Chapter 16

"Mr. Saavedra, don't come to class if you're not willing to listen."

Those words made Simoen's lips twitched as he looked ahead. "Sorry," he said.

Gideon nodded in satisfaction and stole a glance at his wife who was in a daze. He secretly chuckled but when his sight caught Simoen, his gaze darkened. Only a day but Jewel's already involved in a nasty gossip? Good. Very good.

It was his first time being a professor at UDM so he didn't know what things Jewel did in the previous years. Just earlier, he heard nasty gossip about his wife and the two boys -- Simoen and Joseph.

His sharp gaze landed on Joseph who was frowning while staring at the white board. That boy was no threat but it's irritating to hear those gossips. Nevertheless, it's not good to threaten his student. He might as well see what these two were up to.

While Gideon was contemplating how to deal with his wife's pursuers, Jewel was sitting in cold sweat. She now realized that she sat beside Simoen who was constantly gazing at her. And she knew that Gideon noticed how that boy stole glances on her way. It's not good. Why would that bastard kept on looking at her?

"Stop staring," she hissed under her breath.

Simoen grunted while looking ahead but said nothing. Jewel drew a breathe and focused her attention in front where Gideon was standing. She felt a century had passed before she heard the bell rang. Without waiting for anyone, she ran outside.

Some of her blockmates thought it was because of Simoen who was looking at her the whole class that's why Jewel didn't wait for anyone, but there were some who was unhappy because they thought Jewel think highly of herself to associate with them.

Amidst the confusion and misunderstanding, a smile blossomed on Gideon's lips and he glanced meaningfully at Jewel's retreating figure. It was entertaining to see his wife's acting like she didn't know him and fleeing before he could invite her after class.

"THAT OLD man!" Jewel cussed under her breath and gritted her teeth. "He's here to haunt me. It's not enough that he wants to control my life and now he followed me in UDM? What the heck is he thinking?!"

It was said that she loved to stay in dormitory to avoid the people who control her life like her strict parents, yet it turned out that her good husband's a professor. Note, a professor in one of her classes. Great. Just great.

She slammed the door of her room and ran to the bed, throwing herself onto the soft mattress. Staring at the ceiling, her mind replayed the scene where Gideon asked her why she chose the course.

Why did she take Agricultural and Biosystem Engineering?

To be honest, her parents didn't want her to take BSABE. She bit her lip when she remembered how disappointed her father's face was.

She sighed and shook her head. Even though she knew that her parents were against, she resisted their wishes. And even her father warned her to cut her allowance and wouldn't spend any cent in her study if she still pursue that course.

This pushed her to take a scholarship.

She asked Tiara for help to be included in the list of municipal scholarship takers of Medellin. Tiara’s father was a captain in a village in Dayhagon and had access to the Municipal Scholarship Department, so she sought help. Jewel secretly took the scholarship examination with the help of Dalya and Pedro. And finally, she was one of the lucky ones to pass the exam.

She had no plans initially to disclose the acquired scholarship but much to her dismay, the Municipal bulletin posted the list of whose who passed.

It was not long after that her father knew of this news. He was furious and Jewel knew why. Aside for being disobedient, it's embarrassing for a heiress like her to take any scholarship when everyone knew that her family had the money to sustain her studies. It's like slapping her father's face for being stingy.

So her father planned to void the scholarship grant but the Mayor disagreed. The municipality will be questioned if they void a scholarship without valid reasons and the Mayor didn't want any unnecessary troubles. Moreover, Jewel was of legal age and has the right to decide what to do with the scholarship.

Her parents did nothing in the end.

Maybe her disobedience was the reason why her father hastily cut her allowance after she married Gideon. This was a kind of punishment intended for her.

A pang hit her chest upon that realization.

She was grateful that Gideon was there to take the responsibility to spend money for her studies.

A sigh escaped from her lips. Even though she's thankful, it was not a reason for her to let him mess up her college life in UDM.

Someone knocked outside the door. Jewel got out of the bed and opened it. She saw Hazel who was grinning widely. "Girl, are you carrying anything today?" the girl asked.

She frowned. "What?"

Hazel rolled her eyes. "You know... books?"

She startled but frowned when she remember that her parents had known of her x-rated books, and they burned all her collections even pushing Pedro into the fire. Her fists clenched hard.

Her father didn't want to let outsiders know what happened inside the mansion so of course, he'll shut everyone's mouth up so it's not surprising that Hazel didn't know about this matter.

Even though they were friends, there were still things that she didn't share with them. She smiled. "I didn't bring any. The inspection this year is tighter."

"That's true," Hazel said sadly but grinning widely at her. "But I managed to smuggle over 20 books. Do you want to borrow?"

Her eyes twinkled in delight. "I need 3."

"Gotya! Wait for me!" Hazel hurried into the next door. Jewel waited a few minutes before the girl showed up again carrying a paper box. "Come on, get it inside and don't be caught by the dorm's mistress!"

Jewel shook her head and chuckled. "Thanks," she said.

"I'll send it back after I read it."

Hazel waved her hand. "No problem!"

She went inside the room and laid down on the bed. Her focuse was on the book for several hours before she heard a knock on the door again. Jewel hid the book under the pillow.

"Yes, mistress?" she asked when she opened the door and saw the dorm's mistress standing outside with a dark face.

The woman snorted. "Miss Mangubat, there's an orientation going on in the function hall. Why are you still here?"

She frowned. "No one told me to go to the function hall. And... it's dark outside."

The mistress's eyebrows rose and pointed a finger to the side. When she looked there, she saw her three friends. They all looked away with a guilty look.

"I asked Hazel to tell you. I thought you had already been told," the mistress said, annoyance was in her voice.

She pursed her lips and smiled helplessly. "I forgot, Miss. Are we late? It's dark and the orientation might ending soon ---"

"The orientation's about the recent revision on student services as well as in conduct and discipline. Your credentials will not be released if you are not there." The mistress raised a brow. "You won't come?" she said and stared at her.

"We'll go, Miss. Thank you," she said.

THE FUNCTION Hall is in the UDM Specialized building centered by the covered court in the front, the College of Arts and Sciences on the right, the College of Agriculture on the left, and the vacant building in the rear. It is in the center of UDM so they still have to walk a few minutes from the dormitory which is at the back of the University.

"It's just me or there's something interesting in UDM this day," Tiara said.

Hazel nodded. "There's something really interesting. Girls, there's a rumor in my block that there's a handsome professor in Agri. He's new and not married yet."

Jewel frowned. "Who?"

Hazel grinned and glanced at her. "He handles Soil Science and Intro to AB Engineering. Isn't BSABE your course, Laine? You haven't seen that handsome prof yet?"

Jewel was startled. They seemed to refer Gideon. Her husband was the only new professor in Agri. She frowned. This was what she expected--- Gideon's becoming the new topic for girls.

She forgot that she's also the center of gossip on the first day of school which Gideon was also thinking about. Both of them became famous in UDM. One because of nasty gossip and the other was pushed into the spotlight next to Simoen.

Jewel almost laughed when she remembered what she said to him on the morning. 'See you in ten months!'

Seriously?

She pursed her lips in annoyance when she remembered Gideon's strange smile during the enrollment. So this was what he meant by that smile?!