CHAPTER 3 "ROOF DECK"

IT is the first day of class for the first semester of that school year. And because he is a transferee, Daniel's irregular student status at the university he moved to Manila is automatic.

"Be careful driving, good luck on your first day!" his sister Danica happily told him.

Daniel just laughed softly then kissed his sister on the cheek who is still eating breakfast. "All right sister, you also have to be careful when you go through your papers. Maybe it would be better if you include Salyn, she knows better here in Manila," he reminded Danica.

"Okay," Danica replied briefly with a smile. After that, he left her.

Daniel did not have a hard time traveling even if it was the first day of school. Maybe because he left the house early.

Just as he had anticipated, his sister Danica will continue to fly to New York. And as expected, he would be left alone in that big house.

That was when the young man sighed.

He had to train himself that a few months from now only Salyn the maid will be left with him in that house.

It's okay with him because he's old enough to take care of himself. He also needs to get used to being independent and not always by his sister's side.

There was not much traffic so he was not late for class. In fact, he was an hour early so he had a chance to read that is why he decided to go to the library.

He was already in the high library building when he changed his mind and instead walked up the stairs that he thought was going to the roof deck of the building, and he was not mistaken.

Then the cold morning air caressed Daniel's face.

The air was wet because it had been raining for a few days and so it was before when he woke up.

He turned his eyes to the vast quadrangle of that well-known university. He has to admit that he misses the former school he attended in Cebu but he is old enough to feel very sentimental about it.

Maybe a little time has been added to finish his course because he is now an irregular student but it is okay. He strongly feels that he will have a good reason that he will eventually be grateful for because he agreed to move here to Manila.

Daniel remained in that state for a while when he decided to wander his eyes. He was suddenly taken aback when at the far end of that roof deck not far from where he was standing he saw a student sitting on a long concrete bench.

Only half of its figure appeared because it was hidden by a concrete wall where it was leaning while sitting with its back to it.

The woman's hair is blonde. It was still wet and slightly blown being by morning air. She has a very attractive nice fair complexion and even from afar Daniel could clearly see the beautiful shape of her arm.

The young man suddenly remembered a woman he saw walking on the road in front of their big house two months ago. That was when he chose to leave the matter out of his mind and decided to go down to his first class.

*****

ARA was vacant for an hour before her first class so she decided to stay on the roof deck of the library building and read there instead of staying in the library.

It has already been a month since she started working as a student assistant at the library that is why when there is an opportunity like today she prefers to stay in that place since the day that she discovered about it.

Unlike other working students whose schedule often becomes irregular, she and other student assistants are still in a normal class schedule. In other words, she is still a regular student.

The only difference is that her school hours are earlier because she has to be at school before the library opens to assist students or to clean the library with other S.A’s.

"Ara!" from behind her the young lady was slightly startled when she heard that familiar voice.

"Oh my goodness, Jason, are you going to kill me with nervousness?" she said slightly laughing while holding her chest.

Laughing, the young man approached where she was. Like her, Jason is also an S.A.

He is older than her, a third-year in the Civil Engineering course.

Jason is handsome, smart, and kind. That is why even though they have not been together for a long time, she has noticed that many women are obsessed with him. And because she is his friend, she can't help but be proud.

"Come on, I'll take you to your classroom," he told her.

Ara smiled at what her friend said. "That won't be necessary you know. Thanks but I'll be fine," she said laughing.

The young man shook his head. "I insist," he said in a tone that she knew she could not change.

Ara just shrugged her shoulders then stood up after taking all of her belongings. “Okay, if that's what you want. But your department building is a bit far from us. You will get tired of walking,” Ara said when Jason accompanied her steps.

"It's okay," the young man replied briefly to her again.

Ara never spoke again because of that. She knew that no matter what she says, she could not force Jason to stop from what he really wanted to do.

Well, that's just the way she is.

She does not like to insist on things that she knows the person she is talking to will not give her. And one more thing, there is nothing wrong with what he wants to happen, although she did not once notice the female students who were always exchanging meaningful looks ever since her friendship with Jason began to emerge.

*****

FROM standing in the corridor outside their classroom, Daniel was immediately taken aback when he saw a blonde-haired student. Even from a distance, he could still see its familiar and delicate walk. She was accompanied by a tall, dark-skinned man who was probably her boyfriend.

At last thought, it was as if part of Daniel's mind was unwilling to agree.

He knew that should not be a big deal to him because first of all, he did not know the woman. And even to say the woman he saw walking in front of their house, and whom he saw earlier on the roof deck, and this woman is the same, so what?

That shouldn’t be a big deal so he quickly cleared his mind.

*****

"LATER, let's have lunch together, shall we?" Jason as he wanted to happen took her to her classroom.

Ara nodded. "Okay," she said.

Because since they met, they have always had lunch together. In fact aside from the fact that they are both S.A.s in the library, lunch is one of the bridges of their friendship.

"I know somewhere who serves delicious Pork Sisig, I will treat you for lunch," he added.

"You always do that, you know, treating me every lunch, and sometimes I can't help but feel a little embarrassed," Ara whispered with a smile.

That was when she heard the young man chuckling then he winked. “That's nothing, and you do not have to feel that way. In fact, you need to get used to it,” he said, pinching her cheek slightly. "I'll go ahead," he said afterward.

"Okay, see you," Ara replied.