'Isn't this lively.' She heard him say beside her.
They heard another announcement telling them to gather according to year level and class.
'Kharel,' she looks up at him, feeling his eyes and attention coating her warm. 'see you around?'
'See you around.'
Another gust of wind caused her hair to swing forward, covering her face. She tucks it behind her ear looking around for him, but he was gone. She walks to her class in line. Wondering what just happened earlier. Someone passed a tiny roll of paper to them. Each of them had varied colors of rolls and was told not to open them until the voice says so. She got a blue roll on her palm. She was a bit nervous getting the hint that they might be grouped according to color. She saw Grady's and for a moment forgets her worries.
'Okay students you may now open your strips and see what groups you belong to.'
She opens hers and read it.
Blue: 3.
The young teacher continued with his instructions until Fay reached her group mates. The 4 others she wasn't familiar with and 3 who were all seniors. Their group is supposed to have 9 members, where was the other one? One of girls from their school immediately took over as their leader, starting off things with their introduction and all of them followed suit. When it was her turn she realized they weren't looking at her but at something else behind her. She waited until she finished introducing herself.
'My name's Kharel. Nice to meet you.' He took a step beside her and smirked at the others.
'Okay, so you are assigned to station 1 where the game is flipping the blanket over with all members on top of it. You have 30 minutes to finish this task. Of course, it would be win if you go earlier than that.'
They quickly huddled together on top of the blanket with their leader partnering each of them off with the males. Fay's eyes widened when she heard her voice being mentioned.
'Me?'
'Yeah, it would be alright if Kharel here will carry you on his back okay?' Her face showed so much conviction Fay had no other choice but to nod in agreement.
'Okay people, let's do this fast. Let's believe in ourselves! We can do this!'
She crept behind him and reluctantly wrapped her arms around his neck.
'I'm heavy.'
'Don't worry about it.' He said. He lifts her up easily and fastened his arms under her knees.
She suddenly felt conscious about her breast touching his back. Their leader starts to facilitate their movement, each second becoming more uncomfortable for all of them. The body heat, the cramped position, and the weight of the girls made them all be drenched in sweat. The longer she hanged on, the more hard it was for her arms which were starting to shake hard.
'Oi Mai! don't wipe your ass sweat on me!' one of the boys said.
'Ah, we're on this together! It's not like you aren't sweating either. It's not noticeable, don't worry.'
'Damn you!'
'My armpits itch so bad. Like the hair is poking the wrong sides. Oops, excuse me.' He added and said to the smaller girl he was carrying on his back. Fay laughed due to the fatigue that was starting to fill her senses, dehydration and the numbness on her arms. She didn't realize she laid her forehead on Kharel's damp nape.
All of them was fired up once more when the facilitator gives them a hint and reveals the winning prize.
Fay could see the blanket on their feet. Just a little bit more. And finally, the material flipped back with them still on top of it. All of them sighed in relief, others laid their backs on the floor. Gasping and huffing. She jumped off his back and patted it gently as he leaned on his knees, huffing.
She gave him an apologetic smile.
'Guys, let's proceed to station 5 after this.'
Her hands were full of boxes of crayons. She strode towards the circle that was hectic with arranging the puzzle into a while picture. She placed them at the center and quickly moved away as hands reached for it like claws. Everyone was starting to get crazily competitive and the others of most groups were starting to have an intense bickering of who's better and faster. She stood there awkwardly outside the circle of teenagers busy with solving the puzzle, wide eyed. Even Kharel was joining in with the bickering of the boys, throwing white towels and handkerchiefs on each other, howling, laughing, having a good time. No one seems to notice his change of character though. Her eyes landed at the far end where there was a long table filled with the sweet aroma of food. She turned away and walks inside the senior building. She went inside her classroom and slumped on a random chair. She heard some footsteps running up and down and the stairs, and a few giggles that went after it. Her head was throbbing wildly. She drank her water bottle empty and rests her head on the table. No one would really notice that she was missing, even for just a few minutes, and it's not like she was doing anything helpful in there anyway. She should had just went along with Byrne and hang out in the bowling alley or to the Independence park where various amateur musicians practice their pieces. She wondered what her day would be like if she didn't participate in this activity. What would it be like if she would had just stayed at home, sleep early wake up late, watch some movies or just bike around the neighborhood. They all sound good to her. And when she was starting doze off another set of footsteps, entered her classroom. It was light and slow like a cat. Her face was faced away from the light where she could have seen a glimpse of it's shadow approaching her. The person stood beside her. Close enough that it reached out his hand and caressed her head. Her eyes immediately opened. She skidded back from her chair and pushed the table hard causing it to fall over. Her eyes were fuzzy from being covered by her arm, but she was damn sure who it was in front of her.
'Mihail? what are you doing here?'
'Nothing. Just checking up on you.'
'You should go back. People are looking for you.' She rubs her eyes and blinks hard, trying to get her focus back.
'How can you be so sure?'
'Uh.. cause' you are their leader?' She said with a sarcastic tone.
'And what are you doing here by yourself? Tired?'
'It's none of your business.'
'Your group might also be looking for you.' He puts the table back to it's original position.
She rolled her eyes at him.
'We've known each other for years. Give up the crap, Mihail. Just tell me what you want.'
'What do you think I want? I just want to know how you are, you look tired.'
'Then you shouldn't have asked in the first place. I don't want to waste my saliva talking to you.' She said facing away from him and goes back to her previous position.
There was a moment of silence before he spoke again.
'We've known each other for years and yet you still don't believe that I like you.'
She looked at him incredulously.
'See? See?' He said point her expression out.
'You think that all girls would fall for you if you just tell them that you like them? No. I mean, sure my situation is different and I'm immune, fortunately, to your so called 'I like you' extravaganzas.'
'What's the difference between him and me?'
'Who?'
His brows furrows deeply. She always thought that when he does that he becomes the spitting image of his old man.
'That new student. What's so different about him from me that you two went to the cinema together? I saw you both.'
'Oh, and am I committing a crime now? Am I required to pass a daily report to you from now on, just like what my Dad did to yours years before?'
He strode towards her. Fuming, he slammed both of his hands at her side. He glares hard at her. His jaw clenched as he closed his eyes and took one long deep breath before he backs away from her.
She couldn't bare to look at him. He scares her and disgust her at the same time. Ever since they were children, all the time their family had been invited for some dinner or party in that exclusive subdivision, she had been taught early that there was a thick boundary between her and the children of the man whom her father was working under for. Most of the children whom they played with joined their crew on making her their slave. She didn't say anything all those times because she knew it might somehow affect her father's relationship with his boss, the town's mayor. They were too scared to go against Clement's bullying or Mihail's unreasonable requests-orders. As children, it doesn't really matter who you hurt. In fact it seems to be more fun when all of you agree on a single thing.
But she wasn't going to dwell on the past with them like it matters to her more than on the future where she could focus more on herself and not anybody else's hormonal experimentation's.
She stood up from her seat and walked away from him. He grabs her arm making her stop.
'Look, all I want is.. I'm sorry.' He said. Their eyes met for a few seconds before she looked away and smiled sadly. His chest throbbed remembering the last time he made her cry.
'I'm sorry.' He repeated.
'For once,' She started. He stared at her lips, ready to remember whatever words she was about to say. 'I wish people would guess the pain I am suffering from. I wish to taste death.' His hand slips away from it's grasp. Her head bowed down, her hair covers her face from his view and her shoulders started to shake. He thought she was about to cry when she craned her neck back and started to giggle. 'You think, I was going to cry, weren't you? Geeze, I'm sorry. I thought as an actor you would...' she nods at him with a smirk on her face. 'Yeah?'
'You're sick!' He shakes his head at her as he walked away from her. She didn't stop giggling until he was out of an earshot.
She stood looking at the board in front of her.
'For how long were you listening?' She asked.
A silhouette showed itself behind the door. Kharel dragged his feet and leaned at the doors frame with his arms crossed between his chest.
'The part where he said he liked you.'
'How honest.' She replied sarcastically.
Kharel smiled, amused. 'You really are interesting.'
'Are you going to tell?'
'Do you think I would?'
'No.'
'Then I won't.'
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