Hearing this, all of their faces turned serious.
"That’s right," Rose continued.
"She was sexually assaulted. The old lady was the one who spotted her in the early morning and then called the police. She said that just by seeing the appearance of the girl, it was really heartbreaking."
"When the criminal was done, he just left the body of that poor little girl where the crime happened," Rose continued, her voice tinged with sadness.
"It was in an alley, a very secluded path, not too far from here. The old lady said that the girl was still alive when she was found and was taken to the hospital, but she was in a great deal of trauma."
"There’s such a thing? Is the suspect caught?" Jessica, who had been quiet and easygoing, turned angry, her voice filled with wrath as she hated such acts.
Jeff also felt upset by this, his expression darkening.
"Well, yes, he was caught later that afternoon, right after the crime happened. As for the status of the case, we don’t know yet," Rose replied.
"So that’s why I told you two to be very careful, especially you, Jessica, since you look so beautiful," Rose said to Jessica, causing her to blush slightly, but she took the warning to heart.
Since what happened to that poor little girl was truly heartbreaking.
"As for you, little guy," Rose continued, "just because you aren’t a girl doesn’t mean you shouldn’t care about this. If you ever want to go out late at night, make sure to be careful and always walk where there are lots of people. Got it?" she added, offering her advice.
The two nodded their heads, clearly heeding her words. Seeing that they listened to her advice, Rose felt relieved.
"Alright then, now that you understand the gravity of this situation, I bought some vegetables and meat to prepare the dinner and lighten up the mood. Let’s have a meal together, okay?" she said to both of them.
Jeff didn’t decline and Jessica was too embarrassed to say no, she didn’t want to turn down the offer, especially since Rose had shown such great kindness.
Seeing no objections, Rose smiled and nodded, "Good, then. Wait for me here while I prepare the meal. You two catch up with each other," she said, giving Jeff a meaningful glance.
Jeff noticed Rose’s glance but had no idea what she was trying to imply. After that, Rose went to the kitchen, leaving the two of them sitting there, unsure of how to start a conversation.
"Ah," they both uttered in unison, both wanting to find a subject to talk about. Updates are released by 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩⟡𝘧𝙞𝙧𝙚⟡𝘯𝘦𝘵
Seeing that they were in sync just now and noticing the awkwardness between them, they both laughed at the situation.
Finally becoming comfortable with each other, the tension faded, and the conversation started to flow more naturally.
"You’re a student from BJIT, right? Is it okay to ask what year you’re in? Also, what’s your strand?" Jeff asked.
"I’m a first-year junior high school student, currently taking the GAS strand for my future course," Jessica responded with a light smile.
Jeff nodded his head as Jessica turned to ask, "So what about you? From your uniform, it’s Christina Academy, right? Are we in the same year? Since your uniform is only exclusive to those who have already graduated from junior high school," Jessica asked.
She wasn’t wrong, since only the yellow-paled uniforms are for junior high school students. The first and second-year students wore pink and white uniforms, depending on the day.
"Yes, I’m surprised we’re actually in the same year," Jeff said.
"So why did you choose the GAS strand? What future career are you planning to pursue?" he asked, curious.
"Well, I want to become a nurse in the future, that’s one of the reasons why I chose this strand," she replied.
Jeff nodded but was still curious, "Why didn’t you consider STEM? It seems like a great choice for an aspiring nurse."
Jessica nodded thoughtfully, taking a moment before sharing her thoughts.
"I actually considered STEM at first," she said, her eyes meeting Jeff’s.
"It’s the most common strand for aspiring nurses, that’s true. But after talking with a few upperclassmen and some of my relatives who work in healthcare, I realized that STEM focuses more on advanced math and engineering-related subjects. And while that’s useful for certain courses, it’s not a strict requirement for nursing."
She paused for a moment before continuing, "I chose GAS because it gives me flexibility. It still includes science and health-related topics, but it also lets me explore other fields that can help with communication, leadership, and critical thinking, all of which are really important in nursing. I want to be more well-rounded, not just academically but also in how I deal with people."
Jeff listened quietly, nodding as she spoke.
Jessica then gave him a warm smile, "I know STEM is great, but for me, GAS just felt more aligned with how I want to grow before stepping into college. It’s not just about getting the right strand, it’s about building the right foundation."
Hearing her explanation, Jeff nodded in understanding. Even though GAS is designed for students who are still exploring their options or want a broad academic foundation, it really includes subjects from all other strands, allowing flexibility.
And for nursing? GAS is perfectly acceptable because nursing in college only requires you to pass the entrance exam and meet the college requirements, not necessarily having to take STEM.
Also, GAS includes science and health-related electives, especially if the school offers those, and BJIT had those options available.
Soft skills like communication, leadership, and critical thinking are skills that are covered in GAS were also crucial in nursing practice.
These qualities play a significant role in patient care and are highly valued in the healthcare field.
Even though STEM is often recommended for aspiring nurses, it’s not required.
STEM includes subjects like Biology, Chemistry, and advanced Math that can be helpful for college-level nursing subjects.
It’s more science-intensive, so it’s ideal if you’re confident in those areas. Jeff understood that you don’t need to be in STEM to pursue nursing in college.
GAS is accepted, and what matters more is your performance, entrance exam results, and readiness for college-level work.
If GAS helps you build a stronger foundation overall, especially if STEM might overwhelm you, then it’s a wise and strategic choice.
"What about you? What strand did you choose?" she asked, looking at him with an expectant expression.
"Mine is the same as yours, GAS. We’re in the same strand," he said with a smile.
"Really? What a coincidence," she said, surprised as well.
Jeff nodded his head as she asked another question, "What course you are going to take? Is it going to be something related to health courses as well?" as she narrowed her eyes.
He shook his head, while smiling, "Nope, what I chose is to become a programmer. A computer engineer, since I like to program and build stuff," he replied.
"Ohhh," she hummed, her curiosity piqued.
She understood a little bit about computers and gadgets, and she had some slight ideas about the course, though it wasn’t her area of expertise.
But she knew someone in her school who was the same year as her. He was smart and considered a genius in their school.
She admired his abilities, but he was arrogant and always loved to show off. Making her feel disgusted by it.
Special thanks to ’Meiwa_Blank👑’ – the GOAT for this month, for the Golden Tickets! Love you, brotha!
Special thanks to ’Devon1234👑’ – the GOAT for this month, for the Gifts! Love you, brotha!