John Has Changed

Sophia's POV:

I really want to talk to him already. I've missed him so much. I want to ask him so many questions. Because we didn't see each other for so many years, I don't how to initiate the conversation between us. I don't even know if I can still talk to him properly just like I used to. He's grown into a fine young man. The bell for recess time rang and I immediately stood up to go to Elaine and Janna at the back.

"Elaine, Janna, let's go! We need to go to Kristoffer and ask him what's going on right now."

We headed to the Section 2 right away and called for him loudly.

"Kristoffer!" I called him deafeningly.

"Sophia?! What are you doing here? I'm not going to eat together with you today. Mr. Roxas instructed me to collect the notebooks of my classmates and pass it to him as soon as possible. You can go ahead and eat already." Kristoffer explained.

"Are you already aware that John is already here in Canada?" Elaine asked calmly.

"Yes. Why?"

"........" The three of us were silenced by his answer.

"W-w-w-wait... What?! You knew yet you didn't tell us anything about it?"

"Wait... I didn't tell you about it? Really? I thought I already mentioned it to the three of you yesterday."

"No, you didn't!" The three of us shouted at him at the same time.

"Ok, take it easy guys... I'm sorry, ok? I must have forgotten about it since I have too much to think about.

"Oh my, Kristoffer." Elaine said dissapointedly while putting her hand across her face.

"Could you please not forget to tell us important things like this next time, Kris?" Janna pleaded.

"Yes. It won't happen again, I promise. So how did you know that John is already here in Canada?"

"Duh! Of course it's because he's our new classmate. I already mentioned to you something about a transfer student coming today earlier, right? Well, he's that specific classmate."

"What?! He's also studying here in Glistening High?!" He answered surprisedly.

"Wait, don't tell me you don't know about it?"

"Of course not! Auntie didn't tell me anything except for John's return. She just told me that he's going back here in Canada, nothing else. She didn't fill me up about anything including where he's going to study because John also didn't bother to tell her mother what school he's planning to go to.

"So you don't know anything except for John's coming back?" Elaine asked curiously.

"Wait... I actually remember something. I think Auntie mentioned about her also coming back next week. By the time she returned, she and John will be staying at our house for the meantime while their house is having some renovations. But for now, I think John, together with his attendant will be temporarily staying in a Five Star Hotel far from our Subdivision."

"So we'll just have to wait for Auntie's return before all of us will be together in the Subdivision again?"

"That right, Sophia! Yay!" Kristoffer and I gave each other a high five due to our excitement.

Elaine's POV:

Kristoffer and Sophia are currently celebrating for John's return.

"Um, guys? Could you please tone down your voices? You're disturbing the people around us." I pointed my fingers towards the people who are looking at us conspicuously.

"You're right! Then, I'll see you guys later. I still have some notebooks to collect." Kristoffer entered inside his classroom.

But still, I have some bad feeling about this. I don't think this will be easy as we think it would be. It really feels like John is near yet so far from us.

"...ne... Elaine!" I was startled when Sophia shouted at my ears.

"What are you doing, Sophia?! That really hurts, you know?! My gosh, it feels like my eardrums just exploded..."

"Sorry... It's because I've been calling you for a while and you didn't respond to me. What are you thinking about?" Sophia asked worriedly.

"No, it's nothing... I just stared off into space."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, it is. Let's head back to our classroom now."

"Ok."

Sophia's POV:

After we entered to our classroom, I saw John busy answering his textbook while Prince is leisurely eating the snacks he bought from the school canteen. I tried to talk to John as soon as I had the courage to do so.

"Ahem... Ummm, John? Ummm... Hello, long time no see! How have you been?" I tried to sound cheerful as much as I can. I desperately erased any signs of awkwardness between us.

"I'm fine. Thank you for asking. So how's my cousin, Kris?" John said indifferently without looking at me properly.

He's probably too busy on answering his textbook that's why he didn't have a time to look at me.

"I'm fine... I mean, he's fine. Do you want to visit him now? He's just on the other class so you don't need to walk too far just to see him. In fact, his classroom is just in front of us."

"No, I'm busy doing something... I'll just visit him later."

"Ahh... I see."

I shut my mouth for a moment to think about a topic to discuss with him when I noticed he's having a hard time answering the Question #6 on the Math textbook.

This is a perfect chance for us to have a conversation again. I'll try to teach him.

"Excuse me, John? Do you need some help?"

"No, I can handle it alone."

"But you seemed to be stuck on that number for a while now."

"No, I'm fine."

"You don't need to be shy, we're friends so it's only natural to help each other. Come on, give it to me."

"No, I can do this."

"I'll help you with that!" I held the textbook that is laying on his desk.

"Didn't I say I'm fine?! Why can't you understand what I'm saying? Are you stupid?! When I said I'm fine, I'm fine!" He shouted at me and slapped my hand away from him.

"Ouch!"

It hurts! He used his full force just now to push away my hand. I didn't even know that he's capable of doing that. Does he really hate me that much? I used my other hand to assist my hurting hand. It feels like something broke inside.

"I-I'm sorry, Sophia... I didn't mean to do it. I was just taken aback." John said gently while he's trying to reach my hand.

When he's already close to touching me, someone slapped his hand. I looked at who that person is and I saw Prince with a scary glare on his eyes.

"Prince?! What are you-" I was cut by Prince's sudden bawl.

"Take your hands off Sophia! Aren't you still contented on what you just did on her hand? What's your problem, bro? Who are you to do that? You have some guts to hurt her, huh? You know, she's just concern about you. If you don't want her concern, then fine! Just say it, you don't need to go that far as to hurt her."

"Wait, Prince! It's my fault. You don't need to blame him. It's me who's pestering him all this time. Calm down!" I explained to him.

"I'm so sorry, John. Don't worry, it won't happen again."

"Stop that, Sophia! You don't need to apologize to him, instead, he's the one who needs to apologize to you right now. Geez... Forget it, let's just go."

"To where?"

"To the infirmary. You hurt your hand just now, didn't you? Let's have that checked."

"There no need to go that far. It's just a simple scrape, I think?"

"Stop being so stubborn or else I'll be the one who'll get angry at you." Prince said while holding my hand carefully.

"Mmnn." I agreed reluctantly.