Carlo lay sprawled out on the floor, a single, creaky fan his only defense against the sweltering heat that enveloped the room. Beads of sweat trickled down his forehead and he let out an exasperated sigh. The summer sun blazed outside, casting a relentless heat that seeped into every corner. The air was dense, heavy with humidity.
Fanning himself with a sluggish hand, Carlo muttered under his breath, "All a penniless student can do over summer break is wait for it to pass. If you have no money to go out, you won't go home either. I wonder if other students are wasting their summer break like me..."
Setting his handheld fan on the table, he blinked as a small piece of paper clung stubbornly to his sticky shoulder. With a bemused expression, he peeled it off and held it up to read. It was a city poster, announcing the upcoming 35th Crescendo Fireworks Event, scheduled for August 20th, a Saturday, at 7:00 PM. Carlo crumpled the paper into a ball, his disappointment evident.
His eyes drifted to the table, where the blue sapphire ring he had given Honey lay. His mind replayed the memory of that day at the beach, the sight of Edward kissing Honey on the lips. The sight had been unexpected, catching him off guard and leaving him with a sense of frustration and confusion. He clenched his teeth and groaned, his fingers tightening around the pillow he had pulled over his face.
Shortly after, a sudden jarring ring pierced the air, jerking Carlo out of his thoughts. His phone sat innocently on the table, its screen displaying an unfamiliar number. With a curious frown, he picked up the device and answered, cautiously saying, "Hello?"
A soft voice, gentle and familiar, flowed from the other end, "Hello." The moment Carlo recognized it as Honey's, his heart seemed to skip a beat, and he shot up from the floor, a sudden rush of adrenaline surging through him. "This is Honey," she continued.
Carlo, his voice betraying his nervousness, managed to reply, "Yes, I heard you."
After a brief pause, Honey shared, "I just returned from my hometown."
"Oh, I see. Welcome back," Carlo responded, his words tinged with a mix of relief and genuine welcome.
"I'm home," Honey said.
Again, a moment of quiet hung in the air, and Carlo's mind raced to fill it. He could feel the weight of the silence pressing on him, and in his head, he muttered, "Oh crap! A silence that can't exist! Something... I have to say something."
Stumbling over his own thoughts, Carlo blurted out, "Welcome back." His frustration at his own awkwardness simmered beneath the surface.
Honey's voice floated through the line once more, a touch amused, "Thanks."
Carlo's internal monologue persisted, his self-deprecating humor growing, "We just said that earlier..." He managed a faint chuckle, shaking his head at his own expense.
But Honey carried on, seemingly unaffected, "I bought some gifts. Would you like to eat it with me?"
The sudden invitation caught Carlo off guard. He stammered, "Eh... together?"
Her answer was clear, "Yes. I brought pasta. It would be so delicious."
Carlo's mind raced, grappling with the situation. "Eh? Where are you right now?" he asked, his heart thudding audibly.
"I'm headed towards the college research center. I'm almost there," Honey replied calmly.
Carlo's excitement shot through the roof. "I'll be there soon! Really, I'll be there soon, so wait, okay?" he blurted out, unable to contain his enthusiasm.
After hanging up the phone, he rushed to the door, almost bursting with anticipation. But a fleeting thought struck him, and he retraced his steps to the garbage can, retrieving the crumpled poster. A grin tugged at his lips as he contemplated a new plan, and with a renewed sense of purpose, he set off to meet Honey, his heart pounding in sync with his quickened steps.
☘
Carlo dashed through the corridors, a sense of urgency driving his steps as he made his way to the laboratory. Bursting into the room, he called out, "Honey...". But his eyes fell upon a figure seated in a chair. It was Evie, offering a playful greeting with a raised hand.
"Yo! It's been a while." Her eyes alight with mischief.
Nervousness suddenly took hold of Carlo, and he awkwardly concealed a poster behind his back. "E-Evie...!" he stammered, his surprise evident.
With an impish grin, Evie quipped, "Is it bad if I'm here?" Evie's mischievous smirk only added to his discomfort, as if she was relishing the moment.
Sighing deeply, Carlo realized his expectation of being alone with Honey was thwarted, adding a touch of humor to his exasperation.
Breaking the scene, Honey emerged from the kitchen donned in a pink apron and gloves, an electric stove in her grasp. "I called you guys out because I bought a lot of pasta," she announced cheerfully. Carlo leaned against the wall, his initial excitement deflating.
In walked Max, his sling bag slung over his shoulder. "What's going on?" Max inquired, attempting to beat the sweltering heat with a paper fan. Carlo's frustration grew, wondering if everyone had to be here at that moment. The room's tension seemed to affect Evie as well, her mind drifting back to a certain beach outing.
Carlo's exasperation deepened, and he couldn't help but voice his complaint. "What are you doing?" he questioned, feeling the heat and discomfort of the weather.
Max's casual reply came as he fanned himself, "I just came for the assignment."
Carlo's groan of frustration was audible as he lamented, "Man, you didn't really have to do that today, did you?"
The scene took an unexpected turn with Edward's entrance. Honey's demeanor shifted, her gaze avoiding Edward's presence much like Evie's. Edward's arrival was accompanied by a declaration of his appetite, "I'm hungry..." he pronounced, appearing as though he had just returned from work. Honey's nervousness became palpable, as if her heart skipped a beat.
His gaze immediately fixated on the bubbling stove on the table. "Oh God, you're granting me a meal, aren't you?" he mused with a smile, settling into a chair with the air of someone reaping a reward.
Carlo's irritation deepened at Edward's casual intrusion. "And even Edward came..." he mumbled with a sigh.
Honey's discomfort was palpable, her gaze avoiding Edward's. His appetite piqued, Edward asked, "What's all this?" Evie jumped in to explain, "Pasta. Honey bought it for everyone."
Amidst the chatter, a timer rang out, originating from Honey's hands. Yet, Honey seemed lost in her thoughts, her attention elsewhere. "Honey?" Evie inquired, attempting to pull her back to the present.
Several minutes passed, but still no response from Honey. Evie's concern grew. "Five minutes have passed," she noted, indicating the time elapsed. As if jolted back to reality, Honey refocused, resuming her task of cooking the pasta.
☘
Gathered around the table, their gazes fixated on the spread of food, the mood was a mixture of anticipation and amusement. Honey's voice carried a hint of regret as she spoke, "I'm sorry. I didn't think that all five of you would come." Her eyes shifted towards the corndogs she had prepared, realizing that only four pieces were available.
Evie's reassuring words came swiftly, "It's okay. There's nothing to apologize for, Honey."
Max chimed in with a playful suggestion, "Why don't we decide who doesn't get to eat?"
Carlo quickly interjected, "No, I think we should leave Honey out of this."
However, Edward had a different idea. He declared, "No! You're participating too."
Edward pulled out a stopwatch from his pocket, introducing an unexpected contest. "If you can stop this stopwatch precisely at ten seconds, you win. The farther you are from ten, the worse off you are," he explained.
Carlo's face lit up, and he stood up with renewed energy. "Seriously? I'm pretty skilled at this sort of thing," he boasted, earning curious looks from the group.
The room hushed, and all eyes were on Carlo, some amused by his peculiar hobbies. Honey's voice carried a note of sympathy, "I can't believe you do this when you're bored." Carlo was momentarily taken aback, raising an eyebrow in surprise.
Taking charge, Edward designated Carlo as the first participant. "Okay, Carlo, show us what you've got," he said, handing over the stopwatch.
Carlo grinned, "Watch and learn." Closing his eyes, he initiated the challenge. The room seemed to hold its breath as Carlo counted in his head, his determination palpable. His focus remained unwavering, his mind absorbed in the challenge.
With a triumphant flourish, Carlo stopped the stopwatch, his eyes gleaming with victory. "Ha! 9.99 seconds! Beat that!" he exclaimed, pride evident in his voice.
However, his triumph was short-lived as he shifted his attention to the group, realizing they were not as captivated by his feat as he had hoped. Their attention was diverted by the enticing aroma and taste of the food – the delectable red pasta and the irresistible corndogs. "Mmm, this is amazing!" they chorused, delight evident in their expressions.
Carlo's realization hit him like a punchline in a joke – he had been thoroughly distracted, and his victory had been rendered inconsequential. The corndogs, his coveted reward, were gone. A crestfallen expression crossed his face as he slumped back into his chair, muttering in mock despair, "This is beyond cruel."
Honey's generous offer hung in the air like a comforting breeze. "Carlo... Would you like half of mine?" Carlo's eyes widened like saucers, his astonishment clear as day. He sprang from his seat with an over-the-top expression of surprise, exclaiming, "Did you hear her?" He marched over to Honey, emphasizing his words with dramatic gestures. "What you all severely lack is this kindness."
With a flourish, he pointed dramatically at Honey, a mock-serious tone coloring his words. "I will take this corndog, okay?" he proclaimed with all the grandeur of a knight accepting a noble gift. Honey responded with a small, kind nod, her smile speaking volumes. Grinning from ear to ear, Carlo triumphantly claimed the offered corndog and pranced back to his seat, as if he'd just won a culinary contest.
Amidst the satisfying clatter of utensils and the symphony of chewing, the conversation took a turn, thanks to Max's playful prodding. "You know, it's been a while since the five of us got together," he observed, a mischievous twinkle in his eye.
Carlo, mouth half-full, turned to Max with genuine curiosity, asking, "Really?"
Evie, with her plate held aloft, chimed in, "Yeah, because everyone was busy with tests."
Max, perpetually chill even while eating, added, "The last time was probably when we went to the beach."
Yet, as the beach memory floated into the conversation, a subtle shift took place. Honey's and Evie's expressions changed, both momentarily transported to the shoreline. In the midst of their reverie, Edward playfully interjected, "Hey!" Leaning in closer to Honey, he continued with a cheeky grin, "If you're not paying attention, I'll lay one on you again!" A ripple of laughter followed, along with a collective glance of intrigue.
Amid the guffaws, Carlo suddenly panicked. He sprang from his seat and darted over to Edward, his voice revealing his anxiety. "E-E-Edward, what are you doing?" he blurted out, his words a mixture of surprise and concern.
Evie, her curiosity now at maximum levels, joined the chorus, "Huh? What does that mean?"
Carlo stammered, his nervousness apparent. "No, it's nothing."
Evie was having none of it, retorting, "I'm not asking you, Carlo."
Not one to be left in the dark, Max, ever the inquirer, couldn't resist jumping in. "Hey, what does 'I'll lay one on you again' mean?!" he asked with a mixture of innocence and curiosity.
"I'll lay one on you again!" Carlo chimed in a hilariously exaggerated, girly tone. He struck an exaggerated pose, one hand on his hip, the other extended with an outlandish flourish.
Carlo struck an utterly bizarre pose seemingly out of thin air. His antics were met with dropped jaws and bemused expressions all around. "This is really popular on a TV show," he explained, his voice taking on a dramatic, magical-girl tone as he mimicked the phrase. "If you're not paying attention, I'll lay one on you again!"
Max, never one to let an opportunity for a quip slide by, fired back with a grin, "You don't have a TV in your room, right?" Carlo's expression shifted from triumphant to vexed. "I saw it on a TV at the store," he protested, defending his unexpected source of inspiration. "Yeah, the 'I'll lay one on you again' you see on the big screen really has power."
Despite his impassioned argument, Max and Edward seemed to have moved on to a topic more interesting than Carlo's peculiar posturing. Mid-slurp, Max turned to Edward, his curiosity clear. "Edward, did you really kiss her?"
The atmosphere shifted in an instant, Carlo's face contorting as if he'd just been caught in a spotlight he wasn't ready for. He quickly intervened, blocking Edward from Max's prying gaze and pleading, "He didn't. Max, cut it out."
Edward, seemingly undeterred by Carlo's exasperation, calmly declared, "Carlo, I'm taking this." Without hesitation, he swiped the corndog from his plate, as if it were his reward for withstanding Carlo's antics.
Carlo's patience reached its limit, and he exploded with frustration, shouting at Edward, "Damn it, Edward! Cut it out already!"
Max, ever the observer, quipped, "Now he's pissed."
Just as the room was filled with the cacophony of their camaraderie, the kettle's shrill whistling pierced the air. Honey, who had been quietly observing, abruptly rose from her seat. "I'm leaving now," she announced, her voice carrying an air of urgency. However, her exit was far from graceful, as she stumbled and fell to the floor.
Evie, with her quick reflexes and genuine concern, sprang to her feet and reached out to help Honey up. "Honey, are you okay?" she inquired, worry etched on her features. But what captured their attention even more than Honey's fall was her expression—an unusual mix of discomfort, restlessness, and anxiety. Her eyes seemed to hold a depth of worry that none of them had ever witnessed before.
Without a moment's hesitation, Evie followed Honey out of the room, calling after her, "Honey?!" As the door swung shut behind them, Carlo couldn't shake the feeling that Honey was struggling with something much more profound than a simple stumble.
Edward's voice, a sly whisper, tickled Carlo's ear as he leaned in, uttering the words that sent shockwaves through Carlo's entire being. "So you like her?" Carlo snapped his head to Edward, eyes like saucers, caught utterly off guard by the sudden revelation. "What?" he stammered, trying to recover his composure.
Edward's grin was wickedly mischievous as he leaned in further, his voice carrying that secret-knowing tone. "So you like Honelyn Beaumont!" he proclaimed, the words dripping with playful accusation.
Carlo's heart raced; Panic edged into his voice as he attempted to defuse the situation, sidestepping Edward as if distance could erase the confession. "Hey, hey, what are you saying?"
Sliding in beside Max, Carlo reached for a cigarette, using it as a prop to steady his nerves. Max's casual remark landed like a punchline, confirming Edward's insight. "So Edward finally found out, too?" Max mused, his shoulder pat landing with a heavy dose of teasing.
Carlo felt like he was caught in a web of revelations, trapped with no way out. He mustered his best defense, denial. "Hey, don't say such weird things either, Max."
But Edward was relentless, his voice suddenly soaring in volume. "Hey! Honey!" The name reverberated around the room, drawing everyone's attention. Carlo's eyes widened in horror as he lunged at Edward, his frantic motions causing them both to tumble to the floor in a tangle of limbs and surprised grunts.
Acting on instinct, Carlo clamped his hand over Edward's mouth, his eyes wide with pleading desperation. His shout silenced in the clutch of his fingers, Edward's eyes danced with mischief behind Carlo's hand. This moment had become a chaotic, hilarious symphony of secrets and confessions, all set to the backdrop of Edward's booming call.