Becky hurriedly went out as soon as the car door was opened.
"ANYA!"
Becky's arms flew around her friend.
"I'm here, Becky," said a beaming Anya.
"I'm so glad!" Becky exclaimed. "I was kinda worried your parents would hold you again for another day."
"They were a bit worried, but at least I will just be sitting in class today," Anya said. "They kept telling me not to tire myself out."
"Well you really shouldn't! After all, we don't want your fever back." Becky paused. "But you know, I really missed you yesterday at the Planetarium."
Becky then whispered something to Anya.
"Ooohhh and while you're away... I discovered your little secret!" Becky said with a wide, teasing grin.
"Huh? What secret?" Anya looked at her friend.
"Don't deny it to me, Anya... About the flower and the date to a fancy restaurant!" Becky said. She was referring to what Ewen and Emile said about Damian and Anya when they approached her to bring their 'get well soon' gifts to her friend. Anya wore a waiting expression for Becky to elaborate.
"You're going out with Desmond and you're not telling your best friend! It broke my heart, you know! I deserve to know your lovelife!" She said with a fake sobbing voice.
"Ahhh..." Anya curtly replied.
"What 'Ah'? That's all you're gonna say to a— bleeding friend?!" Becky exclaimed.
"Becky, you're overreacting to this you know." Anya began to explain herself. "I'm not going out with him like he formally invited me or so. It just happened that he was hungry and I was hungry too so I tagged along. As for the flower...it doesn't mean anything! It's just that it's better for me to hold it than a boy." Anya reasoned while blushing slightly.
'And it's for world peace... that's all there is to it.' Anya thought to herself.
"But he tucked the flower on your ear! Not anyone would do that, especially Desmond! He's like a prince around here! Not like he really is one, nor do I treat him as one, given his attitude," a pouting Becky said.
"Really, Becky, you've interpreting it in a different way." Anya told her friend. "It was nothing. It just so happened you know."
"Wait..." Anya thought she saw Becky's eyes sparkle, as if a brilliant(?) idea flew by. "I see now... I see! Marvelous, Desmond! Everything blended in with the 'circumstances' so well like they're 'mere coincidences'! I am impressed, really, but I am not letting you fool my dear friend." Becky said to herself. Anya can be seen scratching her head.
Anya sighed. "I think your novels have clouded your vision of what is actually happening, Becky." She paused. "Think carefully. Sy-on boy, a Desmond, a son of a wealthy and influential family — you of all people know how absurd it is to link him — of all people — to me." Anya pointed out. However, Becky got even more excited, to her surprise.
"Ha!" Becky squealed. "A forbidden love! The story of two lovers of different social classes — or two different worlds. They love each other truly but the people and their circumstances prevent them from being together. What a tragedy." She turned to Anya whose one hand is now on her forehead. "The story just gets even better as we speak, Anya!"
'It's hopeless to argue with her now.' Anya thought. Becky's eyes clearly show how obsessed she is with whatever story she's written in her head.
The two finally stepped inside the classroom. As soon as they entered, the girls at the back started gossiping. At the same time, two boys at the back elbowed their friend who was busy writing on his notebook. Because his concentration was disrupted, Damian noticed Anya enter the room.
Ewen, Emile and Damian heard a group of girls gossip nearby. "Oh, our sleeping clown is back. It feels so cheap in here all of a sudden." The girls beside her laughed.
"You think this school takes in cheap students now?" Damian rebuked. The girls pursed their lips and pretended to be busy of something.
'Er? Is Sy-on boy telling them off?" Anya thought. She matched Becky's strides to somewhat conceal herself (although that is not really what happened). She tried to not look to the direction of Damian and the girls.
After his sharp words, Damian discreetly glanced at Anya. He felt his heart race when he saw Anya's face as she moved around to her side of the desk. He noticed that she wore a different hairstyle that day. Anya's hair was parted in the middle, with two buns around her horn-like accessories, a some frills on the sides of her face.
'She's too cute, dammit.' Damian thought, struggling not to stare while his heart fluttered at the sight. Damian pretended to look to his right to hide his blushing face. Ewen and Emile chuckled as they hid their friend from their classmates' view.
However, Anya heard Damian's thoughts. 'Sy-on boy likes my hair? Hehe.' Anya thought with a smug face.
The school bell rang. Immediately, their teacher for the first period came.
Becky still giggled to herself occasionally during class. Anya knew it was because of the story she's playing in her mind about her and Desmond. At times she blushed at what her friend thought but mostly she concentrated hard to pay it no mind.
During the second period, their teacher held a surprise recitation in class. One of the girls at the back near Ewen was asked to answer. Anya turned to the girl to hear her better. While listening, her and Damian's eyes accidentally met.
Realizing that Anya caught him staring, Damian reacted by sticking out his tongue and mockingly saying 'BLEH' to her. He expected her to get annoyed. However, to his shock, Anya beamed at him and waved her hand cheerfully.
That very moment, Damian felt like he was struck by lightning! The face of Anya in those cute buns, the sparkling beautiful emerald eyes, and that very bright and cheerful smile — all solely directed to him — immediately sent a great amount of exhilaration to him. As his heart raced and pounded uncontrollably, Damian briefly took a clutched palm to his chest. The poor boy then buried his burning and reddened face in his palms. Anya only reacted with her signature smirk. Becky shook her friend. Ewen and Emile managed to prevent themselves from giggling after at their visibly embarrassed friend after noticing what happened.
"Did you see Desmond's reaction when you waved at him? It's like he's having a heart attack!' Becky's eyes were tearing slightly and her voice quivered out of amusement. Anya's smirking expression stayed in her face.
Their teacher noticed the two chattering in front. Frustrated that his students weren't listening, he called both girls to recite afterwards. Having not listened to the previous student's answer, both of them gave strange responses, causing the class to burst laughing. Untroubled, Anya's smirk remained in her face until Becky has calmed.
Finally, the school bell rang. While Becky and Anya got themselves ready to go to the cafeteria, Damian, Ewen, and Emile approached them.
"Welcome back, Shrimp," Emile told Anya.
"Thank you, Emile. How was the competition?" Anya asked.
"Well, I was second place. Someone beat me, but his art's really good." He responded.
"Wow, he must really be if you are giving him that compliment." Anya said.
"So why are you here?" Becky frankly asked with a weird smile.
"Well, we just thought we'd say hi," Ewen said. "By the way, it was me who answered the call yesterday, Anya." He said.
"Call? What call?" Becky asked.
"Anya called Bossman early in the morning to let him know that she won't be joining the Planetarium visit." Becky gasped. "Hold on, Blackbell. They're buddies, so that's expected." Ewen said.
'Thanks Ewen.' Both Anya and Damian thought to themselves.
Damian cleared his throat and faced Anya. "It's good that you're back, Shrimp," he said, his face still a little red. "Anyway, I am writing my output for the Planetarium visit. In case you don't know, if we pass early, we'd get a bonus point." He explained.
Anya realized she hasn't clarified with the teacher if she'll be sharing an output with Damian. Damian was her assigned buddy for the Planetarium visit yesterday, but she had to be absent because she wasn't cleared by her parents to come.
"Oh, I see. The bonus points sound terrific. I am sorry, Sy-on boy. Anya will be visiting the Planetarium on Thursday, so it might be better not to work with you. Anya doesn't want to pull you down. Go ahead without me, I won't mind!" Anya said, smiling.
"Tsk. You got it all wrong, Shrimp." Damian said. "If you're going to talk to our teacher, talk to him before leaving this afternoon."
"Oh okay! And then I'll tell you what he says." Anya said, her hands together on one cheek. "Will you come with me so we can tell him together?"
Becky, Ewen, Emile, and even Damian were all taken aback. 'This girl, how brazen!' they all thought. But Anya was just being herself. He innocent eyes and delivery says it all.
"A-Anya!" Becky said. "You can't ask Desmo—"
"We'll go together later, Shrimp, so don't forget." Damian said. Anya nodded. Damian then walked to the door and gestured his friends to follow.
When the three disappeared, Becky complained and tried to lecture her friend.
"Wha— did he really interrupt me from telling you not to ask him? And Anya, I think you should be less direct. It's like you're asking him out earlier," Becky told her friend. Anya lightly scratched her own cheek with a finger.
"We're buddies. It's not like we assigned ourselves. We're supposed to work together." Anya reasoned.
'To be honest, I like what Sy-on boy did. Sorry Becky.' Anya quietly thought to herself.
"Well, it seems he really would allow you to be his company now," Becky said.
The two girls finally left and continued their chatter in the cafeteria.
~~~~~
Next Chapter: Under the Stars Someday
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