GABRIEL’s P.O.V.
Monday morning. Our teacher in Biology asked us to do some activities related to photosynthesis. To my amusement, Claire and I became partners, and I didn’t have to put too much sweat in asking her, thanks to our teacher.
“So,” I started, “I’m glad our teacher decided that we should be partners...”
“Yeah, me too. I don’t have to put too much sweat in doing this project.”
“Why?” I asked her.
“You’re too smart, Gab. I bet you don’t even need my help to finish this task.”
I just chuckled, didn’t know what to do after she complimented me. My cheeks felt warm, and I could see in her eyes the amusement as she saw me blushed.
“I’m not as smart as you are, Claire.”
“Psssh. Humble folks, eh?”
“No, not really.” She just laughed at my response.
“Yes, you are. I also heard our teachers talking about you being a candidate for our class valedictorian this year,” she stated.
I felt all the blood rushed out of my head, thinking about that silly plan of me just to get notice by her. I shouldn’t have done that. I mean, I should’ve just let her be our class valedictorian. Now I don’t know if she’s mad at me or what.
“Are you... Maybe... M-Mad at m-me?” I asked her, nervous.
“Uhm... No? Why would I?” she stated, laughing to herself.
“I mean... You should be the class valedictorian for this year.”
“That’s fine, really. I mean, if you deserved it more than I do, then I’m fine with it. It doesn’t even matter to me if I became on top or not.”
“Really?” I asked, amused.
“Yeah. I wouldn’t get mad as long as I knew to myself that I did my best and I made my parents proud.”
I looked at her straight in the eyes, amused by the way how she thinks about some random things. She didn’t even get mad at me. In fact, she still looking very happy and pleased.
“You are indeed amazing, Claire.”
“Thanks...” She chuckled.
Together, we did our project. But because of too much blabbering about each other’s interests, we didn’t finished the task, causing our teacher to be much disappointed to us.
“Mr. Elizar and Ms. Braganza... I paired you two up because I thought that you wouldn’t disappoint me. But you just did. Imagine the advantage I’d been given to you! And you didn’t finished your output! Why?” our teacher madly asked.
Claire nudged me using her elbow, secretly laughing at our teacher’s reaction. I secretly chuckled, couldn’t contain my laughter anymore.
“Because of that, you need to finished this project later on. And past me a paper about it. I want it clean, and complete.” Claire nodded at her.
“Yes, ma’am.” I did the same.
As our teacher completely vanished from our sight, Claire and I laughed at her reaction. I mean, all students often made a little mistake, I guess. And doing one thing wrong on purpose isn’t that bad at all.
“Come on. Let’s finished this task first before eating lunch,” I stated.
“Sure. But how about Kate?” she asked.
“I’ll text her.”
She nodded at me, before grabbing some paper and pen to write our observation later on while we walk to the mini garden of our school. Though I didn’t really texted Kate for one main reason... And that is I don’t want her to come with us if ever.
While doing our task, Claire and I enjoyed ourselves talking with each other. I often throw corny jokes to her trying to make her laughed. Not until someone arrived... Someone that keep on ruining every move that I make for her bestfriend. It was Kate.
“Hey, Kate!” I heard Claire called her name.
Maybe she already saw us too. I saw Kate took a deep breath, looking hesitant to come over our direction. Though after a few seconds, she still came even though I thought that she will just walked away from us. But she didn’t. She move towards our location, plastering the sweetest smile she could on her face. I got a feeling that it was a fake one.
“Yes? You’re here. I didn’t saw you in the Cafeteria so I decided to wander around our school ground hoping to find you guys,” she stated, and I felt nervous for there is a possibility that Claire would ask her about my text... Which I didn’t do, by the way.
“I’m sorry. Our teacher in Biology told us to finish this task so we weren’t been able to eat lunch anymore,” Claire casually explained to her. Thank God. I sighed in relief. Now I could finally breathe properly.
“We are partners, anyways,” I stated, making Kate blink several times out of shock.
“Oh. So you’re partners now, huh? I see... Anyways, how does it going? Are you already done?” she asked curiously, maybe wanting to change the topic of our conversation.
“We’re almost done, so don’t worry now,” Claire explained, though I find a way to remind her about the paper that our teacher advised us to do earlier.
“Actually, our teacher also told us to write a report about our observation in this activity. So I think it would be great if Claire would come over to my house for us to finish it later tonight,” I stated, making Kate looked furious, maybe?
“What?” Claire looked up to me, and I just smiled.
“What’s the matter? It’s fine if you don’t want to. I’ll just do it all by myself,” I said, not bothering to remove the smile on my face.
I felt glad seeing her face soften for a moment, maybe also thinking about her grades too.
“Fine, fine. I’ll go, since I will also benefit from that report,” Claire approved making my eyes instantly lit up.
“Really?! Then I’ll fetch you up later tonight...”
“Sure.”
Kate cleared her throat before saying another word, interrupting our conversation.
“Uhm... Excuse me? Can I borrow my bestfriend for a moment, please?” she asked, and I could see the surprise on Claire’s face as she heard the annoyance in the tone of her bestfriend’s voice.
“Yeah, sure,” I casually stated, acting like I didn’t hear something very suspicious.
Kate pulled Claire away from me while walking towards the opposite direction. I act like I didn’t see nor hear anything weird, but I’m pretty sure that Kate is mad at her bestfriend now for apparently no reason. I avoided them by my gaze, but I keep my ears wide open to hear their conversation.
“What was that?” Kate asked furiously.
“What was what, Kate?”
“That! Oh come on, Claire. You know exactly what I’m talking about so please stop acting innocent!”
“No, I don’t. Would you please calm down and start acting matured before pulling me out here?”
“Matured? Wow, Claire. You know that I like him, right? So maybe it would be matured if you just stepped away and avoided him in the first place.”
“Oh, I see... So this is about Gabriel now? You know that I can’t do that, Kate. He’s my classmate, and a friend.”
“Really? Just a friend?” Kate asked sarcastically.
“Yeah! And this?! This is just a stupid school activity for Pete’s sake, Kate...” Claire explained.
“Then stop flirting with him!”
I heard it, even though Kate tried her best to lower her voice.
“What?! I am not flirting with him, Kate. You know that.”
“I know what I saw, Claire! And that’s what you’re doing...”
“Whoah. So you’re jealous now? After I helped you two? Do you think I’ll do that if I really like him? Of course not! But I did it ’cause I don’t.”
“Whatever, Claire.”
Kate started to walk away, our eyes almost met but I tried to avoid that from happening. Then Claire grabbed her arm, pulled her to make her stop walking. Looking frustrated, Kate blurted out some words that hit me hard... Same as Claire who now looked very hurt.
“Don’t touch me, Claire! I don’t freaking care if you’re gonna sleep with him tonight or not!”
She received a hard slap from her bestfriend right after she said those words. I can’t help myself from secretly gasping as I saw that scenario.
“Do you really think that I can do that to you?! You’re my bestfriend, Kate. I treated you as a sister and I just don’t understand the reason why you’re so mad at me... Don’t you trust me?” Claire tried to suppress her tears, failing miserably. “I guess not,” she whispered.
Claire walked away, and I was left there all alone, dumbfounded and didn’t know what to do. I wanted to run after her and comfort her, but I couldn’t for Kate maybe thought that I didn’t heard anything.
“Is everything alright?” I asked Kate, pretending that I didn’t hear anything about their conversation earlier.
She harshly nodded, before walking away from my direction. I sighed, thinking how I just ruined their friendship. But I didn’t do it on purpose. It just happened, because of a mixer.