Next Friday afternoon in Augustus High School, Gage was walking in the hallways then met Courtney who was studying on her history book by her lockers looking stressed, "Hey, what's up with you?"
"I can't sync in what I read", she embarrassingly answered him.
"Relax, that's just the nerve talking," Gage said to her, "Come on, I'll quiz you". Courtney handed him her textbook.
"Okay, go", Courtney said.
"Who were the politician and general of the late Roman republic, who greatly extended the Roman empire before seizing power and making himself dictator of Rome, paving the way for the imperial system?", Gage quizzed her by reading the textbook.
Courtney was fidgeting and trying to remember what was the answer. Gage was staring and waiting for her response, "oh God! I know this", she whined, "Socrates".
"It's Julius Caesar", Gage exasperated to tell her the right answer, "okay, next question, who is the Roman goddess of beauty?".
"I know this, which is also a planet", Courtney complained, Gage looked at her with his mouth slightly dropped," Mars".
"No," he said to her shaking his head, "Venus".
"Oh! right", she sheepishly said, "okay, give me another one".
"What is the name of the Roman goddess of grain?", Gage tested her again.
"Couldn't you give me easy questions?" Courtney moaned
"Those were easy questions ", Gage pointed out, then he closed her textbook and gave it to her.
"I'm so gonna fail," she worried, and lean her on her locker and crossed her arms.
"Just do your best and let's aced the project", Gage assured her.
"You're right", Courtney sighed. Then the bell rang.
"Come on, let's get to class", Gage said to her, "cheer up, we have a celebration dinner to attend tonight".
"Yeah, I won't let this ruined my day", Courtney said to him.
Later in a study room at St. Rebeccas school when Friday was when school ends earlier than any other weekdays, the students were doing their work and others just talking to one another. Crisan still reading the book and Tori was doing her homework. As Crisan was reading the book, she began smiling and trying to hide it. At the corner of Tori's, she noticed it then she stopped for a while and looked at Crisan who was still beaming and so she took out her pen she was using and poked Crisan and it jolted her, "hey," Crisan expressed, "why'd you do that for?"
"You've been spewing rainbows", Tori answered, "and I think it's all-over my homework".
"Whatever", Crisan exasperated.
"I am so gonna borrow that book," Tori said.
"Yes, don't worry about it", Crisan assured her.
"Good afternoon, St. Rebbeca girls," a male voice came out from a speaker in the room calling out the students even Crisan and Tori, "I am pleased to announce that we'll be having an art show here in our school". Tori and Crisan looked at each other looking stunned with the news. "To those who are interested, please approach our art teacher, Mrs. Murray, to sign up and for more questions and you have until next a couple of weeks to decide, Thank you and God Bless".
"So are you gonna sign up?", Tori asked Crisan.
"Yeah, I am", Crisan answered her, "you?".
"Yep," Tori replied.
"But I'm not sure yet, on what I'm going to work on", Crisan questioned.
"Whatever it is? it will be great", Tori assured her.
"What are you going to show at the art fair?" Crisan asked her.
"Still thinking about it," Tori said to her.
"We have the next couple of weeks to decide", Crisan said.
"Yeah, creativity doesn't come overnight", Tori said to her.
"True, creativity blocks are far more worst," Crisan told Tori.
Then the school bell rang which meant that it's an early dismissal time which happens every Friday, "Okay, student, have a great weekend and see you all on Monday", said the teacher in charge, Mr. Hansel, who was also their geometry teacher and then the other students in the room packed their stuff and pushed their chair in and left the room.
"Pay day time!", Tori and Crisan cheered simultaneously then they left the school.
They excitedly ran to their part-time waitressing job at Reds, a nice diner-themed restaurant. Once they got to the restaurant, they entered the place giggling. It was still the middle of the day and lunchtime was over an hour ago so there was not much customer there to serve so there are just a few of them to eat a late lunch or just snacking there. A red-head woman in early forties, wearing a white turtle-neck shirt with a name pin on her left chest that said 'Regine', who was the manager, with a black knee-length pencil skirt, approached them with a smile, "you two raced your way, here again, didn't you?", asked Regine.
"Kinda", Crisan answered her.
"And I kinda totally won", Tori pointed out to them.
Crisan rolled her eyes and smiles and looked at Regine and shakes her head to tell her that Tori didn't win and Regine chuckled silently, "okay, just go to the backroom and change into your uniform", Regine told them. A few minutes later, the two girls got out wearing a shirtwaist dress waitress uniform with an apron and then Regine approached them again, "Crisanta, our baker will be baking fresh batches of cupcakes and it will be ready any minute now and I need you to put icings on them at the dessert counter so you can be placed them in the display".
"On it," Crisan responded.
"and Theresa, go serve table six and eight", Regine said to Tori
"No problem", Tori followed.
They both worked at it. Later when the customers were chilling at the diner, Tori decided to be at the dessert counter to be with Crisan for a while until someone called her. She walked with a tray on her hands, when she got there she placed the trays on the side of the counter and saw Crisan still working on the icings, "looks good", Tori commented.
"Thanks", Crisan responded to her while still putting icings on cupcakes.
"Maybe you can show your icing expertise at the art show", Tori joked to her.
"I'll need sprinkles to impress the art critiques", Crisan snickered.
Regine heard their conversation while cleaning a table near the dessert counter
Regine heard their conversation while cleaning a table near the dessert counter, "there will be an art show? where?", Regine asked them.
"In our school", Crisan answered to her.
"Sounds great, are you two going to be a part of it?", Regine asked them again.
Then the two girls looked at each other looking unsure of themselves, "We want to but we don't know what we'll be working on," Tori responded to Regine.
"Just don't overthink, ideas will pop-up anytime", Regine assured them.
"You're right, Regine", Crisan said to Regine, "but we will sign up, we can't miss the opportunity".
"Yep", Tori said to them.
"I have a story about my sudden pop-up idea experience of mine", Regine said to them. Crisan stopped what she was doing and listened to Regine and Tori seems interested too " I was about your age and my favorite activity was woodshop it was physics class and I was failing so I asked for extra credit and my teacher said yes and come up for something that includes the twelve forms of energy. I was stressed and in a panic, because I felt I was gonna fail and repeat the class. So then to calm me down, my friends invited me to a Star Wars movie". The two girls looked at each other and grin when Regine went to a Star Wars movie."I know, so anyways for some reason, I was focused on R2D2 and then it hit me".
Tori and Crisan's brows raised and grin and waiting for what happened next, "okay and that was?", Tori asked Regine to resume.
"I can build R2D2 out of wood using my woodshop skills", Regine answered Tori and the two girls gasped, "I even made it move by pushing it to at least impress my teacher". The girls were in awe.
"And was he?", Crisan asked Regine.
"He was", Regine nodded to her.
"So how did it involves energy forms?" Tori asked.
"It involves mechanical, kinetic and potential energy", Regine explained to them, "that's what I said in the written part of the extra credit and case it's not obvious, I passed physics".
"Nice," Crisan and Tori said feeling moved by Regine's story.
"You see, ideas will come in unexpected ways", Regine told them, "now let's get back to work, Tori, give the gentleman over there a glass of water and Crisan, finish up with those cupcakes ".
"Yes, Regine", the two girls responded at the same to Regine. Then Crisan and Tori smiled at each other first then got back to their tasks.
It was dinner time, outside at Reds cars are coming and in front of the restaurant and others parked across the street. Coming out of a silver 2007 Mazda3 I Sport Sedan driver was Gage wearing a nice grey button-down shirt and black trousers and sneakers and the other side was Courtney wearing a navy blue blouson dress and strappy brown sandals.
Then a middle-aged yet kind of fit man, wearing a red polo shirt and a black denim skinny pants walked to them with a smile, " Hey, you guys made it", he said to them.
"Yeah, thanks for inviting us, Mr. Gordon", Gage said to him.
"Of course, come on, let's get in", Mr. Gordon, a founding member of a foundation said to them.
They got inside Reds along with the other running club members. Crisan was still putting the icing on cupcakes for the dessert display. She carefully decorates them, "Great job, Crisan," said Regine.
"Thanks, Regine," Crisan responded.
When the running club came in, Crisan stopped and noticed that one of them is her neighbor and a friend of his dad, Mr. Gordon and his running club came in for dinner then he saw Crisan and Tori waved at them and vice-versa. Gage was behind having a conversation with Courtney. Crisan was looking at the other running club member from the counter until she saw a familiar face. She squints her eyes to confirm if it was the guy that saved her yesterday but all she can see was the side of his face but it wasn't enough to validate. She finished putting icings at the cupcakes so then as she placed it in a glassed dessert display where there are other pastries, she bent a little placed the cupcakes one by one at the lower shelf of the display. As she was doing that her eyes still felt intrigued to look at that familiar face. Gage then turned his head at a view that Crisan can take a better look at him, she suddenly hid her face behind a whole cake so then he didn't catch her staring at him, he was looking at the diner-themed place in a tantalizing way, his head was slowly moving from right to left. Once he looked at the dessert display and didn't know that there was someone, Crisan, staring at him. Crisan finally saw his face and she confirmed that it was him, her mouth dropped and her eyes got wide, "Oh my God, It's him", she said herself and continued working but still watching him.
The running club members sat down and settled, Gage and Courtney sat at the where the counter was about six steps behind them. Tori was about to walk to them and get their orders, "It's okay Tori, I got this", Regine said to her. Tori nodded at her and went to the counter instead. She puts down a note pad she used to take orders then saw Crisan squatting down and behind the dessert display and to her, it looked like she was gazing at the cake in front of her.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Tori whispered Crisan who was a bit stunned and looked at her. Crisan took out her finger to her mouth and gestured Tori to hush, then pulled her down. Tori slowly crouched down to not caught any attention and squatted next to her, "what's up?".
Crisan pulled her a little then took out her hand and pointed at Gage, "you see that guy wearing a grey shirt?" Crisan whispered to Tori and so she looked.
"Yeah", Tori nodded.
"That's the guy who saved me yesterday morning", Crisan said to Tori.
"Him?" Tori asked and looked at Gage again, all she can see was his back, "I can't see his face, but you're right, he is buff".
"I know", Crisan said to her.
"Are you going to talk to him?", Tori asked her in a teasing manner.
"Uhmm... no, I can't", Crisan said in a defensive tone, "plus, I don't even know his name"
"Okay, what if he saw you and recognized you and decided to talk to you", Tori questioned.
"Then it will lead to talking then, what's your point?" Crisan asked.
"Nothing just being a curious and a good best friend", Tori answered her.
"When I was talking to him yesterday, I stuttered," Crisan explained.
"Well, you were in shock at that time, I would be if I was about to fall off a bridge," Tori comforted her. Crisan got her point yet still felt unsure of herself.
"Tori!", Regine called Tori aloud, Tori suddenly stood up quickly behind the counter.
"Yes, Regine", she responded to her call
Regine was stunned, to her, it felt like a gound hog appeared from a hole just like that, "how long were you there?" she asked, "what were you doing back there?".
Crisan who was still squatting and gulped and Tori trying to think of an answer, "I was just..." she stuttered then looked at Crisan holding a cupcake, "helping Crisan, putting the cupcake here in the display".Tori and Crisan looked at each other quickly and was trying to contain her laughter.
"Okay," Regine said and believed at the white lie Tori said and calmed down a bit, "there's a customer over there, please assist him".
"Sure," Tori answered then she turned to Crisan, "I see what you mean". Crisan giggled quietly and continue with her work.
Regine handed them menus, "good evening, I'm Regine and I'll be serving you for today", she said to them.
"Hello, Regine", Mr. Gordon greeted Regine with a smile.
Regine handed them menus, "good evening, I'm Regine and I'll be serving you for today", she said to them.
"Hello, Regine", Mr. Gordon greeted Regine with a smile.
"Hello, Charlie," Regine greeted him back with a grin, "do you want coffee, tea or me?",Then winked at him. Crisan and Tori heard from where they stood and was trying to hold their laughter. Gage and Courtney were sitting next to each other with Mr. Gordon and saw what happened and their reaction was a little stunned then looked at each other and slightly cringing of it.
"Oh, let me think about it", Mr. Gordon teased her. Crisan giggled silently, Mr. Gordon noticed it and looked at her and winked, then she continues giggling again by turning her back feeling the romantic excitement between Mr. Gordon and Regine.
"Okay, kidding aside, I'll just get you the usual decaf black coffee", Regine said to him feeling flattered, "so what do you guys want to order?".
"Thank you, Regine and we will be having the good-for-sharing package, that's enough for all of us, right?", he asked her.
"Yes," she nodded to him.
"Then that will be all", he said to her.
"Okay, I'll just get your drinks", Regine said to them. After taking the orders, she thanked them and walked away to the counter to gave it to Oleg and Crisan just finished icing and decorating the cupcakes and Regine saw it, " Good, you're done, by the way, I'm going to help Oleg and the kitchen staff cook the good-for-sharing package so can you please make Mr. Gordon's decaf black coffee?".
"Of course, I'll make him one", Crisan answered Regine.
"Thank you, you know how he likes it", Regine reminded her.
"Yep, do you want me to write 'call me' and put your number or 'do you wanna go out with me, love, Regine' on the foam?", Crisan teased her.
"Thanks but no, I'll be back for a while to help you serve the other drinks" Regine answered and then chuckled then went inside the kitchen.
"Okay," Crisan said to her then she started making the coffee. A couple of minutes later, she put the coffee on a tray and carried it to Mr. Gordon's table. Once she got there, she looked at Gage who was still talking to Courtney. Once she got there, Crisan tried to get a better look but she couldn't and then she placed the coffee on the table in front of Mr. Gordon, "Here you go".
"Thank you, Crisanta", Mr. Gordon said to Crisan.
"I'll be back and give you guys water", Crisan offered then got a quick look at Gage and she still can't get a better look. She turned and walked away to the counter again to get some glasses and a pitcher of water feeling dejected.
Regine got out of the kitchen to help yet saw her as she pours water in the first four glass and puts them on a tray, "did you give Mr. Gordon his coffee?", she asked Crisan.
"Yes, I did", Crisan answered
"Good, just go ahead and give them water and I'll start preparing the juices," Regine said to Crisan.
"Okay", Crisan responded to Regine. She walked back carrying the tray with four glasses and got to Mr. Gordon's table. Crisan tried not to look this time and focused on what she was doing. Once she got there, she placed the glasses one by one, first, she gave it to Mr. Gordon and then to a person next to him on his left then when she gave it to Courtney first then at Gage and nothing even though she was standing right next to him so at that time she successfully avoiding having a face to face moment then walked back to the counter again and tried to let go the thought that it was him. She was carrying six more glasses got back to the table and went to the other side and gave the other six running club members. Once she was done, she got back to the dessert display then Regine served the juice she made to two of the running club members.
Crisan stood behind the counter and just looking around and felt like there was nothing else to do so she took out the book, she took a glance at Gage and read the book to pass the time. "I'll just go to the restroom," Gage said to Courtney and she just nodded. Once he stood up, Crisan who was about to start reading, noticed him stood up but her head was down trying to read her book. Gage's head slowly moved just to look for a restroom as his sight aimed at Crisan, and suddenly thought why has he seen her before. Crisan felt his eyes looking at her and she was still trying not to look at him. Gage shake it off and found the restroom and it was near the counter so walked to it. Once he walked passed her, he took another glance and it got Crisan's attention and it made her look at him too as he was walking straight to the restroom so he saw her face yet he felt unsure. Crisan looked away quickly feeling panicked that he saw her face to him with cold sweats and dry mouth. She immediately went inside the kitchen, Oleg and Regine, who were cooking the meals, saw her came in and noticed that she looked flustered.
"What's wrong, Crisan?", Oleg asked her feeling concerned.
"Nothing, just a little light-headed, I'll just get some water," Crisan answered him feeling unnerved.
Regine looked at her then she smirked, "Okay, which one is he?", she immediately asked Crisan.
"Sorry?" Crisan asked her looking surprised.
"Who is he?" Regine repeated her question.
"What are you talking about?", Crisan said in an in denial tone. Then she walked to the fridge and grabbed a pitcher and a glass and started pouring water.
"Crisanta, I know that look", Regine said to Crisan while she was drinking a glass of water then placed it on the sink, "it's the same look I get whenever I saw Charles".
Gage later got out and looked at the counter and saw Crisan was not there, he shrugged it and got back to the table yet there's still that wonder in his head. Twenty minutes after their order was taken, The Reds cook, Oleg, rang the waiter bell, as Regine was about to get the food she notice that there was too many since it should fill a dozen member of the running club so she called on Crisan to help, "hey, can you serve the pastas and the chicken cheddar and I'll get the burgers and tuna melts?" Regine asked.
"Sure", Crisan answered Regine.
Regine went ahead and served burgers and tuna melt to the running club members and placed them at their table then after that Crisan followed and set the pasta and the chicken cheddar carefully. She was standing across him while carefully placing the food in front of them.
"By the way, Crisanta, I haven't seen you in a while, how are you?"
Gage later got out and looked at the counter and saw Crisan was not there, he shrugged it off and got back to the table yet there's still that wonder in his head. Twenty minutes after their order was taken, The Reds cook, Oleg, rang the waiter bell, as Regine was about to get the food she notice that there was too many since it should fill a dozen member of the running club so she called on Crisan to help, "hey, can you serve the pastas and the chicken cheddar and I'll get the burgers and tuna melts?" Regine asked.
"Sure", Crisan answered Regine.
Regine went ahead and served burgers and tuna melt to the running club members and placed them at their table "Here you go", Regine said to them and they thanked her. Then after that Crisan followed and set the pasta and the chicken cheddar carefully, Gage sat there and watched her. She was standing across him while carefully placing the food in front of them.
"Hey! you okay, Gage?" asked Courtney sat beside him, noticing that he looked perplexed.
"Uhm, yeah, sorry," he replied. He shakes it off then continues his conversation with Courtney but then looked at Crisan again for a second.
"By the way, Crisanta, I haven't seen you in a while, how are you?", Mr. Gordon asked
Crisan just finished on what she was doing and turned to Mr. Gordon "I'm okay, I've been busy with other things lately", she answered.
"You know you and Theresa can join running with us, right?", Mr. Gordon reminded her.
"Yeah, of course", Crisan responded to him.
Some of the members staring at them especially Gage and Courtney looking neutral, few of them know Crisan and Tori and most of them are new and haven't heard of the two girls. Mr. Gordon noticed the member looking at them, "By the way, everyone", he suddenly announced to them, Crisan looked confused not knowing what was going to happen then Mr. Gordon grabbed her arm and pulled her gently, "This is Crisanta and she's my goddaughter".
"Hi," Crisanta greeted by looking at them and waved a little and smiled and they greeted her too, Gage just said his hellos along with the member but Courtney doesn't seem interested.
Then Mr. Gordon called out Tori so she walked to their table and stood beside Crisan, "And this is Theresa", he introduced her to them.
"Hi", Tori smiled and greeted them too and the member greeted her back.
"These two used to be a member," Mr. Gordon explained to them then he looked at Tori, "I just told Crisanta that you two are still welcome to join to run with us someday".
"Oh yeah, will try to make time", Tori said to Mr. Gordon.
" Some of us more than others," Crisan teased Tori then looked at Mr. Gordon, "I still run faster".
Tori looked at her and her mouth dropped, "So not", Tori said to Crisan in a joking manner.
"I beat her yesterday and today when I raced her from school", Crisan said to Mr. Gordon.
"Really?", Mr. Gordon said to Crisan.
"Hey, you beat me because I tripped on a crack ground", Tori defended herself to Crisan.
"Right," Crisan teased her again.
"I see you two haven't changed," Mr. Gordon said to them in a chuckled.
"Oh, something did change", Tori said to Mr. Gordon, "that Crisan finally beats me".
"So it means she got sloppy", Crisan said to Mr. Gordon. Tori didn't respond to that comment but it was all just some anecdotes the both gave to each other. Then the three of them laughed at it.
Gage was starring at Crisan while having a conversation with Mr. Gordon and Tori.
"Can those girls get any more annoying?", Courtney whispered to Gage.
Gage looked at Courtney in a cringing manner while she was eating and looking at them in irritation.
"Well, we need to get back to work", Crisan said to Mr. Gordon and the running club members, "enjoy the food and just call either me or Tori, nice meeting you all and nice seeing you again, Mr. Gordon".
"Nice seeing you girls too", Mr. Gordon said, "and again, you are welcome to join us in our running session".
"Thanks, Mr. Gordon, we'll go when we can", Crisan said.
"So I can beat Crisan somehow", Tori joked to them.
"Come on", Crisan exasperated to Tori then the two girls got back to their respective tasks.
Thirty minutes after they finished eating their meal, Regine approached them to pick up their plates, "Do you guys want dessert I can give you the menu because our desserts are to die for?" she offered, "or you can just go to the counter and asked our dessert girl over there what you want", Regine pointed at Crisan who was reading the book and Gage looked at her way again.
"I am craving for a slice of blueberry pie, I'll just have that", Mr. Gordon said.
"Our baker will have them ready in less than fifteen minutes, if you don't mind waiting," Regine answered.
"That's fine, no hurry, Thank you, Regine", Mr. Gordon said to her, then his phone rang and he checked who was calling him, "Let me just get this".
"Oh, sure go ahead," she said to Regine went somewhere to answer the call. Then she took the orders of some of the other club members then she turned to Courtney and Gage, "and you two?"
"I'm good, thanks", Courtney responded to her.
Gage looked at Crisan again and thought of something, "Okay, what about you?" Regine asked him. Gage was stunned and turned to Regine.
"Uhmm... I'll check out the dessert display", Gage said to Regine.
"Alright", Regine said to him then she faced the club, " the rest of you, dessert will be in a while, thank you". Then she walked away.
Gage stood up and walked to the counter. Crisan was talking to Oleg about the other customer's orders, Once Gage got there he looked at the dessert display while Crisan was still bit preoccupied and didn't know that he was there behind her. Gage then looked at her back and saw her hair, which made him confirm that she was the same girl that he saved yesterday," Uhmm.. excuse me", he called her attention.
Crisan looked down on her pad then turned on him, "yes, can I help you?" she asked him as she looked up got surprised, her eyes got wide and her mouth dropped when she saw Gage stood there at the other side of the counter looking at her with the handsome smile that finally he can meet her.
"Hi!", he said to her with his very charming grin, "remember me?".
"Yeah, Hi!" Crisan said back to him with glee, "yes, I remember you".
"I saw you here earlier but I wasn't sure that it was you", he said to her.
"Me too," she said to him.
"By the way, I'm Gage," he introduced himself to Crisan then took out his hand for a handshake, "Crisanta, right?".
"Yes, but you can call me Crisan", she said to him then she took out her hand to hold his. She grasps his hand, time got slow, his grip tightens her hand gently and she felt his rough yet warm strong hand. Gage even felt something different too with that her touch but wasn't sure what it was, "So nice to finally meet you... again".
"Yeah, you too", he said to her.
They got back into their senses and let go of each other's hands, Crisan tried to hide her grin and Gage looked down and smirked. "Uhmm... do you want anything here?".
"Sorry?", he asked her looking confuse.
"I mean the pastries, do you want anything here?" she corrected.
"Oh... right", he said to her then looked at the dessert display again, "actually, I don't know yet".
"Our cheesecake here is the bestseller", Crisan suggested to him, "and the cupcakes are delicious".
"Not a sweet-tooth guy", he said to her.
"I see", Crisan nodded with understanding then rolled her eyes while he was not looking feeling a little bit frustrated.
"What about you?", Gage asked her while still looking at the dessert display and Crisan got a little stunned and looked at him, "Which one do you like here?".
"The cinnamon rolls," she answered to him, "it's my favorite".
"Really? why is that?", Gage questioned stopped looking at the display then faced her.
"Because it smells and tastes like Christmas", she explained to him in a cheery tone, Gage tried to contain his smile when he watched how she described a cinnamon roll. Crisan saw his reaction and suddenly felt embarrassed, "but that's just me plus it's kinda sweet once you eat the middle part because it's full of honey".
Gage suddenly was interested, "you know what?" he responded to her, "I'll have that.... the cinnamon roll".
Crisan was taken aback, "wait, really?" she asked him.
"Yep, it sounds good", he said to her.
"Do you want anything else?", Crisan asked him again.
"No, that's it", Gage replied.
"Alright, one cinnamon roll coming up," Crisan said, "I'll just heat it".
"Oh, sure", he nodded at her, "thanks!".
"You can get back to your table and I'll serve it to you there", Crisan suggested to him.
"It's okay, I don't mind waiting here," he said to her. Crisan blushed and hid her glee to him, she took out a tray of cinnamon roll from the display and grabbed a bread knife to a roll then placed on a plate and put it inside a microwave and heat it in twenty seconds. After that, she turned back to Gage, "so how long were you a member of Mr. Gordon's running club?".
"Almost two years now", Gage answered her.
"Nice", Crisan responded, "so how is it being a member?"
"I like it, my friend over there is a member too and the other members are great, they are like family to me", he expressed to her.
"Yeah, I remember that", Crisan sighed. Gage and Crisan stared at each other and the mood went silent. Mr. Gordon ended his phone call and turned around saw Crisan and Gage talking to each other, he somehow felt uneasy but he brushed off the feeling and walked back to the table. Tori walked to the counter to place a tray and Crisan didn't even notice but Tori let them enjoy their conversation and not interrupt them.
"Why don't you run with us tomorrow?", Gage invited her. Courtney turned to her back and saw Gage talking to Crisan and doesn't seem to like it.
"Sure," Crisan answered immediately, and Tori looked stunned behind Crisan so then she grabbed her arm tightly and pulled her to get her attention Crisan turned to her.
"Uhm, we have plans tomorrow," whispered Tori looking at Crisan in the eyes to remind her something.
"Oh my gosh, I almost forgot, I have plans tomorrow," Crisan remembered, "I'm sorry, I can't".
"Oh, that's too bad maybe some other time," Gage assured her.
"Yeah", she replied suddenly lost in his beautiful olive-green eyes. Then the microwave made a ding sound, "Oh gosh! the cinnamon roll". Shen then took the cinnamon roll out of the microwave.
"Are you bringing that home?", Tori asked when she saw Crisan took out the cinnamon roll and she knows that it's her favorite, Crisan looked at Tori in a confused way.
" Actually, It's for me", Gage clarified to Tori then she looked surprised.
"You like cinnamon roll too?", Tori asked Gage.
"I will be since she said it's good", Gage said. Tori then looked at Crisan in with her mouth slightly open feeling surprised. "By the way, I'm Gage", he introduced himself in a friendly manner then he took out his hand to Tori's hand.
"Tori", she introduced herself to him and shook his hand while Crisan was preparing the cinnamon roll by putting it on a plate.
"Here you go", Crisan said to Gage by holding a plate of the cinnamon roll.
"Thanks!" Gage beamed looking at her and took out his hands and slightly touched Crisan's hand he got the plate from her then he got back to his seat.
Later on, the running club member's finished eating their desserts and they were still talking to one another. Crisan noticed it so she walked to them again, "Hey, do you guys need anything, take-outs, or refills?"
"Uhm, that won't be necessary ", Mr.Gordon answered by looking at his running club members that no one will be ordering anything. "I'll get the bill, thank you, Crisanta". Then he opens his arm for a hug to thank her.
"Sure thing, Mr. Gordon," Crisan replied and hugged him. Gage felt kind of uncomfortable when he saw them hugging. Shortly after, bills were paid and the running club is ready to leave the restaurant. Crissy goes to them again, "I hope you all enjoyed your meal".
"We did, everything tastes good ", Gage answered with a slight grin, "especially the cinnamon bun, I love it, I can see why it's your favorite".
"I'm glad to hear that, did it taste like Christmas? " she responded then she looked back to hide her gleeful expression.
"Yeah, it is," Gage chuckled, "Anyways, I have to go. I'll see you around".
"Yeah, you too," Crisan said with a smile.
"Nice meeting you again," he said, looking at her with a smile.
"You too," she replied. He walked out the diner with Courtney, he waved farewell to her and smile and Crisan waved and smiled back at him.
Gage and Courtney walked to Mr. Gordon, who was talking to Regine again, to say their farewell before they left. He got out of the restaurant with Courtney and the rest of the running club members especially Mr. Gordon.
"Thank you, Regine", Mr. Gordon said to Regine then faced the two girls, "and you too, Crisanta and Theresa".
"Happy to help, Mr. Gordon", Crisan responded.
"Alright, I'll see you girls around", Mr. Gordon said to them, "good night".
"Good night, Charlie," Regine said, "drive safely", then he left.
Crisan and Tori looked at Regine with a sly grin, "coffee, tea or me?",Tori teased Regine on her flirting with Mr. Gordon, "that's so cute". Crisan laughed.
"Clean up the place or no payday", Regine said to them in a joking manner. Crisan and Tori then stopped laughing but was smiling.
"On it", the to girls said simultaneously. The two girls grabbed dish towels and a mop respectively and started to clean the diner along with the other staff. Crisan was cleaning a table and can't stop thinking about their conversation about Gage, she looked down and smiling. Tori saw her glee and walked to her and poked her back to stun her.
"What?", Crisan reacted.
"You like him", Tori teased as she walked and stood beside her.
"He is so cute", Crisan said looking blankly as she felt she's in cloud nine.
"Do you think you will see him again?", Tori asked.
"I don't know, maybe", Crisan shrugged. Suddenly her she was clenching and unclenched her hands, she felt static, tingling in her hands and she took it out and looked at it and had an odd reaction on her face, "you shook his hand, right?".
"Yeah", Tori answered and saw Crisan looking at her hand, "why?".
"Did you notice how tight his grip was?", Crisan questioned her.
"Uhmm.... not really", Tori responded still giving her a weird look on her face, "it wasn't that tight on me, what's up?".
"I'm feeling this weird tingling feeling in my hands right after we shook hands," Crisan mentioned, "he has a strong grip on it".
Tori had a grin on her face, "maybe, he likes you, the tighter the grip, I guess ", she teased again.
"I just felt it, that's all I'm saying", Crisan said to her
"I hope you see him again" Tori replied.
"Me too", Crisan responded
"Well we can join Mr. Gordon's running sessions", Tori suggested, "and by we, I mean you".
"Enough, let's go back to work, we have things to do," Crisan reminded and giggled. Tori rolled her eyes then they both went back to their task.
At the car, Gage was driving and he was quiet and Courtney was just sitting beside him at the passenger seat and looked at him, "so why were you talking with that waitress earlier?", she asked him.
Gage recoiled and quickly looked at Courtney then at the road since he was driving, "oh uhmm.. she was this girl I saved yesterday" Gage answered her.
"Wait, what?", Courtney reacted.
"Sorry, I forgot to tell you about that", he said to her.
"Wait, you saved her from what now?", she asked again.
"Falling off a bridge near Patty cafe", Gage replied.
"That was her?", Courtney said in surprised and Gage nodded, "wait, isn't she a church girl? I mean she was wearing a uniform at that time, right?". She suddenly felt this anger inside of her.
"Yeah," Gage answered thinking there was some big deal about it, "why?".
"Just surprise how a rich girl like her would work?", Courtney wondered.
"How do you even know she's rich?", Gage questioned Courtney having the feeling she knows anything about Crisan's life.
"Hello... church girl, the all-girls school from St. Rebecca's", Courtney reminded him, "all the girls studying there are loaded".
"Let's just say she is, why does it matter?" Gage asked her still looking confused.
Courtney then got speechless but she has her reason only she doesn't want to say it to him yet, "nothing, just curious," she replied.
"Okay," Gage responded still feeling unusual about the whole conversation. For a short while, they arrived at Courtney's humble home at an apartment building.
"Anyways, thanks for the lift," Courtney said to Gage as she was about to get out of his car
"No problem, bye Court, don't be late tomorrow," Gage reminded.
"I won't, thanks, Gage," Courtney responded. Then walked toward the apartment building and Gage drove off. While on the way home, he was thinking Courtney about their chat about Crisan then Crisan was in his thoughts while driving.