Captured

Chapter 5

Since he confessed his feelings to Kristine that night, the next day when Kristine came to work there was a stem of red rose on her table. It had a note on it.

Dear Kristine,

I hope you're feeling well already. Smile for me and our students. I'll take you to dinner tonight. I'll pick you up by 7. Keep smiling.

Love,
Mr. Rivera

She took her phone and sent him a message.

Don't forget to pick me up at 7 pm Mr. Rivera!💋

He was on the corridors of the campus when he revived her text message. Such a message made him smile. He was with Joe and Josh at that time discussing some accommodations for a student.

"What's with the smile?" Josh asked him.

"Nothing bro."  He said with a suspicious note.

"Are you dating Kristine?" Joe asked. He knew that they looked like they like each other.

EJ denied it.

"No. We're not." His tone was off and the two men noticed.

"Stop lying! We know!! Just don't hurt her. Kristine is really loved here at the campus." Joe told him while tapping his shoulder.

"Nice bro! Don't make her sad coz my wife's gonna beat you up." Josh said while laughing. Joe and Josh know that Nerine, Josh's wife is Kristine's best friend and mentor.

"Okay you guys got me there but Kristine doesn't want to bring our relationship here at work."

He explained to the two.

"I totally understand her. We are all professionals here so we might as well keep it like that. Nerine and I had this argument because she wanted to work with me here but I didn't approve of it."

Joshua told EJ. Nerine is also a Resource Room Teacher but on the elementary level.

"Yeah, besides Kris separates personal and work-life expertly. Even though she's my cousin, she calls me Mr. San Nicolas when she comes to my room and if we are at IEP meetings and she calls me Kuya if we're alone or with our friends."

They went to the Resource Room and discussed the accommodations and modifications needed by his students in the two teachers classes. Kristine was at her table doing some paperwork when they came. The two teacher aides were in class with a student.

Josh went beside her and opened the drawer that has snacks on it.

"Hi Kris! I'll get my snack that you bought for me!"

Joshua jokingly told her. All of her friends know about that drawer with food.

"Yeah right. Josh! Kuya how about you? Coffee?"

Kristine offered her cousin.

"Nah. I just had one."

The three men started discussing the matters to be done for a student. After that, EJ and Kristine were left alone in their room.

"Babe. I'm hungry."

EJ said to Kristine while pouting his lips. Kristine laughed at him and gave him a granola bar.

"Here eat up. I have an IEP meeting after school. Are you gonna join the meeting?"

"Yeah. I'll join the meeting. By the way I'll drop you home today."