C5 CHAPTER FIVE

It had been over a week since Bells resumed for another session. The new students were getting accustomed to the school system while the old students went about their activities with the different dramas happening in the school.

The school was already in full swing after one week, everyone attended classes and for the students who were in their final year; many had started making plans for the colleges and universities they wanted to go to.

“You still haven’t fill your college application form?” Janet asked Ria who shrugged her shoulders.

“I’ll fill it later” Ria said as Zara shook her head.

“I see. Any school you choose will of course give you admission, that’s why you taking it lightly” Zara said and Ria laughed.

“Nope. That’s not why. I need to discuss with my mom first” Ria said and Penny grinned and laughed.

“Since when did you become mommy’s girl?” she asked and the girls burst into laughter.

“What do you mean?” Ria asked laughing as well.

“I was always mommy’s girl” Ria said again and the girls burst into laughter.

“You and Gabriel hasn’t talked about this yet as well?” Ava asked and Ria frowned a little.

“About what?” Ria asked.

“Your college application” Ava replied.

“He’ll probably want to go to a soccer school which of course you can’t go to except he gets into some top notch soccer school. Have you guys talked about you are gonna work it out?” Ava asked as she continued.

“You might pick Yale or anywhere else but have you guys talked about how you will work your relationship if your universities end up being far from each other? You are gonna have to deal with a long distance relationship” Ava said and Ria didn’t reply as she continued munching on her hamburger.

“Ohh, sorry I said that” Ava said seeing how Ria wasn’t replying.

“But you should really take Ava’s advice. I don’t think the both of you can deal with a long distance relationship” Zara said and Penny turned to her.

“So? Are you asking her to break up with Gabriel?” Penny asked and Zara sighed.

“Of course not. That’s what Ava is saying. They should talk about it” Zara replied as she took a sip of her juice.

“What’s more, since Ria hasn’t chosen or filled her form yet; if she and Gabriel talk about it; Ria would have a better understanding of which university to pick” Zara added and Penny nodded.

“Ohh, I get your point” Penny said as she glanced at Ria who still remained silent.

The rest of the lunch turned awkward as Ria kept her silence. She ate her lunch without saying a word to any of her friends. Of course they didn’t know anything.

Why on earth would she choose a school near Gabriel’s? Or try to attend a school near his?

Ria scoffed inwardly, she was going to wait for him to come back and follow him to wherever he was going. She had no idea of when he was coming back but she knew he was definitely going to come back.

And there was no way she was telling her friends she was waiting for him to come back so that she could also choose the university or college he wanted to go to; after all he was her enemy.

The only one who didn’t like her and openly showed it. The one that they never failed to exchange words with each other if they ran into each other. He disliked her so much that each time she exchanged insults with him; she was devastated.

But for a year now, he had disappeared and no one knew his whereabouts. Although his childhood and best friend, Jason still came to school; Ria didn’t have the courage to walk up to him and ask about him.

She had even tried to walk up to him several times in the past year but changed her mind at the last minute. Besides, no one could know she liked him, it was a secret she was going to carry to her grave.

She stood up as soon as she finished eating and started walking out of the cafeteria. The girls rose to their feet and walked after her as they walked into the hallway.

Suddenly there was a commotion and Ria looked around with a frown. She couldn’t guess who could cause such a commotion in the school. She was almost the only one who could.

“What’s going on?” Penny asked as Zara looked around.

“I don’t know. It’s probably someone they are shouting about” Zara replied.

“Who else is capable enough to draw this amount of attention?” Penny asked as she looked around again.

“People are coming out of their classes, whoever this is, I really want to know” Penny added as Ava brought out her camera.

“I think I should take dramatic pictures for the school union homepage” Ava said and Ria almost laughed.

The crowded teenagers suddenly gave way and Ria froze as she saw him walking through the hallway, everyone’s eyes fixed on him. She could hear gasps from Zara and Penny while Ava clicked her camera.

Ria felt her heartbeat pick up, he was here! He was actually walking the school hallway, his hands in his pockets. He was walking calmly as usual as if he wasn’t the one who caused the commotion and made everyone rushed out of their classes.

Ria swallowed her saliva. She almost forgot that there was another person who could cause a commotion like this. She had forgotten since he disappeared for a year. He could as well cause a commotion.

“Oh my god! Its Damien Otava!” someone yelled.