I still looked the same when I got back to the room. But why can't I get Drake's image out of my head earlier? That... that look... Argh!! Disturbing thoughts!!! I'm way too young to be having perverted thoughts!!!
"You look like a red beet," Aya said to me. "What happened to your face?"
Should I tell her about the pornographic image I accidentally saw?? Of course not!!! If I do, I'm sure by tomorrow the whole of St. Claire's High will know!! And if that happens, I'm doomed!! Drake has so many fan club members!
"Uh, allergy. I accidentally ate an apple," I said as an excuse.
"Ahh. But why would you eat one? You know you're allergic. Tsk," she said, pulling me toward the classroom. "Let's go in. There's a grouping activity in English."
So yeah, Aya dragged me back to class. Good thing we were excused earlier—there was a quiz in Physics. I dodged a bullet! Yahoo!! I guess something good came out of being locked in the SC room with Drake.
"...so that's basically it. Anyway, class, you may group yourselves into three. You can choose your own groupmates. You're all grown-ups, so I presume I don't need to assign you one by one. Be wise in choosing because you'll stick with them until the end of the first grading,"
Ms. Clarise announced. Sigh. Who should I group with?
I looked around—almost everyone already had a group. Why am I always such a loner?? Is it my fault I have slanted eyes and look mean?? I am nice!!!
"Psst." I looked to my side.
"Let's be partners," Aya said.
"Well, of course," I replied. Oh my gulay!! What's going to happen to the two of us when we're both F-lovers (since we often get F marks on exams)?
"Don't worry, Besh. We'll pass," she said.
"Huh?"
"He's going to save us," she said, pointing at Drake, who was sleeping peacefully.
"Aya, come on!!!" I said.
"Oh, stop being so dramatic, Besh. Drake will guide us to the promised land. Don't you need good grades?"
Here we go again. Aya's blackmailing me. It's probably because she knows I'm desperate to raise my grades since I want to get into St. Claire's Academy!! That's where Sheen, my love, will be studying... Of course I have to follow him! Hehehe!
"All good? Good, then! Don't worry, we'll definitely get an A in English!! Isn't Drake rumored to have a straight-A record?"
Of course he is. He's a genius!! Hmph. Why did he even transfer here in the first place if his grades were already great?!
"Fine," I said.
"Yes!!!" Aya exclaimed and did a victory dance. Nutcase.
Then she sat down and listed our names on a quarter sheet of paper. "Hey, shouldn't we ask Drake if he's okay with this?"
"Sure, wait a sec." Then, without stopping her writing, she looked at Drake and said, "Psst, we're partners in English, okay?"
Once she was done writing, she added, "Silence means yes. He said yes, Alys. We're partners," with a mischievous grin.
Please remind me again why I'm even friends with this girl???
The next day...
"You're unbelievable, Alys!! Are you even really my best friend??" Aya asked me.
Why? Because of this:
Flashback...
"It's Saturday, Aya. Why are you disturbing me again?" I asked her. I was sleeping peacefully in my room with the AC on full blast, and then she suddenly started jumping on my bed?
"Good morning, sunshine!!" she said, jumping even harder.
"What do you want now??"
"We have plans today, hurry up!!"
??
Plans? Did we make any plans?? Why don't I remember anything?
"Don't bother trying to remember because we didn't plan anything!! I planned it! Hihi," she said.
"I-don't-want-to-go," I mumbled, pulling the blanket over my head.
"Come on, Besh," she said, shaking me. "I already told Tito Steve we were coming..."
I immediately sat up in bed.
"You told him what??"
"I told him we'd be having lunch at their place for a group project."
"What?? But that's not until next week!"
We had an English project coming up—a book review. But Ms. Clarise hadn't even assigned the book yet!
"Early bird gets the worm, Alys. We have to brainstorm ahead of time!!"
Seriously. What is there to brainstorm for a book review?
But since she was being so annoyingly persistent, I had no choice but to get dressed. What other choice did I have? She already told Mom and Dad! She even had my outfit ready!!
---
At Drake's house...
"Wow. Their garden is beautiful!" Aya said when we entered their gate.
Right past the gate was the garden. It was huge—full of roses. I wonder...
Did Mrs. Katrina tend to all this?
We were walking down the pathway. It was a long walk. =___=
I saw Aya waving. "Tito Steve!!"
And Tito Steve waved back. Wait—they're close??
---
Aya's Point of View
I saw Tito Steve and waved. "Tito Steve!!"
He waved back.
You're probably wondering how we got so close. Mwahaha.
Flashback...
"Tito Steve!!"
I was standing outside Drake's house. Hehehe. This is how determined I am to matchmake Drake and Alys. There's no way I'll let my best friend end up with that crybaby Sheen!!
"Oh, you're Aya, right?" Uncle Steve asked, slightly confused.
"Hehe. Yes, I'm Aya," I said shyly. Gotta act demure. Mwahaha!
"Come in. What are you doing outside our house? Are you looking for Drake?"
"Oh no," I replied with a few dramatic hand gestures. "I'm actually here because I have something to tell you..."
Tito Steve looked curious. "What is it?"
I took a deep, deep breath. This is it, Aya!! Aya!!
"Well, you see... Alys and Drake are dating, right?" I said as he nodded along. "And since your son is always so cold to her... Alys has been feeling really sad. She keeps wondering why Drake is always mad at her... You should've seen her last night, Tito. She couldn't stop crying..."
Tito Steve looked very serious. Sorry, Tito!! These are just white lies!! Once they fall in love, everybody wins. No more Katrina the cradle-snatcher!!! Mwahaha!!
"Tell Alys I'm sorry about my son... I don't know what's wrong with that kid. Maybe his mom was angry all throughout her pregnancy," he joked.
"It's okay, Tito. I'm used to your son," I said. "But... maybe we can help them out... Like... matchmake them?"
Tito Steve smiled. "Sure! I just want to see that boy happy. He always looks grumpy. Even I get scared of him sometimes. Tsk."
"Awesome!! So, we're official cupids?"
We shook hands. "Deal."
---
Back to Present
So yeah, that's what happened. Mwahaha!! Brace yourself, Alys Perez.
---
Alys' Point of View
"Come on in, I'll go wake up that kid," Tito Steve said.
We entered their house. While we waited, Mrs. Katrina suddenly came out of the kitchen carrying juice. She saw us, and I smiled awkwardly. Aya rolled her eyes. That girl is something else!!
"Are you looking for Aki?" she asked as she handed us the drinks.
"Huh?"
"Sorry, I mean Drake. Are you looking for him?"
I just nodded. Hmmm. So she calls him Aki. One more point for you, Katrina!! You cradle-snatching pedo!!
"Alys, Aya, give him a minute—he's still taking a shower. Gotta look good for his girlfriend," Tito Steve said teasingly.
I choked on my drink. Almost spit it out!!!
"Don't be shy, Alys. Tito Steve totally approves of you, right Tito?"
"Of course. She's already my daughter-in-law, isn't she, Katrina?"
"Ah-uh, yes," Mrs. Katrina replied, looking uneasy. Hmm. Is the pretty lady jealous of me??? I am gorgeous!!! Woohoo!!
After that, we just chatted. Turns out, Tito Steve and Katrina met at school. She used to be a teacher at Drake's old school!! A student-teacher romance?! Apparently, she had just graduated when she started teaching Economics. She's 21 now. They met at the end of the second grading period last year and got together before the third started. And now they're getting married this coming October!
"Oh, there's your boyfriend, Alys," Tito Steve teased. He's like a teenager!
I blushed—not because I was giddy!! But because every time I see Drake, I remember his abs...
"My son's already your boyfriend, and you're still blushing. He really is handsome," Tito Steve said as he put his arm around Drake. Drake quickly brushed it off. Jeez!! They look more like brothers!!
After that, Drake just looked at us. There it is again—that look. (._.)
"Ah, Katrina, can you get the files I need to sign?" Tito Steve asked. She went upstairs to get them. "I'll just take Aya with me for a second, Alys. I need to show her something. You two lovebirds talk," he said as he walked off with Aya.
Is it just me or did they really plan to leave us alone??? And why is Drake looking at me like that again???? Mommy, Daddy, help!!!