The rooftop was a safe haven for people like me. It's quiet, void of bullies and judgmental eyes. I tend to hide here during lunch or if I wanna skip class. I was doing the latter today. I've been having headaches since this morning. I could have stayed at the nurse's office but she'd ask too much question and may hurt my head even more.
The sun feels nice; there's a slight breeze, a storm probably is brewing. Well, it's September, storms come and go this time of the year in the Philippines. I can smell class suspension.
I smiled at the idea.
I hated school, I wish I could graduate fast. I have very limited to time in my hands I want to do more than I am capable of right now.
I closed my eyes and drifted to sleep. When I woke up it was lunch time. I can tell because my stomach was screaming at me begging to be filled. So I stretched and stood up. Ugh, my head still hurts.
The cafeteria was a chaos. I scanned the room looking for my friends. Yes, guys may bully me, calling me a fag but not all people are judgmental. I have girlfriends. Girl friends. With space in between.
"Hi ladies." I greeted.
"Hey Van, where have you been?" Honey, my first friend in A-high and my bestie was the first who greeted me.
"Yeah where have you been?" Minmei and Eun-Ah asked. These two are the Kim twins, Koreans who can't speak Koreans because they grew up with their Filipino relatives here. But they're really cute, walking K-pop.
"I was sleeping. My head hurts." I grabbed a piece of boiled potato from Honey's plate.
She pushed her plate towards me. "Have you seen the new guy?" She nodded towards the table behind her.
I looked and found Jaycee looking at us.
"Yep. He's in my class."
"He's so cute right?" The twins asked.
"Yea, I dunno." I rolled my eyes. The hell, yeah he's cute. I just don't want to admit it. I caught a glimpse of his smiling face, a dimple in his cheek appeard.
I looked back at his table. First day of school and he had already gathered this much friends. Lucky.
"Aren't you interested in him?" Honey asked.
I remembered our encounter in the morning, he said yes when I asked him out. Maybe I could give it a shot.
Then an idea crossed my mind.
"Hmm..you know what, I think I am."
I went back to class after lunch. Jaycee still was seated on the chair beside mine. I took a deep breath and sat beside him.
"Hi." I gave him a wave.
"Hi."
"About this morning.." I started before I even lose the courage to ask again. "Will you still say yes if I ask you to go out with me."
He stared at me with those beautiful hazel eyes. He squinted, his eyebrows were slightly creased. "Define go out."
I was a bit surprised. "Uhmm.. just go out?"
"Like a date?"
"Yeah?"
"How many?"
"What?"
"How many dates?"
Okay. That was unexpected. I was just hoping for one date and let everything run it's course. "Seven?"
"Okay. Seven dates." He held out his hand. "Give me your phone."
Seven dates. I wonder what would happen in those seven days.
I watched him as he entered his number in my phone.