Chapter 351 Adding Troubles
So, calling him a "bad guy" was spot on, but "douchebag"? That was a bit much. Who was this "better boy" Amelia was waiting for? I shot a look at Adam. Was he talking about himself? Nah, that didn't add up. Amelia and Adam weren't even tight.
I was scratching my head. Adam, Amelia, and Ryan didn't even know each other. I just found out Ryan was a jerk a few days ago, so how did Adam decribe him so accurately?
Plus, Adam looked super pissed, with some other weird vibe I couldn't figure out.
I thought, 'This is my friend's drama. Why's he so worked up?'
I blurted out, "Are you nuts? Why are you texting for me?"
"It's not me who's nuts; it's you girls, treating trash like treasure." Adam turned away, crossed his arms, and pretended to sleep.
I thought, 'What the heck? He eavesdropped on my convo, texted for me, and then called us crazy. Who does he think he is? Whether we're crazy or not is our business. What's it to him?'
I was so mad I wanted to yank his ear and demand answers, but with a bus full of people, I had to chill. I'd deal with him when we got off.
I chatted a bit more with Amelia. She sounded wiped out, so I told her to rest and we'd talk later.
Over an hour later, most of the bus was knocked out. I was about to doze off when questions popped into my head. One, why was Adam so into Amelia's business? Two, Professor Evans said Rafael was coming, but where was he?
Was Rafael not on the bus and running behind it? I craned my neck to look out the back, but all I saw was the highway. Rafael wasn't with us. Professor Evans had played Brad.
When we finally got to our stop, everyone woke up, buzzing with energy. They jumped off the bus, soaking in the fresh air of Forest City, miles away from Regalia. The air was crisp, like a natural oxygen bar, making their chests feel clear.
I had no time for the air. I got off the bus, ready to corner Adam. I needed answers.
Like he had a sixth sense, Adam, with his backpack, was already bolting away.
I was about to chase him when Professor Evans grabbed me. "As a teaching assistant, act like one. What's with the roughhousing?"
I said, "No, I have something to deal with him."
I struggled, but Professor Evans had a grip like a vice. I couldn't break free.
His face darkened. "That's enough! Have you forgotten what Brad told you?"
What did I do? I really had something to do, not just causing trouble.
I finally yanked back the drawstring of my hoodie and tried to explain, "Professor Evans, I gotta talk to Adam."
Evans shot back, "I don't care what you need to talk about. The prelims start tomorrow; this afternoon, we have simulations and pre-competition counseling. Until the competition's over, I don't want anyone messing with the participants' heads."
I said, "I'm not trying to mess with him. I just need a quick word."
Evans was firm, "Nope. Go to the hotel front desk and check in the rooms. Do your job and stay out of it."
Under Professor Evans's watchful eye, I shot Adam a glare and reluctantly headed to the hotel front desk to check us in.
Professor Evans had everything on lock. As a teaching assistant, my main gig was to keep an eye on his health, making sure he was good to go for when we got back and he met up with Sofia.
We were stuck in Forest City for a week. The students competing were basically on lockdown at the venue until they wrapped up their projects.
With nothing else to do, I chatted with Amelia a couple more times. Both times, she didn't say much; she just kept crying.
When we were kids, we were inseparable, facing everything together. Now, growing up meant it was harder to meet up, let alone be there for each other like we used to. Watching her cry on camera, all I could do was cry with her.
I thought, 'Man, adulting is rough. If only we could stay young forever.'
I said, "Stop crying. There are so many guys out there. Why Ryan? There are plenty of tall, handsome dudes at our school. When I get back, I'll introduce you to some. No way we can't find someone better than Ryan."
But Amelia always said she was fine, told me not to worry, to focus on leading the team, and that everything would pass. She said she wasn't ready for a new relationship.
I thought, 'Amelia just can't get over Ryan.'
By the time we were heading back, I still didn't know why they broke up.
Rafael never showed up in Forest City. In other words, he never came. It was clear Professor Evans was just messing with Brad.
I had no clue what Brad did to make Professor Evans hate him so much that he'd go out of his way to create problems for him.
On the sixth afternoon, the competition wrapped up. The participants burst out of the venue, grabbed their bags from me, found their phones, and started making calls and sending voice messages; the noise was deafening.
After everyone had let out their pent-up emotions and finally quieted down, Professor Evans announced the end of the competition. Regardless of the results, we were going out to celebrate that night.
The restaurant had been booked in advance, picked by yours truly. It was a buffet-style joint, perfect for a bunch of young folks.
Sitting in the corner, I watched the kids dump hand-cut beef from a big platter onto the grill, drizzle it with oil, and cook it to a fragrant, charred perfection.
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