 2 is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) video game developed and published by Valve Corporation. The game is a sequel to Defense of the Ancients (DotA), which was a community-created mod for Blizzard Entertainment's Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos and its expansion pack, The Frozen Throne. Dota 2 is played in matches between two teams of five players, with each team occupying and defending their own separate base on the map. Each of the ten players independently controls a powerful character, known as a "hero", who all have unique abilities and differing styles of play. During a match, players collect experience points and items for their heroes to successfully defeat the opposing team's heroes in player versus player combat. A team wins by being the first to destroy a large structure located in the opposing team's base, called the "Ancient".