loping along through the cosmos

6: AT LEAST I HAD YOU

The following days, Theodore kept on debating whether he should always follow Jade Valentine or not.

On Wednesday morning, he got his phone back inside his bag without knowing who put it. He was always with his bag inside their classrooms, so his phone was most probably slid inside his bag during lunch - it was only Jenevieve who was waiting for them for their food, his bag on her seat left slightly open when he took his wallet out.

Of course, he didn't forget about his responsibilities as Jade's secret bodyguard. He doesn't follow her around their university but he would always make sure that she's with Reverie when going home. For a week, his life revolved around the same activities.

On the other hand, his father still hasn't acknowledged him. He would always avoid meeting his gaze during classes and on their third meeting on their first week, when Theodore was the only one who was raising his hand to answer his father's question to the class, that was then that he was finally called to answer - but that was only because the professor had no choice.

As for his mother, Theodore kept on updating her every other night.

Iris was always close to him. She was the best mother he could ever have. Aside from being present in all his achievements, she has always been there for him in his tough times - she'd bring him food when he was cooped in his room to study for exams and she even knows what to say when he needed words of encouragement or advice. She was there when he needed to break up with Jenevieve, telling him that no one's at fault for the end of their romantic relationship and that they needed to do that in order to grow.

Needless to say, Theodore knew that she doesn't tell him everything.

He still doesn't know what his father did to her except for leaving them when he was young. He knew about the weekly letters from his father only because he saw one on their dining table when he came home from school earlier than his dismissal time.

He also knew that his mother was hurting ever since the letters came. Theodore thought that the letters started on his last year in high school because that was when his mother started becoming lost in space in her room whenever he sees her door left ajar.

Why his father keep on sending her letters, Theodore wanted to know. That was why he wanted to pursue his course and meet his father.

The problem was he could never find the time to talk to him with his father's busy schedule besides teaching at Sinclair Academy.

He's probably helping Astra plan for the upcoming announcement.

On a Saturday afternoon, when Theodore was in his room contemplating about whether he should find another part time job or not, someone texted him.

Where are you? We can't find Jade.

It was a message from someone named K, who Theodore assumed to be the driver of that car he was kidnapped in, Kieran, asking him where he was and that they couldn't find Jade.

Theodore was too busy with his own issues that he has forgotten about the job he was supposed to do.

Really though? Even on weekends? He wanted to reply. Why can't the normal bodyguards do that?

Before he could type a reply, Kieran called him. Pressing the answer button, the veteran bodyguard spoke. "Hey, you're not doing your job properly."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know that I'm supposed to be around her on weekends as well," Theodore explained.

"You're pretty straightforward," Kieran chuckled. "But don't do that again next time. You should at least know her schedule for the day. What's the point of being her classmate if you won't befriend her? You've got an advantage yet you're clearly not taking it."