"Did you see each other yesterday?" Quuen asked while eating her share of burger that we bought from the cafeteria.
We're at the bench today, killing our break time. The cafeteria is crowded so we decided to just eat here.
"Who?"
"Castillo, the transferee." She took another bite to her burger.
"No, why would we see each other?We are not friends." I flatly answered while eating my share of snacks.
"Is it forbidden to meet if you're not friends?" She lazily look at me with a smug on her face.
I sighed and stop what I'm doing.
"What do you mean?" I seriously asked her.
"He asked me your whereabouts, yesterday. He didn't caught you in your last class."
I listened while eating. I got home early yesterday because of some personal reasons. And how would he see me if he do not know my classes?
"I told him you got some emergency..and I gave him your number." She's sporting this mischievous smile. I bet my life she's imagining things again.
"I did not receive a call." I muttered that ended her imaginations.
"I thought he already talked to you? He did not also talk to you in the room?" She's cleaning her mess now—she's done eating. I eat faster when I saw the break time is almost over.
"Did he tell you why he needed to see me?" I finished my food and stood up when I gathered my things. We started walking to go to our next class. We took the same classes because that's what she wanted. She said it was so boring to be alone.
"Maybe he will return your flash drive. Is there something else?"
That made me think. Why not give it to Quuen? It's more convenient.
"You should've get it,"
"I also forgot that that's the only reason he got for seeing you."
"It's because you're so malicious. Which should have not."
For the 3 years that we known each other, it's such a miracle that I wasn't influenced by her bold side.
"It's all normal. And it's normal that girls get fluttered by boys. As if you didn't experience it yourself." She said expectantly that annoys me.
"I know how to appreciate looks but I don't fret over it, Quuen." A hint of annoyance is visible in my voice.
"Chill, I know. Do you know joke?" She smiled nervously that made her look like a fool.
I entered the room without looking back at her.
I don't like it when people try to point out the things that I don't really do. It will just make me look like I've changed. And I don't like to change myself because I don't want to be the talk of everyone.
You see, judgmental people have no limits. Whatever unusual things they noticed in you—they would talk about it maliciously. That's why as much as possible I tried to keep myself lowkey and mysterious to the people I'm not comfortable with.
When our classes ended for that day, Quuen and I dropped by the nearest mall. It's our routine every fridays. We always buy the things we like. Because we would enjoy it during weekends. I'd buy books and she would buy albums of her favorite artist.
While I'm sightseeing for a good book, my phone rang. I checked who's it but it was from an unknown person.
"Where are you?" It's the sender's message.
"Who's this?" I'm really a curious person that I would reply even if it's an unknown number. Because why not? What if it's an important matter—then I'd missed it.
After I sent a text, my phone rang for a call. I answered it as I continue looking for a book to read.
"Hello," a husky voice greeted my ear.
"Is this Pacey Sangco?" I stopped briefly upon hearing his voice.
"Yes, who's this?"
"Where are you?" I check the caller again, it's still the unknown number.
"If you're messing with me then you're messing with the wrong person.."
"It's Kein Castillo."
I stopped what I'm doing—my attention is on the caller now. Castillo? The transferee. His voice really is beautiful that I could say he's fit to be a singer!
"I'm in NBS, why?"
"Okay," he ended the call even after I can ask him why. I just shrugged it off instead and continue what I was doing. I think I know why he called.
"You done?" There are three albums that she's holding as she walk towards me. How much those albums cost? The perks of being rich, really.
"Do you think it's good?" I let her see the book that I find good, seeing at its cover illustration.
"It's good already,"
"Which albums is that?" I asked when we fall-in-line in the counter. It looks different from what she purchased last time.
"It's the new edition," she simply said.
Aesthetic..that's all I could say as I look at it. Quuen has eyes for beautiful things that's why I wasn't surprised of her choices. Choices to stan that group.
We are going out of the store when Quuen talked.
"I wonder who's his date," she pointed with her mouth to the good to be true standee outside the store.
A pair of beautiful brown eyes meet my gaze. Castillo in his casual attire is standing outside the AllStore. No bag, no trace that he just got home from school. It's like he dropped by their house and came here after.
He's dashing even in his simple t-shirt and ripped jeans with a pair of nike shoes. He really looked like he has a date.
He walked towards us when he saw us already outside. Quuen looks at me like it's a big deal that Castillo is coming near us. I rolled my eyes at her, she's oa.
"I'm here to give you this." He handed me my flash drive.
"You came here for this?"
"Or you have a date here with someone?" Quuen interfered. I nudged her to make her shut. She's really no inhibitions.
Castillo looks at her with an 'it's-non-of-your-business' look. So snob.
"Okay, thanks. We will go now." I simply smiled at him and dragged Quuen out of his sight because I'm already ashamed for my friend. But she stopped even before I could drag her away from him.
"We are gonna eat, want to join in?" she basically invited him. I slapped my forehead upon hearing her invitation. This girl is so insensitive!
I looked at Castillo's reactions. He looks like his weighing things. He should just decline, why think over it!
He walks passed by us without saying anything. We just looked at him—not surprised that he just ignored us. We just recently became classmates so it's understandable.
"Where to?" Quuen's shocked face is visible upon hearing what he just said. I was taken aback too but I did not let it show. He accepted the invitation! We will be eating with him. Now..it will be awkward.
"Do you like seafoods?" He looked at us when Quuen asked him.
"We'll be eating in a restaurant with lots of seafoods." I told him to be more detailed. He nodded and started walking to where the restaurant is.