Darylle had created ten paper roses so far. Three yellows, three reds and four pinks. He was cutting the fourth yellow rose when he heard faint beep tone from his phone. He checked it and saw a text from an unsaved number.
"Good evening. Don't forget to eat your dinner."
He then realized that it was from Erik. The guy took his number sneakingly as he pretended to look for his phone inside his car.
Darylle's stomach grumbled as he realized that he missed dinner. He was too preoccupied creating the paper roses that he didn't even notice that it was already nine in the evening. He typed his reply to Erik.
"Missed dinner. Too busy creating paper roses."
He put his phone and went on cutting the fourth yellow rose. But before he could even start cutting again, he heard the faint beep tone again. He took his phone and read the text.
"Latenight snack then."
Darylle sighed and typed his reply.
"Not up for cookies. We only have cookies."
He put his phone down and proceed cutting the fourth yellow rose once again.
His phone didn't bother him anymore for a few minutes and he was now curling the edges of the petals before assembling the whole rose. He glued the parts, adjusting the positions of the petals, when his uncle knocked on his door.
"Darylle. Someone's looking for you." He called.
He put the outer petal part of the rose down and came out from his room. He went up to the living room and saw Erik standing by the door.
He could see that he was amused by the look of his reaction. "What are you doing here?" He said in an audible whisper. Erik just smiled.
"Didn't know you were friends with Erik Fortez. I know his parents." His uncle said.
Darylle was stunned as he tried to compose himself in front of his uncle. When he seemed to recover, he took Erik's hand and lead him out of the house, leaving his uncle in the kitchen counter looking through the stuffs.
He lead Erik to the balcony in front of the house, far enough for his uncle to hear them talking. "What are you doing here?" He asked as he turned to him. "Picking you up for some snacks." He said, still smiling.
"But what about my uncle?" Darylle asked, still not convince that his uncle didn't punch Erik, or shot him dead.
"I told him I'm with your friends. And they're waiting in McDo." He said.
Darylle felt scared as he realized Erik lied to his uncle. "You could get killed you idiot." He said. "We better leave before he overhear us." He replied.
He decided to play along before one of them gets busted. "Okay wait here. I'll get my phone and let my uncle know." He said but Erik stopped him by holding his hand. "He knows already so come on." He said as he pulled him towards the street where he left his car.
Before Darylle could even tell his uncle bye, Erik was speaking already. "Engineer, we're going." He said. And to his surprise, his uncle responded. "Okay Erik, take care."
"Wait my phone." Darylle protested as he was pulled by Erik into the car. "You don't need it." He told him. "But how will they know that I am home. I need to call someone to open the door for me." He reasoned.
"Okay fine. But please hurry up." Erik said as Darylled dashed towards the house.
"You didn't leave yet?" His uncle asked as he passed by him. "I forgot my phone." Darylle said as he went to his room, took his phone and quickly ran back to the door. "Bye uncle, I'll be right back."
He slowed down as he got out and walked towards Erik who was still standing by his car. "Let's go." Darylle said. "Where to?" Erik asked as he started the car. "You told my uncle my friends are waiting in McDo." He reminded him. "Hmm, I should take note that you have a sharp memory." He said as they set off.
Darylle realized that he didn't tell Erik exactly where he lived. "So how did you know I live there?" He asked. "Remember, your uncle is friends with my parents." Erik said. "How exactly?" He pressed. "I have my ways." Erik answered, smiling to himself.
He was about to argue more when his stomach grumbled. "Didn't you have stomach ulcer before? It's painful you know." Darylle smiled. "Yes I do. But apparently, my stomach is now used to my body clock."
"But now you are hungry and you don't even want to eat the cookies in your house. Though it tastes good." Erik said as he took a cookie and took a bite. He stole some from the jar in the counter where he waited.
"I could give you some if you asked me, or my uncle. He's friends with your parents after all." He told him. "Nah, I knew you would give me some." He bragged. "And your uncle too." He added.
"Wait. You told me you just got here from Denmark. So how did my uncle know you?" Darylle inquired. "At a party we attended recently. One of your cousins accidentally showed me your picture." He revealed. "Who's my cousin?" He asked. "The one with glasses. He happened to pass by your post while scrolling in fb. I was behind him."
He felt alarmed. "You are creepy." He said as he took his phone and started to open his Facebook app. But Erik took it away. "Hey! Give it back! I need to check something." Erik put the phone in front of him beside his. "Check me on fb? I'm here you know. The Erik Fortez. You could ask me anything you want to know." Darylle blushed as he can't believe Erik was thinking ahead of him too.
"I'll take note that you are quite clever." He said as he leaned on the seat and turned in the street in front of them.