Anthony Williams

--------------------------------------

"Yo! Yo!", Lee greeted.

"Why eating lunch alone?", Leah asked.

"I have a better question." Both of them looked at me.

"SINCE WHEN HAVE YOU GUYS BEEN GOING OUT?!", I yelled.

"Hey! Keep it down.", Lee said, Leah being all shy and blushing.

"Lately, you've been away from us. So we spent most of the time together and it just went from there, you know?", Lee explained.

"Still! It doesn't make sense! Ugh... Now it'll be awkward to be with you guys.", I complained. Leah sat down opposite to me. She looked at me with her chin on her palm.

"Say, Anthony. When have you become this talkative?", she asked. I choked on my sandwich. I drank my water right away.

"What the hell?!", I said.

"I don't know. It's just that lately, you've become more... I don't know... maybe it's the wrong word but... haven't you become more cheerful lately?", she asked. Have I?

"I can't really describe it but lately you haven't gotten angry, you talk a lot now, and you go off on your own. Before, you never wanted to be alone because you said you'd think of her and it'd piss you off." Did I really change that much? It has been a few months since she came here and ever since she came, I was angry with her but after some time, I became naturally comfortable around her. Is it because of her?

"You were the get-the-fuck-off-my-face-you-fuck-face kind of guy but now, you're like a I'm-somehow-okay-now-so-it's-okay kind of person. Did something happen?", Lee asked.

"Lately, I... I've been hanging out... with..."

"With you?!", both of them simultaneously asked.

"with her...", I replied. Both of them gasped.

"WHAT?!", they asked.

"You don't have to say everything together!", I said.

"But! She's the person who you hated the most! The person whom you planned vengeance on!", Lee stressed out.

"I guess some things change?", I replied.

"Wow. I never thought a day like this would come. So much hatred was what I felt the moment I became friends with you.", Leah said. 

"Who knew, huh?", Lee added.

"Who also knew that a day would come where you two would be dating. I never saw this coming.", I said.

"Well, like you said, some things change.", Lee replied. The three of us saw her pass by and she saw us as well. I was a bit hesitant but I awkwardly waved at her. She looked surprised at first then she smiled and awkwardly waved back at me. After that, she walked away.

"You wave at each other now. Before, you looked at her like you were intent on killing her or something like that. What a huge change we're seeing here!", Leah said.

"I'm still angry at her. I still don't know the reason why she left me eight years ago. For now, I want to change. I thought that maybe, just maybe, if I changed how I felt about her then I could make this hate for her go away.", I explained to them hoping that they'd understand.

"If you want that, then how do you want to feel about her?", Leah asked. I didn't know the answer. It was like my brain stopped working. The warning bell rang and it was almost time for afternoon classes.

"Oh, time flied so fast. Let's talk later. Come on or we'll be late!", Leah said as she stood up and all of us went back to the classroom. When we entered the room, I saw her sitting on her desk and she was reading the same book she read before. I sat on my desk and got ready for the class.

"Alright class. Time for the sports fest. Did everybody choose what sport they'll be playing?", our teach asked. A few minutes later, the teacher got back a list.

"I see that everyone filled out except for Ms. Garcia." Everybody, including myself, looked at her.

"Ms. Garcia? Planning to skip the fest?", our teacher asked and she nodded.

"Okay. So that's it for everybody. We'll spend the whole afternoon today for practice. Got that? Now everybody to the field." Everyone got out and went to the changing room first before heading to the field. Both of us were the last ones to get out.

"Why aren't you joining?", I asked.

"I'm going somewhere on that day so I asked ahead if I could just do something else like a project.", she replied.

"Is that book a part of your project?", I asked. She looked at the book.

"Yeah. It is.", she replied.

"I see."

"I'm going to the library to study. Shouldn't you be going to the changing room?", she asked.

"Uh, I'm skipping practice today.", I replied. What am I thinking?!

"Okay? Are you going somewhere? Skipping class?", she asked.

"I needed to get something from the library too.", lies, "our home economics teacher asked for a favor."

"I see. So let's go to the library together?", she asked as she carried her bag. It looked a bit heavy.

"Okay." 

Both of us walked together to the library. When we arrived, we placed our bags on a study table and went to different sections of the library. I took a peek and saw her went to the sciences section. She looked this way and I immediately hid behind the shelves. What am I doing?! I randomly took a book and went back to our study table.

"Were you able to choose a book?", I asked her.

"Yes." After that, both of us were very silent. An hour later, I was really uncomfortable. Ugh! I want to play some sports right about now! But every time I look at her, I just can't seem to leave. She stood up and returned the book she was reading.

"You done?", I asked.

"Yeah. I'm going to go get something to drink.", she replied.

"Okay." She went out and I was alone now. About ten minutes passed but she hasn't returned. I closed my book and went out. I figured that I should go look for her. I searched everywhere but I couldn't find her.

"Hey! Where have you been?!" Oh no. Our teacher found me. He dragged me away to the field. How can I find her now?! Geez this old geezer!

----------------------------------------------

Celine Garcia

----------------------------------------------

Blood stain on my uniform. My head is spinning. I can't walk straight. Please, not now. I'm begging you.