13: Cherry Blossom

" I told you, I'll take a bus,"

I spat as soon as I landed on the seat, buckling the seatbelt.

That's why he asked tons of questions earlier if I had someone to go to school, I didn't know he'll fetch me. I was surprised when Mom called me from my room with a man looking for me with a car.

" Did you? " he ask, trying to be innocent.

He showed me his phone with our last conversation. It only has his messages, and my replies weren't there!

" You deleted it! " I said, pushing his face away.

I defended my side to him and showed my phone, raising a lip at him. He released a laugh at me and then clicked the joystick on his car, which made him start driving.

I pulled the mirror on my seat to tie my hair up. I was in a hurry that I didn't even have my hair in a ponytail after blow-drying it with an electric fan I looked like someone had pulled my hair or been electrocuted.

" See this? I looked like a witch," I whined while struggling to combine all my hair in one hand.

I was alarmed as Mom called me a while ago, it's like someone called me, and I'm in arrears.

Until we got to school, the whole thing I did in his car fixed my hair 'till I achieved the ponytail I want, and used to have. I first shook the seat using my bare hands after getting out of the car. I feel like I lost hair a lot earlier. It's also embarrassing for the owner of the car to leave his seats full of evidence of my hair, he even told me earlier that my hair is okay, but I can't be satisfied.

" Just leave it there I'll just have it car washed later,"

" Wait,"

I didn't listen to him and continued what I was doing until I finished. After I shut the door, he was just standing beside the back seat door, watching me do the work. I didn't pay much attention to him when I saw Pete standing afar, watching.

I ran towards him with wide-open arms, greeting him with a hug. I tried dancing with him between our hugs, but I could only carry myself without him.

" You weighed more than ever," I whispered at him.

Before he even gave me a bad look in the morning for that. I immediately put his arm down on me. Just adjust his hand on my shoulder, I'm already letting his stout arm on mine.

I also invited Mark to the other side so we could walk together, but he gestured to wait for him. We waited for him on the bench until he got back, walking without his car.

We arrived at the place where we were going to split up, Pete was the one who said goodbye to the two of us. So Mark was left with me.

I saw how he smiled at me after Pete left, but I could only afford to give him a... Smile. I don't know what went wrong, but every time he was smiling at me before everything turned upside down, my mood, my day, everything is complete after having a glance at him. But now...

" Come on, maybe class will start soon, " Mark said.

We both walked the hallway beside each other with other students, surrounding us.

" I'M SLEEPY," I SAID, FIRING a yawn and placing my head on Mark's shoulder.

Good thing he only got a little taller than me, and I can still reach him compared to Pete. That's why I always make Pete adjust for the both of us.

Anytime now, it seems I'll fall asleep walking because my body badly wants to collapse but even though numerous students were parting by I saw Pete's figure standing at the gate.

I felt like my entire soul was enlightened. I run towards him just like what I did to him a while ago.

" Hi!" I greeted him, sounding like a Mom who picked up her son from school.

" Are you going to buy my burger today? I want something to eat," I said, playing with his arms by shaking them like a swing in a playground.

" Okay," he merely answered.

I immediately gesture for Mark to come over after Pete answers. He was still walking with other students beside him but doesn't even has reached us.

" Someone's going to buy food for us--"

" I'm heading home," he gestured.

My forehead wrinkled at him, " Eh, come on. I got it, don't you want that? Please? "

His eyes turned away but eventually agreed after giving his gaze back to me. I feel like a child when I jump out of joy. I dragged them both out until we reached a restaurant. I found out they have a burger here. It's Hanami.

" You've come prepared," I heard Pete from behind.

" Just saw it,"

When we arrived outside the restaurant, there were so many visible people lined up inside the glass. As far as I know, they opened yesterday, and they still have a lot of customers. As we got inside, most of them are students that occupied the space.

I wanted Pete to come with us in the line, but he excused himself in finding a table for us and just let him since there were a lot of people coming. I watched him get lost in the middle of the crowd until he found an empty table near the window.

Its name sounds Japanese, so there was standing a cherry blossom with its branches reaching out and petals that you can sense that's fake, but the color lightens the tree.

" What's yours? "

" I'll take their recommended drink," he pointed to the menu but turned his bothered face away immediately as if he's a high schooler who's popular, just like back then, and someone saw him.

When I looked back at the cashier, she looked all red-tomato trying to hide behind the screen, " That's all, Mam?"

" Yes, " I answered, " He's single. I can give you his number if you want, " I whispered to the girl with a wink, and it seems Mark heard us and felt his elbow on my abdomen.

The cashier turned even redder than a while ago.

" Don't give it," he whispered at me.

" What? Don't you want that? So that your life will bloom just like that cherry blossom," I explained in a whisper and pointed to the tree.

" Sue," he warned.

" Okay, " I turned back to the cashier after getting an answer from him, " That's all, Miss," I said to the girl with a smile.

I paid using Pete's wallet mixed with my money. Mark left the line first after we got our receipt, which gave me chance to have a little talk with the cashier, "Just tell me if you want to," I said, signing a call with my hand placed on my ear.

He'll be pissed.

" That's all you ordered? It's just a strawberry that is named 'Sakura' with flower petals. The one you chose should be the most expensive," I said, while we walked towards our table.

" The cashier keeps looking at me,"

" She's not, she likes you, " I defended, " I'll be supporting the both of you, you want that? You'll just go first before Pete. I don't know if he has any plans, "

We sat down at the table and I sat beside Pete, while Mark was left in front of us. I would like to tell Pete what happened to us earlier in the cashier, but Mark simply kept showing me his poker face.

Not that I was scared, but I can't stop laughing. If he was a child, I might have been attacked by him, if not maybe anytime he'll cry in annoyance on the corner.

" Okay, I'll shut up," I said, laughing.

But to tease him even more, I put my mouth to Pete's ear and try to whisper a word but just can't control my jaw anymore. I burst out laughing when I felt his kick under the table on my leg.

" Annoyed already? "

I continue teasing Mark until an order arrived for us.

Mark's gaze is outside the window, now. He doesn't look pissed instead, he's much more having fun with what he ordered.

" I have to leave, "

We both looked at Peter when he stood up from the chair

" Already? You haven't even touched your food,"

" I'll eat it on the road,"

" What time is it? " I grabbed my phone from my jeans pocket and it's nearly going to four in the afternoon, " Take care then,"

I stood up from my seat, to give him a goodbye hug but he used the space I left for him to leave the restaurant. I remain standing beside the chair, watching him outside going to the waiting shed.

" Sue," Mark called.

" Hmm? " my senses were back.

" Your burger will get cold, "

I pulled the chair inside the table after I sat back down. After getting my burger from the plate, I saw Pete's wallet on the table on his side.

" Wait,"

I run outside the restaurant, chasing him to the waiting shed. I stopped running when I saw the bus has already arrived and thank goodness, only a few people were getting in and he was visible with the crowds.

" Pete!"

He stopped his step on the bus and turned his eyes on me. I waved his wallet, and he started walking toward my stand.

I open my arms after giving him his wallet.

" You forgot," I pouted.

He pressed me into his chest, and let go of me after minutes because the bus is already horning at us.

He pointed out his hair while walking backward, "Your hair," he mouthed.

I waved him goodbye until his ride left with him. I returned to Mark, only to find the cashier we met a while serving him. I gave a 'hi' to the girl and faked a cough when I arrived beside him.

" She keeps looking at me, " I mimicked his voice.

" Sue!"

" I'M TIRED, "

I SAID, RUBBING my stomach. I was fed up with a burger and then we passed by someone selling ice cream. I was even more satiated.

" You ate a lot, that's why," he teased.

I immediately gave him a slap on his shoulder that made him flinch at me.

" I'll definitely give her--" I didn't have to finish my sentence when he pulled me into his arms and messed my hair. I can't feel my ponytail anymore.

" Mark! You better fix my hair!" I forewarned him, " I swear you're going home bald!" I threatened.

He laughing his ass but he led me to the sidewalk first, and I felt his hand holding my hair, removing the tie I wrapped on my hair.

" You have a lot of hair falling out,"

" Make it fast,"

" Yes, Madam,"

Eventually, we stopped in the middle of the sidewalk while he was tieing my hair, and I could feel the hair tie he was wrapping on my hair. But anytime now, maybe I'll turn bald while he's the one who fixes my hair.

The pain, I could feel it up until the roots of my hair. Unlike Pete who knows how to be gentle with my hair.

" It hurts," I complained after he completed doing a ponytail on my hair.

" Sorry, it was my first time to tie a girl's hair,"

" You've never done any hairstyle even ponytail on your Mom?"

He shakes his head and my head nods at him. Even to Misha? I still have things that I don't know yet from him.

We reached his car in the parking lot and he opened the door for me before going to his seat.

" Since when you learned driving? " I asked him while he was buckling his seatbelt.

" When I was 16. Summer," he answered, " Why? "

" Nothing, "

He started steering the wheel and made it outside the parking lot. I watched the buildings we were passing by while the music keeps us company. Until I felt my eyes ready to fall asleep in his car.