This is crazy. Woah. This is really crazy. Like, how could he be here too? He took a seat beside me, I looked so at him from head to toe. I moved to another chair, but then he followed me. I move again, again, and again. 

“Are you following me?” I ask with an irritated voice. 

“Yes,” He confessed straightforwardly.

“Why?” I asked again, with a confused look. I tried not to be so mean to him because of irritation, instead just creasing my forehead.

“Because we’re friends.”

“What?” I yelled at him and began to laugh. Where the hell did he get that idea again?

“Me? Friends? With you?” I pointed at myself and then at him. 

“No, we are not. We’re not close at all!” I said and shook my head. We will never be friends, us? No way. 

“Really? Are you being honest?” I narrowed my eyes at him; he seemed bewildered. Wait, he lost his memories. Maybe someone told him that we were friends? But that’s absurd, no one even knows that our moms are best friends. I was completely invisible to everyone. Even if I tell someone that we know each other, no one will ever believe me. 

“Yes, where the hell did you get that idea that we’re friends? We don’t even know each other.” I said.

“That’s impossible. Then why is your pi-” Before he even finished his words, suddenly the door opened. The other members entered the art room. When they saw Ray, I quickly saw the smile form on their lips. I moved to another chair so they could approach him openly. They greeted him with a wide smile and gave him a warm welcome. I felt someone was looking at me from behind, and I saw his eyes were on me. I glare at him. 

“Good afternoon, everyone! Welcome to the art club! We should introduce each other, so we will get to know each other,” a girl with black straight hair said. It seems that she’s the one who added me to the group chat. She’s pretty well known on campus. I saw her several times in the beauty competition here at our school. She’s confident and easy to talk to. She had a lot of friends. I am confident too, but not all the time. Sometimes I really hate that about myself. Sometimes I find myself wanting to choke myself to death because why the hell am I not normal just like the other kids? That’s how I hate myself. 

One by one, they introduced themselves, and when it was my turn, I stood up from my chair and smiled timidly. 

“My name is Amina Dela Cruz. Thank you for having me.” I said and sat back. After that, I took a deep breath. My hand is trembling, I feel like I have lost all my strength for a short amount of time. My knees were like jelly, I just spoke a few words. I wanted to cry. I wanted to leave so badly. I feel like everyone's eyes are on me and they're judging me from head to toe. I am not always like this, but this is not the first time. 

I accidentally looked at Ray, and he smiled at me. He gave me a comforting smile, I looked at him for a few seconds before avoiding his gaze. Why is he giving me a smile? Is he planning something? Why the hell is he here? I took a deep breath silently and tried to act normal. 

“Now everyone has already introduced themselves, let's talk about what we will be doing here. First we need to elec some officers to manage our club. We also already have ideas about what creative activities we will be having and we would like to share it with everyone and hear your opinion. Let's cooperate as a group.” I just listened to their discussion, I didn't say even one word and voice out my opinion. I just let them, this is my first time actually being part of a particular club. Since I was dean lister and I attended  school competitions from different part of our country and even in other country I have excuses to not participate in any clubs. 

In previous years, what I did was just study, eat, sleep, compete, and repeat. I know it's boring, but I was content in that way, until I realised I was living a meaningless life. I don't go out with friends or watch movies with them. I don't even have friends. How could I die without exploring any possibilities to be happy?

I've written everything that they've been talking about. Their ideas are good and I like them.

“So every week we will post the most creative work on our page so people will see it.” We nodded in agreement. Our university was quite well known in our country, which is why our page has quite a number of followers online. It's good to showcase our work, although I know maybe I'll never be able to see mine there. 

“Oh, we are also participating in any school activities. For example, at our school festival, we also did volunteer work. We would like everyone to join us, promise it will be fun.” We nodded, I heard that they volunteer to do mural paintings in some places of the country. They also teach children to do some art. 

Our club meeting was dismissed, and I was now walking in the hallway on the way to our classroom. I met Angel meet halfway, she waves at me cheerfully and I waved back. She wrapped her arm on mine and so we stepped together inside our classroom, she's from her club meeting too. We take a seat while waiting for our next teacher. 

“How's your club meeting going?” She asked me, and I smiled.

“Good, we talk about something. How about you?” I ask, she grinned sheepishly. Looks like she won a lottery because of her smile from ear to ear.

“I'll tell you something.” I gesture to move myself to her so I did, she put her hands on my ear to whisper something. 

“Actually I have a crush.” She confesses, I look at her and grin. 

“Really?” I said and then moved my ear closer to her.

“Tell me more about it.” I whispered, we both giggled as she continued to tell stories about someone she likes.  Although even if she's the one who likes that guy, I can't help but to be happy with her and feel her excitement too. 

“Woah, that's the sole reason you transfer here?” I ask, and she nodded.

“Kind of? It's foolish but it is. I really tried hard to get a scholarship just to be accepted here and glad I did. He's smart so I need to keep up with him, but now he's seeing me as his rival for the club position. I don't mind him glaring at me every time I contradict his statement.”

“That's good tactics, and because of that would you like to eat after class? To celebrate being recognised by your crush?” I ask, she nodded.

“I would love to, I'm so glad we're friends now. I don't actually know Manila well enough so I'm afraid I might get lost if I go somewhere.” 

“Don't worry, you got me.” I said. 

“Now tell me how you met him?” I said I crave for more stories, I never had this kind of conversation before and it's so good. I'm glad I came to experience this.  

We both stopped when Ray came in and took his seat, he immediately bowed his head on the table to sleep.

I just ignored him and then continued listening to Angel's love story.