DIONE'S POV
The waiter is currently serving our meal. Alice and Paul are frying the pork since they also ordered a Samgyeopsal. I stared at my Jjigae and looked at Marco.
"Happy eating." He said to me. I held my laughter pursing my lips. I started eating and heard that Elijah wanted to switch places with Chloe. As much as Chloe objects, she had no choice but to obey because it is her crush after all. As they switched places, I had an urge to slightly move my seat to Marco. Luckily, Marco didn't noticed it because he was busy cutting the pork.
"Here." Marco handed me the pork he just cut. I smiled at him and dipped it into the cheese and tasted it.
"Oh, it's good." I complimented.
"Try this." Elijah offered. I was about to refuse when I had a strange idea.
"Ok." I accepted it and called Chloe. "Chloe, try this one, Elijah wrapped it." I said to her. Chloe happily accepts and I saw Elijah's face. Okay that was a little mean. I feel a little guilty but I'm also uncomfortable by his gestures. We might know each other from before, but I don't even know him personally!
"Um, here's another one." He puts it in my available plate. I facepalmed.
"I can get it myself if I want to, but thanks anyways." I commented. Elijah just nods and ate his meal. I also ate my meal in silence.
"Want some tteokbokki?" Marco offered. I looked at him and nodded. He smiled at me. I swallowed the food and asked.
"What?"
"Nothing, you're just cute." He complimented and pinched my cheeks.
"Aya, stop." I complained and softly hit his arm.
"haha alright." He said and got me some tteokbokki. He put it on the plate where Elijah's wrapped up samgyeopsal is placed. I happily ate the tteokbokki and the jjigae. I saw on my peripheral vision that Elijah looked displeased.
"Elijah, have some of this Korean fried chicken." I heard Chloe offered to Elijah.
"Yeah, thanks." He spoke. I heard a hint of disappointment in his voice.
"Anyway, what are you guys up to after?" Paul asked. Breaking the awkwardness.
"Going home." We all said. Paul laughed at us. We finished our meal and decide to go home.
"We will drop off Chloe first and Alice then Dione." Paul informed us.
"I'll stay at Dione's place as usual. My parents already know." Alice said.
"Alright." Elijah replied.
"Chloe, take the passenger seat, I'll be with Alice at the back." I spoke to her.
"Okay." She answered. I then looked at Marco who was getting ready to go.
"Hey, take care." I said to him while I approached. He looked at me and ruffled my hair.
"Hey!" I whined. He laughed and put on his helmet.
"See you somewhere." He spoke and rode off. He looked like in some movie with that.
"Dione, let's go." Alice called out to me. I obeyed and went inside the car.
We had arrived at Chloe's house.
"See you guys, take care." She said and went inside her house.
"Mind to go at the passenger seat?" Paul said to me. I went out to change seats. As we drove off, my phone beeped. A notification from Instagram.
'Hi, I'm home. Did you arrive safely.' It was Marco. I quickly replied.
'Not yet, but we're on our way home.'
'I see, take care.'
'Okay.' I closed my phone and looked outside. When we arrived, I saw Aunt Flor waiting for us at the entrance. I quickly got off and bid goodbye.
"Aunt Flor, why are you outside?" I asked. Aunt Flor stopped knitting and smiled.
"I was waiting for you and Alice to arrive so my mind can be at peace." She answered. I felt guilty about arriving late.
"Sorry, Aunt. I will call you if ever we got home late." I assured her. She smiled and led us inside. We went to do our night routine.
A few days later...
"Dione, I noticed that Elijah is always near you. Mind telling me what's going on?" Alice asked. Our class period had just ended.
"He insists on courting me." I replied while finishing up my sketch.
"What?!" She suddenly yelled.
"Shh. Quiet!" I scolded. Alice covered her mouth when our classmates all looked at her.
"Sorry." She apologized. "Spill me the details." I complied what she had asked for.
We moved into the back chairs where our classmates are not there and I started to tell her.
(3rd Person's Pov)
"I understand that you liked him the first time, but judging by your personality, it's not surprising that you immediately lose interest in him. You managed to get attached. But, when you got distracted, you suddenly forgot about it and didn't even remember it. Clearly, an aromantic girl." She blurted out.
"I don't get it also, I mean, I'm happy with what's going on in my life. And I feel contented for now. I don't like the idea of a sense of responsibility for someone. It's like a burden for me. It bothered me that Elijah wants to have a relationship with me. But I don't have the same feelings as him. What I felt at first was overwhelmed or attracted but, I don't consider it as romantic. I don't want to ruin our new friendship." Alice felt sorry for her friend.
"Why don't you explain it to Elijah in a way that he would understand that you chose friendship than relationship?" She advised.
"I already did but he still insisted." She sighed out her frustration. Alice caressed Dione's back for comfort. "I will try to talk to him again." She considered.
The day had ended and they were about to go home when they spotted Elijah and Paul at the gate.
"Elijah! Paul!" Alice called out. They both looked at Alice and waved.
"Ready to talk to him?" Alice asked. Dione nodded and the two went to the boys.
"Let us take you home." Paul offered. They nodded.
"But first, can we go to the café? I'm craving for a hamburger." Paul nods and led them to the car. They shortly arrived at the café and ordered their food.
"Dione, can we talk for a moment?" Elijah asked Dione. Dione nods and they sat a little far from Alice and Paul.
"I want to talk about us." Elijah started. Dione was taken aback.
"Us? There's no us."
"What I meant is, I want to talk about our situation, I know that you're uncomfortable of this set up." Elijah stated.
"I'm glad you know."
"I still want to court you." Elijah firmly said. Dione shook her head.
"Elijah, I don't want you to court me. I hope you understand that I just want to be friends with you. I'm not ready for a relationship. I see it as a burden for me." Elijah understood and did not insist anymore.
"I understand. But I won't give up on waiting." Elijah told her.
"Don't get your hopes up on me, please. I value friendship than relationships. As of now, I just want to enjoy and not having a burden of other things like romance." Dione explained. Elijah only nods.
"I'll accept it. But still, we're friends right?" Dione nodded. Elijah sighed in defeat.
'I can't really win against her.'
"Alright. I'll give up for now. I still want to be near you and be your friend."
"Thank you for understanding. Let's just value our friendship." Elijah agreed and they went back to the couple.
"Done talking?" Alice asked after they sat. Dione and Elijah nodded and smiled. Alice sighed in relief.
"I heard you will be having another match soon."
"Yeah, and I think after midterm exams we will be having our serious training for an evaluation test and there will be tryouts on the varsity." Elijah informs. Dione grew interested in the match.
"What team will be your match?" Dione asked out of curiosity.
"Q college. Where Chloe and Marco are at." Paul revealed. Alice and Dione formed an O shaped mouth.
"It's only a practice match. But the coach is pressuring us to win. If we win, we might have a chance to join the main team. I'm the team captain for the freshman team." Elijah sighed.
"I think you'll win if you're confident." Dione blurted out. Elijah smiled at Dione.
"I don't think winning is the key for this practice." Paul suddenly said.
"Why?" Alice asked.
"Why don't we test their playstyle so we can be prepared for their type of game and break it? And we might have a chance to play at the inter sports." Alice was impressed.
"Wow, you just used your brain. Not bad for a computer science student." Paul looked at her with shocked.
"You just hurt me." Paul dramatically said. Alice just laughed.
"Should we also tryout some sport?" Dione indulged Alice.
"What sport?"
"Bowling." Dione, Elijah and Paul said in Unison. Alice looked shocked and answered.
"The hell! I can't even hit one pin and you're telling me to tryout for bowling?!" Alice lashed out. The trio laughed at Alice and Alice just sulked.
"I'm kidding! Why don't we try Badminton?" Dione suggested. Alice's face brightens.
"Girl! You so know me." Alice felt overjoy because she played Badminton during her high school year.
"Well, that's the sport you are good at after all." Dione commented.
"That's true. It's settled then."
"Let us have a mini celebration to whoever goes in. no hard feelings." Elijah suggested. They all agreed because the win of one is a win for all.