Courting Him (Guillermo Series #1)

Chapter 19

Trigger Warning: This chapter contains strong language and talks of slut shaming.

Toxic

When I was young, my parents were too overprotective of me. I guess it has to do with me being born with a weak constitution. Growing up, I remember how I often have to do hospital visits because I get sick easily. It was too frequent that I usually end up missing a few days per month at school.

That's when my parents decided to homeschool me. Mahirap kasi ilang araw akong absent sa klase dahil nagkakasakit ako, pero hindi ko man lang naranasan paano makipag kaibigan. The only people close to my age that are allowed to be around me are my cousins and my only brother.

But when my older brother reached senior high school, he doesn't spend that much time with me anymore. He was busy with homeworks, school projects and seminar. He was part of the student council and is an achiever so in a way, I understood his circumstances but at the same time, I was envious that he got the chance to experience those things.

When Tate reached junior high, she would often spend the weekends at our house so my life wasn't that boring. But when something happened at her school, she decided to come back to Guillermo to continue her studies here.

And so I was left alone.

When I reached my teens, I resented my parents for home schooling me when I wasn't even that weak to begin with. I resented my brother because we fell apart. I resented Tate because she left me all alone and flew back to Guillermo.

The only thing that kept me going was when my fitness instructor taught me how to dance. My parents were against the idea of it since it may tire me out. We fought that day and I didn't speak to them for a whole week. I was petty, yes, but that was the only time I thought I had a control with my life.

When I reached 18, my immune system got a lot stronger and I got my parents' approval to actually go to a university for college.

I've always wanted to experience a normal school life. Going out to parties, making new friends, have a boyfriend, go on a school rally, attend seminars or concerts. I really planned to do that. But I forgot I don't even know how to socialize. So how do I even expect to do all that?

Luckily, my brother is popular at that university. He's so known around campus that even though he already graduated, people around school still know who he is. Add to the fact that he's the previous basketball team captain and his girlfriend is one of the queen bees of the university.

Life was supposed to be easy for me. I really thought college life would be so fun and will be the best experience for me...

But that's when shit started to go down.

Ah, no. My life became a total mess when I became friends with the "it girls". Specifically with Hera — the campus queen bee, and my brother's girlfriend.

* * *

"Carly, I don't think it's a good idea to open any of your social media accounts."

That's the first thing in the morning Iris told me a few days ago. I pulled out an all nighter to prepare for exams week. I usually log off my accounts to not get distracted. Sa online class lang ako naka log in in case there are any announcements.

It's been a few days already. I was so focused on the exam that I didn't bother the whispers or hushed voices of the students around me when I walk around campus. Hindi ko alam kung ano 'yung tsismis at wala akong balak alamin. I'm used to being backstabbed, so them talking behind my back won't even bother me.

I haven't seen Levi after our date. Dahil nga sila ang winning team, they were exempted with the exams. And since Gabriel's kinda lazy, he set up a whole convention hall with all the courses he's handling and made us take the exam. That's when I actually notice the stares and whisperings. Mas napapansin ko lang ang mga titig nila kapag napapalapit si Gabriel sa akin tuwing nag-iikot siya to check for cheaters.