Moonville Series 1: Secret Lovers

"It's finals next week!"

Angel looked in front of the class. Everything is back to normal in CPRU, and back to chaos again because next week is the dreaded finals week. That's why everyone still does not want to let go of the Olympics vibe brought about by the intramural last week.

"Why can't we have the intramural for the whole year?" said one of her classmates.

"Or sem break, maybe?" said another one.

"Why do you even go to school with that mindset?" said another one. "Just don't enroll so that your fathers won't complain about your high tuition fee."

"I hope someone organize a group study again," said another classmate.

Everyone looked at Bryan. Angel remembered that he organizes a group study when the term exams are coming.

"Sure," Bryan said.

Angel smiled. Organizing group study even though he's not studying his lessons? Bryan and his mysteries amazed her again.

"At least, now we have Angel with us," said one of their classmates. "I feel like she's a better teacher than Bryan."

"This girl? A better teacher?" Bryan pointed at Angel. "She's actually grouchy."

"Grouchy, huh? Really?" Angel asked.

"See? You're already being grouchy to me," Bryan said.

"Whatever!" She rolled her eyes on him. In the process, her eyes landed on the classroom door. She suddenly saw Richard seriously looking at her.

She looked at Bryan who is currently joking around his classmates. She elbowed him.

"Bry." When he looked at her, she pointed at Richard.

Richard looked at the door. "Richard?"

Richard is directly looking at Angel, and his eyes are begging her. Angel was bothered.

"He wants to talk to us." She stood up and walked towards Richard.

Bryan followed her. They went out of the classroom and talked to Richard.

"Richard! What brought you here?" Angel asked.

"You don't have classes?" Bryan asked Richard.

"I want to talk to Angel," Richard said to Bryan.

Bryan was surprised at what Richard said.

"Please?" Richard said to Angel, pleading.

And that surprised Angel. "Okay. What about?" Though she has a hint about what he wants them to talk about.

"Alex."

Angel was right. But of course, she won't say anything yet. She has to know the situation first.

"Angel, I just don't understand," Richard said. "It seems like she's avoiding me. When I asked her about it, she said I don't understand. But she doesn't want to tell me what I should understand."

"Maybe you didn't agree about something?" asked Bryan who wasn't able to keep himself from joining in the conversation.

"There's nothing I can think of. We didn't even talk much recently," Richard said to his cousin. "We're too busy with school projects, then last week, she spent her intramural break with her friends. Of course, I won't stop her. They are her friends and I understand that they just want to have some time together."

"Did she tell you anything?" Angel asked Richard.

"Nothing... That's why I don't know what to do now. Angel, you're the only one I know who can help me."

Angel felt sorry for Richard's confusion. Well, she didn't want to get involved in their problem, but she also doesn't want them to suffer.

"Alex is jealous of Kim. Kim Agustin."

"What?" Richard could not believe what she said. "But Kim is just a friend."

"Alex feels that you treat her more than a friend."

"What?" Richard shook his head because of disbelief. "How about Bryan?"

"I'm not like that anymore," Bryan said.

The two men gazed at each other. Richard was the first one to look down as he suddenly realized what Bryan meant.

"But Kim is just a friend," Richard said again.

"That's all that I could tell you," said Angel. "Just ask Alex about the other details. Ask her why she's jealous. I don't want to be biased. It's better if you hear everything from her."

Richard nodded. "I understand. Thanks anyway."

Richard left sadly. Angel is also sad to see him like that, and she even feels sadder as she thinks of her sister. This is really what she's worried would happen.

She felt Bryan held her shoulders and squeezed it lightly. She looked at him and he smiled. Somehow, that made her feel better, knowing he's just beside her and that she could count on him no matter what.

They went back inside their classroom. Problematic they may be, they still need to attend their class and fulfill their responsibilities as students.

****

Richard could not wait for his last class that day, where he will see Alex again. He really needs to talk to her now. And so, he went to her class and waited for it to finish. He stayed outside the classroom and totally skipped his own class. He can't concentrate anyway, because his mind is focused on Alex alone.

After a while, the class ended, and the students started going out of the room. Richard went to the spot where Alex could clearly see him. It didn't take long before Alex came out of the room. She's alone, and she seems sad based on her face's reaction.

"Alex!" He stood on her way.

Alex was surprised upon seeing him.

"Let's talk." He grabbed her hand and pulled her to the student lounge.

"Wait, Richard!"

Alex struggled to get loose, but Richard didn't let her go.

"Richard, I still have a class!"

"I also have a class, but we really need to talk now."

Alex looked away. Since most of the students are in their classes, they are now alone in the student lounge of School of Arts and Humanities.

"Alex, what has happened to us? Did I do something wrong?"

He does not want to believe that Kim is the reason why Alex is avoiding him. He does not want to believe that there's something wrong with how he treats his friends.

"You said that I don't understand. But what should I understand? Tell me, so that I could try to understand it for us to stop being like this. Is it because I am not perfect? Because you realized that the boyfriend that you like is someone like Bryan?"

Richard could still remember what he heard her say in the gymnasium during the intramural week. He heard how much Alex adores Bryan, or at least, the kind of boyfriend that Bryan is. He's aware that when it comes to relationships, Bryan is better than him. Maybe because he's older than him and more mature.

"I can never be like him, Alex. I can never be that perfect boyfriend that you want."

"It's not about you being a perfect boyfriend like Bryan. It's not about me wanting you to be like him."

"Then what is it? What's the problem? What did I do?"

Alex looked at him, and even though he doesn't want to, it seems he really needs to say the next reason why this is all happening to them right now.

"Was it because of Kim?"

Alex looked away.

"So it's true? You're jealous of her?"

"Why would I be jealous of her?"

"I don't know. That's what you sister told me."

Alex looked back to him. "Ate told you?"

"I asked her what might be the reason why you're acting like that because I'm getting crazy trying to figure it out!" He couldn't stop his frustration from coming out. "And I can't believe what Angel told me. Why, Alex? Don't you trust me?" "Sam and the others, they also think you and Kim are dating. Actually, they are thinking she might be your girlfriend already."

"But that's not true! You know the truth! You're the one I'm courting! You're the one I want to be my girlfriend."

"But that's not what the others are seeing."

"I don't care what the others are seeing!"

"But that's also what I see!"

Richard was stunned.