Immature Mistakes | mj.q✓

Thirty-Six

Jiaqi sat in the classroom on Monday morning, scribbling some random drawings in his notebook. He wasn't focused on what he was drawing, he was more focused on the issues in his mind.

He looked up when he heard footsteps coming closer to his desk, and was surprised when he saw his old friend Yaowen.

'You're here to argue or something?' Jiaqi asked him after he didn't say a word.

'No, no.' Yaowen quickly answered. 'I'm here to say...I'm sorry.'

Jiaqi blinked at him and didn't say anything. He was waiting for an explanation, because he wasn't sure what Yaowen was exactly apologizing for.

'I'm sorry for how I treated you over what happened. Janine told me the truth.' Yaowen continued.

'Oh.' Jiaqi nodded. 'I guess it's not completely your fault, it was easier for you to believe your cousin than to believe me.' he concluded.

'I should have known you wouldn't go that far.'

'Did she say anything about Ava?' Jiaqi asked in realization, not wanting to have Ava's reputation tarnished with the probable exposure of the actual story.

'What? No. What's Ava got to do with this?'

'Nothing. Its okay.' he sighed in relief.

'You're welcome to join the table if you want to. Everyone will be receptive.' Yaowen shrugged.

'I'll think about it.' Jiaqi answered, although he had a feeling he wasn't going to join them again. Even though he felt he had forgiven them, especially Yaowen, they were probably different now. He actually preferred sitting alone than sitting with his old friends.

'Alright. I'm sorry once again.' Yaowen patted his shoulder before returning to his seat.

Jiaqi grabbed his cellphone and wrote a message to Janine before the classes started: you're not as bad as I thought you were, thanks J

'Jiaqi,' one student rose up. 'We're really sorry for what happened. We're sorry that we didn't believe you. I'm saying this on behalf of the entire class.'

He looked up from his cellphone and looked at the speaker, it was one of the students who was the most bitter about Jiaqi not getting expelled from school.

'It's okay.' Jiaqi assured them. 'A lot of good came out of this anyway.'

His former friends looked at him in shock and embarrassment. The old Jiaqi would have probably been prancing around and telling everyone he told them so, but this one wasn't like that.

...

That afternoon after classes, Jiaqi nervously stood in the hallway. He repeatedly rehearsed what he was going to say, but whatever he said didn't seem good enough.

'Okay the right words will come.' he said to himself and took a deep breath.

Ava walked over to him a while later, gripping the straps of her backpack. 'Hey. I'm here.' he had written her a message that he wanted to see her.

'Hey,' Jiaqi face palmed immediately, already showing how emotional he was. 'Um...I needed to talk about...anyway you know how I soon have to write my final exams right?'

Ava nodded. 'Yeah you have like two months...'

'Right. I really need to prepare because I want to get into Wuying University.' he told her. 'So I won't really have time to hang out.'

'Oh, I understand. I'm rooting for you so go ahead and kill those preparations! Then when you're done we can hang out again.'

'I don't know if that will be possible.' he mumbled.