Chasing over the Belief (Secondary Series #1)

01

Chapter 1

Encounter

"Hmm... c-can I c-court you Felicity?"

My mouth opened with the question the guy from the other section asked. I looked around us and saw how his friends and my classmates, except my friends who are just doing their own thing like this is a normal scene with the exemption of Nicole who is waiting how I will reject this time, waits for my answer.

I don't know what to say because, clearly, rejecting his question is hurting his feelings and I don't want anyone to get hurt. A creek from the door was heard around the silent room that contains double numbers of students.

"I can answer for you..." the guy wearing a hooded-jacket outside his school polo and school pants said before closing the door and walking towards us.

He took a seat in his assigned seat in front of me before looking at the guy who just asks me. "You can't... for a hundred times for goodness sake!"

I let out a deep breath and glared at James who said it casually.

"I'm sorry." I said in an apologetic tone.

The guy had his head down when he came out of our classroom with his friends comforting him. I even saw how his friends look at James like they are judging him for saying those hurtful words like it's no big deal while he is joking around with Charlotte.

Guilt surrounds me that made me think whether I should go after him and explain or what.

I suddenly heard Noah's laughter when the guy and his friends closed the door of our room before looking at him with guilty eyes.

He pointed at me while laughing. "So what now?! You're guilty again?!" He said in between laughter.

I sigh and shook my head before I heard James joining Noah.

"Feli, you don't need to be guilty. It's okay! It's not your fault that you don't want to be courted by anyone." Char reminded me for another time but I don't know whether I should take it as a comforting way to lessen my guilt or its her teasing me again.

Enma smack James and Noah's head that made them stop. "That hurt!" James complained while glaring at Emma but stopped immediately when Em did the same thing to him.

"It's because you're too noisy! Can't you see? I'm reading something here right!" Emma complained.

"Go to the library if you want a quiet surrounding Em!" Noah teases before he receives another smack in the head.

I raised my eyes to our classmates who are looking at the two like they are watching a very interesting scene. The girls are even whispering like saying 'she's really lucky' while staring at Noah and Emma.

It was like that everytime someone ask me if its okay for them to court me.  Many of my classmates are also used to it already which, I think, the whole reason why none of them even dared to ask me about trying to court me. But maybe it's also because of James and Noah who almost built a visible wall between us, the four girls in our circle, and our guy classmates.

The school bell rang after an hour, indicating lunch time. "Class dismissed."

We are already in 3rd year high school and it almost just started it. There are six of us in total and we've been friends for 1-2 years now. First it was just me, Nicole, Charlotte, and Emma during our high school freshman orientation then James joined in the first few weeks of first year because we are all in the same section. Then, in second year, Noah was promoted to our section that's why he became our friend.

Nicole is who I talk to the most and spend my time the most with whenever not all of us are together so basically she's the one I'm closest with among the five of them while Charlotte and Emma are the close one because they've been friends even before they met us then James and Noah are close to each other because they are the guys and maybe because James was the one who talked to Noah when he is first transferred to our section.

Despite being friends for 1-2 years, the six of us bond so much that even summer vacations and some days during sembreaks and holiday vacations, we're still together. Whether it may be in my house or in theirs. Our parents are also so close to one another already because of how frequent we visit each other's houses.

"I still don't get why they still attempt to ask if they can court you or not when everyone in the campus knows that you always say no then they'll be a crying mess once you reject them." Char sarcastically said.

"Lower down your voice Char please." I look around, trying to see if they are students behind us while we're going downstairs.

"They keep trying because they're hoping to be Amora's fate love!" James suddenly said.

He draped his arms on Em and Char's shoulders casually which earned him a nudge from the two.

For the past two years that I have spent with these people, I realize how different we all are in many ways. Nicole is sometimes silent and sometimes not, she's sometimes shy but is approachable whenever you have a problem. I think among us, she is the one who mostly knows everyone's struggle because of how easy it is to talk with her. Char and Em are almost the same. Both of them are friendly and love to laugh and talk. The only difference is that Char is straightforward while Emma is not.  Meanwhile James and Noah are both energetic, maybe because they are guys, and very protective. The both of them being in our circle made us feel even more comfortable. They are always there to make us happy, laugh, and can even make our sadness vanish like a thin air. The both of them let us do whatever we want to do, they even follow us whenever we want to go and mostly just go along with the situations but they know when it's time for them to step in and stop us.

"They're hoping too much." Em says while shaking her head.

"Guys! Come on!" Noah said before putting his arm over my shoulder. "We might be all in a relationship already, Amora is still stuck waiting for his fated boyfriend."

He laughed along with James while I could see the eyes of the girls in the corridor looking at their arms where James' arm is placed over Char's shoulder and Noah's place over mine.

"I feel so ashamed of you! As if you have a girlfriend anyway! No one even likes you! And also, you're not even courting anyone!" I defended myself when he suddenly stopped walking which made me stop also because his arm was on my shoulder.

He put his hand over his chest, acting like he was hurt or what. "Dude, Feli is too harsh!" Noah complained to James.

"Dude, don't expect. That's how a girl who believes so much in fate always says." James said before laughing with Noah again. I just shook my head because of how playful these two can be.

They always tease me in believing and waiting for the person who is fated for me. I have rejected many guys already because of my belief in it. The fact that I am rejecting guys was not a very big deal for James and Noah, because they get super angry everytime one of the girls cried because of a guy, but it is a big deal for the girls since they are the ones who keep pushing me to have a boyfriend already.

I know I am not the only one who believes in the idea of leaving my fate to decide whether who will be the guy for me. After all, the main reason why people experience continuous break ups is because they haven't found the person they are fated with. Instead of trying and trying to be in a relationship with every other guy and see how it works, I'd rather just wait for that right person because I know he will come too anyway. I prefer that rather than counting the number of my exes like Char and Emma does. I mean, I have no complaints with that since it's their life but all of us have different perspectives.

They said that maybe I'm just afraid of the word commitment and being in a relationship with someone or being brokenhearted by someone, which most of the time is their conclusion why I don't accept suitors of our schoolmates, but it was neither of the two. Let's say that maybe they are right but that's better than crying over an ex after a break up. Besides, we're still young anyway. I don't want to rush things out when it comes to relationships.

We continued walking to the cafeteria while joking around. James, being the flirty one he is, keeps getting hello's from the girls from other sections and year levels in which he returns each one of them with a sweet smile. Noah is nowhere different from James but he uses his face rather than his mouth to flirt.

The two of them are standing in 5'11 tall with their body owning a well-physique one for their age. Their facial features make them an eye to many girls around the campus or even off-campus. It was no doubt that they could attract the attention of many even just standing there.

We brought our food in one of the stalls here in the cafeteria before taking a seat at a table for six.

"Why don't you try James' way of flirting? You never know, you might finally find the girl you want to be with." Nicole suggested.

If it's me that they're pestering about having a boyfriend then it will be Noah who they will pester to have a girlfriend. In our circle, Charlene, I think, is the only one who is currently active in involving herself in a relationship but not serious ones, just flings. Emma, on the other hand, just broke up with her ex-boyfriend for like a couple months ago already, she said it wasn't really a serious one. James is flirting, obviously. As for Nicole, I'm not really sure but she mentioned something about meeting someone during summer vacation in another city. That leads to Noah and I as the only ones who are officially single.

"I agree! You should try using James' cheesy lines to Em before!" Char teases James which earned her a glare from him that we only laughed at.

The sole reason why James became part of our circle is because he used to hit on Emma during the first few weeks of first year but maybe he got so used being with us already that even after he got rejected by Emma, he still stayed with us. Despite that, those cheesy lines James used before will forever haunt him and I'm sure that he is clearly aware of that.

"It's because he's such a flirtatious one! And because of that, he formed a cheesy past that will hunt him for the rest of your life!" Emma said.

I shook my head before looking at them with amusement currently obvious in my face because of how happy they are teasing each other. Seeing them happy all the time is like an achievement in my daily life already. I love seeing them happy and enjoying their life.

"What did he say again before Em?" Noah asks going along with the girls in teasing James.

"Do I know you already? Because you look a lot like my next girlfriend!" We all laugh as Emma refreshes that memory.

James just laughs it all now as the girls keep teasing him more.

"If you want to have a girlfriend Noah, flirt through words like James does but don't ever do his cheesy lines. It might cause you trouble and get yourself busted at the end!" Char said that made us laugh so hard.

"Why do you guys keep trying to find me a girlfriend? I'm the one who will be in a relationship anyway, not any of you." Noah pointed out as he let out a small laugh.

He is the type of guy who is satisfied with just having girls surround him and admire his face. He is a flirt but I don't know why he does not have a girlfriend yet though.

"You guys stop it, let him do whatever he wants. He's right anyway, it's his love life, let him be!" I confront them.

James gave Noah a suspicious look which made me raise my eyebrow like asking him what's with his look. He just shook his head before he continued eating his food while they were still teasing one another.

We returned to our classroom to spend two more hours before we were officially dismissed for the day. James' driver picks us up because we will spend the rest of the afternoon at their house before going home at night since it friday. No assignments or any schoolworks for two days!

"Hi tita!" We immediately greeted James' mom when we entered their house. James gave his mom a peck in the cheek before we reached out for her hand to give her a mano.

Every wednesday and friday, we spend the rest of the afternoon together until evening in one of our houses. We decide alternately which house we will hang out in every week. This is like a weekly routine for us already because we can't really be together during the weekend since it's for family time.

"I'll have the snacks prepared, will you kids be in the entertainment room or the backyard?" tita asks, giving us a smile.

"I think we'll spend some time in the backyard for now mom." James answered before tita went to the kitchen with a maid while James went upstairs to change his clothes.

The five of us went to their backyard where the pool and a small lounge is located after we put down our bags on the couch located in the living room. I took a seat in one of the couches in their lounge placed in front of the sliding door that leads you to the backyard which is why this lounge still has a roof. Noah sat in one of the chaise lounges while Emma, Char and Nicole played with the pool water.

"Should we swim? I suddenly want to swim right now." Emma said

"We don't have any clothes with us Em." I answered.

"I can let you girls use my clothes then." I look behind me only to see James' sister standing there looking at us.

"Ate Abi!" We all ran to her except Noah who is walking calmly.

"Noah can borrow some clothes from James since they're at the same body build while you girls can scan my clothes." Ate Abi said which made Emma squeal due to excitement.

"OMG ate Abi! You're a lifesaver!" Emma cheered before pulling ate Abi with her inside the house again.

"Where is that girl going? Why is she dragging my sister with her?"

James looks so clueless when he approaches us wearing comfortable black shorts and a grey shirt. Noah patted his right shoulder before turning him back inside the house.

"Emma suddenly wants to swim and ate  Abi will let the girl use her clothes so they can swim while you'll let me borrow yours." Noah answered James' question before pulling him back to the house.

I can even hear James teasing Noah with how he does not want to lend his clothes to him before the three of us went to ate Abi's room only to see three surf shorts in colors black, blue, and light green with three tees. Emma is already done changing when we arrive there.

"How about underwear ate? We didn't bring an extra one with us." I asked.

Ate Abi only gave me a small smile. "Don't worry, my friend's at the mall right now so I'll just ask her to buy you guys some underwear including Noah's."

I nod before we get changed and went back downstairs to swim. We spend at least 2 hours joking around in the pool while tita and ate Abi are watching us.

Ate Abi's friend, who is unknown to us except to James I think because he stared at her for a while, arrived just at the right time we decided to take a shower already. We wore our uniform once again before returning downstairs for dinner. We ate for a short time before each of our drivers picked us up so we can go home already.

When I arrived home, I greeted my parents and Christian for a while before going upstairs in my room to change into my pajamas so I can sleep already.

I spent my Saturday with Christian playing with him before mom took us in the mall after picking dad in the company. Then by Sunday, we went to Caleruega Church in Batangas to attend a mass there. I spent my weekend with my family just like every weekend before Monday arrived again.

"Feli, is my denim jacket in your house? I think I left it last last saturday." Char asked as soon as I stepped foot in our classroom.

"I'll ask manang later about that." I said.

We waited for another 20 minutes before our teacher arrived with a guy who is about the same height as James and Noah, is lightly tanned, has hooded-like eyes, big pointed nose, and wide lips. My girl classmate's eyes are on the new guy as if they are claiming him already.

"Everyone, this is Mr. Alcantara. He is a transferee from Davao so I hope everyone will be good at him. Please introduce yourself Mr. Alcantara." Our adviser said while the eyes of my girl classmates are glued to the new guy in front.

"Hello everyone! I'm Felix Charlie Alcantara, you can call me Felix. I hope to get along well with everyone." the guy said.

My eyes met his as we made eye contact like it's a usual thing. I saw the amusement in his eyes as my brows furrowed before I broke the eye contact when my adviser called for me.

"Ms. Martinez, as the class President, can you help Mr. Alcantara to tour around the school during the break time?" she asks which I returned with a smile before nodding.

"You can take the vacant seat next to Ms. Martinez, Mr. Alcantara."

He made his way to the vacant chair on my left side taking a seat there. All eyes were still on him, especially James and Noah, before our adviser called everyone's attention as they turned their eyes in front.

I suddenly felt a hand being held out on my side as I turned to look at the new student to see him staring at me. "Hi! I'm Felix." he said, almost whispering.

"I'm Felicity." I held out my hand to reach him as he nodded with a smile on his face as I returned the same.

I let go of his hand before looking in front again but I can still feel Felix's eyes on me so I glance at him. "Is... there a problem?"

"Nothing... I just can't seem to take my eyes off of you."

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Used terms meaning starting from Prologue:

Manang - a general term meaning older lady, elder woman, or old lady. 

Ate - a Filipino term for an elder/older sister.

Kuya - a Filipino term for an elder/older brother.

Tita - a Filipino term for aunt.

Mano - an "honoring-gesture" used in Filipino culture performed as a sign of respect to elders and as a way of requesting a blessing from the elder.