The Code of Aries ?

(10) Brains & Pockets

Aries got up as well and looked back at me with a tired expression on his face. "Where do you live?" He then asks me.

"Why? Are you going to take me home?" I jokingly asked back, but I was left dumbfounded because Aries nodded in reply.

"I have my car with me. I can drive you home if you like."

Seriously? Isn't gas really expensive right now? How rich is this guy, anyway?

"I was just joking," I quickly tell him. "I appreciate the offer, but it's fine. I'm a big boy now. I can go home by myself. You take care."

Aries looked like he was going to say something, but he took a deep breath and nodded his head instead before finally going our separate ways.

My relationship with Aries improved every time I had a tutoring session with him. Of course, we're not like best of friends now. We don't send messages to each other, and we don't eat lunch together. We only meet at the library and spend the rest of the afternoon studying until the sun sets.

I also followed the study plan he made, which was a big help. My mom was even surprised when she saw me reading a book at home. She said it was the first time she ever saw me actually study for something.

To be honest with you, as cliché as it may sound, I was starting to see the beauty of learning because of my senior partner. I was more attentive in class now because I could finally understand what the professors were talking about. I answered the questions correctly, and I was starting to realize that I might actually be able to survive my campus life.

But there's just one other trial I have to face other than studying. Because as a college student in a school like LU, you don't only need the brains, but you also need...

"Mr. Adlawan, are you aware that your preliminary exams are next week?" My English professor suddenly asks in the middle of the lecture, making me remove my eyes from my notebook-which was no longer filled with doodles but with actual notes instead.

"Yes, I am very much aware," I answer, and the professor walks towards me and stares at me from head to toe, making me stare back at her with my eyebrows furrowed.

"Then why are you still not wearing your proper uniform?"

"Pardon?"

"Your uniform. It is in the university's rules that the students must wear their complete uniforms on the examination dates. Some professors might not let you take the test if you're still wearing jeans. Make sure you have one by next week," she tells me, making me take a deep and long breath.

As I said, to be able to survive college, you don't only need the brains but the pockets too. And for a 19-year-old boy like me who is earning a minimum wage as a cleaner in a gay bar, that will be a huge problem.

A very huge problem indeed.

...

"Dom," Aries suddenly calls out, making me blink and realize that I was actually at the library, studying Humanities with my senior partner, who was staring at me with curious eyes. "You've been losing focus all afternoon. Are you okay?" Aries asks.

I should feel a little thrilled that president Aries Buan himself is actually worried about me, but I pretend to be fine and laugh it off like I always do.

"I was just thinking about the exams since it's next week," I explain, and I'm not really sure if Aries saw through my bullshit, but he just nodded his head and didn't comment about it.

"Well, you still have to answer a few tests, and then-"

"Actually, can we finish early?" I quickly tell him.