Chapter 6: Graduation Day

Jane, on the other hand, was very busy at work because she was still on school vacation. Her only first inspiration at that time was her family, as her boyfriend had always instructed.

Days and months passed, the couple no longer missed each other much, but they still communicated using their cellphones. Jester begins lessons on how to run their company built there. And through his efforts, he has become the CEO of the company because of his intelligence as well.

It's also half a year before Jane graduates, and she's already preparing for her future. She also did an advanced review of the NAPOLCOM exam, as a first step to entering the world of being a police officer.

While studying, Jane's phone rang. He received a message from a friend.

"Jane? I'm outside your house. Get out first," a friend texted.

"Who is this?" Jane replied.

"It's David. I'm with your two friends now. We're waiting for you out here."

"All right. I'll get dressed first."

The girl hurriedly got dressed and left the house afterward.

"Where are we going? You've disturbed my studying time."

"Now that David has just invited us, don't yell besh," Henry said.

"All right, let's go then!" Jane invited friends.

David took them in his car for a ride, then stopped at a large house.

"Wow." While Lila got out of the car. Next, her friends came out.

"Is this your house?" Jane asked David.

"Yes, let's go in. We'll be late for the party," the man invited.

"What's there inside?" Jane asked again.

"Ayy, let's see. We will answer your questions later," Henry replied as they slowly walked into the house.

The house was full of food and drinks, and filled with people dressed in sexy, elegant casual dresses. Jane was surprised at the person she saw everywhere. She thought of misleading herself at a party.

"Lilz, why don't you inform me that we are going to this kind of reception? I shouldn't be dressed like this."

"There's no need for Jane. We don't even know where David will take us. It's just that he only invited us to join him."

"My God! Where's David?" she asked.

"He's gone," Henry said.

It was Henry's birthday party. That's why they were all invited. As they looked at the screen shown in front of them, that's the time they knew the reasons behind their unknowing instances. David was in a hurry at the time he called his friends. That's why they were all not informed.

In the middle of the party, Jane was always looking at her phone waiting for someone to chat or call her. From time to time, she checked if there was a message received, but no text showed on her screen. It was 9:30 p.m. Philippine time, so she decided to chat with her boyfriend.

"Hello, how are you, dear?" the content of her chat.

No one replied to her chat.

After two minutes, she chatted with him for a second time.

"Are you busy? Did I disturb your work?"

Again, fifteen minutes had passed. No reply yet. So, she chatted with Jester again for the last time.

"No reply? Okay then, I will wait if you have the time. Take care, I love you."

Hours, days, and months had passed, but there was still no Jester answering back to her messages. The girl seemed to have become discouraged in their relationship. In order not to disturb her studies, due to the pain she felt, she just focused on reviewing the subjects for her final exam.

One day, it was Jane's graduation. Everyone was ready to start the ceremony. Soon, Lila, Henry, and Jane arrived with their guardians. The emcee spoke on stage to signal that the ceremony was about to begin.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please settle yourselves into your designated chairs, because a moment from now, we will start the program."

A few minutes later, the graduation ceremony began.

"People here in the Auditorium, this day marked the most memorable moment for our students graduating from various courses. Congratulations to all of you in advance. You made it. Just keep fighting," a message from the Campus Director of Ateneo de Manila University.

They clapped after the message.

Then it went on to the ceremony peacefully, based on the flow prepared by the graduation committee. In the latter part of it, a student graduating from the course, Bachelor of Science in Criminology, was called for her speech.

"Thank you so much to all of you. And to the professors, staff, school utilities, nurses, sports coaches, Ched representatives, the leaders of this school, parents, classmates, guests, and everyone here, good morning to all of us. I am Jane, a brave woman but shy when it comes to men, hehe. The truth is, I am very poor, orphaned by my father, and only my mother is my companion in life. I once gave up studying, but someone dared to help me. I am so thankful that, despite what I have experienced, I have been resilient and worked hard to graduate, and now I am proud of my parents for what I have achieved as Summa Cum laude of this batch. Even though I went through pain, suffering, and hardships, it was all worth it because at least I was able to cope and I succeeded. I am very grateful to this school because it allowed me to study as a scholar and here I am completely passed and honored... Thank you very much and..."

She was suddenly stopped by the strange applause she heard from a man in front of her. She was shocked to see him and continued saying, "God bless us all."

The crowd applauded her again, and she immediately went down the stage with the man. She ignored the man and went straight to the bathroom, but he still followed her.

Unfortunately, when she got there, many queues wanted to use the comfort room, so she changed direction. This time, her path was blocked by a man.

Who could that man be?