Chapter 21A

Sunday. The thunderstorm last night had passed and the woods opposite the College of Technology were still full of dew. Jewel walked quietly in front of Treesury — a small woodland that serves as the entrance to the former SHS Department Area. She would have liked to go inside to visit the part of UDM where she studied Senior High, but she saw the gate closed in the middle of the small woods.

So she just went straight back to the dormitory. But just a few steps later she halted when she saw Tiara, Gabbi, and Hazel. The three laughed as they ran towards her direction. What's even more surprising was that Simoen's behind them.

Her three friends stopped in front of her in surprise. Tiara suddenly pulled her to the side. "Are you and Simoen ..." she trailed off.

"No," Jewel shook her head.

"No?"

"Yeah. Why is he following your group?" she asked and glanced at Simoen for a moment.

Tiara folded her arms. "He just followed us."

"Laine," Hazel called. "Let's go? It's almost 6 AM."

"The canteen's open?" she asked, raising a brow, and walked ahead.

She first walked between Technology , Arts and Sciences, and towards the specialized building where the canteen's located. The three girls as well as Simoen followed suit.

"It's been five-thirty. Where were you? We looked for you in the dorm but you weren't there," Hazel said.

"Yeah, we've seen Saavedra and he's so persistent. He's been following us around since gate 2," Tiara chirped in.

"Really?" Raising a brow, she looked over her shoulder.

Simoen was there. He was wearing a jersey and had an earphone on both ears. He's listening to music while following them. When he noticed her gaze, he removed one of the earplugs and asked, "Laine?"

Jewel halted her steps and faced him. "Are you following us?"

The man smiled and shook his head. "I plan to go eat at canteen. It just happen that we're heeding the same direction."

She raised an eyebrow and gestured ahead, but he remained in place. Her forehead creased and he spoke. "Go on, you first."

Simoen sighed. "Can I ..." And looked away, embarrased. "Can I come with you?"

"What are you? Grade schooler?" she mocked.

"Laine," Tiara called suddenly. "We're actually okay with that idea. Aren't you girls?"

Gabbi nodded as Hazel shrugged. Her eyes narrowed. She assumed that these three girls didn't want Simoen to follow them, but what was this? Has the wind changed direction and she didn't notice?

"Besides, we planned of going to the gym after breakfast. It's the Sky Dragons' game today. And you know Hazel's boyfie is a rookie. We, as a support, we need to watch his game," Tiara added.

"So I was excluded in your initial plans?" she asked, grimacing.

Hazel nodded. "You left early."

"You could've called me." Jewel rolled her eyes.

Hazel grinned jokingly. "It's actually a surprise, but okay ... Sorry."

She drew a breathe and narrowed her eyes at Simoen before continuing to walk. Hazel jogged next to her. "You know Simoen still likes you?" the girl asked.

"Yeah."

"What about Sheena?"

"Sheena?" She laughed. "It's not like we'll be together again. I just rejected his advances."

"Oh, really?"

Jewel looked at Hazel. The girl's smile was strange. She cleared her throat and whispered, "You know I'm married."

"Oh, of course." Hazel's strange smile disappeared. "So, how are you and your husband?" the girl whispered back.

"We're okay."

"More than okay?"

She thought for a moment and concluded that she had no problem with Gideon. Even though they argued yesterday, but seeing his gentle smile before she went back to her dorm made her think that they had already reconciled. Jewel shrugged her shoulders. "I think so."

A small smile appeared at the corner of her lips before she entered the Specialized building. The canteen's on the first floor, the locker room's on the second floor, while the function hall's on the 7th floor.

Less than half the population was inside so she can move freely. Jewel quickly queued up to order her food and to left the canteen immediately. She was sure that in a few minutes the canteen would be full again, and she had been avoiding someone like Sheena, especially now that she and Simoen were at the same table.

His occasional gaze on her didn't help either. Even when she was eating, she clearly felt Simoen's gaze on her face and she could hardly move the food.

She was take aback when Tiara spoke. "Hey boy, let our friend eat."

Jewel secretly laughed and breathed a sigh of relief when Simoen's gaze disappeared from her and went to Tiara. The man smiled. "If you want, I'll feed her myself."

Tiara's eyes widened and Jewel looked at Simoen's smiling face. Even before she could speak, someone stood by her side and cleared a throat. Jewel looked up at the man standing next to her, and the five others behind him.

The man squinted his eyes. "Who's Jewel Mangubat?"

"Why?" she asked.

"Sep invites you to watch the game. 8 AM sharp."

Her eyebrow raised. "Sep?"

"Raven Joseph Avila. BSABE 1-B1. He said you guys are blockmates. You don't know him?"

She blinked and looked at her three friends and at Simoen who was staring at her. Jewel cleared a throat. "I'm busy."

The men looked at each other, nodded, and shook their head with laughter. "Oh, Miss, that can't be."

She frowned. "I don't have spare time to watch his game." Jewel reached for her glass and sipped the mango juice. "Relay my message to him"

The men shrugged and left one by one. She looked at Tiara as the girl laughed. "What's funny?" she asked.

Tiara chuckled once again. "Haven't you noticed? That's Euler. The guy who stood at your side."

Her eyebrow rose. "Euler? Who's that?"

Hazel and Gabbi laughed. Tiara frowned and rolled her eyes. "My ex-boyfriend?"

Hazel and Gabbi were suddenly taken aback.

"No way," Hazel said.

"Ex? Aren't you guys on cool off?" Gabbi asked.

Jewel frowned as she leaned back. "What's this boyfriend thing? Why no one told me? Are you guys hiding secrets now?"

Tiara sighed. "Actually, we didn't hide it to you. You know I have a boyfie, don't you? Then we had a fight last month. So we decided to cool off. We didn't tell you because you were in such a happy occasion last summer... you know, something to do with marriag---"

"Okay, I got it," she interrupted. Jewel knew Tiara's talking about her marriage last summer. Her eyes narrowed. "You didn't even introduce your boyfriend."

Tiara laughed wryly and looked around. The girl raised her hand to hide the lips from Simoen who's sitting across them before whispering. "Do we really have to talk girl's stuff in front of... Simoen Castler Saavedra?"

Jewel looked at Simoen. Even her three friends looked at the man. Simoen laugh dryly and averted his gaze. "I think I'm good. See you around, girls. And Laine..." Simoen smiled at her. "It's nice to have you back."