Chapter 5

"I prepare your packed lunch. You should eat more, you look sick." My mother pinch my cheeks.

"How about me?" Kuya pouted.

"You look shit." I laughed.

"Your word young lady." My father widened his eyes.

Kuya laughed and get his packed lunch. My mother handed me a paper bag with a lunch box inside, is it mine? I have mine already.

"I have a little letter in there, it's for Ciro." She whispered.

It's been a week since we last talk. My classmates says seniors are busy because of the basketball finals and also for their final exams. Maybe he's busy studying that's why he never visit our building.

"The photo booth is already set." Luna shouted.

"How about the other booths?" Zailia said, our class president.

"Everything's fine."

I put some cream on my knees while they're talking. They're making sure that the booths are ok for today's activity. I hope I can walk properly later, I don't want crutches while circling around the campus.

"Is it better now?" Luna asked.

"Yes maybe I can walk fine later, thank you for taking all of my responsibilities in the photo booth." I smiled.

"You're welcome, I'm happy that I helped you. Also, Kuya asked me to always keep you safe." He whispered the last line but I still clearly heard it.

"Kuya?"

"Yep Kuya Ciro, I thought you already noticed that my surname is also Privino." She said confused.

"I didn't, well he really asked you to do it?"

"Yes, he don't want you to get hurt. This is the first time he care for a girl." She said as she walked away.

The butterflies in my stomach starts to panicked, why the hell they're always happy when it comes to Ciro.

"Go eat your lunch everyone! Have a nice break." Zailia said.

"We'll have a nice break, how about you Zailia and Ponce when will you break up?" Innocently asked by Edward.

"Damn you!" Zailia laughed.

I grabbed my lunch box and the paper bag that my mother gave earlier. I wonder what's the letter in there. I walked towards the cafeteria. I suddenly remembered that I don't have his number, how can I call him to get his lunch?

I remembered someone text me weeks ago, maybe it's him. I'm starting to assume this again, what the hell.

To: Unknown Number Hey are you Ciro? Go to the cafeteria, I have something for you but if you're not can you text him instead?

We still have 20 minutes for lunch but I still do not move my food. I'm still waiting for him, damn go here big brat.

"Why is my baby girl frowning? Miss me already huh?" Someone shouted from behind.

I looked around and saw a lot of students looked at me. Some of them are whispering and some are trying to kill me with their eyes. Looks like the big brat came huh?

"You're noisy, annoying, late big brat." I sighed.

"And you're cute, seductive, frowning baby girl." He chuckled.

"I didn't know that I'm late. I just read your message a minute ago because I'm at our practice. I'm sorry." He pouted.

So it's he's number? He is really flirting with me.

"Have you eaten?" I asked as he wiped his sweat.

"Nah, I don't have time to eat." He said still wiping his sweat.

"Here, we still have 15 minutes to eat." I handed him the paper bag.

He confusedly get it from me and read the small letter inside. I wonder what my mother wrote there.

I opened my lunch box when I saw him opening his. The aroma of the food lingers on my nose, it's fried chicken and chopseuy.

"Your mother is so sweet."

"Yes, she is adorable." I added.

We cleaned what we ate and he handed me his water.

"You already drink here. Your saliva is here." I said giving his water bottle back.

"What do you want? Buy another or drink there? Learn to save money baby girl and we're late for the junior booths." He said giving his water bottle to me.

I sighed accepting my defeat. What do you call thing? An indirect kiss? Damn.

He held my waist and we went to the junior booths. Everyone is looking at me like I did a crime. I hide my face with my hand.

"What are you doing?" He held my hand.

"They're trying to kill me with their stares, my gosh. Look!" I pointed the group of girls using my mouth.

"They just envy you because you own a Privino. They always did that thing whenever my cousins have a girlfriend." He sighed.

"I didn't own you." I whispered.

"I'm already yours since the day that our eyes meet." He chuckled.

"Stop flirting with me big brat."

"I'm just telling the truth baby girl."

"Hey you two! Come here, photo boothy thingy!" Edward grabbed my hand.

I laughed as he chanted the photo boothy thingy, he's adorable. Ciro just followed us looking at me intensely, what's his problem?

"3 photos, you can pick anything in the box." Luna smiled.

I saw her smiling at Ciro, they were talking using signals from their hands.

"Let's take a fierce photo." I said.

I closed my eyes when the flash reached my eyes, damn that's a sleeping fierce.

I put a Mickey Mouse headband on him and a Minnie Mouse headband on my head.

"I look like gay." He protested.

Before he could take off the headband the flash already reached us. Damn that is good! I'm going to give Edward a really nice gift.

"I'm going to choose something this time." He sighed.

I'm waiting for him to choose something but instead he held my waist and make my hand hold his.

"C’mon click the camera!" He shouted.

"That's it Ma'am Sir! I'll give you two copies at the end of the day." Luna smiled.

We are about to go to the karaoke booth when a group of girls walk towards us.

"Can we have a picture together?" They said.

Ciro was about to say no when I smiled at the girls and nodded my head. Ciro looked at me with his bloodshot eyes, I just rubbed his hand to calm him.

"Ate can you take a picture of us?" The tall girl handed me her camera.

"Why do you have to call her ate? She's a little piece of shit." The braided girl said.

"I don't want to take a photo with you." Ciro held my waist.

"I'm sorry Ciro, it's a joke." The girl grabbed Ciro's hand.

"I don't care if it's a joke or not. She's not a little piece of shit. She may be a year younger than you but her mind is more mature." Ciro said as he pulled me towards the karaoke booth.

His ears are red, his face also.

"Are you ok?" I asked.

"I'm not, they call you little piece of shit. They look like shit, they smell like shit."

I laughed when I heard him sighed. What a cute little brat huh?

"You know what they used to call Kuya Tristan back then because he's always pissed?"

"What?"

"Choda, you are a certified choda too." I laughed.

"Hmm a have a question." He said while picking a song.

"What is it?"

"Am I still handsome even if I'm pissed?" He chuckled.

"What the hell was that for?" I laughed.

"Tell me I still look good." He said seriously.

"Yeah, you are still absolutely handsome big brat." I laughed.

"How much is one song?"

"A dollar."

"What? That cost too much." I protested.

"Shh, sit down there and watch me." He chuckled.

I wanna follow where she goes~

I think about her and she knows it~

I wanna let her take control~

Cause every time that she gets close, yeah~

She pulls me in enough to keep me guessing~

And maybe I should stop and start confessing~

Confessing, yeah~

He sang like he owns the stage. He's doing this concert thingy that made a lot of head turns. His voice was as perfect as Shawn Mendes that makes all the girls go crazy.

Oh, I've been shaking~

I love it when you go crazy~

You take all my inhibitions~

Baby girl, there's nothing holding me back~

You take me places~

That fear up my reputation~

Manipulate my decisions~

Baby, there's nothing holding me back~

There's nothing holding ne back~

A smile plastered on my face when she walk towards me and held my waist. Everybody looks like they envy me. I'm this little piece of shit with the handsome prince.

"That was great, I didn't know you were good at singing." I praised him.

"Chill, it's just me." He chuckled.

"You're going to watch our game later right?" He asked me while ordering some food.

"Yes, I'll cheer for you too but I don't have a banner."

"It's ok as long as you're there."

"Let's make a deal, if we win you'll need to do my wish."

"Deal as long as it's not dirty things you big brat." I laughed.

"It's not, I'm an angel." He joked.

We went to the basketball court and he excused himself for the practice. I sat there quietly while eating my ice cream. It's been a while since we met but I appreciate his looks more now. He's perfect eyes, a fair skin tone, broad shoulders, clenching jaw and a jolly personality. How could you stop falling for this guy huh?

"Hi little girl." A girl sat beside me.

"Uh hi."

"What's the score between you and Ciro?" She asked.

Why she even care? What's the score between us? I don't even know too. Are we lovers? But we don't have a label. Are we just friends?

"We're just friends." I said.

"Oh I see."

"The game will start! Medicine department vs. Law Department!" The announcer announced.

The whole court was filled with catastrophic noises. They are screaming their lungs out, Ciro looked at me and smiled, a lot of girls scream when they saw that.

"GO CIRO! GO CIRO!" I cheered.

"You're too loud, you might distract him Ciro don't like that." The girl beside me said.

"Oh, I'm sorry." I sat down.

"Can you please do me a favor? You're being a burden to him. Looks like he's babysitting." She said looking at me from head to toe.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to—"

"He likes tall girls with big boobs and big butts. You don't have any of that. Don't fall for him because he don't like you, you're just assuming things." She smirked.

I was about to walked away when I heard the announcer shouted.

"For this year champion we have the Medicine Department!"

In the middle if the noise I still heard her voice.

"By the way I'm Izza Privino, her sister." She said before walking away.

I ignored her and looked for Ciro in the ocean of people. I felt a vibration in my pants, maybe someone texted me.

From: Unknown number At the parking area, in my car.

I grabbed my bag and hurriedly ran towards the parking. I saw a white car, it's his car for sure. I knocked on the window and I opened the door.

"Hey, why are you sad?"

"We lose." He smiled.

I felt the sadness enveloping him that's why I gave him a hug.

"It's ok, you can do better next time." I comforted him.

"We lose and that's why you will not grant my wish." He frowned.

"What's your wish?" I asked, maybe I can give it to him.

"I want to court you Selena." He said seriously.

I seem to have choked on what he said. I was about to say yes when I remembered what her sister said. I'm not his type, he's just babysitting me.

"I don't think that would work. Like why me? I'm younger than you, I don't have big butt or big boobs—"

"Shh, I don't need big butt or big boobs. Damn who told you that?" He laughed.

"But I'm younger—"

"Younger girl is always better baby girl. Don't overthink it, can I court you?"

I blinked twice and looked at him. Is he really serious? My heart beats faster than it is usually does, my knees are trembling and my soul is shaking.

"Silence means yes." He said.

"Yes Ciro, silence means yes."