A Path To Happiness And Sorrow

10: Hide and Seek

Ian's POV

Monday at the exhibition hall

"Argh, Monday na monday paglilinisin tayo dito buong araw?"

"If one of our professors heard you, you're dead meat."

"And if that happen, I'll drag you down with me, Steve."

"You wish, Ian."

"Nyeh. Nyeh. Nyeh."

"What a child. Anyways, anong problema ni Carlo? He looked depressed ever since last week. What happened?", I looked at Carlo who's busy mopping the floor. His hands are moving and yet his eyes are spacing out.

"I don't know. He looked fine to me.", I lied to Steve so, he will not asked me more questions. Carlo don't like it when someone who's not close to him is prying to his private life.

"Really? He lo-"

"Okay! I'll mop over there. I'll leave this area to you, Steve!", sabi ko at mabilis na pumunta kung saan banda nagmo-mop si Carlo. I let our mop bump to each other so, he can notice my presence.

"Ian?"

"Carlo?", I mimic at him. He just ignored me and continue his mopping. "Wow. So you're ignoring me now after you ditched me last Thursday for our lunch."

"I'm sorry, okay? Something happened that I accidentally forgot about that. Are you seriously holding a grudge against me because of that?"

"Actually, no. You've been distracted ever since that day. You even forgot to do your assignment that was supposed to be submitted last Friday! It's not like you to neglect your school stuff."

"Neglect is different from being forgotten. It just slipped my mind, okay? Move your hands if you don't want to be scolded.", he reminded me when our professor passed by to our area. I started mopping the same direction with Carlo.

"Alright, let's say it like that. So, what happened last Thursday that makes you forgot not only our lunch but, also your assignment, hm? Eunice and Ethan are worrying about you. Tch, you even decline my invitation to go to the library to meet Kei last Friday."

"Nothing... I was just,...scolded by one of the librarians and I felt embarrassed about it that I immediately ran away from there and I forgot to eat lunch with you that day."

"Really? Is Kei not present the-"

"No. She's not there."

"Oh. Is that also the reason on why you decline my invitation?"

"Yeah. I heard that the librarian who scolded me is their President or something of sort. So, I fear that I might see him again there if I came."

"Hmm, is that so?"

"Yes"

Yes, my ass. You're not a good liar, idiot.

"Carlo"

"What now?"

"You know... Kei, texted me. She's actually worried that you didn't show up at the library."

"Huh?!", his face was so shocked as if he can't believe what I just said to him.

Gotcha. I knew it. Something happened between them.