Their Parallel Universe ✓

Chapter 07

"Do you believe in soul mates?"

There are two rumors going around in SDV University about Mr. John Paul Nieves, the Philosophy teacher. First is the one about him being gay and his relationship with Mr. Sky De Vera, the first son of the current University President and Cloud's older brother.

In all honesty, Poll doesn't find it any bit interesting. What's so cool about gossiping about others' preferences and relationships? So their professors are gays and together, big deal; it is not like straight people are being talked about just because they're straight.

No, Poll can never see the appeal of such boring topics and he'd be more thrilled to talk about supernatural beings. That is why he is more curious about the second rumor about his Philosophy professor. He wants to know if it is true that Mr. John Paul Nieves—or Mr. JP as he is more commonly known—came from a family of psychics and can see spirits and ghosts. How much of it is true and how much of it is fabricated?

Now listening to the said professor lecture about abstract things like soul mates, Poll thinks that the paranormal story about him may not be far off the mark.

"It is said that soul mates are bound to each other and that causes them to cross paths even if they don't like to, even how much they try to avoid it."

Poll frowns, remembering someone whom he often has an encounter with despite how that someone is dead set on avoiding him recently. Sure, he has been wondering why they always have to run into each other, but to place it on the idea of them being soul mates is plain ridiculous. Anyway, Poll doesn't believe in soul mates. That is something that exists only in movies and animes.

"Like fate, Sir?" One of his female classmates asks. It's the same woman who admitted to having a crush on Eujae, Poll notes.

Smiling, their professor answers, "Exactly. Soul mates are connected by fate."

Poll turns to look out at the window, the creases in between his brows remain as well as the thought about a certain jerk. "Must be an evil fate then," he mumbles, talking more to himself.

It is either Mr. Nieves has a sharp hearing or Poll wasn't as quiet as he intended to be that the professor looks at his student curiously. "What made you say that, Apollo?" One thing to note about the Philosophy teacher is that he can easily create a relaxed classroom environment by treating his students as his equals. He talks to them as though they are his friends and calls them by their first names, instead of the usual honorific and surname. But for someone like Poll who hates his full name, he'd rather be called by his last name.

Poll returns his attention to the lecture, momentarily confused by his professor's question. It hits him after a few seconds, and he smiles at the older man, embarrassed. "No, I was just thinking Mr. Nieves–"

"You can call me JP."

Poll blinks. "Oh," he says after another short pause. "Oh, yes, Sir. Mr. JP, but only if you call me Poll too."

Chuckling, the professor answers, "Of course. Okay, so you were saying, Poll?"

"I was just thinking, Sir, you said that soul mates will meet each other no matter how much they try to avoid it because they are bound by fate." He makes a disgusted expression, thinking about his next words. "But what if you always run into someone you hate? Are archnemeses connected by something too? Do you call it evil fate then?"

At the sound of the whole class laughing, Poll pouts. He doesn't see anything funny about it; his questions weren't even meant to be a joke.

To his relief, their professor seems to understand that he is being serious. Once the students are quiet again, Mr. JP hums thoughtfully. "So you're saying there's someone you're considering as your nemesis and you often run across them."