04

"Do you have anything to do right now?"

I nodded at his question, I will help mama as I usually do when there is no class.

"You?" I asked.

His eyes widened, eventually he grinned.

"You are very interested in my life." He said and laughed.

"You too... you are very interested in my life." I raised an eyebrow, teasing him.

He was stunned by what I said and bit his lip. I looked at him, but I also immediately avoided looking.

"I’ll just wander around the market, I didn’t go with Alexa's horse riding anymore, I'm lazy."

"You’re going for a walk... in the market?" I asked then laughed. I could feel him looking at me.

I can not believe what he’s saying, in all places he thought of the market. I don’t know what’s in the market and why that’s what he wants.

"Why? It's good in the market!" He defended. I shook my head.

"I don't know where’s the beauty in the market." I said laughing. "It smells fishy and noisy."

"I want it."

I stopped arguing because he insisted that the market is really good.

"I'll leave you here." I said and went inside the market first.

"Wait up, Joy!" I turned to him when I heard him shout my name.

"Why?"

"When you have nothing to do, what do you usually do?"

I thought about his question, I don’t know if I have time to do anything. When I want to be alone, I just stay in the sea near our house. I shrugged.

"I don't know... but when I have time I always go to the sea... spending some time." I answered, he nodded.

"Ah... all right, go to your mom. She might be waiting for you."

I left and did not speak anymore, I also don’t know what to say. Should I tell him to be careful when he goes home? I was shaken by my thought. He’s not yet going home so I won't say that.

At the height of the second grading examination, everyone was busy reviewing in the room when I entered, while others were busy gossiping about things. I just closed my eyes to remember what I learned last night and I occasionally open the notebook and study again.

"Hi, good morning." Syrien greeted me when he arrived, he sat next to me, he was still holding his ipad. "Did you review?"

"Yes, last night."

"I hope the exam is easy, I don't want to have a failing grade."

"Who wants that though?" He laughed at my question.

During the previous grading, the exam was relatively easy, probably because it was just starting. My grades were high, which is why I was included at the top of the whole school. I don't know if I will be included now because our lesson in the last few days is kind of hard.

Syrien and I reviewed the Filipino subject, he’s having a hard time with that subject because he could not understand much Tagalog. That was only for a moment, because it’s easy to teach him so I didn't have any trouble.

My classmates were silent when a student from another section went to our room, she went to my way and without saying a word and grabbed my hair.

"You! You're a flirt! You're flirting with Sirius!" I closed my eyes in pain when she tweaks my hair, I tried to remove her hand that is clinging to my hair but it’s too tight. I’m already crying in pain.

"Shut up! Stay away from him! I've been holding back for a long time!"

I heard Dave begging the girl, I didn't know Sirius has a girlfriend! He should have said to her that he’s making me do his activities and assignments to enlighten his girlfriend!

"Girl, Joy is hurting!" Dave shouted.

The grip on my hair was removed when Syrien helped remove it. I fixed my hair.

"I did not flirt with him and I never intended to. He makes me do his assignments and activities and he pays me money." I said calmly. "If you are annoyed, please just tell your boyfriend to do his own school work."

She calmed down and stopped from rushing to me. Dave released him as well.

"You're a flirt." That's all she said when she left the room.

I drank water to somehow calm down. I just continued reviewing, I forgot what I learned last night when she pulled my hair.

Sirius did not mention that he had a girlfriend, or did he tell me that? Maybe, I hope he told her so that his girlfriend won’t suspect me. To also avoid trouble.

"Are you alright?" Dave asked.

"Does it look like I am?" He laughed at me.

When the teacher arrived, the questionnaires were immediately distributed. Fortunately, it took a long time, because I will definitely be sent to the guidance office even if I  did nothing wrong.

"If I’ll know her name, I'll send her--"

"Don't, Dave. You won't get anything if you sent her to the guidance, you're just wasting time."

"At least she’ll have a bad record at school, when she graduates or she won’t get good morale at school to pass her application requirements to the university she wants."

"Let it go, as you said. You are just blocking her dream."

"Does she look like she has a dream--"

"Lopez, Benencio stop talking." We were stunned by the conversation when the teacher confronted us. There is an exam.

Dave nodded. I grabbed my ballpen and started answering. We also wasted a few minutes in our conversation. I might not finish answering in time.

The next day I arrived late because of a headache, I wasn’t able to take one exam so I will definitely go home late. I saw Dave with a bruise on his face, when I looked at it he avoided his face. I do not know why I did not say anything and just touched and squeezed the part with bruises. He flinched.

The teacher left the room to get the next exam. I did not bother to review myself because I reviewed last night, I am not very confident today. Not like the first exam.

"It hurts... don't squeeze." He said, while closing his eyes.

"What do you get out of fighting, Dave." I preached. I let go of the touch on his face. "Let's go to the clinic later, I'll treat you--"

"No need."

Syrien gave me some ointment, I accepted it and I poked Dave. He frowned at me.

I opened the ointment and put a little on my finger to put it in his swollen cheek. Dave was stunned and his eyes widened, though he did not forbid me to do that.

I did not put the ointment on the side of his eye even though he also has a bruise on it because he might not be able to open his eyes to the minty of the ointment.

"I don't know if the swelling will heal, but it will somehow reduce the pain."

"It only hurts when touched."

"At least it hurts."

When I finished applying the ointment to the bruise, I returned the ointment to Syrien. 

"Thank you."

Dave looked at me, I just shook my head and took the ballpen. A few minutes later the teacher arrived as well.

I did not go to the canteen during recess because I have a bag of biscuits in my bag. Dave went down, with Syrien. Syrien even hesitated to go with Dave but when he asked him to go, he did.

They both look fine, I don't know why Dave is so hot on Syrien. Syrien is kind, if Dave's reason is that Syrien have American descent and the Americans colonized our country when we were still not in the world, that would be a big nonsense.

Dave put a maruya on my table, I gave it to him because I have food.

"That’s my thank you." He said and put it back on my desk.

"You can just tell me thank you, you don't have to give food."

He smirked and smiled later.

"Don't fight with anyone anymore. You will not benefit from such things."

"Are you concerned?" He asked, my eyes narrowed looking at him.

"Am I not?" He laughed at my question.

"I might think that you like me." He said jokingly, I grimaced.

"It's not unlikely to happen." I whispered, just enough for him to hear.

Dave is kind anyway, I think that is not impossible to happen. He has the looks and is very friendly with other people.

Syrien is busy studying ESP. After the recess, there are two more subjects to take. ESP is Tagalog so he is having a hard time. Occasionally he asks questions when he does not understand something.

"Kilos is Action, what is pasya, Joy?" Syrien asked.

"Decision."

"Okay, thank you."

When the two exams were over, I went home, we had no exam the next day and only class. The Halloween is also near so a lot are excited to take a vacation.

"We are leaving for Christmas... going to another country. So, we will have Christmas there. What do you want me to buy for you?" Dave asked on the way home.

"Why will you buy something for me?"

He shrugged at my question. "I don't know, I just want to."

"I don't know. Maybe Syrien wants something."

He snorted. "He will also go abroad."

I nodded. My family has no plans on leaving because it costs so much money. It’s enough for us that we are at home for Christmas and together.

The day went fast and it’s only a week ‘til Christmas. As my family always do, we will only spend Christmas at home. There’s even a simple Christmas party in the room but I did not go.

I am currently knitting a wallet at the sea. Just a gift for my family because I don't have enough money to buy anything else. We also have no school works left, Dave often visits the house as well as Tyra.

Tyra and Jun went to the store to buy snacks, Dave is writing something on the sand near my spot. I do not know why he’s here.

When he got tired of writing in the sand, he approached me to watch me sew. He took the other wallet that I finished.

"We're leaving tomorrow." He said, I ignored that and continued to knit. I don't know why he says when will he leave. Does he need to say that thing? He is not my relative to tell me where he is going.

"Have you fixed your things?" I asked. Since the vacation started, he has always come here.

"I ordered the maids at home, I'm lazy." He answered while his attention is on the wallet that I’m currently knitting.

Jun and Tyra arrived bringing our food, Tyra laid it on the cloth lying on the sand.

"What's your name, dude. You're always here at Joy's house." Tyra questioned Dave.

"Darren Veil... but you can call me Dave."

"Ah... do you have a girlfriend?" I kicked Tyra slightly. She asked too personal. It’s pretty embarrassing.

"No..." Dave replied. Tyra drank a juice.

"Maybe not yet. I’m sure you like someone now." Said Tyra. He doesn't seem to care about her personal questions too much. I stopped knitting first and ate some bread Jun was busy playing with Tyra's cellphone.

I heard Dave laughed so I looked at him, our eyes met.

"You won't eat?" I asked him. He shook his head.

"No, I'm still full."

I did not force him. After I ate the bread I drank the juice and then continued to knit, Tyra continued the conversation. Tyra is talkative so they never ran out of conversation.

"Do you know that Joy! She's smart. I was very jealous of her when we were in elementary. We were really at war before! I thought we’d stay like that, but then we became friends. I don't know why it was like that."

"I feel like you’re still not happy that I’m your friend." I complained to Tyra, she laughed.

"She also cried a lot when we moved to Baguio when we went to high school."

"The thickness of your face, really." I replied as she continues the story. Dave laughed at her stories.

"After that, when I left... sometimes I still visit here and then check on her. Of course, I am kind and I’m not gonna deny it... I only miss her sometimes, even if she’s too nasty. "

In the afternoon we returned home, I laid down my wallets in a long chair. Tyra came home when she got tired of telling stories. Dave, on the other hand, helped me carry the things I used for knitting.

"Aren’t gonna go home yet, it's getting dark..." I said while looking at the night sky.

"I'm just waiting for someone to pick me up." He replied, I nodded.

We sat in a hut just outside the house, we often have our family dinner here when the weather is hot. But because Christmas is near so the air is cold.

"When... someone courts you, Joy... will you allow them?"

I was surprised by his question, I did not think of that thing because I knew no one would like me. I don’t have the looks. Too unlikely to happen

"I don't know..." I laughed. "If there is, why?"

"Why not?"