As I always do, I took my phone and started scrolling through my Facebook homepage. While scrolling, a message from the Messenger app caught my attention.  

Annoying Clara  

12:45 PM 

Clarissa: Girl! I found  

Clark’s and Ajax’s Facebook,  

IG, and Twitter accounts!

I frowned. This girl… she’s obsessed with these two men who barely know her. I don’t even know if they care about her existence at all.  

Clarissa: They’re so handsome!  

I feel like I’m going to faint  

from stalking. But… I noticed Clark  

doesn’t post many pictures of  

himself; mostly, he posts about  

nature and food.  

Why is she sharing this with me? Whatever. I’ll just play along.  

Clarissa: And you know what,  

baby girl? Ajax accepted my  

friend request and followed me  

back on IG and Twitter!!!!

I sighed heavily.

Me: So? What happened next?

She immediately replied.  

Clarissa: So, yeah, I started  

stalking Ajax, and guess what I saw! 👀 

I rolled my eyes. Guess what I saw, huh? I already know where this conversation is heading.  

Me: Alright, you probably  

saw a six-pack of abs, some  

model poses, and a bunch  

of thirst traps? 

Judging by how he acts, it’s obvious he’d post thirst traps on his accounts.  

Clarissa: How’d you know, girl?  

Did you stalk him too?

Me: I’d rather dive into lava  

than stalk that creep.

Clarissa: HAHAHAHA!

I looked up at a guy walking toward the table while carrying a sheet of paper. He was the new student council president, smiling ear to ear.  

Is there an event or activity happening at school or outside of school this week or next week?  

He swallowed nervously before speaking. "It seems that everyone in this class isn’t here yet. May I know who the president of this class is?"  

Our class president raised her hand, smiling shyly. It was obvious she had a crush on him. What did she even see in this guy to like him? I really can’t help but get curious about people who crush or fall in love with someone they barely know.  

It’s just so stupid to me.  

"Yes, Love—I mean Michael." She bit her lip and quickly hid behind our vice president, who closed his eyes and tried not to laugh.  

Meanwhile, I was disgusted by what she said. I can’t take this anymore!  

Love.  

What kind of service does love provide to make people react like they have butterflies dancing in their stomachs? It’s like paradise for them to feel this chemical reaction from another person. But for me? It’s a curse. Why? Because I see love as a distraction from one’s individuality, and because of it, I’d have to depend on others when I should be relying on myself. I find it undesirable.  

Michael smiled awkwardly. "Please inform them about my short announcement today. Thank you."  

"Okay."  

He looked at us with confidence, but as he continued speaking, he seemed uneasy, unable to make proper eye contact. It was clear he wasn’t used to facing large groups. He kept fidgeting with the pen in his hand and staring only at the paper he brought. While he talked about the upcoming school events, I couldn’t help but feel sleepy.  

I crossed my arms on the desk and rested my head on them. However, I distracted myself from avoiding falling asleep completely. I decided to think about what I’d forgotten when Clarissa and I went to Zesty Bites. As I recalled everything from the beginning, my eyes widened as I remembered it.  

Right! About the school shooting!  

I quickly grabbed my phone from my bag and hurriedly searched Google about it. Different articles appeared instantly, but as I read, my brows furrowed upon learning that the school shootings had reached Visayas and Mindanao as well.  

However, I stopped reading when someone suddenly stood beside me and slammed their book on my desk. It wasn’t enough to startle me.  

I looked up to see who it was. It was our class president, hands on his hips and glaring angrily at me. All my classmates, including the student council president, were also looking at me—the latter with an awkward smile, trying to stop the guy next to him.  

I returned my gaze to him, who was still glaring at me furiously. It was obvious he was about to say something rude because I wasn’t paying attention to him. Well, I was listening, but my eyes weren’t on him.  

"Why aren’t you listening?" he asked, hands still on his hips. "You’re being rude right now, you know there’s someone speaking in front, don’t you?!"  

"I am," I replied calmly, looking at the screen and continuing to read. "But I’m just not watching him as he’s announcing his message."  

"Then, what are the announcements?" he asked further.  

"I’ll keep it brief," I began. "He talked about the clubs and that all of us Grade 11 students have to join at least one. If not, our handbooks won’t be signed on graduation day." I clicked the X button on the article and continued scrolling down the main page to find more news sources. "Once Grade 11 students are accepted into a club this week, all clubs will have a small party to welcome new members."  

"That’s it?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.  

I sighed but kept my eyes on the screen. "Next month, the festival club will host an event for a week called The Club Festival Week, and all clubs should have a mini-event for students and outsiders to enjoy." I looked at him as I continued, "And about the attendance for all the clubs. Attendance will be monitored by the club’s moderator and officers, reported to the council president, and is a requirement for the handbook to be signed by the Head of the Club Community."  

"S-Still!" he shouted.  

"Sorry, I guess?"  

"It’s fine," the council president said, still with an awkward smile on his innocent face. "Please, Mr. Santos, go back to your seat. As long as she’s listening, that’s what matters. But thank you; I appreciate you for calling her attention."  

I rolled my eyes and returned my full attention to what I was doing. Even though I wasn’t looking in front, I knew our class president was still glaring at me. But do I care? Hell, I don’t.  

*****

My eyes were fixed on the fourth floor, standing at the edge of the canteen while waiting for Clarissa to buy food. There was a student vaping there, completely indifferent. He’s free to do it because he doesn’t care about the rules and isn’t scared of the teachers, the principal, or the members of the student council.  

"Baby girl!" Clarissa called out, making me turn my head. "Don’t you want to buy something? Don’t have money? I’ll treat you!" she said, biting into her egg sandwich.  

"Thank you, but I’m not hungry," I declined her kind offer.  

She pouted. "Alright then."  

I felt frozen in place when a song suddenly played from the speakers around us. Slowly, I looked up at the speaker above the canteen as my eyes widened.  

Robert's got a quick hand  

He'll look around the room, but won't tell you his plan 

He's got a rolled cigarette

Hanging out his mouth, he's a cowboy kid, yeah

This music.  

I quickly grabbed Clarissa’s hand and pulled her toward a nearby room. We entered without a care, causing the students inside to stare at us, but I didn’t care anymore. I knew, at this moment, we needed to hide.  

He found a six-shooter gun

In his dad's closet, and with a box of fun things

I don't even know what

But he's coming for you, yeah, he's coming for you

The song is called "Pumped Up Kicks." The same song that always plays before a school shooting starts.  

"Rose! What are we doing here?" Clarissa asked, her voice trembling as the students around us stared. "Why are we here?"  

"Didn’t you hear the news about the school shootings—"  

I stopped mid-sentence when the sound of gunshots suddenly erupted around us. The students in the room panicked, but thankfully, some teachers immediately gave instructions. 

The students outside started running in fear, as the gunfire continued, I quickly pulled Clarissa, whose knees were shaking in terror as she clung to my arm. I sat her down with the group of students huddled on the floor.