chapter 8: Identifying feelings.

"Prepare my jet. It's time to go home."

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The next morning, as Adria got ready and headed downstairs for breakfast she met Nanny Esther.

"Good morning Esther." She greeted her.

"Good morning Adria, I didn't hear you come in last night." Nanny Esther said.

"Yeah, I didn't make any sound as I passed your room so as not to wake you." Adria explained as she sat at the dining table. Looking at the food spread in front of her, she almost drooled. There were fluffy pancakes, crispy bacon, scrambled eggs, fresh fruit salad, and warm croissants, all perfectly arranged on the table. The sweet aroma of freshly brewed coffee and baked goods filled the air, making her stomach growl with hunger.

Nanny Esther smiled, noticing Adria's eyes widening at the sight of the food. "I knew you'd be hungry after a long day, so I prepared your favorite breakfast."

Adria's eyes lit up. "Thank you, Esther. This looks amazing!"

Just as she finished her breakfast, her phone rang. She answered it, and left the dining room for some privacy.

"Good morning Dr Matthew. How is she doing?" Adria asked.

"Morning Adria, apart from what happened last night, she hasn't made any more movement. I called to know if you would still be coming in today." Dr Matthew replied.

"Yeah, I will but it would be later as I have to go to school. But if anything happens, you call me and I would be there, okay Dr Matthew?" Adria requested.

"You would be the first person to know if anything happens." He assured her.

"Thank you, Dr Matthew for everything." Adria told him being grateful for his help.

"No need to thank me, I'm just doing my job. I have to go now, duty calls. I would be expecting you later." He said before ending the call.

Adria sighed and leaned on the wall, closing her eyes as she took deep breaths in and out slowly. She remembered what her father always said whenever she complained that she had too much homework.

*****************Flashback***************

"Adria, whenever you feel stressed or feel like you can't handle what life throws at you, I want you to remember to pause, close your eyes, take slow deep breaths and open your eyes."

"What then would happen when I open my eyes papa." Little Adria asked innocently.

"Mi hija, when you open your eyes, you would make a resolution to make sure you catch whatever life throws at you and don't let it hit your face. You would tell life game on and make sure you win because if you don't, there will be consequences. Do you understand Renee." Her father asked.

"Yes papa. But papa the homework our teacher gave this time is too much. I don't think I can finish it." Adria complained.

Her father smiled as he squatted in front of her and ruffled he hair.

"Why don't you try what I just told you mi hija." He said softly. Little Adria nodded and closed her eyes, she did what he said. When she opened her eyes, she had a look of determination on her face.

Her father saw this and smiled.

"How do you feel Renee."

With enthusiasm, she replied,

"I feel like I have to finish my homework even if it's much."

"And why do you feel that." Her father pressed for more.

"Because I know if I don't I might not be in the teachers good book because I couldn't complete my assignments and I want to be in the teachers good book." She said.

He father had a proud smile on.

"That's my girl. Why don't you go finish up and when you're done we can go get ice cream. What do you say hmm?." He said with a playful smile on.

"Papa you are delaying me, I have to finish up quickly so we can go get ice cream." Little Adria said as she sprinted past her father heading to her room so she would be done with her assignments early.

Her father looked at her running and smiled, he knew he wouldn't let anything happen to her even if dead.

***************End of Flashback************

Adria opened her eyes which were filled with determination. She knew exactly what to do. She would catch whatever life threw her way.

"Game on" she muttered to herself as she resolved that she will win this game but will take it one level at a time.

***********************

As Adria entered the school vicinity, she could hear students talking as their voices overlapped with each other in her head. She was heading to class when jade met her halfway.

"Hi Adria." Jade said as she fell in step with her.

"Hi, jade." Adria didn't fail to notice how jade looked a bit down that morning.

"Hey what's up, your face looks like someone just killed your goldfish." Adria asked, trying to lighten up her mood.

The only reaction she got was a sigh. When they got to class and settled down, Adria turned to face jade and asked her what was wrong.

"Jade seriously what's wrong, you're looking really down and this is not the you I know." She questioned her.

Jade was contemplating whether to confide in Adria or not. She decided to tell her everything but as she was about to open her mouth to explain, the principal's voice came through the Speakers.

"Good morning distinguished students of Empire State High, this is your principal speaking and I have a very important announcement to make."

The principal paused in her speech and the students started talking in whispers as they tried guessing what the announcement was about. At that moment Andre walked into the class and heads turned his way, mostly girls who ogled at him.

Andre didn't spare them a glance as his focus was on Adria who was also looking at him. As he walked towards his seat next to her, he couldn't control the warm feeling that elicited in his chest as he saw her. Seeing her had already brightened his day. He acknowledged her by nodding his head a bit as he smiled at her.

As usual Adria felt butterflies in her tummy as she smiled brightly at him. The principal's voice came back on the speakers:

"As you all know, our school has a long-standing tradition of organizing an annual gala night. This year's event will take place on Saturday, the 20th of October, at the Empire State Convention Center. The theme is 'A Night Under the Stars,' and it promises to be an unforgettable evening of music, dance, and fun. The student council has worked tirelessly to make this event a success, and I encourage all of you to attend and make it a night to remember."

The students erupted into excited chatter, and jade turned to Adria with a thrilled expression.

"Wow, we are definitely going to this gala. I have a premonition it's going to be so much fun." She said excitedly.

"So now you can have premonitions huh?." Adria said jokingly.

"Of course, it a gala that happens once a year, it would definitely be fun." Jade explained with a smile.

Adria nodded, feeling jade's contagious smile appear on her lips.

For the rest of the day, the school had an excited aura in the air as students were all about the annual gala coming up in a few weeks.

In fact, some guys had started asking out girls to be their date to the event. Presently, Adria and jade were headed to the school library when they saw a group of girls squealing and surrounding another girl who was jumping excitedly in their middle. They didn't need anyone to tell them that the girl had probably been asked out for the gala.

As they got to the library and settled down, Adria asked jade what had been on her mind since that morning.

"Jade I want you to tell me what happened this morning, did anyone hurt you or say something bad, tell me and I would ruin that person's face that they would be unrecognizable." Adria said with a serious look on her face.

Jade was a bit shocked because she could hear the seriousness in her voice.

"You would honestly do that if it was someone who hurt me or said something bad? Why?" She asked.

"Because we're friends and we have to always look out for each other. Now tell me who was it?" Adria inquired.

Jade smiled because she knew that Adria was being sincere, but remembering her question her face dropped it's smile.

"It was actually my parents. They've been arguing recently and it's becoming too much. I don't know what the arguments always about but this morning I overheard my dad saying that he wanted to file for a divorce." As she explained she didn't register the tears that ran down her face.

"I don't want them to get a divorce Adria, I don't think I can handle my parents not being together after all these years. I tried asking my mom about it but she only deflected and said she had to go to work. Recently, i've rarely been seeing them and I can't remember the last time we all had fun together." Jade said as more tears escaped from her eyes.

Adria moved next to her and engulfed her in a hug as she poured her heart out. She didn't say anything but let her presence do the talking letting jade know that whatever happens, she would always be here for her.

After Jade had cried for a while, she cleaned her tears and asked Adria a question that had her bewildered and wondered if this was the girl who was crying few seconds ago.

"So who are you going to the gala with? I'm sure it's with that handsome guy that seats next to you." Jade said she smiled but it wasn't really genuine as she was trying to hide her pain and distract herself from thinking about it

Adria knew what she was doing but went with it.

"What makes you say that?" She questioned.

"Don't play that game with me because you would lose. I've seen the way he looks at you, in fact everyone has seen it." Jade responded.

"And how does he look at me?" Adria asked with curiosity lacing her tone.

"Like you are the only person in the room. Like the dude literally smiles at only you and doesn't even spare anyone else a glance. So tell, what's going on between you two?" Jade asked.

A blush crept up Adria's cheek hearing what jade said.

"Nothing's going on between us " Adria assured her but her heart was wishing that there should be something between them.

"But you wish there was something going on, right?" Jade said completely reading her mind.

"no I don't" Adria denied.

"I'm guessing you've never been told that you are a terrible liar." Jade told her.

Adria faked hurt as she put her hand to her chest and gasped out dramatically.

"I am most definitely not." She said a bit ridiculously and they both burst out laughing.

After laughing for a while jade turned serious and asked Adria a question.

"Do you have feelings for him?"

Adria sighed and ran her hand through her hair.

"I'm not sure" she said replying jade's question.

"What do you mean by not sure? How do you feel when you see him?" She asked Adria trying to help her identify her feelings for Andre.

Thinking about it for a while, Adria responded.

"Whenever I see him, my heart tends to skip a beat and I feel butterflies throw a party in my stomach. But it's probably just attraction and would fade in due time."

"Or it could be something more than just attraction that wouldn't fade. Why don't you give it a chance and stop denying your feelings. I've seen the way you look at him too and I also noticed how worried you were when he wasn't present in school. Admit it, it's more than just attraction." Jade explained.

"But I haven't even known him for up to a week, and I know nothing but his name." Adria argued, not counting the time they met when her parents were killed.

"It's doesn't matter how long you know him for, love happens in mysterious ways." Jade said to Adria.

Adria's eyes widened a bit when jade insinuated that she might love Andre. Like, maybe but love, she wasn't sure. Deciding to think about it later, she turned her focus to helping jade with her maths problems.

But the word kept echoing in her mind. Did she love Andre?, is it love at first sight?