I’m tired, but I still need to get up. I want to have a free day, even for once, but it is very impossible to happen. It feels weird if I don’t do something or if I am not busy. I am used to being a busy person and I hate it when I feel so tired. I need to go to Miss Denny first to walk Nana and then to the university.

There is no one here, as is customary. My mother and aunty are both gone for work. I still can’t have a normal conversation with my mother. When I started talking to her, she would just ignore me and when she talks to me, I think it is not a conversation. She will just yell at me the things she wants me to do. She’s just ordering me, basically.

It is almost time for me to take Nana home. I still didn’t see Travis around. He told me that he would be joining us every morning. Don’t get the wrong idea; I’m just looking for him because he’s not around, okay? And it’s good news for me that he’s not here. He’s just going to annoy and tease me after all. I sighed and followed Nana.

___

I’m on my way to the garden of the university, wearing my jeans, a button-down shirt and a pair of sneakers. I was startled when someone put their hand on my shoulder and I knew who -down shirt and a pair of sneakers. I was startled when someone put their hand on my shoulder and I knew who it was. I rolled my eyes at him and continued to walk. I push his hands away from me, but he keeps on putting them back.

"Why are you following me?" He’s already annoying me early in the morning.

"Didn’t I warn you?" He asked me amusingly. I remembered what he said last time.

"You’re enjoying what you’re doing, but it annoys me." I tried to walk fast to leave him behind, but his long legs were my disadvantage. I want to punch his face if I can.

"Are you walking fast already?" he mocked me.

"Sorry if I don’t have a long leg like you." I said.

"But it is not a big deal though. I can carry you if you’re feeling tired with those cute legs of yours." I hit his stomach, but as expected, he doesn’t seem to be affected.

"What’s this? The new couple at the university is having a lover’s quarrel.” Ria squeaks like a mouse.

"What? What did you say? New couple?" I asked her confusingly. What news did her radar detect this time? I have a bad feeling about whatever comes out of her mouth.

"Yes! It is all over the campus. You and Travis are the new couple at Westhale University! I even saw this Amber girl in tears. And I think you need to be careful. Avoid her as long as you can, because I don’t know what she’s planning to do to you.”

“Where did you get that idea? That’s ridiculous and you actually believed it?" The students here are all experts at making stories. They have lots of ideas when it comes to gossip, but they don’t exert an effort to prove if it is legit or not. But they will make an effort to create hundreds of stories to gossip about.

"Someone saw the two of you walking a dog together. You even cuddle in the street. It is cute, but I think it is not good to cuddle on a hard road." My mouth almost hangs open, but I stopped it before it happened. What’s wrong with these people? They can easily jump to conclusions without knowing the whole story.

"They are not good at interpreting what they saw! I’m just going to-“ I was cut off.

"Yes, we’re officially a couple. And we are on our way to tell you that." He puts his arm around me while talking to Ria.

"Really? Aww so sweet. " She clasps her hands. Her eyes looked like they might be a little more heart-shaped.

"Seriously? You’re going to believe him? " I looked directly into her eyes and sent a message that she shouldn’t believe that, but she looked away and looked at this man who I wanted to punch.

He hasn’t removed his arm from my shoulder. I elbowed him, but it didn’t affect him that much. Why don’t these two just talk without me? They don’t even listen to me.

"Why not? From now on, whether you like it or not, he’s your boyfriend. " She said, while patting my head like a child.

"What’s wrong with you people? You cannot just decide who my boyfriend is, and I don’t even want a relationship. " They are frustrating. I came early to have a good place to study.

"Don’t worry, I will not force you, but for the eyes of others, we’re now a couple. I will just be waiting for you to say yes. " He said confidently. To relieve my frustration, I closed my eyes and took deep breaths.

"Come on, let’s talk privately." He dragged me away from Ria. I tried to

"Oh, bye! See you around." She formed her hand into a heart. That makes me annoyed even more.

I dragged Travis to a quiet place where no one would see us. I have enough of those rumors. All I've heard these past few days is my name together with the name of this man. I want to punch him in the face right now. I don’t want to be a punching bag for those crazy people who spread that idea.

"Are you crazy?" I asked, gritting my teeth, "Why would you agree to that idea? Did your head hit on something? Are you hit by a ball? "

"Hey, calm down. Breathe in. Breathe out." He tried to calm me down, but I just rolled my eyes.

"How can I calm down with that gossip circulating around the campus?"

"Let them believe it and I will do my part to make it real."

___


The weather today is not that nice. The sky is full of dark clouds. I hope it doesn’t rain. I don’t want to be soaked by the rain. My afternoon classes are already done. I already had my shift at the restaurant earlier before coming here. Because of the weather, I haven't been able to walk Nana, but it is fine with Miss Denny. It is also in favor of me because I don’t have to see that early in the morning. But I didn’t really get the peace I wanted this morning.

I’m still in deep thought because of what I saw earlier in the morning. Just like what happened the other day, I went to the supermarket because Miss Carmi forgot some ingredients again. I saw my mother across the bus stop, but this time I saw the person who was in the driver's seat. I guess he’s a man in his mid-forties. That was the first time I saw that man. Well, I only know Aunty as my mother’s friend. I don’t have an idea about her work as well as her coworkers.

Is it about their work? I don’t know, but I can feel that there is something going on.

"Hey, you, okay?" She asked, and I just nodded. I just remembered what happened yesterday by just looking at her. I still didn’t open it to her. My mind is occupied by something else now.

I always ask you if you’re okay and you just simply nod or say yes. But it is obvious that there is something going on. " She sighed and sat beside me.

"There’s nothing going on, Ria. Don’t worry about me. " I said.

"I’m still wondering and waiting for the day you will open up to me." She sighed. It sounded like she was hurt.

I have nothing to open up to you. My life is boring. Nothing is interesting to know. "

"Okay." She said plainly before she changed the topic, "But for now, let’s talk about your love life."

"We don’t have anything to talk about my love life because I only have a problematic life." She pouted and acted like a child that didn’t get a chance to get the things she wanted.

"Stop it, Ria." I warned her. Students in the hallway stop what they are doing and look at us. They start talking about me.

They looked like they were whispering to each other, but they intentionally let me hear whatever they were talking about. They are so weird, I don’t even understand them, not that I want to. They just want to do the things that will make them happy and not consider others. Some people are just thinking of their own satisfaction.

"I saw you earlier. You kept on hiding from him. Don’t be like that." I stop putting my things in my locker and look at her.

"I don’t know what he is thinking and I don’t want to get involved with him anymore." I continue what I’m doing, and she does the same.

"Alright, let’s go." She put her hand on my arms and dragged me out of the building.

Just like what happened in the hallway, students stopped what they were doing when they saw us. The girls from the Amber squad rolled their eyes on me and I did the same. They couldn’t believe what I did. Their eyes went wide and some wanted to attack me. Luckily, Travis is nowhere to be found. I can’t deal with him now. I have a lot of things on my mind. I didn’t see the Amber girl here. I guess she's in the gymnasium. I heard that the basketball team had practiced at the gymnasium.

"Dad!" Ria yelled. She let go of my arm and ran to her dad.

Her father got out of his car and embraced his daughter. There’s a pang in my heart, but I just ignore it. What caught my attention was his car and himself. I think I've seen him and his car before. Oh, wait. It looks like the car I saw earlier.

"Do you know my mother?" I asked Ria's father when I got close to them.