CHAPTER - 4

The alarm bugged. Jeremy, still covered his face with a blanket, searched his phone with his right hand, snoozed it off. After a minute or so, took out the blanket from his face,

Jere : ( with a shocked face) Today is Monday. ( changing his facial expression) Oh! I hate Monday.

He woke up, rinsing his face in the bathroom. Cooking for himself, with humming. At around half past eight, he saw Lily and Mark standing at the gate.

Mark : Jeremy! What are you still doing? We gonna be late for the school. (Shouting)

Jere : Coming in 2 second. Wait for me a little longer.

Lily : About your 2 second, I thought I heard it when I was 4 years old. Now I'm grown up. When will you come out.

Jere : (Rushing toward them) I'm so sorry. I'll never be late again.

Mark : (Mockingly) You will never learn about punctuality.

Jere : ( Looking at Mark) Do I ever late in the past few days. Everyday, I almost ended up losing my flesh to become a skeleton waiting for you two idiots. (Staring back at Lily) What happen Lily? You look pale. Are you sick.

Mark : No! Her Uncle got accident and been hospitalize.

Jere : Well, that's very bad. Is he stable. Which condition is he in?

Mark : (Jokingly) What? Bad news! No, Mister Jeremy. It's a very good news. Just in case, if her uncle dies, I'm gonna take his boots, his black boots. You know, I like them from the day I say. (Jere and Lily stare him deathly) What! And Jere, don't you like his black Jacket, I thought you fancied that jacket a lot.

Jere : Oh! My. I just remember it. (With an excited face and fanning his neck with his right hand) I can't wait to get his black jacket. (Looking toward Mark) How should we pray, Mark.

Mark : Well, I'm gonna be praying about my boots. I'll asked God to give me my boots as fast as possible. ( With his eyes glittering)

Jere : And I'll pray to God asking him to give my jacket, um… tonight.

Lily : (With a gloomy face) Are you two even my friends?

Mark : FAKE FRIENDS.

Jere : You can call me whatever you like, I don't care until and unless I get my jacket. (Laughing wildly)

Lily : My depression will surely kills me if I stay with you two any longer. You two never understand my bad days, moseying alone will always be the best. I hate my life this day, but you two just make fun of me. I hate you two.

Mark : If you are so depressed, why don't you suicide. You know, it would be so nice to have a drink on your burial ceremony. (Laughing alone vigorously)

Jere : I'll sing you a song on your burial ceremony. Maybe Happy birthday into happy death day. ( Both Mark and Jere laughed wildly)

Lily : Well, why do I see your tears. Why do you act like you miss me already.

Mark : Okay, why don't you die first and we miss you.

Jere : O my God, just thinking about Lily to die, my heart lighten up (His voice change into excitement). I can feel the fresh air. (Touching Lily arm softly) Why don't you suicide today.

Lily : (With a grumpy face) Get lost. (Pushing away Jere hand)

Mark : By the way, Jere, why is that strange idiot, keeps lingering with you.

Lily : You mean… Oliver?

Mark : Yeah.

Jere : He is not an idiot! (After a long pause) Well, he might disturb me a lot but he came to my parent's death anniversary. And he help me, kind of ….. umm…. I don't know.

Mark : Maybe, he likes you. Is he gay?

Lily : (Slapping Mark's arm) Are you nuts? Be serious.

Jere : Well, he is not that an idiot. Maybe, he has a reason to stay close with me. (Shaking his head) Will find out soon.

INSIDE THE CLASS

The bell rang for the first class, Oliver was not yet arriving. Jere was busy looking at the window, searching for Oliver.

Jere : (Calling his classmate in front of him) Why is Oliver not coming today.

Student in front of him : Who cares.

Mark : Missing him already. It's just a month or so, and you felt for him deeply.

Jere : Nonsense. You always take things crazy. (with frown face) I was just wondering if he was okay.

Mark : (Oliver entering the class with a gloomy face, and touching Jere elbow) There he is, your so called boyfriend.

Jere : He is not my boyfriend, Idiot.

The teacher entered the class.

Students : Good morning, sir.

Teacher : Good morning.

Jere : (Looking back at Oliver) Hey, Mark. Why is Oliver looking so gloomy today.

Mark : Stop concerning about him and listen to the lecture.

Teacher : If you add 2 more, the answer becomes 0. Using law of indices and pythagorus theorem, we can easily find the value of hypotenuse.

Jere : (As he look back, he saw Oliver staring at him. So he turn away quickly) Oh, no. (Blushing, he pinched Mark's arm)

Mark : What the hell. (whispering)

Jere : I had an eye contact with Oliver. (Whispering)

Teacher : Mister Oliver, a sole ranger from last line please stand and tell me the value of Sin 30 and Cos20 + Sin2 0 equals to

Oliver : Sin 30 equals to ½ and Cos20 + Sin20 equals to 1

Teacher : Very good. Now, mister Jeremy. You tell me the value of tan 45. (The bell rang)

Jere : Sir the bell rang.

Teacher : Okay, mister lucky. We will continue tomorrow.

RECESS SCENE

After the teacher left, Jere closed his book, keeping inside his bag.

Mark : Wanna go to the bathroom?

Jere : Nope. (Laying down on the desk, covering his head with his hand) Today, I'll have a sound sleep.

Mark : What about Oliver. Is he not gonna disturbed you?

Jere : Today he lose his cool. Maybe he will just stay at his place. (Pushing him with his hand) Hurry up, go away. You disturbed my sleeping.

Mark : Make sure you call me if he disturbed you.

Jere : Just go. (Mark ran along)

Oliver : (Pinching Jere backs and sitting closed to him) Good morning. Why don't you wait for me this morning.

Jere : Go away. Let me sleep in peace.

Oliver : How can I go away.

Jere : I thought you had a bad day this morning.

Oliver : So, you had time to bother about my facial expression.

Jere : It's not like that. Anyway, what happen?

Oliver : Looks like, you have time for my emotion, too.

Jere : Just go away.

Oliver : Can you wake up and tell me where this equation comes from.

Jere : (Waking up) Where? (Oliver shown him) Okay, you must used (a + b)2 equals to a2 + 2ab + b2. After that applied pythagorus theorem. Can you understand?

Oliver : Nope.

Jere : (Repeating the same words) What about now, can you understand?

Oliver : No.

Jere : (Repeating the same old words) Can you understand?

Oliver : No. (smile a little bit)

Jere : I see. You are messing with me.

Oliver : You look so adorable and cute when you are angry. (Squeezing Jere face)

Jere : So, you smile. I thought you had a rough morning.

Oliver : Well, I think depression fears me when I'm around you.

Jere : So, I'm a blessing.

Oliver : Nope, you are my therapist.

Jere : Whatever. (Laying back in his desk) You can go back to your sit.

Mark and Lily came back with Andrew,

Mark : Jere. (Jere wake up) What is he doing here?

Lily : I thought you had a gloomy face while entering the classroom, I see you are smiling now.

Oliver : It's because I'm with my medicine.

Andrew : Hey, Jere. Can we go to the park this evening, after school. Both Lily and Mark will be coming.

Jere : Who else?

Andrew : With my gangster.

Jere : Sorry, I have something else to do.

Mark : Seriously. Can I know it.

Oliver : (Seeing Jere had nothing to say, he backup him) We'll be going to the groceries stores, to buy some noodles.

Jere : Yeah, I'll be going to the groceries with Oliver.

Mark : Well, I will come with you, Jere. (Looking at Andrew) I cancel my plan with you, Andrew. Cause I don't trust this boy ( pointing Oliver)

Andrew : But you already promise to accompanied me.

Lily : Mark, it's okay. Oliver and Jere can tag along. I wanna see the park. (Looking at Andrew) I'll come with you and Mark will come too.

AFTER SCHOOL SCENE

After the last bell rang, they gather up at the school gate.

Mark : Jere, are you sure, you'll be okay with him.

Jere : I'll be fine. You don't have to worry about me.

Mark : Should I just cancel the plan I made with Andrew?

Andrew : Hey, you promise to come along.

Oliver : Mark, we gonna be fine.

Mark : (Pulling Oliver in the sideway) I don't like you.

Oliver : You like Jere….. umm… I mean you love him.

Mark : Is it not that obvious, we are best friend.

Oliver : You love him... not as a friend but..... more than a friend.

Mark : (Grabbing Oliver collar's) what do you know about love.

Oliver : (Taking off Mark's hand by force) But I don't see him loving you back the way you love him. He see you as friend nothing more than that. But your secret is save with me.

Mark : (Looking back) We should be going, let's not waste any more time.

Jere : See you tomorrow, guys.

Andrew gang along with Lily and Mark went toward the park, while Oliver and Jere went another direction.

While walking,

Jere : So, what did Mark say?

Oliver : Nothing. Why do you want to know?

Jere : Sometimes, he overprotected me. He didn't see me growing up. I'm capable of taking care of myself.

Oliver : That's enough. Why don't you tell me the reason?

Jere : What reason?

Oliver : Why don't you wanna go with them?

Jere : What is there to see. Andrew will hook up with Lily. Having some sort of romantic scene. I hate to see all those stuff.

Oliver : So, you don't believe in love?

Jere : Why would I? (He chuckles) Love doesn't exist.

Oliver : Just because you don't feel the love from another person, that doesn't proof that love doesn't exist. Sometimes, you have to believe in love.

Jere : What if I don't believe?

Oliver : You'll be feeling guilty when love comes to you.

Jere : Disgusting. (Changing the subject) We plan to have a dinner together this coming Saturday night at my house. Wanna be part of it.

Oliver : Who else is coming?

Jere : No one else. Only Mark and Lily.

Oliver : That sounds amazing. If it is a personal invitation from you, how can I ignore it.

They walked along the road.

DINNER AT JEREMY HOUSE IN SATURDAY NIGHT

Mark and Lily being busy cooking, stewing and baking, while Jere was a little bit worried.

Lily : What happen, Jeremy? You expect another guest.

Jere : Yeah! Oliver should be here by now. What happen to him, it's already pass 7 pm.

Mark : So you invited him.

Jere : Yeah.

The door was knocked, Jere hurried toward the door and opened it.

Jere : What take you so long?

Oliver : I lost the way.

Mark : So, the diva will be with us.

Lily : Stop making fun of him. (Looking at Oliver) Hey, Oliver. Why don't you come and help me out with these noodles.

Oliver : (Keeping his bag in the table) Why not. I'm ready for anything.

Mark : If you are ready with anything, why don't you go to the school, touch the gate and come back here.

Jere : Stop that nonsense, Mark.

Oliver : Well, I'm too old for such a childish game, Mark. Why don't you update your mind a little bit. Making such a lame words to challenge me.

Jere : Stop it.

Mark : Make him stop, Jeremy. And why did you invite him anyway.

Lily : Well, Oliver doesn't have any friends yet. So it is our duty to make him welcome into our gang.

After everything is done, Lily and Oliver placed all the food that is being cook in the table.

Oliver : I bring some coke. (Going toward his bag pack, taking out his coke. Placing at the table) Here, you can have it.

Jere : Come on, let's dig in.

Mark : Great, I have to eat with the loser.

Oliver : Who would that be. The loser?

Mark : Obviously, you.

Jere : Mark, can you stop making troubles.

Lily : If you wanna fight, go outside. Don't disturb my eating.

Oliver : (Looking at Mark, while Mark kept staring him back, he took some noodles from his bowl with his spoon and gave it to Jeremy) Here, Jere. Eat with all you can.

Lily : I'll do the toast. A toast for Jeremy, for allowing us to have dinner together.

Mark : (Forcing himself to get the noodles out from Jere bowl) I don't trust him, Jere. You shouldn't be eating these.

Jere : What is the meaning of this, Mark. Why do you keep behaving awkward.

Mark : As long as Oliver is here.

Jere : What did he do? Huh. Tell me, I'm all ears.

Mark : He try to tear us apart.

Jere : Why would he do that. Infact, he is the one who accompanied me on Monday, when you and Lily ran behind Andrew.

Lily : Do I need to be a part of the argument.

Mark and Jere : SHUT UP. (Shouting)

Mark : Well, it is you who don't wanna tag along.

Jere : So, you call that protection. You act like you protect me while you do what I hate. Or should I call it betraying me behind my back. (Shouting)

Mark : From the day Oliver came into our life, everything change.

Jere : What did he do to change us?

Mark : The problem is not you, Jeremy. The problem is this scoundrel, Oliver.

Jere : Well, to me, he is not the problem. The problem is you.

Mark : If he didn't leave the gang, I'll leave.

Jere : Be my guest. I have no objection in that.

Mark : So, everytime we fight, you gonna take his side. Okay. We are finished.

Oliver : Wait, Mark. I don't wanna come between your friendship. I'll leave first.

Jere : No one is leaving this house without my permission.

Mark : Well, then stop me. (Going toward his bag, taking it and hoisted on his back, storming through the door)

Jere : Come back. (Running behind him)

Oliver : (Seeing Lily eating calmly) I see you eating calmly.

Lily : Well, it's not the end of the world, afterall.

Oliver : They are fighting because of me.

Lily : Hey, it's not their first fight. They are boys, they fight, the next day they forget everything. So, be chill. Everything gonna be alright.

Jere : (Coming back from the door) He left.

Lily : Everything's gonna be alright. He'll forget everything in the morning. Come and dine with us.

Oliver : Well, I'll take my leave.

Lily : Nah! You'll help me clean the dishes.

END OF EPISODE 4