JAY'S POV:
When I reached home, I heard a soft voice.
"Jay Jay"
Aunt Gemma. She came to me and hugged me tightly. I hugged her back. Not completely, just politely.
I don't want to show her my cold attitude, but I don't want to go completely soft to her. She's kind. So, I just be a little soft with her, enough to not be called as disrespectful.
She broke the hug, I stepped back.
"Come let's eat" She asked, pulling me lightly towards the dining table, with her hands around my back.
She made sit on a chair, and she sat across me.
"Here, I made Ginisang Ampalaya, Tinola, and Pinakbet." She said, serving me. "Eat as much as you want. Don't be shy. Feel like it's your home"
I froze at the last word. Home. The word I felt once. The word which once made me feel safe, protected. The word I felt by a person once. But now it doesn't. Not anymore.
Aunt Gemma thinks home is just a simple word. But she doesn't know what that word means to me. How I felt it. How it made me feel then. She doesn't know that home is not just a word, but a feeling of safety. A feeling of being protected. A feeling of being cared. She doesn't understand that I can no longer feel like home anymore.
I took a deep breath. And said, "Sure". It is a lie. I lie I can never feel anymore.
She asked, "How is you day? How was your class? Did you like it"
Woah, she was asking one after the other. She must be worried.
" My day was good, Aunt. My classmates are good. I like it here." I answered.
"Okay. I'm happy to hear that. I was worried when I came to know that you were placed in section e. I heard that they're troublemakers"
"Yeah. They are a bit rowdy...but I can handle"
She nodded and said, "I'm very grateful to hear that. If you need any help, we're always there."
I just nodded. After a while, she spoke again,
"Jay, can I ask you a favor."
"Sure, tita"
"Can you please talk with Aries. He's not coming home, no matter how much I ask. I don't know why he's acting like this" She said. Sadness easily visible on her face.
"Can you please talk to him once" She pleaded.
I couldn't say no. She did so much to me, I should at least do this.
"Sure, Tita" I said, smiling politely.
She smiled and nodded. And the rest of the dinner went silent.
I can't stops myself from thinking about Aries. Yeah, I care about him. But I don't know why he is acting like this. Like he doesn't even like my existence. I don't know why but he is hating me. I can smell that. I tried to know by hook and crook, but it didn't work. Even he doesn't tell.
I should talk to him. Not ro know the reason for his behavior, but to ask him to come home.