CHAPTER TEN

SAPPHIRE got out of her grandfather’s car.

“Miss Sapphire,” Alexander called. He got off the car abruptly and followed her. “Where are you going?”

She turned to him and beamed.

“I’m going back to Hapi.”

He held her by the arm and pulled her back, but she resisted.

“Miss Sapphire…” Alexander said in a stern voice. “Don Ignacio will get mad if—”

“Just tell him that I run away.” Sapphire pulled her arm and walked away fast. But after taking a few steps, she felt a pain in her right ankle.

She must have sprained it when she fell from the bleacher. Sapphire winced, but she still managed to walk, limping. She hid behind the bushes when she saw her grandfather walking towards the parking lot, then she changed her way. She took the back route to the infirmary building.

Hapi was walking through the corridor when she got there.

“Hapi!” she called.

She waved her hands on him when he turned in her direction. His brows were furrowed as he walked towards her.

“What are you doing here?” he asked nonchalantly.

“I came back, obviously,” she said with a grin.

“I know. But why did you come back here?”

Hapi looked around. He seemed to be looking for someone. Maybe he was checking if her grandfather was still around.

“Grandpa is gone, Hapi,” she told him.

He drew a breath and look at her. There was this emotion in his eyes that she could not name. But she was not brave enough to ask Hapi what that was. Maybe some other time…

“Sapphire…”

“Hmm?” She cocked her head to the side.

“Did you know that you should not go against your grandfather’s—”

“I may be his granddaughter, but I have my own mind. I will decide for myself. Nobody can’t stop me from doing what I know is right.” Sapphire heaved a sigh. “I don’t think it is wrong to come back to you. I will deal with my grandfather later. For now, I want to be with you.”

She stretched a hand to him. And she swore she felt like she was on cloud nine the moment their hands met. It might be simple, but it was equivalent to something more. Well, at least for her.

“So, where are we going now?” Hapi asked.

“I’m starving. Why don’t you treat me?”

He patted her head and smiled. “Okay.”

Hapi pulled her closer to him, and they started walking. But her sprained ankle made it difficult for Sapphire to match his pace. And Hapi must have noticed that. He stopped and looked at her.

“Is there a problem?”

Sapphire bent over and caressed her aching ankle.

“I…ah…I think I sprained my ankle. It’s—” She was not able to finish her sentence when Hapi suddenly crouched in front of her with his back facing her.

“Get on my back, Sapphire,” he said.

She felt her cheeks burn. The thought that their bodies would touch made her heart beat erratically.

“But…”

“I can’t let you walk with that sprained ankle. It will only get worst. Believe me, I am an athlete, so I know what to do.”

“O-okay.”

She got on his back carefully and hold on to his shoulders.

Sapphire was a bit overweight. She was sure that Hapi would find her heavy. Ah, from now on, she will go on a diet. She found the inspiration to do so.

“A-am I heavy?” she asked shyly as she buried her face on his back.

“Not really.” Hapi’s response made her a little embarrassed.

“I am sorry…”

“Don’t be sorry. You may be a little chubby, but you have the curves in the right places. I find it sexy, really.”

She almost choked with air when she heard him say that. Hapi was too good for her ego.

“How could you say that?” She bit his shoulder.

“Aww! That one hurts.”

“Are you hitting on me? Stop it. Servants don’t get to date their masters.”

“That’s stereotyping,” Hapi retorted.

“Is it?”

“And besides, what if I’m hitting on you? What if I date you?” He sounded like a kid.

“Your fangirls will get mad at you.”

“Just like you, no one can stop me. I will date who I want to date. And that’s you…”

Her heart was filled with joy. It was almost like a confession. But wait…wasn’t it really one? Or he already confessed his feeling for her yesterday? Ah, whatever! What matters now is that Hapi’s feelings and hers were mutual.

Waaaah!

Sapphire was feeling ecstatic. She had never felt that way before, just now. It was a beautiful feeling she will keep in her heart forever.

“Wait. Why are we here?” she asked Hapi when she noticed that he was walking across the pedestrian.

They were heading to the convenience store just across their campus.

“You said you’re hungry. And we also need ice for your sprained ankle.”

Hapi deposited her to a chair outside the convenience store when they arrived there. He went inside the store, and after a few minutes, he came back with food and an ice pack.

He put the food down on the table and pulled a chair. Hapi sat across Sapphire and beckoned her to put the injured foot above his lap. She did what she was told. Then he stuck the ice pack on her ankle.

“Eat,” Hapi said, pointing his mouth at the food on the table.

“How about you?” she asked.

“Don’t worry about me. I can eat a little later.”

She got the Hawaiian sandwich. But Sapphire did not have an idea that it was hot. So, she put it back to the tray in a rush and accidentally shoved the cup of juice with her arm. The cup stumbled, and the juice splashed on her lap.

“Oh, no!”

So much trouble for today, Sapphire!

Hapi opened his bag and handed her a towel. “Here…”

“Thanks.”

She tried to dry her jeans, but a mere towel could not do that.

“I have spare jogging pants in my car. You can change into that later,” he told her.

She sighed. What would she do without Hapi?