Why Does Love Hurt?

Veron just stayed at her friend's house. Veron is pleased because in her life, no one ever invited her when she was still in high school and college since her family was rich. But all she wanted was to have a friend she could consider her own, and now, she has finally found one.

"Mom." She even saw Mariely kiss their hands with her parents.

"G—Good evening." Veron also showed respect to Mariely's parents and to the older brother.

"Oh, you have a visitor," that's what Mariely's mother said. "Come in, come in." The mother said to her.

Veron was secretly pleased because she felt its warm welcome towards her.

"Mom, we will go to my room first." Mariely said it.

Mariely's mom just nodded immediately. "Invite your guest to eat so she can have dinner later." Mariely's mom reminded her daughter.

Veron is already in Mariely's room.

"Sorry, it's too messy. You stay here for a bit; I'll just change quickly." Mariely also said this to her.

She scanned the entire room.

What's messy? It's clean, isn't it? She just said it to herself. Mariely really doesn't care; even though she's a visitor, she immediately took off her uniform and got dressed right away.

"Veron, I have a t-shirt here; maybe you want to use it for now." Mariely called her back.

"Okay, I'll get dressed too, but I'm taking your t-shirt home with me." She added.

"Sure, no problem."

Veron was given the t-shirt, and it fit her.

"Hey, Veron." Suddenly Mariely called her. "Never, ever mention that man's name in front of my brother." She reminded her about it and warned her.

"Does he also drive you?" She's teasing Mariely again.

Mariely elbowed her in return. "Oh, don't mention that. Also, my brother has too many questions; please excuse him. Never, ever mention that." She warned her again.

"Okay, okay, I get what you're trying to say, Mariely." She couldn't help but say that and just laughed at her friend.

"Faith, come and eat," Mariely's mother called them.

"Yes, Mom."

She was still being looked for then. "Let's go, let's eat," Mariely invited her.

She just followed her. They were already at the table, and she sat next to Mariely at that time.

"By the way, this is Nadia. Nadia, Veron is my coworker. Veron, it's Nadia." Mariely introduced her to the person next to her older brother.

She thought this was what Faith always talked about, that her brother had a girlfriend.

"Nice to meet you." Nadia extended her hand.

"Nice to meet you, Veron." Nadia even smiled at her and extended her hand for them to shake.

She sat down too.

"What do you want to eat?" Mariely asked her in turn.

"Do you want me to say everything?" She asked jokingly.

"Jeez, Veron, just pick what you want to eat." Mariely even laughed at her.

She was tempted by what was served on the table; it was rare for her to eat home-cooked meals. She only ate when Veron went home and her mom cooked for her. Despite the simplicity of the food, she was aware that it would soon fill her up.

"Just get some, Veron; Tita is a great cook." That's all Nadia said to her.

She just nodded.

"It does look delicious." She immediately got rice and the dishes she wanted to try. Veron just smiles.

She immediately took a bite of the rice and dish.

"It's really delicious; I'm going to love it," she even said, turning to Mariely.

"See? I told you." Nadia, who was pleased with her, added.

"Mariely rarely brings friends here. I'm glad she made a friend with this at work." Veron's heard Mariely's father say.

"Really?" She asked, chewing her food.

"Yes, it really only happens once in a while." The mother is still laughing.

"Eh?" Veron stared at Mariely, who was eating quietly. "Faith, I promise that I won't leave you again, and in addition, I'll be having dinner here regularly from now on." Veron was still laughing then.

"Oh, you're only visiting here now." Mariely even joked with her.

She heard a faint laugh.

"You're very welcome here, Veron." Her father smiled at Veron as he spoke.

She was pleased then and nodded.

XXX

Nadia looked at Mariely's friend; she knew she came from a wealthy family—it was obvious from her appearance—but she was happy for Veron because she knew she was a kind person.

"Veron, are you reviewing too?" she asked her.

"Ah, yes, just like Faith, I still have to take the exam." Veron nodded and replied to her.

"Which review center are you reviewing at?" Nathan, who was sitting next to her, asked their guest.

"Ah, it's also quite close to Faith's review center." Veron also said to them.

Nadia's laughing; it's obvious that Veron is talkative, so she won't be surprised anymore why Mariely became close to her right away.

"I see. Is my sister being courted in your workplace?" Nathan asked their guest directly. Mariely coughed at the question thrown at Veron, who was sitting next to her.

"A suitor? None, because almost all the teachers in our school are women, and even if there are men, they have a woman's heart." She said it bluntly.

Nadia really laughs at what Veron replied to them.

Nathan nodded.

"Oh my, Mariely is just about to bring her boyfriend here." Their father, Nathan, is joking again.

"Dad, really? It's embarrassing for the guests." Mariely is still complaining and frowning.

"When are you going to bring a man here to the house so we can meet him?" Their mother asked.

"Mom!" Mariely even glanced at her and looked at Nathan.

"I'm not strict when you introduce us to a decent man, Mariely." Nathan just stared at his younger sister.

"Brother, I don't have a boyfriend; I won't be bringing any men here." Mariely added that she just answered and shook her head.

She simply laughed at Mariely's reaction. Also, she sees that Veron sits quietly while enjoying the food that she eats.

"Veron, do you know your principal's child?" Nathan suddenly asked Veron, who was eating quietly, again.

Although she hesitated to respond, she simply nodded in reply to the question.

"I see. Are you aware of him?" Nathan asked in turn as if interrogating their guests; she's only shaking her head.

"Y—Yes, if you don't remember, I also studied where you went to high school; Mariely mentioned that you were classmates." Veron looked at Mariely.

"Oh, I see you were my junior before. I didn't notice you much at Redwood Academy back then. Did you join the officer's?" Nathan asked.

Veron just shook her head. "I was just at school and at home back then."

Nathan just nodded.

That's why she looks familiar to me. Nadia just said it to herself.

"So that's where you went to high school?" Mariely's question to Veron, who was listening to them.

Veron just nodded in response. 

"Eh. I didn't see you when I went to my brother's school." Mariely also said this to Veron.

"You might have seen her before, but you probably don't remember it." Nadia could only sigh.

"Really? Are you going there? What are you doing there?" Veron asked Mariely.

"Ask for allowance." Mariely even laughed at what she said.

"There's a public school near Redwood Academy; I study at the public school there." Mariely added.

"Ah, I remember back then it was just walking distance." Veron added.

"So you're aware of the principal's child's mischief?" Nadia asked.

"Yes, I heard a lot about him when I was just in my first year of high school—that he had already made many girls cry." Veron nodded to them.

"That's true, he's my classmate." It also said.

Nadia just shook her head back then. "Do you have a boyfriend now, Veron?" Nadia just changed the question.

"Yes, I have." Veron even smiled at them.

"Nadia, she's in a healthy relationship; she always mentions her boyfriend every time we talk." Mariely was still shaking her head back then.

Nadia laughed. Veron's face was just scowling.

"She's aware of your classmate, brother, and besides, she tried to woo this woman, but she's very loyal to her boyfriend." Mariely is still laughing as she tells the story.

"Oh, shut up! Don't mention it." Veron's scolding of Mariely could still be heard.

Nadia laughed then. Nathan was smiling back then too.

"We're very glad to meet you, Veron." Nathan added.

Veron just smiled at them. They were just happily chatting at the table; she was thrilled that Mariely found a friend in her workplace.