Chapter 3
The next day Anabel did not go to due to fever. She didn't also in the next day even though her situation is improve because her parents worried that she might get fever again and no matter how hard she reassure them, her parents wouldn't let Anabel. All in all her absences is a three consecutive days.
She misses Johnny so much, so much that
when her parents finally allowed after three days. She made sure that she was early and a flower would not be lost in her hand, she was very excited to enter. She took her place at the gate.
After a while, she saw Johnny alone, he wasn't looking up so he didn't see her. As he come closer , Johnny still didn't look up so Anabel blocked his path. His forehead was wrinkled when he looked up. What he saw seemed surprised him.
"You.." He said.
"Annabel. My name is Anabel." She handed over the rose.
"You know I won't accept that. " he said hard. Just looked at the flower.
"No matter what rejection you do, I will never get tired of doing this, giving you flowers every day and telling you that I really like you." Her litany.
Johnny looked away. "If what you say is true, giving me flowers every day and tell me how much you like me every day." He looked at her sharply.
"Why didn't you do that in the last three days, even shown yourself!" It was said a bit loudly at the end.
She struggled for an answer. After a minute, Anabel doesn't want him to be angry with her so she will just tell the truth.
"Eh.. Because I had a fever and then when I got better, my parents didn't allow me to go in right away. They said I should rest first." she explained.
Suddenly, concern appeared on the Johnny's face. "Are you really okay?"
She nodded. Happy to see the worried face of Johnny, worried about her!. She handed the rose to him again.
"Get it. I took four stem, I owe the three during my absences in three days. I promise it won't happen again. " she says.
Johnny took the flower. He stared at it
then raised his perfect brows then looked at her.
"Don't assume that I accept this flower lightly.." His voice became shrill. Anabel noticed that his voice wasn't like that earlier that made her shook head, maybe it was just an illusion because she always imagined his voice as a man.
His eyebrows rose even more.
"Oh. Keep shaking your head. I just feel sorry for you because you just recovered from the illness, maybe if I don't accept this, you'll get fever again. I'm afraid you'll point out that I'm at fault." He wiped his sweaty nose.
"I won't do that to you. I like you, remember?" She answered.
"Whatever, you ruined my day again.." He said and passed him.
It was a bit far when Anabel remembered that she didn't greet him. she called out. The one who was called just stopped and didn't turn around.
"Good morning by the way, Johnny." She shouted. She didn't chase her anymore...Anabel was happy because she saw him after three days. She go to her classes with a smile on her face.
The next day, as she often did, Anabel waited for Johnny at the gate to give him a flower. As usual, he seems forced but accepted the flower.
*
Anabel woke up late that day because she just sleep at midnight since she was watching a Korean novela starring Lee Min Ho. She likes the actor very much since he resembled Johnny Agbayani to her.
It was past nine o'clock when she reached the school. she doesn't want to go in anymore but she didn't want Johnny to be angry at her so Anabel just walk to school so that she would give Johnny a flower.
She entered the fourth year building. She first peeked through their window. Anabel saw the teacher who looked like he was about to leave. She roamed her eyes to the students, she saw Johnny looking at the door from time to time...
Why does Johnny seem restless, is it possible that.... Her mind asked.
After the teacher got out, she hurried to the door and johnny saw her quickly ... The man's face lit up when he saw her. It stood up and took big steps out.
"Why just now?" he question right away.
"Because I stayed up late. I shouldn't have come now but my mind keep telling me that maybe you were waiting for me and I was right you kept looking at the door earlier and you were restless.." She said with a smile.
"I'm not waiting for you .. I'm just impatient because it took so long for our teacher to dismiss, I'm peeing." This explains it.
She just stayed silent because she thought wrong and felt embarrassed at her presumption, why does Johnny wait for her in the first place? She had yet handed him the rose he take it from her hand. He even smelled it. Johnny waved his hand, dismissing her.
"Alright, leave before my day is completely ruined. You smell like sweat, even when the sun hasn't set yet. " Johnny's face wrinkled.
"It is because I haven't taken a bath yet.. the sunlight was very high on the way here that I already smelled.." She said then felt more embarrassed when she saw him disgusted at what she said.
"Eew.." then laugh cutely that made Anabel mesmerized. Johnny didn't say anything as he enter his classroom.
Anabel just went home to their house, she pass her classroom and oblivious to her, Ma'am Margie is raging with anger as she saw her passed.
*
She's been giving Johnny a roses for four months now so she's used to him just turning his back at her after taking a flower and greeted by her. She smiled at the thought, if she let her shame to win back then, Johnny definitely had not known her existence.
Johnny's graduation is coming soon, she needed to buy a gift! Anabel get her two weeks piggy bank and broke it.