Chapter 3: Joshua

Joshua's POV

"Should I drop you at the front gate sir?" Our driver suddenly asks as he slows down on the curb in front on the school.

"Yeah sure, I'm okay with it" I said excitingly

The car parked on the sidewalk within a few meters from the school that I'm transferring.

"Have fun lil' bro, take care!" Says my big brother as he holds my shoulder firmly.

"I will, thanks. Sir, please take care of brother for me. Drive safely" I quickly hopped of the car and waited for them to leave. Once they did, I walked right in front of the gate and paused.

"Well, I guess this is it, a new life to start." I sighed for a sec before I finally enter the campus

I decided to go straight to the information’s office so I could know the information of my room number and my homeroom teacher.

"Uh excuse me. May I know where my room is? I'm a new student here uh…I am Joshua Valdez" I excitingly asked the teller

"Oh yes... um let me look it up for you, just give me a second, okay?"

"Okay thank you"

"You can wait and sit over there Mr. Valdez" As she points the sofa behind me, and I followed obediently. For a school they do have pretty accommodations.

After a few minutes, there was a teacher who came in and went to the teller and looks straight at me where I was sitting and said...

"Mr. Valdez? Hi, I'm your homeroom teacher, just call me Mr. Poblacion"

"Oh, Hello Mr. Poblacion" I stood up and we shook hands

"Have you seen the whole campus yet?"

"I haven't unfortunately"

"Well. It's lunch time, you can go to the cafeteria or roam around if you like. We still have over an hour"

"Sure, I will take my time sir"

"That's great, meet me at room 4a west wing building 4 after lunch time"

We both went out of the office, and I took a little walk around the campus. hmm well. this campus looks better than what I expected. There are even walkways between the buildings for easier access, and a lot of students are running on it.

I found myself sitting in the cafeteria after walking and ate the grilled cheese sandwich that I packed at home. I don't have my debit card yet, so yeah. I wanted to try and taste the 'beef stew' they are serving today.

And suddenly, I heard the other students around me. It seems that they are talking about a new student or something, did they anticipate my arrival? Better lay low hahaha

In the end I just put my head down and not giving them notice.

Hmm I see someone familiar just a few tables in front of me. M-Maine? It can't be right? I'm just daydreaming, I guess.

Lunch time was over, and people ran back to their designated classrooms, I waited everyone to leave first then I followed.

I was in the middle of looking around searching for my classroom to meet Mr. Poblacion. I walked up the stairs and as soon as I turned around the corner, there was a girl and we collided with each other, since we both bumped into each other, we fell on the floor and her milk spilled on my polo, and hers, I guess? 

She was looking at me, and I reacted and asked "Mi-Miss are you okay? Are you hurt somewhere?"

She tilts her head as I questioned her. I kept asking her if she was fine from the fall and her face was turning red.

"Miss are you okay? Your face is red, are you sick by any chance?” I reached out my hand to help her get up.

"No no no, I'm fine" As she stood up shoving and rejecting my hand and ran straight to the restroom and closes the door behind her. That embarrassing moment just happened, oh well. Where was room 4a again? Oh yeah...that way I think.

It took me some time before I finally found my room, and my adviser is right in front of the door waiting. "Am I late Mr. Poblacion?" as I greet him calmly "There was an accident a while ago."

"You’re don’t not worry. What happened to your polo though? It got spilled."

"Yeah, what a bummer. I'm just going to close my coat instead, if you don't mind."

"I don't mind at all; it was embarrassing to have that happen on your first day." as he puts his hand on my shoulder "Wait for me to call you in, okay? I need to introduce you to everyone." and there he goes and closing the door in front of me.

I leaned on the wall beside the door waiting for my teacher to call me in. I kept hearing noises inside, especially shouting. Are they wild? Hahaha, I think this class would be a fun one. 

"Okay okay calm down kids, even I was shocked that we have a new family member. Should I call him now?

"Yes sir!" Wow everyone sounds excited to see me, I guess. 

"You may come in please." Alright here I go, good luck to me, I guess.

I entered the room and went beside the adviser in front of everyone.

"Will you introduce yourself to the class please?"

"Hi guys, I'm Joshua Valdez, I came from the States at Cali...short for California. And I hope we get along quite well. Thank you" It's embarrassing introducing myself in front, even though I'm in college. I see people who are talking about me I guess, they are just smiling

"So, Mr. Valdez this is your first time here, right?"

"Yes sir"

"Did you meet someone here already or have some familiar faces?"

I looked around the room to see familiar faces, at the back of the room I see...is that? Maine? No way. As I made eye contact with her, she raised her hand and...

"Me sir" Maine was under the spotlight of everyone, she never changes.

"Maine?" said everyone around her

"Ah Ms. Maine? Do you know each other?" Asked the adviser. 

"Yes sir, I know Maine, we are friends sir." I replied

"Childhood friends to be exact" says Maine. I giggled with her mentioning that. Oh yeah before I forgot there is one more.

"And also, the girl in front of Maine sir, I bumped into earlier after lunch time." 

"You mean Ms. Zandoval? Dianna, can you face forward please?" Zandoval? Where did I heard that name before?

"Yes sir?"

"Mr. Valdez says here both of you saw each other. Is that correct?"

"Y-Yes sir" Why is she stuttering though? Did something wrong happen to her during the fall?

"Was it fate?" Asked our adviser. Wait what sir?

Ms. Zandoval goes with a quick reply "No sir"

"Then did you guys planned to come into class with your coats closed?"

And we looked at each other's closed coat. Woah for real? Yeah, we did get spilled milk on us?

"Well sir we 'literally' bumped into each other, and milk was spilled on our polo shirts. Sorry for the disturbance sir."

"That's fine, we all have our first day embarrassing moments. And I hope Ms. Zandoval apologized for what happened. I still remembered she actually sat in the teacher's seat on her first day" Our adviser giggled with the others

"Sir!!! Don't remind them. huhuhu." She is cute, I'll give her that.

"All is well sir, thank you so much." 

"You can sit beside Ms. Maine. Would that be okay with you Maine?" I knew it was her, my memory did me right.

"Yes sir" And I just went straight to the desk beside Maine

"Hey Shua, how have you been?" Wow she still remembers my name, she should since they are childhood friends.

"Doing fine, I hope you are as well" We both laughed, it is so good to see her again.

"Of course, why wouldn't I be" Maine still has those chubby cheeks, so cute when she smiles.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot, I looked in front of the desk of Maine. "Ms. Zandoval? Right?"  

"Yes. you can call me Dianna instead. Nice to meet you" 

"Sorry for what happened earlier, I didn't see that there was a person around that corner." 

"O-Okay, it's fine really, I should be the one saying sorry, I'm the one who bumped into you by running in the hall." She just faced forward, and I guess she just wants to move on with what happened. Okay, I can play along.

"Okay class have fun with Mr. Zandoval and with your history class, thank you again sir for the time."

"No problem, sir." Says our professor "Okay class, fun is over, please get your textbooks and turn them to page 132."

"Aww" everyone reacted inside the room. Where's the fun in that?

"Don't expect me to go easy on each one of you, especially you Mr. Zandoval. We go for quality education here and not hierarchy, no offense towards your family. But I doubt that your family is like that."

Woah it has been a while since I saw a teacher like him. This will be fun.

"Okay can someone tell me about the 'Asian Financial Crisis' based on what you know?" I looked around and no one answered, well let me give it a shot.

"Yes Mr. Zandoval? You are raising your hand."

"According to the Corporate Finance Institute, The Asian Financial Crisis is a crisis caused by the collapse of the currency exchange rate and hot money bubble. The financial crisis started in Thailand in July 1997 after the Thai baht plunged in value. It then swept over East and Southeast Asia."

I just heard people giving me an impression lol, it wasn't much though.

"That is correct, splendidly said Mr. Zandoval. Please give him a round of applause." Everyone just clapped along as the teacher does it.

"I hope everyone can be competitive like Mr. Zandoval, good luck to everyone especially for the coming exams."

"Aww exams again." The class was in unison.

"That's how the life of a student’s goes, I also faced those hardships. Well, goodluck class."

The class just went on without any difficulty, I would sometimes ask Maine on some stuff since she is the only one, I pretty much know. It was tiring to be a student, but it is what it is.

Dismissal

Finally, the day ended, can't wait to get out of here. As I was fixing my stuff Maine comes and asks...

"Do you want to come with us and eat first? You know just to be full before going home." Food is good, I replied "Well I can't say no to that now, can I?"

She went to the other girls and asked, "Can Joshua come along with us?" It is a little bit embarrassing to join in like that. But I do hope I get along well with them.

"Of course, why not. as the saying goes the more the merrier right?" Aww that was nice

"No problem here, don't have a reason to say no" Says one girl "You Bess?" 

Everyone looked at her and replied, "It's fine" and she went on with fixing her stuff.

"See that was not so hard" Maine confronts me "They are all nice when you get to know them."

"You think so? Okay I'm just going to trust you on this one...Let me call my driver first to pick me up later." As I get my phone out of my pocket and went outside the room to call the driver.

Dianna's POV

Before we went home, we went to our favorite food place that we always go to eat some grub.

"I don't know about you guys, but I am starving." and I hold my belly at them. No, I am not fat, I am skinny thank you very much.

"What should we buy though?" asked Maxine "There are a lot of good food around here, I could buy everything just to taste all of them." 

"I don't actually know; can we just buy everything then? Hehehe" How cheeky of Ella provoking Maxine like that hahha. There are a lot of good food to try. I would like to eat my favorite sushi though, 'NIGIRI SUSHI' it calls me ughh. 

I ran straight to the food stall and ordered "One Nigi-"

"Nigiri sushi please" wait...That's Joshua ordering and ordering my favorite sushi. "Thank you, sir," He passed me by with his sushi. Does he like it too? Oh well, it's my turn to order, I could eat a horse.

Ella comes by and showing me her fried squid. "Dianna smell this please!" The smell captivates me, but I am loyal and made up my mind. I bought 2 packs of sushi, so the second one I can eat it later at home.

We find a place to sit and just chatted for the meantime. I was beside Maxine and Ella, while Maine and Joshua are on the other side of the table. I was sitting directly in front of him though...hmm.

"I really couldn't stand the lessons earlier, especially from the History class" Ella puts her head down on the table. She looks exhausted from school.

"I couldn't agree with you more” says Maxine while nibbling her nachos and cheese. "Is it just me or these nachos taste so good." Lol she even let the cheese drop on her skirt.

While I just listened on the conversation, I looked towards Maine and Joshua to see what they are up to...W-wait did he averted his eyes away from me as soon as I looked at him? No no no, what are you even thinking Dianna? Stop it.

"Hey Dianna?" Maine suddenly grabs my attention, thank you Maine.

"Yeah, what's up?" I replied all worried.

"You bought 2 packs of sushi this time" While she points at my sushi and chuckles "Are you going to eat all of that?"

"YES! Well not at the same time, the other one is for when I get home" I smiled embarrassingly.

"You and Joshua have the same sushi though" And everyone looked at both of us as soon as they heard that from Maine. I am not an attention seeker, but today has been hectic for me with all the attention I'm getting.

"Ooohhh...What are you planning Dianna?" Ella asks in a menacing way "Are you liking Joshua already?"

"N-no, of course not. Why would I even think about that?" I swallowed the sushi fast, now I am just panicking "I don't have time for dates."

"Then can I have him Maine?" Out of nowhere Maxine just asked that and everyone have their eyes widened. "Ey, c'mon you know I was just kidding' right?"

For a second there I thought she was serious. No offense to her, but she had her fair share of break ups in the past and she just falls easily. Not the clumsy fall like me, the fall...you know what I mean.

Joshua suddenly talked "You like Nigiri sushi too?" Gahd why do I even find him adorable every time he asks me a question. It's like I could just look at him forever and ever and eve.... STOP! Dianna answers the question.

"Yeah, I liked it since I was a junior high schooler" I just gave a faded smile and took another bite of my sushi.

"Hey, I'm really sorry about what happened earlier, I didn't mean to get an accident with you." Arghh! He's even cuter when he asks for forgiveness.

"Yeah, it's actually okay. No need to worry about it." I don't want him to know that I am affected with the situation a while ago "It's all cool" What am I even saying? All cool? Nice reasoning, you never changed since last time.

"Can we be friends then?" And he reached out for his hand

"W-what?" I accidentally spat some of my sushi on the table from the sudden question

"Gosh are you alright?" As Maxine pats my back "Here have some water, drink slowly"

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to cause you harm" says Joshua worryingly.

"Don't ask like all of a sudden Shua, especially to Dianna." Maine says to Joshua concerned about what just happened. "Dianna gets startled a lot of times."

After I gained strength from me spitting my food, I looked at Joshua and said "It's fine don't worry. We can be friends of course, why not?" and everyone stares at me with a devil smile "I mean all of us can be your friends, no need to ask that of course." 

"Yeah, sure friends why not?" As Ella nudges me with her elbow followed by a wink. This girl she is having fun teasing me, I will get her one day. Just you wait Ella Cortez.

Going back, I extended my arm to him to greet him fairly into our friendship circle. "So, you know I'm Dianna, Dianna Zandoval" and he grabbed my hand firmly and shook it.

"I'm Ella Cortez, nice to meet you." Ella smirks at Joshua and was pushed by Maxine "Maxine Magno at your service." 

"Ey what gives Max? That hurts grr." We just laughed at what happened and we looked at Maine this time.

"Do I really have to introduce myself?" As she points herself. 

"Of course, girl, you know we always do this to other people." says Maxine

"Maine Sanchez, hi." That was dry, but oh well they are childhood friends.

We just all laughed and enjoyed the snacks we have. As the night is getting deeper, we all must go home, because there is still school tomorrow. Ughhh why can't school come by fast? One by one we went on our separate ways. Ella commuted towards the other end of the city; Maxine was picked up by one of their luxurious cars. I am not envious, no... maybe a little. It was just me, Maine and Joshua left. We waited at the bus stop, since me and Maine use it to go home, but with a different route.

"Hey Joshua, can I leave you with Dianna? My bus is here already?" Maine jumps from her chair and points at the incoming bus.

"W-wait what?" And I looked on the road and the bus are here already "It's okay you can hop on, I'll be fine." 

Maine hopped on the bus and sat on the back seat and waved at us as the bus leaves. We waved back to her...suddenly I got a tap on the shoulder, I turned back around, and he smiled at me. "You ride a different bus than Maine?" I forgot it was just me and him alone "Yeah I do actually." We sat down and waited for the bus that I need to ride.

"How about you? What bus do you ride? Are you near here?" I asked calmly with a straight face.

"To be honest, not really. I'm waiting for my driver to pick me up." Oh, so he is also like Maxine I think, having his own driver. "And I live like in the heart of the city."

"In the heart of the city?" he replied to me with a nod? "Wow you must be rich then."

"Not really haha. I think we live on average." Average? What does that make me then? grr.

A few minutes goes by, and a black Mercedes Benz pulls up. The windows roll down and a driver with glasses is smiling...at us? 

"Oh, my driver is here already, is it okay if I leave you?" He asks me worryingly

"No problem, you can go on ahead. I can take care my own."

The door opens and I see there is another person inside dressed in black. I could barely see the details of the face, but it seems to be a guy. Joshua hops on "Nice meeting you Dianna, see you tomorrow."  and he waves goodbye to me.

I waved back at him as well and the car left. Shortly after the bus came and I went home. As I seated, I just smiled on what happened today. Well, I have a new friend I guess, congratulations Dianna.

Joshua's POV

"How was school today sir?" asked my driver "Seems like you made a new friend already."

"Yeah, I did" I smiled "And also Maine is my classmate"

"For real? Get out of here ahaha. It's been a long time since I've seen her." My brother is shocked by what he heard.

"Didn't believed at first myself. At least I get to see a familiar face, right?"

"You're right about that one lil bro. By the way, who was that girl at the bus stop? Classmate?"

"Yeah, she is a classmate of mine, why?" I asked him confusingly.

"Well, she looks like the person I added on F******k this morning." My eyes widened from what I heard from my older brother.

"It must be someone different."  I replied

"Yeah, I guess so" And he whispers but I barely heard what he said

"Dia**a Za**o*al" as my brother smiles.