“We broke up.”

“It was terrible, and apparently, it was my fault.”

The girls’ gossip swirls loud and obnoxious through the tuition center. One of the guys got caught cheating on his girlfriend — typical of men, right?

“Awai, he was just lying to you.”
“Calm down, baby girl, he’s the one who cheated on you.”

That’s why I hereby proclaim that I would never cheat on a girl — not as long as I breathe.

“I mean, you’re so pretty. Guys just don’t know what they have until they lose it.”
“Yes, you’re right, he’s not the only boy out there,” one of the girls says, as if sent by the devil himself, gaslighting the weeping girl.

“I heard Dennis really has a crush on you.”

Then the head of the gossip vultures swoops in — hungry and ready to kill another girl’s romantic life.

“Yes, even Evans from Pringston High has had his eyes on you.”

“You shouldn’t let that guy who couldn’t even spend on you bring you down, baby girl.”

Poor girl, just sitting there taking it all in.

It’s a pity — she was pretty too. Damn vultures.

“Don’t you have a girlfriend, my guy?” David’s voice startles me, making me stumble.

“Why are you standing here like that? Aren’t you going in?”

“Yuh…” I mumble. “Was just waiting for you, buddy.”

I really have to ask God how he does that.

He smiles, obviously not convinced I was waiting for him. We walk in, and the room goes silent.

Damn you, Jude.

Cursing under my breath — this bastard ruined everything, and he doesn’t even know it.

We take our seats. The gossiping girls are now whispering softly, trying to avoid attention. One of them glares at me, eyes full of hatred — as if she could kill every boy in sight.

An hour till class starts. Might as well take a nap.

“Wake up, sleepyhead,” a voice says, pulling me from my almost-perfect nap.