"Class dismissed," Ma'am Femie announced before tidying up her belongings. Meanwhile, my classmates removed the Manila papers pinned to the walls as we just finished our report.
I wasn't grouped with Genesis and Ezekiel because we were divided, and I ended up partnered with Isaiah and Leo.
Once Ma'am left, almost everyone in the room heaved a sigh of relief, not entirely satisfied with their presentations. We all stood up as the bell rang, as it was customary for us to say the Angelus prayer before heading home. You know how it is in a Parochial school, where prayers are abundant. Sometimes, we even have mass.
"The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary," someone started.
"And she conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit," we responded.
After our solemn prayer, I promptly organized my belongings and placed them neatly in my bag. I smoothed out my uniform and adjusted its collar.
Isaiah looped his arm through mine, flashing me a wide grin. Leo joined us as we exited the campus. He had become closer to my friends, so he had become one of mine as well. He's kind, though sometimes reserved and distant. I wonder what's on his mind?
"You did great on your report," Isaiah commended, beaming.
"Yeah, you should've been in our group with Gen," Ezekiel added.
Genesis chuckled at Ezekiel's remark. I glanced at Leo, who was walking behind Ezekiel, but he remained silent.
"You're unusually quiet today, Leo. Last week, we saw you and Yvan sharing food at the canteen," Isaiah teased, catching me looking at Leo. It's strange because it's been a few days, and Leo has been silent, not the usual Leo who always pesters me. Tsk! He's actually quite nice. Isaiah dragged Leo over to me, positioning us side by side. The two of them clapped, while Gen just laughed. What kind of nonsense is this? I glared at each of them, except for Genesis because she's a girl, and she's quite delicate and kind.
"Ouch!" Isaiah exclaimed with a grin as I pinched him.
I just gave them a stern look. Once we descended the stairs and fell into silence because Director Bemon, a priest known for his strictness, was nearby. No one dared to challenge Father, even if they were rich. We all respectfully bowed as we passed by him and Father Eric, who is also a priest and the principal of the school.
"You guys are late!" Father Eric said with a smile. The two priests laughed, surprising my friends and me. It's rare to hear them laugh because they're usually serious or emotionless, so we're always scared of them, even other students.
"It seems like you're angry, Mr. Pacheco," Father Bemon said with a mischievous glint in his eye.
"No, Father. I find my friend here amusing," I replied, shooting Isaiah a stern look, which made him gulp nervously. Haha! I didn't expect Isaiah to be nervous. Tsk!
"The adviser mentioned that you might be the valedictorian for the entire Grade 10," Father Bemon continued, crossing his arms and looking straight at me. I broke into a sweat.
"Not yet sure, Father," I replied modestly, smiling at him. He nodded approvingly and then released a deep sigh.
"Oh, yeah!" Father Eric interjected.
"Okay, before I forget, I offer my condolences on the loss of your father, son," Father Bemon said with a somber tone. Suddenly, he turned his head and looked at Leo. I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that Leo had been so quiet for the past few days because his father had passed away. My friends and I exchanged puzzled glances at Leo's direction.
"We're leaving. Take care!" they bid us goodbye, and they made their way into the school.
"OH.MY.GOSH!" Isaiah exclaimed. Luckily, Father had already walked away, so they didn't hear Isaiah's exclamation. Tsk!
"Are there any candies there? I'm bringing some bread. Perfect!" I sighed at Isaiah's statement. No one responded to him. No one spoke. All I heard was the sound of our footsteps. Isaiah stopped talking too because Ezekiel signaled him to stop.
"We offer our condolences," Ezekiel said, and Isaiah nodded in agreement before they hopped on a tricycle. They waved as the tricycle drove away.
"Shall we walk together?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. Ahhh! Why can't I speak up? It's not like I'm to blame for his father's death, but I still feel guilty because I was rude to him. Ah, life, we never know when God will take us. I just hope that before Leo's father passed away, he fulfilled his duty as a father to his son.
A/N:
Short update!
Please vote and comment even though this chapter is short!
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Flame-kissed Hearts
General FictionR-18 | COMPLETED | BxB UNDER EDITING Ever since he was born, Jeremiah Yvan Pacheco has been self-reliant. He was still rather young; therefore, he most likely also desired a man. It's fortunate for him that he has a sibling who supports him, even th...
