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Chapter 39 Part 2 *Real or Fake*

~Sophia

A note falls from my locker when I open it. Grabbing the piece of paper, I smooth it and read the words written on it.

           Meet me at the parking lot. ASAP.

           -D

D?

It’s from Draky, no doubt. What does he want? Why does he want me to meet him at the parking lot? Why not wait for me here?

If he wants to talk to me, he should be the one to come, not the other way around. He is the one who needs something. Besides, if I go outside, I’ll be late in my first class.

However, there’s a voice in the back of my head that whispers, “He’ll wait for you there.”

I just ignore it and try not to think about it too much. It’s just my subconscious mind trying to guilt me.

The ringing of the bell startles me. And that’s make my decision final. I hurry and go to my first class, the little note folded in my hand.

It’s in my second class when I receive a message from Draky.

“Where are you?”

“In class,” I type quickly.

I don’t want to get caught using my cellphone  while there is a discussion going on.

“I waited for you. Why didn’t you show up?”

“I was late. I forgot to text you.”

I don’t want to say sorry to him even though I feel guilty for making him wait.

“Please keep your cell phone,” our professor says, looking pointedly at me, “if you don’t want me to take it to the principal’s office.”

My classmates turn their heads to look and smile at me sheepishly. Embarassed at getting caught, I quickly put my phone in my bag, not reading Draky’s new message.

I try to concentrate but I end up thinking what he wants from me. So far, he’s the only one who texted me and called me. Yes, no one greets me a happy birthday yet.

I pretend not to care but in reality it hurts. I want to cut class and go home. Which home, I don’t know.

I feel bored. I don't even bother trying to listen to the discussion because I already understand it and I can read the lesson back home.

Fortunately, time passes quickly.

Before I know it, I’m sitting on our usual table in the cafeteria across from Driana.

She’s happily eating her lasagna as she tells me about the first half of her day.

I stare at her as she talks, thinking, Really? How come you forget it?

And then I feel guilty for thinking about that because Driana has a life and she’s not responsible to greet me a happy birthday.

“Hey,” she says after a moment, “anything wrong? Why aren’t you eating your food?”

“I’m not hungry,” I say.

I don’t have an appetite. I want to go to the clinic and ask permission if I can go home now. A silly excuse, I know.

“Do you want to talk about it?” she asks, a concern expression on her face.

She thinks I have a problem. I heave a sigh. “I’m okay,” I mumble.

She looks at me doubtfully.

“Really,” I assure her, even taking a bit of my spaghetti to make her believe me.

Driana doesn’t have to suffer with me. I know this kind of loneliness will go away after a few minutes.

When I enter the Literature room, I’m surprise to see Draky sitting on his seat. He’s earlier than usual.

“Hey,” he says, as I sit on my chair in front of him.

“Hi,” I say, “about earlier—"

“No need to apologize,” he interjects.

As if I’m going to say sorry to him. In his dreams!

“I just want to ask if you’re free later, after school?” he asks hopefully.

“Why?” I ask curiously, raising my eyebrow.

He shrugs. “I just want to have alone time with you.”

Alone time? Hah. Nice choice of words.

“Are you free?” he asks.

I don’t have plan later. If I go home after school, I’ll just mope in my room until its dinner time.

Dinner time!

For sure, Aunt V remembers that today's my birthday. Just thinking about it brings me hope.

“Pie?”

“Okay,” I say.

He smiles, and says, “I’ll wait for you at the parking lot after school.”

“That’s fine,” I say.

“Make sure you’ll come,” he says amusedly.

That brings smile to my face. “I won’t make you wait this time,” I tell him.

“Good.”

-----

“Where are we going?” I ask, as soon as I slide in his car. “And don’t tell me it's a secret.”

The corner of his mouth twitches upward. “You know me well.”

My heart skips a beat. Is that a compliment? I think so. I can feel the blush starting to flood my cheeks. If only I can stop them!

“You have to do something, though,” he says.

“What is it?” I ask suspiciously.

“You have to wear this blindfold.” He raises the green bandana on his hand.

“Why?” I ask incredulously.

“It’s a secret,” he tells me.

“What if I don’t want to?” I say stubbornly, crossing my arms over my chest.

“Pie,” he says, glancing at me.

“Fine,” I say, “just this once.”

“Thank you.”

When Draky stops the car, he puts the blindfold so that I can’t see where we are going. He helps me walk and guides me so I won’t walk in the wrong direction. I bite my lip to stop the complaints I want to utter. He’s silent too and I have a feeling he’s nervous.

After a while, he stops me from walking.

“We’re here?” I ask. My mouth is dry! It’s the first time I speak after the long drive in the car.

“Yes,” he replies, taking the blindfold off.

A gasp escapes from my lips when I open my eyes. I don’t know what to say! I’m just standing, staring wide eye in the beauty surrounding me.

We’re in a small clearing. There are hundreds of Christmas lights above us. On the trunks and branches of the trees, on the fountain, there are lights everywhere. The incoming twilight only makes them more shine brightly. There’s a soft violin playing somewhere. I know it’s not live music but hey, it’s perfect for this scene.

No matter where I look, I see different kinds of colors and it makes me happy. I breathe the fresh air coming from the trees and spin once to look all around me. On my right, I can clearly see the beach that is popular because of its white sand. We're probably in a valley somewhere outside the town. To my left, there’s a table set up for two.

Wow!

He did all of these for me? Don’t tell me it’s a plan to make me fall in love with him. The thought makes me sad, and then I tell myself that I won’t think of the bet for now. Besides, it’s my birthday and I want to be happy. So, everything he did and still do is to make me happy. No more, no less.

“Do you want to sit down?” Draky asks quietly. His voice is different.

I nod and he moves the chair slightly so that I can sit down.

Hmm, a gentleman.

“I love your eyes,” he says when he takes the seat across from me.

“Um, thank you,” I mumble. What is this about?

He smiles. “But I love mine more. ‘Cause without them, I won’t see yours.”

I wonder where he got that. He probably searched it on the net.

A tiny voice whispers in the back of my mind, “Maybe he meant it. That he loves your eyes.”

My subconscious mind makes this more confusing!

“By the way,” he says, “I have something for you.”

He’s nervous as I am. It’s so obvious with the way he moves and the way he talks. He hands me a box wrapped with star and curling abstract designs.

“What’s this for?” I ask curiously, taking the box from him.

He takes a deep breath and says, “Happy Birthday Pie.”

I think I stop breathing in that instant. Draky greets me! He’s the first one to greet me!

“Tha-thanks,” I murmur when I find my voice.

“My pleasure,” he says, smiling.

“How did you know?”

“It’s a secret,” he says slyly.

“Hmp.”

I can't believe it. Drake Swift greeted me!

“Just open it,” he says eagerly.

“Okay.”

When I open the box, I’m shock at what I find inside. It’s a necklace of green pearls with a silver cross on the center. It's like a  rosary.

I’m speechless. I don’t know what to say.

“Do you like it?” Draky asks slowly, looking at me hesitantly.

“It’s beautiful,” I whisper, stunned and mesmerize as I look at the necklace in my hands. “Thank you so much!”

He sighs in relief. “Let me put it on you,” he says.

“Okay,” I agree.

He stands from his seat and walks to where I am. I stand so he won’t have a hard time putting it on my neck.

The brush of his hands send shiver down my body. I stop breathing because of the proximity between us.

“Thank you,” I say, turning around to face him.

The necklace feels warm, and I can't help but think it belongs to me.

“You make me feel at peace, easy, and complete,” he says, pushing my hair away from my eyes. “There’s no denying that with you, my life is wonderfully sweet.”

“Why. . . Why are y-you saying this to me?” I stutter.

My voice is shaking, it’s so embarrassing! My heart is doing a somersault inside me. I’m afraid it will burst! Sweat starts to form on my forehead as I try to analyze our current situation.

“Pie,” he says, never taking his eyes away from me, “there comes a time when you won’t be able to hide your feelings for someone no matter how much you want them to keep it to yourself.”

Wake me! I know I’m just dreaming. Please, I want to open my eyes, I can’t take this anymore. What is he doing to me? Why can he make me feel things I haven't felt before?

“Please don’t think that I’m rushing you,” he murmurs, taking both of my hands in his. “I can’t just hide my feelings for you forever. And don’t you hate it? Not saying what you feel?”

I’m just staring at him, reminding myself to breathe. I can’t even tear my eyes away from his piercing gaze.

“I have to tell you this because I. . .” he pauses and takes a deep breath. “I can’t bear the thought of you with another guy. Just thinking about it…” he trails off, shaking his head. A pained expression crosses his face.

Is this real? Maybe I am dreaming. What is happening here?!

Butterflies start to flutter in my stomach. I'm afraid they'll lift me up from the ground and fly me above the clouds.

“Pie,” he says, putting his hand on my cheek.

I freeze. His touch sends a chill and electric shock to my body. His hand though, is soft; I find my head leaning towards it.

“Tell me if you want me to stop,” he says. To my surprise, he leans to my neck and trails it down with soft kisses.

I think he is speaking but I don’t hear him because of the loud beating of my heart. It’s so loud, it’s the only sound I hear. I wonder if he hears it too.

Do I want him to stop? My brain says I have to slap him hard on the face but my heart tells otherwise. My mouth is dry. It’s hard to swallow the lump in my throat.

“You want me to stop?” he asks again, moving to my jaw.

Oh God, I’m going to faint! My mind is in a fuzzy haze. I don’t know what to do!

Draky puts his hands on my shoulders and he trails kisses on my cheek. It’s moving closer and closer and closer to my lips.

What am I doing, just standing here while he do all the kissing?

I don’t know who start it but when our lips meet, everything around me stops revolving at once. it’s just me and him, nothing else exists besides us. It’s like a fire that can’t be stopped.

Maybe this is from the times when our almost kiss has been interrupted.

How many times have I look at his lips? I never expected it to be on mine. It takes a second for me to realize that I’m kissing Drake Swift. After that thought, I let instinct take over me.

My hands, as if they have a mind of their own, travel and make their way to his hair. His soft and silky hair that I want to touch from the very first day. Finally! And then I touch his face, his chest, his hair again. it’s like a pattern.

When Draky pauses to breathe, he murmurs my name. And then we’re kissing again. I feel hot and cold at the same time. I get tingly all over my body.

Draky’s hands move around my body. His left hand is on my waist while his right hand is memorizing my face, my hair, and my arms.

A shiver runs down my body. It’s not from the wind, but from the feelings I’m experiencing.

I open my eyes experimentally and see his eyes are closed. I want to touch his long eyelashes. Now I know why people close their eyes when they kiss. It’s so distracting!

Million thoughts run in my head in this instant but I can’t really think about them because I’m focused on kissing Draky.

We stop after what feels like hours. I thought he’ll give me space to collect my thoughts when he suddenly pulls me to him. And then he puts his arms around me tightly, but not to the point that I can’t breathe.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

I can feel the beat of his heart. No doubt, he can hear mine too.

Two hearts beating as one.

My hands find their way to Draky’s neck and my head leans to his chest. Really, it’s like someone is controlling my body.

We just stand for a couple of minutes, wrapped in each other’s embrace, contented by the silence. I’ve never felt more at home than I am now. Here, in the arms of the person I despise, I feel happy.

After a few minutes, he leans down and plants a kiss my forehead. I can’t help but think that’s sweet.

I know that the kiss on the forehead means more than the kiss on the lips. It has many meanings and I have a feeling Draky knows them.

“Pie,” he says softly, looking into my eyes, “I think I’m falling in love with you.”

*****

Happy Halloween! Happy All Saints’ Day! :)

The song is Today was a Fairytale by Taylor Swift ♥ Banner by You4Real :>

By the way, I read all your comments and messages. They are so funny, especially those: I really think Andre likes Driana. And Draky is falling in love with Pie. You make me happy when you give me feedback :D

Thank you so much! *.*