Chapter 8 WE WAKE UP-a wake-up call

"He's still asleep?" asked Tony. It was lunch break and they decided to check up on Robert in the clinic. "What really happened to him anyway?"

"I don't know, he was just talking with Angela when he suddenly began to cry." said Mia, "But Angela wouldn't tell us what happened."

"That's because I don't know what happened." replied Angela hotly. She wouldn't be here if Mia and Bern didn't drag her along and Tony didn't have to come with them either.

"W-well... maybe it's best we call his mother." said Tony.

"Okay, I'll look for his ID." said Bern. She checked his short pocket and found it there. "Here it is, 234-6789." Tony took out his cell phone.

"No one's answering." he said after a while.

"How about this one, it's an emergency number." said Mia, "Maybe it's his mother's... 0987-123-0987"

Tony tried to call again. Later they heard something ringing and found it inside Robert's pocket.

"It's his cell number... how stupid." said Angela

"Maybe he has another number in his wallet?" said Bern.

"Okay, I'll check..." Tony reached out to Robert's back pocket and pulled a brown leather wallet. When he flipped it open, a piece of paper fell from it. Angela picked it up. It was a colored Xerox copy of a picture showing a girl with long black hair and deep brown eyes.

"Ohh, is that his girlfriend?" said Bern from behind her, "I'm jealous!"

Angela felt herself blush. "I thought you said you didn't like him anymore?" she said matter-of-factly.

"Well, after seeing him cry like that... he was so cute!" replied Bern.

"I think that's his sister," said Tony as he searched the wallet.

"Well, come to think of it, they do have the same eyes." said Mia.

Angela felt a little relieved. "What the hell am I thinking!" she suddenly thought, "This stupid jerk!" she faced Robert and frowned. "Why don't you wake up already?!" she yelled, kicking the bed violently. The three looked at her surprised.

Robert's eyes fluttered opened. He looked around dazed, then his eyes fell on Angela, she looked at him with her mouth open.

"Where am I?"

"You really got us worried there you know?" Mia said as they left the clinic.

"And how come you wrote your own cell number as an emergency number?" asked Tony.

"Eh?" replied Robert, "Probably picked up the wrong phone again."

"We were trying to call your parents you know?" said Bern.

"That would be bad..." thought Robert, "I'm glad you were all worried about me." he said with a smile."

"So, who's the girl in the picture?" Bern said straight out.

"It was a Xerox, not a picture!" Mia pointed out.

Robert looked at them alarmed. He unconsciously touched his back pocket to check if his wallet was still there.

"Here," said Tony, handing it to him, "we were looking for someone to call." Robert took it and replace it in his pocket.

"Well?" asked Bern impatiently, "who's that girl in the picture?"

"Bern, stop that!" said Mia, jabbing her in the ribs.

"Just someone." said Robert with a sad smile. "She was someone very special to me."

Angela stopped in her tracks. She suddenly felt hot.

"Was?" Bern suddenly asked, "Does that mean I still have a chance?" she took Robert's arm and hugged it.

"Bernadette! How vulgar!" said Mia turning red.

"Mind your own business!" she said sticking her tongue out, "Right Robert?" Robert was looking at her frightened. He pulled away and ran.

"Hey! Where are you going?!" yelled Bern as she ran after him.

"Wimp." said Angela heading back to the classroom.

"Hrrrrr..." Robert shivered, "Such a scary woman, that Bernadette!" he huddled behind the teacher's table, trying to hide from her. She chased him all the way to the canteen and tried to feed him. Robert couldn't take the stares he received from the other students and ditched her. Now it was almost time and he was still hungry.

"Next time, I'd better bring my own food and hide somewhere to eat in peace!" he gave a sigh as his stomach growled.

"Here." a large lunch box suddenly dropped beside him. Robert jumped and got ready to run thinking Bern has found him. It was only Angela, though. She looked at him annoyingly and slumped down beside him.

"Eat it before the bell rings." she said.

"What about you?" asked Robert?

"I already had my fill." replied Angela, "My sisters always give me more than I could eat."

"Okay, I'll stay here, you better get back to your seat before someone sees us together." he opened the lunch box. "Mmm... chicken nuggets!" The food inside was hardly touched though it looked delicious. He was about to eat when he realized that Angela was still sitting beside him. "You still there?" he asked, popping a piece in his mouth.

"Got a problem with that?" she replied angrily

"What if someone sees us together?" he asked again.

"So?" she took some chicken and ate it too. "Who'd think I'd fall for a wimp like you anyway."

"Ouch." said Robert, he was smiling though. He watched as Angela took a piece.

"Just so you know," said Angela after a mouthful of chicken, "I'm only doing this for kuya Glenn." she took a tetra pack, sipped some juice and handed it to Robert. "Here."

Angela stood up, Robert gobbled the rest of the food and followed her. When he stood up, he realized that their classmates were looking at them.

"What you all lookin' at?" bellowed Angela. Robert looked at her, surprised at this sudden outburst.

"What's going on?" he thought.

"What do you think he did to her?"

"Yeah, she comes with that horrible hair cut and starts acting weird!"

"Actually, I like the way she looks now..."

"That's not the point! Our princess has changed! It's all his doing!"

"Yeah, they were even eating together!"

"Shhh, he might hear you!"

"Who care's he's such a wimp anyways!"

"They're talking about you." said Tony. They went to the library for some research work but no matter how hard Robert tried to concentrate on his work, the murmuring still bugged him.

"C'mon, let's sit somewhere else." said Robert.

The two of them left the table and sat at the other end of the library. "Whew, they really are annoying aren't they?" said Robert as he sat down.

"I guess you can't blame them." replied Tony, "What happened between you two anyway?" he suddenly asked.

Robert was caught off-guard. He looked at Tony. He was staring straight at him with a serious expression in his face.

"That's right, Tony likes Angela too!" he thought. "Nothing! I just got a really bad tummy ache, that's all!" he lied.

"That's okay." he looked down on the book on the table and flipped its pages. "I know I'd never have a chance on a girl like her anyway."

"I'm... sorry..." said Robert, he couldn't think of anything else to say.

"You like her don't you?" asked Tony.

"N-no! not like that!" he replied.

"But it was obvious from the first day you came." said Tony, "Besides, you two look good together, and I know that you can protect her..." he looked straight at him, "You will protect her will you?"

Robert looked back. Now this was something he could confirm to. "Yes. I will protect her." he replied.

"What're you two talking about?"

The two turned around and saw Mia and Bern carrying books. Angela was following them and the three sat opposite the two boys.

"Oh, we were just looking for our research topic..." excused Tony.

"Hey, Tony, can you help me on my topic?" Bern asked, "It's about Kairo, but I couldn't find it in the Encyclopedia."

"Umm, Cairo starts with a 'C', Bern," said Tony, looking at the volumes Bern took out of the shelf.

"Oh, it does, doesn't it?" she said with a laugh, "Can you go look for the 'C' volume for me please?" she asked with a sweet smile.

"Okay," said Tony with a sigh as he stood up.

"I'll come with you, I need to return those books too." said Mia standing up.

"Let me return it for you." the other said.

"It's okay," replied the other, "I need to pick up a couple of other books."

The two left together, when they were out of hearing range, Bern started to giggle.

"Stop that Burn." said Angela, hushing her friend.

"Can't help it, they're so cute!" the other replied.

"Eh, what's cute?" asked Robert absentmindedly.

"You see, Mia has a terrible crush on Tony, but she's too shy to do anything!" said Bern.

"Bern! How could you say that!" said Angela, surprised, "Mia will kill you!"

"Oh, don't worry, I trust this guy," she said, pointing at Robert, "He could even help us out!"

"What could a wimp like him do?" thought Angela.

"I'm not sure..." said Robert, "I don't like messing around with other people's lives you know..."

"Oh, all you have to do is say a good word to Tony about Mia every once in a while..."

"They're coming." said Angela in a whisper.

Robert looked at his two classmates. They were both smiling, holding books in their arms. Both had glasses, were smart and were at the top of their class. They looked good together, actually. "But I don't think they need much help." thought he.

That evening was the most unexpected of all. Robert was still fixing his things when Angela stood in front of his desk, her arms crossed.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

"We're going home together."

The whole class went silent. All eyes went to Robert and Angela. Robert felt his face burning.

"Well?" she asked him, breaking the silence. "What are you waiting for?"

"Angela?!" it was Bern, "You're going home with him?!"

"Yeah, we're next door neighbors, you know?"

"So the rumors were true!" someone said from behind.

"They're really going out together?" another asked

"Of course not!" said Robert defensively.

"Oh, Robert, it hurts when you deny it like that..." said Angela in a sweet voice. All the male students looked at Robert, their eyes stabbing knives at him.

"B-b-b-but..." stammered Robert.

"You bastard! How could you defile such a delicate creature!" yelled the boys. "We'll never forgive you!"

With that they threw themselves to Robert, eyes flaring, mouths snarling. Robert rose from his seat, ready to run, when Angela suddenly stood between them.

"Anyone who lays a finger on Robert will answer to me." she said. The boys stopped in mid pounce.

"But Angela, we're doing this for you!" said the biggest of the group. He placed a hand on Angela's shoulder and gently pushed her.

Angela didn't budge. She took hold of the boy's hand and twisted it.

"Gyahhhhhh!" screamed the boy, "Let go! Let go!" Angela flipped her hand; the boy fell face first on the floor.

"Oops, sorry," said Angela, "Guess I don't know my own strength." she looked at the rest and smiled. Everyone who saw it shuddered and remembered that smile for the rest of their lives. "So, who's next?"

No one moved.

"C'mon, Robert, let's go." she said, turning around.

Robert stood there motionless, his jaw hanging, his eyes wide with disbelief. "W-what just happened?" he asked.

"Yeah, Angela, what happened to you?" asked her friends.

"I became me." she replied. "That's what happened."