5 | Suprise

Celete's POV:

"Happy birthday, girlfriend!"

Kevin takes my hand in his own and kisses it on its back. After two years of dating him, I still blush at the things he makes me feel. I put my bag in the back and he still hasn't taken his eyes off me. 

"W-what?" I ask nervously sliding a stray strand of my raven hair behind my ear.

"Did you lock the backdoor in your kitchen?" An adorable smile never leaves his face.

I bite my lip and think back if I have locked it or not. Not trusting myself much, I get off the car and sprint to the front door. Once I get inside and walk to the kitchen, the backdoor is indeed open. I smack my head. I am so clumsy; it's nerve-wracking. I'm grateful to have a boyfriend like Kevin. But how does he even tolerate me?

"Sorry 'bout that," I say with a nervous chuckle, sitting in his car once again.

He shrugs and kisses my hand once again saying that it doesn't really matter. He says that he knows that I have a lot of things going on in my head. I smile and kiss his cheeks. Too bad he's stuck with me forever.

Kevin starts driving to school and all the while his one hand never leaves mine. He buys my favorite blueberry muffins on the way with Greek yogurt, just the way I like it. He tells me to be ready at six in the evening too as he's giving me a surprise. 

"Can we take Kathy? It's been a long time I celebrated something with her." I ask him eagerly referring to my sister. I bite on the muffin and its sweet taste ignites my whole tongue.

"Angel, you only turn eighteen once, you know. With Kathy, things become a little... umm different, especially in public. You know that. We can take her some other time."

My moan due to the blueberry gets muffled in my mouth. The way he said it all really stung but he's right. Besides he did say we can take her some other time. So I agree with him.

As soon as we reach school, Kevin gets called by Coach Murphy to talk about the upcoming soccer match. Being a quarterback, he has got responsibilities to fulfill. He gives me a peck on the lips and leaves.

I walk through the white-painted walls to my black metallic locker. I open it to take out my books when someone from behind wraps his/ her hands around my eyes and the books fall from my hands on my sneakers. 

"Making me drop my books on the floor every time isn't good, Stella," I fake reprimand her, taking her hands off my face.

I turn and the frowning face of my blonde friend comes into my view. I chuckle at her expressions. She doesn't give up covering my eyes in hope that maybe one day I won't recognize her hands on my eyes.

"You know that I know every intricate detail of your hand by now to even mistake you for someone else," I laugh picking up the books and notice something clutched in her hand.

"But I've got you so blinded," she winks at me, waving her empty hand in front of her eyes and I snort in response.

I came to know Stella through Kevin. They both have been friends since before I came to this school that is three years ago. I joined in sophomore and the three of us have remained friends since then. However, Kevin and I are more than just friends.

I knew Kevin for a long time before even meeting him. My dad had been friends with Kevin's father, Uncle Max since they were 17. Uncle Max has been quite a soccer player in his youth. Kevin is following in his footsteps with all his passion.

"What's that in your hand?" I ask Stella to shift the thoughts in my head.

"It's your gift," she hands over a pair of flower earrings. "I would have wrapped it once I got home from here and given it to you in the evening when you celebrated, but your boyfriend seems to have a plan of his own."

"This is beautiful, Stella, I love it!" I give a squeeze to her warm hands. "And I'm really sorry about the last-minute change of plan. I'll celebrate with you on the weekend."

"It's okay," she rolls her eyes which contradicts her words slightly. "I'm fine with whatever suits Kevin and you guys. It's just that I wanted to meet your parents. I have never met them in the last three years.

"Trust me when I say I want to meet them too," I force a chuckle as we begin walking to our first class. "Being successful businessmen don't spare the time for their kids. I don't even get to see them on my birthday."

Stella nods sadly and I receive birthday greetings from the students who meet me on the way to literature. They love and respect me and that is overwhelming or maybe they are too good at faking it... like me.

Three years ago, we shifted to this small Johnstown of approximately twenty thousand population from the thickly populated New Jersey. It was Uncle Max's and Aunt Rachel's idea. Besides, it became hard for us to live there where our Dad died in a ferocious car accident. It has taken a great toll on Mom.

So upon coming here, we started from scratch. Literally from scratch. I got my whole identity redefined. 

I have become an only child of businessmen’s parents. I have become a girl who can have whatever and wherever she desires. I am a happy girl with a golden life.

And whenever I'm with Kevin, my life is surely a bounty.

My relationship with Kevin has been a fantasy and I don't want to leave his charismatic world. So I push all my disturbing thoughts away and go wherever nature wants me to go.

The hours pass by fast and soon comes lunchtime. I reach the cafeteria with Stella before Kevin comes and we wait for him there.

I look around anxiously for him yet to no avail. Coach Murphy must have called him again. Sadly, we don't get to see each other often now that matches are near. I am still in my languish in his absence when someone taps on my shoulder.

Another birthday greeting, I think to myself. 

I turn but there stands Kevin with the same adorable smile from this morning playing on his lips and my heart beats faster just at the sight of him. He gives me a rose like a gentleman sitting on his knees and butterflies erupt like lava in the volcanic pit of my stomach.

"Happy birthday, girlfriend," he smiles and sits beside me.

I turn crimson with my exhausting love for him. So I just rest my head on his strong shoulder and whisper a thank you to him inhaling his sweat mixed odor which strangely doesn't feel bothersome at all. 

"Anything for you, Angel," he kisses my head.

I hear a cringing Stella clear her throat in front of us and I raise my head to see her shaking her head with disapproval. 

My oh-so-mannerly boyfriend shows her the middle finger and places my head with his own hands on his shoulder one more time. I hold back a laugh but my inside feels swamped with mush.

After we've eaten lunch, Kevin stands up and attains the attention of everyone in the cafeteria. I have no idea what's he going to do.

"Everybody! Listen up! Today's my girl, Angel's birthday, so treat is on me. I'll pay for everything!"

I look at Kevin with my mouth agape. The students shout and cheer with joy. I receive another round of birthday greetings and hugs. Finally, when I'm free, Kevin spares no time to hug and spin me in the air. He kisses with his velvety lips on mine that taste like ketchup and whispers happy birthday near my lips which adds to the tickling sensation.

The student body chants 'the golden couple' and claps for us.

There is something special about the feeling of being loved. The heart flutters spontaneously. The whole body floats in the air in an endless glittery charm. Being with Kevin doubles everything I feel. My joy. My happiness. My everything.

Once we've seated again, I tell Kevin that there wasn't any need for such a huge party because of me. He calls his act just a small token of his love for me and says that seeing me happy makes him happy too.

"We have another alone celebration tonight," he informs me with a mischievous wink and I wink back at which he laughs.

He tells me the reason why coach Murphy is being so 'snob' nowadays and was just in the midst of telling me about his upcoming game when we hear a glass shatter behind us on the counter. We immediately stand up and look at the source.

My eyes immediately zero on him. His cold and dreary aura can even be felt twenty feet away.

Our school’s greatest bully, Plinio Murray, stands at the corner of the cafeteria with his fists clenched at his sides. All the eyes are fixated on him and I don't know where the heck that mug came from in our cafeteria where everything is disposable.

"You are going to pay up for that, mister!" The red chubby lady, Margo, at the counter yells at him.

"Nope," Plinio shakes his head like a stubborn child and I see his face which is painfully beaten up. I wonder what effort it would be to paint his face on my canvas.

"Excuse me?" The lady comes in front of him and puts her hands on her hips. I suddenly switch back to the current situation.

Margo is probably trying to look daunting but it is still Plinio who is looking extremely intimidating.

Plinio turns his head and scans the faces of everyone in the cafeteria with his bored eyes. He has a purple patch under his left eye. A few rough scratches on his cheeks and a bandage on his nose. I want to prize the one who beat him after what Plinio did to poor Robin a day before. The curly-haired boy is still suffering.

Plinio's eyes stop at me and a cold shiver runs down my spine. I grip Kevin's hand tightly. Plinio looks at my left. He looks at Kevin then opens his mouth to speak.

"The golden boy said he'll pay for everything." 

Plinio throws a stack of trays on the floor with his calloused hands and storms out of the cafeteria. The previously warm and chirpy environment now feels cold all of a sudden.

"The nerve of that bastard," Kevin grits his teeth and steps to follow him but I tug at his hands to stop him.

"Leave him, Kevin. It is useless." 

Kevin takes a deep breath and listens to me. After a while, everyone settles down silently.

Only now the sour and desolated mood matches that of my soul.

+

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+

My algebra teacher, Mr. Harper, stops me as I was leaving the class. I nod and walk to him to the table.

"You are my star student, MissJames," he starts and I just know he's going to tell bad news. "Recently, your grades have been failing. I'm afraid it might not be good for your med school application."

He stated my worst nightmare as if it were nothing. Algebra isn't my best subject but I didn't know I was that bad at it. However, I won't let it influence my future.

"I'll practice more next time," I assure him with a confident smile.

"I know you will," he gives me a tight smile in return and rubs a hand over his bald head. "I want what's best for you and I suggest you ask someone to tutor you."

"Sure, Mr. Harper," I nod once again. "I'll ask Kevin or Stella to help me out."

"Stella barely passes herself and Kevin is busy with soccer," he shakes his head dismissively. "I was thinking of ... of Plinio Murray."

"What?" I gasp. "I mean, sorry for reacting this way, but do you know whom exactly you are suggesting ... ?"

Plinio Murray is a bully.

"I know what you mean," he nods in agreement but I don't think he knows it one bit. "Believe me, I've given much thought to it. Plinio is failing history and you are failing in algebra."

"I am failing in algebra!?" I gasp.

His eyes shot up at me with surprise. "Sorry," I mumble

"You can learn something from Plinio. To my shock, he's pretty good at algebra."

I don't want to learn anything from that bastard bully. Dear lord! Where have you gotten me?

"And Miss James," he turns more serious than before. "I think you will keep Plinio away from causing chaos." 

"With due respect, Mr. Harper," I tell him with a strict and sad tone at the same time, "but my self-respect won't allow me to gain benefit from the outstanding algebra of a boy who has never given anything but grief to every person he has met his entire life."