Chapter 1 Friends

"Jane, how are you feeling right now?"

That's the first thing my grandmother Flores asked me as we started eating in front of our table. I smiled at her and swallowed first the bread that I'm eating.

"I'm perfectly fine grandma, just busy with the school work though," I answered.

" Are you sure you don't want to go back to your real family, Jane? It's been two years."

" I don't want to, grandma," I said, sighing. Bitterness can be felt as I said that.

"I wish, you can decide now Jane. You know that I can't take care of you anymore because I'm aging," she laughed as she told me that, but I can feel the sadness evident on her eyes.

"Grandma, don't say that." I went to her side and hug her. This is my only way to thank her endlessly for being with me for the past few years.

"You knew that they can easily find you, Jane," she warned, seriousness can be heard as she spoke.

" Yes, grandma. Eventhough my parents are rich as hell, they will never find me. I'm careful on hiding from them," I said as I finished my food. I heard grandma sigh on my remark but I shoved it away. I just hug her and bid my goodbye for I'll go to school now.

I've been living with my grandmother since I was 14. She's not my real grandma. She's my nanny since I was a baby. She's been with me and give time to me that my family never gave. I don't want to be with my family anymore. I feel like I was just a slave to them, following their orders. In a young self of mine, I've been thinking this way. Following them means no freedom to me. And I don't want that. They don't even care if I'm away to them. What's important to them is their business. Only business.

Yaya o Lola Flores is like a mother to me. She served to our family back then but unfortunately, she's not capable of doing the choirs anymore as she is 64 old now and only Tita Gisselle is with us.

And I'm grateful that she treated me as her real daughter. Being with her feels like a family that I didn't feel to my real ones.

I arrived just in time at our school. Our university, Clifford University, is one of the prestigious school in the Philippines. They have complete courses and a scholars that like me can't afford that.

I didn't know if my parents knew that I am studying here. They don't need me though. They will just waste their time to find nor search for me. It's been 2 years since I am away to them. I just sighed with that thought.

"Jane." Someone called that I instantly looked behind. I saw Fiella De Guzman, our class president with Ms. Santos.

"Good morning, Ms. Santos, Fiella." I greeted while smiling as Fiella and Ms. Santos approached me. Ms. Santos is our 4th year teacher. Strict but nice.

"Go to my office before your class ends, okay?" She said.

"For what, Miss?" I asked.

"The reviewers for the MTAP are printed. And also, you will meet your partners." I just nodded as she explained it.

" Yes miss."

"Okay, I'll go ahead." Fiella just smiled at me before she follow behind our instructor.

I don't want to be friends with anyone. I find them uncomfortable. I'm so used to my old friends who happened to betrayed and backstabbed me. I would rather be a beggar and single than a queen and married.

I went to my designated room. As usual, some of the chairs are not arranged and it's always noisy in here. Some of my classmates were chatting and some are finishing their assignments.

I just went to my chair beside the windows and put on my earpod.

I'm a loner person who wants to be independent and help my grandmother. I just want to finish my studies and graduate with a degree that I want to have. That's my goal in life. I don't want to be pressured by my own parents who want me to take Business Ads so that I can help with their company. I don't need that. I can live on my own.

Time passed by, and our class started. Few discussions and a lot of reporting. It's on our last year as a junior high school students. Some tell us that this is the hardest year of a junior high school student. As for me, it's not. Last year is way more harder than this year though.

Maybe, college life is more stressful. I can see college students that are very serious, when in fact in their high school life, their mindset is just to pass those subjects and to graduate.

I want to take Nursing course. Something tells me that I want that profession. I want to help people who are sick. When I was a kid, I usually admire nurses checking up and reading vital signs of their patients. I also watch videos about medicine and in operating room where nurses are assisting doctors. They're very calm and that's when I start to dream of being a nurse. I want to pursue that dream.

I went to Ms. Santos' office to get the reviewers for the MTAP competition. I really don't want to participate to this kind of event or competition, but it's the teachers who make me agreed to this. I just can't reject them.

I knocked three times on the door before opening it. I saw two other students, a girl with her glasses and a varsity player, I guess, 'cause he's wearing a jersey shirt of the basketball team of Clifford University. They were sitting on the sofa right beside the teacher's desk. I think, we're in same batch.

"Ms. Valdez, you're here." Our teacher said.

"Good afternoon, ma'am," I greeted.

" You're just in time," our instructor stated. " Meet your partners, Ms. Perez and Mr. Rodriguez."

"Hi!" The girl greeted and even waved her right to me. The guy beside her just smiled at me.

I just smiled back at them. Eventhough they seem nice and sincere, I can't easily trust people nowadays. I don't even know how to approach them.

"These are your reviewers. Maybe, after this week, we'll start reviewing. Don't worry though, I will excuse the three of you to your classes." Ms. Santos said as she assured us with a smile.

The printed copies are thick. I think I will start this night.

"Okay, that's all. You may go."

"Thank you, ma'am." We said in unison. I went outside first, carrying my reviewers. I arranged my things first inside my bag and was about to turned around when I saw Ms. Perez, one of my partners in MTAP, in front of me, smiling.

"Chelsea Rea Perez, by the way." She extended her hand while still plastered a smile.

"Jane Samantha Valdez." I accepted her with a shake hands and immediately take away my hand to her.

"I wish, we can get along," she muttered. " By the way, that guy earlier is my best friend, Clifford Duke Rodriguez." I simply nodded to her.

" Okay, see you tomorrow."I waved a goodbye to her as she went outside the school campus.

She's nice though. Maybe, she's an exemption. I wish I can get along with her too.