CHAPTER 3: MEETING HIM AGAIN

VENICE’S POV

Our class this morning is already ended. It is already lunchtime, so I am putting my things in my bag because Monica and I will eat in our favorite eatery. I was stopped in fixing my things when I heard people screaming.

“ What is happening? “ I asked Monica because I am too clueless.

Monica rolled her eyes before she pointed something out using her lips. I followed where she was pointing and saw an angel, err, I mean a handsome guy currently holding a bouquet of red roses while smiling at me. Jeremy comes closer to me, and the surroundings are moving slowly.

“ Hey, love. I am sorry. Please do not be angry with me. “ Jeremy said in his most sincere voice while attempting to give me the bouquet he was holding.

“ Fine, just do not do it again next time. “ I said and then accepted the bouquet. I giggle silently.

“ Easy to get. “ Monica whispers that I could not understand.

“ What did you say, Monica? “ I asked her.

She just shook her head and replied, “Nothing. I said that finish what you are doing immediately because I am hungry. “ Monica answered me.

“ Fine, fine. Let’s go. “ I said while grabbing the things that I planned to carry.

“ Give it to me. Let me carry that. “ Jeremy said, and then he got everything away from me. I cannot help but smile.

“ Thanks, love. “ I told him.

“ Anything for you. “ Jeremy said and then winked at me; that made me blush.

I heard a long and heavy sigh behind me, and I remembered that we were still with Monica. Psh, she does not want to find a man for her. I went near Monica and put my arms around her arms. I just want to avoid misunderstanding this girl. In our unwritten girl code, I mean that best friend first before boyfriend. Monica and I walked first while Jeremy stayed at a distance behind us. When we arrived at our favorite eatery, Jeremy volunteered to order our lunch which we did not decline. He also knew what he needed to call, so we just let him do it.

“ You are really an easy to get. “ Monica exclaimed with unbelief.

“ Can it not be that I am just in love with him? “ I asked Monica while looking at the bouquet Jeremy gave me with confusion.

“ Yeah, roses are not your most favorite flowers, so I also wonder why he gave them to you? “ I heard Monica comment, so I looked at her. How did she know what am I thinking? Is she somehow a fortune teller or a telepathy girl?

“ It is still one of my favorites, Monica, so it is okay. “ I respond to her to assure her that I am fine. I am aware of why she is acting like that. I experienced lots of heartbreak before Jeremy came into my life. Jeremy is the only man who really expresses his love for me. Other men just left me hanging.

“ What are you talking about, two? “ Jeremy asked when he suddenly appeared. He also put the food he ordered on our table.

“ Just random things. “ Monica answered him with a smile.

“ Ahh, let’s eat. “ Jeremy asked.

We were ready to eat our lunch when I stopped. Monica and I switch glances. Jeremy also stopped eating when he noticed that Monica and I were not yet starting to eat.

“ Is there any problem? “ Jeremy asked.

“ Ahh, nothing, love. Let’s eat. “ I answered in hesitation.

Jeremy continued eating while Monica and I started eating already. No one dares to speak among us until we have finished eating. After some time, Jeremy’s phone suddenly rang. He checked his phone to see who was calling, which shocked him.

“ Who is that? “ I asked Jeremy.

“ Ah, it is Ryan. Wait here, I will just answer this call. “ Jeremy said, and then he stood up and answered the call.

I sighed because of my unbelief. After almost 1 year of a mutual understanding relationship between Jeremy and me, it is the first time he went far when answering a call, especially if it is just Ryan. Is he cheating on me? I shook my head because of the thoughts coming through it. Maybe Monica noticed my quietness, so she held my hand. I smiled at her because I did not want to make a scene in a public place like this.

“ Love, I will not be able to send you home because Ryan and the others are inviting me to play basketball with them. “ Jeremy said while putting his cell phone inside his pocket.

I coughed before I answered him, “ Ahh, okay, love. You take care and enjoy. “ I fake my smile towards him.

“ Venice will stay in our house, anyway. It will be alright. “ Monica cut in our conversation.

I looked at Monica, confused because we did not talk about going to their house today. She widened her eyes, telling me to just agree with what she was saying.

“ You did not tell me that you are going somewhere today “ Jeremy commented while looking at me.

“ You did not even tell me that you will be playing basketball today. “ I replied in my mind. Even though I want to say those words to Jeremy, I cannot. I am too scared to think that my gut feeling is right.

“ Ahh, we talked about it earlier in the class. We will be having a quiz tomorrow, so Monica and I need to review about the topic discussed. “ I told him with a slight lie.

Jeremy just nodded as a response and then carried his bag.

“ Alright, I will go first because Ryan is inviting me to practice with him, so we will prepare for the game later. “ Jeremy said.

“ Okay. “ I replied to him shortly and faked a smile.

“ I will call you after the match; text me if you are already home. “ Jeremy reminded me.

I just nodded as a response to him because I was feeling weak.

“ Bye Love, bye Monica,” Jeremy said, and then he left us. I sighed because of what happened.

“ What was that? He did not even remember your favorite food. “ Monica commented with unbelief.

I just smiled bitterly because of what she said. She is right. First, the flowers, then the food. Lastly, when Jeremy answered the call, he stood up and went a distance with me. He never did it before. I closed my eyes to make myself calm down a bit.

“ Maybe he is not in his usual self; he is an engineering student, remember. “ I tried to convince Monica even though it seems I am doing it for myself.

“ Why are we going to your house? “ I asked Monica to change our topic when I realized she did not believe what I said.

“ Ahh, there will be a cellgroup for girls later, so I want to invite you. “ Monica explained.

“ Cell group? “ I repeat what she said with a mix of questioning.

“ It is a gathering of girls from the church. It is somehow a closed cell. “ she explained again, so I nodded to show her that I understood what she said.

“ But I did not ask permission to my parents. “ I said to her. My father is kind of strict.

“ Do not worry, I already texted your mother. She replied that she will handle your father. “ Monica responded to my worries.

“ Wow, you already planned my whole day already. “ I said with a sarcastic voice.

“ Of course, I am Monica, right. Oh, let’s go. Our class will start in a bit. “ Monica told me while laughing, and then she stood up.

Monica and I went straight to our class. After some time, our afternoon session started. I did not actually focus on my class since my mind deeply thought about what was happening to Jeremy.

*Kring Kring *

I stopped staring into Nothing when I heard the last school bell for this day. It means that our afternoon session has already ended. Monica started stretching her arms while a sigh came out of my mouth. Earlier, I said that I did not want to feel negative emotions today but look at me now.

“ Stop thinking about it. Let’s go already before the rush hour start. “ Monica said it and grabbed me towards the classroom exit door. This girl really hates to be late for any call time.

When we exited the school, we immediately rode a jeepney, but traffic still hindered us. On second thought, traffic is always present here in the Philippines. After forty-five minutes which felt like an eternity, we arrived at Monica’s home. Monica will open the door when it is already opened, and an angel errs, I mean a man, suddenly appears. He is the guy who played the guitar yesterday.

“ Oh, you are here already. I thought I need to fetch you already. “ he said.

“ It is because of traffic, kuya Bryan. “ Monica replied to him.

“ As always, Nothing changed. “ he said again, looking in my direction.

I gulped because of the way he looked at me. Why is he so handsome? Maybe Monica noticed that the guy he was calling Bryan was looking at me, so she talked.

“ Ahh Kuya Bryan, this is Venice, my bestfriend. Venice, this is Kuya Bryan, my cousin. “ Monica introduced us to each other.

“ Bryan. “ he said while laying his hand on me with a smile.

“ Venice. “ I replied politely and accepted his handshake.

“ Drop the formality. I think you are in the same age with Kuya. “ Monica told me.

I am one year older than Monica. She just studied at an early age, so we are batchmates. I had already let go of the hands of Bryan. His hand is so smooth.

“ Anyway, Monica, Grace and the others are in there already. “ Bryan said; then he looked at Monica.

“ Is that so? Alright brother, we will just go there. “ Monica said to Bryan.

“ Alright, you enjoy. See you around. “ Brian said while looking at me, so I smiled as a response.

We pass through Bryan and go straight to Monica’s room. According to Monica, suppose you are confused about why I did not know Bryan personally. In that case, he is the cousin that Monica was talking about. She said that Bryan came from another branch and returned to the church where Monica is serving. That is my first time seeing him since he was not living here until now. Well, it is nice meeting him again.

TO BE CONTINUED!