ROSELINE

An alarm buzzed loudly, causing a very reedy and unstoppable sound.

‘Wake up, wake up; it's time for a lecture.’

The alarm continued. It's a beautiful alarm toy that drums every day at the set time.

Roseline covered her ears with the pillow as she tried to avoid the creepy sounds. But it didn't stop still. Instead, it increased even more.

She even saw the alarm ringing in her dreams. It's felt so real, like a nightmare. She subconsciously muttered...

“Please stop,” she grunted, but it's increased. Oh, hell!

“You asshole, get the fuck!” She hit the buzzing alarm away, and the alarm hit it back against the wall, then it stopped. The reedy sound stopped abruptly.

Roseline jerked off the bed. Her muscles tensed up.

“Is it spoiled already?” she asked herself, her face squeezed altogether. 

Hell no, papa is going to skin her alive now. 

He always makes sure to enter her room every night when she's asleep to check up on her and set the annoying alarm to its appropriate time’. She hit her forehead with the back of her hand as the thoughts flooded her mind.

“Gosh, such an annoying thing,” she grumpily groaned and rolled her eyes.

She yawned, releasing a sleepy sigh, and stretched her arms overhead, feeling the soft morning light filtering through the curtains. Then lazily squatted before the buzzing alarm and tapped it.

“Hey, Mr. Sung... Um... Are you okay?" Her face squeezed as Mr. Sung was not replying, then she tapped it again. 

Wake up, wake up, it's time for a lecture... 

The buzzing alarm pierced her eardrums, making her wince.

“Ugh!” She groaned in frustration, and she turned it off and then placed it where it was supposed to be.

She lazily stretched her body and bounced back on her tiny bed. 

She still felt sleepy. To her, it's not even morning yet, but that thing, that freaking thing! 

She often wondered whether to thank her papa or otherwise for gifting her such an awesome freaking gift. 

But her papa gave her that toy purposely on her last birthday because he knew she was a lazy ass. Wait, was she a lazy ass? Not a doubt. She thought and rolled her eyes, then changed her sleeping position.

Well, she had to wake up for lectures early. After all, she's leaving for school today.

“Wait… Hell no,” she muttered subconsciously as she jerked off the bed, realizing she was not supposed to remain on her bed by now.

Fuck! She almost forgot she was leaving for school today itself, and here she is, still sleeping. Silly her. 

She forgot, seriously? How could she forget? Roseline!’ She gently slapped her forehead as her mind scolded her.

She needed to get ready right away, or Papa would rant on her again. Seriously, she can't stand it. 

She clicked her tongue and was about to enter the washroom when a message woke up her phone screen. 

“Hm, who's that?" She asked herself as she was going to give it a check.

“Hella no!” She gasped. “Fifty missed calls already, what?" Her eyes widened in surprise, taken aback by the number of missed calls on her phone. 

Darn it! The man who was asked to pick her up must be waiting outside. Now she realized this was the day she had been waiting for her whole life.

Having the opportunity to be part of Harvard University. Isn't it amazing? It's such a dream come true for her.

Her family was so happy when she made it in with all of her efforts. 

Getting a scholarship was undoubtedly hard, but she still managed. Well, she finally fulfilled her wildest dream ever. 

Studying at one of the most prestigious institutions ever. Harvard University. That was her dream school.

She tidied up her bed and kissed her pillow goodbye. She wouldn't be using it for a while.

Furthermore, she double-checked her luggage, ensuring everything was packed, but then she noticed she'd forgotten something, her alarm toy. 

It's true it's indeed pretty annoying, but it's also true it's not useless at all. After all, it was gifted to her by her one lovely papa.’

She thought, and she picked it up with a smile and kept it in her handbag immediately. 

She darted into her small washroom. It's no time to be a lazy ass. 

The cold water rushed down her skin, sending shivers down her spine. She screamed and dashed out of the washroom instantly. 

“What the fuck! The water heater had to stop working now.”

“Ugh!” She groaned. 

Goddamn, she had to take her bath with cold water. 

The bad thing was she got no choice; if today were a normal day, she would have waited until the heater was fixed, but today is her favorite day, no freaking around.

She thought alone sent her back into the washroom immediately. The cold water stung her skin, and she shirked but did not dash out this time, instead twisting like an earthworm under the shower. 

She washed herself with soap clumsily as she hummed her favorite song. 'Breathing by Anne Marie' with full excitement.

Singing would be a bad idea since she hardly knows the song.

After a refreshing bath, she hopped out of the shower like a happy toad. 

She hastily checked her phone. Her eyes widened at the barrage of text messages.

“Gosh!” she exclaimed.

She rummaged through her closet, searching for the perfect outfit to wear.

After a long runsacking, she finally decided on long Jean pants and a long-sleeved white shirt. 

She applied cream to her body and put the clothes on quickly. She checked the mirror. She was looking so formal and gorgeous, gorgeous as always.

After using the hair dryer, she neatly tied back her black, long, curly hair in a ponytail. 

It's a good thing her papa helped her trim it after lunch yesterday. It would have be a massive disaster by now. 

She brushed the edges back with her hands, then took a last glance at the mirror, and boom, she was ready for school.

She hastily used the exit, forgetting her baggage. 

“Damned me!” She hit her forehead and ran back into her room, then got a text message again.

“What the actual fuck, Roseline, I'm fucking waiting outside!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” The driver completed adding a lot of punctuation marks.

“Ugh." Her face twisted in frustration as she groaned. She hates rushing things.

“Give me 5 minutes, please,” she texted back. 

‘She can't understand how a man can be so disturbing and impatient. 

Was she even thinking this? Well, it's in their nature. They're sulky and always giraffes.’ She thought and laughed sloppily.

She snapped out and rushed out with all of her things, drawing everyone's attention in the living room. 

“Come have some bread, dear,” her father called out, drawing her attention. Roseline hesitated for a moment when a second thought crept into her mind.

‘It's true she has no time to waste now, but wait, is she going to leave like that without kissing her family goodbye? She won't get to see them for a while.’

The scent of fresh bread wafted through the air, and that's all it takes for her to reconsider.

She ran to her seat and gluttonized the sliced bread in a minute, then sipped some hot tea.

“You just take it slowly, or you're going to get fat,” her 10-year-old younger brother, Cam, said simply expressionless, spearing no glance at her that made everyone laugh.

Roseline frowned and gulped down a glass of water.

“Well, I just drank all of this. I'm not going to get fat, okay? Silly,” she jokingly mocked, and they all giggled.’ 

“These two are just like Tom and Jerry,” her mom added, and they all chuckled.

“Hey, Rose…" Her 12-year-old sister, Adelita, called out. 

“What?” Roseline frowned as she looked into her cell phone. She just got another text message. 

“Look who's here,” her mother completed.

Roseline turned back and her jaw dropped.

“Kate?" She muttered subconsciously. 

The girl Kate walked majestically towards and hugged her still-agape girlfriend.

“Hey girl, it's me, Katherine.” She introduced herself with a smile, hugging her all along.

Roseline could perceive the scent of Kate's citrusy perfume enveloped her as they shared a tender hug.

“I miss you so much, baby," she added, disengaging from the hug.

“Katherine?" She repeated with a questioning look as she blinked twice. 

How could she explain this? Her once-forgotten high school chum was right here before her. She couldn't believe her eyes.

‘But what's she fucking doing here? Wasn't she supposed to be in school by now?’ she wondered. Confusion etched on her face.

Kate smiled as she walked up to her parents.

Roseline just stood still with an agape mouth as he watched her friend exchange pleasantries with her parents.

Her whole life, she never expected to see her bestie right before her now and look this hot and energetic?

Well, she had always known her bestie. She's a rich kid with a unique heart who didn't mind being a friend of a middle-class girl like her…

But dressing like this was out of her rules? She had never dressed like a girl once back then when they were in high school. 

Everyone used to mistook her for a boy because, honestly, after dressing up, she always looked just like one.

“Kate? Is this you? You are…" Roseline still can't find her words. It was just too much for her to believe.

“Yes, babies, I'm a girl now. You don't need to believe it already; since we only have a little time, can we leave now?” She simply asked, seemingly not bothered about Roseline. 

She's her best friend, after all. She knows how she can be every so often.

Kate gripped her hand and tried dragging her out. Roseline stopped abruptly with a slight frown.

“Hey, what are you doing? What are you doing? Where are you taking me,huh? And you here…” Her brows furrowed.

“You should be in school, right... Does your dad even have any idea that you are here, huh?” She looked at her with a questioning face, extremely filled with curiosity.

“So many questions; don't tell me you are expecting me to answer all that in just 5 minutes. Aren't you happy to see me, your best friend, already?” Kate simply said, and her lips slightly parted in disbelief.

“Stop that bitch, I'm here for you... To pick you up... She crystallized. 

Roseline mouth hung open, completely speechless. She was not expecting her to say anything, was she?

“But to where?" She creased her brow. Sometimes it's challenging to believe this crazy friend of hers, and where was she taking her, huh?

"To the moon, to greet the stars, good morning. Common, stop acting all weird now; I texted you a minute back! Kate explained plainly.

“Well, you are the weird one here,” she spontaneously muttered. Still registering what's off in her mind.

All of a sudden, her eyes widened. So Kate was the fucking bitch that has been texting her almost a million times today...

She almost burst her fucking phone with her silly messages.

"Oh, my! You asshole! You almost broke my phone; it's not even morning yet! Are you crazy?!. Roseline blurted out with a widened, shocked gaze. She can't help but gasp in surprise. 

‘Her friend was sure crazy, no doubt,’ she thought as she shook her head unbelievably.

“I almost choked on my food, you damned thing!” She added with a brightened face and an agape mouth.

“You are the crazy one, bitch; did you even have a schedule at all? You were just lying there sleeping like a log, forgetting you got to get up for school. You are such a lazy ass girl! Kate retorted violently with a sharp gaze.

Rose just stood there with her mouth agape. She still can't believe the unbelievable kinds of stuff happening now. When she had to have a friend, she ended up with the craziest one ever. 

“Ah…” She muttered and scoffed.

“You annoying brat, just wait, I'm going to kill you right now!.” Roseline shrieked as she ran after her friend with a teacup. 

Well, her family just watched them laughing. It's not new to them, after all. 

They know how crazy the two can be. They found each other pretty good. Nobody can be a perfect match for the two.

“You two should stop that childish act of yours early in the morning, okay?” Rose's father, Mr. Smith, cautioned.

“You heard that. Stop! Uncle just said that,” Kate shouted out, looking like a real wrestling champion as she ran among couches.

“And you think I'm going to do that, huh? You prick! Stop my foot! She yelled out in response, and they continued roaming around coaches.

“I'm not going to leave you until I finish you off. Asshole!” She shrieked.

“Oh, you fool. You think you can kill me with that, huh? Go get a needle or razor blade. I'm going to wait for you.” Kate scornfully mocked.

Roseline frowned; her eyes narrowed angrily.

“YOU ASSHOLE! I'll KILL YOU!” She shrieked her face twisted in frustration .”

The twos continued just like ever, early in the morning. Like Tom and Jerry. They can never change honestly.

“OH MY! It's 9 am already!” Her mom alerted them with a shout.

“Wait, what!” Roseline dashed over there and dropped the cup on the table, then checked her wristwatch immediately. It's not even 8 am yet.

“Mum…” She said as her face squeezed together.

“What? Are you going to kill me as well?” Her mom teased, making them all giggle.

“Common, you two will run late doing that childish stuff; you're adults now, remember.” Her mom cautiously said and drank some water.

Roseline slammed her hands on the table, shocking everyone. She looked back furiously at her panting friend.

“You, I'm not done with you!” She huskily said with a serious expression. She looked like she was about to win the biggest war in the history of existence.

“Then walk to school on your bare foot,” Kate retorted back sharply as she looked seriously into her eyeballs. This duo looked like opponents.

Roseline scoffed and hardly pressed her lips together, making her brow furrowed. She breathed in and out, calming down her raging heart.

“We should go now,” she finally cut the drama short and everyone giggled. 

She hugged her family tightly, inhaling the familiar scent of her mother's perfume and the warmth of her father's embrace. 

The softness of her sister's hair brushed against her cheek as they shared a gentle kiss. 

She's going to miss them a lot; her whole life, she'd always been by their side, and now she's leaving just like it was supposed to be.

Kate just waved with a warm smile while they returned the favor.

And they headed outside with Kate, helping her with some of her things. 

They jumped inside the car after loading up the luggage at the back of the car. 

The driver started the engine immediately. At first, the journey begins with a calm silence until they pass by a fancy roadside shop...

“ICE CREAM!” They both screamed together, then looked at each other at once with widened eyes, and then burst into laughter, laughing out loud.

“Hey, stop the fucking car; let's have some ice cream, girl,” Kate said, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

“I'm not done with you; I'm still going to kill you, motherfucker.” Roseline said with a slight frown.

“Alright, you can kill me later, baby. I'm all yours. She exclaimed with a bright smile, and Roseline chuckled.

“Let's enjoy the fucking day, bitch,” Katherine screamed out in excitement as she alighted the car. Roseline's smile brightened immediately.

“Who--ooh ah… Yeah!” Roseline screamed amusingly as she followed her lead.

As they stepped closer to the fancy shop, the sweet aroma of freshly baked waffles and melting chocolate wafted through the air, teasing their taste buds.

Oh she missed this moment so much. 

She has always known that Kate was admitted to Harvard University because everyone believed in her.

Yes, she believed in her. That has always been their biggest dream together since high school, and Kate believed she was going to make it in there as well.

Even though she knew his family couldn't afford the fee. 

Her father was a teacher, and her mom was a nurse; their lives aren't wretched, and they aren't rich either, but just living a simple and happy life.

Schooling at Harvard University has always been her dream, and with the help of the scholarship, here she was together with her best friend once again. 

It has been quite a while since they've long seen each other.

It's so beautiful, isn't it? There's nothing more beautiful than being around your loved ones. 

God knows how she succeeded in sweet-talking the man who was supposed to get her. 

She must have missed her so much.

Roseline's smile spread slowly, her eyes crinkling at the corners as warmth spread through her chest. 

It's just too beautiful to be true right now. She's finally with her once-best buddy. 

“High five!" Kate screamed out with excitement, and their hands collided with the brightest smile ever. It's such a day. 

They chatted and laughed out loud while enjoying their ice creams. How did they miss this so much?

After a long chitchat and laughter, they jumped back into the car, and the rest of the journey was just fun.