Just You and I (ASTRO Sanha)

12

Lunch the next day seems to come agonizingly slow. I feel like it's been days until the bell rings telling us it's lunch time.

Usually I like to stay back as everyone rushes to get to the canteen.

But this time, I'm one of those people rushing.

I walk in and get in line, only to feel a tap on my shoulder.

'Sanha!' Is my first thought, but I turn around to see Chan.

"Hey!" He says grabbing a tray.

"Hey."

"Something wrong? Were you expecting someone else?" He raises an eyebrow.

"No, I'm just tired that's all..." I say but he was right. I was expecting someone. Sanha.

Chan and I talk as we go through the lunch line and go our separate ways while I look around for Sanha.

I don't see him so I sigh and sit at a table in the back and start to eat my food.

"PARKER!!" I look up, wide eyed, to see a tall dork rushing to sit down in front of me.

I giggle and am relieved I didn't get stood up for our lunch dat-- I mean lunch hangout...

"Sorry I'm late. My English teacher held me back to talk about how my English grades were slipping..." He rubs the back of his neck nervously. "Did you wait long?? Again I'm really sorry!!"

"It's fine, don't worry." I smile to reassure him. "Do you want my help with your English? I could like tutor you or something..."

"Would you?? That would be great actually, wow" He says surprised.

"Of course. I mean I am a native English speaker. But in return, you have to help me with my Beauty and the Beast audition and stage fright!" I request.

He nods in agreement and we set up times to help each other.

"Okay so we can start your first English lesson once we finish lunch." I say.

"Alright! And we can do your voice and acting lesson after school!" He thinks for a second before continuing, "actually...I have a voice lesson of my own right after school but it's only a half an hour..do you think you could hang out at fantagio for a half an hour??" He looks at me with hopeful eyes so I agree and we continue eating and talking.

Once we finish eating, Sanha takes me to an empty courtyard.

"No one usually comes here because people think it's small and haunted, so I like to come here to hang out sometimes." We look around at the shaded bench and dusty table.

He clears some of the dust and sits down and motions for me to do the same.

"Why is this place haunted..."

"This kid said he saw a ghost and the story escalated drastically. Really it was just a cat." Sanha explains.

"A...cat?"

"Yup. Her name's Jolly. She's over there." He looks behind me. I turn around and see a small white cat sitting by some stairs licking itself clean. It notices us and makes it's way towards our direction, stopping in front of Sanha's feet.

Sanha picks her up and starts to pet her.

"She's really sweet. She's actually the P.E teachers cat but the P.E teacher teaches the middle schoolers at this time so the cat likes to hang out here."

I laugh and pet the cat. Something about Sanha with an animal makes my heart beat faster than usual.

I clear my throat and say we should start studying. Sanha agrees and sets the cat down. The lesson goes well and I'm happy I get to hear Sanha's cute English accent...