chapter 23

The same thing happened when lunch came. The three of them waited for Samantha and not longer than five minutes of standing in the shade to avoid tanning their skin, she shows up.

"That goodness you showed up!" Emilia shouts for a victory that she would come with them. Samantha gives them a small smile.

"So, where are we going to eat? Are we gonna go and try the food truck now?" She asks, making them look at each other.

"Yes, we will because I am so dying to let you guys try their food there!" Jay lightens up, really excited to try it with his friends.

"But I don't think I'll stay longer than you guys." She admitted, looking at her watch. That made them curious.

"Why?"

"Because I need to get back here quickly for me to review my lessons so that I could be ready for our coking quiz."

"What time?"

"One thirty."

"But it is just twelve. Don't worry too much, maybe we will be done before it even struck one." Jay assures. "Besides, I have my first class at one thirty as well."

"Lucky for me, I have my two to three class this afternoon." Garvie also stated, making her nod.

"And I am the luckiest." Emilia's smile grew bigger when she says that.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, our professor for this afternoon cannot meet us because he has an emergency to attend to. I heard from my classmates that our prof is going to visit his wife at the hospital. She's pregnant so..."

"Oh okay, that makes sense... So, shall we?"

They start walking away from the area as they find themselves going into the school parking lot.

"What are we doing here?" Samantha asks, not really knowing the reason why they headed to the parking lot. The two guys start to walk faster than them as if nothing is going to bother them after. Especially to Samantha.

"Oh right, you haven't been with us from our previous lunchtimes but to answer your curiosity, we are here because Garvie will give us a lift to the park."

"Oh right." She responded, remembering the first time they ever met. She wouldn't forget the car that almost bumps her, and of course, the look on Garvie's face.

"So he's doing this for the past few days now? Giving you guys a lift?"

"Oh no. We agreed to have schedules. The first time we went out for lunch, it is I who give them a lift then Jay suggested that we should take turns, and Garvie and I agree into it. And since you're here with us now, you might want to be a part-"

"I don't... I don't have my own car." Tasting her own words is bitter, but she doesn't want to lie to her friends.

"Oh," Emilia responds as she takes a deep breath. Samantha felt the awkwardness and a bit of disappointment from Emilia's face.

But what can I do? I'm not like them. I'm not rich, I don't get what I want...

"I'm sorry I can just not come with you guys because-"

"It's just okay, Sam."

"Really?"

"I mean, yeah. Why wouldn't be okay? Do you know what I think Sam?"

"Hmm?"

"I think you're worried too much. Girl, you've got to chill a bit, okay?"

"I'm sorry I'm just not-"

"Not into this kind of stuff? Sam, we are your friends and maybe you should also give time with us, your best friends. Okay?"

"Okay."

"You should come with us more often. We just want you to be with us okay? Don't worry about the car, I got you."

"Thank you, Emilia. Really."

"Oh come on silly! What are friends for, right?"

While Emilia and Samantha are still talking, Jayvee takes the chance to talk to Garvie. He is seated at the backseat, making him lean forward to talk to him.

"Bro."

"Yes?" He asks as Garvie starts the engine.

"Do you like her?"

"Like who?"

"Her."

"Her? What are you-" Garvie throws his attention to Jay and by the look, he is giving him as Jayvee's eyes landed in a specific location, his curiosity got the best of him as he tries to trace at what Jay is staring. He turns to his tinted window to see Emilia and Samantha.

"Are you talking about Sammy?"

"I'm talking about Emilia, my girlfriend."

"What-"

"Of course I am talking about Sam, dummy!"

"Wow, thank you for your sarcasm." He says as he turns his attention back in his car.

"But seriously bro. You do like her, don't you?"

"What are you... wait, why are you even curious about it?"

"Its because I've been observing you for a quite time now."

"So you're stalking me now? My friendly roommate is stalking me now?"

"I would not call that, bro."

"Then If you're really observing me, how can you say that I like her?" Garvie asks, a bit curious and scared to know what he is about to say.

"Well for the first time, I thought you're going to call her 'SAM' because that is what most of the other kids call her but you decided to call her 'SAMMY'."

"I don't see anything wrong in it, actually."

"I didn't say that something is wrong about it."

"Then why are you trying to say?"

"What I'm trying to say is that you definitely see something special in her... Not that we don't see something special from her but what you see in her could be something deeper than what we know."

"She's a good friend."

"Yes, she is. And other kids might say shes awkward, aloof or silent, we know that we don't see her that way, and I know you see her more than the person behind those silences."

"I'm not getting what you're saying, bro."

"Because you still haven't answered my question. DO YOU LIKE HER?"

"I..."

Do I?

The thought of falling in love has something an effect on his heart and mind, as he could feel the chaos inside him to whether to know what he is actually feeling towards the woman.

"I don't know, man. I don't think I could."

"You know what? Let's talk about this some other time when you're ready and when you are that sure about your feelings. But right now, I am hungry and I wanna freaking eat!"

"Thanks, bro."

"Nah, don't mention it. I've also been there."

When the conversation has come to an end between them, Jayvee chose to set his attention to Samantha and Emilia who is just talking silently as they stood not far from afar. Looking at his watch, he knew they've got to go now.

"Hey guys, you are done having the whispering talk there? Because I'm hungry." Emilia then throws her gaze to her boyfriend.

"You're always hungry, Jay."

"Well, can you blame me? I'm not that easy to have a full tummy or was it just because my metabolism is fast?"

"Dream on, Jay." She pauses as she gives Samantha a look, smiling at her. "Come now, Sam! You don't want to be late for your review for your quiz."

"Yeah, I almost forgot about that."

"Then let's go!"

.

When they arrive, the park is not that crowded, enough for them to locate where the food truck is. After Garvie parks, they go out and find themselves an empty table to sit on.

"So, what do you guys want?" Jayvee asks them as Garvie stands beside him. The two women take their seats as they turn their attention to Jayvee.

"I guess you should suggest good stuff because I've never been here. Actually, I have never tried food truck stuff." Samantha admits.

"Whoa, really? There is no food truck at your place?"

"Unfortunately, they don't want us to have some taste."

"No wonder you're so eager to have us try this food truck that Jay is recommending," Emilia says after the realization.

And it's because I can't afford expensive foods or stuff. Samantha says to herself.

"How about the Chicken grilled with butter paired with lemonade? I tell you, this is just so delicious. "

Samantha scans the whole menu, searching for the food name that Jayvee mentioned.

What!? This chicken grilled with butter is twelve dollars!? And this lemonade costs 8 dollars!?

She was about to order cheaper food when Emilia talks.

"Are you sure that's the best?"

"Yes."

"Then we'll order that because we trust you."

"Great! Garvie and I will just order while you guys stay here. Let's go."

As the two guys walk their way into the small line formed in front of the truck, Samantha starts to worry about the 20 dollars she's about to spend. But she doesn't want to decline the order, looking like she's too killjoy to spend any amount while she's with her friends.

"Hey Sam, you okay there?"

"Huh?"

"I just ask you if you're okay? You seem to be spacing out."

"Uhm, sorry. I was just thinking of something."

"Like what? Or more specific, who?"

"What do you mean?"

"Are you thinking of a man you just met at school?"

"No. Why?"

"Then are you thinking of Garvie?"

"WHAT!?"

"Oh come on, Sam. I know you like him-"

"Wha- No! What makes you think I like him?"

"The way you look at him, obviously."

"What does this have to do with the way I look? I just look at him the way I look at you guys."

"You know that's a lie, sweetie."

"Oh really?"

"Yes, and I am sure of that. You look at him like you're studying him? Reading him perhaps but no matter what's happening inside that head of yours when you look at him, I know something is REALLY going on."

Well, I don't know too.

"Maybe I'm just studying his behavior. Nothing special."

"Okay, if you say so. But do you also notice the way he looks at you?"

Yes, I do-

"No I'm not and I don't actually care."

"Whoa. You are so in denial."

"Whatever you say."

The conversation cut off short the moment Emilia decided to let Samantha be in her own silence. While Samantha tries to keep track of their previous lessons, recalling and look at her phone screen to remember details because she was able to capture her reviewers in her phone to not carry her notebooks for lunchtime. Emilia just sits there beside her, snapping a photo of herself and posting what's good on her Instagram, gaining hundreds of likes in less than an hour.

A couple of minutes later, Garvie and Jayvee show up, carrying two mini trays each. Garvie handed Samantha the other tray, with a small smile.

"Thanks." She says as she gets the tray, feeling her cheeks getting warm.

Did I just-

With a hint of what's happening to herself, she quickly uses her long hair of her advantage to cover her face.

"Sammy are you okay?" Garvie asks the moment he sees her reaction. A bit alarmed, he quickly takes his seat and looks at her intently.

"Sammy?"

"Oh don't worry about me. I just realized something." She stated, still not looking at Garvie.

"Then I guess we have to dig in now! Gosh, I'm hungry already." Jay complains as he starts digging up into his food. The same goes for Emilia who is surprised at how the food taste.

"Wow... This burger? Oh my gosh, this is too good to be true!" She compliments, devouring the food, feeling like a party is happening inside her taste buds.

"I told you so. They serve as the best of the best for a portion of street food that is why they have so many customers here." Jayvee explains.

"Gosh, this is so delicious. I guess I should have not judged the food in the first place."

"Yeah, you shouldn't."

While the couple enjoys eating, Garvie still didn't keep his eyes off of Samantha who is now eating her food while her head is bowed down into her tray. As much as Garvie wants to ask her what just happened, he cannot seem to start a conversation. Minutes later, they were engaged in a very active conversation but Samantha decided not to even lay a gaze to Garvie's direction.

Minutes later, Emilia mumbles something that made Samantha look at her. Although the boys didn't notice her cursed under her breath, she already knows that something is up with Emilia.

"Fuck."

She notices that Emilia instantly wipes her lips as she slowly pushes her tray aside, leaving only her lemonade. She looks around to see a group of girls approaching their place.

Five girls to be exact.

"Hi Emilia! So unexpected to see you here in a hmm... public eating place." The girl wearing a pink blouse and a black skirt state. The rest of them turns to the girls.

"Oh hey, girls! Come and join us for lunch-"

"Lunch?" The girl in her yellow tube ask. Samantha frowns secretly.

"Haven't we talked about HAVING LUNCH, Emilia?" She airs quoted those two words that make Emilia tremble. Samantha, being on her side could clearly notice that.

"I'm not-"

"Never mind. We understand that you might have forgotten because you're a newbie but, we are sisters. See you at school?"

"Yeah, see ya."

With that, the girls walk away from their table.

"What was that?" Jay ask.

"I'm sorry I forgot to tell you guys... I was able to join a group and I forgot about the lunch code. But not to worry, I got it."

No one dares to ask about the code, not even her boyfriend who is dumbfounded about it. Garvie and Samantha on the other hand, felt like something is definitely wrong with the code. And even if they want to ask it, a part of them tells them that it is better to ask another time.

With the silence taking place, Samantha's mind instantly remembers the time and checks her watch.

"Shit!" She says it out loud, enough for her friends to hear.

"What is it?"

"I lost track in time." The three of them look at their phones, also surprised at how fast time flies by.

Time: 13:20

"Shit, shit, shit! I got to go!"