Neutrally Zero

Chapter 1: Zero's First

It was a placid, windy early morning as I was bombardened and awakened by my alarm clock as loud of the quietness of the environment I am in.
"My mind is blank, as there is no existence of any memory I remember. May it be my name, age, mother's name, I do not remember anything! Is this a joke? Am I daydreaming? Is this a nightmare? If it is, someone, ease awaken me!" Jericho shouted out of fear and confusion of the situation.
"Did I develop amnesia? That is the only most realistic and possible explanation to this catastrophe!", he asked and said to himself
"But I must not worry, I will pretend that all things are just fine."
He hurriedly get up from the bed and grabbed the cellphone, he saw in the logged in accounts his name, Jericho Layman. He stalked himself in Facebook and knew that he was a freshman college student, taking up the Media Arts course. He also did find out that he is studying in Verlace University.
"Rico, time to get up! Breakfast is ready!" , a voice of a middle aged woman exclaimed.
"Oh, perhaps she is my mother. I really hope she does not see that there is something that is off to me, but I have a plan."
Jericho softly said to her Ma'am and lied that he is in a hurry and will only just take his breakfast with him compacted in a rectangular plastic container and will eat it at the school room while waiting.
"Okay then, if you say so. Don't stress yourself out to much, my Rico! I love you!", his mother's reminder.
"I love you too!", Jericho responded in a trembling voice.
Jericho put on the clothes her mother gave and grasped the bag and a brief case which is a wrecking ball due to its heavy weight that slows every step of him.
He does not remember anything so he went to the school by asking a passerby to lend him a hand and book him an Uber ride.
The trip did not last that long and he arrived safely. It also turns out that he is the first student to go in the university that day since some lights of the other rooms were still closed and there are so few and nearly no visible people in the totality of the school grounds.
He did find his room, entered the open door waiting for him to return like Neil Armstrong from the moon, but in his cane, from his house.
To his surprise, he found a lady with a skin as glowing as a snowflake, eyes sparkling like the most precious diamond that can ever be seen, and scent that makes her a newly baked blueberry pie.
He trembled and is hesitant but still asked, "Hi, I am Jericho. What is your name?"
"Jericho! Is this a joke? Haha, do not pull that on me, it really is not effective. But yeah, I'll ride along with you. Hi, "stranger"! I am Juana, another stranger! You silly man, I can't even! Haha!", she exploded with laughter as she thought Jericho's wrong move was only a joke.
"Gotcha, Juana! You always forget that I always want to make you smile!", Jericho's sudden excuse.
"If you say so...", said Juana as he pinches Jericho's nose as if there is no tomorrow.
Jericho, even if he does not remember anything knew to himself that all these things happen for him to finish the maze and meet Juana, which made his heart beat like a racecar speedily, at the end of the grass walls.
As time passed by, more students came in to the room and in just a few hours, the class already started.
Somehow, Jericho was thankful he can still understand languages and did not forgot it together with his memories.
Jericho just listened to the lecture and tried not to be called by the professor as much as possible.
The first class ended, time for another class. As he was about to find the room for the following lecture, his elevator of mood went from the highest floor to the lowest as he saw Juana with another student, holding hands with him and kissing him.
On the next class, he thought that there will be not any problem that he can encounter but little did he know, a gigantic fist landed on his face coming from a familiar facade which he realized that he is the one with Juana on the hallway or corridor he saw.
"One more time you do what you did last Monday to Juana, I assure you, you will be a cold body without a soul!", Juana's boyfriend angrily exclaimed to Jericho which echoed not only in their room, but until the whole corridors outside.
---
It was already lunch break and as Jericho is headed up to the canteen, a Juana with a waving hand, wearing an innocent smile under his rosy cheeks approached him.
"Jericho, do you want to eat together with me? You treated me the last time so it is my turn now. Do not say you forgot it too? Haha, you silly man!"
Jericho was left speechless and responded:
"If you insist, okay then..."
They went to the school cafeteria and Juana ordered foods with aroma that your nose wants to eat because of its fragrance, so irresistible.
Jericho was confused on what is his real relationship with Juana and why does his boyfriend's blood boil in high temperatures every time he sees him.
Jericho's deep thought processing and analyzing as if he is a computer is interrupted as Juana shakes him and pulled him to a table.
They had a great time talking with each other and Jericho tries as much as possible to hide that he does not remember anything.
~~~
The last class ended with an overtime so Jericho hurriedly cross the street and a large truck passed by and banged him to his untoward and unexpected death.