She's Older Than Me

Chapter 8: Reconciliation

Monday, first day of July.

Ashley was stuck inside the classroom where her platoon was performing drills due to the fact that it was raining cats and dogs outside. The platoon leader roared orders, and the cadets, Ashley included, performed marching exercises. Therefore, she was left behind while her friends went ahead to the covered parking lot to wait for their respective rides home.

Nadine was fretting because her younger brother, a third year high school student from Academia de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, was nowhere in sight. He was supposed to be here so that their father can fetch them together at Frigate.

“I wonder where he is,” she complained.

For those who don’t know, Academia de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe is a co-ed school. Because the school has a name to uphold, selection process for incoming students is really rigid. The students, too, tend to have high regards for proper decorum and good moral character. The guys are gentlemanly, unlike the rude ones from SIDL or those from Scientific Research Institute. The girls, meanwhile, are not as boisterous as the Frigate girls, nor as lavish and shallow as the girls from Pale Jade.

“Maybe he still have some things to do in school,” Linda told Nadine. “Chill!”

“Yeah, right...” Nadine replied in resignation.

"Oh no! The rain is getting heavier!" complained Lorraine. "Look!"

"It's gonna flood again," Nadine whined.

"You can say that again," Linda remarked with a heavy heart.

And the three girls sighed unhappily in unison.

****

Meanwhile, in SIDL, Miss Alcasid dismissed her class after their after-class class. The boys were tired yet satisfied because they had exercise, and they were proud that they can get to showcase their dancing prowess come middle of July for a dance showdown to be held at Ayala.

"Yo guys, this month is Nutrition month, right?" Johnson told his gang. "Let's all go hang out at home and make some soufflés."

"Yeah right," Joel replied nonchalantly.

"How can we ever go to your house and get home to ours without getting wet?" Jake asked as he flipped his hands to show them the rain outside the window. "Come on!"

"Jeez, so-rry!" Johnson replied.

"What's the connection between making soufflé and Nutrition Month?" Jonathan asked.

"None," Johnson said. "It's just, I wanna make some tasty treat on some cold and rainy day like this."

"Whatever," Justin murmured under his breath. He hated it that he could not get home immediately, for his mother promised to cook something tasty for him for snacks.

The guys all went out of the classroom to the parking lot and stayed under some covers. The others were talking about going to Ayala when the rain will cease, and Johnson's plan of making some soufflé flew out the window. But Justin declined, stating he had to really get home.

"Dad will fetch me, and he will still have to drive to Frigate," he told his gang. "So, sorry..."

"Why does your dad go through all the trouble just to fetch Ashley?" Jonathan asked. 

"Yeah?" Jake asked as he crossed his arm around his chest.

Justin rolled his eyeballs before replying. "Duh?! Do I really have to explain all of that stuff? It's as if she is that important!"