Entry #30: Friends

JASMINE'S POV

I wasn't sure if flowers would suffice, but at least we came up with something. It was funny how the flowers came from their garden.

Simon should've told us it was his birthday. It was probably the real reason why he suggested gathering at his house. Then again, he was probably too shy to say it.

Roxanne handed the roses to me. "You should hand it to Kuya."

"What? Why me?"

I shifted my gaze to Nick and forcefully placed the flowers in his hand. "You should do it. You're bros."

"What the fuck?"

He handed the flowers to me, and I refused to take them. Rox laughed and refused the flowers too.

"Fuck!"

"I didn’t know you could swear," I commented.

He snapped a look at me. "You and your sister are making me swear!"

His misery was my happiness. What could I do about it?

We entered the mansion. As soon as we saw Simon, we sang the happy birthday song, which froze him at where he stood.

I kept pushing Nick to hand the flowers, and he vehemently refused. I pushed him again until he had no choice but to walk near Simon.

He unemotionally handed the flowers. "Happy birthday, bro."

Simon couldn’t speak. His eyes kept moving around, avoiding any eye contact with us.

His mother got emotional like she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Rox and I loudly greeted.

"Why didn’t you tell us it's your birthday? We could've prepared something," I told Simon.

"I didn't feel the need to," he replied.

That made me sad, somehow.

"Welcome! Come, sit, sit."

Simon's mother looked extra cheerful as she made us sit on the couch.

"Mrs. Tejeros, we apologize for stealing some roses," Rox said, her tone unapologetic and carefree.

I nearly smacked her, but I walked away from violence because Simon's mom was around.

Mrs. Tejeros smiled. "No, no, I'm glad you did. I am so happy that you did. We'll have dinner in a minute. Simon's dad is gonna be here at any second."

She glanced at Simon and gave a sweet smile. I could see that Simon grew up with so much love from his parents. His mom was a very sweet person, and she was friendly too.

I gasped quietly when Simon's dad arrived. He looked familiar to me.

At dinner, I remained quiet because I thought about why he looked familiar. And finally, when I remembered him, I subconsciously pointed my finger at him.

"Chief Tejeros!"

Everyone halted and stared at me, confused.

Nick dragged my hand down. "That's rude."

"I'm surprised you know Malita's Chief of Police," he said with a formal tone.

"We're actually from Malita, Sir. It's not that long since we moved to Caburan City."

Rox and Nick looked shocked when they learned Simon's father was the Chief of Police in Malita.

"That might be the reason you look familiar," he commented.

My eyes sparked with curiosity.

"We already met each other, Sir," I said.

He stared at me, trying to recall where he had met me.

"My dad's funeral."

The whole atmosphere instantly became heavy when I said that. His forehead had a slight furrow. Out of the many funerals he attended, he was trying to remember which was my dad's.

"Detective Donito, Sir."

I saw how his eyes widened.

"You're his daughter?"

I looked at Rox. "We are."

He sighed. "I'm so sorry for your loss."

And I knew, my whole body and soul knew, it was inappropriate to ask what I wanted to ask at that table during Simon's birthday, but I couldn't help it.

"Do you believe he took his own life?"

I felt Rox kicking me underneath the table.

"Nevermind that, Chief Tejeros," Rox stepped in.

The chief looked at me with an expression I couldn't decipher.

My question was forgotten when everyone started chatting. But I hadn't forgotten it. I planned to bring it up again when I had the chance. After dinner, we gathered inside Simon's room.

"What was that about?" Nick asked.

I looked at him cluelessly.

"Your dad committed suicide?"

"That's what they said," nonchalantly, I replied. "I don't believe it."

"Do you wanna talk about it? What do you have? What made you think that way?"

Nick was logical. He didn't easily believe things without facts. I understood that, and that particular trait was always useful in our investigation.

However, as a friend, and especially because it was about my dad, his skepticism would hurt.

I eyed Rox before answering. "Oh, nothing, just some fictitious memories I made up."

"Seriously?" he said, disappointed.

"Seriously," I replied before changing the course of the conversation. "We need a plan. We need to get Sir Aresso."

A few seconds later, we awkwardly turned our heads to the door.

Simon croaked, "Mom, you're scaring them."

She chuckled and gestured her hands to tell us not to mind her.

"Seriously, Mom?"

"I'm just happy watching you guys talk."

Simon sighed in frustration and stood up. He dragged his mom away. When he came back, he apologized.

"She thought you guys are my friends."

"Aren't we?" Rox exclaimed.

"Are you?" He asked back.

"Unless you don’t see us the same way we see you," I told him.

He looked surprised. "Since when?"

"What do you mean when?" I asked, confused.

"Since when did we become friends?"

He frustrated me just as how Roxanne and Nickle annoyed me.

"Simon, becoming friends with someone cannot be determined with a date or time."

I couldn't believe I had to explain.

"Friendship is a result of a gradual process called spending time together, sharing secrets, and all that. There's no exact time when it happens. It just happens."

"So you are– you are my friends?"

I needed to palm my forehead, or else I would resort to punching him.

"Is that even a question?" Nick said in irritation.

I had always felt like more than his desire to find Angel's killer, Simon just wanted someone to be with, and that was the real reason he decided to help the investigation.

I could be wrong.

Sometimes, what was easy for most people could be the hardest for someone else. Like how Simon found making friends the hardest, which was easy for most of us.

After brainstorming, Nick and Simon teamed up to formulate the plan. We discussed every danger, every hole, and every variation like we were studying a chess game.

After a thorough discussion, we fell silent.

"I'm scared."

When Rox admitted her fright, it was contagious. I caught the fright too.

Simon touched his eyeglasses. His lips trembled as he said, "Me too."

"Okay, this is your last chance to back out. You don't have to do this with me."

"We started this together," Nick commented. "The four of us should finish this too."

The danger lurked around. The risk of losing our lives was also lurching in our minds, scaring us even more.

But we had to see this through.