I sit in the passenger seat, staring out the window, the cool breeze ruffling my hair as we drive through the city streets.
My stomach churns with nervous excitement, today's the first day of my second year in Medical Doctor Degree which will take 6 years only, it's a new offered course in college wherein you can be a doctor already for a bachelors' degree.
I 've been preparing for this day my whole life, but somehow, everything feels different now.
Rafael doesn't speak a word during the drive. It's been like this for the past few days. I've apologized for my outburst, but he's still distant, quiet, almost like he's holding something back. I can't quite figure out what it is, but it's making my stomach twist in knots.
He pulls into the school parking lot, the familiar sight of the university gates and students walking around making the nerves in my chest intensify. The car comes to a stop, I got out of the car and Rafael turns to me, his gaze lingering on me for a moment.
"You good?" he asks, his voice quieter than usual.
I nod quickly, not trusting myself to speak. "Yeah. Thanks for the ride."
He gives a small nod, his lips tight. "Good luck." Then, without another word, he drove off.
I watch his car drifting away, wondering why he seems so cold today. What did I do? Is he still mad at me? Or is it something else entirely?
I shake my head, trying to clear my thoughts. I feel the sharp gaze of my friends on me. I turn to see Clara, Holly, and Sophie walking toward me, looking way too curious for my liking.
"Amanda!" Clara calls out, waving enthusiastically. "So, what's up with you and the guy? You never told us anything!"
I freeze for a second, my heart skipping. I barely know what to say. It's all too much to explain, too fast. But before I can even respond, Sophie jumps in.
"I'm sorry for yesterday, I thought it's okay, you never acted that way before." Sophie smirks, clearly teasing me. "I didn't even know you were into the whole 'not so rich guy' thing. How come you never mentioned him before?"
I can feel my cheeks heating up, and I quickly brush my hair back behind my ear, trying to act calm. "It's... complicated," I say, hoping they don't push too hard. But they're not done yet.
"Complicated?" Holly raises an eyebrow, looking between me and Sophie. "Girl, you've been keeping secrets. Tell us everything!"
So, I tell them everything, well, most of it. I leave out the parts about the sugar daddy comment, the dinner fight, I stick to the basics: how we met, how we started living together, how he's studying law, how his family is super successful, and how my parents trust him to look after me.
The moment I mention Montgomery, all three of them go quiet, their eyes wide.
"Rafael Montgomery?" Sophie echoes, sounding almost incredulous. "As in the Montgomery family? The ones with the yachts?"
"The ones with the yachts?" Holly gasps. "Girl, what are you even doing? You're living the dream! You're dating a rich, handsome guy who's practically royalty around here!"
I can't help but laugh awkwardly at their excitement. "It's not like that," I say, though deep down, a small part of me wonders if I'm lying to myself.
Just then, I see James in the distance, walking toward us, his hands shoved deep in his pockets. My stomach sinks at the sight of him, but I brace myself, knowing that today will be the day he finally tries to get me back.
"Amanda, wait!" James calls, rushing toward me with a pleading look in his eyes.
I don't even have a chance to say anything before he's right in front of me, grabbing my arm. "We need to talk."
I pull my arm back, my patience already running thin. "James, we're done. I told you this already."
But he's not backing down. "Come on, Amanda. I know we can work things out. Just give me a chance."
I'm about to open my mouth to tell him no again when a voice interrupts.
"Is there a problem here?"
I turn to see a tall, handsome guy standing next to me. He's dressed in a sharp suit, a few inches taller than James, with dark, striking features. His eyes flick between James and me before focusing on James.
"Who are you?" James asks, his tone laced with irritation.
The new guy doesn't even flinch. He steps closer to James and gently puts a hand on his shoulder, pushing him back slightly. "I think she told you already."
James looks between me and the stranger, his face reddening. "This is none of your business, man."
The new guy smiles coolly, unfazed. "Actually, it is." He turns to me and adds, "Are you okay?" His voice is soft, but there's a confidence in it that immediately puts me at ease.
I nod, still feeling a bit shaken by the whole situation. "Yeah, thank you for helping. I didn't want to make a scene."
He grins, looking at me with a playful glint in his eye. "No problem. I'm Jacob and If you're truly thankful, maybe you could do me a favor and date me."
I blink, taken aback by his sudden proposal. The words come out before I can stop them. "Why not? You're hot."
But then, just as I say it, Rafael's face flashes in my mind, his serious expression, his dark eyes, and that weight he carries with him wherever he goes.
I immediately feel guilty, but that doesn't stop me from laughing nervously. Jacob grins, obviously pleased by my response.
The rest of the day goes by in a blur of lectures and notes, and I try to keep my mind on school, but it's hard. Between the Jacob flirtation and James trying to worm his way back into my life, I can't focus on anything.
After class, as I'm walking to the parking lot, I see him again. The Jacob from earlier. He's casually walking beside me, his arm slung over my shoulder like we've known each other for years.
"So, what's the deal with you and Montgomery?" he asks, his tone light, but there's curiosity behind it. "You two seem like a thing."
I laugh, though it doesn't come out as genuine as I want it to. "Just a family friend."
He chuckles. "Okay."
We reach the parking lot, and that's when I see Rafael standing by his car, arms crossed, watching us. His expression is dark, and I can feel his gaze on me like a heavy weight.
I swallow hard, feeling uncomfortable under the intensity of his stare. Jacob beside me notices it too and quickly steps away, giving me a knowing smile. "Guess I'll see you around, huh?"
"Yeah. See you." I wave, watching him leave before turning toward Rafael.
As I walk toward him, I can feel the tension building. His face is hard, his brows furrowed as he opens the car door for me without a word.
I climb in, but the silence stretches between us like a chasm. He starts the car, pulls out of the parking lot, and drives away without even acknowledging my presence.