The following morning, Angelique woke up as energized as ever. She took a quick bath and got changed.
( Today, I'm going back to school. I hope everything goes well).
After putting on her school uniform, she grabbed her school bag and went straight downstairs to have breakfast.
" Are you going to be okay? Shouldn't you take several more days off from school?" Mrs. Tsukishima asked her daughter who was enjoying her breakfast.
" Mother, I know what you're worried about but you should cease your worries. Nothing like last time will ever happen, I can promise you that".
Angelique told her mother confidently and determinedly. Her mother was more at ease but couldn't help worrying nonetheless. As she finished having her breakfast, she bid goodbye to her mother and headed off to school.
Thirty minutes later, Angelique entered the school grounds and felt people's gazes on her. She felt uncomfortable and lowered her head.
( It seems like my usual routine won't stop any time soon. Oscar must be waiting for me further away to insult me as he always does. My life has become what one would call a boomerang. A lot of things keep happening in my life, good and bad. All of these things that keep occurring in my life must have been predetermined before my birth).
" Tsukishima, how are you doing now?" A student approached me and asked diligently regarding my health.
…
" I'm doing fine, thank you!" I answered.
" Well, that's good to know. See you later, Tsukishima!" The student walked away.
As she kept walking, more students approached her and asked about her health. This action surprised Angelique greatly.
" Angelique! Angelique! Wait for us!" Alicia and Alexia called out to me from behind.
Angelique stopped walking so that Alicia and Alexia would catch up to her which they did.
" Good morning, Angelique!" Both of them hugged me as they greeted me.
…
( What's going on today? Why is everyone being nice to me today and caring about my health?)
" Good morning to both of you!" I greeted them back.
Alicia stated: " We noticed that the students were being nice to you today. You were surprised, right?"
" You seem to know what's going on, am I right?" I replied.
" Nothing's going on. Everyone knew you were at the hospital, so it's not that unnatural that they would enquire about your health". Alicia replied.
" They're starting to take a liking to you. You should be happy". Alexia added.
" I don't like drawing attention to myself. It was much peaceful when they would just ignore me but now, things would become awkward". I stated my point to both of them.
" Why would things become awkward? If anything, things should evaluate to normalcy". Alexia asked straightforwardly.
…
" Angelique, you should allow people to get close to you and stop driving them away when they do". She added spontaneously.
…
" We should head to our classes. See you later!"
Angelique walked away leaving the two girls by themselves.
" Angelique doesn't intend to get close to others and wants to keep being antisocial. What are we going to do so she would change her mind?"
…
" At this rate, she might end up negotiating with the professor so that she would work on the project by herself". Alicia expressed her worries to Alexia.
" We won't let that happen. We'll convince her of our sincerity". Alexia states strongly.
Back to Angelique, she was walking toward her classroom and on her way, she spotted Oscar in the distance.
( Oscar is on my way to the classroom. What's he planning on doing to me today?)
Angelique kept walking until she finally reached him. She kept silent not knowing how to face him due to their last interaction.
Oscar was the one to break the silence and said: " Good morning!"
Hearing the word" Good morning!" came out of his mouth, shocked Angelique greatly. She thought for sure she had heard wrong or that she was having a hallucination. What followed next proved to her that any of this wasn't the fruit of her imagination.
" How are you now? Are you completely cured?" He asked softly.
( This isn't a dream! This is reality but, why is he caring for me so suddenly?)
Before I got the chance to answer his question, Angel came by and enrolled his hand on my left shoulder.
" What are you doing here, Angelique?"
Angel stared at Oscar with disdain. Angelique happened to notice the animosity between the two and wondered why they were at odds with each other.
" Angelique, let's go or we're going to be late for our class". Angel dragged me away, leaving Oscar petrified.
In the hours that followed, Oscar kept coming to me to talk but each time, Angel interrupted us. It lasted until school came to a close.
" Angel, do you mind if I ask you something?" I phrased my question as I asked him.
" Yes!" He nodded.
" Why is there tension between Oscar and you? When you dragged me away earlier, I sensed some kind of animosity between you two. Why is that?" I phrased my question and asked him inquisitively.
…
" Would you please answer me?" I said as I rushed him to answer the question.
…
" I didn't appreciate what he did to you. You ended up in the hospital because of him. I couldn't forgive him for what he had put you through due to his lack of trust". He answered my question straightforwardly.
" What are you talking about? Oscar wasn't the one responsible for my hospitalization". I said as I defended Oscar in the process.
" Maybe not but because of him, your condition worsened. No matter what you say, for me, Oscar is equally to blame for what happened and no one else". He states his point strongly.
Angelique understood Angel's point of view but couldn't help feeling sorry for Oscar as she knew what it felt like to be ghosted out.
" Why are you making that face? It's not like we were friends, to begin with". He asked.
( He's right! They're not friends, so why am I sad that they are on bad terms with each other?)
" Let's go home!"
When we were outside of the school, Angel asked the following question:" Would it be a problem if I walked you home?"