Chapter 4
JELO'S POV
It was a little while when I felt uncomfortable that someone's looking at me. That's when I saw two women walking towards me from the oppoaite direction, looking at me and whispering something to each other. Man! They might have seen me smiling by myself when I was daydreaming. I would have looked stupid in their minds. I steadied my pace and lowered my head. I could see in my peripheral vision that they are looking at me and I heard them giggling after we passed each other.
I knocked at my head three times. Jelo to Earth! Jelo to Earth! Come in! That's so embarassing, really! Daydreaming in public sucks, you look stupid to just about everyone.
I was about to cross the street when a hand tapped me on the shoulder. I turned my head to see Charles was standing beside me. He is my senior and our leader during our ROTC days. He is a nursing student who is now taking On-the-Job-Training so he's wearing his light blue scrub suit.
"Hello Jelo! Long time no see!" he said, smiling.
"I'm fine. How about you?" I answered, then hugged him.
I was surprised myself at what I did. I immediately moved back just in time to see the awkwardness in his face.
I bowed a little twice while saying sorry.
"You miss me much?" he asked
"A-ahmmm no!. I just --" This has to be one of my most embarassing moments, "I just got too hyped when I saw you. It's been a long time."
"Ahhh." He said, pursing his obvious smile, "Where are your bodyguards, anyway?"
I frowned, "Huh?"
"Kim and Well. They usually accompany you home, aren't they?"
"Ah. They drove home earlier. Kim has something to do, and Well didn't ask for their driver to pick him up"
"Oooh okay. Want me to accompany you home?" then he put his hands on his scrub's pockets, "Let's catch up!"
I looked at him, "Huh? You dont
"Oh no need. I don't want to be a bother. You might end up having to walk far."
"It wont take me long to go home. Come on! I just want to catch up with you."
"Hmmm... okay, if that's what you want." And we both continued walking.
"Where are you taking your OJT?"
"In the district hospital. But i still take some classes every MWF."
"Oh so that's why you saw me. 'Cause you also went to class."
"Yeah, I was about to call you earlier but you were knocking on your head. Is there something wrong?"
Aw he saw my antics, "Haha it was nothing. I just forgot something. I look stupid right? Hahaha"
"Nope. You actually look cute back there. So adorable." and he pinched my cheeks weakly.
"Ouch! You still didn't change. You're still teasing me."
"Haha sorry."
"Hmmp. Anyway, we're here. I can take it from here. You can go your way now."
He smiled at me, "I also live here."
"Weh?"
He smiled and nodded.
I knew my eyes widened, "Huh? Really?"
"Yep. I and my classmates just moved here."
"Ahhh Where exactly is your place?" I probed as I walked on ahead, to which he followed
"70 Sierra Madre Street"
"Wait! That's our home!"
"Ah you're the one living in green side of the duplex?"
"Why? Are you the ones in the orange side?"
"Yes"
"Wow amazing! I didn't even knew someone already moved there!"
"So can i accompany you home?"
"You're still asking that when we're going to the same place? Hahaha by the way, I didn't know that your new house is a dorm."
"It was not a dorm. We just decided to live together so less expenses. We're here."
"Hello!" Mom greeted Charles "Je, why didn't you tell me you will bring a friend along?"
"Don't worry auntie. I lived here as well," Charles pointed at their gate
"Oh so it was your family who moved there recently?"
"No. My friends and I moved there."
"Ahhh…okay. Welcome to the neighborhood!"
"Thank you!" Charles nodded to Mom before opening their gate, "I'll get inside now. Have a great night."
"Okay. How about you? Come on inside as well!" Mom told me as she opens our gate
I said my good night to Charles and he the same.
"How's your first day?" Mom asked while I am removing my shoes and socks, "Did you share with Well and Kim? I filled a lot of omelette and tonkatsu 'coz I know they'll love it." she said as she walks to the kitchen.
"We weren't able to eat it hehe. I spilled it at the floor"
"What?" Mom walked out of the kitchen, "Why? What happened?" She was wiping her hands at the apron she's wearing as she looks closer to me, "Don't tell me you tripped again, you clumsy little --". She sighed, "Are you hurt? I told you you're better off wearing eyeglasses than contacts."
"I took out the food containers from my bag and gave it to her, "I was running to make it to the class when I bumped into someone."
"Hmmp… next time make sure you look where you're going okay? Have you eaten? I saw your wallet inside your room."
"Ahmmm…" I remembered the butterflies in my stomach earlier because of Allen
"So you didn't eat?" Mom asking, definitely on the verge of anger.
"No.. I received my lunch from the guy I bumped into. He's very nice."
"Hmmm... So you befriended him, eh? What's his name? Maybe he has been my student before."
"Secret!"
"Fine. Just take off your uniform and come out again. I should be done cooking our dinner in a few."
"Okay Mom." I answered as I walked out of the kitchen and into my room. I kept the lights off when I entered the room, jumped into the bed and wrapped myself at the bolster. Looks like I won't be coming late to school. I will be excited to go to school. To see Allen, My Babyboy.
I woke up at the first ring of my alarm clock and stretched a little as I help myself out of the bed.
"Hi Mom! Good morning!"
Mom was obviously surprised by the act. She was so used to waking me up multiple times before I actually get up. "Why are you so early today?"
"Coz I'm inspired," I said, smiling at her "Joke!"
"Wow? Really now? Hope you keep it that way the whole sem. Dont you feel shamed that you're always late when we're this close to your school?"
"Hmmm… Let's see! Hahaha I'll just take a bath Ma!"
"Okay. I'll just give our new neighbors a bowl of chicken stew. What's the name of your friend again?"
"It's Charles Ma. He's our platoon leader way back 1st year." I answered before closing the door to the bathroom and took a shower.
"Okay"
After taking a shower, I helped myself to the breakfast Mom prepared for us.
"Today's my first day at our school and I might get home late. If that's the case, you're gonna make our dinner okay?"
"Now that that's settled, let's eat."
"Thank you for the food!" we both said aloud, pressing our palms against each other.
We finished eating and prepping and a few more minutes later, we were walking out of the subdivision. Mom's already hailed her ride when Charles catched up to us, panting.
"Hooh! I thought I missed you," he said to me before he looked at Mom, "Thanks for the chicken stew, Auntie."
"You're welcome. Alright! You two, I'll get going now. See you later." and he kissed me in the cheeks before riding off the motortaxi.
#AlJe
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