Inside the Campus

Inside the campus, countless stories unfold—ones that color our youth with joy, heartbreak, awkward moments, laughter, and unforgettable lessons. As they say, high school is the most memorable stage of student life. It’s a time when emotions are raw, dreams are wild, and love feels too big to contain. So let’s go back… back to the sweetness and bitterness of teenage life, where every moment feels like the beginning of something new.

Hi! I’m Reign. Just a simple girl, nothing too flashy. I used to be the quiet, stay-in-the-corner type—an introvert by nature—but life has a funny way of nudging you out of your shell. Over time, I became an ambivert, learning to balance silence with presence. I'm not really popular on campus, but inside our classroom? I’ve got my place. Not for looks or anything—I'm not one of the pretty girls who turn heads in the hallway—but I do get noticed… for my brains. I love books and I'm hopelessly in love with music. People say I have a voice for singing, but I never had the confidence to prove it.

“Reign, hurry up! We’re gonna be late!”

“I’m coming, sis!” I called back, rushing down the stairs with a half-eaten piece of toast in hand.

That was my sister, Lyn. She's the kind of girl who makes boys lose their footing—tall, fair-skinned, long hair that always seems to fall in the right place. She's charming, stylish, and effortlessly graceful. Meanwhile, I’m just... average. At least, that’s how I see it. She’s always telling me to try skincare or dress up a bit more, but that stuff just isn’t me. I’m happy with my plain look. I hate attention—especially from boys. It just makes me uncomfortable.

“Where’s Joe?” I asked while slipping into my shoes.

“He’s already in the car. He’s been waiting for hours,” Lyn said with a dramatic sigh.

“Hours? I didn’t even take that long! Don’t exaggerate,” I muttered.

From a distance, I could already see the irritated expression on Joe’s face through the car window. He’s our cousin, but we call him Joe out of respect, since he’s two years older than us. Despite being older, he’s also my classmate after transferring schools and moving in with us.

Joe isn’t conventionally handsome, but he has this boy-next-door charm that makes girls swoon. He’s friendly with everyone, especially the girls—but not in a flirty way. He’s the kind of guy who holds the door open, remembers your birthday, and helps carry your books without being asked. He’s admired by a lot of girls on campus, including some from my sister’s section. He’s also one of the Campus Officers, so he's used to being in the spotlight.

“Why do girls move like snails?” he muttered as we got in.

“Hey, just drive. No more complaining,” I teased with a smirk.

“Haha, whatever,” he replied, flashing that annoying grin of his.

At home, Joe was playful and annoying—constantly pulling pranks and teasing me about random things. But in school? He was Mr. Gentleman. Lyn, of course, had the looks and the brains. I’d gotten used to the family comparisons. It didn’t really bother me anymore. I had my own pace, and I liked living by my own rules.

As we walked into the school hallway, I suddenly noticed the desks in the classroom were arranged differently. Panic crept in.

“Hey, Joe… didn’t you tell me the exams were tomorrow?” I asked, my voice rising.

“Huh? Did I? I don’t remember saying that,” he said innocently, then walked ahead quickly.

“You tricked me again?! YAH!! I didn’t study last night!!”

He just laughed hysterically from the hallway, clearly proud of himself.

I ran to my seat and pulled out my notes, flipping through pages as fast as I could. The first day of exams covered our three major subjects. And guess what was included? Math—my ultimate weakness.

I could usually rely on stock knowledge for English or Science, but numbers? They drained the life out of me. Just looking at formulas made me want to nap. Reviewing under pressure like this could mess with anyone’s head.

“I need to focus,” I whispered to myself. “Just five more minutes before class starts…”

“Ugh, that jerk is so mean!” I muttered in my head.

“Ahm… hey, Reign…”

“Yes?” I replied without looking.

“You should go back to your seat now. The exam’s about to start,” said a soft voice.

I turned and—oh no—it was Vincent. A quiet classmate known for being a bit shy. Rumor had it he liked me. Once, he was even caught by someone taking a photo of me on his phone—secretly.

I glanced around and realized—mortified—that I had sat in the wrong seat.

“Ah... I’m sorry. I was just…” I mumbled, blushing as I scurried back to my actual chair.

Vincent gave a small smile, looking just as awkward as I felt.

Moments later, our teacher entered and told us to put our bags at the front. We were to carry only a pen and a clean sheet of paper—our usual exam drill.

Our class had a mix of personalities, but the topnotchers were in a league of their own. I was one of the higher-ranking students, especially in English, but others were all-around achievers. When it came to Math, I barely scraped by.

After the exam, everyone gathered to compare answers. I slowly approached the group. Joe was there, casually leaning on the desk, pretending to be innocent.

“Oh hey, Reign! How was the exam?” Venus asked, one of our class’s top students—and, not so secretly, one of Joe’s admirers.

I shot Joe a glare. He quickly looked away, grinning like he hadn’t just ruined my night of studying.

“It was… fine,” I answered, not sounding convincing at all.

“Your face says otherwise,” said Argee, our class president. He had a reputation for being strict but fair—a leader with a soft side.

“Yeah… I didn’t really prepare. Someone gave me the wrong date,” I said, emphasizing someone and looking straight at Joe.

Some of the others chuckled, sensing the drama without asking for details.

“Oh right, you were absent for two days,” Joy added, a quiet but brilliant classmate who barely joined conversations outside schoolwork.

“Yeah, I had a cold and fever,” I said softly.

After class, it was finally time to go home. Joe was humming a random tune as we walked, clearly pleased with himself.

“You seem happy, huh?” I said, still annoyed.

“Yes, yes, yes,” he replied, laughing.

“Did you two fight again?” Lyn asked from the front seat.

“Hmmf. It’s Joe’s fault. He tricked me. I didn’t even get to study! I hope I didn’t fail…”

Lyn just laughed. She never scolded Joe—probably because he was older, and we were raised to respect our elders no matter what. We teased each other constantly, but never had serious fights. That’s just how our bond was.

Two days later, the results were out. I passed all subjects—including Math… by one point. One. It was embarrassing, but I was relieved.

As the teacher called out scores for recording, I quietly mumbled mine, wishing I could disappear.

I glanced at Joe, who was smirking again. I wanted to smack him, but… well, respect.

That was the consequence of falling for one of his pranks again. But deep inside… I knew this was just one of the many stories we'd remember from this chaotic, colorful, and unforgettable part of our youth.

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