It's been a week since Liam started courting me. Word spread quickly across campus, thanks to our noisy friends and especially the school's exclusive gossip page, Buzzworthy Scoop. Many were surprised that a guy like Liam would be interested in someone like me. Some reactions were neutral, as they expected this given how often we were together. There were those who were thrilled, excited, envious, annoyed, and angry.
I anticipated that with the news spreading, Briana's group, especially Rhian, would cause trouble again, but they didn't. They haven't done anything harmful for days, but I still don't believe they've changed, even if Briana was the reason Ace and Sophie made up.
When the news of Liam courting me came out, Jhea suddenly started avoiding us. Every time our paths crossed, she'd instantly look away and move in the opposite direction. We tried messaging and calling her, but she either left us on read or turned off her phone.
Maybe she's genuinely upset with us, particularly with me and Liam, because we hid the truth from her. We're trying to understand her for now. After all, we're the ones at fault. We both hurt Hailey and there's no excuse for that.
It's only been a week, but Liam has already put so much effort into courting me. I didn't expect anything grand. The simple things he does already bring joy to my heart and make it beat faster. But I seem to have forgotten that this is Liam we're talking about. The popular guy, idolized, and the MVP of the school's soccer team. I never imagined he'd serenade me in the middle of the soccer field, filled with students, or set up a picnic date for us in the school garden. He keeps surprising me with all these gestures at school, which is probably why we're always featured on Buzzworthy Scoop. We're not even officially a couple yet, but his efforts are making me fall for him even more.
Truth be told, I could already say yes to him, but I still want to get to know him better. I know that even though we've been friends for a long time, there's still a lot I don't know about him. We're not in a rush and I know he wants the same thing, for us to fully get to know each other first.
I woke up to the sound of my phone ringing. I grabbed it and answered without even checking who it was.
"Hello." I groggily replied, still half-asleep with my eyes closed.
"Good morning, love." he said in a sweet tone. I couldn't help but smile when I recognized his voice, especially with the endearing term he used for me. Even though we weren't officially a couple yet, he already had a special name for me.
"Good morning." I mumbled, trying to sound awake but still feeling drowsy.
"Still sleepy?" I heard a slight chuckle on the other end.
I briefly moved the phone away from my ear and glanced at the time before pressing it back against my ear and closing my sleepy eyes again. It was only 5:10 am, why was he calling so early? And it was Saturday, no school today.
"Why did you wake up so early?" I asked, not really expecting an answer as I hugged my nearby pillow.
"I'm here in front of your house, Mira." I jolted and sat up as soon as I heard that. I was instantly wide awake.
"What?!" I exclaimed in surprise, rushing to the window. It was still dark outside, but I could see him looking up at my window, phone pressed to his ear, leaning against a car I didn't recognize. He had a different mode of transportation today. Why did he need to bring a car when our houses were so close to each other?
He tilted his head as if observing me from a distance, and then he smiled. "Are you just going to keep staring at me from there? Don't you want to come down and take a closer look?" I could sense the playfulness in his voice.
I rolled my eyes and quickly went downstairs and out of the house. He was still in the same position as when I saw him from the window, except now his eyes were fixed on me.
I approached him and ended the call, and he did the same. "What are you doing here so early?" I glanced at the car he was leaning against. "And why did you bring a car? Are you crazy?"
"We're going somewhere," he said with a grin.
"What? At this hour? I haven't even showered yet. Where to?"
He chuckled. "No need, Mira. It'll just be a quick trip."
I didn't say anything and was about to reach for the passenger seat to open it when he stopped me. I furrowed my brow at his action. "But before anything else, put this on." He was about to blindfold me when I dodged.
"Wait, what's this for again?" I asked.
"It's a surprise, love, so you need to wear this." I rolled my eyes. What kind of stunt was this guy pulling now? I let him blindfold me and he guided me to get in the car.
We quickly arrived at our destination, wherever that may be, since I couldn't see anything.
"Are we here now? Can I take off this blindfold?" I asked, eager to uncover my eyes.
"Yes, we're here. But you're still not allowed to remove it. Just stay there, okay? I just need to fix something." He quickly got out of the car and opened something on the other side, as if grabbing some things.
I stayed silent and waited for him to finish until he guided me to step out. As soon as I set foot, I could feel that we were in a grassy area.
He finally removed the blindfold covering my eyes. We were now in an open field, with the place still dimly lit but already showing its beauty. I glanced to my left and noticed that we were behind his car. The back of the car was adorned with twinkling lights, blankets, and cushions where we could lie down. I couldn't help but steal a glance at Liam, who was holding two cups of coffee and a box of doughnuts.
I smiled at him. "What's all this?"
"Let's have an early breakfast together." He placed what he was holding on the car and guided me to sit there.
"Why does it seem the other way around?" I looked at him while we sat and ate the donuts.
He looked at me. "What do you mean?"
I gazed at the sky, where the moon was still visible along with a few scattered stars. "Shouldn't these kinds of things be done at night?" I asked, slightly puzzled.
I heard him let out a sigh, so I looked at him again, noticing that he was staring into the distance. "It's just that those things have become too cliché. I wanted something different, so I chose the morning, and I think it's even sweeter because I did it myself for someone special to me." He explained. Okay, Liam. I'll go along with it. Pretend that you're the only one in the whole world who came up with this.
I was taken aback when he turned to look at me. Our faces were so close to each other. I quickly averted my gaze. He burst into laughter.
"What's so funny?" I asked him.
"You're blushing, Mira," he grinned.
"No, I'm not." I insisted.
He moved closer to my face, holding one of my hands. "You don't have to be shy. It's okay to blush, as long as I'm the reason behind it."
I felt myself biting my lower lip, probably due to nervousness. "You're tempting me." Before I could say anything else, he kissed my forehead. "Don't do it again, I might kiss you on your lips." He said in a soft voice. Oh gosh, if only I could just say yes to him now and kiss his lips, but it was just a joke. Come on, Mira! We need to stay strong here. Don't give in to Liam's moves just yet.
Liam and I just chatted and laughed while sitting and gazing into the distance, lost in our own thoughts. If only we could always be like this. I never expected that the famous Liam, who used to be a playboy and a bully at school, would be capable of creating such genuine moments like these.
We eventually headed back after the sunrise. He dropped me off at my house, as we both might be missed by our families.
Both sides of our families knew that Liam was courting me. My mom was supportive, so there was no problem there. In fact, my mom and Liam's mom had become friends.
I entered the kitchen to get a drink of water when I noticed one of the house helpers cooking. "What are you cooking?" I asked Yaya Fe, the closest house helper to me. She had been with us for a long time, ever since we were kids with Briana.
"It's your favorite." She said with a smile before focusing back on her cooking. Suddenly, the delicious aroma filled the air, making me even hungrier.
"I'm hungry." I said.
She laughed at me. "Perfect timing, it just finished cooking. Sit down there, and I'll prepare it for you. Why did you wake up so early today?" She commented. It seemed like they didn't notice that I came from outside and not from my room. I ignored her comment and drank the glass of milk she placed in front of me.
As I was finishing my meal, Briana entered the dining area. It was obvious that she had just woken up, and she seemed surprised to see me. Well, she always woke up earlier than me. "You're up early." Even though she wasn't being snarky, there was still a hint of sarcasm in her voice. Some things never change with her.
"I suddenly got hungry, so I came down." I replied and headed to the kitchen to put away my plate.
"I'll get going then." I bid her farewell. She just looked at me in response.
I could feel her giving me a mean look until I left the dining area. It felt like she hadn't changed at all. I pushed her out of my mind and lay down on my bed.
I was startled when I felt Yuan beside me. I didn't realize that I had fallen asleep again. I looked at the wall clock and saw that it was already 10:30 in the morning. I checked my phone and saw a text from Sophie. They were already on their way to the cafe with Ace and Ken. I immediately sat up. Oh, shoot! I completely forgot that we had a group study with our friends at 11 am.
I quickly took a shower and changed my clothes. I went downstairs to ask our driver for a ride. Luckily, he was available today. Liam couldn't join me because he was with Quinn and his mom outside, doing grocery. He said he would go straight to the cafe later.
Ken's POV
I just stared at my four companions who seemed more interested in fooling around than studying. I thought this was supposed to be a group study? Should I just shake them up a bit?! They're making me look like a chaperone. Jhea, in particular, suddenly started ignoring me. Once she found out that Liam was courting Mira, she started avoiding us. It's like she's more interested in Liam than her own cousin. Damn it, I could have had some company here. I wouldn't have looked like such a fool and a fourth wheel!
I frustratedly ran my hand through my hair. "This is so annoying!"
They all stopped and looked at me. "Oh, Ken, are you okay? Is there something you don't understand?" Mira asked, glancing at the book in front of me.
"I thought this was a group study? Why does it suddenly feel like a double date? Damn it, should I just leave?" I said, annoyed.
They all laughed at what I said. Damn it! They even found a way to laugh at me. There's nothing funny about it!
"You're just jealous," Ace said, still laughing. I swear, I hope he and Sophie fight again so I can just laugh at this jerk.
I threw the crumpled tissue I used earlier at him before I focused on my phone. Might as well message Madison. Damn it, I should just ask her to come over so I don't look pathetic.
"Oh, who are you messaging?" I heard Liam ask.
"I think it's fine if I invite Mady to join our group study, right?"
They seemed okay with it since I managed to convince them. No problem there, they're close to her anyway, and besides, we're classmates.
"Admit it, Ken, do you like Madison?" Sophie probed.
Without hesitation, I answered Sophie's question. "Yes!" It's not difficult to develop feelings for her.
She's beautiful, kind, and above all, out of all the members of the cheer squad, she's the most down-to-earth.
"Omg, really? I thought I was just shipping you guys for no reason! You guys makes me giddy." Liam furrowed his brow and gave Mira a disapproving look for what he said.
"I should only be the one making you feel flutter! Not anyone else." I just shook my head. This guy is so corny, damn it!
My phone rang. I smiled at her reply. She agreed. "She's on her way."
"Ken, I thought you liked someone from a different year? Madison is just our classmate!"
Sophie still remembered that. Damn it, I said that to her a long time ago.
"Well, why not? Is it not allowed to have feelings for someone in the same year?" I retorted, getting a bit philosophical.
She gave me a stern look. "Who is she, anyway?"
Should I tell them? Maybe not. I don't like her anymore anyway. I ignored them and focused my attention on the book in front of me.
"Come on, Ken, spill the beans!" Mira urged. She's one of them, such a gossip.
"Nobody." I said curtly, not taking my eyes off the book.
At that point, they all insisted that I tell them. Why do I have such nosy friends? Damn it, life can be so annoying.
"Nobody! You guys are so annoying." I finally snapped. At that point, I felt Ace and Liam throwing various objects at me. These demons, they already made me look like a fourth wheel, and now they're throwing things at me just because I didn't want to say who I used to like.
"Come on! Just say it already." Liam said. I wouldn't be surprised if he and Mira ended up together. They all have the same line when they want to hear gossip.
"Fine, I'll say it! It's Jhea." I quickly averted my gaze from them. Damn it.
They all fell silent. Damn it, that's why I didn't want to say it, because I knew it would be awkward since she's mad at us now.
"Jhea, really?! How?" Mira asked.
"Yeah, how? It's not obvious at all." Sophie added.
Well, I'm not like these two idiots who wear their hearts on their sleeves. Before I could even speak, Mady arrived. I felt relieved. It's a good thing she came. Otherwise, I would have been bombarded with countless questions from these people.
Our group study went well with Mady. In fact, it felt like she was already part of our group. We decided to include Mady in our group studies so that I wouldn't look like a chaperone, as Ace put it. 
We decided to take a little stroll with Mady until we finally decided to head back home. I offered to give Mady a ride to her place. At first, she hesitated, but I managed to convince her.
She remained silent throughout the entire journey until I broke the silence. "Are you sure this is the way to your house?" Before we left, she had already shown me the directions to her place. It seemed like we were passing through a slum area. There were people drinking on the side, children running around, married couples arguing, and all sorts of chaos. This place was just so chaotic.
"Stop here. We're here." I stopped the car and looked around. We were still in the same place, parked in front of a small house with a makeshift metal gate.
"Are you sure?" I asked again.
She smiled bitterly at me. "Yes, Ken. This is where I live, in this place. We're poor." I was shocked by what she said. As far as the whole school knew, Madison was rich. She was also known in school because she was part of the cheer squad.
"What? How did that happen? Did you suddenly become poor?" I asked her in confusion, to which she smirked.
"No, Ken. I was born into this kind of life. I pretended to be wealthy in school because I knew that if you all found out about my real life, I knew you wouldn't accept me. I knew you would despise me because I don't fit in there. That school was actually exclusive for rich people like you guys." I just looked at her in response because I couldn't really believe it.
"Ken, it's okay if you distance yourself from me now that you know the truth about my life. I would understand. I know I'm not meant to be friends with you. Thank you for the ride." She got out of the car before saying that. I also got out to follow her.
"Mady, wait." She stopped and turned to look at me. "I understand and I still accept you. I'm still willing to be a part of your life, regardless of your situation."
She smiled at what I said. She was about to speak when a child eagerly ran towards her and hugged her.
"Sis, do you have something for me?" She immediately took out a burger from her bag and gave it to the child. I remembered that it was the burger she had taken out earlier.
"Is that your sibling?" I asked her.
"Yes." She replied, still not taking her eyes off the child.
"Oh, you're here, dear. Who's this handsome guy with you?" We turned to the voice and saw a woman in her late 40s coming out of the house. Her hair was messy, and she was holding another child.
"Is he your boyfriend, sis?" the little boy chimed in, already devouring a burger.
Both Mady and I burst into laughter. "No, he's just a friend." Mady replied.
They insisted on letting me stay at their house. I wanted to refuse, but they insisted. Mady's house was small, but it was cozy and refreshing.
I just sat in their living room while waiting for Mady to change. Her mom was in the kitchen, preparing snacks. I watched her two siblings playing in front of me when a man, who seemed to have just come home from work, entered. Maybe he's her dad.
He was about to ask me something when Mady came out of her room.
"Oh, you're here, Dad." She approached her dad and greeted him. "This is Ken, my friend." She introduced me.
I stood up and greeted her dad. "Good evening, sir."
Her dad just smiled at me. "Looks like you brought a friend today, huh?" He said to his daughter, then turned his gaze towards me. "Is that car outside yours, son?"
"Yes, sir." I replied modestly.
"Your car outside is getting playrd by neighbors, son."
I stood up again in surprise. "What?!"
Her dad burst into laughter at my reaction. Mady was trying to hold back her laughter. "Just kidding, son. Alright, I'll leave you two for now." He said and chuckled again before heading to their kitchen.
I couldn't help but glance at my car outside. I let out a sigh of relief when I saw that it was fine. "Sorry about my dad, okay? He's just a jokester."
I was about to respond when Mady's mom arrived with a tray of snacks. "Please forgive us if this is all we can offer for snacks."
"Oh, it's okay. I'm not picky." I replied and took a bite of the bread to show them that I was fine. They just laughed at my gesture.
We had a brief chat before I finally bid farewell. I learned a lot about Mady's family. Her dad works as a construction worker and has always been a joker since the beginning.
Her mom, on the other hand, works as a laundrywoman. She told me that they were originally four siblings, but her older brother died in a rumble here in their area, so Mady became the eldest to her two younger siblings.
But despite their hardships, they still manage to be happy. They don't let poverty define them. According to her dad, lack of money is not a reason to be unhappy. And it hits me. Her father is right, happiness cannot be bought at any price.
It turns out she's also a scholar at our school, which explains how she was able to get in and receive all the necessary support from the school, including her allowance. It's amazing how her hard work and dedication have paid off, allowing her to pursue her education without financial problems.
Mady walked me to the outside of their house.
"Ken, thank you." She said with a smile.
I furrowed my brow at her words. "For what?" It seems like I should be the one thanking her.
"For accepting me even after you found out about my life."
I don't know what pushed me, but I hugged her. I felt her surprise at my action.
"You're already accepted just the way you are. You're already special, Mady, and you don't need to be wealthy to be one because being yourself is enough. Your simplicity is what makes you shine, and that's what truly matters."