SILENT CALLS

Chapter 6

ALLY'S P.O.V

"Hey Al, you have a minute?" Ivana sprinted toward me.

"Oh hey, sure, what is it?"

"Mind to come with me to the council room?"

I furrowed my brows, but decided to follow her step to this one room full of people and a mountain stack of papers.

"Been busy, that's why you disappeared?" I smirked.

"You could say so." She rolled her eyes. "Hey I need to brief you about something, very important. Please, have a seat."

I nodded to some of Ivana's fellow student council members who were sorting out applications.

"About the program." She took a folder. "Have your time to read carefully."

I read the paper as told. Turns out it was a program contract or some sort. There were bunch of technical stuff mentioned that I didn't really master about, but one thing I could evaluate - it said 'Japan'.

"Well, I wonder-"

"Unfortunately yes." Ivana fixed her ponytail nervously. "Ally, your application is all over the top, that the dean chooses you to be assigned for the first-ever Japan program."

"As of the real Japan?"

"As of Tokyo, Japan; yes." She nodded in doubt.

"Van, you know my parents. They wouldn't love the decision. I've already had hard time telling them about the program. Let alone ask about Japan."

"But this year we're expanding. There's a cancer hospital in Tokyo that we have signed an agreement with. You will serve for two months with possible extention."

"Gosh." I breathed out.

"I know it's not gonna be easy, therefore I'm ready to help you talk to them."

I bit my nails, doubting. This would be the fuel of another domestic war. Dad could agree to some extent, but mom would be very unseemly. I wasn't sure if this would be even worth trying. If they won over me, rest of my life they would bash me with reasons of their disagreement.

"Al, what do you say?" Ivana shook my hand.

"I'm, uh, I clearly have no idea whether or not I should try to ask. They're very certain with their decisions Van, you know that."

"Like I said, what if I'm helping?"

"I don't want to bring the drama to you."

"To me this is worth every second. I'm the chief of the project, so I'm taking full responsibilities. Besides, I'll be going with you to Tokyo. They need to know that you're not alone."

I gave the longest, heaviest sigh as a sign of devastation.

"Give it a try..." Ivana whispered. "I promise we will make it."

"Are you sure?"

"Name the time." She came to hug me.

"This dinner would be perfect. Dad's supposed to be home."

"Tonight it is. I'm texting my mom saying we have a group project to work on."

The rest of people in this room instantly locked their eyes on us. Ivana did it wrong; she said the word 'texting'. We always forgot that phones aren't allowed in this area, especially during study and work. That's mainly because we both have acknowledged each other's secret and just played cool about it. But too bad, Ivana already pulled out the phone from her pocket, and had it widely shown to everybody. I just smiled to the floor and shook my head.