Metanoia: A Change of Heart

Chapter VIII ~ Joshua

Fridays were actually my favorite days. I had two free hours in my schedule, one with Fredd, the other with almost all of my close friends. Not to mention, weekend afterwards.

"Don't, don't, don't be so kill joy and miss the party later." Fredd said while we walk to our Chemistry class. He was talking about the open party of an alumnus named Lance.

"I don't know, Fredd. I had a Tennis training this afternoon." I wasn't in the mood to go to a party, really. And I felt exhausted, especially because of projects and quizzes.

Fredd snorted. "Come, on! You are used to have Friday fully-sched. What's your problem this time?" I hadn't told him and Kennard, who wasn't here yet, about that weird girl in my Literature class and Student Publication. "Wait, how was your first meeting?" he interjected my thoughts.

I was about to tell him when students from the past period started to went out. We waited for the door to cool down before we entered. A few minutes passed and we walked closer to the room.

"Hey, what were we talking about earlier?" Fredd reminded me.

"About your relationship with Mary." I lied and used the topic he wanted.

He looked at me, knowing it wasn't what we were talking about, then smiled. "This month. She'll be my girlfriend this month."

I glanced at him with disbelief. "Don't be so assured, bro."

He smirked and smiled at the person infront of us. I was shocked to see it was Thonia Buenviaje going out of the room. They knew each other? "Hey, Thony!"

"Thony?" I was stunned.

"Oh, yeah, Joshy. This is Thony." He introduced. "I met her in some of my classes and also because her friend, A, is friends with Mary. We have 'connections.'"

"I know him, Fredd, don't be silly." Thonia sent me a smile between beautiful, annoying, and disturbing. I shook my head.

"Really? Well, that's cool." Fredd patted her shoulder and mine.

Mrs. Dalla cleared her throat. "If you didn't want to come in my class, better stay away than blocking the entrance."

Fredd shrugged and gave her a goodbye wave. We entered and sat on the seats near the air-conditioners in the middle row. "Hey, Josh. Joshy." Fredd shook me. "Seems like you've seen a ghost."

"What? What are you talking about?"

Fredd rolled his eyes. "How did you meet Thonia anyway?"

I told him a brief story about my brain-busting Romeo and Juliet class and mind-blowing StuPub meeting.

"Now the school knows you're mister love-hater. The Joshua Silva is an actual love-hater. What do you think girls who are swooning over you will do after they knew?" Fredd said.

"I'm not love-hater, okay. How many times do I have to explain that? And who the hell swooned over me? Fix it,man!"

"Hmm, a dozen from lower classes and few from our batch? If you add that, it'll be a hundred. Shall I call Kennard to help me with the calculations?"

I ignored him and followed the instructions of the teacher. "Mix the blue liquid with the Sulfuric Acid and stir it gently." The blue liquid seemed to vanish. The flask was still clear after I poured it. I was glad we all had masks and goggles because of the smoke. "Good," she told the class. "Next, try putting a small piece of paper in the acid. Observe what will happen." She roamed around to see what the class did.

Kennard burst inside the room. Mrs. Dalla gave him a killer look and shook her head. He took the cubicle beside me, in front of Fredd. "What's up?" He simply said after he saw us giving him a curious look.