"Camila? Hey, Camila!"I didn't realize Barbara was already sitting at the chair in front of me until she was chuckling and waved her hand in front of my eyes to get my attention."Barbara!""Yeah. I've been calling you since I arrived here, but you seemed not to notice me because you're staring at someone…" Her voice was a little teasing.I looked away in a bit of embarrassment. Oh, she must be thinking I was into her cousin that's why I was staring at Trey. But that wasn't really the case. I couldn't simply tell her."I didn't notice you were already here. I thought you and your other two cousins wouldn't be around in the canteen today for lunch. I only saw Trey and Rain on the table," I told her."Ah, we were just a little late because I, Jude, and Abigail needed to run for an errand. But as you see, we're back now."I looked at Trey's table once again and saw that, yeah, Jude and Abigail were there and sat."How about you? Wouldn't you like to sit next to your cousins?"She nicely
I couldn't believe he had caught me!The more I tried to fight him, the more he would hold me tight I couldn't be freed!"Why are you here? What do you think you're doing? You think I would not know you're following me?!" Trey asked, using a low, dangerous voice.Despite his palm covering my mouth, I made a noise as much as I could, so he finally released me free. But still, his other hand was holding my shoulder firmly, keeping me remained leaning against the wall."Now, tell me, what are you doing, Camila?" he repeated himself.No matter how I tried to grasp some words in my mind for defense, I couldn't really seem to find any excuse that would make him believe it wasn't him I was following!So, I decided to instead resort to retaliating. "And how sure are you that it's you I'm following?! Didn't you even think twice that maybe it was only a coincidence that I came into this place and you were in this place, too?! I didn't even know you were here!"I tried my very best to sound toug
"What are you going to do, Trey! I'm warning you not to do anything stupid or you're going to regret it for the rest of your life!"But he turned a blind eye to me and continued with his actions.I was even more afraid as he completely removed his polo, leaving his body totally topless in front of me! And then he started unbuckling the belt of his pants, too!Panicking, I helped myself get up from the bed and run but as soon as he got rid of his belt, he immediately blocked my way to no escape and he held my wrist firmly."Where do you think you're going? You think I'll let you get away with it? Remember, you started this, Camila, and I'm just giving you the proof that you want! You want to prove if your ex-lover and I are the same? Then I'm gonna prove to you that I am not that idiot who left you this miserable and lonely for years—"My palm successfully landed in his face this time. My body was even shaking in pure anger. He just called Noah an idiot when he was never even able meet
I hesitated at first but I found myself nodding."About what, Rain?" I asked him.Yes, it was Rain. Trey's cousin. And it was, I guessed, the first time he'd ever bothered himself to go and talk to me."About the upcoming Science Fair of the school. Were you aware of it?""Science Fair?" Oh, yeah! I just realized that the activity is about to be held next month per school's calendar of events."Since you weren't around in the class earlier. You may not be informed that the teacher had already assigned tasks and groups. And this will be graded in the finals.""Oh!"As I could remember, traditionally, Science-related field students were grouped and assigned tasks to make the event exciting, fun, and successful where everybody could learn something about Sciences and Health."The groupings were made into trios and you would be joining me and Abigail.""Abigail?" I clarified. And that was the only time I realized that Abi was actually just standing at the back of her cousin and crossing h
"Pass your assignments forward," the professor instructed.Since I was absent for two days, I had nothing to pass. Still, I was responsible for getting the paper of my classmate sitting at my back to relay them forward until they reached the teacher's hand.Without saying anything, when Trey passed his paper to me since he was sitting at my back, I accepted it without a word, too, and I even avoided looking at him. If only I had a choice, I wouldn't want any interaction with him. But I didn't have, and it was my responsibility to get his paper and pass it forward because his seat was behind me.I could almost thank the heavens that I survived the whole period without having to talk to him or to even meet eyes with him. I, or should I say both of us, pretended to be back to zero, as if we never knew each other and being complete strangers to each one.Gratefully, weekend came and I finally had a break from the stressful and exhausting school works.I went on a jog early in the morning.
"Oh, my dear Camila, I'm so glad you came!" Just as I walked inside the restaurant where mom had asked me to meet her, she gave me a warm embrace and a kiss me on the cheek. I just smiled, feeling a bit awkward. "Hi, mom." She held me on my shoulders and looked at me with a wide smile on her face. "Hey, how are you, beautiful? I missed you a lot! How long had it been since we last spoke? Anyway, let’s sit down, dear." She brought me to a seat in front of the table where various foods were already set out and waiting to be eaten. I could remember I debated with myself yesterday whether to come and meet her today or not when I read her text message. I actually thought about it the whole day, and yeah, I decided to go on and see her. "I'm alright, mom. How about you?" "Oh, I'm so happy, of course, because you agreed to see me today! I have been so excited since last night for this lunch date with my dearest daughter!" I smiled small but genuinely. Somehow, no matter how I felt d
I wasn't really able to sleep well that night after hearing those exchanges of conversations, so when the next day came, early in the morning, I packed my things, and mom was taken aback to see me in the living room with my luggage, fully clothed and ready to leave…"Camila, where are you going, my dear!" she asked."I have decided to go back to dad's house, mom.""But why, Camila? Aren't you happy being here?"I looked away from that. I always felt like I didn't belong here, who would be happy with that kind of feeling?"Uhm, mom, I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but last night, I overheard you and uncle Raul arguing about my stay here.""Oh!" She was genuinely apologetic. "Camila, I'm so sorry."I shook my head understandingly. "It's alright, mom. I understand. And I'm not even mad about it. Uncle Raul actually has a point. I don't belong here, I don't belong to this family…" My heart stung with those words."Camila, don't say that! You're my daughter!" And she embraced me.I responded t
"How are you? You actually survive that afternoon incident? We all thought you were dead already—""Mom, that's enough." I interrupted to cut my mother’s words out, stood beside her, and gently held her arm.She looked at me. Actually, all of them looked at me.I turned to Trey and apologized, "I'm sorry, Trey."He didn't respond, but he finally seemed to get what was happening…Mom was even more amazed. "So, you knew all this time that he's alive? Wow! Why haven't you told me about it? And what? Why didn't you call him 'Noah?'""Mom, he is not Noah," I said in a low voice, totally feeling embarrassed in front of the Gregoris watching.Mom stopped for a bit to let what I said sink into her mind.I continued, "That's Trey Gregori. He's my classmate in Biology class. He and his cousins." I eye-gestured the other Gregoris alongside Trey himself.Few seconds later, mom awoke to her senses. "Oh! So, I got it wrong? He isn't Noah, after all!""Yeah. He is not him, mom," I emphasized.She tu