The Dinner Party

I looked at the man who was smiling at Daniel and when he landed his eyes on me, he even smiled wider like he was pleased to see me and be here just like what he wanted.

Jaden's POV

"I hate those chemical equations." Daniel said and I just nodded.

We're in the cafeteria and it's quiet this time because it's half an hour early before lunch. We had a laboratory exam and I finished it early and Daniel finished it 5 minutes after me. I could just finish it in 10 minutes but to not let them be suspicious of me, I finished it in 20 minutes. It's actually good to experience high school life.

"It's quite easy," he looked at me and furrowed his eyebrows. "The Carbon has a Lewis structure of 4 dots in the top, left, right and down—"

"How come everything is so easy for you?" He shakes his head and slumps down to the table and just played with his can of soda. He prefers Math over Science but he's also good in Physics.

"Science is my girlfriend," I jokingly said and he just laughed.

"I bet you're already married to it," he sits up straight and suddenly narrows his eyes to me like he suddenly found out something about me. "You're not some kind of those gifted child right?" I just gave him a knotted forehead. If I can't lie to my uncle it's because he knew me since birth, I can perfectly lie to others because they don't know the real me.

"I call it studying," he just rolled his eyes and opened his can of soda. "Everybody knows it but only few took it seriously," I said it in a matter of fact way.

The exam was moderately hard but always on the level of a senior student. We always have more advanced lessons than other normal schools so I think it's not a good idea to have a perfect score on that exam. I always do that in every exam. I don't want them to accelerate me and make me finish high school years early.

You are probably wondering what my IQ is but I'll tell you, it's 180. I'm labeled as gifted or genius and as you know, I already graduated college at the age of 14. Before any of this happened, I was trying to finish my master's degree in Physics and hoping that when I reach the age of 17, I'll be preceding my doctor's degree. I didn't regret anything though. This is way better than countless doctor degrees waiting for me. No wonder why my mom wanted me to experience this high school life. Talking with people who is almost the same age as mine, is good too. I get to know what teenagers at my age do on their time and be normal for once.

"Yeah," he gestured his hands dismissing the topic. "Anyway, I met one of my dad's business partners and he's cool. He's the one I keep telling you about." He nodded and seems to remember who that was.

I don't know what he's talking but it seems like he found another dad. He keeps telling me about this man but I just half listen to him because I'm not interested. It's the business world and I'm not really interested about it. I walked away on that world since the day I walked away from home.

"He asked me to come with him on a dinner party tonight."

"Did your dad give you up for adoption?" I said after drinking my bottle of water. This is my 2nd bottle of water and my head keeps aching. Maybe I'm just dehydrated and maybe it's just because I always lack sleep. I'd be thankful if I can sleep for almost 5 hours per day. Maybe my body can't handle the fatigue anymore.

I looked at Daniel when he said nothing and just looked at me with boredom.

"Or exchanged you for a business transaction?" I continued teasing him because he keeps on telling me how cool this man is more than his father. His father is a good man but lacks time on his son.

Now he was scowling at me but I just chuckled at his pissed off face. He playfully punched my elbow and I laughed at him. For the past two months, we've been good friends and I usually hang out to his home. Thankfully he hasn't asked me about my parents and doesn't ask me about my life story.

"Well, I don't mind to be adopted by a billionaire," he grinned and I just looked at him, amused. He said that the man lets him call him uncle. He hasn't told me the name because he said that I would be surprised for his uncle is a well-known rich man and also because I didn't asked and didn't care but he said that I should meet him personally. "And for your information, he even wanted to invite you too."

I drank my bottle of water again making it empty. Damn this headache.

"I'm not up for parties—" before I could even finish my excuse, he shushed me up by raising his right hand to stop me and crossed his arms on his

chest like he's decided already and nothing can change his mind.

"You're coming with me, bro. You didn't help me escape last time." Well because I didn't help him escape last time, he met his billionaire uncle. Shouldn't he be thankful than making me feel guilty?

"I can't. Today is Friday and I have to meet up with Emerald by Saturday so I should gather up concepts to what our research is about." It's true though but I already have a concept in mind but I need to research further to back up any reasons if Emerald might not agree with it.

"Bro, you're the top 1 and she's the top 2. How hard can it be to brainstorm together?" I just gave him a look that says you-know-why. I need to rest early today too. I feel exhausted.

"Yeah, I forgot. You're constantly at war against her." I nodded but he just leaned forward to our table and looked at me, scrutinizing me. This is not one of his talks about me and Emerald again right? Because if it is, I'm tired of explaining myself to him.

"It's not your way of gaining her attention, right?" I knotted my forehead and leaned on my seat. How can he always say that? I'm not into some rich brat girl who will do everything to have what she wants.

"Because if it is, you're doing it wrong dude—"

"Shut up." He laughed and leaned on his seat holding his stomach from laughing so hard. "She's not my type. Besides, I already like someone else." He stopped laughing and looked at me with wide eyes.

"Woah! The Jaden Samaniego already likes someone?" I massaged my temples and looked at him with glares.

If I hang out with him more, I might end up being so talkative by the end of this school year. My head aches more because of too much talking and his annoying match making plan. He's not a fucking cupid. I really can't understand him sometimes. Before, he said that I should not make Emerald an enemy but now he keeps on pushing me to Emerald which makes Emerald more pissed.

"Who is she? Is she your seatmate?" I glared at him to give him a warning sign to shut up but he just continued talking. "Is her name starts with a letter E and ends in D? Or is she a Sande—" I threw my empty bottle at him and he just caught it and laughed at me.

My head aches in a throbbing pain now.

"Bro, you barely talk to other girls other than Emerald! You seemed to be so comfortable and talk a lot to her than me even though you always fight with each other. You even stared at her eyes twice! Now admit it, do you like her?"

Can I just punch him?

"Will you stop—"

"Likes who?" Emerald suddenly said and walked towards our spot.

I noticed that there were a lot of students already and some of them stared at us when Emerald walked and seated beside me. Doesn't she loath me or she's just used to being seatmates with me that she actually sat beside me?

"Hi Emerald," Daniel waved at her and smiled. I poked my inner cheek with my tongue and signaled Daniel to shut up.

Well, I just don't want Emerald to misunderstand everything and even if Daniel will tell her stupid things like what he did earlier, she will not believe it anyway.

"We're just talking about Chemistry. You know how two atoms like and bond together forming Chemistry," Daniel said again while looking at me and Emerald and then chuckled. Emerald just shrugged her shoulders and faced me.

"Saturday at my house. Don't be late." She said—no ordered me and I just nodded. She has this habit of demanding things and because I agreed to her condition of deciding the time and place for our research, I just need to agree on everything. I don't have a problem on her deciding the time and place because I don't have anything to do that would conflict with her time of choice, I just have a problem on how demanding she is and just orders me around like I'm her dog.

"You already texted me that so you don't have to personally say it to me." She really makes sure that I'll be there.

"I'm just making sure you'll come." She raised her eyebrows at me and I just lazily smiled. I placed my elbow on the table and rested my cheek at my palm and faced her.

"I'll come. You don't have to miss me that much—" she scoffed and faked laughed before I could even finish my sarcastic statement.

"Oh I'll definitely not miss you. I always thought of you—losing against me." She beamed like a Cheshire cat at me but instantly replaced by a scowling face. Daniel was just watching us with much excitement and chuckled.

"Did I just witness a love confession or what?" Emerald and I snapped our attention to him and glared at him shutting him up. "Woah! Okay I'll just shut up." He raised his hands like he's surrendering to the police and zipped his mouth. I turned my attention back to Emerald who just rolled her eyes.

"That's all I just want to say. The sooner we could finish this, the earlier we could separate ways." She stood up not letting me say anything and walked away from us. I just sighed and massaged my temples again.

She's also giving me headaches.

*...*

I should be resting and lying on my bed sleeping, but no. Daniel had to drag me here so that I could meet this man he keeps telling me about. I always decline his invitation whenever he and this man would meet. I only came because he forced me to and second, he said that he pitied the man because he doesn't have any child to feel the joys of being a father and third, it's because it's his father's business partner.

"He's rich. Can't he just adopt a kid or something?" I asked Daniel who seated beside me.

We're on our reserved table after arriving here and just waiting for the man to arrive. We're two hours early for the party because it is what the man wants and so that he could talk to Daniel and I because when the guests arrives, he would be busy attending to them.

There are no other guest yet like he really kept his word of having a time for me and Daniel. Does he really want to have time with me and Daniel that much? Why am I having a bad feeling about this? Maybe I'm just overthinking. I massaged my temples again when another throbbing pain made me close my eyes. I already took a medicine for my headache but I guess all I need now is sleep and rest. I could feel my eyelids getting heavy.

"He's always busy and besides, it's a long process to adopt one," Daniel said not looking at me and just keeps on looking at the entrance door. He likes this man so much so I will just trust him on this. My headache is just getting worse by thinking too much.

"Are you just doing this because he's your father's business partner or is it because you like him being your rich uncle?" I slumped on my seat and rested my head to lessen my headache.

"Bro, it's because I gave him a word to let him experience having a son." I turned my head sideways to his spot and saw him still looking at the entrance door. It's a sophisticated place and it was surely well prepared for this event. I still don't have any idea who's this important person. I just don't care about the business world.

"What's his name?" Daniel was about to answer my question when suddenly, a man entered and walked towards our table.

Daniel stood up and gestured me to stand up too when I was still sitting and just looked at the man with horrified expression. I stood up and felt my hands getting cold and I can't seem to hear them greeting each other and just only heard my heartbeat beating faster. I looked at the man who was smiling at Daniel and when he landed his eyes on me, he even smiled wider like he was pleased to see me and be here just like what he wanted.

Adrenaline rush fill my body and I could feel the place getting colder by the minute.

"Uncle! It's nice to see you again. Thank you for the invitation," Daniel greeted the man with a hug and the man chuckled while patting Daniel's back.

I just remained motionless and emotionless at where I stood. I swallowed the lump on my throat and wiped my sweating palms on my pants. I tried to control my rapid breathing when he looked at me again and I gritted my teeth.

"This must be Jaden?" He asked Daniel and Daniel gestured me to greet the man.

It took a couple of seconds before I moved from my spot and walked closer to him. I just slightly bowed at the man and he patted me at my shoulders. I flinched a little and tried my best to hide my anger and I clenched my fist turning my knuckles white and veins almost popping out. I don't know what to feel and think anymore. But I'm sure of one thing...

I know now why he doesn't have a son.

It's because I walked away from him disowning myself and loathing him for being my father.

And I finally understood what he meant by not having a friend.