CHAPTER I

Sunny

"Sunny, have you finished your term paper already?"

"Sunny, can I see your report?"

"Sunny, may I look at your assignment?"

"Sunny, faster! Ma'am. Froilan might come in any second!"

"Sunny!"

"Sunny!"

"Sunny!"

"Wait a minute!" I yelled at them. "Let us all come down. Inhale, exhale!" I added. I was also moving my hands up and down to calm my classmates down. "Do not bombard me with your questions! I am dying too! If you find it hard and feel like you need to finish it too, I feel you."

"Sunny, this is Marco's assignment! Copy it and pass it on to others!"

"Okay!" I answered and got Marco's paper, and copied his answers as fast as I could.

We need to double-time, or else we will all fail the assignment!

After a few minutes, Philip hurriedly came inside.

"Assemble! Assemble!"

When Philip said those words, we immediately fixed all our papers and ourselves before returning to our spot in milliseconds!

Look how talented we are!

"Good afternoon, Class!" Ma'am. Froilan greeted us when she came into our room.

"Good afternoon, Ma'am. Froilan!" We returned the greeting.

Ma'am. Froilan put her things on her table and went in front. "Today, you will have your new classmate for the whole semester." she said.

This is new. My whole college life, I have been with my old classmates from the first year. Our university is not making any effort to put them into different sections.

"You may now come in, Steven," Ma'am. Froilan added, and a man came inside. Some of my classmates, especially girls, squealed their lungs out. Even I can't help but squeal a little bit. He is handsome—but he looks so serious. You know, the typical guy in movies. "Introduce yourself, Steven."

"Good afternoon. I am Steven Andre Rendezcah, 21 years old." Steven introduced himself.

"Our university has a tradition of welcoming new students. You need to answer their questions for you to pass. Is that okay with you?" Ma'am. Froilan said.

Steven nodded his head. "Yes, Ma'am." he answered.

Ma'am. Froilan went back to her chair. "Students, it is your turn." she signaled.

We all stand up from our chairs. "Ooooh! Ho! Welcome! Welcome, Steven!" We yelled. "Welcome to the University of Lorcan. After our turn, it is your turn. Introduce yourself as we did in 3, 2, 1!" We added, pointing our hands at him.

The whole class is quiet while we are waiting for his turn. "Oh. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I am Steven Andre Rendezcah." He introduced himself, trying to sound cheerful, but it was self-evident that he did not have it.

I guess Steven is not that cheerful. He will be a strict professor soon. He will be on the list of strict professors at his school. That was so scary.

"Welcome to the University of Lorcan! Enjoy!" We yelled lastly.

This kind of greeting is customary at our university for any new students. They will do the same in any course and section they will go to. They and I did the same thing when I transferred here when I was still in my first year. But compared to him, I did my best to go with the flow. That is how I ended up having many close friends.

It was initially overwhelming, but I did not get shy about approaching my classmates after that. That is why we are all sticking together until we graduate.

"Who can tour Steven on our campus?" Ma'am. Froilan asked. Then someone tickled my side, making me move my hands up slightly. "Okay, Ms. Villania. Tour him after class." she added.

"Ahh, Ma'am. Ahh, I did not. She—"

"Do you have any complaints, Ms. Villania?" Ma'am. Froilan raised her left eyebrow at me.

I shook my head immediately. "No, Ma'am. I will tour him after our class. Cross my heart, hope to die!" I answered as if I was in military training.

I recently watched a variety show where one of the people there is from a famous girl group. You know, people worldwide–not literally every people, are into K-pop dramas, idols, or Korean culture. And I happen to be one of them! I won't deny it and will even show it to everyone.

"Okay, good! Steven, sit whenever you like. Ask your classmates what you need to learn and know about our classroom and even school rules," Ma'am. Froilan stated. "Let's start our lesson for today and bring out your assignment!"

We pulled out our assignments from our bags. It's a good thing that we were able to finish copying.

"Let Steven borrow your notes to review and learn them, understood?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

After our class, Shiela pushed me towards Steven. I do not even get this girl pushing me toward him. Why can't she just go herself towards him, then?

"He is still taking a photo of our previous lesson! Do not push me!" I told Shiela. "Others might think I am doing something behind Jake's back." I added.

"And so? Jake is doing something behind your back too! After all, you are just going to tour him around. It is not because you are walking with him as your new boyfriend, duh!" Shiela answered, even explaining things she did not have to explain in the first place.

She is just very nosy. We can not deny it either. After class, our classmates let him take a picture of their notes.

"Let's ace this semester, Steven. I hope you can help us too." Marco said as he was waiting for his notebook.

"Thanks." Steven answered.

"Go and talk to him already." Shiela said and slightly pushed me towards Steven.

Yes! She pushed me! I don't know why, but I think Shiela is more anticipating this tour than I and Steven. She is the one who tickled me as well. I don't know why she is doing it to me.

"Ah, Steven. Hi, I am Sunny. I am the one who was assigned to tour you around." I said and introduced my name as well.

"Hi. Am I not disturbing you?" he asked. Woah! His voice is deep. "It is okay if you are busy. You do not have to do this, too. I can walk around by myself." he added.

"I cannot let you do that," I answered back. "Ma'am. Froilan will ask me about your tour next week. I am not busy at all. I can tour you around." I added.

"Okay, then. Shall we start now?" He asked back, so I nodded.

We headed out of our room, and I first started to tour him around our building.

"This is our Dean's office. If you ever see her, you have to greet her. It is our rule," I explained. "If you don't greet her, she will call you out and remember you for the rest of her term." I added.

"How will I know if she is the Dean?" Steven asked back.

"Right. We have a tree here, it contains the head and so on of our department," I told him and walked towards the bulletin board. "They are the members of the education department. You can take a picture of it to see it occasionally." I added.

He took a picture before we proceeded to another building. "It is already evening. Let's call this tour a day." He said.

I thought he was having fun as we looked around the campus. Although I did all the talking, it was not that awkward anymore. I even thought he wouldn't say anything since he seemed shy. Good thing he knows how to cooperate.

"Thank you. I am sorry for disturbing your whole afternoon." he answered.

I wave my hands as a sign of no. "You did not. You are my classmate, after all," I told him. "Here is the secret of our room," I added, and I approached him a little bit to whisper to him. "We help each other with assignments, recitations, projects, and more. I hope you can do the same and help us. Let's get along."

He nodded. A sign of cooperation! Nice!

"Okay, I will see you tomorrow. I will go now." I bid goodbye and started to walk on my way. "He does not look like a cold man. I hope that we will get along."

*****

"How is the tour with our handsome new classmate?" Shiela asked on the other line the moment I answered her call.

After I got home, I received a message from Shiela saying she wanted to interview me about what happened on our tour. She is like a paparazzi who needs to know the tea to cover it in her article. What a best friend I have.

"Hey! If you like him, do it for yourself!" I yelled at her. "I am with Jake already. You know he easily gets jealous, and you are doing things that could ruin our relationship. I know you don't like him, but please do it for me." I added, almost pleading.

"Sorry, okay!" She answered back, sounding mad.

Look at this brat. She has got the guts to get mad at me when I should be the one who gets mad at her. She does not like Jake either. She never tried to talk to him or bond with him. I can't also go out with them since she will say she needs to finish something every time I ask her out with Jake.

"Just make sure he does not betray you, or else I will smash his face together with his girl, if ever!" she added. "Enough with him. So, how was it?" she asked, sounding excited.

She does not look like she was mad just a few minutes ago. Does my friend have a double personality? However, I hope she does not. I will have to check her at the nearest psychiatrist in our town. I really should. Sometimes, she scares me with her sudden mood swings.

"He is not talkative, but it is not that awkward. Occasionally, he will answer me with his 'hmm' or okay. After the tour with him, I think he is not cold," I shared. "Maybe because it was his first day today, that is why he is stiff or shy. Maybe he will warm up after a few days or so."

"Is that so? You know what? Someone has already made a fan club for him. Who can't stop googling their eyes on him? He is such a perfect work of art!" She exclaimed excitedly.

"Work of art, work of art! When discussing art, you avoid our professor's eyes." I mocked her.

"Do not play it safe, Bff. What are friends for? You are also avoiding our professor's eyes." She retorted.

I didn't take the course MAPEH because I am not good at all with that subject. We are definitely friends.

"I hope he can open up soon! I want to talk to him tomorrow!" Shiela said excitedly.

"You should try. He won't ignore his classmate, right?" I asked.

Even though I didn't know my classmates before, I would look back and answer their questions when they called me. I don't want to ignore them, so they can't ignore me either. This is my style of living at our university. You know the quote, 'Do not do unto others if you don't want others to do unto you.' We must remember that.

After our long call, I went to the living room to see what food I could eat.

"Grandma, what can I eat?" I asked my grandma, who was busy watching the drama while folding our clothes.

"There is still some chicken adobo in the refrigerator. Heat it if you want." Grandma answered.

It's a good thing we still have my favorite dish!