Badboy for a Boyfriend

Chapter 9

"Dayshawn is contemplating whether to choose Harvard over IUM. We hope you're doing well at school. Going to the same university as him shouldn't be a problem. You should exert extra effort to keep up with him. That is, if you're having a hard time." Dad narrowed his eyes at me expectantly.

We were talking about my dinner with Dayshawn. It took days because normal conversations around this family needed to be scheduled like it was all about business matters. Dad tried to swerve the topics leading to Mr. Silvero's other child as much as possible. Mom and I were not the type to push through to discourse my father wouldn't entertain. It was everything about Dayshawn and my schooling until it came to this, which was expected any moment the dinner started. I had heard about this going around the campus but I was uncertain. 

I suddenly remembered our coming long quiz. I had always made sure I understood my lesson. It was just that I had to work extra hard for this test, too. 

IUM was already difficult for me. I had thought about chances I would study abroad but I at least thought it would be for internship and training. Not for college.

"Why will he suddenly have second thoughts about IUM," Mom asked, her way of helping me out. I would want to know the answer to that, as well.

"Why? Will you be glad to find out you have a brother out of wedlock? Dayshawn is young and is still building his dreams. This sudden...," he took a peek at me, "problem will make him lost."

I said nothing, simply in awe of my father's understanding of Dayshawn's situation.

Dayshawn had shared his little sentiments to me about this matter. I understood him. I sympathized with him. But I wished my father could reach out the same sympathy to me.

The following days, I was busy reviewing for the test. I knew I was not that bad and dumb but sometimes, my anxiety made me believe I was. The longer that I thought and worried about the outcomes, the worse I thought I was. 

"Do you need help?"

I jumped at the voice, a contradictory reaction to such a gentle tone. I was staring at my reflection in the wide mirror of the girl's bathroom and without a care at whoever walked in and out I hadn't realized Mikaya was with me. 

One girl who was powdering her face glanced at us as Mikaya spoke to me. When her eyes were with mine, she quickly finished and left with her bag. 

I could not tell if there were people in the cubicles but I doubted they would hear us unless we screamed our responses.

I put my lipstick back in my bag to acknowledge Mikaya's presence. Noticing my distraught, she moved closer and brought out a hair brush from her bag to disguise our conversation. My eyes however lingered on the hairbrush as I remembered it was the one I gave her. Sue and Jean would recognize it as mine.

"For the test, I mean."

Blinking, I brought myself back to reality. "N-No, I'm fine. I... I studied well for this."

"Are you sure?" she insisted. I glanced at the hallway going to the cubicles anxiously. "I'll be fine, Mikaya, really."

Her eyes casted downwards. I did not mean to make her feel bad by declining her... help. She started fidgeting. "T-That's good to hear. I was just wondering...," she looked up at me again, "I saw you... You looked pale earlier. I thought, perhaps, you're worrying about your test."

I frowned. "Mikaya..." I trailed off as I did not know what to say. Plus, our secret was having a quick flashback at the back of my head. 

"If you need help..." she added instead. I quickly nodded to end the conversation. I zipped my bag closed and was about to leave when one of the cubicles opened. I froze and watched the girl as she turned around for the floor-to-ceiling mirror by the wall at the end of the hall to watch her appearance and uniform. She only noticed us when she stepped out of the aisle. 

Each cubicle had a basin installed by the toilet to wash hands for and to somehow conserve water. The girl did not have to step closer to the sink to wash hands unless she wanted to powder or put lipstick on. She simply but consciously ran her fingers down her shoulder-length hair. When she noticed her eyes never left her, she quietly left the room. If she had plans to retouch her light makeup, I wouldn't know.

I sighed in relief. Staying inside any longer was not in my plan. A forced smile crept out of my lips. I directed it to Mikaya before leaving without saying a word.

I kept my eyes down at the paper during the test. I was confident I would pass it and would have a higher grade. I was doing good until it all came down on me like cold, heavy raindrops to my stripped skin. 

After failing the final exam last year, I feared I'd fail the entrance exam for Grade 10 this school year, too. My final grades weren't really a failure. I was still able to continue my last year as a junior at IHM. 

However, for my father, my grades failed.

My friends tried to make me feel better but they knew my father's standards had become like my bible. According to his principle, I was a failure, so I was.

I shook my head off things to keep my mind focused on my test papers. Distractions were not supposed to be entertained but whenever you believed it was time to focus, they would come rushing; always uninvited.

I was late for the test. On my way to the exam room, I bumped with a girl on the stairs. Her reading glasses fell on her face but luckily, her hands moved swiftly to catch it. She immediately put it on and hastily fixed her wild locks. That was the very first time I had ever noticed her; not knowing we would be sitting next to each other in the exam room. 

She had a genuine smile on her face: not minding the probably constipated look I gave her. I didn't mind her again.

I was sweating cold inside the freezing room. Until we were given a five minutes break. I ran to the bathroom feeling like I would throw up. I didn't. My hands clenched the sink that was cold beneath my touch.

I was distracted by the same girl walking towards me. Her gentle hand started to caress my back without permission. Or asking for it. She assumed I needed it. Or was silently asking for it. But students who saw me were hesitant to step in.

Somehow, I felt the comfort. So I let her. When I finally calmed down, she left a distance in between us as I washed my face. I was silently checking upon her presence. 

She stayed until I finished powdering and putting little colors to my face so I wouldn't look like a ghost. 

Taking me again by surprise, the girl reached out for my hand. I jerked, startled, and gaped at her. She squeezed on me gently. I frowned.

"Is there anything I can help you with?"

I slowly took my hand back and straightened up my body to get a hold of myself. "No, I'm fine."

Bewildered, I left her and went back to the room on my own. It was dead silent inside as two male instructors roamed around to watch over the examinees. 

I had no idea what happened then. Each chair was an arm's length away but when two instructor's weren't looking our way, the same girl suddenly rested her hand on my table. It was quick but every detail registered on me vividly. She touched her paper and threw it down the floor. 

I turned pale in shock and as everyone looked at the papers lying down open. The girl quickly got it before I could and bowed apologetically to the instructors who walked to us to see what happened.

Noticing there was nothing, they dismissed it and continued with their businesses of separately walking around the students. 

I was confused as to why she would do it. And utterly clueless. Until I checked my papers. My eyes widened.

I remember leaving questions I was doubted to answer, unanswered. The papers on my table were done! All of it!

Upon checking the name on top, it wasn't mine. 'Mikaya A. San Pedro'

My first instinct was to let her and the instructors know the papers were changed. But due to the recent result of my finals, I feared starting a commotion that may reach my parents. 

I put my pen down and froze on my seat. This shouldn't be a problem. It technically was not a big deal at all. But fear took over my system. 

I discreetly glanced at my paper on the girl's table. She hadn't noticed me because she was casually answering all of my unanswered numbers. It was more than half of what I was able to answer. 

Soon, she gave a sideways glance at my direction under her lashes. She fixed her eyeglass on her nose and smiled at me knowingly. 

I thought I would faint.

I parted my lips to quietly inform her but she looked away. I tried to get her attention but one of the instructors called: "Miss Roswell, is there a problem?" I thought I would fall on my chair when I heard it. 

My eyes were wide as he stepped in front of me. I glanced at the other instructor with eyeglasses who was standing from the other side of the room. He lifted his brows at me to support the question of his co-worker.

Before the students could lift their heads from their papers to me, I absentmindedly shook my head; my arm moved on its own accord to hide my name from the instructor's view. I hadn't known I had been holding my breath for long until he walked away and I was able to let it go in a breath. Mikaya barely nodded her head at me before she proceeded to answer the papers—my papers.