CHAPTER 5

“He's a classmate of yours. Oh, that boy is smart. Just kidding, he actually searched our house to deliver the books you left behind.” Said my mother who never stopped praising my kind classmate.

My brow furrowed again. What book is Mom talking about? Well, I'm sure all my books are in the bag. “Who is he, Mom?”

“I can't remember but he’s handsome and has a devilish look in his eyes.”

Brent? Why is he here?

“Tell them to come here now,” she ordered.

“Yes,” I said. I went to the backyard where there were domestic animals like chickens, pigs, and cows. “Dad, we’re going to eat,” I said to my father but my eyes were looking at Brent.

“Brent, come on. Let's have dinner first,” said the Father to Brent but the man refused. It is said to be too much on the way. “Oh, it's not possible. The food is ready, it's a pity. Well, I'll go ahead of you. Jamie, you'll take care of your classmate.”

“Yes, Dad.” I silently counted to ten. I waited for my father to go away a little before I talked to Brent. “What are you doing here?”

“Nothing. I just want to see you. You don't want to drive me, do you?” The man explained but I didn't like his answer.

“Do you want Dad to spank me?” I asked him.

“Why? I just brought you the books you left at our school,” he said to me maliciously.

Well, we both know that I don't have any books left in the classroom because that's not allowed. “Okay, you said it. Where are the books?”

“It's already in your room, I put it there.”

“Did you come into my room?” I couldn't believe that he managed to enter my room.

“Your mother said it's okay to go in because there's nothing to lose inside,” Brent said.

“Even so! You shouldn't have come in any way!” I shouted at him.

“I'm sorry, Jamie. I was just curious. Are you still mad at me?”

I rolled out my eyes at him. Will I still be angry if he makes me cute like this? Hello, it's up to me if they call me easy girl. Then I will stop myself from being so excited about Brent. “I'm fine. Come on, let's eat.”

“You're lucky with your parents, Jamie. They're so kind and love you so much,” he said.

“We're all lucky to have our parents, right? You're a prince,” I told him. With the size of their house, I'm sure they have more than five housekeepers to keep it in order.

“Isn't it embarrassing for me to have dinner with you?”

I stopped walking and faced him. “Are you still shy now?” I reminded him how he got to us and how he lied to my parents about the book that wasn't mine. Then now he will tell me that he will be shy? Who is it fooling?

“You really are,” he said and pinched my side. I don't like people who suddenly pull to the side, but I was not relieved by what Brent did. Instead, I retaliated against him.

Since Brent joined us for dinner, we became even closer. For two weeks, I didn't go home with us every lunch because we would eat together at any eatery of our type.

At first, I was afraid that Mom and dad might be angry with me. It turned out that they were only a threat because when Brent talked to them about courting me, the two immediately agreed and said that they would let me make a decision about having a relationship. As long as they hold hands, it's okay with them and Mom.

I feel like we were meant to be, destined for each other. However, I made sure that my grades did not drop. As usual, Brent is still not listening to our discussions.

If most people thought that Brent would change because of me, they were wrong. Because Brent told me, it was too late to get serious about his studies. It is content to pass and doesn't care about the grade it gets.

Actually, Brent is not stupid. He's even smarter than me judging by the medals he received when he was still in elementary school. I don't know what his reason is and why he doesn't care about our last year in high school. I also don't want to ask him anything. I want him to tell me things himself.

“Our js prom is tomorrow,” Brent told me while we were in the garden for our Home Economics subject.

“So? What's up with JS Prom?” I asked him.

“If you intend to answer me, I hope it's now so that tomorrow will be happier.” He replied that's why the former was a little different. He's just really rude from time to time.

“What do you expect,” I told him, but the truth is, I intend to make it official tomorrow. I can consider him a real boyfriend.

“It doesn't matter, as long as we are together tomorrow.”

“Shhhh, sir is coming so let's be quiet,” I said in a low voice.

“Brent, can you please assist Michelle in her garden?” The teacher said.

Brent looked at me before turning to our teacher. I can't stop him from going to Michelle's garden because the teacher will scold me.

“Jamie, follow me to the office,” the teacher said, and immediately my classmates were looking at me.

I wondered why he suddenly sent me to his office. “Yes sir,” I said and immediately stood up and returned my bolo to the garden shed, washed my hands, and went to him. I knocked before entering even though I knew it was always open. “Sir?”

“Come in and sit here in front of me,” he said in a very stern voice.

I approached the empty chair in front of his desk.

“I'm not going to hang around anymore, Jamie. Are you and Brent having a relationship?”

I was shocked by what he asked me. “N-nothing, sir. Brent and I are really just friends.” I don't need to lie because what I said is true. Yes, there were instances when we kissed on the lips, but it was clear to both of us what we did.

“It's good that way. I noticed that you two are always together. You know, your future will be a waste if you only get engaged to Brent. I hope you don't give in to emotions and put your studies first.” Sir preached to me.

I don't know where I got enough strength to answer him. He has no right to judge Brent. Is not having good grades enough reason to be told that there is no future?

“It's disrespectful, sir. But I guess it's not right for you to judge this person too much. If you were like that, I hope you applied as a guidance counselor here!”

“Oh, you're such an unruly child! Do you even know yourself, Jamie? You weren't like that before. Can't you still see the effect on you of your friendship with that man?” “You're wrong, sir. I've been like this before, there's just no reason for me to answer you as I do now. Maybe you won't drop me in your subject if I don't go in until our graduation?” I asked him.

“Do it! If you don't want to be the top one in your graduation, don't enter my subject. You can leave now,” he said angrily to me.

“If you tell me to stay away from Brent to be the top one, it doesn't matter. Just give your highest score to Michelle, sir.” I stood up and walked out of his office and went straight to our classroom. I will just wait there for my other classes because I will never set foot in our garden again.

While sitting in my chair, I repeatedly asked myself if what I did earlier was right. I imitated the pose on the five hundred peso bill and Brent caught me in that position.

“Something wrong? You never came back to the garden,” he said.

“No need, my crops are good there,” I answered.

“That's right. But why do you seem sad?” He started to get curious and I wanted to tell him about the discussion I had with our teacher in his office earlier.

“So sad? Can't you just be bored?” I forced myself to smile because I didn't want him to ask me more questions.

“Well, if you're just bored, I think I can help you.” He said and winked at me.

“How?” I asked because I really don't want to take cutting classes.

“This,” he said.

He suddenly kissed me on the lips. At first, it was only a smack, then suddenly it became torrid. Gradually, Brent became passionate and so did I. I felt the strange sensation in my belly, even more, when he inserted his tongue inside my mouth. We kissed a few times whenever we had the chance, but what happened today was strange.

More passionate. I felt him shudder a lot when he boldly felt one of my breasts. Here I came to my senses and I pushed him hard. “That's enough,” I told him because our other classmates would arrive at any moment. We still have one last subject after H.E. I don't know why Home Economics and Physical Education come next to each other.

“Did I scare you?” He asked me worriedly.

Argh, those eyes!

Why is it that every time he stares at me, I feel like I'm drowning and sucking my soul? Next time, if Brent dares to repeat what we did earlier, maybe I won't be able to hold myself back any longer and will tolerate it forever. I hope not.

“A little,” I replied.

“Ahhh, it's you. Why can't I stop myself from touching you?” He even blamed me!

After saying that, he grabbed my hand and squeezed it firmly. It's obviously still chilling.

“It's better that we just prepare for the next subject,” I suggest to him.

“It's even better so that I can be distracted from you for a while. You're chilling, you know that?”

“Stop it,” I scolded him. I took my PE uniform and told him to just change.

“Let's go together,” Brent hissed at me. Carrying my uniform, I came out of our classroom. Kendra and I met outside.

“Or where are you going?” he asked me even though he knew I was carrying my PE uniform.

“Of course, changing clothes.”

“You're always so busy with Brent that you don't know the latest,” he said, making me wonder what the latest is. I asked him.

“Our PE Teacher has to go home because she suddenly felt dizzy,” Kendra answered.

“Is that so? Thank you. If you don't tell me right away, my classmates might laugh at me. So how, can we go home now?” I asked Kendra and when she nodded, I suddenly smiled.

“Of course. I'll just get my bag inside and I'll go home. I still need to go to the salon for the prom tomorrow. So, see you tomorrow.”

He hurried inside and when he got his bag, he came out again and told me to go first. I went back inside and told Brent the good news that we could go home early.

We were putting our things away when the other classmates arrived. Like me, they were busy putting things away. The crowd is excited, especially since it's Friday. I'm sure they will go for a walk in the plaza, and the others will go to the salon for tomorrow's activity.

“Let's go,” Brent said to me after I put my stuff away. I nodded and followed him. When we left the gate, I asked him why he left his motorcycle inside. “Starting today, I will no longer ride a motorcycle to walk with you,” he said.

I smiled at what he said. It's also a long walk from school to the corner that I will pass on my way home. As we walked down the road, we talked about something. After a while, some women noticed him.

“I think it would be better if you were on a motorcycle,” I absentmindedly told him what I had observed.

“Why?” He wondered.

“How come, there are girls paying attention to you,” I complained.

“Are you jealous?”

Brent seemed even amused that I was jealous of the girls who wanted to pay attention to him. “Hmmm I don't know, but I don't want another girl to flirt with you.”