Chapter 4:

Shameful Side

Jewel Reina's POV:

I was walking home from the supermarket carrying my groceries. After that fateful night, my dad decided to transfer me to a different school and bought me my own house. I am now living alone but it's better than before.

My parents are divorced so, the moment my dad learned about what happened, he told me to tell him everything. He was furious and threatened my mom that he will file a case against them if she won't let me live alone. But that was the first time my dad ever did something for me. He used to say that I should just tolerate it.

I arrive home and put the things inside the fridge or the cabinet.

I finished and it was so quiet. I decided to go out again although it's almost 10pm. Then I bumped into Daniel, my cousin who I used to live with at my mom's house.

"Hey couz! Living your dream life now? I bet you have tons of money now from your dad, huh? I guess you're really smart. You manipulated them by acting like some suicidal kid so, you can get things the way you wanted, huh? Brilliant. Jumping off a bridge to drown when you can actually swim?" He mocked.

"I can't swim." I told him sharply.

"How the hell did you survive then? You should have just died!" He yelled.

"Do you really think I wanted to survive that?! I want to die as much as you wanted me to! But I didn't and I am as dismayed as you are! Can you just shut up and leave me alone!" I yelled and run away.

I stopped at a convenience store to cool down. I grab an ice pop, paid for it, and sat at one of the seats to eat it.

While crying, sniffing, and eating the ice pop, someone put a strawberry milk in front of me. Francis...

"What? Go away. You said you wanted to be alone that time, now I wanted to be alone, so go." I said.

"No one really wanted to be alone." Francis said as he sits beside me.

"You said, you do."

"Nah. I wanted to be alone with you." Francis said which made me choke on the ice pops I'm eating.

I coughed. "What?"

"I hate hanging out with a lot of people. But if it's just you, I can manage. I can only deal with one person at a time." He said. He smirked teasingly. "What were you thinking?"

He chuckled and drink his strawberry milk.

"I thought you're into me." I said like it was nothing.

This time, he's the one who choked and coughed. Payback.

"How did you know I was here anyway?" I asked.

Francis chuckled. "I didn't. I'm looking for a Pokémon. It just happened that I saw you here."

"Playing with your phone, this late at night? And what's up with you and strawberry milk anyway?" I asked.

Coincidentally, this is my favorite.

"I just got off work. And strawberry milk is always on a good place in the fridge, I always ended up getting it without thinking." Francis replied. "How about you? Why are you crying on the streets while munching on that poor ice pop? Boyfriend issue?" He scoffed like mocking me assuming that I don't have a boyfriend.

"Yeah."

He gasped. "You do have a boyfriend? How unlucky that guy is..."

"Shut up." I rolled my eyes at him.

"Seriously." He laughed. "You have one?"

"Why are you asking if you won't believe me anyway?" I complained.

"Because if I have a girlfriend, I won't let her cry alone in this cold dark night. If your boyfriend really did, he's not worthy of you." He said seriously.

"I hate this kind of talk." I told him as I stand up and about to leave. "See you at school."

"But you're not an easy girl anyway, thugs will get scared of you. I almost forgot my name after you hit me!" Francis complained.

"Do you want to get hit again?! Go home and stop playing Pokemon Go already!" I waved goodbye before walking back home.

But speaking of boyfriend...

Instead of walking home, I took a detour and ended up at a dark alley where Oliver's spot is, a billiard center across a vacant lot.

I went inside and saw him smoking while watching another guy get beaten up by his crew. He saw me glaring at him and he choked.

He quickly get rid of it as soon as he saw me. I walk towards him. I passed by the guy they're beating up and grab the cue stick that one of his friends are about to hit the guy with.

"Hey-! Oh-" Skye, Oliver's friend, complained but stopped as he saw me.

I acted like I was gonna hit Oliver with it and the whole squad went whoa

"I'm sorry Nana!" Oliver yelled while covering his face.

Look at him protecting his precious face first. He loves his appearance so much but always ends up fighting with whoever he wanted to. But don't get me wrong, Oliver is a great boyfriend.

He's sweet and thoughtful but he's into fights and violence. He also smoke a lot but since we've been together, I only see him do it rarely or that's what he and his friends say.

"What did he do to deserve that?" I asked looking at that guy cowering at the corner.

"Can you let that go first?" Oliver asked softly while pointing at the stick I'm holding.

I let go of my grip on the stick and it fell on the floor. I saw the guy flinched from the sound. Poor guy... Look at him being scared to death.

I lick my lips and bit the lower part as I look back at Oliver. "What?" I asked him again.

"He's from your new school. Skye heard him talking about you at the pc shop." Oliver said with a serious look on his face.

He stopped talking. I examined his face and I know that look. Jealous Oli... I wonder what Skye heard.

I look at Skye and he's looking back at me. "What did you hear?" I asked.

"That transfer student at 2-A named Jewel Tuazon. She's very charming. She even got 100% on the 1st monthly exam although she only had a week to prepare. She doesn't look like she's dating anyone. Maybe I should ask her number." Skye said.

"He said that? And you beat him up because of that?" I asked Oliver.

"No. His friend said that. This guy's response was a lot more interesting." Skye smirked at me. "Dude, she ate with Francis Ashton Hernandez, that guy from the swimming team. I think they have a thing for each other."

Shit.

"Baby, who's Francis?" Oliver asked with a frown and angry gaze on his face.

I sighed and close my eyes to cool down before saying anything. "Don't you dare do anything against him." I warned him.

Oliver's eyes softened. I can see how much he's hurt right now. "Are you cheating on me?" He asked.

"When did I ever lied to you?" I asked back.

Oliver stood up and hit the billiard table beside him. "That's why I'm asking you! I know you won't lie!"

"I'll never cheat on you." I said softly and tried to hold his hand clenched on a fist when he hit the table.

Oliver sighed and I know he calmed down. He gave me a tight embrace and I hug him back to comfort him. I'm scratching the back of his head while hugging him, he likes that.

"He's just a friend." I whispered.

I felt Oli nodding. "If you say he's just a friend, then I believe you. I'm sorry for acting so immature." He said.

"Now." I said and broke the hug. "Leave. I never want to see you near these guys ever again. Next time, I'll be the one breaking you." I glared at the guy in the corner.

He ran away.

"Same goes for you, I don't want to see you getting into useless fights like this." I warned the whole squad.

"Understood." Skye smirked.

"How can a girl be this scary." Max said as he shivers in a fake way.

"What were you doing here anyway? It's so late. I'll give you a ride home." Oli said and handed me a helmet.

I quickly grab the end of Oliver's shirt. "You all should go home too. You'll be late for school again." I said.

"Boys, you heard her. Go home. Skye, lock the doors." Oliver instructed and held my hand as we walk outside to his motorcycle.

It only took a few minutes for us to arrive back to my house.

"Do you wanna go inside?" I asked.

Oli shook his head. "No. It's really late and you should be asleep by now. Sleep well, Nana." He said and left a kiss on my forehead before he drive off.

I stared at him as he drove away and a thought crossed my mind. I don't want my new friends to know what I was like before...

I sighed and went inside.

(( BONUS #2 ))

I was working part time at a cafe during weekends. I have about 2 hours left on my shift when I saw Chloe entering the cafe. Just a few minutes after, Jewel came. 20 minutes passed before Gwyneth arrived.

I guess they'll be hanging out today again. But after ordering foods, I saw them talking and Gwen started tearing up and Chloe too. I keep staring and only Jewel was composed.

She has awesome self control.

The guy for the next shift arrived and as I was changing my clothes, I heard him talking about the pretty high school girls. He wanted to ask for their number or something so the moment I finished changing my clothes and getting off the shift, I ordered a shaved ice and asked for a lot of tissue for those crybabies.

I gave it to them and decided to use the back door of the cafe to go out. But before I could, the guy for the next shift asked me.

"Do you know those girls? Mind introducing me to them?" He grinned.

"Yes, I mind. Don't even think about it."