Chapter 5

Raiko

"What is that Francis doing? He's not giving time to our friend now. She's been doing her best to support him, but he never gave her the same amount of effort to make time with our friend." Shin was mad. She never talks a lot, except being angry.

"You know how much he wanted that spot right?" Myrtle butted in. "I mean, if it were me, I would really get it as much as possible. I might even forget you guys and giving time."

"He shouldn't have been Carly's boyfriend if that's what matters to him most. Indeed, it's his dream to be part of the exchange program and get to abroad, but our friend needs him too."

I just patted Shin's shoulder to keep her calm. "I'll talk to him."

When I said that, she felt fine and stopped nagging about Francis. She even discussed a new topic. Carly could not join us because she had some stuff to do. I looked at my watch and realized that time for my classes was again time. I bid goodbyes to them and left to go to my campus.

I knew from the start that Francis would seize the opportunity to get into the football team. He dreamed of being one and being drafted as one of the players who'll get to play in international games. We were part of the team once in middle school, but I stopped because of him.

"What have you done, Raiko?" He asked one day after the finals. We won the tournament, but he seemed upset.

"What do you mean? We won right?" I asked.

"It's supposed to be my goal. I should have stroke it and not you."

"Atleast we won."

"Don't join the team, ever." He said and left.

As his cousin, I obliged, even if it meant I would stop playing. I don't want to cause trouble, especially with his parents. I owe my home and food to them. They let me stay with them when I needed to.

I went inside my classroom seeing my classmates, including Francis. They're looking at the chart in the front. It says, "Drafted Students for Football Team Tournament (Boston University)," and I saw his name there. He looked so happy that I never got the chance to approach him. When we got home, he was still talking to his friends while celebrating.

"Can I talk with you?" I asked him.

He looked at me and bid farewell to his friends, and ended the call. "What is it?"

"Congratulations by the way."

"Thanks."

"Have you told Carly about this? She'll be happy to know that you got in."

He stopped what he was doing and looked at me. "Carly? Well she was happy but she was not fine about me leaving."

"Can't she change your mind?" I asked him, but he just smirked.

"So that you can be part of it? No way! I got in first and I'll be going to Boston whether she like it or not."

"It's not about me Francis, it's about Carly. Are you willing to be far from her just to have that dream?"

"She'll understand. Leave me and Carly alone." He said and left.

I can't believe I'll be hearing those from him. I think he never understood what I always meant when I asked him if he was okay or anything related to us both. He's always thinking I'm having this invisible competition in his mind. I can't believe he'll be reckless enough for his dreams that he forgets my best friend.

Everyone was shocked to know that Carly was not informed about his drafting the next day. Myrtle and Shin were so fuming mad that I had to stop them both. Good thing, Rhyss and Carly are present, or we'll have a hard time controlling these two.

"How can he do that?! He's a useless man. Break up with him Carly." Myrtle said it. "He's not thinking about you and he never even informed you about it."

"I can't do anything about it okay! It's like I'm keeping him from doing what he loves."

"But you hate the setup right?" Shin asked. "You don't trust him that much."

"I will try to persuade him again." She said just to assure the two. She left, and everyone kept saying that I should follow her.

I followed her, and she was walking towards our campus. "Francis's not in the campus at the moment!" I said, which made her stop. "He's out with his friends, celebrating."

Carly started tearing up. "I don't know what to do anymore. Everyone keeps telling me that he's doing it only for himself. My mom said maybe he needs it but why can't they just ask me what's my opinion about it? I'm so tired."

I hugged her. "You'll talk it out with Francis, okay?"

She just nodded. I just let her cry on my shoulder. She doesn't deserve this kind of treatment from my own cousin. Because at the hug, Francis was taking another girl inside his car.

The next day, Carly told us they had talked it all out and that she and Francis were fine. I am relieved, but the girl from yesterday can't get off my head. I knew I saw her somewhere, but I couldn't figure out where.

"So it's fine for you to let him leave?" Shin asked her.

"Yupp if that's what makes him happy. I don't wanna strangle him too much." She said while smiling. "Besides he promised he'll be home every holidays and he'll call me from time to time."

The day came for Francis' departure. Everyone was there, and Carly kept hugging him. She has been crying ever since we got to the airport.

"Stop crying babe." He told her. "I'll be home on Halloween and Christmas. Don't worry."

Carly broke free from the embrace and went to me. We waved our goodbyes to him. As we were about to go, I saw the girl again. She held a plane ticket in her hands, and Francis smiled at her. Who is she? And what is her relationship with my cousin?