Chapter 8 – The Left Out
“Love knows no sexes, knows no formula, only love knows happiness.”
—Thou seek love for your own fulfillment, not for the sake of other’s contentment.—
“Layville! Layville! Go, Chameleons! Rock, Chameleons! Ah ah, ahoy! L.U. Chameleons score!”
The wild cheer practice of the L.U. pep squad was growling all over the gymnasium. It was very powerful and very bombarding. They will surely win the next national cheering competition as the coaching skill of Ms. Riza was very good and Agatha’s leadership skill was very enthusiastic. Thirty minutes later, a water break was ordered by the coach. Agatha walked toward her sports bag as she noticed somebody viewing them throughout their practice. She carefully walked toward the silhouette as if it was a serial killer trying to hide away from her. A few steps more, she was quite near to him. As she stepped further, the guy ran away from his place. She tried to catch him, but he was quick. His face was not familiar to him, assuming that it was a freshman or a student from other college. She decided to go back for she did not see the guy again.“Where did you go?” asked Belinda, another cheerleader.
“At the back. I saw someone looking to us from afar. I’m just trying to figure out who it was, but he ran away,” she explained.
“Don’t mind him. That’s just a jerk. Do not think of it anymore, okay?” so they went toward their bags while waiting for the next set of practice. Sophia and Agatha still have their dispute because of Theodore. She seemed to be sad knowing that Sophia has a grudge over her. She wanted to reconcile with her, but Sophia didn’t want her since they were born.
On her way to her purple jaguar XKR convertible, she saw a commotion happening near her car. She walked to see and check what was really going on. A guy, who seemed to be familiar with him, was bullied by two other guys. The two guys were quite smaller than the guy who was bullied. They were mocking him and trying to annoy him. She saw his reaction and she thought he’s not happy with what they’re doing.
“Ugh, excuse me guys, I’m sorry to interrupt you, but do you know what you guys are doing to him?” she asked courteously.
“Oh, bud, look at the girl in front of us, it’s Agatha, the star student,” said the guy who wears a blue football jacket with a star design on its back and a white stripes on its sleeves. He was kinda dark, and medium built.
“Yeah, she’s really hot… Look at you, chicks!” said the other guy who wears a black cardigan with a large red horizontal stripes in his t-shirt plus his faded jeans. Among the three, he’s the whitest.
“Can you please stop this?” Agatha said.
“Stop what?” the dark guy said.
“Stop bullying him, please?”
“Bud, we got to go. You kid, we’re not yet done, wimpy kid,” the white guy said. “Sorry, Miss Agatha.”
“Are you alright?” Agatha asked the guy.
“I’m fine. I’m Timothy.”
“You know what, you look familiar.”
“Familiar? Why?” wondered Timothy.
“I have seen you before, I just don’t know where.”
“Maybe I have a look alike,” smiled Timothy.
Based from Agatha’s observations, Timothy stands six feet tall because they are almost equal as he straightly stood up. He has a brown hair, thick brows, and he has a tanned skin. He seemed to be a vain with the way he dressed up. He bid his goodbye to Agatha and she went to her car as Timothy walked away. By the way it looks, Timothy was a cowardly kid who’s afraid to face the world.
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“This day was so different from my usual day,” sighed Timothy. “Agatha Serrano, my hero,” he continued. He entered the gate of their house. It was a bungalow type and the paint used in the house was only light brown and ash white which gave a mysterious ambience to the antique house of the Montez’.
“Hey Tim! How’s your day?” his dad asked.
“It’s fine. Nothing new,” he replied as he put his brown messenger’s bag on the teal sofa near the door. He also removed his shoes and socks and worn his slippers.
“How boring your life is, Tim, I told you, join the football team to spice up your college life. If you’re a jock, you’ll be a star and a lot of girls will run after you,” his dad advised as he finished fixing the pipe in the kitchen.
“Dad, I don’t need that. I’m okay with who I am in school.”
“Do you really want to be a ghost in your class? Some don’t notice you and some don’t really know you at all?”
“You know dad, as long as I pass the exams, I’m fine. I have no problem if I have friends or none.”
“Son…” His dad has something to say, but he quickly butted in to prevent what he’s about to say.
“Not again! You always want to compare me with your old self. Yes, in your time, you are the hot jock, you are favorable by your teachers, you are… you are everything. And it pisses me a lot when I always hear that same old story,” Timothy angrily said. “I’m going to my room. I’ll study.”
“Timothy, aren’t you going to eat?” asked his dad just to change the topic.
“No! I already ate my dinner,” he shouted. He was already upstairs.
Since he was a child, he grew up with the guidance of his strict, but good father. His mother was working abroad to satisfy their needs. When he was eight, his sister, Melanie died because of leukemia. His father couldn’t take what happened, so he decided to quit his job. From then on, he became stricter to his only son, Timothy. He was that encouraging to Tim when he joined contests and other activities, but it was Tim who really dislikes joining those. When he reached high school, he became indisposed with his studies. He gained no friends aside from Luigi, his best friend. But Luigi died in a car accident when they are in second year. He really laid low with the death of his best friend, that’s why he really became reclusive to others. His dad wanted to regain his only child, but his method was wrong. Through the years, he had given him a wrong frontispiece of life. He insisted things he doesn’t like. And he was so strict and chauvinistic which pushed Timothy to a life miserably enough for him to suffer. Now, Timothy was somewhat a rebel to himself and confusion brought him to the road less chosen.
He was about to go to school when he was seen by somebody.
“Hey!” shouted by the voice. Timothy looked in all the direction to locate whose voice owns that. He traced it; it was coming inside the car. As he looked closer, it was Agatha. “Will I take you for a ride?” she asked.
He looked at his back to be sure that he was the one Agatha’s been referring to. “S-sure. Thanks.” Timothy, a little bit hesitated, went inside the car. He didn’t know what to feel, but he was comfortable joining with Agatha.
“What year are you? What course?” asked Agatha.
“Sophomore. Culinary arts. You s-still remember me?”
“Of course I do, I met you yesterday, right?”
“Yep. Thank you by the way.”
“No problem. Why were you bullied by those guys, if you don’t mind?” Agatha queried.
“Oh, my classmates? It’s because I did not let them copy my work. That’s why.”
“But why did you let them do that to you?”
“Because I can do nothing,” Tim quietly answered.
“Don’t you have friends in school?”
“None.”
“Don’t worry, from now on, I will be your friend.”
“R-really? Thanks,” Tim said with an enlightened face.
“You know what, you look very timid. Why?”
“I’m just nervous. I know no one outside our class.”
“That’s okay. As you go to higher years, you’ll meet plenty of friends. I was like you last year.”
“But you’re very popular in school.”
“Popularity is different from friendship. I was just popular in the eyes of many because I am the cheer captain, but if not, I’m just an ordinary schoolgirl. I’m fine having my best friend with me who really knows me well.”
“That’s sweet.”
“It is. Besides, having too much friends is not the true basis for being a true friend or being a good person, it is the cleanliness of your heart that will show how good you are.”
“I agree. Do you have a boyfriend?”
“You will apply? None. Haha.”
“No. J It’s just the guy who will capture your heart is the luckiest.”
“Oh hey, we’re already here. Let’s go now,” she invited Timothy to go down and the two went to their respective classes.
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“Okay class, it’s a week ago and we’re going to celebrate the annual CollteaB. Are you ready to meet Mt. Crookeley?” Mr. Fernando asked his Economics students.
“Yes, sir!” The class answered lively.
“Okay, before we start our lesson for today, I would like to congratulate Ms. Agatha Serrano for garnering the highest score on our exam. Besides, she’s also the highest in the reporting I gave last week. Let’s give her a round of applause,” Mr. Fernando said while ordering Agatha to stand in front, but she just stood up and sat again.
“Congratulations,” Theodore said as she sat down.
“T-thanks,” she responded shortly. A sudden heartbeat was felt by her the moment she replied. That was her worst feeling ever.
“Will you want me to treat you?” Theodore offered, hoping that Agatha will say yes.
“Treat what?” she nervously answered back.
“Lunch? Dinner? Whatever you want. It is your day.”
“Lunch. Deal?” she answered surprisingly.
“R-really? Yes!” Theodore exclaimed. He didn’t expect that. That will be his greatest lunch ever.
“Mr. Montez? What’s the matter?” Mr. Fernando curiously asked as Theodore’s loud voice was heard by everybody, even Sophia.
“Ugh, sir? Matter? Matter is a substance of the universe that has mass, occupies space, and is convertible to energy,” he naively answered. Everybody laughed with his answer. His serious face made it very funny. Agatha also giggled with what he said.
“Mr. Montez, what am I asking is what is your problem there. I’m not asking what the meaning of matter is. Oh my glorious God, are you in love?” Mr. Fernando said with his eyes boggled.
“Am I, sir? Yeah. Almost,” he answered infatuatedly.
Everybody was overjoyed except for one, Sophia. Her brows were all up high like a viper ready to coil her prey.
“Okay. Cut that class. I have another announcement. There is only one student who failed in this class, I’m sorry,” Mr. Fernando said. “It was you Ms. Abbe. I’m sorry you failed.”
“But sir…” Sophia desperately tried to please her prof, but it seemed that he couldn’t do anything to pull her grades up.
“Okay Ms. Abbe, I’ll give you another chance. You’ll be helping the CollteaB team in organizing things. Your task is not ordinary so you must do well for you to pass. That’s all guys. Let’s proceed to our topic,” said the bald professor. He then continued his boring lecture.
