Chapter 3: Uncomfortable
"V-Van..." she stutters as her gaze locks with him.
"It's a pleasure to meet you again, Gia," he said with a smile.
Georgina looks away, bites her lower lip, and clenches both fists. She's not comfortable. It's been a year and a half since they last met. There's no way she's ready to meet him again after what happened. But why? Why he acts comfortable with her?
The Principal talk, but none of her words enters Georgina's ear, as if all sounds in her surroundings have gone blocked. She fidgets, already wants to leave the room and hide from him, forget they met in this small room, and act as if nothing happened, but she knows it's impossible.
"Okay, remember what I've said, Mr. Javier. Both of you can go now. Ms. Alvarez, take him to his room." The Principal said.
"I-I'll take care of everything, ma'am. Have a good day." She smiles at her before standing up.
She turns her look towards him, but he stares at her intensely. It looks like he wants to memorize her appearance from head to toe. It's uncomfortable. She clears her voice and looks away. It made him come back to his senses. 'This is your job as a President. Calm down,' she tries to repeat those words inside her head as they walk outside the Principal's Office.
"It looks like you didn't change Gia. You look more beautiful than before. I guess you're happy this past year." She flinched at what he uttered.
No words came out of her mouth, and walk again. Giovanni might be comfortable talking about this, but she's not. His presence alone makes her uncomfortable. It's not like this past year. She didn't wish to see him. It was like she hoped not to trigger the pain between their past again. All she can say, their breakup is not as clear as water. Georgina left the country without explaining everything. Even though he doesn't want it, she still does. Georgina has her reason for choosing to act rude rather than to explain. She hurt him. Georgina knows it well, but he's not alone. More than anyone, she's the one who feels hurt the most. For her to choose between family and someone she loves romantically isn't easy. It's that witch's fault. She has no choice but to break up with him. It's for his sake and not her alone.
She shrugged her head after those memories came back into her mind. Past is past. 'We're living in the present, not in the past,' though the past always gives scars in people's hearts.
"Gia? Gia, are you listening? I'm asking if we're near the room. The bell already rings." She almost jumps in shock when he touches her shoulder.
"Y-yeah,"
He chuckles. "You should relax. I'm not eating you alive."
He sounds like, teasing her, which triggers the other side of Georgina. She stops walking and turns to him with raised brows.
"Mr. Javier, watch your words. I'm the Student Council President here. We're walking together because it's my duty as one." She said with confidence.
He walks towards her and tucks the strand of her hair behind the ear.
"You're still a student," he whispers.
"D-don't come near me." She pushes him out of instinct as her heart beats fast.
He chuckles, but she ignores it and continues to walk. Compared to before, only a few students left outside the hallway. As they saw Georgina pass by, they ran back inside their respective classroom.
After another few minutes of the walks, they reach their room. Based on the schedule the Principal gave earlier, the two have the same section. Georgina couldn't do anything about it, so she accepted it and opened the front door. All their classmates inside turn in their direction. Some go back to their assigned seat, and the rest sit properly.
"We're here. If you need something, just come and ask me. Today, introduce yourself in front." She said before heading to her seat at the back.
The moment he enters the room, those women yell and giggle. Some of them stare like they saw a god or something. Her gaze turns to him again. She can't look at him eye to eye before, but now, even from afar, you can see his handsomeness. It's not new, but he's more handsome and manlier than before. 'Can people change their appearance for only a year and a half?'
"Good morning to all of you. I'm Giovanni Javier. It's a pleasure to meet you." He said.
The cheer becomes loud, but Georgina shrugs her head before she gets a book inside the bag. She startles when someone sits beside her. It's Giovanni Javier with his playful angel-like smile.
"It's better to sit beside you so I can ask anything on the spot. You don't mind it, right?"
"Do as you like, Mr. Javier." She said formally before going back to reading the book.
"Don't look disappointed, Wifey." He whispers, which gives a shiver down her spine.
Georgina looks around, but her classmates near them are all busy talking to each other. She sighs and relief before she turns to him with frown brows.
"Don't call me Wifey again. We're not even a couple." She said, emphasizing the word, 'not even a couple.'
"Oh, you're right. The word couple is part of the past. It's my bad. I feel like teasing you for a bit." Giovanni gives a brief smile that makes her clench both fists under the table.
Guilt. Georgina feels more guilt than anger because of what he said. Even though he acts, nothing happened in the past. You can feel the sadness and regret in his tone. It's better to release all of it now than pile it until everything explodes one day.
Three subjects passed by she didn't learn a single lesson. It's the first time she has done something like that. The bell already rings means it's a lunch break, so most of her classmates are in the cafeteria to eat, but she's still inside together with Giovanni, who's sleeping for the entire first half of the class hour. She attempts to go outside with others, but her conscience hits her system. One week, she's responsible for him for an entire week.
A deep sigh escaped her mouth as the last student left the room beside them. Without thoughts in mind, she turns to look at him. He's facing her side so she can see his face. It didn't change. His fair skin, straight-edge nose, and naturally red lips. Even those long eyelashes. He's handsome. She's about to touch his cheeks when he opens his eyes.
"Are you just going to stare at me?" He said in a stern tone, but she looked away.
"If you're awake, then tell me. It's already a lunch break. The cafeteria is on the ground floor." She utters without looking back and standing.
He holds her wrist without hesitation. "Eat with me. I'm your responsibility, right?"
Georgina didn't argue anymore and waited for him before they went to the cafeteria. In the middle of walking, she feels the stares and giggles of those students around. She can catch the attention of other students by passing by, but now, with him, they seize more attention. It's awkward to walk side by side.
"This is the cafeteria. Try to remember it." She said as they got some food with a tray in their hands. "There's a variety of foods. You can choose whatever you like." She added.
"Then what do you think is the best food here? I heard cafeteria food is not as delicious." He mumbles without hesitation. It made Georgina flinch.
The woman in her mid-40s stops giving her some food. She can see the disappointment on her face because of what Giovanni said before. She's one of the cafeteria staff who prepares the food for them. An awkward laugh escapes her mouth as she drags him to an empty table to lessen the tension.
"Argh! What's wrong?" he protests after he sits down.
"Mr. Javier, can't you sense the atmosphere there? How can says those words without hesitation and consideration in front of the cafeteria staff?" She scolds him.
"I didn't say something wrong, Wifey." He emphasizes the word Wifey. It gives her another shiver like before.
"Y-you're not wrong though, but..." She glares at him. "Don't say that word again. Do I need to repeat it multiple times before you understand?"
"Let me. Who knows? It'll be the last time you'll hear those words from me. I'm not as heartless as you..." He chuckles. "For now, I guess."
An awkward silence lingers between them. All they can hear is the noise from other students. The sound of utensils and chairs pulling. It's those words again. She has a feeling that there's something more he wants from her. He'll not seek her if it's because he wants it. She had an idea but didn't wish to confirm it.
"How are you this past one and a half years?" He broke the silence.
"Fine."
"I have a request for you," she stops eating and looks at him straight.
"What is it?"
"Can you call me hubby again? I want to confirm something. It's not hard to do compared to what I requested before."
A long silence echoes between them again, only the sound of their breath.
"Hubby, is it okay now? Please stop it already, Mr. Javier. We don't need to act fine," she said, continuing to eat again, trying to stop those tears from falling from her eyes.
"It doesn't change," he mumbles. Georgina looked at him again, and their eyes met. "Nothing changed" he gives a sad smile as he puts down his utensils.
"It's fine to get mad. It's all my fault. Get mad as long as you want."
"Gia, do you still remember what we promised before? I hope it's still true." He said.
She doesn't answer, but Giovanni laughs before he tousles her hair.
"Treat this day as a consideration besides before you became my lover... We started as a friend. Have a good day, Georgina."
A tear falls into her eyes as she hears his footstep.
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