Chapter Twelve

I am not the nerdy type but I guess it would sound nerdy if I said that I like attending classes. I don't pressure myself in my studies but I don't also joke around about it. I see myself as the middle ground between an academic genius and a happy-go-lucky blockhead. I also like class dismissed as much as I like attending them.

And finally! The last class for today has ended.

"Hey yo! Justin, let's go! I'm starving." Sancho called out as he headed to the door and out of the classroom.

I walk to him and we head off to the cafeteria. Once we were there, we ordered food and joined the rest of the gang at our usual table. Sancho and I have a different class schedule from the others this semester though we have the same subjects. Luckily, we have some time to meet after classes.

"Haist! Being in the graduating class is even more stressful than last year." Roby complained.

"You said it. We have fewer classes but more work. Not only do we need to have some internship, but we have to submit a research paper." Chris agreed.

"It already feels stressful. And we are not even starting yet." Sancho added.

"Yeah... Hey Chris? Isn't that your girlfriend over there?" Patrick noticed changing the subject.

Chris turned to where Patrick was looking at. However, I noticed Chris looked different like he was unhappy to see her.

"Yeah, it is Elaine. But, we're not together anymore." Chris admits.

All of us turned to him in shock. Chris had been dating Elaine for over a year which is a long time compared to his previous relationships.

"Why? What happened?" Patrick voiced our question. Chris sighed then said...

"She said she needs an upgrade."

Ouch. That must have hurt.

"Damn. Girls these days. They just can't be satisfied." Sancho scoffs.

"Well, the good news is you're a free man now. You'll get over it and find someone else." Patrick encourages.

"Now, only Justin is the only one among us with a girlfriend." Roby suddenly mentions me.

I guess this is, the perfect opportunity.

"Actually, all of us are single now." I finally said.

As expected, everyone besides Sancho looked at me dumbfounded.

"No way! You're not joking around, are you? You're not just saying that to make me feel better?" Chris exclaims.

"What happened? I thought you two were going well." Patrick asks.

"I guess she wants an upgrade too." I simply respond.

"So... I guess the rumor I heard earlier is true," Roby speaks.

"What rumor?" I ask.

"That Aria had transferred to another university outside of Metro Manila," he answered.

So my speculation was right. She did try to disappear.

"Well, I knew she moved out of her apartment. So I guess that must be true." I explained.

"So... the break up was a bad one?" Chris questions.

Well, the real answer to that question is complicated. It will open the topic of cheating and how I was replaced by a lesbian. I don't want to bad mouth Aria any more than what I had already mentioned.

Besides, I want to cut her off some slack. I think she is too ashamed to see me after getting played by that snake. That is why she left to disappear instead. I don't want her to learn that I found out about her break up with that snake shortly after she chose her over me.

"You can say that," I said without giving anything away.

"Wow. That's two break-up news for today." Patrick comments.

With that, that topic ended. I looked at Sancho and he was beaming. It looks to me like he has some good news to share. Nice of him to change the mood.

"Well, you don't have to worry much about Justin here. He got set up by his brother on a blind date last Saturday."

My heart dropped at what Sancho said.

Damn you, Sancho!

"Really? That's great!" Roby said with enthusiasm.

"Who did you go out with?" Chris asked.

Of all the questions Chris could have asked...

"He went out with the cousin... of his brother's girlfriend. Is that right, Justin?" Sancho answered for me with a bit of hesitation.

"Yeah," I answered meekly.

"Cool! So how did it go?" Patrick asked obviously interested to know.

I answered the first word that came into my mind when I think of that night.

"Terrible."

All of them looked at me as if I had suddenly grown another eye.

"Oh come on! Justin, bro! You don't have to be that biased." Sancho chides.

"I am not." I defended.

"Really? Are you sure you are not exaggerating just because you are still in the brokenhearted phase?" Sancho speculated.

"She was really horrible. She got on my nerves. I even walked out on her." I complained.

"Well, if that girl got someone calm like Justin riled up, I guess she is terrible." Chris remarked. Thank you, Chris! Thank you for understanding.

"It's hard to find decent girls nowadays. They either toy with you or just be a horrible bitch at you." Roby fretted.

"Yeah, I'm glad Claire isn't like that." Patrick mused.

I almost face-palmed myself. Buddy, if only you knew that she was the one we were talking about in the past minute.

"So you two are dating now?" Sancho asks.

"No, but we're almost there." Patrick proclaimed.

Damn! It seems to me Patrick does not know that the evil snake is lesbian. Wait.... then that means she's toying with Patrick. But why would she toy with Patrick if she's interested in girls? What ulterior motives that she have for getting close to Patrick? Or is it Patrick the one confused here? Maybe he assumed that the evil snake might have feelings for him.

But whatever it might be, I can't directly tell Patrick about it. He will suspect me. If I told him about what went down between me and Aria, he may not believe me. We'll just fight. I must think of another way to let Patrick know the truth. Yes, that is what I should do. I need to hatch a plan for this.

"Kuya Justin!" I suddenly heard my brother's voice calling me. I turned to look at him and saw him and Diane walking their way to our table.

"Justin, who are they?" Chris asks before Ryan and Diane reach us. I greeted the new arrivals before introducing them to the guys.

"Guys, this is my brother, Ryan, and his girlfriend, Diane." I introduced. The guys greeted them. 

Then I proceeded to introduce the guys to Ryan and Diane. They all greeted each other warmly.

Just as I was about to offer the two to sit. A phone rang loudly. Diane reached into her pocket to get her phone and looked at the caller ID.

"Uhm... excuse me. I have to take this call." Diane excuses herself and walks a few steps from us.

I offered Ryan to sit beside me and he did. He moved a little to save a space for Diane. Just a few seconds later, Diane walked back to us.

"Ryan, what do you call this place we are now?" Diane asks.

"This is the school cafeteria near the campus square," I answered for Ryan.

"Okay. Thanks, Kuya!" Diane said then she placed the phone back at her ear.

"I'm at the school cafeteria near the campus square," she told the person at the other end of the line.

Suddenly Diane's eyebrows furrowed.

"What do you mean I have to be more specific? Wait... what? Nevermind? Why? Oh! You can already see me!" Diane exclaims as she looks around.

All of a sudden, I feel my feet run cold. Diane is new here so there is only one other person on this campus that can already have her phone number. I saw my friends' eyes go wide as if they all spotted something surprising. Ryan gave me a subtle nudge.

I didn't want to look but my curiosity to know if what I'm assuming is right got the best of me. And indeed... I didn't make a mistake.

Walking towards us is the woman who ruined my life.