CHAPTER ELEVEN
SAPPHIRE woke up to the buzzing sound of her phone on the bedside table. She rolled to the other side of the bed and reached for her phone. Hapi’s name flashed on her phone’s screen, which awakened her senses.
“Oh my, gosh!” she mumbled as she sat up. “Why is he calling me so early in the morning?” But she knew very well that there is only one way to find out. So, she answered his call. “Hapi…”
“Good morning, Sapphire. How are you?” Even his morning voice sounded so good.
“I’m fine now,” she replied shyly.
A week had passed since she sprained her ankle. Since then, Hapi will call her every morning and every night to check on her. Sapphire asked him one time why he was doing that, and he told her that he felt responsible for what happened.
“How’s your ankle?”
“It’s completely healed now. I can go to school again.”
“I’m glad to hear that. See you later, Sapphire…”
“Hm…see you later, Hapi.”
The call ended.
Sapphire left her bed and start preparing for school.
Her mother was waiting for her in the living room when she was about to leave for school. She sauntered towards her mother and kissed her on the cheek.
“Are you going to school riding your bicycle?” her mother asked worriedly.
“Of course.” She beamed.
“Sapphire…” Her mother heaved a sigh.
“What’s with that sigh, Mama?” She crouched in front of her mother.
“I am afraid that you might hurt your foot again.”
“I’ll be careful. I promise,” Sapphire said as she raised her hand.
Her mother patted her cheek. “If only I could drop you at school to make sure you are safe.”
“Mama…I’m already old enough. I’m in college now.” She stood up. “I have to go.”
SHE JUST got off her bicycle when her phone vibrated inside her pocket. A smile curved on her lips upon seeing Hapi’s name on the screen again. He just sent her a message. Sapphire tapped it to open.
Hi! I know your ankle had just recovered from a sprain. But since you’re still my servant, I’d like to ask if you could buy me a cup of iced caramel macchiato. Ah, me and my cravings.
Hapi and his cravings made her laugh. He was like a girl on her period, craving something that could lift her mood.
One iced caramel macchiato, coming up!
She hit send.
Sapphire headed to the coffee shop inside their campus to buy him coffee.
It was only nine in the morning, but the coffee shop was already full of students who converted the shop into a study hall.
“Be careful! Be careful! God, Tomi! If you break the light just like what you did last time on our branch in Empire Ville, our friendship is over!”
Sapphire glanced at a table near the counter and saw Hapi’s basketball team. She knew their faces, but she had a hard time memorizing their names. She thought it was just a waste of time when all she ever wanted to know was Hapi.
“Stop using our friendship. If you wanna end it, then do it,” one of the boys said lazily.
She shook her head. If only her friends would see them like that, they would surely lose interest in them. Handsome but weird fits each one of the Warlords. Well, Hapi was an exemption because, in Sapphire’s eyes, he was almost perfect.
She stepped forward.
“Hi!” the barista greeted cheerfully. “What’s your order?”
“One Eiffel iced caramel macchiato, to go.”
“Any additional order?”
Sapphire shook her head and pulled out her card for payment. She sauntered to the waiting area after her payment was processed. And then there was this force that pulled her head to turn in the direction of that table near the counter and found Hapi’s friends looking at her.
She did not know what was on their minds, but the way they stared at her made her cheeks burn.
“Here’s your iced caramel macchiato.”
“Oh, thank you.” Sapphire grabbed the cup.
She was walking out of the coffee shop when she heard one of The Warlords speak.
“I told you, guys. It’s Hapi’s girl. That’s the same perfume that I’ve smelled in his office.”
“Oh, right! That girl who came to Hapi last time!” said the other boy.
“Is she the same girl that Hapi carried to the infirmary?”
Sapphire shifted her gaze to each one of them. Ah…these boys’ audacity to gossip about her just like that when she was literally in front of them.
“Hey, I saw her first, okay,” said the one with the most familiar face. “She’s the girl who made my twin brother’s blood boil. Remember me?” He sauntered towards her. “The parking lot incident?”
She blinked. “Ah…”
“Hi, I’m Pierre Wienston Collins. And yes, I’m hitting on you.” He stretched out a hand. “You would not regret making me your boyfriend. Aside from the fact that I’m handsome, I’m rich too.”
“You’re scaring her, Dude,” one of his friends said.
Instead of accepting his hand, Sapphire narrowed her eyes on him.
“Why don’t you step aside and let me pass through? You’re blocking my way,” she said coldly.
“You heard that, Piewie?” said the one who was hugging a ball.
His friends teased him in unison. Now, everyone inside the coffee shop was looking in their direction.
Sapphire bit her lower lip. Why did they have to be there of all places? She hated being the center of attention. People’s stare always made her feel embarrassed.
Dear ground, swallow me now…
“I was wondering what’s taking you so long.”
Piewie moved to the side to give way to Hapi, who just entered the coffee shop. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and got the cup from her hand. He casually took a sip of his iced caramel macchiato as his eyes wandered.
“What did they do to you, Sapphire?” he asked afterwards.
But her mind was already wandering far from reality. Their closeness created havoc all throughout her system. Suddenly, everyone around disappeared from her vision.
“Sapphire…”
How long would it take before her feet lifted from the ground?
“Sabrina Phire Rosales.” She was pulled out of her reverie when Hapi pinched the tip of her nose. “Sapphire, are you with me?”
“W-what?” She touched the sides of her mouth, checking for drool. It would be such an embarrassment if she drooled over Hapi in front of his friends.
“Nothing. Never mind.”
Sapphire checked her wristwatch and cussed silently after seeing the time.
“Darn! I’m late for my class!”
She stormed out of the coffee shop.