The Last String

|17| Pulled from the pits of…

|17| Pulled from the pits of...

I was only gone for a week but it seemed like I've been gone for a month because of the drastic changes that happened inside MAE and I can't help but to say...what the f**k? 

"You mean to say, you do this every year?" I asked with my eyes wide open because of the shocking sight before me. I know that my school is an elite school but I never knew they're this extra in celebrating the Christmas season. 

There's a fifty feet Christmas tree next to the now frozen fountain. The Olympic size swimming pool is now frozen and anyone can skate there. There's a Christmas bazaar on-going with lots of designer brands participating. A Christmas village was set up too at the fields and I can see the elementary students playing there. And oh, there's a carnival too. 

Wow. Just—wow. 

"Yep. It's a weeklong celebration." Maria said and shrugged like it was nothing. I mean—this is so grandiose! 

"Some children from the orphanages that our school supports are here to have fun," Taehyung added and pointed the group of children near the gingerbread house playing snowball war. 

"That's amazing," I whispered.

"Now go and take your special exams and after that, we will have fun later." She added. 

"Good luck on your exams and see you later, Sera." Gavin fixed my fur coat and winter gloves before letting me go. 

I missed the examinations last week because of my hospital admission and thanks God they gave me special exams because the reason for my absence is valid and Gavin passed my medical certificate as a proof. MAE is strict with their academics so they let me take the exams but a different one from what my classmates have taken but it's okay cos I studied enough for me to pass the exam.

Sir Bill is my exam proctor and the smile on his face is way more brighter than before. Something is up. He won't be this happy unless...

"You finally asked her to be your fiancé?" I asked. He gave me a playful smile before giving me the exam booklet. "Good luck."

Wow. What a nice way to dodge my question. 

Answering all the nine exams in one day that supposedly take three days drained me. Although I studied enough, taking them all in a single seating is hard. Thankfully, Sir Bill told me that I don't have time limit. Good thing this is not periodical exams. The items are just fifty per subject but there are bonus questions in every subject so that makes seventy-five items per subject if you'll include it. 

Lunch time came and I dropped my pen as I finished the last bonus question in Mathematics. 

"That was hella fast," Sir Bill commented as I gave him my papers. 

I shrugged. "When's the wedding?" I asked.

"I prefer next week," he said.

"Oh?" I said partly shocked with how fast the turnout of the events. "Congratulations—"

"But she wanted it on June," he replied smiling. 

"How understanding," I teased. Sir Bill laughed while shaking his head and fixing his things. This is the only thing he needed to do in school so I'm kinda shy but grateful. 

"That's love." He said and tapped my shoulders before going out of the room. 

Love. How powerful.

***

Days passed by quickly than I expected. It's already the twenty-fourth and I'm still here in the condo, snuggled up in my thick sweater dress and comfy socks in front of the television, watching kdrama on Netflix that Taehyung recommended. I wouldn't watch this if only I won the bet that we did back in the carnival last week but I guessed, I'm meant to watch this one. 

The protagonist is just like me—with strong facade, everybody thought that I'm doing just fine. No one knows that I was crumbling in the inside. Well, 'was' because like the protagonist, I'm slowly healing from within.

I'm on my sixth episode when the doorbell rang continuously. Mad, I paused the drama that I'm watching and with a blank face, I opened the door only to reveal the goofy faces of Maria, Taehyung, and Gavin, all in their winter clothes glory. 

I thought they've gone home already? 

"Dress up, Finn!" Maria pushed me back so they could enter my condo and she hurriedly sat on my couch and picked the remote to change the video that I was watching.

"Where are we going?" I asked them but they only answered me with a grin in their face. I faced Gavin and asked him repeatedly where we're supposed to go but he kept mum. 

"I'm not telling you. It's a surprise." 

With my rolling eyes and their laughs, I left them in the living room to change my clothes. 

Clad in a white comfy turtleneck, high waist denim jeans, black knee length boots, black trench coat, and with my black winter gloves and black beanie, I left my room with a satisfied grin on my face only to find out that they were eating my stash of sweet chocolates from my fridge.

If they weren't my friends, I can assasinate them for eating my goodies.

But...there's no rules that says that I can't smack their head, right?

Once again, we are all inside Gavin's silver Tesla with Maria and Taehyung bickering nonstop. 

When did they never bicker? 

"Mom thought I'm dating you, Vincent! What the hell!?" Maria said exasperatedly as she read her Mom's text message and I can't help but to grin as I saw Taehyung's face lit up with delight. 

Damn. This sly korean dude. 

"What can you say? I have good genes, Maria." Taehyung said laughingly and Maria can only groan beside me. Seriously? 

"Can't you just date each other already?" I asked earning a glare from Maria and chuckles from Gavin and Taehyung.

"I like how you think, Finn." Taehyung, then, faced Gavin with a grin. "Dude, 'ya girl is smart!"

"She's the top student at MAE, V." Gavin said. 

"Let's date, Maria!" Taehyung said with a wink and I can't help but to laugh as Maria's mouth fell open. 

"Date yourself, Vincent!" Taehyung grunted.

"My cousin doesn't want to date you, bud," Gavin teased and caught my eyes from the mirror.

"But I want to date her!" He said playfully but I can hear the seriousness in it. I'm sure Gavin noticed it too. 

So he's starting, huh? Took him long enough tho. 

"I'm sure Maria is a keeper." Taehyung added. Maria snorted in disgust but I saw how her ears turned red. 

"You're so red, Maria," I whispered. Maria glared at me and that made me laugh. 

"Then keep her," Gavin shrugged with a sly smile on his face. 

"If she doesn't want to then I'll ask Mom to introduce you to some of her friends' daughters." 

"Shut up, Wraith!" 

I chuckled at her reaction. 

I wonder how Maria will last before she breaks and free herself to love Taehyung without hesitation? 

"We're here!" Taehyung announced and opened the car's door. 

I slid off from the car only to be welcomed by the cold winter air and an enormous white mansion.

Damn. Whose house is this?

"Welcome to our humble abode," Gavin said and it made my eyes widened in shock. Wow. I know they're rich but actually seeing their house in person is another thing! 

"I live two houses away, by the way." Maria said cheekily. 

"I'm Maria's neighbor," Taehyung said and shrugged. 

"Why are we here?" I asked. 

Maria and Taehyung smiled like they knew something that I don't so I faced Gavin who's smiling gently at me. 

He looks cute. Ugh. 

"Well, we'll watch movies," Gavin said and smiled like an endorser of a toothpaste brand. Damn that smile. 

But wait, what? 

"We came here just...to watch movies!?" Shocked, my eyes blinked several times. We can watch movies in my condo for God's sake! I was watching movies the whole day!

"Correction, Finn. We came here to watch movies...in the theater room." 

"We can also watch in my—wait, what? Theater room?" I asked, obviously puzzled. I looked at Gavin who's trying his best to hide his laughing face and winked at me. 

Realizing what they wanted to point out, my lips formed into a satisfied grin. 

Wow. I can't believe they thought of that.

"You guys are so extra," I said laughingly while shaking my head.

"Nah, just for you Finn." I raised my brow when Maria said that. 

"Okay, fine! I'm always extra in everything," she said and rolled her eyes heavenwards. 

Maria and Taehyung banters as we walk inside the mansion with Gavin by my side with his arm snaked into my waist. 

A soft smile graced my lips. I can't believe Gavin would make my bargain, possible. 

Gavin...he pulled me up from the pits of anxiety when I was drowning in it. Now, he's doing everything to make me happy even in the smallest things.

"Thank you, Gavin." I whispered and I snuggled closer to him inside the theater room. I felt him kissed the top of my head which made my heart beat erratically. 

"All for you, Sera." 

I can't wait to spend my days with you, love.

"Can you be my boyfriend?"

#

end of chapter seventeen