Looks like someone's developing feelings toward someone already!
I guess it will be the same on this one ;)
What is it that Xavier doesn't realize yet?
Find out! ;)
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Chapter 21 - Remembering The First Day || Cassidy's P.O.V.
I looked at my paper again. And again.
I looked at Mrs. Ross but she was smiling at all of us. Then I looked at my paper again.
Did I miss a class or something? I looked at my paper closely.
To a good trip with Connor, Merry Christmas!
I mean, did she find out? Was she watching live when we were at the fashion show? Was she even at home at that time? Usually teachers go home after three hours when the school ended.
I looked at Mrs. Ross again. She must have noticed my odd behavior when she looked at me in the eyes and smiled.
I smiled weakly back.
When I heard Mr. Ricarpo's speech, it made my stomach worse.
I'm excited to see the photos that we did yesterday. I want to see the smiling faces of the kids, the excited expressions and the hungry eyes.
Today is the most confusing last day for winter break ever. I mean, usually when it's last day of the break, we would go crazy and make the teachers give up teaching and let us go noise around.
How could I go noise around with my friends when I have two problems?
One, Mrs. Ross is one sneaky teacher. Two, Mr. Ricarpo has a one sneaky photographer yesterday.
The bell rang, making all of us impatient to get out of the classroom as soon as possible.
"Have a Merry Christmas, kids!" Mrs. Ross smiled to us, this time, her teeth was showing. She has nice, white teeth for a person like her. She removed her glasses and hummed a Christmas song.
I put the paper inside my bag and closed it.
"Isn't your bag a nightmare," Clarissa said once I stood up. I know that I don't fix my bag as often as the others do but as long as I can still find things I needed at my bag, then I won't be cleaning it anytime soon.
"You won't find anything like it," Reese cheerfully said.
"Come on, I want to see the pictures outside." I motioned them to follow me and they just rolled their eyes.
Last night, I did a three-way phone call and told them my night at the village. The three of us fell asleep at two in the morning after the phone call. I didn't tell them about riding with Connor on the way home since I know Clarissa was over it and it would make things worse since Reese might use it against me whenever I bring out a topic about him and Jessie.
"I promise you, no one's going to see those pictures earlier than us," Clarissa scoffed.
That's true. No one really looks closely at the pictures but now, it will change. For me, that is.
I wonder if they pictured us having a prayer and all of us eating dinner together.
When I finally came to the board near the gate, Clarissa was right. No one was there. A smile formed on my face when I saw pictures of volunteers teaching the kids on the chalkboard that we brought on the truck. There were a lot of hands raised on the other picture. The picture beside it probably is the kid who answered it right and got a prize. I wonder if that's the one we packed that included school supplies or is it a new pair of slippers.
My eyes went to the east side and saw more pictures. On the top, it was a picture when we were handing out goodies. There were five lines and you can see the kids' smiling faces. There was a picture of Connor, Josh, and Nick looking busy. Then below the picture was a picture of Xavier and Asher getting more goodies behind and I was smiling while handing out my plastic bag. Wait, is that really me?
"Look who's smiling," Reese teased me and pointed at the picture. Clarissa came closer and looked at me evilly.
"Stop pointing at it. People will notice." I removed his index finger from the picture and continued admiring the photos.
Below the picture was another photo about me and Xavier. Asher's back was facing the camera and Xavier and I looked at each other. Wait, what were we doing there? It looked like we were ... smiling to each other. I didn't remember that part. But then, it's impossible to Photoshop that. I mean, who would bother photo shopping a picture of me and Xavier.
Ah, I regained my memory now. I wasn't smiling at him. I was smiling because the kid said something silly about Xavier being handsome and I laughed at his joke just as I was getting my plastic bag, maybe that time Xavier was handing out his and smiled at what the kid said.
I rolled my eyes and quickly looked at the picture below. The staffs were opening umbrellas. Next one was the faculties were readying the dinner tables. After that is my favorite. We were all covered with transparent umbrellas like we were all stuck in a big scary circle, except we were enjoying every moment. I grinned when I looked at the last picture. It was the kid saying a prayer and the photo captured all of us standing with our heads bowed. The kid wore a plain white shirt with little holes on the bottom and his shorts' blue color was fading out. His shoes isn't in a nice condition if you look very closely, I guess the picture didn't really narrow his outfit for us to notice the small things. I sighed as I remembered how tiring that day was and it was the reason why I am feeling sleepy today.
It was worth it.
"I wonder if Mr. Ricarpo really writes the message boards every time," Reese wondered out loud.
There was a message board on the middle along the pictures on the side.
Yesterday was yet another success at the Jaigara village. Faculties, staffs, and volunteers came to join the rocky road trip to deliver what we collected for the Christmas Spirit.
There were more than a hundred people living on such small village. When the excited kids saw the volunteers come out the woods that lead a hidden passageway to the village, their eyes were pure ecstasy.
When we came there, the teachers taught them simple math and other kinds of education. The staffs prepared the things accordingly and volunteers distributed food, clothing, and school supplies; simple basic things that they can't afford.
We shared a farewell dinner together with a special prayer with a kid named Kris Shrecteer , age nine. He delivered a touching prayer before we all sat down and ate a simple dish together. We all had the same food upon us and had the same outfit, nothing extravagant. There was no rich or poor, just one happy family having a dinner together whether rain or shine.
I want to thank all of you for such donations that we have broken a record for having the most amount of money donated, $44,979.30! All of this would have not been possible for you, the faculties, staffs, and the volunteers. Thank you for another year of sharing our blessings to others.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, Desdenians!
There was nothing written after that. Nothing that mentioned who wrote it. There was no credit for who wrote it.
I was about to say that Mr. Ricarpo didn't come with us for the trip but I stayed silent. I'm not really sure if he came or not since I didn't noticed him. Should I notice him yesterday?
"I think Ms. Marvil wrote that since you know, department heads wrote everything on the message boards. From Science Clubs to -" Clarissa told us but my mind was drifted off.
Hm, she has a point since I saw Ms. Marvil at the trip yesterday.
I wonder if they haven't really noticed why our truck delayed. Did the driver tell them the reason? If he did, we would probably be in the Principal's office again to tell Mr. Ricarpo what happened. But he didn't summon us. Yet.
"Anyway, didn't your parents ask you why you were home late last night?" Clarissa suddenly asked me.
"I told Sasha to tell them if they ever asked," I said nonchalantly and quickly changed the topic. None of them knows about my parents, one of the reasons why I am me right now. I should have thank them even because they made me speak out what I want to be and made me brave enough to help others rather than living my life with pleasing people.
"Come on, we don't want to skip our break." Reese led us to our tree, sitting quietly while I saw a bird chirping above.
"Isn't it nice to hear the birds sing once in a while?" Reese smiled at us.
Both Clarissa and I look at each other, dubious of what Reese has on his sleeves.
"Is it just me or you're very cheery today." Clarissa raised her eyebrow.
"Yeah, I noticed that, too," I said but deep inside I felt guilty of distracting myself thinking about the car ride with Connor and not notice anything about Reese sudden change of mood.
"What? I-I am not. Pfft. I'm just being my same old," Reese closed his eyes as he took a bite of his sandwich.
"Is it because of someone I know? Specifically a girl. Which name starts with J. Who is a part of a cheer-"
"Sssh. Just sshhhhhhhhhhhhhh." Reese raised his index finger and put it in Clarissa's glossy lips, which I guess she will have to "re-apply" later, no doubt.
"Reese is guilty," I said as I ate my lollipop.
While having a laugh with my friends or having Clarissa tease Reese who is now as red as a tomato, I saw the guys going over to the board.
I scoffed as I remembered their changing attitudes towards the kids who had a fight that I stopped, no thanks to the guys, and their kindness towards the others at the village. Somehow, it made my stomach knot inside. I tried to push away that thought while I was in the truck but I got the same feeling when I took a ride with Connor last night.
Somehow, it made the guys look adorable talking innocently and with care to the kids.
Argh, what am I saying.
"N-no! No! Don't touch me! No!" Someone screamed.
I frowned as I tried to listen where the sound came from and I quickly left the tree when I followed the scream.
I ran and ran until I saw a girl and a boy alone outside of the cafeteria.
"Just give me my homework!" The guy threatened, his voice was soft enough for the whole cafeteria hear nothing but enough for me to hear everything.
"Now, what a gentleman, are we?" I spoke up.
It's been a long time since I did something like this before, I mean, I don't like it when someone just tries to scare off poor kids but at times like this, it made me remind myself why I should remind the other kids as well to stand up for themselves.
The guy didn't turn around to look at me, his hands on the wall, cornering the girl.
The girl whimpered but when she saw me, I can see in her eyes that she's scared. A tear escaped from her left eye when the guy tightened his grip.
"Stop hurting her or you'll lose one thing that makes you a man," I growled as I whispered in his ears.
"Back off, Jones," the guy said, he's probably a senior since he doesn't seem scared of me.
"One more time, don't hurt the girl-" I tried again but a voice behind us made the guy chickened out.
"Hands off the girl, Drick."
It was Xavier.
And I heard someone behind him snickered. Oh, he was with the guys. Wait, he is always with the guys. I don't even think I saw him alone at the school.
"Aren't you a gentleman?" Drick-which-I-learned-thanks-to-nobody mimicked me.
I got to admit, he did a bad effort of mimicking me which made me think if I really sound like that.
"I don't think your girlfriend would want to see you in that position, right? I mean, she can appear anywhere looking for you right now, bro," Xavier said slowly.
"Oh, shit, is she coming here? I got to go and make sure." Soon, Drick backed off the girl as if nothing happened.
Drick and Xavier did a handshake just like he did with Connor at the Fashion Show. In which reminds me that I should start packing later. Ugh, I hate packing, especially if I don't like where I am going which I don't have a choice but to go.
Since I don't know what to do to the guys, I hurried to the girl.
"Are you okay?" I asked her softly.
The girl nodded and massaged her wrists.
"Do you need to go to the clinic?" I looked at her in the eyes. She looks like a freshman. I wonder if anyone heard her scream since even I heard it from afar. But then, the open air playground is really big.
The girl shook her head and mumbled thanks then walked away as if nothing happened.
I looked at her as she walks away, checking if that Drick hurt her again or had any encounter with her. But as I saw that she's safe already, I turned back to face with no other than, Xavier.
"I could handle it alone without your help," I spat at him.
"Does it look like I pity you that you can't handle yourself? Please step away from my way." Xavier lowered his eyes.
"You're blocking it," he whispered the last sentence at my ears, making me shiver. The guys must have not noticed since most of them are playing their phones and the others were busy talking.
Just as I stepped aside, I let out my foot, making him trip but he must have seen it coming because he kicked my foot from his way and making me endure the pain of my right foot.
"Stupid," he mumbled.
"Lover's child," I said back.
I know it's a bad comeback but it was the first thing in my mind.
He looked back at me once while he was walking, his eyes soften. Wait, did I got overboard? Well, he deserved it when I put out my foot.
After a second, he smirked at me then turned around, making me hate him even more.
Xavier's P.O.V.
After looking at the pictures at the board, which all of the guys agreed not to mention to each other after today that we only bothered looking because we were part of it, we went to the cafeteria.
Of course, there was another scene made by the troublemaker.
I know it was very unlike me to tell someone to back off and leave the other person alone since it seems like its Cassidy's job and I am most likely the offender. But I couldn't stand of a guy hurting a girl like that. The worst thing my friend would do probably is to shout at the person, never a physical contact.
I know I should have not let it happen but I tried. I tried. I tried. And tried.
Nothing.
Sometimes they are even drunk at that time, or a little sober already. It really depends how their day goes with their lives.
Stella is usually drunk because of the pressure of her mom is giving her and the comparison always made by her and her sister, Paige.
I know that what I did is to help Cassidy to let Drick off the poor girl but I was too proud of myself to tell her about it. Sometimes I got to keep my reputation with the guys. I hate it that I always have to show off my ego. It's hard to keep up a good reputation.
My excuse on why I let it happen? To warn Drick about his girlfriend.
Lame, I know. But at least I thought of something. I always feel bad lying but my mouth automatically says something to cover up the truth.
The only thing that makes the others not pity me is my reputation. All of my family pities me because what happened to Dad. I know that they really don't care about my dad because after two months, they haven't contact us ever since, which left me with my mom alone, which made me hate my relatives.
The school is the only place which didn't pity me. I won't let Cassidy change it. I don't need everyone's pity.
I already hated her for being interfering almost everything I do. But what I hate even more was that Cassidy said something true.
We were telling each other what we thought of each other. But she didn't know that hers was for real.
"Stupid."
"Lover's child."
I felt my heart feel the same as when I realized that thing I have for Cassidy which until now I don't know what it is. Except, it hurts more.
I looked back at her to look if she really meant it, but her eyes are filled with confusion, exactly what I want her to be.
You don't deserve to know the real reason why I helped you, now I have an excuse not to feel bad about it.
I smirked at her, covering my secret. Then I turned around, entering the cafeteria.
"Soon, you'll be asking for my forgiveness," I thought to myself, quoting what Cassidy said on the first day of school.
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a u t h o r ' s n o t e :
And the hate continues for the story!
Comment below what you guys think! Or a Vote maybe? :)
Question: Why do you think Xavier was affected on what Cassidy said?
Cover picture above is made by @Feelingthesparks
P.S. SMILE SMILE :)
"If you carry a weapon, war will follow you. If you carry a smile, love will knock at your door."
― Amit Ray, Walking the Path of Compassion