Chapter 19: XVIII

TO SAY THAT LAIA WAS SHOCKED is an understatement.

She couldn't believe her ears.

Jake was the one who decided to cut things off? Jake? That gentle boy who was deeply in love with Brie? The boy who would support his girlfriend through thick and thin?

The boy who swore to never hurt her?

And get this, through a fucking phone call?

And even had the audacity to call Brie and break things off just as soon as she woke up in the morning?

Laia sighs, shaking her head in disappointment. Just when she finally thought that love does exist (at least for other people, definitely not her), the seemingly perfect relationship between her friend and her boyfriend ends in a spontaneous tragedy.

Brie was still crying the moment they arrived in their classroom. Jake was nowhere to be seen. Some of Brie's other friends approached her with concern on their faces, immediately asking her what's wrong and even promising to beat the ass of whoever made her cry.

The long-haired girl shakes her head and didn't utter a single word that could let her other friends know who was the reason why she was crying.

Laia thinks it's a good idea to not tell them. Not that the girl hates them, but she knew better than trusting other people blindly.

Rumors are dangerous, especially when it comes to relationships. Something small might end up becoming a big problem that will only lead to more consequences to be dealt with.

One of the girls who flocked towards Brie was about to ask something when their adviser arrived, cutting her further interrogation off.

Everyone returned to their seats straight away and greeted the older woman. She nods and lets them sit down right after, quickly starting her discussion.

"... in accordance to your group report which will be the fifty percent of your grade for the exams, I have decided that the other fifty percent of the exams would be the upcoming play a performance task--"

"What?!"

"Isn't it supposed to be a voluntary activity?!"

"I thought it was just for the event?!"

"That's unfair, ma'am!"

Everyone had their own opinions regarding their adviser's announcement, yet most were disagreeing and flabbergasted. Laia couldn't blame them, the play was indeed just supposed to be part of the event next week, not the other fifty percent of their exam.

She couldn't help but steal a glance at Brie, whose eyes were widened. Her friend turns to Jake's empty seat and deflated. Seems like the two friends had the same thoughts.

How would the play go well when the main characters who were supposed to be in love and on their honeymoon stage broke up in real life?

And just recently, too!

Laia didn't want to tell that to their adviser, fearing that the older woman would just tell them to be professional or worse, she might just choose someone else for the role of Brie altogether, seeing that Jake had always been better at keeping his emotions in check.

Especially during both their reading sessions and rehearsals.

The short-haired girl was really anxious. It didn't help that their adviser promised those who wouldn't play certain roles in the play to be in the props team, and if they do well and attend rehearsals or the readings, they would get the same grades as the actors.

Talk about being quite unfair to Laia who practically didn't have any choice but to be part of the play when promised with extra points directly to the card.

If she could have had just told it earlier then Laia wouldn't have had to volunteer as her character!

"I apologize for being late,"

Everyone turned towards the door and saw Jake, who looked the opposite of his ex-girlfriend. Instead of red and puffy eyes from crying possibly all morning after that damn phone call, the boy looked like he had a great start to the morning.

Jake didn't even wait for their adviser's response for he had already stepped inside the room.

He didn't seem bothered as well by how everybody started whispering as well when instead of sitting next to his (ex) girlfriend like usual, he sat beside Vivi, who waved slightly as the boy approached.

Laia couldn't help but scoff. Looks like the boy had already moved on in just a few hours, or maybe less.

Good for him, apparently.

The short-haired girl turns to her friend, who looked crestfallen. Brie notices Laia looking at her, and she tries to reassure her friend with a smile.

But Laia knew Brie better than most for a reason. She knew that her friend wanted nothing more but to leave her seat and cry uncontrollably from all the pain she's bottled up inside.

It's bad enough to see your boyfriend act as if a weight has finally been off his shoulders, but of course, it's even worse seeing him together with another girl you have always been worried about.

"... okay, that's for today! Don't forget about the rehearsals later at five sharp in the gymnasium! Goodbye, everyone!"

Nobody bid her goodbye as enthusiastically as she did, but their adviser didn't mind. She was already walking outside the room.

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Laia reaches her friend's seat in no time. None of Brie's other so-called friends approached her again, probably because they couldn't get any gossip from her. They walked towards Vivi instead, who was now alone after Jake left first.

Contrary to what Laia expected, Vivi didn't seem to be acting all giddy and enthralled. She seemed to be in an impassive state, instead. She didn't even respond to any of the questions the girls asked her, and later on, they left, disappointment obvious on their faces.

Looks like no one would be getting new rumors to spread for a while.

Laia decides that she genuinely likes Vivi now.

"I know this is a dumb question but do you want to go to the rehearsals later? I can tell Ma'am Anne you're feeling like shit or something," Laia looks at her friend with worry. "Well, don't worry about getting caught. She believes everything I say."

Her statement makes the long-haired girl smile. A genuine one, the first of the day. "Thanks, Laia. But don't worry about me, I can at least say my lines without crying,"

Laia looks at her with skepticism. Brie laughs. "I promise."

It's not as if Laia can convince her friend further, and she doesn't want to as well for her friend is her own person and she can make decisions for herself.

Aka Laia doesn't want to cross a line.

The next classes passed on. Jake still sat beside Vivi on either the last or the middle row, Brie beside Laia always on the first row, and it was on their third class that the girl realized that the asshat was absent.

Or maybe late. But he's probably absent, as the asshat was always early since he tends to make the flag ceremony his very own fashion show much to Laia's annoyance.

She looks around, scanning her surroundings. It didn't look like the asshat would be arriving anytime soon, and her sentiments seemed to be shared by Shane who she locked eyes with.

Shane awkwardly raises her hand to wave. Laia does the same, albeit a bit more casually. It's not like it's weird to meet eyes with someone during class.

Maybe.

Brie was very distracted during all their classes. She barely listened, her eyes on her ex-boyfriend the entire time, watching his every move. Every time he seemed to talk to the girl beside him, Brie's fists would tighten or her jaw would clench.

It was as if she was desperately stopping herself from causing a scene.

Laia was thankful for that. True that she would obviously side with Brie, but she does know some details why their seemingly perfect relationship ended in an ugly manner so she's quite certain that it's better for the two to take a break.

Because the asshat is eternally lucky, they didn't have a single quiz or graded activity in any of their classes. All their teachers did was discuss with their monotone voices and when Laia says in their monotone voices, she's not kidding one bit.

The girl barely kept her eyes open during all those six classes!

Rehearsals came in like a tidal wave. The two friends followed the rest of their class towards the gymnasium, and upon their arrival, they were all quick to see that their adviser was already there.

Sitting cross-legged on a chair directly facing the huge stage.

Spotting her students, she beckons them all towards the stage with a wave of her hand. "Actors, to the stage,"

Three-fourths of the class stayed behind as there were only ten of the thirty-two students she had (Laia was finally able to count them) who were actors and had their respective roles.

Laia pulls Brie with her towards the stage. She stands as far away from Jake as possible, despite seeing the boy throw a glance at their way.

A little bit suspicious if you ask Laia, but she has other things to think of. Like, saying her lines and having to act all dramatically without getting embarrassed in front of all her classmates.

Brie easily notices her friend's growing anxiety. "Don't worry, you'll do amazing,"

Laia knows that the long-haired girl has to be lying but she smiles at her anyway. "Yeah, you too,"

The girl shakes her head, glancing at her ex-boyfriend with both uncertainty and longing in her eyes. "I don't think so."

Laia hopes she will, or the short-haired girl will have to repeat all her lines repeatedly for the next hours to come, seeing that all her lines are before Brie's.

Well, most of them, but still.

Jake was the first to say his line. Just like Laia expected, the boy is good.

He could definitely pass as a theatre actor if he wants to.

The same cannot be said for Brie, who stutters the moment she's about to proclaim her interest in Jake's character.

"Cut! Again, Brie!" Their adviser yells.

Brie repeats her first line three more times before she was finally able to overcome stuttering and tripping on her own feet when she's required to step closer to Jake.

Laia even heard some of their classmates murmur in both perplexion and frustration.

Looks like Laia will be late again for her part-time job.. The girl can only hope that Niel's not in a bad mood.

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