Chapter 2 Unforseen Rivalries

The lecturer looked amazed, curiosity etched on his face as he probed further, "Who said that?" Still, no response came. His gaze fell upon Kayden. Stepping forward to the center of the room, he asked again, "Was that you, Kayden?... Please, stand up. I would like to hear it once more."

Kayden stood up, a mix of awkwardness and nervousness on his face. "Variable, sir," he uttered.

The lecturer's eyes lit up with delight. "Correct. I love that. You are just new here, but you are already answering questions. You must be a fast learner."

A smile graced Kayden's lips as he replied, "Math is my favorite subject, sir. Maybe that's why it was so easy for me to answer that."

The lecturer's admiration grew, acknowledging Kayden's affinity for the subject. He continued, "Great... You know, you shouldn't be sitting at the back of the class when there is a vacant seat at the front. I see you are a bright student, and I know you'll only be distracted if you continue to sit right there. So now I want you to carry your bag and settle down here," he directed, pointing at the third empty chair in the third row, which happened to be adjacent to Precious's seat.

Following the lecturer's instructions, Kayden rose from his seat at the back and made his way to the front, occupying the designated chair.

"Now that looks alright," the lecturer commented with a smile, pleased with the rearrangement. "How about you try and solve the questions on the board? Can you?" he asked, extending a chalk towards him.

Timidly, Kayden approached the board, his hand shaking slightly as he accepted the chalk. With promptness, he solved the two questions.

"Amazing!" the lecturer exclaimed, feeling impressed by Kayden's proficiency. "Good job, Kayden. Keep it up."

Kayden returned the chalk back to the lecturer, finally relieved from the task.

"Now class, you can all put these in your notebooks as correction to the assignment," the lecturer announced, allowing Kayden to return to his seat.

Even as he made his way back, the majority of the students, particularly the female gender, couldn't help but look up to him in admiration, drawn to his intelligence and cuteness.

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After the lecture had already ended, Anna approached Kayden, displaying a genuine excitement all over her face. "I'm so excited. I can't believe we would meet again. Now I know your name."

Kayden seized the opportunity, expressing his gratitude with the help Anna had given him earlier.

"Don't mention it. I'm glad I could help," Anna replied, her heart filled with enthusiasm.

Precious, observing their interaction, felt a surge of annoyance building up within her.

"It's so funny you know my name already, but I still don't know yours," Kayden said, a warm smile adorning his face.

"Anna... Just call me Anna," she responded, reciprocating the smile.

"It's a good thing I asked. I would have called you Cruz instead if I hadn't known your name," Kayden playfully remarked.

Anna chuckled, appreciating his sense of humor. "That's funny. Well, that's my surname. I mean, the majority of the lecturers here in Notre Dame tend to call us by our first name. It won't be long before they start calling you... Uh..." Anna trailed off, realizing she didn't know his first name.

"Hechanova," he revealed.

"Oh," she nodded, feeling a tinge of embarrassment.

"It's not a problem," Kayden reassured her with a warm smile.

"You know, it's so surprising how you suddenly turned out to be lively again. Just a while ago, you were just acting shyly," she remarked.

"Was that obvious?... Sorry about that. I'm just not used to having too much crowd around me, especially when I'm the center of attention. It makes me feel uneasy."

"Really? I didn't know you were like that. You're not just shy; you're also an introvert," Anna said.

Before they could delve deeper, three girls approached them, their attention captivated by Kayden's presence. "Hey, handsome, can we take a picture with you?" Jessica asked, her tone flirtatious.

Anna snapped, getting in the way, "Absolutely not. He doesn't want to take a selfie with anyone. Got it?"

Surprised by Anna's sharp response, Racheal retorted, "What? How rude! I suggest you stay within your limit, Anna Cruz. We weren't talking to you, alright?"

"FYI, I happen to be his first friend here in school, so if there is anything you decide concerning him, then you will have to go through me first."

Trying to prevent the situation from escalating, Kayden intervened, assuring Anna that it was okay and that they should let the girls take a quick picture.

Instantly, Anna felt a twinge of embarrassment, realizing her overprotective stance. She stepped aside as the three girls moved closer to Kayden, capturing the moment in a photograph.

Precious, seizing the opportunity, approached Anna. "Will you come over here, Anna? What's the nonsense about?" Precious whispered, gesturing with her finger towards Kayden.

"You called that nonsense? Can't you even see that guy? Don't you find him attractive?" Anna said, signaling her head towards Kayden. At the mention of attraction, Precious gave her an odd look. "Oh, I forgot. You're still your father's daughter."

"Just give me back my note already," Precious stretched her hand, demanding her book. Without hesitating, Anna complied, walking three steps to her seat and picked up Precious's book from the table, handing it over to her.

"There, so you have no reason to complain anymore," Anna said, sounding slightly exasperated. Precious, clearly irritated, took the book and without saying a word, walked out of the class.

"Thank you, handsome," Chloe chimed in with a grin as the three friends exited the classroom, leaving Kayden with a mix of emotions.

Kayden glanced at Anna, noticing her moody demeanor. "What's with the long face, Anna?" he inquired as Anna walked back to him.

She brushed off his concern with a wave of her hand. "Oh, it's nothing. Don't worry about me."

Curiously, Kayden probed further, "Is it because of that friend of yours? What was all that about?"

Anna's eyes searched his face. "Did you see her?" she asked, her voice tinged with worry.

Shaking his head, Kayden replied, "No, I couldn't see her clearly, but I overheard some of your conversation. It sounded like you were arguing."

She rushed to defend her friend. "Trust me, Kayden. Precious isn't like that. She's a genuinely good person. Sometimes she acts out when she's going through things, but that's not who she is all the time. I promise you'll like her once you get to know her better."

Kayden's skepticism melted away, replaced by a gentle smile.

At that moment, Carlos joined him, followed by a group of friends, approaching with camaraderie.

"I'll go ahead now, Kayden," Anna excused herself, leaving the classroom.

"Good afternoon," Kayden greeted, his voice slightly faltering, revealing a hint of formality.

Carlos playfully rebuked him, "Hey, come on. Stop being formal with us. We are course mates after all. Soon enough, we'll become friends."

Jackson chimed in, "Or maybe our level advisor is right all along. It's obvious he's the shy type."

Vincent added, "Is that so?" looking at Kayden with curiosity.

Kayden awkwardly denied, "No, I'm not."

Unswayed, Kelvin proposed, "You know what? Just come with us, Kayden. We'll take away your fears."

Carlos enthusiastically included, "I agree. Kelvin is right. Why don't you come with us, Kayden? We are going to the football ground. You can as well play the match with us. That is, if you don't mind."

Kayden hesitated, unsure of his abilities. "Well, you see, I don't play football. I mean, I really don't know anything about playing football."

"Like seriously, you don't know any at all?" Carlos wondered, his brows furrowing in disbelief.

Kayden could only respond with a solemn nod, feeling a tinge of embarrassment creeping up within him.

"That's bad. I can't believe you're the first guy I'll ever meet in this school that doesn't know how to play football," Jackson chimed in, a mix of surprise and curiosity evident in his voice.

Vincent nodded in agreement, adding, "Yeah, it's pretty rare. Football is like a religion here."

The weight of their words settled heavily on Kayden, making him feel like an outsider in this new environment. He had hoped to find common ground with his peers, but this revelation seemed to separate him further.

"Well, if you say so," Carlos said with a hint of disappointment. "But if you ever change your mind, we'll be at the Sports Center. Football is a great way to bond and have fun, you know?"

Kelvin, sensing the slight discomfort in the atmosphere, intervened. "Let's just go, guys. Raymond might be waiting for us."

The group collectively agreed, their attention shifting to their own plans.

"Alright, we'll go ahead, Kayden," Carlos said, offering a parting gesture of goodwill. "Take care of yourself and don't hesitate to join us if you ever want to give it a try."

Kayden managed a weak smile, appreciating their attempt to include him, even if their interests didn't align. As the four departed, Kayden remained seated. The silence settled around him, punctuated only by the sound of his own breathing.

Taking a long, deep breath, he released the tension that had built up inside him, feeling a sense of relief wash over him.

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The four guys spotted Raymond on their way to the Sports Center and came to a halt. Raymond, visibly agitated, inquired, "So what now? Where is he? Isn't he coming?"

"No, he's not. He refused to come with us," Carlos replied.

Raymond's irritation was apparent. "I knew inviting him was going to be a bad idea. You should have just let him be."

"But I didn't see any harm in trying," Carlos defended.

Kelvin, sensing the tension, interjected curiously, "Wait a second, bro. I'm kind of confused here. You've been acting strange ever since the guy came into the class. Is it still about him refusing to come with us? Or do you just not like him at all?"

"Yes, you're right. I don't even like him in the slightest. I'm glad you were able to sense that so soon. You see, I don't know why I'm having this strange feeling. All I know is I don't feel good about his presence. I have a bad feeling about him. You get what I mean?"

Carlos couldn't resist teasing, "Well, I guess that's how one feels when they suddenly have to compete with another person."

Raymond shot him an annoyed look. "Competition? Because he's bright?"

Carlos continued, being somewhat blunt, "Because the guy is cute, you know that. You may be thinking that Precious might choose him over you, which would only trigger your jealousy."

"Me? Jealous? Don't be ridiculous, Carlos. How can I be jealous of that low-class guy? He's not even up to my standard. And when we talk about good looks, his looks are nothing compared to mine. And most of all, Precious would never choose him over me either. The earlier you know, the better for you all. So get that straight," Raymond retorted, looking visibly provoked.

"Alright, fine. If you say so. You don't need to get offended," Carlos said, attempting to diffuse the tension. "Common, let's just go. We'll be late for the match."

The group continued on their way to the Sports Center, with Raymond appearing slightly less annoyed.

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Meanwhile, at the grandstand area, Anna decided to join Precious and took a vacant seat beside her.

Precious, looking slightly miffed, asked, "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Common, Precious. Don't be like that," Anna replied.

Precious retorted, "Why shouldn't I? I thought you found a new friend already."

"You know that's not true. I only did that just to welcome the guy. He's a new student, and he needs all the help we could give so he can feel free with us."

Precious, maintaining her arrogance, replied, "Well, I don't care."

"Alright, I'm sorry. You know, once you get to know Kayden so well, you'll also like him, I assure you." She smiled, attempting to ease her anger.

"That's never going to happen. He's not even my type."

Anna playfully responded, "That's what you think. You never know, he might just be the one you've been expecting."

Precious scoffed, "You're just saying nonsense. I can't believe you've gotten attracted to him that easily. Is that how cheap you are?"

Anna, maintaining her composure, replied, "Come on, girl. You talk as if I've given my body to him. It's just an attraction. Anyone can be a victim. And I strongly believe it will be your turn soon."

"Keep dreaming. Just remember to inform me when you regain consciousness, okay?" she joked.

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Afterward, Raymond and his team stepped onto the pitch alongside their opponents. The referee blew the whistle, signaling the start of the match.

"I just hope our class wins this time," Precious expressed her optimism.

"Of course, we will. After all, you're here. And I'm sure Raymond wouldn't want to let you down," Anna said, trying to reassure her.

Confused, Precious asked, "And how does that have to do with me?"

"Don't you realize that every time you're here, we always win the match? But once you refuse to come, we lose."

"That's not true. You're just flattering me." she said, feeling blushed.

Indeed, Raymond and the team would always lose when Precious was absent from the field. Almost everyone, especially Raymond's friends, had noticed his strong feelings for Precious, which often led to conflicts and a lack of focus when she wasn't present.

"Precious, this is for you!" Raymond shouted audibly as he skillfully ran with the ball and scored an amazing goal.

The opponent team, on the other hand, was taken aback by Raymond's quick success.

"I told you so," Anna grinned.

"That was just a coincidence. Anyone in his position would do the same. The goal was clear. There's nothing special about that," Precious replied, a smile playing on her lips.

"Okay, keep avoiding the truth all you want. But the truth remains that Raymond cares about you," Anna said bluntly, causing Precious to smile.

At the end of the match, Raymond and his team left with their heads held high, having scored five goals while the opponent failed to score a single goal.