loping along through the cosmos

10: NAZAIRE GETS CAUGHT

Jade and Theodore walked silently back to the main building, both waiting for the other to speak first. Finally, when they stepped outside the elevator on the 3rd floor, a few doors from their next class, Theodore accepted defeat - and by defeat, he meant lowering his pride.

"I'm sorry for what I said to you last Saturday," he apologized.

The girl looked at him, lips in a smirk like she won. Then again, she did. She'd never lower her pride for someone especially when she knew she did nothing wrong (or she liked to assume). "The food from your mom's restaurant was delicious."

Theodore's lips twitched like he was trying not to smile, not wanting to show that he was a little relieved. "I'll tell her about your review."

"Did she cook them?"

"She helps sometimes but since there weren't many customers when we went there, she's a waitress."

Jade nodded at this. "So, why did you want to walk to class with me? I'm sure it's not about you apologizing."

"How can you tell?" Theodore humored her.

"You don't look too relieved when you apologized."

"That's because I saw your smirk. You waited until I spoke first, didn't you?"

"I'm not the one who said that he wants to walk with me to our next class, am I? I was waiting for your reason why you had to do that in front of our friends," she shook her head. "I mean, my friend and your two friends. Or girlfriend, I suppose?" The last words Jade said sounded like she was just fishing for information about Theodore's love life.

Theodore felt that. Raising an eyebrow, he asked, "Are you jealous, Valentine?"

Jade scoffed, stopping on her tracks just when they arrived outside the room of their next class.

"Why would I be jealous?" She folded her arms. "I'm way prettier than her."

"What about you being prettier than her? I don't just go for looks, mind you." He was smiling at her teasingly, which made Jade furrow her eyebrows with a frown.

"I'm richer."

Theodore looked at her pointedly. "I don't need money from someone I like."

"I'm-" She bit her lower lip, eyes up as she thought of another pleasing characteristic she has. "I know self-defense! I can protect anyone!"

He chuckled, the sound of it making Jade more annoyed yet at the same time, feeling... tingly inside. "We both know you're not really good at defending yourself, Valentine."

"I've managed to get away from those people before you helped me in that alleyway."

"You really should get a bodyguard," he suggested, acting like he wasn't one at the moment.

"Bodyguards are for the weak. Bet your friend is a weak-"

"Jen told me she's enrolled herself in boxing classes."

Jade grimaced. "Whatever."

"Why do you badly want to surpass Jennie?" He used his nickname for his friend to tease Jade more. And boy was he proud to see even just a tiny twitch of Jade's face as her reaction. "Stop putting her down just so you can feel superior over her, Valentine. I thought you were better than that."

Her reply was a roll of her eyes heavenward although his words really stung. She doesn't even know why she said those things in the first place. It's not like I'm actually jealous of her.

"Don't take that in a wrong way," Theodore added just so he wouldn't hurt Jade's feelings more. "I know you're just being competitive."

She was surprised by what she heard, and a smile crept on her face as she pats the tall boy's shoulder twice. "Glad you know."