10 Peace Offering

“Turn around, Tania. I’ll put some pain-relief patches on your back,” said the nurse in the Infirmary.

She already rubbed the ointment on my back earlier and she told me that there’s nothing to worry about. The bruises will become evident in a few days and she gave me an instruction on how to treat them properly.

The nurse was about to lift my blouse, but she cleared her throat and looked at my left side.

I glanced at Dwight who was crossing his arms while staring at my blouse as if it’ll remove itself.

“Can you wait outside?” I asked with a strained voice.

“O-Oh! Right!” He finally understood what I meant. He licked his lips and hurriedly walked out.

I sighed as I gestured my hand, so the nurse could proceed. I sat comfortably and slightly tilted my body.

“You two are so cute! You look so perfect together! A perfect match indeed!” she giggled as she opened the small box.

I secretly rolled my eyes. The heavens will cry!

“Dwight and I can’t be together. We’re rivals.”

She lifted her gaze from my chest up to my face. “I don’t understand. Why can’t you two be together? The way he looked—”

I cut her off. “We’re rivals. We’re also tired of it, but we both can’t do anything about it ‘coz we’re from the same class.”

“Then let’s wait for the final result next year. Are you still going to secure your title? Or, the academy will welcome the new Rank One?”

I was actually speechless. Suddenly, the thought occurred to me. She didn’t offend me or anything, but it wasn’t impossible either. What if? Just… what if?

She went out to get another box of pain-relief patches. I caught her staring at my chest again. With a look of curiosity and indifference, I stared back at her to let her know that what she was doing was making me feel uncomfortable.

“I-I’m sorry. It’s just that…” She laughed it off. “Are they natural?” She, then, put her hands all over her chest, which made me flinched.

“T-They are!” I crossed my arms and covered my chest. “What made you think that I underwent breast transplant when I’m only 16?!”

I was freaking out and totally creeped out!

“Because they’re big! Gosh! I’m sorry if I scared you,” she smiled apologetically.

I forced a smile. “They’re natural. I didn’t notice it until you literally… pointed it out.”

The secondhand embarrassment was so real that I couldn’t even meet her gaze anymore! I wasn’t a sensitive person, but I just couldn’t believe that someone would ask me that.

She managed to put the patches on my back awkwardly. She would ask me some lighter questions to clear the air between us, and I would answer her politely.

Not about rivalry or breast-related questions, of course.

“Thank you!” I said once she was done.

“No problem. It’s my job.” She handed the extra patches to me. “Put them on your back before you go to bed. If you can still the pain after two days, come back here.”

After that, she headed to the restroom. I grabbed my vest and my coat and put them on.

Cai texted me that they’ll bring me some food, and so I waited outside the Infirmary. I didn’t see Dwight, though. I looked around, but there was no sign of him in the area.

A few minutes later, I saw my friends running towards my direction. I chuckled and waved at them. The bell just rang and the other students were going out of their classrooms to eat their lunch.

“I’m over here!” I shouted as they were about to enter the building.

Dana’s eyes widened when she spotted me. “What are you doing here? What happened?”

“What did the nurse tell you?” asked Cai as she walked near me.

I didn’t answer neither of their questions. I asked them back instead.

“Where are the boys?”

Stacie narrowed her cat-like eyes at me. “We left them in the house. Why? Are you disappointed? Should I go back in there to get them?”

“Woah! Easy, Stacie!” Danielle laughed and patted her shoulder.

“There’s no need for that. I just wanted to know where they are,” I responded carefully.

We went to the Cafeteria to eat our lunch. Each group of students already have their respective spots, but since we barely go here, we had to look for a vacant seat to settle into. Also, every student in the academy has their own individual cards which enables them the access to various facilities in the campus such as the greenhouse, library, computer and Science laboratories, Art and Music rooms, gym, pool, basketball court, and outdoor football field.

“Oh, my gosh! The 4-A is here!” someone shouted and we got everyone’s attention now.

Some are amazed and some are displeased to see us here—especially the ones from Class B. They’re the proof that not everyone in the school likes us.

“What are they doing here? Haven’t they had their own house to hangout to?” I heard Audrey’s screechy voice.

“Maybe, they’re flexing their status. Shoving the fact to our faces that we’re no match for them,” someone in her group said.

Stacie smirked as we walked past them. “Glad she’s aware of that fact.”

The other students surrounded us before we could even settle onto our seats. They asked for a picture. Some are looking for the boys—specifically Dwight— and got disappointed when we told them they aren’t coming.

“Do you have the key answers for the exam?” a girl from Class D asked me.

My lips slowly parted when it sunk into me. “No. That’s cheating.”

“But you always get a perfect score. Do you cheat?” that was an innocent question, but I was obviously offended.

“I would never cheat.” I cleared my throat. “If you’re aiming for a higher score, then I’ll write a reviewer for you. How ‘bout that?”

Her face lightened up. “Sounds good! Thank you, Tania!”

I smiled at her. “You’re welcome! You can also share it to your friends if you like.”

“I’ll surely do so!” she went back to their table to share the good news.

My mouth rose up as I looked at my plate. My friends have started to eat from the moment our schoolmates left our table. We even shared our food to others as they’ve always wanted to try out my cousin’s cooking.

“We gave the flash drive to Mrs. Medina. She said they have an urgent meeting, so she left immediately,” Cai explained. She was talking about our Math teacher.

We always save our homework in the flash drive and we’ll just hand it over to our teachers, so we wouldn’t have to produce a hard copy of it. We sometimes send it to their e-mails if they’d ask us to.

Dana snapped her fingers as if she remembered something. “Are we still going to my house later?”

I nodded at her. “Yup! I’m fine, so let’s continue the rehearsals.”

Danielle disagreed. “We’ll skip on that part ‘coz you just hurt your back. We’ll just focus on your wardrobe for now.”

I would let them control everything ‘coz they know better. I trust them so much, so I’ll do my best to give them the best result of our hard work.

Cai glanced at Stacie who was eating silently. “Stacie, are you coming along with us?”

She swallowed her food first before she spoke. “Yes, I’m coming, too. I already called my parents to ask for their permission.”

What a good girl! Dana and Danielle could never!

Then their topic switched to the wardrobe. Apparently, Dana already prepared the clothes that I’ll try on later. Danielle even asked their professional fashion stylist acquaintance for some tips. On the other hand, Cai talked to her parents and they said that they would provide the food on the pageant day. Stacie designed the t-shirts, but she wasn’t ready to show it to us yet.

I inhaled and exhaled deeply. I was touched and so happy to know what they’ve done for me. I bowed down when I felt my eyes heated up. I was really grateful for them.

The bell rang again, ending the lunch break. We cleaned our table before we left the Cafeteria. Walking back to our house, I heard my name from afar. I realized that Johnny was calling me as I turned around to look back.

“Tania! Wait!” he slowed down when we stopped walking.

“It’s him again…” Cai murmured.

Dana laughed irritatingly. “What does he want this time?”

My gaze included them. “Be quiet, girls! Don’t talk like that.”

I focused my attention to Johnny and waited until he was closer to me. I smiled at him and waited again as he was too shy to speak. I could feel that my friends in the back are losing their patience.

“We meet again. How may I help you?”

He shook his head and continued to look at the ground as if he was counting the marching ants. I cleared my throat and asked him again.

“C-Can we talk?” he was tongue-tied.

“You two are already talking…” Stacie just shrugged her shoulders when I took a quick glance at her.

Cai elbowed me as she didn’t want me to prolong this conversation.

“Can we talk in private, Tania? Just the two of… us,” Johnny was talking clearly now.

I looked at my friends and distanced ourselves to him. “This won’t take long. You may leave me now.”

Cai crossed her arms. Expect that Dwight will be here to pick you when 10 minutes have passed and you’re still not home.”

I scoffed at her. “What? Are you my mom?”

“Obviously not. But you’re my cousin, Missy,” she said emphatically before she dragged the girls away.

I approached Johnny. He hasn’t noticed that I was already standing in front of him as his gaze was following the girls.

“Johnny,” I called him loudly to get his attention.

He looked down again. “A-Are they mad at me?”

“Will you please look at me?” I uttered impatiently. “What do you wanna say, Johnny? You see, I have something else to do.”

He finally looked at me. The fear on his face was evident and I wondered if it was because of the tone I used. Or maybe, it was because of the fact that up until now, he was still guilty about what had happened to me earlier.

“I-I’m sorry. I heard that Dwight brought you to the Infirmary. How are you feeling right now? If you want to visit the hospital, I’ll pay for your bills and med—”

Smiling widely, I raised my hand. “Hold up! You’re going too far! The nurse said that there’s nothing to worry about. I’m completely fine! If you’re still on doubt, you can ask her personally.”

His cheeks flushed as he heaved a sigh of relief. We are standing in an open space, so those who are walking by can clearly see who I was talking with. They’d probably create a rumor about us now that we’re seen together.

I took out my scrunchie and tied up my hair into a messy bun. It was so awkward, so I had to do something… anything.

Johnny couldn’t hide the look of admiration as he rummaged through his bag. He was able to pull out the small box without tearing his gaze off of my face.

“Tania, this is my peace offering and I hope you’ll accept it,” he said as he presented the box in front of me.

I took it from his hand. I slowly opened it, allowing our schoolmates to take a picture of us.

That’s right! Go ahead and spread some fake news! I surely wouldn’t mind it!

“G-clef?” I murmured when I saw the necklace’s pendant.

He smiled sheepishly. “Yes. I know it would suit you.”

I smiled back. “You didn't have to do this. But I like it! Thank you!”

I was about to slid the box in my pocket when he grabbed my arm, stopping me from doing it.

“Let me put it on you,” he didn’t ask if I was okay with it or not. He just snatched the box on my hand!

I shut my eyes tightly ‘coz he was choking me! He couldn’t reach my freaking neck! I was taller than him, so he had to stepped up his game by tiptoeing!

I could only imagine the horror on Cailah’s face if she was watching us right now! Her frying fan will surely fly towards our direction!

Johnny glanced up at me. “Beautiful! I knew it would look great on you!”

I smiled without showing my teeth. I thanked him again and told him that I needed to go. He completely occupied my mind, so I felt like I was floating as I walked my way to the house. I even bumped my head onto something because I wasn’t really paying attention.

“D-Dwight?”

He was staring at me with a blank expression painted on his face. With his hands inside his pockets, he stepped back to give us some space.

“What’s bothering you? You look like you’re lost in the woods,” he said coldly.

“Nothing… I’m sorry if I didn’t notice you—”

He scoffed and his jaw tightened when he saw the necklace. “That’s why I’m asking you. You’re allergic to my presence and can even tell from a distance whether I’m in your radar or not. So, how come you failed doing something that you’re known to be good at?”

What? That was cringeworthy! He usually doesn’t say things like that as he knew he would look like a weirdo.

“Will you stop that? It’s so unlikely of you!” I felt like I came back to my old self now that this weirdo went here to knock some senses into me.

“Did Cai ask you to go here?” He shook his head. “Then where are you going?”

His forehead creased. “I was going to you, but here you are now. Did she really have to ask me to come here and get you?”

I couldn’t believe what I just heard! He went here of his own free will, not because Cai told him to do so!

What’s with you, Dwight? What has gotten into you?

I was about to leave, but he didn’t let me go. My gaze ran over to my hand that was completely enveloped with his. He was holding me tightly, afraid that I would run away if he loosened his grip.

“Who gave you that?” he asked coldly when his gaze dropped to my neck.

I bit my lip as I couldn’t find the right words to say. My heartbeat was acting up and I couldn’t look him in the eye.

“J-Johnny… He, uh, gave it to me,” my voice was on the edge.

“He’s got no taste,” he commented arrogantly.

That made me laugh. Not because it was true, but because I knew he would say something like that. He’s Dwight, after all.

Locking his gaze on mine, he slowly let go of my hand. I saw him sharply took a breath as if he was holding himself from saying something harsher.

“It’s ugly. You should wear something different tomorrow. That one looks like a piece of junk,” I guess he couldn’t really help it.

He walked away and I was left standing onto the exact spot where he found me. And I didn’t even realize that I was smiling as I watched him leave.