How We Broke Up

18

THEN

Monday and Tuesday were going smoothly for their big project. But when Wednesday hit, before going to the campus, she felt something weird. Like something will come up and mess everything. Ro refused to be taken aback by the negative force she has felt yet, it happened. They were understaffed. Impossible to think about, but still, it happened.

Lunch was over when Ro finished working and fixing the problem with their big project. A lot of their classmates expressed their gratitude by sending her snacks and drinks. A perfect gift since she hasn't eaten anything ever since she started working.

She was flustered from the commotion cause by their understaffed situation. There has been a noise disturbance within the marriage booth and in other stalls. The right flow of their plan was interfered, her batchmates went over on trying to fix their work but they failed, causing a miscommunication.

Ro is presently eating at the hotdog stall with Phoebe and Samantha. As they were eating, Phoebe noticed a bunch of people gathering in the middle of the quadrangle. "Is that Rachel and her friends?" Samantha asked, no one answered.

"They brought up new arcade machines."

Ro was enlightened with Phoebe's statement. The Elite group brought three dance machines, and an additional of basketball machine. That's why they pulled the guys.

"Why didn't they think of calling for help on the store where they bought or rented those machines?" Samantha agreed, "I guess they only wants to cause complications with our plans."

Samantha has a point. When they rented their arcade machines, they got help from the owner's helpers. Are they just trying to get some attention?

They set up the new machines beside the existing machines. A lot of people instantly falls in line to play with it. Ro averted her gaze and focused on eating.

Thomas on the other side approached her friends. "Where the hell did you all go?"

Layla shot her a furious look. "Can't you see? We've taken care of that for this stupid project-"

"Why did you have to bring those guys? We're supposed to stay on our designated area."

"We've got everything under control Thomas. Why are you so furious?" Layla asked, Rachel blurted out, "Because of her girl. I heard she fixed up the problem here."

"Yes. She did everything she could do to fix your sh*ts-" Layla walks into him, she cuts in, "That's her role Thomas."

"That is and will always be her role here. The oh so perfect, nerdy straight A student, who wants everything to go according to her plan." He questioned his self, why is he friends with these people. Thomas told the guys to go back to their areas. Then, he went back to his friends.

"If we failed and didn't make the cut, better do something about it. Use your daddy's money." Every word he said is like a blade that makes a cut. It is so deep, he is furious.

He cannot believe that all this time, for the past years, he's been blind enough to stay with them.

He mentally apologized to Ro for all the things he has done and haven't.

Same day for around two o'clock in the afternoon, Thomas looks for Ro in their stall. She wasn't there.

"Thomas? You looking for Ro?" he doesn't recognize the student, he suspects she's one of Ro's classmates, he nodded. "Ms. Jones asked her to ask Layla if where they got the budget for their machines. It seems that Ms. Jones has meeting to attend to."

He rushed to where Layla and the group stays. He saw how they browbeat Ro.

"You're not accusing us but that's how you make us feel." Thomas cannot believe that Layla is currently gaslighting Ro. He went to stand between the two.

"I already told you, Ms. Jones asked me to-"

"No, why do you always use Ms. Jones-"

"Layla! What the heck are you doing?" Ro turn her head around. She saw how furious Thomas is. That was when she felt all.

Slowly, Ro felt how painful it is to hear someone else's words about her. Layla told her how perfect she was, and Ro can't expect her to catch up with her. She was hardly gaslighted by Layla and her friends. For minutes, she endured to stand her ground. But then, he came.

She lost focus; her knees never felt weaker than before. Her breath starts getting heavy, which made her harder to breath in and out. She watches how Thomas's mouth opens and closes. He's saying something but I don't know what happened, what's happening. She cannot hear.

She cannot hear anything. Am I deaf?

Did I also lose control over my mouth?

She wants to defend herself. Badly. But something is keeping her silent. Is it the truth? Am I really the perfect student; I don't want to mess this project? I want this, badly.

Am I threatened with Layla, Rachel? Why?

I want to cry. Not here. Not at this moment.

She wanted to hold onto Thomas, she needs a support. Ro can feel that any moment she will lose her ability to stand by herself.

Ro strongly shakes her head, firmly closed her fist. She closed her eyes. She raised her white flag.