CHAPTER 08
1917 Words
I slowly opened my eyes, but the bright light made me close them again. I turned my face to the left side so I wouldn't be hit by the glare and slowly opened them again.
"Aubree! Are you feeling better? Just wait-" Mom helped me sit up in bed.
I fixed my hair with my fingers and caught sight of something on the table. "What happened, Ma? Why are there so many medicines on the small table and there's a thermometer and stuff?" I asked Mom, confused.
"Did you forget what happened?"
"What?" I suddenly felt nervous, wondering what had happened to me.
"You had a fever and you've been in bed for two days!"
"What? How did that happen? All I remember I was in school," I tried to remember what happened two days before, but I couldn't.
"Your classmate brought you here, Se-Sebastian, was it? Just ask Rowela, she was with you when your male schoolmate carried you."
Sebastian? Sebastian helped me? OMG? And he carried me? "Ahhhh…"
"Goodness, child, what's happening to you?" Mom asked nervously. How could I help it? I immediately clapped my hands while burying my head in the pillow. Because, why not? I couldn't believe what I heard.
"Is it true, Ma? Sebastian carried me?" I asked again excitedly.
"I just remember the name Se, why?"
I smiled at Mom, "Nothing, I'm just happy," I said, acting coy.
"You silly child! I thought something was wrong with you again."
"Wait, Mom, why did I get a fever?" I asked because I couldn't remember.
"I don't know, Aubree, Rowela just said you ate too much halo-halo? Right?" Mom's words made me realize why I was in bed for two days.
It was because I was so greedy for halo-halo that time. Oh no.. the saying is true, too much is bad and Ryker is right, you should only have it once a day if you can, what did I do, three glasses of halo-halo in just one day and a few hours.
"Thank him for bringing you here, and she kept coming back to check if you we're okay," Mom told me.
"Yes, Mom, I will. I'm the one who should be thanking him" I answered.
Mom narrowed her eyes at me. "Why are you acting like that? You're blushing!"
"Mom! I'm not!"
"No! I was like that when I was studying, so I know if I'm right or not about your actions."
"Oh, Mom, are you remembering your childhood memories. When Dad wasn't around, you had many suitors, didn't you, Mom?"
"I don't know about you, child! Oh, well, if you're feeling better, wash the dishes in the kitchen."
I lay down again and pretended to still be sick, "Mom.. my head still hurts. I need rest. I'll wash them tomorrow, ouch… it really hurts," I said, but I got a slap on the shoulder. "Ouch! Mom?"
"You're teasing me, oh well, if you're really okay, Rowela gave you an assignment, it's beside your bag, I put it there because I might forget," she smiled at me because of what my mother said.
"Okay, mother, thank you. I love you!"
"Tsk, you're just being sweet, hmm, you little kid, come here-"
"No, Mom! Stop it, Mom… Mom… I don't want to!" I said laughing, how could I help it? Mom knows I have a tickle under my arms, so she targets me with tickles, and it's one of the things I don't regret about having them as parents. They're kind, they love each other, and I hope I can find someone like them, even if we're not the type to be on top, the important thing is that we love each other and respect each other.
Because we both tired tickling each other, we both stopped. Mom went out of my room because she had something to do, and I was lying down because I felt like I lost some energy earlier, but even if I lose more sweat, as long as it's about my parents or someone I'm close to, I don't care. I only get to make them happy sometimes because they're both busy, so I'll make the most of it.
"Oh! Did you finish answering our assignment? Today's the deadline for submission, witch!" Rowela asked me the next day, so I nodded to her.
We were about to enter the school because I was feeling better and we were going to our friend's place with their tricycle. I don't know why I've been smiling so widely since yesterday or maybe even the day before because I found out that Sebastian carried me home.
Am I not heavy? Maybe he's carrying a kilo of rice because I'm a heavy woman? Maybe I'm just a skinny person, but I'm actually very heavy, that's ugly. What if, he's tired, while carrying me? Oh no, my Sebastian.
"Hey, witch, maybe you'll be eating Aling Kotsing's halo-halo at the canteen again!" my friend said, so I smiled.
"No, pass on those sweets and especially cold food because I already learned my lesson. That's enough," I said, so my friend smiled too.
"You're crazy, you know, just because it's free, you went all out with the free stuff. That's why you got sick, you worried that person," my friend ranted, and I worried about Sebastian? Aww, my heart.
I should thank him because he helped me. I don't know, but I'm so in love with him. It's not just a crush anymore.
After we got off the tricycle and thanked Rowela's father, we immediately went through the school gate and didn't hang out outside anymore. We greeted the guard on duty and hurried to our room.
Rowela sits near the first row, so I went straight at the back.
He wasn't there yet, a miracle… he usually comes in early, but that Ryker wasn't there yet.
But I had only been sitting for a few minutes when I heard the noise of the students, especially the boys, I looked up towards the door and there they were, my classmates, and one of them was Ryker. I swallowed when I saw him, I don't know why.
After that, he sat down in his seat, wow, what the? He's ignoring me? Unlike before huh, when he sees me and before he sits down, he won't be quiet unless he teases me because he loves bothering me even when I'm just quiet.
I pouted and sighed, I'm about to cry… isn't he going to-
I felt a hand go on top of my chair, he handed me a small piece of paper, so I took it and read it.
(Are you feeling better?)
I was about to get a pen to answer him, but I felt him look at me, so I lifted my head to see him. But the jerk just smirked while raising his eyebrow, so I hit his shoulder.
"Ouch! What? Is that how you greet me? You hit me right away just because you're feeling better!" He said laughing, so I hit his arm again.
"Why didn't you greet me when you came in, huh? I'm getting annoyed with you," I don't know why I tried to hold back my emotions, he doesn't really ignore me. But now…
He focused on me, he stood up and turned his chair towards me, good thing our professor wasn't there yet. Some students were looking, but because they know we're like cat and mouse sometimes, they're used to it.
"Hey! You're about to cry…" he teased, so I hit his arm again.
"I hate you, Ryker Matt Sullivaño!" I said weakly and angrily while pinching his thigh.
"s**t! That hurts!"
"And so?" I referred to his thigh.
"A snake will live-" he said smirking.
"Huh? What?" But before he could answer my question, our professor came in. He glanced at me with a smile on his lips and winked.
This Sullivaño is crazy.
"Good thing you're feeling better, I'm glad," he said and immediately put his chair back in place. I smiled too because of what he said. Of course, I really got better so I could see my crush and thank him for his help, especially since I worried him. Then this Ryker, I thought he wasn't going to greet me. Good thing he had a conscience.
Because our teacher started teaching, I sat up straight to listen, especially since I was absent for two days. Rowela's outputs helped me to keep up with our lessons. We just have a few more hurdles to clear before our thesis for our upcoming graduation. I hope everyone passes and everyone gets to walk the stage. It feels good to know that no student will be left hanging.
Because I didn't want to see the inside of the canteen and I might not be able to resist buying something, I ate the sautéed pechay and sitaw and porkchop that my mother packed for me for lunch. I didn't go with Rowela even though she kept pestering me.
"You're eating here?" It's obvious, why he asked?
"You saw me put the tupperware on the table, see that lunchbox? Why are you still asking?" I said angrily.
"Is it wrong to ask? Maybe you just took it out to confirm that you have food," he said philosophically while laughing, so I was about to kick him, but he moved his body away.
"Get out of here, you're ruining my day?" I snapped.
"I don't want to, you want halo-halo? I'll buy you an extra large-" it would be nice, but because of that halo-halo, I got sick.
"No! Thanks but wait, are you going out?" I asked.
"Yep, aside from halo-halo, do you have anything else to buy?"
"You really want me to eat halo-halo again, that's where I got sick! Well, it's okay because someone will save me if I get sick again, Sebastian. Wait.. wait a minute.." I stopped him from leaving. I took my notes from my bag that I wrote last night. "Here!"
"What is this?"
"Just a thank you letter because he saved me, he brought me home when I got sick," I said smiling.
"He saved you, huh! Then why are you writing a letter? Why don't you just go to him to thank him if he really was your superhero during that time," he said a little angrily while looking sharply at the notes, so I was surprised.
Is there something wrong? He doesn't like being ordered around anymore and now he doesn't want to be ordered around? I'm easy to talk to, really.
"Give it to me, I'll give it to him, I won't ask you for anything anymore!" I insisted. He could have just said nicely that he didn't want to be ordered around.
"I'll do it and you can be sure it'll reach him," he said and turned his back on me to leave the classroom.
I'm hurt, I don't know why. I wiped my tears before returning my attention to my food, but after three bites I lost my appetite and cried alone in the classroom.
I was about to wipe my tears when I saw Ryker enter the classroom and rush towards me, panicking… I saw fear and sadness in his eyes, why?
I was sitting down and looked up at him, he wiped my tears with his fingers and immediately bent down to hug me.
"I'm sorry… I'm sorry… if I'm the reason you're crying now."
- Writer
