World After Worlds

Yanarym walked into the cafeteria, immediately knowing that the ambiance was off. Something was not right just by the way she felt the air on it. She wandered her eyes and saw that there was a particular spot where everyone was looking. There was a scene in the book where Tiana would get bullied. This day was the timeline of it. Although most of the scenes in the actual book did not transpire, some of it was happening either way.

Unlike the other world Yanarym had been to, where she had changed the plot from the moment she had transmigrated, this world, like in show business—the show must go on for the other characters. There was a slight swerve but because she became careful on changing herself so much, that might have caused a little too minimal alteration.

Kraig was always busy and liked how the story would play out, he was still busy, and had no time to hang out. Anyway, if the other male lead was unable, that meant one thing; it was the other male lead's time to shine in protecting the female lead. In short, it was Lyndon's window to win Tiana's heart.

This particular scene was the given chance for Lyndon to waver on Tiana's affection for Kraig; she was being bullied by five girls. This was the first time she would get bullied, and Kraig was not around—Lyndon was.

Poor Tiana, she can't escape her misfortune just to gain male lead's affection, Yanarym thought and shrugged. She saw Tiana at the corner, with some girls in their senior year who wanted to coerce her; it was rare for them to have this chance.

Yanarym can't say anything but these seniors got so much time in their hands that they even get to spend their time persecuting the female lead who they hate. Don't they have papers and assignments or projects to do? I guess I know what the problem of this town is. These kids have just so much spare time that they can do many unusual things. Like, come on!

Yanarym sat on her usual seat, where the sunlight was charging her. She really liked being alone, being with herself was the best. No Matteo, no Kraig, nor Lyndon. Just a great theater performance across from her in the cafeteria. How long can I have this peace with myself, I wonder?

Guide-sama: "Kraig and Lyndon met."

Oh, yeah. What are they up to? She lazily looked at the menu on the chart. Why do they always use small fonts? I can't see.

Guide-sama: "They talked and they were angry."

Alright, never mind them; they're just doing the scene in the book. I have a bigger problem here; I can't see what's on the menu. Do you think there's something I like there?

Guide-sama: "They are serving carbonara and tinola¹, brownies, bibingka², and ensaymada³."

"I'll go with tinola! Matteo will cook carbonara for me tomorrow."

Guide-sama: "You did not tell him—"

"I'll tell him later when I get home."

Guide-sama: "Yanarym, Matteo is a god; do you think it is okay for you to order him from left to right?"

"He likes serving me."

Guide-sama: "How do you know?"

"I just know," she stood up from her seat and got in line to get some food. "Why did Lyndon leave Tiana? He is supposed to be here."

Guide-sama: "They argued in the hallway. He is not in the mood to be complacent with Tiana and walks out. Tiana thought that Lyndon would not be gone for long so she proceeded to the cafeteria."

"That's great." Yanarym nodded and took two silver trays.

Guide-sama: "How is that great?"

"Tiana's loss is my gain, Guide-sama. Always remember that" she murmured and smiled at the person at the serving counter. "Tinola please, three servings and four cups of rice, no make that five and extra bowl of the broth." She returned to her seat with so much food on her tray that some students looked at her with some weird expressions on their faces.

"You can eat all that? That looks heavy." A guy with a big smile approached her. "Should I help you carry them?" She narrowed her eyes on her steps and passed by the guy like he was an invisible being. Yanarym rolled her eyes as she heard the ridicule cheers of that guy's friends upon witnessing her straight-out rejection. That was the guy who ignored her when she was hit by a fucking crystal ball when she arrived here! Turns out, that guy liked her for a long time. Yanarym could not blame him, she was very pretty. How stupid though, he did not use the chance back when the original was alone and miserable. Now that she was behaving as a lovely girlfriend to Kraig most of the men were just jealous of him.

She did not intend to create that stigma; however, it was indeed her strategy to make Kraig feel special because of her. No one else could make him feel such feelings but her. Feed and starve, feed and starve. Nothing was worse than that. In a span of time, she did not know how long, she wanted Kraig to notice it himself. How exceptional she was for him.

Without Kraig on her side, she was not the vibrant, smiley, and sweet girl. She was a girl with high defenses; no one could talk to her, only Kraig could do it. Even teachers or girls could not. Because Kraig was a natural territorial with his possessions and person, he would know it once she started to behave differently. It was not the time to starve him yet, it was still the feeding process.

Some boys who were infatuated with her beauty, those who were envious of Kraig, just didn't say it because everyone thought she was a misfortune and no one would like to associate with someone like that. Now, everyone feels silly because Kraig seemed to be living every day of his life with a fairytale that he owns solely. Anyway, these boys, in the future, she could use some of them, when it was time to torment Kraig.

Yanarym did not care about the watchful eyes directed at her anymore. She was carefully watching Tiana's scene. Tiana was getting physically mistreated by senior girls. She knew the girls by their name. They were often mentioned in the book, other than the original.

They were the additional women who didn't make Tiana's life any easier. Since they were all allowed to wear civilian clothes they could be distinguished by their styles. Safa, the girl dressed in fancy bright red clothes, was the leader who had a big obsession with Lyndon. She had been eyeing Tiana for a while because Tiana regained Lyndon's attention which Safa could never have.

Safa's mother and Lyndon's mother were colleagues because of their high status in the town. It was quite a side story because Safa was brainwashed—not literally but somehow when she was a kid she was captivated by the idea of getting married to Lyndon that was implanted by her mother.

Sadly, Lyndon did not like her on their first meeting, the following meetings where Lyndon was treating her badly. Her mother told her that boys act like that to the woman they like. Yanarym could not help but pity another not favored soul by the author. Basically, Safa thought that Lyndon was a charming prince who she needed to save from something to make their love come true. Tiana was a hurdle and the evil witch, Safa thought she was a princess with armor who had to do anything to make Lyndon appreciate her. Well, the original was like that, just a little bit more extreme than Safa. And Yanarym had to take note that Safa was prettier than Tiana, but the original still is the prettiest of all.

Guide-sama: "..."

Ejai, the right hand of Safa, was obsessed with Kraig. Guess she could not touch Yanarym so she would just retaliate at Tiana who had Kraig back then. The other three girls were interested in both men, and they were wannabes who followed the queen bees. Also back then, these four girls were 'friends' with Tiana mainly to be close with Kraig. Safa was the only one who did not become friendly with Tiana. Because before Kraig came to the town Lyndon and Tiana would often be seen being together in some places.

Yanarym was not sure how she got the villain characteristic but she liked seeing Tiana suffer a little. Or maybe it was the original who was influencing her. Or maybe she just did not like Tiana's character at all. But it was rare for Yanarym to get irritated at someone for a long time so she had to bet, there was the original's influence on her. She ate with gusto because the tinola was perfectly cooked with spices; she barely gave a glance towards Tiana and focused on chewing the tender chicken meat on her mouth. The flavor was so rich!

***

1 Tinola is a Filipino soup usually served as a main entrée with white rice. Traditionally, this dish is cooked with chicken or fish, wedges of chayote, and leaves of the siling labuyo chili pepper in broth flavored with ginger, onions and fish sauce.

2 Bibingka commonly refers to a type of baked rice cake from the Philippines that is traditionally cooked in a terracotta oven lined with banana leaves and is usually eaten for breakfast or as merienda especially during the Christmas season.

3 Ensaymada is a type of Filipino soft, sweet dough pastry covered with butter and sugar then topped with lots of grated cheese.