To Remain On Top

Chapter 6

That bro code remained on my mind for the rest of the night until the following day comes, anothrer one, and a new one. The damn week basically ended with me fighting with my inner self if I should go see Kahlo and ask him abou the bro code that Argus told me. I'm sure he knows a thing or two about it since they're really close and bestfriends.

"Lunch out?" Zoe asked while putting her university notebook on her Prada bag.

"What the hell are you up to these weeks? You're literally declining every lunch out and hangouts, Poppy." Solace countered before I could even say no.

By the way their well-made brows met. I could sense it that I will surely have a hard time to make things up between the three of them if I insist not to have lunch with them today.

I watch them earnestly. Still calculating things before I make my decision.

I sighed heavily and moves my head in defeat. Surredering in their arms. Zoe raise her in mid-air for seconds and pulls it down with a decent amount of triumph on her eyes and lips as she yelled, "Yes!"

"I'll have cheesy mexican cauliflower rice," Zoe trails off with her eyes still pasted on the menu of our favorite mexican restaurant in the city. "And a turkey taco lettuce wraps and my usual drinks." She closed the menu book and look up to Kevin. Our favorite server whose now busy jotting down my friends order.

"Ms. Poppy?" I gulp secretly.

This is the first time I'm struggling to make an order for I have to calculate the money I could spend for one meal. God, this is the hardest decision especially that I could only spend fifteen dollars.

I can feel my friends waiting for me to say anything. Oh my God!

My eyes widens when Solace grabs the menu from my hands with her famous resting b***h face. "And because it's my treat. I assume I have all the right to order for your food, right?" she glance at Zoe. It's not an ordinary look. I know that look. She's trying to communicate with our other friend through eyes.

"Kevin sorry for the trouble but Zoe and Poppy will have cheesy mexican cauliflower rice too plus their usual drink and keto taco cups and burrito egg rolls." Solace handed back the menu to Kevin and give him her timid smile.

"Go now. We want it as fast as you can. We're hungry."

"Right away, Ms. Solace."

When Solace and eyes met. I immediately mouthed the word thank you. "Bijj. This ain't the first time I treat you. Don't be so sentimental." She playfully rolls her eyes.

"If you're feeling a lot charitable today. Would you mind if I ask you to buy me that designer bag I saw the last time we went in Fendi store?" Zoe eyes are hopeful. Her expression soon changes after Solace gave her that mother tiger look.

"Just trying my luck," Zoe murmured and gets back on her phone.

I silently watch the two of them. I'm so thankful that even if we're basically living in the different world now. They didn't change. Both of them--- the three of us rather are never the good girl type but it's heart-warming to know that my bestfriends are doing these effort to remain friends with me without making me feel outcast and a charity case.

I know that Solace is not treating the lunch when we all agree to came in this restaurant. She's an observer. I'm sure she noticed that I'm having a hard time earlier because I'm having doubts if I could pay for my lunch and the best way she could help me without making it look like I'm a pitiful case is to announce that the bill is on her.

My little devil with a heart of an angel.

"Who is that?" our food are already serve and we're enjoying it when Solace decided too peak on Zoe's phone. Her cheeks is blushing profusely when she hides her phone from our other bestfriend's eyes.

"Privacy!"

Solace chuckles at her reaction. "Privacy. As if it's a secret that you're f*****g with Gram Corpuz."

I wanted to cover my ears. A conversation like this is normal for the three of us. It is especially normal that we're talking about Zoe's s*x life because in our group she's the only one who has it. I have nothing against dirty conversation but do we really have to talk about it in front of these mouth-watering foods?

"Sol!" Zoe with warning voice. The sexually active Zoe Maschuline leans closer to us and said, "How did you know?" that got Solace and I bursting out of laughter.

"Remember Argus' birthday two weeks ago?" Solace started her story-telling. "I saw you left the party with Gram Corpuz."

I raised my hand. "Saw it too."

"When I can no longer find this lady on that party." She pointed me. "I decided to go home too and in the parking lot there's a damn earthquake on hie car. I am not an indiot to know now what is happening there that night."

"You're one wild girl," I commented. Zoe smiled at me mischievously. "Gram is wilder." I covered my ears. Some indecent details is coming. I know it and I don't want to hear it anymore.

"It's official. The poor lad is your flavor of the month."

Zoe grins after she finished a cup of keto taco. "He's quite good. I might extend my subscription until I find someone who can do me better." A sparks of rascality visited her eyes. "Should I try his twin brother, Ram?"

"Uh-oh. Nope. Calm your t**s down. You're not gonna do that. That's too nasty. You can't f**k the other brother after you're done with the other one." Zoe chuckled.

"Hey. Why are you only talking about me when Poppy is seeing Clyde Argus behind our backs?" Zoe open up that topic unexpectedly. Solace's jaw drops after hearing it and later on she's giving me that sharp look.

I nervously sips on my drink.

"Poppy?" she said, calling me out.

"Hmm?" I said while avoiding her full of inquiry eyes.

I have nothing to tell to them about Argus and I in the first place!

"You're seeing Clyde Argus?" there she finally said the question that I don't want to answer. How am I gonna put in words my situation? Is it gonna be like this. 'Yes. I was seeing Clyde Argus. Literally seeing him.' That's the truth. I'm seeing him... in person but we're not dating.

"Poppy you're impossible..." Solace murmurs in disappoint. Damn! She's just too thirsty for gossip and stuff like this.

Zoe chuckled.

"This is your fault." I mouthed and she just gave me that sweet-heart look.

I sighed heavily. "I'm seeing Argus but not in a way that you think." Both of my friends' eyebrows crane at my opening statement for the explanation that I don't owe to give to them anyway. I'm just doing it so they'd calm the hell down.

"I'm confuse," said by Zoe and looks like Solace is too.

I laugh softly at their reaction. I never knew their eyebrow could reach that certain height.

"Yes. I'm seeing him. Literally. Like I've been in Empire University to see him and give him a breakfast meal which he didn't accept by the way..." I print a smile on my shaded lips. "That's all. Last night he drove me home but at the same time. He busted me, told me I should stop pursuing him because of this effin bro code that I don't even know what exactly is."

And because of this on-going topic. My friends and I just forget about our food. The two of them is engross and too interested to what I'm gonna say next.

"Bro code? But if he brings up about that it means he likes you and someone else from his circle of friends, like his bestfriends is into you too..." Zoe said everything slowly because she's still weaving the right term as she spit it out of her mouth.

"Wait... what?" Solace asked while glancing at the two of us. She's expecting for an enlightenment but obviously. I can't give it to her. I am damn confuse too.

Zoe directed her eyes to Solace. "Most of the time. Boys does implement rules like that. If someone from the squad openly admits that he likes..." She glimpse at me. "In this case, Poppy. She's gonna be a hands-off to the remaining squad member." Zoe snaps her fingers. "Do you get it."

"I do," I murmured mindlessly.

"And who do you think it is?"

Solace shakes her head. "That would be hard to guest. Especially Argus has lots of male bestfriends: Coen Hayes, Allesio Castriel, Alexander Gregory too many to mention."

"Nonetheless you're luck if one of those lads starts pursuing you. They are rich-rich. Marrying one of them means redeeming your old status---"

"Zoe." Solace warns Zoe that made her stop from talking. Zoe immediately bites her lower lip after she realize the awful thing that she doesn't mean to say.

"Sorry. Bad mouth." I nodded and smile at the two of them.

"Let's just continue eating. Shall we?" and though I acted as if I am no longer interested in our topic. Deep inside, my brain is dying to think who that could be.

I mean. If he's already in love with me and I don't stand a chance to Argus. It'll be a lot easier if I go to the mysterious lover instead.

"YOU'RE HERE." Kahlo is surprised to see me walking on my... his---our usual spot in the library.

A carefree smile shines on his lips as he place his hand on the pocket of his worn out jeans. My eyes unconsciously travel up to his gray sweater... to his face. He's handsome and I'm sure I am not the only one who notice that.

"Pop?" when I get back in reality. Kahlo is waving his hand in front of my face playfully.

"Ha?"

He smirk. "Smitten?"

"Boastful!" I countered that he laugh out loud. It's damn loud I alctually panick that someone out there might hear us. Gladly, his outburst didn't last long.

"I said if you have something to ask from me?" he repeated the question that I obviously didn't heard earlier. "If you have none then I'm going. Alessio and Xan are looking for me in the studio," he added.

My eyes look up to him. Curious to know what kind of studio he's talking about.

Is he an artist? Artist like a painter, sculpter, photographer?

"Studio?" Kahlo nods his head.

"Can I go? It's my vacant and well... I came here to talk to you about Argus." That cheerful smile on Kahlo's lips vanish as soon as mumble his bestfriend's name.

I'm torn between naming that expression of him offended, irritated... maybe all of the above.

"Sorry I can't. I need to be in our band practice. I don't think I have time for that today Poppy. Besides you can search trivia and facts about Argus on the internet. I'm sure you can find one since he's the talk of town at the moment." Kahlo sounds sarcastic but it didn't matter to me anymore.

Above all the word he said. The sentence about him practicing his band caught my interest and the remaining words of his statement didn't matter to me anymore.

"You're a band member? What band? What's your position? Please let me go with you. I want to watch!"

Kahlo's expression softened all of a sudden. He brush his properly cut hair with his fingers. "But Argus wouldn't be there. He's not a member," he replied as if he's expecting that I'll change my mind because of it. It didn't.

"It's fine. I'll be there to watch you practice." Those weird words slips out of my mouth of the blue and I couldn't take them back.