บท 4: Weirder than Before
"Hi!"
Joseph was surprised upon going outside his room. Ciara just greeted him with a smile, but what surprised him is her outfit. She is wearing a pink spaghetti-style cloth paired with blue skinny jogging pants. Her hair is dripping wet out of sweat. Pretty hot! He might compliment her, but the thought of where she has gone at this hour concerns him. It's just four-thirty in the morning.
"Ah, you're an early bird!" That is what he exclaimed. Ciara's fierce face from the last night, suddenly appeared in his mind that making him rephrase his question. She might not like it when he would be minding her girl business.
"Why?"
"Ah?" What why? Joseph thinks of what he said that made her ask him why. He complimented her. Does that need an explanation? "Oh! I was just surprised, someone already beat my time," he still manages to explain. It is true because he is the only early bird before in this house then, Ciara beats his time frame, but this is not what he meant a while ago. Has she gone around their subdivision for such an early time? It is still dark outside and not safe at all even there are guards.
"What a model student. Good for you," Ciara says as she puts the white hand towel around her neck. "See you later, Joseph," she says before heading to her room. Joseph was left alone not spitting out any word that he wanted to say. She is a bit different from that baby girl he used to watch on her aunt Clara's precious albums and that girl he used to play with when he was still a kid.
Ciara furrows while staring at the door, body three-fourths turned facing it. She knows that Joseph is still outside her room. He was wearing that confused look while they talked and he even seemed to say something. Well, she can simply read through his eyes. He is concerned and curious at the same time. Why? She just jogged around the whole subdivision for her morning exercise and this will be her daily routine from now on. It is also her way to familiarize herself with the place. No one is outside, yet she can do whatever she wanted to. Her thoughts were stopped when her phone vibrated on the table. She picks it up and reads the message.
[HAU.]
Her lips open a little then, it closes and forms a curve, slowly. So, this is where her lost prize can be found. At last, she finds something to do, now. She puts back her phone on the table and enters, hurriedly in the bathroom. She will just have a quick shower.
After ten minutes of taking a bath, Ciara's clothes are scattered on her bed. There is a dress, a shirt and jeans, and a pair of school uniforms. Which to wear is what she is thinking, right now. After coming up with a decision, she removes, flawlessly the towel that is wrapping her body.
Joseph who was washing the lettuce, almost brought the hell out of him when somebody just popped out beside him and grabbed his sliced carrot. His hands with the lettuce are off the faucet which is still flowing. His eyes went big and his jaw just dropped at the sight of his cousin who munches the carrot she grabbed.
[Girls could not be explained by simple theories.]
Ciara is already wearing a uniform and looks so, ready to go to school.
"Am I seeing you, right? I mean, what you're wearing?"
"Mm.."She nods.
"You're going to school?"
Instead of giving him an answer, she smirks.
[Creepy!] He thinks, suddenly of what came out in this lady's head that made her decide to go to school when she almost burst out, yesterday being against the idea of her parents. "You are out of hand," he comments before realizing what he said.
"I always am." She answered with a smile. "Conserve water." She turned the faucet off just for Joseph to realize he is already wasting water.
"Oh, sorry."
"Are these what you have for breakfast?"
He looks at what she is on. Lettuce, sliced carrots, tuna, and bread. He nods.
"Let me do a twist." She winks.
"S...ure?"
Joseph can see that Ciara is too energetic compared to yesterday. [Split personality?] He let her do whatever twist she means. He is trusting her she wouldn't put any poison on it.
When Clara goes down, she is even more surprised to see Ciara in her school uniform. At first, she thought, Ciara just wanted to try the uniform, but when Joseph told her she is going to school, it gives her a hard time thinking of what could changed her mind. She goes up the stairs, hurriedly and called Ciara's father. Just what on earth did he do to make her change her decision in an instant?
"She's more surprised than I do." Joseph scratches his head while staring at the stairs.
"Well, at least now, learn how to get used of surprises."
Joseph blinks multiple times. Did she just tell him that there will be a lot more surprises to come? It's just her second day, now.
Joseph turns off the car's engine as they landed on his parking spot. He looks at Ciara for a while before he gets out. He turns around then, opens the door for his cousin. Ciara comes out, eyes scrutinizing the building in front of them.
HERALD AUSTON UNIVERSITY
"Welcome to Herald Auston University," Joseph said, hesitantly with a forced smile.
"Thanks."
He then flashes a real smile. He doesn't know why he feels like balancing two worlds when it comes to Ciara even she hasn't done anything against him. It was just a normal burst out the last night. There was nothing to be scared of, but he does. She should be the one who would be scared of him, but seems otherwise.
Joseph leads Ciara to the building's entrance where some of the students would stop and look at them. Ciara seems not to mind them as he does. He is used to the attentions he is getting especially from girls. Who would not be if you are the captain of the senior basketball team and the top player of the university?
"I forgot," he utters once they are in front of the elevator. Ciara looks at him. "What's the field Aunt Clara enrolled you in?" He remembers, he didn't ask her about it even Clara.
"Education," she answers, simply. "But I'm going to Engineering Department."
"Ha?"
"I will enroll in Mechanical Engineering."
Joseph thought that she was just joking. Mechanical engineering is mostly for boys. What came into her mind?
"I don't think that's possible if Aunt already enrolled you in Education."
"It's always possible, Joseph. You just have to watch."
[Would it be another surprise of hers?]
They entered as the elevator opened. There are five students inside. Joseph was surprised when Ciara pushed the number five button. It is where the Registrar's office is located. He is now confused. Has Ciara gone here before? But he didn't ask. He observes her, quietly as the elevator moves. Her eyes are fixed to only one side of the elevator. She doesn't blink as others do. It's like you have to count twenty seconds before her eyes will blink.
"Yes! He's really hot at a close look," someone behind them squealed.
"Smells so yum..."
Joseph felt his hair on the nape stands. This is what he hated about girls. They are scary and that they might even kill you with their gazes. Thankfully, the elevator stops on the next floor and all five girls go out.
"Fans?" Ciara utters when there are only the two of them inside. So, she noticed it.
"Mm.. Don't think so." His face turns sour. He is not a celebrity to have such fans. Better they stay in their caves and stay safe from his fist.
Ciara nods. "Okay."
Fifth floor. This is the only place aside from the school's library that is quite quiet. No ones running around, shouting or acting like high school kids. Anyone who'll make noise will be sent, automatically to Disciplinary Action room. School director's office is also here where Ciara is leading their way. Joseph's mind becomes out of pace. Is what he thinking right? He looks at Ciara, but her expression stays the same. This looks like an ordinary job to do for her.
"Director's office?" He can't stop himself from asking when they are facing the office's door.
"Yeah, Joseph. Are you afraid of him?" She seems to be teasing him.
"Of course not," he defended. Why would he be afraid if he had done nothing wrong?
Ciara pushes the doorbell button two times.
"Why am I feeling like it's not really your first time here?"
"And who told you, it's my first time coming here?"
Her answer surprises him. How would he know if she was living in US? This wakes his curiosity. Never Clara has told him if her daughter was visiting the Philippines these past years, but reminiscing that little kid Ciara before who used to sneak behind her father's knowledge tells it all. He chuckles a little at those memories back then, when they are still kids. Ciara looks at him frowning.
"You are really the impassable kid."
The door opens and a half smiling lady secretary of the Director peeps out.
"Yes?"
"I'm the transferee from Olksford University," Ciara speaks to the secretary. Joseph notices the sudden expression of amazement on this lady's eyes upon hearing Ciara.
"Come!" She even tells them, enthusiastically. It makes him look at both ladies. There is something that he is really missing out about his cousin, Ciara. Just right now, he feels like bombing questions to Ciara, but he got no time as the secretary already grabbed and pulled her inside the office. All he can do is follow them.
"Just completed it the right time, Ms. Pilar. Welcome to our school."
Joseph's gaze landed on the voice owner. It's the son of the original founder of the university, Herald Sr. He is holding a white envelop while waving it to Ciara.
"Thanks, Mr. Auston. I owe you for this." Ciara gets the envelop and puts it on her side.
"Oh, no, no. We're not equal, yet. I still owe you," Herald said, smiling, but Ciara knows through his stares that he is up to something. She smiles back, like a real one.
"Up to you, Sir!"
"And I notice this young man. Isn't he the senior basketball team's captain of HAU?"
Joseph lowers his head even he feels like not really doing it. "I am, Mr . Director."
"You're a pride of this school. It's nice, we meet."
"Thanks, Mr. Director."
They already left the director's office when Joseph notices Ciara's sudden change of mood. She looks more serious than before. It is like her thoughts are impenetrable which happen as always. She was happy while talking to the director, but when they got out, she seemed annoyed. Is she having some kind of bipolar personality?
"You're always acting like a curious cat whenever it's only the two of us."
Joseph's lips twitch a little out of surprise. He is dumbfounded that she can read him, easily even he tried his best to hide this spying instinct on someone. Can she also hear his thoughts? He would pray not.
"You can't blame me. You're weirder than before. You know?"
"You should be happy. My weirdness improved."
If she just became a boy, he would totally knock her head hard on the wall. Thanks goodness, she is a girl. She may look serious at all times, but he doubt of having serious talks with her. He is still thinking about what this girl has done or what business she has with Herald Auston that she can talk to him, personally? Even Ciara would not tell him, he knew that the contents of the white envelop Ciara is holding are her school documents. What made the director to prepare her papers? He doubt to ask her such things, right now. These better stay in his mind and find some reliable answer, definitely not from her.
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