"Van, what do you think?"
I felt a poke on my side but I ignored it.
"Van?"
Another poke and I ignored it once again.
"Van!"
This time, I shifted on my seat. I almost choke on the milkshake I'm sipping. I saw Lia's concerned face and that's when I realized I have been spacing out for so long.
"Hey, what's the matter? Is there a problem, Van? I've been calling you for three times but you're being preoccupied!" She pouted and crossed her arms.
I took a deep breath and sipped on my milkshake.
"I'm sorry. What are you saying again?" I requested her to repeat what she's saying earlier.
She frowned but didn't complain.
"I'm asking you... what should I order today since I've already ordered sauteed pork yesterday? I gave you choices which are; grilled cheeseburger, Hawaiian sausage, beef stew with a hunch of spinach or simple veggie salad?"
What? She's having a hard time choosing what she should eat today? Oh my goodness. This girl, really.
I sighed."I think you should pick the grilled cheeseburger instead since we ate soft ice cream earlier." I suggested then.
Her eyes sparkled."Oh, thanks, Van! You really are my savior! Mwa!" She gave me a flying kiss before she stood up to order to the counter.
She asked what's mine but I told her I'm fine with this single milkshake. I stared outside the window of the Cafe and ended up overthinking again. Even I badly wanted to avoid it, I can't. I keep remembering my previous encounter with Miller and his words.
God, I'm not affected. It's just that... I can't help but wondered. I can't help but to be curious. I actually want to laugh hard because of his sudden confession, because I want to believe that's just one of his silly jokes. But nevertheless, I stayed quiet. I didn't tell it to Lia, not yet. Because I'm not even sure if I should share that to her or I'll just keep it by myself.
Another thing is... it's hard to believe in people's words especially when you're used to witness them bluffing and playing around.
A loud thud pulled me from my reverie.
I looked in front of me and saw Lia who came back with a tray of cheeseburger and drinks. She sat back on her seat.
Her curious eyes bore into mine."I want to ignore it, alright, but it's just too intriguing. Is there something bothering you, Van? On the other hand, it's okay if you won't tell me, I'll just wait until you're able to share it with me." She gave me a reassuring smile.
I suddenly feel guilty. I realized it's so sensitive of me to not tell her about what happened. It's my trust issues again. I should really share this bothersome if I wanna sleep peacefully this coming night, and to gain her opinion, too.
"It's not that problematical... it's about, uh, Miller..." I uttered. She's just listening carefully, waiting impatiently for my anticipated answer."He said he's planning to court me... well, I guess he confessed that way. And I keep on thinking about that encounter, it's stressing me out!" I massaged my temples.
She's wide-eyed and gawking the whole time I'm spilling it out.
"Oh my geez!"
"Shhh! What the hell, Lia?" I gave her a wide eye when she suddenly shierked.
Can't she see that we're not the only people here? She's overreacting huh!
She's now calm after she recovered."Is that true? He wants to court you? I envy your charm!" Her eyes were sparkling as she pressed her both palms.
"Yeah... but I rejected him." I answered that made her smile faded.
"Wait what?! That fast?" She's giving me this you're-unbelievable look.
I nodded quietly.
She swayed her hands on the air."Oh my! I can't believe it! You just rejected the infamous campus crush! How dare you?"
"Come on. Stop giving me tantrums. What I need is your opinion," she changed into serious mode after that.
"Hmmm... do you like him?" Her first question.
"Uh, no."
"Have you ever find him attractive? Or even find him interesting?"
"Not really."
She blown out a sigh."You didn't have a crush on him? Even a little bit?"
I shook my head."I haven't."
"Aw, I pity Miller already. What a failed love story. I guess unrequited love really does exist?" She put her both palms under her face with her sympathetic look.
"Unrequited love, my ass. He only professed he like me, okay?" I corrected.
"Oh, I just thought... sorry, my bad. I'm so advance..." she laughed a bit.
At the end, she gave me her advices. While I keep on nodding my head. I don't know why I'm relying on her opinion, I just feel like I need someone's side and it's hers.
"If you don't really like him then, you did the right thing! It's a good choice you rejected him. But if you'll ever realize that you like him all along and it's already too late, I feel sorry for you..." she said.
Seriously?
"Don't worry, I know myself more. I'm pretty sure I don't like him, from the very start, and I will not like him even after this." I answered with so much confident.
Her eyes narrowed."Or maybe... you like someone else," she concluded that caught me off guard. She smirked sweetly."Shoot. You like someone else, am I right?"
"O-of course not..." why am I fucking stuttering?
"Really?" She's obviously teasing me!
I was about to deny again when a familiar voice echoed.
"Yo, girls! What's up? What's with the wicked smile, babes?" Vencie paused from walking when he get near Lia, particularly, behind her.
My friend's face immediately crumpled."Babes your face! It's a girls talk, you guys shouldn't included." Oh, that's new.
My attention drifted to his friend. As usual, he's being stoic and expressionless again. Though, I still hate him for meddling earlier. I should've burn Azelyn down if he didn't just interfere.
"Do we have a problem here?" Vencie shamelessly sat beside Lia, and even moved closer to her.
Uh, these two, really.
In my peripheral vision, I saw Yukenzo sat beside me. I heaved out a sigh. Guess I have no choice but to deal with them again. I really don't understand why they became this feeling close? Like, are we even friends? To my deepest thought it's just me and Lia who are close.
This one beside me doesn't really talk much, I confirmed that every little encounter with him. Yeah, I'm this observer. I'd rather like that than the talkative ones, except Lia, of course.
"Come on, girls, I'm dying to know!" Venice frowned.
What's the problem of this guy?
"Did you just come over here to do gossiping?" I noticed that Lia turned moody the moment the two guys came.
Hmm, am I missing something?
"What? No! I'm not that type of guy, you know that."
Lia sighed in defeat. We both know he won't stop until he get the answer he wants.
"We're talking about Miller here... because Van told me he's planning to court her," she spilled out that gained reactions from him.
"Seriously? He confessed to you, V?" They really have this overdramatic trait.
I just nodded quietly.
"Oh, dude!" I wondered when he suddenly glanced at his friend beside me."You hear that? That's what you got for being a turtle ass!" Huh?
"Shut up, will you?" Said by the person beside me, and why irritation came evident on his voice?
"But, I'm not finish yet!" Lia interrupted."She rejected him, right away." She added.
I rolled my eyes at him, she just laughed at me.
Vencie looks very surprised."What a twist," he has this meaningful look at his friend."Relieved now?"
"Vencie," it's sounded like a warning.
Lia giggled."And I think she rejected him because she likes someone else!" What the hell.
I gave her a ridiculous look.
Why did she tell them that? She don't need to spread it like an informative message!
"Really? Who?" Vencie seemed so excited.
Gosh, I badly want to tie these two together.
"I don't know who! But... I have a hint... about this significant person..."
"Oh no, Lia. You must stop right there. I don't like someone else, okay? I have no time for that shit." I said firmly.
But they both look unconvinced. Vencie gave me a smirk before he looked at his quiet friend again.
"How about you, man? Do you like someone? And who is she?" He asked him.
And I don't understand why I turned to his friend, fastly. Am I... am I waiting for his answer? Am I curious? But why?
I shouldn't be! I shouldn't care!
"Yes. I like someone..." He answered straight and firm.
To my sudden stupidity, I spoke up."Probably Azelyn..." and why I have this bitter feeling?
I must be really crazy...
His forehead creased at its finest like I said the most stupid words he have ever heard.
"No, not her. She's just my friend," he clarified.
"Oh.." then who's the girl, Cabrera?
"Then, who? Tell to us, man." Vencie seems daring him.
It's like he's forcing him to confess about something Lia and I doesn't know.
I looked at Yukenzo once more, waiting for his response too.
He stared directly into my eyes and I don't know why but I shivered."I like..." oh my God, is he really confessing now?
In front of me?
He cleared his throat."I'd like t-to be your tutor, Arnaez. I want to help you with your studies... will you allow me to?" He added that made our jaw dropped.
What did he just say?
"Pardon?" I can only say.
Vencie laughed."That was close! Intense as fuck. Smooth!"
Lia just shierked repeatedly.
I couldn't take off my eyes at Yukenzo anymore. While his eyes remained tantalize as if he's being mesmerized.
How dare him. How dare him offered me to accept him as my tutor? What does he think of me? A kid who don't know how to solve a simple math problem?
And how dare my heart for beating so fast like it's escaping out of my ribcage.