Chapter 10: A Date for Two

Fang closed the gate of Syasya's house. He saw Boboiboy and Gopal staring at him. He could guess that they had followed him, considering how worried everyone was. He started walking, ignoring the two boys. They followed behind him. Fang didn't say anything as he had promised Syasya to keep her stories a secret. Syasya begged him to, after all.

"Tomorrow's weekend," he spoke up. "I asked Syasya out."

"Out? Like a date?" Gopal asked, glancing at Boboiboy.

"No. A hang out with all of us," Fang explained.

"Why?" Boboiboy asked, out of curiosity.

Fang turned to him and said, "Stress relief. She's been stressed lately which is one of the reasons she had an accident."

"You went to her house and got just that much info?" Gopal asked.

Fang smirked, replying, "I'm not her prince charming."

Boboiboy elbowed Fang. The raven haired started to laugh and so did Gopal. The leader of the team sighed. He looked over to Syasya's house and wondered how she was doing. They reached the kokotiam. Ochobot served them a cup of hot chocolate each.

Sipping his drink, Boboiboy asked, "So where are we taking her to?"

Fang replied without looking at him, "The mall. Maybe out to the movies or something. She's never gone there before since she moved here."

"Where do we meet?" Gopal asked.

"I'll text all of you about it tonight. I have to go now," Fang excused himself.

Boboiboy and Gopal watched as the raven haired took his leave. His eyes were fixed on his phone, as if he had received important information or something.

"He knows something," Gopal assumed.

"I think so too, but he must have promised Syasya that he would keep it a secret," his best friend remarked.

Syasya fixed her scarf, staring at herself in the mirror. She was worried that she looked pale. Her mother came in to check on her. It was Saturday and she had promised to meet up with Fang and the others.

"Have you taken your medicine?" she asked.

"Yes. I took it a few minutes ago," the girl replied.

Her mother held her shoulders. "I'm so sorry..."

Syasya trembled and muttered, "It's not your fault."

She set off to the bus stop to catch a bus. Syasya she kept on fixing her brooch. She wanted to look extra nice so that the gang would not be worried about her. As she sat there waiting, she pondered about what her mother had told her.

Fang was as surprised as me. I don't think I could face him today.

The bus arrived and Syasya hopped in. She took a seat and looked out through the window. She thought she saw Boboiboy on his motorbike but she must have mistaken. When she got to the mall, nobody was there yet except Boboiboy.

"Hey there, Triple B!" she greeted him.

"Heyyy..." he drawled nervously.

"Where are the others?" she asked curiously.

The boy showed her a message from the two girls, Fang and Gopal. They had cancelled on them. She tilted her head at Gopal's last words in the text: 'Good luck'.

For what?

She glanced up at the boy who was fixing his cap. He took a glimpse of her innocent face. He wanted to hide his blush but it was so obvious that he could feel himself heating up. Syasya rolled her eyes at the awkwardness around them. She caught sight of a café and had an idea.

"Triple B, I'm a bit hungry. Can we go to that cafe and have a drink or something?" she asked sweetly.

Boboiboy turned to where she was pointing. "Uh, sure," was his reply.

Syasya rushed to the café. Boboiboy took his time to follow her. He smiled, feeling like he was taking care of a little kid. She ordered a piece of red velvet cake and a cup of tea. Boboiboy ordered a drink of his own while waiting for her to finish the cake.

"I'm really sorry," she suddenly apologized.

"Huh?" he blurted.

"You must be really bored with just me here..." she muttered.

"Uh, no. It's not like that..." he tried to explain, scratching the back of his neck, "It's just...felt like a date with just the two of us."

It hit her hard. Syasya had just realized that she was sitting alone with the person she admires the most. To top it all, he looked so embarrassed. She faintly blushed, turning her gaze away from the guy. Boboiboy finished his drink and waited for her to finish her cake. They paid for what they had bought and decided to call it a day instead of walking around.

"Say..." Boboiboy started.

"Hmm?" she turned to him.

"Never mind..." he refrained from asking.

As they were walking to the entrance, they caught sight of a child, crying. Syasya looked concerned and so, Boboiboy made his way to the little girl. She stopped sobbing when she saw her. Syasya watched as the girl explained to Boboiboy what had happened. The teen held her hand and walked back to Syasya. The teenage girl was confused.

"She said she got separated from her parents. They must be looking for her," he explained.

"Oh, should we go to the information counter for the announcer to inform?" Syasya asked.

The guy nodded in agreement. They made their way to the information counter. Once announced, they sat down with the girl on a bench close to the counter. Boboiboy went to buy some drinks for the little girl and Syasya.

"I'm sure your Mommy and Daddy will be here soon," she comforted the girl.

"Hmmm… Your boyfriend and you are really kind. Thank you…" the five-year-old mumbled.

Syasya blushed at her statement. The so-called boyfriend came back with three bottles of lemonade. Boboiboy occupied the girl with making ice figures using his powers. After half an hour, a couple could be seen running up to them. The girl rushed to her mother. The parents thanked the two and promised not to be careless again.

"That ended well," Syasya heaved a sigh.

"Yeah," Boboiboy replied.

Their eyes met for mere seconds. They looked away immediately. He scratched the back of his neck while she played with the hem of her blouse.

"So…should we get going?" he suddenly asked.

She nodded. They made a stop to a bookstore. The guy waited for her outside. She grabbed some books on robots, chemicals and medicines. She didn't know why she was attracted to such genres. She just knew she likes them. She came back out with a paper bag in her right hand. Boboiboy was busy texting someone. She waited for him to finish.

"Are you done?" he asked, putting his phone away, "Tok asked me to get some things for him before going back."

"Oh...then, let's go. What does he need?" she asked.

He showed her the text message. She nodded to him, throttling behind as he started walking. The entered the groceries section of the mall. Syasya looked around while waiting for Boboiboy to pick up the things his grandfather needs.

"Do you want anything?" he suddenly asked her.

Syasya turned to him and shook her head. She followed him to another part of groceries section. She pondered around, reading the labels of the grains and vegies her eyes had laid on.

"H-Hey...I'm done," he called for her.

She rushed to his side. They queued to pay for what he had bought. The cashier smiled at Syasya who nodded nervously. She held her paper bag tighter.

"Shopping with your girlfriend?" the cashier asked, giggling.

Boboiboy furiously blushed, replying in a low voice, "She's a friend..."

Syasya blushed at the statement too. She played with the hem of her blouse, looking away from them. The boy paid for his groceries, grabbed the girl's hand and ran away. They exited the mall. Syasya kept on staring at the hand that was holding hers.

Warm.

She looked away, biting her lower lip. Boboiboy let go off her hand, all panicky.

"Sorry!" he apologized.

"I-It's okay..." she stuttered.

"I'll send you back and then, I'll go to the Kokotiam," Boboiboy said, taking out his motorbike keys.

Syasya panicked and blurted, "It's okay! I'll wait for the bus."

"Are you sure?" he asked, turning to look at her.

She nodded and said, "Yes."

He nodded to her words and replied, "Okay then, let's go to the bus stop."

They waited for the bus together. She sat down while he focused his attention to his phone.

Why is he waiting with me?

She looked around. Not many people were there but she could feel some stares on them. The bus finally arrived and Syasya stood up from her seat. She turned around to see the boy looking at her.

Smiling, she said "I had fun today."

Scratching the back of his neck, he replied, "I, uh, I'm sorry the others didn't turn up."

She shook her head rapidly. "Still, I had fun."

He handed her a small envelope. She took it and stepped into the bus. One last wave and off the bus go. Boboiboy made his way to his motorbike. He frowned when he saw a smirking Fang there.

"Something the matter?" he asked.

"Triple B's in love with her~" Fang teased.

Boboiboy faintly blushed. He glanced up at Fang who was suddenly all serious. He stopped whatever he was doing and turned to face him. The atmosphere around them was tensed in an instant.

"You love her, which is why I think you should know...about her origin and her sole mission," Fang started.

Syasya reached home that evening to find her cousin with her mother talking at the gate. She ignored them but when she saw her mother's swollen eyes, she stopped. Her glares were deadly. She turned to her smirking cousin.

"Syasya, honey, just go inside. Your father will be home any soon," her mother said.

"What did you say to mother?" she demanded from her cousin.

"Nothing," her cousin replied, shrugging, "I just said that I need to take you with me now. Our mission will commence in one week."

"NO," the girl replied.

"You know the consequences of disobeying him," he warned, glancing up at the woman beside him.

Syasya bit her lower lip. A car suddenly stopped in front of their gate. Her father had returned. She looked down while her cousin kneeled as he passed by. The man turned to look at his daughter who looked away immediately.

"You went out with him?" he asked.

"Yes, sir. To observe..." she lied.

"Really now? It seemed like a date..." he muttered.

"My apologies, sir..." she knelt down.

He sighed and said, "At any rate, we're leaving tonight."

"No! I'm not leaving her! Let me stay!" Syasya protested.

"Orders are orders!" her cousin shouted to her.

She looked at the yellow haired young man. "I don't take orders from you!" she shouted.

"Do what you must to take her to the lab, Darwin," the father said.

"Yes. I will take DIYANA with me," the cousin said, pulling some sort of trigger and transforming.

The father had already pulled his wife with him into the car and drove away. Syasya screamed when she saw her mother taken away so easily. She clenched her fists, standing up. She pulled her brooch off.

"I will not obey him anymore!" she shouted.

Boboiboy speeded up, making his way to Syasya's house. He had just sent the groceries he bought to the Kokotiam and excused himself. He wanted to save Syasya. He wanted to believe that what he had heard from Fang was not true.

She is perfectly human. How can he say such a thing?!

Rain started to pour down and lightning could be heard. When he reached the girl's house, he was shocked to see the house in ruins. He tried to search for a clues but all he could find was her red brooch.

"No..." Boboiboy muttered.