Chapter 4: Chapter 4: Cheese Franks
[Lance POV]
You might be wondering if I'm really blanking out when these flashbacks occur. Well, the answer is yes. I do blank out a lot.
Chris was poking me in my chest near my shoulder. He was holding a paper bag from the convenience store.
He's back with that smile that makes his eyes nearly invisible.
I gave him a confused look.
"You're favorite," he spoke.
"What?" I asked.
"Why are you not texting me! Where were you!" he asked annoyingly.
"My phone broke; I forgot your number," I replied shyly.
"Why didn't you ask?" He questioned.
"I was embarrassed."
"Embarrassed? Ok never mind. I forgive you." He said with another big smile.
See! He is annoying!
I looked at what's inside the bag. Whoa, I missed this!
Before I proceed, I can never eat this again without thinking of him. He gave this to me one time, during our class and made the whole campus talk about us for an entire month. Imagine how hard it is to handle everyone's gossip and bear all his fangirls' hate.
It happened just a month ago, during our health class.
~~~
If you are thinking about what health class is. Well, all you need to know is that it sucks! The entire lesson was about nonsense topics I cannot even comprehend. Not because it's hard, I'm kind of good at class. It's just too boring. I received a message. It was from him. We've been texting for a few days already, we talked a lot, even longer than my best friends. I felt something quite odd about this guy. He asks when I'm awake or when I'm asleep. Not a single day will pass that he won't chat with me or anything. He asks me about everything, tells me goodnights, if I have already eaten.... and many more.
Right now, I received a text.
"Lance, have you eaten?"
"No, why? Shouldn't you be in class?" I typed.
"The professor didn't come. Why didn't you eat?" he asked again.
"I woke up late. I have no chance to do so." I replied.
"Oh ok."
I thought it ended there.
The lecture continued. It won't be done for at least an hour. The professor talked about health policies I didn't even understand. Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. The professor opened it.
It was Chris! Eff'n Chris! What is he doing here? He shouldn't be here. Now all the girls in class swooned. Now, they're giggling!
"Ma'am, can I excuse Lance for a moment?" He asked.
Everyone seems to be gossiping. They eyed me with curious looks. How can this weird boy be friends with the school's varsity heartthrob? I looked at my friends with a confused look.
"Why is he looking for me?" I mouthed to Mark who is also a friend of Chris. Mark just shrugged and continued grinning.
I have no choice. I went to the door with all eyes on me.
Finally, I closed the door behind me.
Chris pushed a paper bag towards me.
"What's this?" I asked.
"Your food?" he answered.
"Why did you buy me?"
"You're hungry! You should eat it. And it's Ms. Wendy, she allows students to eat."
"Does she? Ah... well thanks I guess"
"No. See me later. You need to treat me."
"Okay!" I obliged.
What is he thinking?
I entered the room holding the paper bag and... stupid Lance! I never thought of what my classmates would think. Who comes entering a room with food from just a friend?
Then every one of my classmates went to tease me with their "YIEEEEEEEEEEE!", shouting and giggling.
"Lance got himself a boyfriend!" John, one of my friends shouted in the room which earned him a scary glance from Ms. Wendy.
"Hey, Lance already has a boyfriend?" John tells Mark.
At that time... I wish that the ground can just swallow me whole. We are not dating at all! But that didn't stop everyone's curiosity some were happy about it while others were quickly disapproving. The news quickly spread around the campus. All his fangirls were surely mad at me. But why do they even think that someone is dating someone just because of delivering food in the classroom? Or perhaps, he really doesn't do it for anyone just as what his fangirls say.
Later that day. I thought I could sneak and go back to the dorm fast. I need to. I don't need any baseless rumors again. But, no! He was waiting outside our classroom, and he quickly stopped me as I was running out fast. I bumped into his chest.
"How did you know I like cheese franks?" that's the first thing I said.
"I saw your tweet," he replied.
"Oh... ok." I never should tweet about anything. Does he stalk me on Twitter?
"So where do we go?"
"Your choice." He spoke.
"Uhmm, Moon Café?"
"Fine." He said with a smile.
So, we went to the cafe. It was a beautiful place with a great ambiance. A lot of students come here to study for their lessons. It has a very cozy and comfortable feeling. And the air is filled with the smell of coffee being brewed. I always love the smell of brewing coffee; it is the best smell on Earth. I feel sad that I can't drink that much coffee without having heart palpitations.
Everyone was looking at us. Gossiping! The girls threw me piercing looks. Some of them kept on admiring Chris. Some boys are a little bit curious too. Even the baristas on the counter are a little mesmerized. I ordered a caramel macchiato, I need coffee these days to finish our research, I just hope I can handle it. He ordered a dark chocolate frappe. Then I added one blueberry cheesecake and a tasty-looking cake. I went to pay, he immediately stopped me.
"No! It's my treat!" He spoke.
"What? I thought I'll be the one treating you?" I asked.
"Well, I can't let you pay on our first date."
He said that! Gosh, he said that! And with a wink! I hate this guy!
I swear there were lots of shouting from the girls at the back. Why are they even listening? This is turning into that tropey BL novel I've just been reading. How did they hear it? Although he whispered it and it was barely audible, these girls have big ears. The barista just shook his head as if he's tired of all this corniness. Well, me too, sir. This Chris! We went to a table and sat. I still won't look at him.
"Are you mad at me? I was just playing! Please don't hate me," he said with a pout.
I gave him a fake sarcastic smile.
Our names were called. I went up but he said that he'll get both of our drinks.
He sat and started sipping his coffee.
"Everyone talked about us today." He said.
"Yes, I guess so, why did you bring me food in class," I asked.
"Well, I can't let you go hungry, can I?" He replied.
"But… they… thought we were…" I asked nervously.
"What? Together?" He said the word I am too shy to say.
"So, what, let's make it real," he said.
I was speechless and can't bear to speak another world. All the people watching us with hyena-like eyes waited for my reply, but I can't speak. I quickly sipped my drink and choke on it.
Chris laughed.
"I am just playing," he said.
Good grief. I can finally breathe again.
"Thank you though…" I said quietly while looking down. "I really enjoyed the food."
"Then, I'm glad," he said reassuringly.
Our coffees were half-finished, and everyone was taking photos of us but he just keeps on smiling at me and telling me all sorts of different stories. He is a really nice guy and easy to be with. He makes me feel comfortable except when he suddenly decides to tease me with his flirty attitude. I can feel how he cares about me. And I think that he's used to people going after his personal affairs. He's a popular guy among the girls or even boys, he is their crush and idol. He just doesn't care about the world and what they think. I wanted to be like him. I wish I can be brave and direct about my feeling.
And as if anything worse can still happen today. He kissed me.
No, I'm just kidding, got you!
He got a piece of the blueberry cake. And he put it in front of my face.
"What?" I asked.
"Say aaahhhhh." he said.
"Ahhhhh," I quickly obeyed.
And he stuffed it inside my mouth! I had no choice but to eat it.
What the hell just happened? Stupid Lance! Why did I do that? Why did I involuntarily open my mouth? That's normal, isn't it? You say 'Ahhh' when someone tells you to do so. Completely normal, that's just my reflex. I told you I blank out a lot.
You can just imagine everyone's reaction. I still can't explain it, even to myself. They got everything recorded. They kept talking about us even after we left. He went with me until I got to my apartment. He insisted.
"Thanks, Chris. Take care."
"Bye Lance! Chat me." He shouted as I was going in.
And that night we were trending all over social media. We're the content of almost every tweet from every senior high student on campus. Chris chatted with me and said that he's sorry for causing me trouble. I said that it doesn't matter and that it's fine. But the problem is, I have nine private messages from my friends. How can I explain it to them without them teasing me?
"Hey, are you with Chris?" That was Mark's chat.
"Ey Lance, Chris likes you. He told me Hahahahah." That was Peter, he also belongs to the same varsity team.
"Chris?!" I guess you already know John, he was that annoying one in the classroom but also a good friend of mine.
"Lance, is it real? He's my crush but I still ship you two," Mel chatted, he was the kind girl from the team.
I don't care what people will say but my friends will tease me with him every time. Everything will just become so awkward.
And that's the most memorable day of my first semester in senior high school. The talks and gossips lasted for at least a month. People will suddenly giggle when they see me and point at me. I just shrug it off and quickly run to where I need to be. Chris will catch me every now and then. Bring me the same food in the classroom. We frequently went to the café. And he always texts me asking me what I'm doing and never forgets to greet me with a good morning and a goodnight.
I honestly don't know if he's interested in me. It is still unclear what I feel about him. But he was never rushing. He always makes me comfortable, jokes every now and then but would quickly break the ice when he sees I'm embarrassed or shy. No one really bullied me after the campus thought we were dating. That's what they actually thought and believed, that we were dating.
After that, we became close, closer.
~~~
"Hey, Lance! What's happening to you?" Chris snapped me out of my imaginations.
"Oh." I was looking at the cheese franks for too long. "Well, I just missed this. Let's go to the assembly now?"
He nodded and then said a few words that warmed my heart.
"I missed you too."
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