******************** If I Let You Go - 2 ********************
Ryan's Point of View:
"Jason, meet my step-brother Jack," I began to introduce the two but noticed that they both looked at each other in surprise. "Jack, Jason Brooks, my roommate."
"Umm," Jason quickly stood up and looked at Jack and me uncomfortably. "Jack and I sort of know each other already."
"Yeah," Jack said after he cleared his throat. I looked at him quizzically and saw that he was as fidgety as Jason was. "Jason and I met...umm...back in Nice some months ago."
"Ohh," I didn't really know what to say. I knew they were something they weren't telling me. They continue to look at each other. I saw Jack shake his head in a subtle way to Jason.
"Uhh," Jack finally spoke up after a minute of silence. "I was going to treat Ryan to lunch today. Maybe you'd like to join us?"
"Some other time," Jason just smiled at him weakly. "I really just wanted to relax today."
"Maybe we could get together sometime," I watched Jack take out a calling card and gave it to Jason. "I just moved in the City a month ago. Call me anytime your free, okay? Even just to say hello."
"Ok," Jason smiled at Jack and strangely enough Jack smiled back at Jason. I haven't seen Jack smile since moving at the City. We said goodbye to Jason and proceeded to drive to the City. Jack told me that he made reservation at a steak house.
"How's Jason as a roommate?" Jack finally brought up Jason. We haven't talked about him since leaving the Campus. He was cutting his steak as he talked to me. I got the feeling that he was really trying to avoid looking at me when he asked that question.
"Okay, I guess," I said vaguely. Now I could finally ask him just what is going on. "Ummm...How did you and Jason meet?"
"That's a funny story actually," Jack looked up at me and gave me a sort of nervous laugh. "Tommy and I were vacationing in Nice for a week last December. Jason was also spending his Holidays there and he showed us around since he knew the town pretty well."
"I see," I didn't know what to make of that story. If that's what happened, why were they acting so strange?
I was talking to some of my new classmates, getting to know them and things like that while we were waiting for our professor to come in. I was kind of surprised to see Jason and Lisa come in the room.
"Could everyone settle down?" Jason said loudly as he looked at everyone in the room. He looked at my direction and gave me a smile before looking at my other classmates.
"We're from the University Student Board," Lisa spoke up. "I'm Lisa Masters and this is Jason Brooks. We would like to officially welcome you to the university."
"As you might know by now," Jason grinned at us. "You'll have your college orientation later this afternoon. Fortunately or unfortunately for you guys, Lisa and I have been assigned to handle the orientation for this college."
"One of the events later would be a game show," Jason added. "That's why we need a representative from you guys. Any volunteers?" We all fell silent but no one raised his or her hands.
"If no one will volunteer then I would have to pick one of you guys," Jason said as he looked straight and me and gave me an impish smile.
"Wonder who you will choose?" Lisa said with a laugh as she saw me blushing slightly. No one still raised his or her hands. But everyone was buzzing, wondering what Lisa and Jason was talking about.
"Fine," Jason spoke up. "Ryan, you'll be your section's representative later. And I really hope you won't get mad at me. This is just work. No hard feelings." I just gave him a look of disbelief as he and Lisa looked at me in amusement. The two made a few other announcements before leaving. Then the girl besides me, Anna quickly leaned over to my side.
"You know that guy?" Anna asked me quizzically.
"We're roommates," I said to her, somehow feeling a little lucky that I get to room with such a wonderful guy.
"I thought you said you're in the freshman dorms?" The guy on my back asked me quizzically.
"There was some mix up and he was assigned a room at the dorms instead of Maple Hall," I answered him, trying to look that I wasn't that interested in talking about Jason. People might get the wrong idea. "But I think he said that he's trying to fix it up."
I was chatting with Anna and some other guys while waiting for the line to move. We were lining up in front of the auditorium to register and get our ID's. Then Jason suddenly showed up besides me.
"Hey," Jason said as he put his arm around my shoulders casually. "I already got you signed up. Here's your ID. You can go in the auditorium anytime you want."
"Umm," I was staring to feel a little queasy again. I didn't know if it was from nervousness or from embarrassment since my classmates were looking at us intently. "Thanks."
"Anytime," Jason gave me his usual warm smile before heading back to the side entrance of the auditorium. I just resumed talking to my classmates like nothing happened. But somewhere inside of me, I felt like I wanted to jump with joy.
I was walking to the canteen of the Science building, making small talk with my friends. Anna was asking em a few questions about Jason. I felt like she was trying to fish for information about my roommate. She seemed to have developed a crush on him.
As I entered the canteen, I noticed that it was only half-full. I was going to walk to the counter when I saw two figures in a corner table. It was Jason and Jack!
*************** To be continued ***************
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