A New Friend

Daisy noticed Philip's drifted attention. She looked keenly at him and followed his gaze to Lucretia's desk. He was so lost into his thoughts and didn't even notice Daisy's glare. His attention was drawn back by a nudge in the rib by Daisy.

"What are you looking at?" she questioned .

"Uhm...., nothing." he answered hastily and stood up.

"Come.., let's go have lunch." he added with a grin, trying to change the subject.

"Okay...." answered Daisy skeptically as she stood from her seat and followed him out together with her friends to the canteen.

Lucretia was still laughing and giggling with Jayden when her friends walked over.

"No lunch today? questioned Crystal rhetorically.

"I can see someone is already full Crystal..?" said Mimie with a raised eyebrow sarcastically.

"Uhm..., I bet you got that right." answered Lucretia ironically.

"Just as I thought" added Mimie.

"Hey... girls..., stop buttering me already." said Lucretia with a smile.

Mimie and Crystal smiled and drew nearer to whisper into Lucretia's ears.

"So...,aren't you going to introduce us to the handsome over there." whispered Mimie, raising his eyes to point at Jayden's direction.

All this while, Jayden was amusingly looking on.

"OK...,OK..., if that will save my ass." she cursed and rolled her eyes.

"Jayden.., this is Mimie and Crystal, my friends. Mimie and Crystal, this is Jayden, I bumped into him whilst getting off the bus some weeks back.

" Uhm..., I can see that." replied Mimie skeptically with a nod.

"Argh...., what's this about Mimie? asked Lucretia.

" Nothing... let's just go and eat." replied Mimie, giggling.

"Whatever...." added Lucretia, rolled her eyes and stood up from her desk.

"Would you mind if I join you girls?" questioned Jayden.

"Sure..., I will never mind" replied Mimie with a grin

Crystal and Lucretia just looked on and shook their heads.

"You girls, I'm leaving already. Enough of your jokes." said Crystal with a little chuckle and took the lead

"Hey...., wait on girl..." called Mimie as she dashed off after her.

"Hey...girls.., let's go together." said Lucretia after them

"Come on, let's go...." she hastily said to Jayden and tailed after her friends.

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

Philip sat around the table with his friends together with Daisy and hers as well. He kept scanning the canteen for Lucretia and her friends but didn't see them anywhere around.

"Where could they be?" he thought to himself

"Who are you looking for Philip?" asked Daisy with a puzzled look.

"I guess he is looking for his best pal, Lucretia." said Eugene with a giggle.

"Yeah...., his guardian angle of course." added Mike with a chuckle.

Daisy was so irritated by the comments from Eugene and Mike and gave them a venomous Starr.

Just then, Lucretia and her friends walked in and took their seats around one of the tables with a bright smile on Lucretia's face.

"What's with her? I've not seen such a smile from her for quiet some time now." he queried , bewildered.

He stood up from his seat just has Lucretia and her friends settled in theirs to go and give Lucretia juice which has always been like a ritual to him.

"Where are you going?" questioned Daisy in astonishment.

"I will be right back..." he replied and turned to leave but suddenly stopped in his tracks when he saw Jayden handed over a bottle of juice to Lucretia.

"Thank you.." he heard Lucretia say over her table with a smile.

He looked on stunned and gnashed his teeth in rage.

"who the hell those he think he is?" he queried in anguish and stormed out of the canteen. Daisy stood up in anguish from her chair, calling after him.

"Philip.... Philip....hey.., what the ...." but before she could end her statements, Philip had already left.

"Argh...gosh...Erica.., Mina...,let's go" said Daisy with a grimace, beckoned her friends after her and they dashed out.

Lucretia and her friends finished their lunch and headed to the Library. They spent a while in the library then the bell went off.

"I've got to go girls, I left my bag in the classroom so I'll head back first for it before going home so you girls can head home first."

"Okay...., see you tomorrow then..." answered Crystal and Mimie as they took their bags and returned the books to the shelves.

"Oh...,Jayden...?, aren't you leaving together with us?"

"Uhm..., no, I also have to get my things from the class so I'll leave together with Lucretia."

"Okay...., we are off then." said Mimie with a wave

"Okay...." replied Lucretia

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

Lucretia and Jayden got to class and meet only Philip there with Lucretia's bag

"Oh...Phil.., why are you still here? Aren't you suppose to leave together with Daisy?" she asked looking a little puzzled.

"Yeah....but she had an emergence call from home so she left first." he replied

"Hmm.....?" mumbled Lucretia skeptically

"Okay.., let's go..." he added and dragged Lucretia by the hand, ignoring Jayden.

"hey....Phil...,careful." uttered Lucretia as Philip dragged her.

Jayden chuckled a little and followed them to the bus.

"Hey...Phil.." said Lucretia finally freeing herself from Philip's grips.

"Nothing..." he replied sticking out his tongue.

"What's wrong with you Phil?" uttered Lucretia with a chuckle and shook his head.

"Don't mind Phil..., Jayden. He is always like that. He has been my best friend since childhood." said Lucretia turning to Jayden

"Never mind Lucretia." said Jayden with a smile and patted Lucretia's shoulder.

Lucretia's face beamed with smiles like she had won the lottery.

"What's wrong with her?" queried Philip in his thoughts

"Okay...,okay..., can we go now?" he added hastily

Daisy saw them from a distance as they got onto the bus.

"So it's because of this bitch that Philip ditched my invitation to give him a ride home?" murmured Daisy to herself.

"I know what to do" she added and asked the driver to drive off.

ON THE BUS

Lucretia first took her seat beside the window which was her favourite seat on the bus. Jayden was about to sit beside her but Philip hastily sat beside her, brushing Jayden aside.

Lucretia gasped in bewilderment.

"Phil....., what has gotten into you today?" questioned Lucretia with a surprised look.

She raised her eyes apologetically to Jayden who was still standing by their seat.

"I'm okay..." he replied and found himself an empty seat opposite theirs.

After a while, the bus pulled up at Jayden's stop. He stood up from his seat and took his bag.

"I'll get off here Lucretia, see you in school tomorrow."

"Sure...." she replied with a smile and nodded.

He looked keenly at Philip and got off the bus.

Lucretia turned to look at Philip scornfully.

"What.....?" queried Philip.

Lucretia chuckled and shook her head. They laughed and giggled at each others jokes until they got to their stop.

"Can I have my bag now?" asked Lucretia as they stood up to get off the bus.

"Catch me if you can...." he replied with a giggle a rushed out of the bus.

"Hey....Phil...." exclaimed Lucretia as she dashed off after him.

"Careful kids..." exclaimed the driver and drove off.

"Hey...Phil.., wait for me..." exclaimed Lucretia after Philip who was already ahead of her.

"Catch me if you can Luc..." he exclaimed back, sticking out his tongue.

"Hey...." exclaimed Lucretia with a giggle and raced after him.