In Screaming Color

Chapter 9

Jho's POV

I was staring blankly at the seat across me. How it seems too empty that it almost deserved to have something and here I am, imagining things that could possibly be present on it.

Perhaps a teddy bear that resembles my favorite cartoon character, Pooh. Or perhaps a pot containing a sunflowers that is bigger than my face. I wouldn't even complain if it was splattered with my most hated thing on earth, mayonnaise. I felt my face form into a smug. Who am I kidding? I hate mayonnaise and would rather have the seat vacant if that would be the only choice.

But who am I kidding really? Perhaps myself. Because admittedly, I don't want anything in the seat across me. Not even the big Pooh bear, or an amount of Sunflowers that could cover up what I feel. Nothing but one thing, person rather.

Bea.

And my mind wanders the Earth to know where Bea could be. Where she would be eating right now with her friend. Where she would rather be other than to the seat across me. And it makes me frown at the thought that whereves she was, we are not together.

Ugh...

I complain beneath my breath. Irritated to the fact that it affects me. The time I have spent with Bea has brought us much closer. Too close that it's making me mad.

But why is that? I am now overly acting to this day that she wasn't able to eat lunch with me not because she has a meeting but because she is with someone. Someone I don't know but someone close to her heart. I think?

"Your food is getting cold, Jho. Hindi ba masarap?"

Ria asked as she took a bite with the same food as I was having. Distracting me from my thoughts and I almost thank her out loud but I didn't because that would be weird which later on would become embarrassing. I said the food was fine because telling her it wasn't good would make her lose her appetite. I think it's psychological, so yeah. And besides, I only had one bite so I really don't know if it was good or not.

"May problema ka ba?"

"Wala." I shook my head and she nodded. Continued on concentrating on her food when I decided to be honest. "Ri... I- uh,"

"Nag-aalala ka kay Bea? Don't worry, Jho. She's with Therese naman kaya safe yun." She gave me a thumbs up as she finished my own sentence. I nodded with a smile. Trying to make her believe that her words comforted me.

It didn't.

That's the point, she's with Therese. Her friend who just popped out of nowhere and even if I'm not a judgemental person, I just can't stop myself from wondering if who is this Therese? Who is she to Bea's world? And why do people trust her so much? And by people, I mean Ria.

"Ri, don't take this the wrong way. I'm just wondering kasi, ka ano-ano ni Bea si Therese?"

She glanced at my direction with a thinking face. The kind of face people have when they have a mental debate with theirselves? She has exactly that and I begin to wonder and be more intruiged.

"Uh, magkaibigan sila." She simply stated those words to be safe from more questions.

But that didn't stop me. It made me want to know more than I should. Uh oh.

"Magkaibigan lang? They seem really close no? Bakit ngayon ko lang siya nakita? Does she always visit dati?" I throw questions after questions and it almost made Ria sweat. Not until she smiled and eyed me teasingly. She shifted in her seat and faced towards me.

"Yes, dati palagi siyang bumibisita pero nung pinaasikaso na din yung business ng family niya sa kanya, hindi na ganon kadalas. And yes, they're very very close. Magkababata eh, and well... Nevermind." She shook her head and concentrated on her meal again.