Chapter 6: Forgetting Maia

Clyden

I cycled faster to school since I woke up a little bit late. My boss scolded me yesterday for being twenty minutes late and let me work one hour more for my tardiness. I breathed out a sigh of relief when I arrived at school on time and parked my bike on the bike stand. I was chaining it to the posts when somebody called my name.

“Clyden,” Marco called out. I turned to him and saw him running towards me. However, I saw something strange just as I glanced over to him. Maia, the girl who confessed to me yesterday, hid between her friend’s knees and looked down on the ground. Her friend tried to push her away, but she kept her place.

Is she— Is she hiding from me? I smirked. She doesn’t think that I don’t genuinely see her, right?

“What are you smiling at?” Marco asked. He tried to peer over to Maia’s direction, but I pulled him to the building.

“Nothing, let’s get to class, or we’re going to be late,” I said.

We arrived at the classroom, and just as expected, many people greeted me on my way to my seat. The second bell just rang, so our professor must be coming pretty soon. The door opened, and I was expecting our professor to come in, but it was Maia and her friend Camille who were rushing towards their seats.

Maia and I made eye contact for a while, and I was expecting for her to at least smile at me, but she turned away quickly and made her way over to her seat.

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. She didn’t even greet me, huh? My classmates must have also thought of the same thing since they looked at Maia in anticipation. She sensed their gazes and looked around the room.

Just then, Marco stood up and went closer to her. My eyes narrowed. What is he planning? He took turns pointing towards Maia then pointing towards me. “Woah! You don’t have anything for Clyden today? And you’re not greeting him a good morning?” He clapped his hands and teasingly pushed me. “Damn, man! You just lost one.”

Some of my classmates laughed, and I could sense that Maia was getting embarrassed, so I pushed him to his seat and roughly said, “Shut up, the professor’s here.”

They quieted down as the professor finally came in. I tried to focus on my notes, but I  can't deny that I was also expecting her morning greeting. It’s not because I like her or anything like that. I guess I’ve just been used to her morning greetings for the past four months. Besides, she also often brings me breakfast which comes in very handy when food runs out at home.

I shook my head and continued writing. Whatever. It’s over now. I shouldn’t get attached to anyone anyways.

***

I was on my way home when I felt a car tailing me from behind. I wasn’t sure at the beginning, but it was moving very slowly and even followed me in a narrow street. I started pedaling faster, but it was of no use. It was a car, after all.

My suspicions were even more confirmed when two muscled bodyguards in suits blocked my way. I tried escaping from behind, but another set of bodyguards stopped me with their bodies. I glared at them and stood my ground. I’m not going to let them intimidate me. I’ve met far more sketchy people in my life.

Just then, a tall and prestigious-looking man got out of the car and gave me an intimidating look. I challenged his gaze and held my head up high. I don’t know who this man is, but I can feel that he is someone of power.

“Clyden Gonzalo?” He asked.

I didn’t answer his question and instead said, “Who are you? Why did you follow me here? I don’t recall ever meeting you.”

He chuckled. “I can’t see what my daughter found fascinating about you,” he muttered under his breath, so I wasn’t able to hear it clearly.

“What?” I asked with a frown.

He shook his head. “Nothing, really.” He glanced at his watch and peered over at me.

“Do you have some time? I want to discuss something over coffee.”

I glared at him. “I don’t think you’re giving me a choice.”

He smirked. “Good boy. Come,” he demanded while walking back to the car.

“Who are you?”

He turned around and flashed me a smile. “You’ll find out soon.”

***

We settled in a nearby coffee shop since I wasn’t settling for a secluded area. I made sure to settle for a place that had plenty of people because who knows what this man could do if we were alone?

I hesitatingly took a sip of my coffee while waiting for him to speak. However, he kept on stirring his coffee and not paying attention to me.

I slammed my coffee cup on the table and leaned forward. “I don’t have all day. Can you cut to the chase and just say what you want to say?”

He raised his hands up in surrender. “What an impatient boy you are. Now I could see why you even have the guts to reject my daughter in front of the entire student body.”

I frowned. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“Acting dumb, now?”

“I don’t even know your daughter,” I responded in a mocking tone.

He matched my tone and also leaned forward. “Nice to meet you. My name’s Richard Sevida. Does my name ring a bell?”

Sevida? I’ve definitely heard that surname before. Maybe I’ve heard it in the news. My eyes widened in recognition. “Sevida? Like Sevida Enterprises?”

Sevida Enterprises is one of the largest companies in the entire country. They are well known for exporting products from local farms. More than that, they started branching out into the dropshipping industry and are now a multi-million dollar company. I looked at him in confusion. Why is a first-generation conglomerate having a conversation with me?

He smiled and leaned back. “Correct! But my heart hurts that you first recognized me for my enterprises. You don’t even recognize that Maia and I had the same last name.”

“Maia? How do you know her?” I asked, confused. How the hell is Maia related to any of this?

“Good afternoon, Clyden Gonzalo. My name’s Richard Sevida, owner of Sevida Enterprises and Maia’s father.”