The sky is still dark but Eden grounds already bustled with people, especially kids, who eagerly awaited their friends and their ride.
"Anya, the bus will leave without you if you don't wake yourself up," Loid spoke.
"Aai'm aaawaaake paaapaa," Anya said as she yawned.
Loid and Anya went out of the car, around 4:30 in the morning, to the dimly-lit parking space of Eden Academy. There, eight buses awaited the students for the Tree-Planting Activity.
Loid and Anya approached the bus with the sign "Cecile Hall" — Anya's class.
"Good morning!" Becky greeted them as soon as she saw them. She threw her arms around Anya.
"Good morning Becky!" Anya replied, albeit in a sleepy tone. Loid smiled at Becky's welcome and greeted her back.
"You don't look sleepy at all, Becky!" he said.
"I'm fine now that Anya's here," Becky cheerfully answered.
"Haha," Loid replied. He adored the interaction between the two.
"Oh Anya, Desmond is looking for us," Becky said.
"Why is that?" Loid inquired.
"We are in the same group as them today, Papa!"
'Whaaat?!' Loid panicked slightly in his thoughts. 'This is both good and bad. Good because Anya could use this opportunity to become even friendlier with Damian. Bad because they might quarrel and end up getting another tonito. The operation!' Loid's face filled with worry.
Anya picked up everything her father thought. She clutched her hands to her chest and looked at her father with a determined face as she nodded to him.
"It's alright, Papa!" Anya said, to Loid's surprise.
"O-okay," Loid replied. 'Here she is again, reacting as if we spoke about what I am thinking. Oh well, maybe I should not worry too much.' He smiled at Anya and patted her.
Damian, Ewen, and Emile approached and greeted Loid, Anya, and Becky. Anya introduced Damian's friends.
"Papa, this is Ewen and this is Emile. They are Sy-on boy's good friends," Anya introduced.
"Sy-on boy? Is it okay for you to call him that?" Loid worried again. 'Well, he is a scion anyway.'
"I don't mind," Damian replied.
"I see. Then I'll let her be," Loid said nicely. "Good morning, Damian, Ewen, Emile," Loid greeted back.
'Damian seems a little nicer to Anya now. Are they becoming friends already?' Loid thought.
'No... Considering how angry he was the moment she apologized, I don't think so.' Loid sighed.
'Maybe I should remind her to be nice.' Loid then turned to Anya.
"Anya, I expect you to work well with Damian."
"Don't worry, Papa! Anya will work well with Sy-on boy, for world peace!" Anya said.
"There she goes again with peace," Becky said. "Yeah, I think we're not fighting today!"
Loid noticed the bus driver take his seat.
"Anyway, I think it's time for me to leave," Loid said. "Have fun today, all of you!"
"Thank you, Papa!" Anya waved at her father.
"Let's go inside, Anya!" Becky pulled Anya as soon as Loid left.
"Hmm-mmm!" Anya agreed. 'I'm excited!' she thought.
Anya, Becky, Damian, Emile, and Ewen went inside the bus. They were just in time for Mr. Henderson's roll call. Anya saw several rows of matted, very comfortable seats with stow tables and buttons — two on each side of the aisle. The bus was sparsely occupied considering how small their class is. They walked toward the vacant seats at the back, a few rows away from the rest of their classmates. Anya sat beside Becky, while Ewen and Emile sat beside each other at the back of the two girls. Damian, on the other hand, sat alone opposite his friends.
After the roll call, Mr. Henderson began his welcome orientation.
"As you all know, today is our Tree-Planting Activity at the Forest Complex. It is your first ever environmental outreach here at Eden Academy."
"Part of the Eden student's unique curriculum is the cultivation of a love for the environment. Elegant students are always considerate of the planet," he pointed out.
He showed a map of the Forest Complex area of Cecile Hall.
"As you can see, you are to be divided into four groups. Each group must choose a team leader. We shall do this now before our bus leaves campus."
"Who should be our leader?" Emile asked Anya, Becky, Ewen, and Damian.
"I just want to get over this as fast as possible! Sorry, Anya, I'll not be the leader!" Becky announced.
'No one's asking you,' the four thought.
"I will be the leader," Damian proclaimed.
Ewen and Emile cheered.
"As expected! There's no one to lead but you, Damian!" the two said.
"Of course," Damian acknowledged. He glanced at Anya. "Shrimp, you'll be my assistant," he announced.
"Me?" Anya said in a surprised tone.
"Yup, I want you—"
"Ooohhh, how brazen Desmond! Anya seems to be rubbing off you..." Becky teased. Damian's cheeks turned slightly pink.
"I-I want an assistant so I'm picking one," Damian reasoned and turned his back on them. Becky chuckled while Anya remained puzzled as to why she became the assistant.
Their discussion was cut short when Mr. Henderson spoke again.
"It seems that every group has already chosen their team leader. Kindly take your seats," Mr. Henderson gestured. "You will receive further instructions when we get to the tree-planting site. I wish everyone an enjoyable time."
Once everyone has settled on their seats, Mr. Henderson signaled the bus driver, and the bus began to move.
"We're finally leaving!" Anya excitedly said. "But I don't want to be the assistant leader," she said.
"It's going to be fine, Anya. You'd just follow Bossman. He always knows what to do," Emile said.
"Yeah, just leave it to him," Ewen said.
Damian nodded gratefully at his two friends.
"But Anya should not be forced to do something she doesn't like, right?" Becky said. She faced her friend. "Anya, why not talk to Desmond about it? I'm pretty sure he'd allow it as long as you give him a hug!"
"I can hear you, Blackbell. Shut up," Damian intervened.
"Anya just needs to hug Sy-on boy?" Anya asked.
"O-Of course not!" Damian exclaimed as he stood holding firmly on the headrest of the backseat in front of him.
Becky chuckled. 'Sy-on boy is angry. Becky is a liar.' Anya thought.
They then saw Mr. Henderson approach them. The five were clearly terrified.
"Is something the matter?" Mr. Henderson inquired.
"N-none sir," Damian said. Anya gulped.
"Very well," Mr. Henderson said. "I saw you stand, Mr. Desmond. If you are planning to change seats while the bus moves, hold onto the seats firmly to support yourself as you carefully walk to your preferred seat."
"Y-yes, sir. Our apologies for worrying you," Damian said.
Mr. Henderson went back to his seat at the foremost, near the driver. The five sighed in relief.
The students fiddled on the buttons of their seats to sit comfortably. When she was about to nap, Becky spoke to Anya.
"Anya, I can get nauseous when traveling so I will have to sleep throughout the ride. Please wake me up when we're there."
"Alright, Anya will wake you up," Anya replied.
"Thank you!" Becky wore her eye mask and positioned her head comfortably on her pillow.
Meanwhile, Anya quietly looked at the windows to her left and right and watched the scenery change. She heard Becky snore after a few minutes.
'Becky's sound asleep,' she thought. She looked behind them and saw Ewen and Emile sleeping. She then turned to Damian whose eyes were also shut. Anya heard nothing except the bus driver's thoughts.
'Everyone must be sleeping,' she thought. Anya then redirected her attention to the buildings, houses, and plains the bus passed.
~~~~~
Damian woke up about 30 minutes into the ride. He glanced in Anya's direction and saw her wide awake, looking to her left, and trying to appreciate the view from her seat.
'She would enjoy it better if she sits by the window,' he thought.
He closed his eyes again and pondered whether he would invite Anya to sit beside him. 'I should be more honest with myself,' Damian sighed. However, he was startled as his armrest shook all of a sudden.
"Woah!" Damian opened his eyes and saw Anya suddenly hold onto his armrest as the bus made a turn.
"Oi, Shrimp!" Damian exclaimed. He held her arm to support her.
"Sy-on boy! I-I was trying to go to that seat," said Anya as she pointed to the empty seat behind Damian. "Sorry to bother you, Sy-on boy!"
Anya took her arm off Damian's hand.
"Oi, Anya," Damian called. He then took Anya's arm again.
"Sy-on boy?" Anya asked.
"Sit here beside me," Damian tapped the seat beside him with his other hand. His heart skipped a beat.
Anya's eyes sparkled. "Okay, if you don't mind!" She eagerly allowed Damian to pull her to the space in front of him. She then carefully scooted her way to Damian's window seat.
"Wow, the view does look better!" Anya exclaimed as soon as she sat.
"Yup," Damian replied. Anya noticed him close his eyes.
"You don't like watching the view, Sy-on boy?"
"No, I'm used to seeing it since I was a child," he answered.
"I see! I haven't been in this part of the country," Anya said as she leaned back. Her arms accidentally touched Damian's as she adjusted her seating. Damian felt his heart thump a little.
"Oops, sorry!" Anya said. She moved closer to the window to avoid bumping him.
"It's okay," Damian replied. He started to feel sleepy again. His eyes closed. His neck occasionally collapsed as he repeatedly lost and regained consciousness.
Anya noticed Damian struggle to keep his head on the headrest. She chuckled at him.
"Don't laugh at me, Shrimp," he said drowsily.
"But you're funny," she said. "Come here."
Damian felt himself slowly being leaned to his left. His head hit something soft. 'That's the smell of Anya's hair,' he thought. He felt so comfortable that he fell asleep within seconds.
~~~~~
"Students of Cecile Hall, please be informed that we're almost at the Forest Complex," Mr. Henderson announced.
Damian slowly opened his eyes and found himself leaning on the sleeping Anya to his surprise. 'She made me sleep on her!' He panicked in his thoughts as his heart thumped once again. 'Were we like this for more than an hour? H-how could I not have noticed?!'
Yet, he couldn't deny the comfort he felt by leaning on her. He clutched his chest and took a deep breath.
Anya slowly stretched her arms and rubbed her eyes. Realizing that Damian has awakened, she turned to him and spoke.
"Did you sleep well, Sy-on boy?"
"Y-yes," he replied curtly.
Anya smiled at him. She leaned her head again, this time, on Damian's shoulders.
"Me too," she replied.
Damian's already thumping heart pounded hard. 'Th-this girl...' he thought as he struggled to calm his heart.
When Anya heard his thoughts, she broke out in a cold sweat. 'Sy-on boy is angry!' Worried that it might become an issue, Anya immediately straightened her seat and apologized.
"Sorry, Sy-on boy! Anya touched casually!" Anya said, to Damian's surprise.
Damian looked away. "I-I'll let this one slip but don't be so absent-minded next time!" Damian replied.
Anya then remembered something.
"Sy-on boy, Anya thinks you should choose a different assistant leader," she said.
"Why?" Damian asked.
"Well, I forgot to review correct planting, and I failed to bring my notes too," she said.
Damian crossed his arms as he replied. "Shrimp, you have been assigned Damian Desmond's assistant, and that's final. You'll have to learn things on the spot," he insisted.
'You will be Damian Desmond's assistant... haha... that sounded so good... hehe.' Damian thought.
Anya sighed, knowing she won't get her way. "Fine," she replied.
"I will make sure you learn how to do it," Damian said. "Do your best because you are my assistant."
'Ah, music to my ears.' Damian smiled sheepishly. Anya saw his face as she heard his thoughts. She increasingly got anxious. 'Why is me being assistant good to him? Is Sy-on boy is scheming something against me? Becky...' she thought.
The bus went to a full stop.
"Er, excuse me, Anya must go back to Becky," Anya said. She scooted out of Damian's seat. The giddy Damian gave way as he mentally chuckled to himself.
Anya shook Becky to wake her up. "We're here," Anya said. "Anya is going to get our planting materials, Becky," she told her friend.
"Uhhh, I'm still sleepy," Becky replied. She moved drowsily as she took their things before disembarking from the bus.
~~~~~
Mr. Henderson led the students to an open area at the Forest Complex.
"Now then, team leaders will be in charge of overseeing the tree-planting progress of their group and in ensuring that no one leaves the premises. They will make sure that the tree-planting steps were appropriately followed. Do not waste your efforts by planting trees improperly; Eden Academy students are expected to do all things flawlessly. Environmental activities such as this are no exception," Mr. Henderson emphasized.
"Yes sir!" Everyone exclaimed.
"Very well, you may proceed to your respective areas," Mr. Henderson announced.
Damian led his group to their assigned area with his map. "This is where we're planting. I trust that everyone memorized the proper way to plant?" He looked at Ewen and Emile who both nodded immediately.
"Of course," Becky responded.
"Alright, Emile, Ewen, and Blackbell can start planting," Damian said. He then turned to Anya. "Assistant, for your first task, watch them carefully and learn the correct planting steps," he said.
Anya watched the three plant their seedlings in the ground. She listened to their thoughts and tried to mentally remember everything. As expected, only Becky did the steps flawlessly. After they planted twice, Damian turned to Anya. "Alright, it's your turn to show me the correct steps. Come with me."
Anya gulped as she followed Damian. Damian pointed to the ground. "Show me how to correctly plant a seedling." Anya nodded.
'Alright, I have to clean this up first.' Anya removed the trash in the area where she will be digging. Damian nodded with his arms crossed.
'Next, I should start digging... There, I think I dug enough...' Anya opened her palms to Damian, who gave her the plant. 'And now, I will water the seedling inside..."
"Stop! Too much water," Damian said. Anya immediately stopped pouring as soon as she heard him.
'Now, I'll take the seedling and place it in here,' she thought, as she placed it into the hole.
'Wow, I didn't expect her to do it correctly up to this point.' Damian thought.
Anya made a smug face. She then gently covered the roots and packed the soil around them.
"I'm done!" Anya exclaimed.
"Well done, assistant," he said.
"Anya doesn't understand why you call me that," she told him. "It sounds weird to me."
"Never mind me. Just keep planting the rest," Damian said.
"Okay," Anya replied. Anya wiped the sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand. She was about to go to her spot when Damian stopped her.
"Wait." Damian noticed that some dirt was left on her face. He took his towel and wiped the dirt off. Anya felt a strange pounding in her chest that was heavier than usual.
'What's this?' She thought. She blushed and looked in the direction of Becky. Indeed, her three other groupmates saw what happened. Becky almost squealed; the two boys gave each other a high five. They all turned around when they saw Anya look.
Meanwhile, Damian was unfazed. He's decided to ignore the three.
"Don't you have a towel?" Damian asked Anya.
"Y-yes, I have," Anya took her towel from her pocket. "Uhm... Would you like to use mine? Since you've used yours on me..."
"That's a fine idea," Damian took her towel and put his own towel on Anya's hand. "Let's finish everything already," he told her.
"Okay," the strange pounding lingered on Anya's chest. She sat and started to clean the next area.
"Don't leave until I'm done," Damian told her.
Anya looked at Damian, "I won't leave, but what if you finish first?"
"I won't leave you behind," Damian confidently replied. He's feeling strangely honest about his feelings today!
"W-well... That would be great, Sy-on boy," Anya replied. She blushed to herself; that strange emotion seemed to be taking over.
'Geez... What is this feeling?' Anya thought as she unknowingly dug the soil with more force than before.
~~~~~
"Look at our leader and assistant leader in their own little world," Emile told Ewen and Becky.
"Why do they have to be that far though? We can't hear them here," Ewen said.
"That's probably why," Emile chuckled.
"My, my! Desmond's not holding back today!" Becky said giddily.
"No kidding. Bossman should be painfully obvious to Anya now," Ewen said.
"I'm not sure about that, but she kinda reacted differently today," Becky said. "Oh well, let's just see how things unfold. For now, I just want to be back inside airconditioned rooms! We must finish as soon as possible!"
"Yeah and I wanna eat at Midori already too!" Emile exclaimed.
The three proceeded to plant as they discreetly watched Damian and Anya from afar.
~~~~~
Next Chapter: Under Watchful Eyes (Ch 19)
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