Metanoia: A Change of Heart

Chapter III ~ Joshua

"At least we're all happy at the moment."

We? That reminds me, "Where's Kennard?"

He looked away. "He is talking with his stepfather."

I remembered the quote my father had said. My heart ached.

"Silva!" Gabe, one of my classmates and good friend, called.

"Yep?"

"There you are," he was catching his breath as he got near. He was chubby with thick lenses. "I looked for you in the whole school now here you are right where I started."

"What's the matter?"

He took a deep breath and sat between Fredd and me. Fredd moved a little because Gabe was sweaty. "Wait, just give me a second please."

"What planet do you live? How long is your second? More than a couple passed while I'm saying this." Fredd said.

"Okay, okay!" Gabe annoyingly looked at Fredd. "First of all I am here for Joshua, not you. Secondly," he looked at me. "Our club moderator told me to find you and give you this. It's a membership form for the student publication. She wants you to join."

The paper was a formal application letter. "Why me? I don't know anything about writing."

"No, you won't write, idiot!" He paused to study me and his word. "Well, not idiot," he growled, giving up. "You know what I mean. Anyway, you won't be writing. You will be a layout artist."

Never knew someone knew that I had good knowledge with computer and I enjoyed editing. "I am not sure, man."

"Accept it, bro." Stephen, Gabe's friend, laughed as he approached us. "More reasons to be excused in classes."

Gabe looked up at him with disgusting look.

"Why do you look so sweaty? I told you start looking here."

Gabe stood up. "I did! But they weren't here the first time I checked." He sat down again and faced me. "Please accept the offer. Don't make my effort go to waste."

"Most efforts are turned to waste," Fredd shook his head sideways. He pulled alot of random quotes most of the times. Wait, what if it was him who'd made the popsicle stick? What are you talking about, Josh! You're crazy.

I reconsidered the offer. "I'll fill this up." Mrs.Tobi, the moderator of the student publication, was actually nice and I got good grades when she was my teacher in English last year.

"Thanks!" Stephen got the form and smiled. "See you soon, Mister Layout Artist."

"Are you layouting too?" I asked out of my curiosity.

"I do the photography." Gabe recovered from exhaustion, now standing with pride.

"And my job is to finalize the edits--layout artist editor-in-chief. More like what you do. It's a great privilege to be the boss of my batch's over-all top two." He patted my head.

I smirked. "You're my boss now?"

"Sort of," he shrugged and smirked too.

"We still need to find these people!" Gabe ranted at the list of names written in his notebook. "Sorry, but we have to go."

Stephen stretched his hands upward and smirked. "Being the boss comes with a lot of responsibilities."

Gabe smacked his temple. "Stop with the false boasty! We have work to do, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," Stephen nodded. "Bye, Joshua! Oh, and don't worry, I will introduce you to the hot lower classmen girls and if you want, we have lots in the club!" Gabe was half dragging him out.