Change of Heart

Chapter 17

Erica

Seth knew. He definitely did. It didn't take words from him to know that. It was written in his eyes. It was in the way he looked at me. It was hidden in his smile.

He offered to help me carry the books back to the shelves and waited as I checked out the book 'How to Say Sorry for Dummies.' He said he had to check on his sister, so he walked with me to my class.

"Hi, Erica-oh!" Jo was surprised to see her brother with me. "You're walking Erica to class?"

Seth scratched his nose. "Well, yeah, but I wanted to see you to ask if you hadn't forgotten your lunch."

Jo smirked. "Kuya, you know I don't bring lunch to school."

"Oh yeah." Seth was flustered. "But have you not forgotten anything? Maybe, you left something at home. You know you're careless sometimes."

"Kuya!" Jo was amused at her brother. "I'm fine. I have everything I need."

"Okay, see you this afternoon... Or maybe at lunch." Seth waved his hand and stole a quick glance at me. "See ya' later."

Jo shook her head, grinning.

"You're lucky to have such a caring brother, you know." I said to Jo and she snickered.

"Well, it's true that my brother's a really nice guy and he's really caring for me and all, but I doubt that he really intended to see me. I think he just wants to walk you to class."

"Hahaha. Of course not. He really was concerned about you." I said while walking to my seat. Jo followed me, she always sat beside me in all our classes together, except in some classes where the teachers arrange us alphabetically.

"You know, I think my brother has a crush on you. He doesn't say anything about it, but I kind of feel it."

"Hahaha."

I was relieved. I thought that maybe Seth had mentioned anything to his sister. Maybe not.

"My brother can be so annoying sometimes." Jo started to complain. "He's so secretive. I have no idea what's going on in his mind. If I try to open up about it, he changes the topic.

"But I think he liked someone in high school. You went to the same school. You wouldn't know, would you?"

"Sorry. I don't know." I averted Jo's eyes. It was so awkward pretending to know nothing. And Jo's my friend. It made it more difficult to act like it was nothing.

"Well, you don't seem so close. So I understand." Jo nodded.

"When my mother remarried our new dad and we found out we had to move to the US. Kuya Seth resisted, but he couldn't do anything about it. After two years, he still insisted on going back home and studying here in the Philippines. But he could've continued studying there. Dad even assured him he can get him to study college in Princeton, since he had some connections there, but still, he insisted, saying that there's still no place like home. So, after two years, he returned to the Philippines. And because he's studying here now, I also decided to follow him."