Justin's POV
"Janna, I’ll watch a concert… would you like to go with me?" Adri happily said to Jana who’s now sitting beside me.
We’re here at the cafeteria, having our lunch.
"Concert? Who’s concert it is? And when?" Janna asked her.
"SJ’s concert. It’s next week. Luke can’t accompany me. So can you?" she answered then made puppy eyes. Tss! She really thinks she’s cute whenever she’s doing that but the truth is, she’s not.
"Sure." Janna briefly said.
"Really? Yay!" She happily responded but eventually creased her forehead. I know she just remembers that I’ll be the one who’ll buy her that concert ticket. "How about your ticket? I don’t have any extra money to buy you one. You know that right? My ticket was from Justin. How can you go with me?” she uncertainly said.
And yes. I have to buy her that. Because that’s a done deal.
I saw how Janna smiled at her before she said "I'll buy my ticket. I can handle that."
"Waaaaah! For real? Thank you, Janna!" Adri shrieked before she hugged Janna tightly.
"It’s fine. No worries." After she said that, the four of us got silent. As if there’s an angel just passed by our table.
But of course, Adri being the talkative girl that she is, broke the silence.
"When will you give me my ticket? Have you got me one already?" she asked me but I just ignore her.
But knowing Adri, she’ll now stop until she gets my attention so she spoke again.
"Just! Just! Woohoo! Justin Anthony Monteverde!" She called out for my attention but I didn’t even glance at her. I just continue eating. "Omg! Are you still sulking? Did we offend you? I’m sorry. You’ll still buy me my ticket, right? Justin! It was just a joke!” Adri continued then shook my shoulder that made me finally look at her. See? I told you, sell not stop. She'll do everything and anything just to catch your attention.
"I am not sulking. I know it was just you teasing me. I am not that shallow. Stop being noisy about your concert ticket, I’ll give it to you tomorrow.” I continuously said before I stand up and leave them without even saying anything.
"Where are you going?” Luke asked but he just ignored it. I’m not in the mood to have a chitchat with them.
***
Janna is looking wary the moment they go inside our room. I then saw her look at the three vacant seats beside me that are obviously reserved for them. Luke and Adri immediately sat on the first two chairs leaving the chair beside me vacant.
I also notice how she hesitated and contemplate whether she or not to sit beside me. I can’t blame her. It’s been a week since I am acting differently especially to her. I don’t chase after her, I don’t pester her or even argue with her. I don’t even talk to her as much as I used to. I only talk or respond to her if it is about school or important matters.
I act like that towards her for a week now and I feel like she thinks that I am mad at her that’s why I am avoiding her.
Her tension diminished when she was seated beside me. Did she really think that I will not let her seat beside me?
The awkward atmosphere between us gets heavier and heavier every minute passed. And I will admit it, I am not used to this setup. It is so hard for me not to talk to her.
I know she’s feeling so uncomfortable by the way I staring at her but she tries hard not to show it and focus herself on the discussion on-going in front. I don’t know if listening to what my cousin said is right.
*Flashback*
What should I do? Should I tell Janna what I know? But I made a promise to Adri, she’ll surely get mad at me. What to do? *sighed*
"Justin! Older bro, Justin! I have something to tell you! Omg!" she continuously said then goes inside my room without even knocking.
"There you go again. Can you at least knock before you go inside my room? And old? Did you just call me old again? Didn’t I tell you not to call me old?" I reprimand her.
"Why wouldn't I? You really are old. You’re one year ahead of me.” She reasoned out.
"Tss. Correction, it’s just 11 months and 3 weeks. It isn’t even a year." I countered.
Yes. Our age gap is that small yet she really has the audacity to call me old as if I am 10 years older than her.
"Tss. You’re so Oa! A year is still one year without one week. What? Do you want me to go back to my mom’s womb for a week? It isn’t my fault I got excited to see the world earlier.” I face-palm. This brat! I really can’t win any argument with her.
"Ah, forget it. Fine. You win. What are you doing here?” I said, conceding then proceed to change the topic because that argument will never have an ending unless one of us gives way. And knowing her, she’ll never do that.
"As I was saying, Aaron—" I immediately cut her off.
"Aaron? Boys again? Didn't I tell you not to share those things with me? Spare me from those horrible talk.” I said, boredom is visible in my tone.
"Eh? Who do I turn to? My mom? She’s a busy bee. My dad? He’s in the states. I don’t have any siblings. And you are my only cousin. Why do you have to be a boy?” She said then pout. And you heard it right. I am the only cousin she has.
My dad and her mom are the only children our grandparents have. Her dad’s only child. And we’re also both only children. So that explains.
"I don’t know. You can tell it to anyone. You have your friends. You can tell me anything except for that girl talk thing, alright?” I answered her.
"Pssh! Okay fine, I’ll just share it with manang.” She said pertaining to her nanny since birth. She was about to march her way out of my room when I stop her .
"Wait, Mish."
"What?" she replied and she’s irritated.
"How do I know if I have a chance to the girl I am courting?” I asked that made her arched her brow.
"Huh? You’re courting her? Shouldn’t you know it by now since she let you court her? If she looks uninterested whenever you are together, then that’s it.” She continuously said.
"The problem is, she said no when I ask her.” she gently taps her forehead when she heard what I said.
"Justin! Aren’t you too old to know that? I sometimes really don’t understand you! You are intelligent, just not as brainy as I am but, you are a Monteverde but why can’t you read between the lines? She didn't say yes? Well, that's it! You don't stand a chance." She said to me in disbelief.
"But she said she isn’t ready yet. And I know that because she hasn’t moved on.”
Mish looked at me like I'm an alien first before she speaks. "Seriously, Just? How many ex-girlfriends do you have? Why don’t you understand those kinds of things? She said it herself. She’s not yet ready. What’s your problem?”
I gave her an annoyed looked. "Sorry okay? I did have girlfriends but I didn’t court them, they did.” I stopped for a second. "But Mish, I just want to know if I have a chance if ever she decided to open up her heart again."
She looked at me for a while then thinks hard.
"Hmm… I'm not sure actually because girls aren’t the same. But, you can use this one to know if you have a chance for her or not someday." I looked at her because of that.
"What is it? Tell me."
"What if you try to ignore her for just a couple of weeks." She suggested.
I look at her with disbelief.
"Are you serious, Michelle? I can’t even let a day go without talking and pestering her. Two weeks?!" I said disagreeing with her plan.
"Tss. Well, you should. You wanna know if you have a chance right? It’s just two weeks. Two weeks. You just have to be cold towards her. Ignore her. If you can see some reactions from her like she’s affected or feeling down because of it, then there's really a chance. After that, you can go back to your old self. As simple as that." She said while smiling playfully.
"I don’t know if I should trust you on this or not.”
"Just trust me, it'll work out well”.
Should I listen to her plan or shouldn't I?
*End of Flashbacks*
Well, obviously I listened to her. That’s why I am like that to Janna. I saw how she’s been down lately because of that and I somehow felt bad because I feel like I am hurting her. It’s been only a week. Can I push through my plan for another week?
Our last class ended with me having no knowledge about it. I was busy contemplating if it is really alright to continue my plan.
"Janna, did you understand the lesson a while ago?" Adri asked her, we are walking towards the main gate.
"Huh? Ah, a little bit. I’ll just study it at home.” she simply answered.
"I think it is the first time that you didn’t fully understand our lesson?” Luke commented.
"It’s because… it’s because I’m not feeling well. I am nursing a headache.” I heard her answer which made me turn my head a little towards them. I also slowed down my walk since I am a few steps ahead of them. She doesn’t feel well? Now I feel guilty.
"Ah, really? You should head home and take some medication. Don’t forget to take some rest.” Adri worriedly uttered.
I saw Janna smiled at her.
"We’ll go ahead! Bye Janna. Bye Just! Take care! Get well soon, Janna!" Adri bid as Luke usher her inside his car.
"Thank you. Take care also!" Janna answers back.
While I only nodded.
"Janna…" Luke called out. She just smiled.
"Bro, we’ll go ahead."
"Okay." I briefly said.
The atmosphere started to become awkward again the moment Janna and I are left by ourselves.
I initially plan to go ahead but I just can't leave her alone now at her condition. She might collapse any moment if ever she’s nursing a bad headache.
So I decided to stay with her until her driver comes.
I saw how shock she is when she realized that I am still by her side. So she really thought I will leave her.
"Ah, you may go ahead." she daringly said.
"After you." I answered without even throwing her a glance.
Her driver came after a while. I thought she will bid goodbye to me or even wave at me but she did not.
Somehow I felt a bit disappointed. But I can't blame her. After I acted to her differently? I don't know but there's a part of me telling me to go and shrugged the disappointment I felt but there's also a part of me dictating that I should chase her and make the first move.
In the end, I chose the latter.
I knocked on her window. I know she's not expecting me to act like this.
"Why?" she quickly asked.
"Ah… nothing. Take care." I said in a low voice but enough for her to hear.
After I said that, I immediately turn my back on her giving her no chance to neither greeted me back nor react.
I can’t help but smile like a fool while driving. I can't believe it. I really can’t stay cold at her.
And now I'm very sure, I’ll stop this. I will start pestering her again first thing in the morning. I'll also bring all back to normal.
And whether I have a chance on her or not, I’ll continue what I feel for her. For her, I'm willing to take the risk.
Only for her.
*****