It was June 14, 2004. Cissie Cruz was in her fourth year in high school at a private school in a town in Siquijor. She was from an impoverished family. She was forced to be a working student as she lost her father at an early age. She did not receive a good treatment from her employers yet she endured them all so as to finish high school. Despite all challenging situations, she remained optimistic towards life. Other than being optimistic, she also loved music. She learned to play the guitar when she was 14. She was particularly fond of the 80's rock songs from Bon Jovi, Metallica, Skidrow, Firehouse, among others. She wasn't that beautiful, in fact, she had a fair skin and a fit body yet her height was short and her nose wasn't that sharp. Despite her looks, she was gifted with intelligence and talent.
On her third day of school as a graduating student, she had another problem.
"Ugh, I would be late again. This oldie is really annoying, passing me her job of feeding the old guy. She should be the one doing it. She gets paid high while I don't get even a cent. I would be embarrassed in front of the whole class again." While walking at the corridor of the High School Department, she couldn't help but closed her eyes when she imagined the mishap she's leading,
"I can do this, I am invincible!" She took a deep breath then walked on. She had to be optimistic at all times, most especially that she was about to graduate. She started running towards the classroom and was hoping that their teacher had a good day. However, she saw their teacher, Miss Langit, enraged as if a volcano about to erupt. It was because her classmates were really unruly.
"Class, don't you ever dare to lose my temper! You already know me. Don't push me to my limit and you'll see what will happen. I will embarrass you in front of the whole campus, even in front of your crushes!" Their teacher was really furious that time. It would surely be a disaster if she enter the classroom. So she decided to just skip the class. She turned around. Just as when Cissie was about to leave, her teacher turned her head to Cissie's direction.
"And where do you think you are going? You're late again!", Miss Langit irately said. Cissie gasped in fear.
"I'm doomed!" Cissie whispered to herself. She slowly turned towards her teacher's direction and hurriedly ran inside the classroom.
"Uhm, Miss Langit, sorry for being late. My boss asked me to do something that's why I am late. Like what you already know, I am a working student and I have a blind patient to be fed every morning before rushing here. So, I...I sincerely hope that you would understand." Cissie was really nervous that she stuttered while explaining.
"Very good excuse eh, but I won't buy it. Do something that everybody will enjoy this morning. Alright, class, what do you want her to do?", Miss Langit said with her eyebrows raised while facing the whole class.
"Why don't we let her introduce herself to our new classmate? That one who looks like a prince," Steph teased and the majority of the class agreed.
"Alright then. Well, miss Cruz, you know what you have to do. This guy in front who is wearing glassess, he is your new classmate from Manila. Go near him and kiss his hand as if you are a princess introducing yourself to a prince," Miss Langit mocked. The noise in that classroom resounded that time. Cissie's classmates were all shouting, cheering, and clapping their hands because of too much excitement.
"Quiet!", their teacher yelled and the students all behaved. They were all afraid of their teacher's glaring eyes.
"Do I really have to do this, ma'am? Maybe I can do something else. I can sing or dance ma'am, please," Cissie pleaded.
"Of course! That is the only thing I am asking you because of your tardiness. Where would you be able to kiss the hands of someone who is really handsome other than here? You have two options, I'd tell your boss that you are always late in my class or you'll do what we want," Miss Langit threatened Cissie.
"But ma'am," were the only words Cissie could say that time.
"Class, it seems like Cissie doesn't want to do it. It seems like she needs a cheering squad, guys," Miss Langit signaled the class to cheer.
"Cissie! Cissie! Cissie!" her classmates cheered.
Noise reigned the whole room. Cissie's knees trembled as she felt hopeless to escape that situation. She looked around and most of them wanted her to be embarrassed. She was about to break down in tears because of the pressure and because she really had nothing else to do. If she won't do it, her employer will reprimand her, they might even take her scholarship away and she didn't want that to happen. She endured all the hardship and fatigue just to be able to finish high school and leave that house right away.
"I can't afford to lose my scholarship especially now that I am graduating,"she said silently.
"Okay, fine! You win! Are you happy now?" Cissie tearfully blurted out while walking towards their new classmate. If only she had a choice. If only she were rich, she wouldn't have to go through this disgrace.
"I'm so sorry for this commotion. By the way, n-nice to meet you." Cissie's head was bent down due to embarrassment and trouble she caused to their new classmate.
"That is fine, no problem. It seems like we were introduced to each other at the wrong time, but it's fun. I like it. By the way, I'm Jay. I transferred from Manila but I can understand Bisaya. Nice to meet you too," Jay said while extending his arm to Cissie to shake hands.
He sweetly smiled to her. He was evidently gorgeous. He's half Chinese that's why he resembled Rico Yan. Cissie then turned around and walked towards the back row where her chair was; it seemed like Miss Langit was not satisfy.
"And where do you think you are going, Miss Cruz?" Miss Langit asked with her eyebrows raised.
"To my chair, ma'am," Cissie replied with a dropped shoulders.
"Oh dear! Starting today, we have a new seat plan. You will be sitting beside Mr. Tan because he needs a translator whenever he wouldn't understand any Visayan word. Since you formally know each other, why don't you help him? Perhaps you can tour him around the campus when both of you have free time," their teacher suggested. Cissie thought that she would just look like Jay's nanny who stalked him as she wasn't that pretty. In that case, she'd most likely get embarrassed.
"Don't be like that ma'am. I have already embarrassed myself in front of him. You can assign that to someone else," Cissie tried to reject the offer. She knew that their teacher wanted her to be the gossip topic in the whole campus.
"Right, ma'am! Jay would be embarrassed as well. Jay will just become a laughing stock if people see him with Cissie," Steph added. The whole class laughed, agreeing at Steph's mockery. She was the mortal enemy of Cissie.
"There are other people out there who fits to be with Jay, like me!" Steph continued.
"Shameless bitch!" Cissie whispered to herself. "Right, ma'am, just choose Steph so Jay wouldn't be abashed," Cissie insisted.
"Sorry dear, I won't take no for an answer. Don't be picky. Sit down. Don't waste my time because we'll be having an important topic today. I'll be giving this ahead of time although this is for the upcoming Foundation Day celebration. I am informing you so as you can prepare as early as now," Miss Langit seriously said.
"Yes ma'am, as you wish," Cissie had no choice but to follow. She sat beside Jay. She almost couldn't look at Jay because of the humiliation she had, and then they wanted her to sit beside him. She just wished for the land to devour her to be able to escape the situation. Yet, she couldn't stand not asking for apologies for that humiliating situation he had on his first day of school after transferring from Manila.
