Chapter 4: The Fiesta

"Is it okay if I can't accompany you? Will you meet your classmates right away?" Aunt Abby asked with concern.

"Yes, Auntie. Don't worry, I can handle myself."

"Haay, at least there are no bad people in this place, but you still have to be careful, okay? Don't stay out too late," she ordered.

"Yes," I smiled and then left the house.

I started walking while looking around. It's fun to see that every house I pass by has a happy family together. Some people are cooking in the yard even at night. Some are singing in videoke and drinking. Almost everyone is ready for the festival.

"Hey Annie! Can I tag along?" Even though I didn't look back at the speaker, I knew it was Danny.

"It's up to you," I answered him sparingly.

I'm not irritated with him anymore after our conversation earlier on the rooftop.

The truth is, I'm kind of embarrassed around him now because he saw me crying. I hate crying in front of others, even with my friends. Only my brother saw me cry back then.

I even held back my tears at my mom's funeral and my brother's funeral. That's why others thought I wasn't sorry for losing my family and friends because no one saw me cry.

But earlier...I couldn’t hold back my tears. I don't even know why I suddenly cried at what he said, and what's even more embarrassing is that I didn't refuse when he hugged me while stroking my back.

"You're meeting Theresa, right?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said with my eyes on the road.

"Aren't you annoyed with me now?" he asked, smiling again.

I couldn’t help but stare at him.

"It's starting," I stared at him, and he laughed.

"Hayst...you women are really hard to read. Sometimes you're okay to be with, and sometimes it's difficult. You suddenly change your mood even if it's not your period."

"Tss, well the same goes for boys. Do you think we are the only ones who are difficult to be with? It's harder to read you. Sometimes you're serious, but often just fooling around," I glared at him.

"Whoa...the depth of your reply. Tell me, Annie, has anyone cheated on you?" he asked with a smile.

"Stop it!" I was annoyed with him. He just laughed and then walked back beside me.

"Don't worry. I often joke and fool around, but remember, out of all the women I’ve met...you’re the only one I got serious with."

I stopped walking because of what he said. He turned to me and then smiled sweetly.

Knock...knock...knock

That was the sound of my heart beating faster.

I noticed we were already at the opening of the plaza, and there were many people around, but at that moment, it seemed like it was getting dark around me, and he was the only one with light because he was the only one I could see. And I could hear nothing but the loud roar of what was in my chest.

What's happening to me?

"Hey Annie!" I forgot when suddenly someone tapped me on the shoulder.

"I’ve been calling you earlier. Why are you standing there like an idiot? What happened?" Teri asked, looking at me in astonishment.

"Ha? Ah...what...nothing. I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you," I answered hesitantly.

"Who are you looking at?" she asked, looking in front of me where Danny was, but when I looked again, he was no longer there. Maybe he saw someone he knew.

"Ah, nothing," I just answered.

"Oh my goodness, just follow me, and I will introduce you to my friends," she said excitedly.

I smiled and nodded at her. She pulled me by the hand and guided me to the front of the stage. There were so many people there, but they set aside a seat for me.

"Guys, I'd like you to meet Annie. She's the niece of Sister Abby, and she came from the City," Teri said to her friends.

"Hi Annie, nice to meet you," almost everyone greeted me at the same time.

I just gave a small smile in return.

"They are my friends, Annie. This is Dondon, my gay cousin," she introduced the gay next to her.

"Hey sistah! Nice to finally meet you. You’re so gorgeous, girl, and I like your blonde hair," Dondon greeted artfully, his voice and gestures clear. But he is the type of homosexual that you will respect and be nice to.

"They are Joy, Cheryl, Jemalyn, Ritchel, Jane, Jay, Ara, Mani, Maritess, and Marivic."

"Hello Annie!" they greeted me in unison.

"Hi," I answered sparingly.

"Where's Daniel and the boys?" Jay asked, his body tall and broad.

But wait...did he say Daniel?

They're friends with Daniel too?

"Oh my gosh, those heartthrobs just because they're handsome wander around," Dondon replied.

"They'll be back later," Joy replied. She was also a tall woman with a slender body.

"Why did you transfer here, Annie? Weren't you happy with your old school?" Ara asked curiously. Her eyes were narrow, and she looked Korean. She resembled Sandara Park.

"Yes, Annie, isn’t it nice in the City, and the people there are rich? I heard the schools there are also beautiful and really affluent," Jemalyn said.

She was a small girl, but she was cute with big eyes that matched the shape of her face.

"Ah, because..." I couldn’t help but feel nervous about what I was going to say because they were all waiting for my response.

"...Ahmm, because I'm tired of living in the City. Besides, I really want to live in the province. It's quiet and has fresh air."

"Ahh..." they answered almost in unison.

After we introduced ourselves and exchanged questions, we first went out of the plaza to get around since the artists were supposed to come out at around ten o'clock, but we said we would watch Miss Gay, so we had to go back immediately.

There was a fence around the plaza, and only those who paid for a ticket could enter.

Since we paid for tickets and reserved seats, we could wander around.

Teri's friends were noisy, and they were really fun to be with. I heard a lot of teasing, and sometimes I even laughed at their conversations. They never made me feel out of place because they included me in their talks.

"That's Daniel," Cheryl said, pointing at four men standing in front of a shooting booth.

"Let's go there," Mani said excitedly, and we approached the four.

Danny looked at me with a smirk while watching his friends. I also noticed a familiar guy from my first day at school. But he was separated from the four, so I thought he was not part of their group of friends.

"Hey guys, I have someone to introduce to you," Teri said, pulling me by the hand.

The four of us looked at each other. Danny smiled at me as he rested his arm on his friend's shoulder.

"Guys, this is Annie, our new friend. She's a transferee from the City," Teri said.

"Hi Annie, my name is Mark. Nice to meet you," Mark said. He wasn't very tall, and he had tanned skin.

"Hello, miss beautiful, my name is Nicko. But you can call me 'mine' if you want," Nicko said, kissing the back of my hand slightly.

"Gosh! Hurry up, Nicko!" his friends shouted.

"Hi Annie! The name's Leo, but you can call me 'yours' anytime," Leo said, and like Nicko, he also kissed the back of my hand. And just like before, he received teasing from his friends.

"You idiot, why did you kiss the back of her hand? I already kissed it. You're so gross!" Even I laughed at Nicko's reaction.

"Yuck! It’s really gross, man! Did I indirectly kiss you? Jesus!" Leo exclaimed, wiping his lips and almost gagging.

"And I know you know me. But it’s my pleasure to meet you, Annie," Danny smiled while his friends were still giggling. I guess they didn’t notice us since they were busy teasing Nicko and Leo.

"Yeah, I guess I know you, but not personally," I answered him.

He laughed. Then he reached for my hand, and I thought he would kiss it too, but I was surprised when he suddenly grabbed me and kissed my forehead.

I was dumbfounded, just staring at him.

"Annie, he's Daniel. Our famous baseball player," Teri said when their attention returned.

"Ah, y-yeah, I know him," I hesitated to answer her.

Teri was about to speak, but I was ready to go back to the plaza because the show was about to start.

Knock...knock...knock...

These are the sounds of my heart again. Working hard to beat faster.

This is the first time someone kissed my forehead.

Why do I feel this way?

I feel like my surroundings suddenly light up the moment he kissed my forehead.

And it’s weird because I felt like he was kinda sweet earlier.

"Annie, are you still mad at Daniel?" Teri asked worriedly as we entered the plaza.

"Huh? No. I mean, I guess we're okay now." I couldn’t tell her that my heart raced the moment he kissed me. Maybe that's what Teri thought. She might even think of me as a flirt. To think that she knew I was annoyed with Danny.

"Why didn't you pay attention to him before?"

"Ha? I did. You just didn't see it because you were joking. But I approached him." I defense because I really noticed him earlier, right?

"Is that so? It's good that way." She said with a smile.

Because many of us were still sat behind the others but I was still surprised when Danny sat in front of me.

"What are you doing?" I whispered to him in surprise. He was sitting on the floor in front of me and the shameless man put his arm on my thigh.

"I feel more comfortable with this besides, there are no seats." He said and watched.

"What the heck ... you're embarrassing me, you're the only one sitting there." I whispered repeatedly and I even slightly bent so that he could hear more since the audience was noisy.

"Don't worry, they don't mind me. So just enjoy yourself."

And I was even more surprised because he was still not satisfied and he even separated my thighs then inserted his body there while seating and he put his arms on both my thighs.

"What the ...!"

"Sshhh .." He stopped me from resisting. And it seems like nothing is focused on what his doing. I looked around because someone might be watching us. But they're all busy with the slender gays at the stage.

This lunatic! I just sighed and tried to focus on the stage.

"Anne, are you okay with your position?" I looked at Ara who was next to me. We were at the end of the chair and she was next to me.

She looked at Danny who was still smiling at what he was watching.

"Ah..I'm ..-!"

"Dont worry, she's fine." Danny said, so I just smiled at Ara and then nodded.

She smiled. "Okay, if you said so."

When the gays' gown was finished, the actresses and actors Mary Rose, Romnick, Leonin, Rudymark, Juvyrose, Ermielyn, Honeybee, and Mary came out.

They are young actors and actresses of the new generations.

And some of them know my former friends but I doubt if they also know me since I am not popular with artists.

"Wwaahhhh! Rudymark marry me !!!" I was shocked to see Dondon when he shouted.

But I just laughed when Teri hit him.

Almost everyone does enjoyed admiring the artists in front of us.

What's so special with them? They're just people like us.

The only difference is that they appear on TV. But the students are even luckier because they only have to think about pure lessons and friends, while the actors are already working students. What's worse is that there are only limited places they can go because people will definitely mob them.

After the show, Teri's friends offered to take her home, so I say goodbye to them.

"Anne, aren't you Daniel's neighbor? You two can just go home together." Teri suggested.

"Ah sure." I answered then looked at Danny with a serious face.

What is his problem?

He's okay earlier. Why sudden change of mood?

When Teri left, Danny and I were left behind.

"Hi." I turned to the one who greet me and saw the man earlier near Danny's booth.

He's tall the same as Danny and he's also have white skin.

He smiled at me and approached me slightly.

"Annie, you go first. I'm still going somewhere." Danny said which surprised me.

"Huh?" I ask.

Danny smiled at me and then slightly approached me.

"Be careful." He said then left.

Where is he going? Will he not even take me home?

"Ahmm, Anne?" I turned to the man who greeted me earlier.

"Ah, hi. All right, I'm leaving." I say goodbye to him.

"Ah, wait. Let's go together. Our house has the same path." He said smiling.

I was a little taken aback by what he said and looked at him from head to toe.

He looks kind and will not do anything arrogant. Actually, he looks more kind than Danny and even more gentleman.

"All right."

The two of us didn't say a word. I didn't even know what his name was, and I wasn't in the mood to ask how he knew my name. Maybe he heard it earlier from Danny's friends.

And until we got to Aunt Abby's house, we didn't say a word.

"This is my house. Just be careful," I said, not in the mood, and didn't wait for his answer before going inside.

When I entered, I found my aunt awake.

"Oh Anne. How was the show? Did you enjoy it?" she greeted.

"Yeah. I'm going up," I answered sparingly, and like my companion before, I didn't wait for her to respond.

Rude if rude, but I wasn't in the mood right now because I didn't understand myself either.

Maybe Danny's right. Girls are really complicated. I used to be happy, but because Danny didn't even take me home, my mood changed.

I lay down on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

Where did that idiot go? Is that more important than taking me home?

I was annoyed that I kept waking up, but I was also stunned by the realization.

Wait...why am I being like this? So what if he can't walk me home? And so what if he has more important things to do?

It's not a big deal to me!

But why can't I accept that there is someone more important to him than me?

Could it be...? No, it can't be...! No!

I wiped my face and shook my head.

Do I...do I like him...?

I was in the middle of sleeping when I felt someone sitting on the side of my bed. I ignored it because it was early in the morning, and I was very drowsy. I couldn't sleep at the thought of that annoying man.

"Hey Annie...why are you so beautiful even in your sleep?"

I felt the caress of something on my face. It moved a few strands of my hair covering my face.

"I'm glad that I saw you smile again, Annie. It's like my dream came true the moment I saw you smiling. But I'm much happier because not only did I see your smile tonight, but I even heard you laughing again. And I'm so thankful to have heard that," the soft voice sounded like music to my ears.

"But I'm also sad because...since I saw your smile, it means that I have to go now. But before I leave, I want you to know that I am happy because you have friends again. I know how much you love your friends and your brother. And I'm so sorry for everything. I didn't mean it. I just wanted to see you and be your friend."

I frowned slightly because the beautiful voice was now crying.

"I love you, Annie. I always love you. And I always will."

I didn't know if it was still a dream, but I felt someone's lips touch mine.

It was my first kiss. If it is a dream, I don't want to wake up again.

And I just found myself responding to his kisses.

But I frowned again when he stopped kissing me.

"Hmmm...please stay," I muttered as I motioned to kiss him again.

I even heard someone chuckle before the soft lips met mine again. And we shared a memorable kiss that I will never forget, even if it's just a dream.

Goodbye Annie ..

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