It was a warm Thursday morning; the chirping of the birds and the street noises could be heard as a new day started.
"Wake up! It's time for school!" A woman calls for someone. "Brian! Your breakfast is getting cold!"
The time was six o clock in the morning.
Brian still deep in his sleep, patted his desk not wary of what he was hitting. The door opened and the woman who seemed to be in her early forties entered Brian's bedroom. She nudged the boy to wake him up.
He opened his eyes albeit forcefully, "Oh mom…" Brian yawned and stretched his arms high now woken from his sleep.
"Seriously Brian you were so deep in your sleep that you were drooling," Margaret shook her head.
"Don't worry I'll be ready in no time," He stood up from his bed and proceeded to the bathroom to take a nice, warm shower and applied shampoo on his brown hair. After showering he takes a look at the mirror and saw his droopy brown eyes, unsatisfied he washed his face with a cleansing foam solution to have a fresh feeling. He applied some deodorant to finish things off.
"Much better," He muttered.
After finishing in the bathroom, he started putting on his school clothes, which consisted of a white short-sleeved dress shirt with the school insignia emblazoned on the upper left chest area, black slacks, his personal favorite black colored socks, and a pair of black brogues. He wore his glasses to offset his dimming eyesight.
Brian went down the living room and then proceeded to the dining room to eat his breakfast. His food consisted of fried garlic rice, corned beef, scrambled egg, and tomato slices.
"Wow, mom this looks good," Brian praised his mother's cooking.
Margaret now wearing a white, long sleeved dress shirt, a silver necklace, a black midi skirt, beige stockings, and high heeled shoes went to the dining room.
Her brown hair was wavy from using the curling iron and her face had some light make up on since she was still beautiful despite her age.
"Of course, only the best for my favorite boy," Margaret gave Brian a hug.
"Mom, I am your only son," He smiled back as Margaret released him from her embrace.
They sat down, prayed and ate their food.
"Brian let's have a talk when we get home okay?"
Margaret, is a busy woman working at an office in Makati, she seldom has any time to talk to her son. Being a single-mother she takes care of Brian and provides his every need. It can be difficult for her to raise him but oftentimes he makes sure that he is never a headache for her. Because of his considerate attitude towards her, she doesn't have as much of a difficulty raising her son.
"Food's great mom. You should go ahead you might be late to work today,"
"Okay, son. Always take care, okay?"
"See you at home later, mom,"
Brian Alonzo seventeen years of age was not your typical high school student. Unlike most high schoolers, he is an elite, industrious student attending the prestigious St. Angelo's Academy. Normally a school for the wealthy possessing state of the art facilities which included a multimedia room, various fields and courts for different sports such as basketball, football, baseball, club rooms for different social school clubs, a multi-story library just to name a few. Brian is the top student in his entire school since he started attending there, granting him a full scholarship in the school which was rare since the school's standard for a scholarship is high having a minimum maintaining grade of 90 in every subject for a full scholarship. He isn't exactly the most popular boy in school due to his status.
His commute consisted of riding a tricycle to a nearby village and then walking to the school.
"Brian!" someone called for him.
Brian looked around and saw a ginger-haired teen taller than him around six feet tall, Brian was about five feet and five inches.
"Oh, Jeff!"
Jeff de Jesus is one of the popular boys in school, he had the look of a commercial model and a star athlete being the starting shooting guard of St. Angelo's varsity basketball team.
"Ready for today?" Jeff asked.
"I'm always ready. How about you?" Brian responds.
"Are you kidding me I am going to get wrecked at today's test!" Jeff straightforward with his honest answer.
Brian took a notebook out of his bag and offered it to Jeff.
"Here are my notes for today's test you can study them at lunchtime since it's still in the second period. I made them easy to understand,"
Jeff's eyes sparkled in glee, "Wow Brian! You're an angel! Thank you!"
"Just make sure to return them after class, okay?"
Jeff nodded, "Hey Brian look who just came by,"
Brian looked at the general direction Jeff was glancing at.
There were two girls the one on the left had shoulder-length black hair, black eyes, slim, and fair-skinned having an East Asian look, sporting a beautiful face with an ice-cold demeanor she walked with authority, the student council president Himeko Yoshida, the heiress of the Yoshida group of companies with a net worth of five hundred million pesos she is also one of the top students in class.
The one on the right has blond hair tied in a ponytail, blue eyes, unlike Himeko she had a fit, athletic figure having a Caucasian look. Monica Holmes, member of the school basketball team, though there is no women's team she manages and assists the boys' team in practices, rough and a bit of a tomboy she charms the boys with her cheerful and energetic demeanor. She also happens to be one of the top ten students in school as well.
"Two of the most popular girls in school Brian I bet one of them is your type,"
"Jeff… I am not interested in those kinds of stuff you know that right,"
"You need to loosen up mister honor student. Why not enjoy high school a little bit more, play sports, make friends and experience love,"
Brian took a deep sigh at Jeff's statement, "You know that I'm not gifted in physical and kinesthetic aspects Jeff, I already have you as a friend and I don't want to enter in any sort of romantic relations those usually end up in disaster.
Brian isn't fond of Jeff's suggestions especially the third one.
Brian's family dynamic is not normal, his father and mother are annulled the former having left with another woman. This experience hardened his heart and closed his mind on any thoughts of entering a romantic relationship.
"I know you have it rough with your family and all. But it might be better if you keep your heart open for someone,"
"Maybe… when the time and circumstances are right. As of now I just want to focus on my studies and my future,"
"Isn't looking for a partner part of the future?" Jeff concerned with Brian's steadfast resolve against the idea of romance.
"I mean we're only seventeen… We have a lot of time to think about what's in store for us," Brian responded.
Once the two arrived they were greeted with the usual high school environment. Boisterous chatter among the students. Most girls were chatting about their favorite boys' idol group from Korea, while most boys talk about sports, video games and about the girls they like from school. Brian was in the minority he was not rich so all he had in his mind were the concepts of his lessons he had studied the previous night; so, he had no time for idle banter, Jeff his best friend was the only one to break his mostly serious demeanor.
Himeko and Monica passed by, the former ignored most of the students.
"Hey Monica! How are you?" one of the boys called Monica.
"Hey I'm doing great," she replied with a smile on her face.
The other boys followed suit in greeting Monica, to which she waved back in response.
"Seriously Monica why do you have to respond to them? Don't you feel that they are just making advances on you?" Himeko asks her with a straight face.
"Oh Himeko, don't be such a busy body. I appreciate the kindness they are showing to me," Himeko responded with a smile on her face.
"Just being a concerned friend here. Your type is what the boys lust for; you know? Beautiful, smart, and sporty most boys would go after your kind," Himeko remarked.
Monica let out a deep sigh, "Himeko there's nothing wrong with making friends you know,"
The two girls passed by Brian and Jeff. Himeko gave the two a cold look whereas Monica approached the two boys.
"Hey Jeff! Ready for that test today?" Monica asked him.
"Well you see I just borrowed Brian's notes to study them later. It sucks that I am not as smart as him,"
"Yeah must be tough…" Monica says in a teasing manner.
"Oh, Monica you never change, still making fun of me. It's kind of getting old considering you are not as good as I am in basketball,"
Monica grinned at Jeff's attempt to tease her back. "You just got a lucky break last time we played against each other,"
"All right you two, stop it with the teasing; the school gate will be closing in about ten minutes," Brian told them.
Monica approached him and smiled; the latter blushing, shied away from her.
"Good morning Brian," she softly tells him.
"Good morning too," Brian despite not wanting to say anything had to reply.
Monica chuckled, "Well time for us to go. Hey Himeko!"
She waved at them while going back to her best friend.
"See Brian you have some charm in you, looks like the school tomboy has a crush with the top student in class,"
"Jeff give me my notes back," Brian had an aura of menace emanating around him.
Jeff laughed as he teased his best friend. "Alright buddy no need to be all worked up it's just a girl,"
"I know…" Brian looked at Monica as the two girls chatted.
Brian smiled as he looked at her, he was bashful whenever she was close, but at ease whenever she was around.
"Let's go Brian, start this day right!" Jeff declared with energy.
"I can't believe it, you of all people are the last person I expect to be this excited of school," Brian says in dismay.
The two walked on and started their day.