Thirteenth Chapter: After School Date (3)

Cravings satisfied.

Joy spread all over my body, as I took a bite on my burger, which was delightfully free! You might not know, but burgers are my ultimate favorite food. If you ask me what to eat, my go-to food is—of course—a burger!

Yep, great decision to ghost Lia.

Eating and drinking, I didn’t talk or try to start a conversation. Who even thought that talking while eating was a good idea? That’ll just spit the food all over the table.

However, it feels weird. Why is it so quiet? By now, Rebecca should’ve already talked about, like, five to ten topics or so.

Curiosity took over and I peeked at Rebecca, checking what she was up to. Stunned, I slightly froze.

She was actually already looking at me!

Our gaze collided midway causing me to quickly avert mine somewhere else other than her face. But I could still see from my peripheral vision that she was looking at me intently while eating her burger.

Why is she looking at me like that? Do I have something on my face?

It made me quite conscious so I wiped my face with a tissue, just in case, I looked like a kid with ketchup all over my face. That did nothing to ease her gaze at me at all. So I tried to ignore her and focus on my food instead.

Several seconds passed …

“...”

My brow twitched as I still felt that unrelenting gaze at me. This situation lasted far longer than I would like to.

Finally unable to take it no more, I opened my mouth to speak. “Yes?”

Rebecca paused in her movement and tilted her head innocently. Her pink diamond-like eyes blinked in confusion, making me feel as if I was the one who did something wrong.

No. No. I can’t be deceived by her seemingly innocent appearance. She was clearly the one staring at me for so long!

“You were staring. Uncomfortably long, in fact,” I explained, showing my discomfort at her actions.

“Ah, sorry!” she put her hands together. “It’s just … I was distracted by you eating …” she averted her gaze, blushing in embarrassment.

Hearing her words made me conscious once more and asked. “Do I eat weirdly?”

She looked back and said with a slight smile. “No …… I noticed when you eat you look so happy … and your face unexpectedly softens—oh, and you stuffed your cheek like a hamster. It’s so cute!”

“I do?”

“Yeah!”

“Regardless, it feels awkward to get stared at,” I complained. “And it’s not like I’m the only one in the world who does it …”

“You’re right but … I don’t know how to explain it …” she frowned. “It’s like when you eat bread every day and then suddenly you change to eating fruits the next day—it feels refreshing and new!”

What kind of comparison is that?

“I mean, you normally have this grumpy and serious-looking face and it disappears when you’re eating so it’s like seeing a white lion in a zoo!”

Now, I’m being treated like a show. And who has a grumpy face, huh?

“Okay, okay, I get it now. You don’t have to explain it anymore. Lest I become a monkey the more you talk.”

She laughed embarrassedly and explained. “Ah, I didn’t mean to say that—though if ever you become an animal, you’d be the most popular for sure!”

Is that a compliment or what …?

I ignored her since I might become the whole zoo at this point if I kept on going with her flow. Seeing me going back to eating, she also resumed on hers. And since I’m a fast eater, I finished my food much quicker than her. Seeing that, she tried to quicken her pace.

“Take your time. No rush, you might choke,” I said after seeing her increase her speed.

As I said that, coincidentally she choked on her food …

I sweatdropped at the bad timing and thought: and I just said that … sigh …

“O-okay …” she replied belatedly, choking on her food.

“Stop talking and drink something.”

I pushed her Coke closer to her, looking at her beating her chest as she tried to unclog her throat. She grabbed it hurriedly and poured it into her mouth.

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Gulp! Gulp!

With audible sounds of gulping, she took a large amount of Coke into her throat trying to flush the food down her stomach. And fortunately, that did the work.

She took big huffs of air. “Huff … Huff … Thanks …”

“I told you no rush …” I said, reprimanding her. “It’s not like I’m going anywhere.”

“You might get bored …”

Sighing at her words, I told her: “As I said, no need to worry about those things. I’m not that impatient.”

She nodded sheepishly and went back to eating, slowly this time.

After several minutes …

She drank the last sip of her Coke. Then I gestured to her to give me her trash to put together with mine in one place—on the tray—for disposal.

I stood up and said: “Shall we go?”

“Uh … umm …” she hesitated. “can we stay for a bit?” she carefully said, checking my reaction.

Hmm …… yeah, that’s a little rude. She just finished eating, after all … I thought while staring at her upturned eyes.

I sat back down, crossing my arms. “Okay.”

She smiled widely at that, using both of her hands to support her chin on the table, and swayed in joy.

I gazed out the window, observing the passersby and cars in a trance. Turning my eyes up, there was still some sunlight left in the sky as we were dismissed early today.

Across the table, Rebecca started to make conversation.

“Kris,” she called, so I took my gaze off outside the window. “What’s your favorite color?”

What’s with this very kindergarten question?

“Black,” I answered, doubtful of her intention.

“Well, I’m not that surprised …” she whispered quietly.

Hey, I heard that! I retorted in my mind.

“Yours?” I continued and asked back as that’s the polite thing to do.

“I like anything that’s color pink except for neon pink and the too bright shade of pink colors!” she responded cheerfully.

“Well, I’m not that surprised …” I copied her but I didn’t do anything such as saying it quietly.

“I heard that!” she said, gesturing at me.

“That’s the point,” I retorted, deadpanned.

Her fingers faltered then wobbly returned to her side. She turned meek—most likely, she realized I heard her earlier.

“Anyway, what’s with the Q-and-A session, out of the blue?” I asked, ignoring her meek state.

Her vigor returned and replied: “Nothing. I just want to get to know you more … Since, you know, we don’t know anything about each other yet …”

“Does it have to start with colors, though?” I quizzically looked at her.

“I can’t think of anything better at the moment! And you’re probably not gonna say anything if I didn’t!” she replied shyly.

“Now, it’s my fault?”

“No! I didn’t mean it like that!”

“Then what do you mean?”

“I mean like—” she tried to explain. “I don't know! I don’t even know anymore!”

Saying that, she looked adorably frustrated. The dimples on her cheeks showed as she pressed her lips together in dissatisfaction.

Mirthfully, my eyes narrowed, seeing her all frustrated and flustered. It’s a type of happiness in itself—getting on the nerves of somebody else.

Her eyes also narrowed in suspicion, probably noticing me amusing myself with her comical reaction.

“Do you enjoy making fun of me, Kris?” she interrogated, trying to sound firm, and crossed her arms in hopes of looking intimidating.

That didn’t work out that well since with her small stature and cute features, it just felt like when a small animal tries to intimidate you with its glare, just to end up looking cuter than before.

I giggled—in a deep voice rather than cutely—and reached out to pat her head twice. “Sorry, sorry, don’t be angry,” I said comfortingly, placating her like a child.

I relented since she might just turn into a tomato with how red her face is becoming …

And again that seems to not work that well as she just turned redder than before. Her whole face was now totally red reaching her ears, looking as if a steam would come out of her head at any moment—probably embarrassed to be treated like a child.

Maybe I shouldn’t have patted her head? Though rather than a pat, it was more like two quick taps. She remained motionless with her head down. Then she lifted her head up glaring at me with her big pink eyes.

“You’re a horrible person, Kris …” she said softly, pursing her lips as she sulked.

Laughing again, I know she didn’t mean those words. I decided to appease Rebecca and asked her this time. “Are you from here?”

Maybe she ain’t forgiving me that easily so she answered with a slight pout. “Yep, born and raised here.”

“What school did you go to before?”

“Just somewhere out there,” she cheekily answered, not looking at me.

The corner of my lips tugged into a slight grin. “Okay, okay … I’m an alumnus of First College, but you probably already know about it.”

Still not looking at me. “Why would I?”

“‘Cause I already told you about Caikee and Cecilie.”

“Oh, okay.”

“...”

Seeing her sulking and no signs of stopping, I took out something from my bag. Noticing me doing something, she looked over and seemed to be surprised to see me pull out a deck of cards.

“Playing cards?”

“Wanna see a magic trick?” I ask while adeptly shuffling and cutting the deck.

Rebecca seemed to be mesmerized as she watched me cut and shuffle the deck. She suddenly asked me something that made me lose my footing (figuratively) in surprise.

“You’re a gambler?” she innocently asked.

My expression turned sloppy as I heard her words. How did she even come up with that?

“I don’t gamble. I just like doing magic tricks and card games.”

“My father used to say be careful with boys that do magic tricks to impress girls,” she said, watching me intently.

“Good thing, I’m not a boy then,” I replied nonchalantly. “So wanna see one?”

She became excited as if her previous sulking mood was not real. “Yes, please!”

I smirked and then set the mood. “Keep your eyes open. And watch the card carefully.”

She put all of her focus on the deck in my hand. Trying to prevent me from tricking her with my magic trick.

I lifted the topmost card and showed her. “What card is this?”

“A king of spades?”

“Remember that card,” I reminded her.

I flip it back and put it somewhere in the middle of the deck.

“With a snap of my fingers, would you believe me the card will return back to its place on top?”

“...” she didn’t answer and just peeled her eyes wide open.

I snapped my fingers and—voila—the card magically returned on top—a king of spades!

Her eyes were surprised and confused. “How did you do that? I didn’t see you do anything!”

“That’s why it’s called magic,” I said, shrugging my shoulders.

“Is it pre-arranged?”

“Check the card if you want to,” I challenged her as I confidently handed her the deck.

She grabbed it, spread it out to check then shuffled it, more amateurish than me, and returned it back to me.

“Do it again!”

“Yes, yes.”

I did it once again and this time I showed her a queen of hearts. And the result was the same. I watched her face contort in amazement and surprise, wondering how I was doing it.

“Again!”

The princess ordered so I acquiesced.

“Again!”

Another one.

“Again!”

And another one.

“...”

This time she stayed silent.

I was shuffling my cards, thinking she was about to make me do another one but alas Rebecca didn't ask me another ‘again’.

Her face is one part frustrated and one part thinking. She seemed confused about how I was doing my trick without her noticing.

“That’s so amazing, Kris …” she uttered. “How are you doing that?”

“Magician’s trade secret.”

In reality, it was nothing amazing. It's one of the easiest card tricks in the book. A lil bit of sleight of hand was the only thing you needed to do this.

Especially, if you're performing this to people who know nothing about it. They would never guess how it was done unless you messed up, of course. But, thankfully, I didn't make a mistake since she was really watching me hard like a hawk to its prey.

“I give up! You win,” she surrendered, slumping on the table, tired of trying to guess how.

“I’ll teach you next time,” I offered, not really bothered.

This is already littered all over the internet. There’s no such thing as a secret magic trick nowadays unless, well, you make a new one.

“Really? Yay!” she said with an upstart, regaining her energy.

“Yes, yes, anyway get your things. It’s getting dark,” I said, putting my bag on my back.

Saying that, Rebecca looked outside the window. And saw that the sun was starting to set.

“It’s already that late?” she uttered, shocked at how fast the time passed by without her noticing.

“Yep, let’s go home before the sun totally sets,” I said as I picked up our tray.

“Okay~”

***

“Thanks for today, Kris!” she shouted while waving her hand.

I also waved my hand, watching her shout from the bus entrance. I dropped her off at the nearest bus stop as it was about to get dark. I waited until the bus was out of sight before I started walking in the direction of the campus. It took longer this time, as the bus stop was much farther from the campus before I ended up at the gates of First College again.

I went to the parking space for bikes and put the combination number on my lock. It was quiet with few people here and there, but something, or someone, decided to break the current stillness.

“Aaaaaleeeexxxx!!!”

Someone loudly shouted at a distance, running at a scary speed towards me. My face contorted in nervousness as she looked like a bulldozer ready to flatten me to death! Nearing me, she lunged at an incredible height, wrapping her arms and legs like a koala around me.

“What took you so long?!” she loudly complained, nestling her chin at my neck.

“Get off of me first!” I lightly shouted back, supporting her but trying to get her off of me.

“Nope! Don’t wanna!” she childishly refused.

“Stop acting like a kid! Get off, it’s hot!”

“Never!”

We went back and forth before I managed to untangle her arms around my neck. And hold her on her underarm like a child then pull her off of me!

I set her down on the ground and said:

“The hell you’re doing, Lia?”