C7 Chapter 7

Elena Sergio

At long last, the bell rang for lunch. I was super excited when I heard the bell, not because I was free from French class but because I was gonna get my next catch.

I dressed my hair to the back with my fingers, making sure it was well arranged. My phone, being placed behind my books on the desk, I picked it up to use its camera as my mirror. Looking through it made me see what I look like. Different, elegant, and beautiful. The change was worth it.

I happily hurried to the Cafeteria to get my lunch. I was craving a rice meal but my eyes wanted to see something else. The queue at the waiting table was quite long. The patience in me wasn't going to get me through the line but I had no other options.

With my face all squeezed and my mouth turned up, I joined the queue, the only choice I had. It kept on moving slowly like I was stuck in some kind of human traffic. Some tried to cut through the line because they saw their friends in line but with a glare from me, they knew the right thing to do.

It got to my turn. I picked up my tray from the waiting table where I was going to be served. The chef had me a plate of rice, a bottle of water with an apple. A perfect combination for me. I got myself to my favorite eating table and set myself up.

"You left me in class," Matthews grumbled as he walked towards my table. Before he eventually got to me, I set up my tray, stood up my bottle on the table, and dressed my rice. I did that all the time.

"Hey! I'm talking to you!" He said again, hitting my table hard. He was frustrated.

"I wasn't ignoring you for goodness sake," I had to let him know. He caused enough attention already. "Where's your meal?"

"I have a snack in my bag," He rolled his eyes while he said. Unnecessary drama coming from a guy. He sat beside me, unstrapping his bag from his shoulder to get his snack from within. I watched him struggle to find his snack in his bag when something further got my attention.

KJ in a pair of jeans and a white round neck was heading over to my desk with his tray of meals he held up in his hands. I could picture his walk perfectly, it felt like he was in slow motion. His head was set up high and he looked unbothered. As he walked past each table, all heads kept turning to watch him move. Poise and bold, he never minds.

He walked past my table but my gaze changed. With my makeup on and change in dressing sense, he didn't even pause to look at me at least. I was disappointed and Matt noticed. Another time for him to strike again.

"If you keep looking at him all day, your food might get cold," He got me to look away from what distracted me from my meal. I frowned at him a bit but it wasn't worth it.

My eyes roamed around the room, trying to see if I could get him again. There he was sitting in the corner alone by his table. He seemed like he felt left out and couldn't fit in. He needed some company and I was willing to be one of them.

"I'm going to meet him," I said smiling in KJ's direction, hoping to get a smile back even though he wasn't looking. Matthews decided to be annoyed. He faked his cough and laughed again. So much for being my best friend.

"You must be kidding me."

"I'm not," I was being serious. "Look at how lonely he is. He needs friends and it won't be that bad if I take the first step."

"Look round the room Elena," Matthews said, spreading his right hand around the room. "Look at how everyone is staring at him. Trust me, he won't have trouble making friends."

I disregarded whatever Matt said and decided to go with my heart. I stood up and picked up my tray with me. Just as I was about to take my first move, the bitch walked in. Anabel! She entered the Cafeteria and everyone noticed her presence.

"And what do you think you're looking at huh?" She attacked a weird-looking guy sitting by the entrance as she stirred up things a little bit. Few people noticed and decided to turn to their businesses. She adjusted her blouse, sighed, and smiled in a particular direction. It was KJ. She walked while she took her steps toward him, more like her being on the runway like a model. KJ noticed her coming through and ushered her to sit by him.

Standing there stunned and disgusted, looking at Matthews with a swollen face holding his laughter so hard. No one told me twice before I decided to sit down back. My tray hit the table so hard, that my meal got scattered. I munched it angrily, making my face fill up, looking at them like I could burst into flame.

"Come on Elena, he's not that attractive," Matthew said after his face got all normal.

"He's," I couldn't be firm enough than this. I looked at them giggling and laughing. This day couldn't just get worst. But I finally did it. I finally got KJ to smile at me. While he talked to Anabel, his face looked in my direction. He waved slightly and returned to the conversation.

I could burst with my stomach filled with so much joy. I just wanted to scream in excitement and run around the room, telling everyone that I finally got someone to notice me. Matthews looked at my face getting all red. He shook his head as he had nothing to say and got back to his snack. Even though that moment was short, it felt magical.

******

The music lesson was finally over. I couldn't stand it at a point where I saw Anabel being close to KJ in class like they had a thing together. She acted all touchy towards him, passing all sorts of body language. At a point I was irritated, I could have puked on her if I has the chance.

Mr. Aaron took us to the music lessons which was the last class of the day. It was more of a revision. He wanted all of us to practice playing the instrument we knew how to play between ourselves.

I loved playing the piano. I started learning as far back as when I was ten. My mom discovered that I always focused on the piano in any event we attended. Sometimes I could go lost in my thought, just imagining my hands on it, playing with the keys and hitting every note.

It went well with my singing. Playing my instrument and singing along with it was difficult at the beginning. With time I practiced and got better a little bit with the help of Matthews. He doesn't play the piano but the guitar instead. Anytime he came visiting when we were in middle school, he would come with his guitar to sing with me and play at the same time. It was really lovely.

"That'd be all for today guys. See you in the next class," Mr. Aaron said as he ended the class. Everyone packed their books and bags and exited in groups, some without pairs or partners.

"You didn't play well today, maybe I should come over this weekend and we could rehearse?" Matthews approached me while the class ended. He noticed I was a bit shaky in class with my fingers today. I wasn't getting the keys right because I was distracted by Anabel's deeds.

"I don't think it'd be necessary," I politely declined. I carried my bag and followed others through the door as we all planned to go home. Matthews tallied along, I thought till I turned over to see him with his male guys, gisting and talking.

It occurred to me that I forgot to carry my book on my desk. I was able to notice that my bag lost some weight. I turned back to get it from the class but I paused at the entrance when I heard something so beautiful. It sounded like someone was playing the piano in class but trying so hard to perfect it.

I opened the door and took a peep. It was KJ. He didn't play anything in class since Anabel was all over him, trying to get him to try out the saxophone she played. The sound became a little bit disturbing. It sounded forced as KJ was struggling on playing the right keys.

I kicked the door opened a bit and barge into the class with no intentions at all. He stopped immediately as he saw me. I could tell he didn't want anyone around this premises. I apologized sounding all nervous but I was stopped.

"Please don't go," He said softly. He sounded like he needed a company and I was given free right at that spot. I had no idea of what I was about to do. I walked close to him and say beside him, trying to figure out what the problem was.

"What happened KJ?" I asked. I was concerned. My voice sounded a bit shaky since I was trying to conceal my feelings around him.

"I'm trying so hard to play perfectly but it's not working. I think I'm kind of nervous."

I could understand that perfectly. Being in a new environment where you haven't spent barely a week, things might seem quite challenging for you. Like making friends, fitting in, and getting yourself back together.

"I could teach you if you want me to," I smiled at him and he replied with a smile back. My face turned a little red but I could control my reaction even though it was hard. "Watch me while I play okay?" He nodded after u asked.

I took a deep breath to calm down my racing heart. I knew I was overwhelmed but it shouldn't get the best of me.

I played my favorite song, 'i wanna dance with somebody' by Whitney. Another character of mine. From playing, I transpired to singing. I sang the song with my emotions. I began to picture KJ and I, sitting in the park with dancing clouds all over us as I played. KJ sitting by my side mumbled the song word for word. How sweet.

At last, I was in another world. I left my voice to take over my fears and insecurities. I could hear KJ trying to sing along with me, parting the song where it needed harmony. The excitement in me grew stronger and stronger. We maintained eye contact and smiled.

He looked at me after I was finally done playing, I resisted the urge to look at him. His eyes looked so cute, maintaining eye contact was hard to do.

"You're so beautiful," He said. He lifted my face to get a better view. I smiled anxiously. He came closer to me, bringing our faces closer and closer like our lips were about to touch each other.

Suddenly I was brought back, I was silent. Something brought our attention to what we were in the room to do. Anabel walked in, clapping her hands together like she just caught her bait.

"You guys sounded great. That was amazing Elena," she complimented with a fake smile all over her face. I could tell she was lying as she was uneasy. I just hope she didn't see what we were about to do.

"I think I'll be leaving now," KJ said to me while he stood up from my side. He arranged his books in his bag and waved, saying goodbye. I waved back smiling. That beautiful moment we shared, I couldn't get enough.

"And what do you think you're doing?" Anabel folded her arms and looked at me fiercely.

"What are you talking about?" I was looking unsure of what she asked.

"You're moving in on my man," She twisted her mouth a little bit, still looking fierce but I wasn't intimidated.

"No, I'm not."

"Oh, so it was a conscience that you two happened to be here?"

"Yes!" Every word I said, came out clear. I was so sure of myself.

"Stay away from him!" She exclaimed.

"Maybe, maybe not," my sarcasm chipped in.

"I'm warning you, Sergio," She did not just call me by my surname. She stormed her feet out of the room and closed the door hard. But for that moment in time, all I could think of was how KJ's lips were going to lock on mine.