Dusting Off A Heart

Chapter 12

"Now, name the invertebrates"

She grunts at her friend's suggestion. "Can I look at the note?"

"Nope." Said Cote as he shoves a pizza into his mouth.

Lauren sighed out of desperation towards biology, and starts digging her think tank for information.

"Umm...porifera...jellyfishesss kinda thing and-"

"What are the jellyfishes-kinda-thing named?" Cote raises his eyebrows as he munch on his oh-very-cheesy-pizza.

Lauren rolls her eyes for more dramatic measures. "Platypustes...?"

"What is even a Platypustes?"

"Well, I don't know, ask the one who made the name." said Lauren in her not-so-defense.

Cote shot his gaze upwards, silently praying to God to give him more patience towards his new acquainted friend. She's not bad, not at all even.

"It's Platyhelminthes, silly..."

She heard the bell on the door clinked, but forced her mind to focus and not to glance at the new comer.

"And the jellyfish thing is called Coelenter-"

Cote's explanation were cut off by sounds of laughter and loud chatting.
His face changed into a happy one when he saw who is it.

"Jaden!" calls Cote as he waves his hand towards his friend.

Lauren's head turned to see the pack of sweaty and exhausted boys. Her eyes accidently land on a golden pair of orbs who are staring back at her.

Her brain recognized it immediately and averted his gaze to Jaden, keeping on her flat face.

"Study date huh?" said Jaden as he approach the two teenagers.

It would take every inch of her body to avert her gaze from Dane, but that was what the old Lauren would do. Not the new one. The new one could do it with easy-peasy.

"What are you studying?" said a low voice. He did not think it would came out hoarse.

"Biology, sweetie."

"Don't call me that." He glared at his grinning friend.

From his peripheral vision, he could see that her black hair was pulled up in a neat bun. Not a single strand of hair is out of its place. The body herself was hugged by a black hooded jacket that matches her smooth black hair. Oh, how he imagine running his hand through that feathery locks--

"Dane!"

He snapped out of his day-dreaming at once and looked back his friend.

"Shall we sit, sir?" mocked his friend.

He rolled his eyes and exhale a breath he doesn't know he's been holding.

"Yeah yeah."

~'~

He can't focus into what ever his friends are talking about. His mind keep rolling on about the owner of the grey eyes whose seating on the opposite table from him and his very chatty group of friends.

And the thing is, he can't put his finger on why it does that.

It took every muscles of his body to resist glancing at her and her porcelain skin. However, he wonders, why did he never knowledge her before? Never even bothered to notice, to care, and why was he was so taken by the detail of her hair and--

"Um, dude..."

Dane blinked a few times, trying to get the absurd thoughts out of his mind.

"Yeah?"

"You've been staring down at your pizza for like, 15 minutes..." His friend said as the rest of the team is also fixed their gaze on Dane.

Just play stupid, his mind said.

"I was just thinking..."

Or said what's really happening. He mentally kicked himself for that, don't worry.

"About what, big guy?" Jaden asked with much curiousness.

Dane narrowed his eyes. "It's none of your business."

Jaden exhaled a half-laugh. "Guess you're right. But one day, I'll find it out." A teasing smirk is plastered on his face.

Then Dane focused his attention back at his very cheesy pizza. He picked it up and shove it into his mouth, tasting its salty cheese and sweet tomato sauce.

He was enjoying his meal and chatting with his team when his eyes sense the movement from the opposite table.

The girl is shoving her biology book into her bag and Cote is getting up from where he was seating.

They are going to leave are they?

They? His absurd mind is back, You mean her?

He felt a slight of disappointment of knowing her presence is not around. Even though they're in the same school, and he could 'feel-her-presence' by just hanging around her locker. But meeting in a pizza place, with fewer people who likely witnessed something fishy going on, it's different.

"Going home, Cote?" ask one of his teammates.

Tis the judgment time. Whether the girl will leave, or just going to the toilet.

Cote nodded.

Dammit!

He lowers his eyes as he felt a hint of disappointment. But why would he felt disappointed? This is very unlikely.

His reverie cut off by Cote's voice.

"Gotta drive the lady home." He finished it with a wink. Cote glanced at Dane, who is now fuming inside and trying to hide it.

How dare he winks! Dane gave him a cold stare, enough to start a global cooling, while the annoying person himself, were grinning ear to ear upon seeing his reaction.

As they were moving closer and closer to the exit door, his mind went rabid. He, out of nowhere, wanted to stop them from exiting the pizza place. Something inside him tells him that, but he couldn't put a finger on what is it. He wanted her to notice him.

His mind rapidly thinks of a way to keep them stay in the pizza place, to have an interaction with the girl who seems to loathe him so much.

Before his mind could think twice of what he was about to do, his mouth opened and a voice came out hoarse.

"Cote!...and friend..."

It took him a moment to realize it was himself who said those awkward conversation opener.

Two heads were turned to him.

"I got two tickets left for the soccer match this Friday," He paused to switch his eyes to the girl then back again at them both, "If you wanna come."

That last remark were much like a question than a statement.

"Welp, I already got one." Cote said, looking back at Dane.

"Of course." He rolled his eyes. "Then, what about you?" He asked as he switched his eyes to the girl. He uses this opportunity to let his eyes lingered more than it should have.

The girl looked surprised as her eyes were widened. She shrugged and looked back Dane. Looking back at him with her grey pair of orbs. Her face features still remained the same. Unexplainable and flat.

"Okay." She mumbled.

As she said those words, it feels like a heavy weight has been lifted of his shoulders. He exhaled a breath he didn't know he's been holding.

"Okay then." He said, flashing his famous smile that would make the girls -most of them- bow at his feet. It's okay to be a lil bit of a show off sometimes. "I'll see you tomorrow."