Chapter 1: Registered

Let's wind the clocks back a semester.

November 3, 2008.

"Fucked up... I should have been going home by 2:30 pm every Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays but then this online enlistment screwed up my registration 'cause their servers just cannot handle the sudden influx of students. We have the goddamn technology these days yet this fucking thing just ruined my plans."

That's what I told myself when I was having my AISIS Online Enlistment at the Ateneo, the university I was in at the time, and I was so frustrated back then since my English class which was supposedly 12:30-1:30 pm ran out of slots and that the only remaining available schedule for the same subject would be the 3:30-4:30 pm slot. Anyway, I resumed enlisting since I was almost done with my M-W-F schedule. Although I wanted my Science class be moved on the 2:30-3:30 pm slot, I thought having a break between my Science and English classes would be a good idea so I retained my 1:30-2:30 slot.

"Hmmm, Tuesdays and Thursdays - what if I place my PE class between my History and Theology classes? So that I can destress in between... That's better now. These two can be pretty demanding when it comes to readings, so yeah this is totally fine. History moved to 9:00-10:30 am instead of the 10:30-12:00 nn, PE at 11:00-12:00 nn snapped right in the middle, and then Theology at 1:30-3:00 pm... Okay, I'm good and all geared up."

Yes I've been talking to myself. I always do this whenever something comes up and gets me pissed.

My second semester was off to a pretty screwed up start since I did not get the schedule I originally wanted, but the crappy schedule I got however enabled me to be easygoing and a little bit laid back yet again. Considering that I'm a probationary student for the school year 2008-2009, I still wanted things to be at ease rather than stressful. I needed to catch up on my grades because I flunked my freshman year and the first semester of my sophomore year, but then, I really had no motivation to strive hard and ace the incoming semester.

Exactly a week after that was the first day of classes for the second semester of my sophomore year at the Ateneo. Monday, November 10, 2008 - my first class, Leadership and Strategy, was around 8:30 am and I almost came in late due to heavy traffic. I made it on time though. It was good to see my block mates (course mates - arranged in systematic groups called 'blocks') and some friends again after the semester break. Other than that, the first class was nothing spectacular, and besides, we were dismissed early. I simply hung out with the block with the remaining time before their 10:30-11:30 Chemistry class. Yeah you read that right: 'their' Chemistry class - since I flunked my prerequisite Chemistry subject the semester before. So actually, I'm just sitting in with their major subjects. This is a consequence of being forfeited with the bragging rights and reputation of a Management of Applied Chemistry major.

So yes, I'm a flunkard and...

I had lunch with my block mates at around 11:30 am and I hung out with them until 1:30 pm, then I was off to my Science class. I've got to tell you this, the Science class was outrageously spectacular. It is a fucking haven of chicks - like there was a dozen or so of hot girls in school in that class and every single guy was happy. I mean, it was a complete 50-minute drooling session and the professor was almost left unnoticed.

And a bastard.

The 'infamous' guy that held my Science class was someone called Mr. Marquez. He's a fail though because I think the only decent classroom discourse he was able to deliver was the last one; everything else was pure noise bullshit and useless discussion because everyone seemed to have flunked most of his tests that were supposed to be related to his lessons in class - which just shows how fucking awesome he was. He looked like a teletubby by the way. Perhaps a black one.

I realized that I would be pretty bummed with my one hour break after Science since I had nothing to do. Good thing, I hung out with my good old buddy and high school classmate, and at the same time a Science seatmate, Ken, at a covered walkway in school called 'SEC walk.' This was a hot spot since every break time there is a serious flux of girls and girls and girls that would make a completely satisfying scenery. Ken was kind [and interested, very much interested] enough to accompany me for an hour before my English class.

When the bell rung I immediately went to my classroom and I was certainly anxious over the last highlight of my first day of classes.

"Thank God the room is air conditioned," I immediately blurted out as soon as I opened the backdoor of the classroom.

I walked straight in and picked my usual seat in a room which is the one at the back. I sat comfortably on my chair and looked around for familiar faces. There were five or so acquaintances standing around but I did not feel like approaching them since I was already feeling lazy towards the end of the day and I have a grander goal in mind - spotting the hottest girl in the class. Unfortunately, there was no one who was eye popping whatsoever. The class was nothing special, really.

Well, that was what I thought until this petite girl opened the door and took the seat nearest it. She was not really late, or is it? I could not exactly remember if she really was but all I knew was that I was on the opposite side of the room and I am there to reside for the rest of the semester because the teacher already assigned me the goddamn seat. Moving to seats nearer to her would not be probable anymore.

She registered onto my mind. I swear, the registration process was quick as hell. And by the way, if I heard it right from my English teacher's attendance roll call, her name's Bianca. She raised her right hand when the name was called. Special thanks to Mrs. Oblepias for calling that name out.

Her name is just after mine on the official class list which is a cool coincidence.

That very name echoed on my mind hours after the class, even on my way home, even the last minute before I slept that night. The AISIS Enlistment didn't really fuck up after all.

Oh, Bianca...

-----
[Click to go to the next chapter]