The Runaway Groom

Chapter 5

"Dylan, give me back my phone," Geoffrey said while struggling from the grip of Dylan who was pinning him on the ground after he caught him. Geoffrey was scanning his phone in their class earlier and Dylan was curious about the way he watched the videos, the way he suppressed his smiles so he secretly took a look and he found out that it was a video of him and Riley.

Dylan keeps ignoring him while his other hand is busy with Geoffrey's phone making sure that everything will be sent to his phone.

"Let me go..." said the poor Geoffrey who keeps struggling to get away from Dylan. "You....three idiots, help me please." He then looks at their three friends who are now quietly standing in the same position with their chins resting on their hands enjoying the sight of their two friends on the ground.

"Nah! We don't want to be in trouble," the trio responds in unison. They know how fierce Dylan is when it comes to his stuff. Like how and what he is doing now with Geoffrey.

"How did you take the video?" Dylan now is seriously asking Geoffrey after throwing his phone right in front of him. He already sent all the videos and photos to his phone and deleted them all on Geoffrey's phone. He also releases Geoffrey from his grip and now his friend is trying to fix himself and stretching his arms that hurt a bit from his grip. Dylan found out that Geoffrey took the video of the incident between him and Riley.

"As I told you, I followed you to the toilet as you are already gone for quite a long time. Then the professor is also coming," Geoffrey explained.

"Then?" Dylan was impatiently waiting for an explanation.

Geoffrey continues, "then as I'm heading towards the corner I see those papers flying, wondering what was happening but then I saw you and Riley on the ground-hugging each other, I was tempted to take a video and photos."Geoffrey grins while telling him what he saw in the morning. Their three friends listened intently with eyes wide open.

Dylan grit his teeth looking fiercely at Geoffrey gesturing him to continue.

"Then I hid behind the bush and took a video and photos on that position of you two so I can give it to you as your remembrance of that very memorable moment of yours with Riley. Ouch!" Geoffrey shouted in pain as Dylan suddenly slapped him on his nape before he could finish talking.

"Remembrance on your face!" Dylan then walked away from his friends but the trio quickly ran to follow him.

"Isn't it useful? You already took it on my phone. i***t!" Geoffrey shouted as he ran to chase Dylan, Clark, Christian, and Benjie.

They were in their university but sometimes they are acting like high schoolers chasing each other at the campus. Their group is quite popular in the university because of Dylan. Among five of them, Geoffrey is the only one who knows everything about Dylan especially when it concerns Riley Carter.

"Dylan, what are you going to do with those pictures and videos?" Benjie asked. He was curious about the photos taken by Geoffrey. They're in the cafeteria having their break for an hour before their next class.

"Does it matter to you to know what I'm going to do with those?" Dylan responds, smirking.

Clark and Christian nudge Benjie as he sits between them, giving him a gesture to not ask anymore but Benjie doesn't stop and explains himself.

"Well, I am just curious. I think there is no wrong in asking. Besides, does Riley know about it? It's invading someone's privacy, right?" He continued, oblivious of the truth behind Dylan's purpose for those photos. Geoffrey, who knows everything, darted a glare towards Benjie. Benjie then shut his mouth. He just wanted to inform his friends about privacy, but whatever Dylan's reason for those photos, he thinks that he knows the consequences once Riley will know about it.

"Okay, enough! Let's just eat," Clark intervened. He knows their argument is heating up and he won't allow them to have misunderstandings because of someone's photos and videos.

"Clark is right! Let's eat. We're here to eat anyway," Christian seconded to break the tension between their friends.

Dylan on the other hand doesn't care about his friends. His mind is not with them. He is looking for the person who keeps lingering in his mind but there is no sign of him appearing at the cafeteria. He saw Riley's friends on another table far from them but Riley is not with them.

When his friends notice his silence, they follow his gaze and they shake their heads as they know the reason why he is looking at the other group of students at the cafeteria.

"He is not with them, Bro. So, you better eat the food that you order," Geoffrey said and feed Dylan a piece of cake that he ordered. Dylan darted at him with an angry look but opened his mouth simultaneously to receive the food that his friend fed him.

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At Riley's friend's table, Zoey, Paul, and Oliver are having their food quietly when Zoey suddenly opens the topic about Riley.

"Do you guys know why Riley seems different today?" She asked.

Paul and Oliver shake their heads but Paul speaks.

"He seems mad towards someone. While the professor is busy talking in front, Riley is so mad that he used his pen to stab the paper, like stabbing someone, and the way he clenched his jaw, I know he is angry," Paul explains.

"I noticed that too," Zoey added.

"But who made him mad?" Oliver asked, wondering. They never heard anyone having a misunderstanding with Riley. Not because he is their friend, but they know how Riley doesn't want to get involved in any trouble.

Zoey shrugged her shoulders. She also doesn't know the reason why Riley is mad. He just came back from their province and Zoey knows nothing as Riley didn't text or call her to tell her how his trip goes.

"Let him be alone for now. He will tell us once he is fine," Zoey said and continued her food but in her mind, she is thinking about who made Riley so angry.

"Zoey is right," Paul agreed and pouted his lips. They're not used to it that Riley is not with them during snack time or lunchtime. And the way he acted is not usual for them. They used to see him ebullient and happy.

They then continue to munch their food and let their mind stop overthinking about Riley. They will just wait for him to open up to them about the reason why he is in a bad mood that day.

The afternoon came and Riley decided to go home right after their last class was dismissed. He still finds himself exhausted from his travel and his mind seems restless because of what happened between him and Dylan.

"I'm sorry guys, I'm tired, I need to rest early," he said apologetically.

"Okay, we understand. Just go home and take a rest. If you need any help don't hesitate to ring us," Paul responded, tapping his shoulder.

"Thank you, bye! See you all tomorrow," he bid goodbye to his friends and headed to the carpark.

"Hmmm...." Oliver doesn't know what to say and seems thinking while looking at Riley walking away from them.

"What?!" Paul turned and nagged at him.

Zoey raises her hand between the two guys and gestures to both of them then she asks Oliver. "Oliver, are you trying to say something?" She asked.

"I am just wondering about Riley today. Since this morning his aura has been bothering me. I think there is something he didn't tell us or had no plan to tell us." Oliver said.

"Like what?" Paul asked with furrowed brows.

"That's for us to find out," Oliver replied with a big grin plastered on his face.

"That is why Zoey said this morning that we have to wait for him to tell us," Paul snarled at Oliver and was about to slap his nape when Zoey stopped him.

"Enough!" Zoey said glaring at them and turned her back away from them, stomping her feet.

Paul and Oliver looked at each other but no one dared to blame each other but pointed at each other with their forefinger. They then followed Zoey who is going back to the library.