Prologue (part 3)

VAUGHN'S POV:

"Uhmm... Vaughn...?" Pasha muttered hesitantly. "Where are we... going?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

Perhaps she'd already realized her earlier mistake. She knew the consequences of her action, and likely contemplating them now.

"On the Cafe," I replied, my voice barely a breath.

I'd been considering where to take them and decided on our favorite café. It's quiet there, perfect for relaxing.

Pasha let out a sigh of relief. "Ahh... I see," she murmured.

I glanced at her, but she avoided my gaze, making me narrow my eyes in confusion. "Why? Do you want to go somewhere?" I asked.

"H-huh? Nothing, nothing!" she replied, her voice stuttered. "Maybe Caspian wants to go somewhere," she added, gesturing toward Rhys.

My eyes shifted to Rhys, gazing at him intently. "M-me? No, I'm just going where you going," Rhys stammered, his eyes widening in a slight panic.

They're behavior made me wonder; What's going on? But I just ignored it.

I returned my gazed to the path, leading to the café. As we strolled along the winding pathway, the earlier tension dissipated, and Pasha and Rhys seemed to have put their differences aside. Since I was ahead of them, I just let them catch up and talk.

Rhys muttered, "Why did you got mad at me earlier, Pash? Don't you know... that would have been my moment!"

"First, you stolen the spotlight that should have been for your teammate, and second, you caused a commotion," Pasha explained.

Rhys scoffed, "Wait... what commotion are you talking about? You're the one who made it, right?"

"No, it's you! I wouldn't have done that if you hadn't pretended to be injured," Pasha insisted. " You attention seeker!"

I sighed, feeling exasperated. Why were they even arguing about who was at fault? They were both guilty!

"Seriously, can't you both stop arguing? I intervened. "You're both at fault, okay?"

"You messed up!" they chimed in unison, making me giggle at their stubbornness.

Pasha grasped my right hand, filling the space between my fingers, while Rhys gently patted my head softly. Just then, I realized I hadn't congratulated him in their victory against the Vikings.

I glanced at Pasha, noticing the smile on her lips, and I asked myself, puzzled; What's gotten into her?

"Hmm?" I uttered.

Pasha chuckled softly, and she said, "Nothing, I just feel delighted."

I tilted my head in confusion. "Huh?"

"Just forget about it!" she replied.

While Rhys, his face alight like a childlike joy, seemed equally happy—as if some unseen event had sparked this peculiar change of behavior. I can't quite decipher their sudden mood swing, but I just decided to let it go, as I don't have an interest to figure out the reason.

Just a moment more, we arrived at the café. The smell of freshly brewed coffee and warm pastries wafted out to greet us. Rhys, with a surprising eagerness, opened the glass door, his eyes crinkling at the corners into a smile before his lips even moved.

"Thanks," I said, the warmth of the café's welcome contrast to the lingering Chill in the air.

"You're welcome!" Rhys replied, his voice trembled with an almost uncontrollable joy.

Pasha, mimicking Rhys' tone in a teasing way, whispered, "You're welcome!" And followed it with a dismissive "Tch!" rolling of her eyes.

I swiftly glanced at Pasha, narrowing my eyes—a silent warning for her. Her eyes darted away, avoiding to make contact with me. Her expression was a strange mix of mischief and something I couldn't quite place, a glimpse of something almost... guilty? She muttered something under her breath, her words lost in the gentle hum of conversation within the café.

I took a deep breath, composing myself.

Ugh! So stubborn!

I swiftly looked away, shaking my head in disbelief. "You two, go ahead. I'll get our orders," I said, then twirled, facing Rhys.

"Should I get your donuts?" I asked.

"Yes, please!" Rhys replied.

I glanced at Pasha. "How about you, Pash?" I asked, her lips curved into a smile before answering. "Anything from you," she purred, her words oddly suggestive.

My brow furrowed. "Huh?" I uttered, genuinely puzzled.

"I mean, anything you choose for me," she explained, her smile widening.

"Okay, then I'll just get your cupcake," I said, turning and heading towards the counter.

While Pasha and Rhys strolled off towards the costumer waiting area, parting ways with me.

Miss Gina, the owner, greeted me with a bright smile. "Hi, Vaughn!"

I returned her cheerfulness. "Hello po, Miss Gina!"

"Is the event over?" she asked.

"Not yet, po. We just came here for a break," I replied.

"Is that so?" she said. "What can I get for you?"

"I'll have a three lattes, a donut, a cupcake, and a soft, plain bread roll, please," I ordered.

"Anything else?"

"No, that's all, thank you."

"Okay, I'll have your order ready in a moment, I'll bring it to your table."

"Okay, thank you, po, Miss Gina!"

After my conversation with Miss Gina, I walked over the table where Pasha and Rhys sat near the glass wall. I settled onto the sofa, facing the them. They were engrossed in a discussion about the volleyball game, and I just let them continue, cause I don't have an energy left in me anymore.

A few minutes later, Miss Gina arrived, carrying a tray laden with my orders. "Here's your order, Vaughn," she said, setting it down on the table with a cheerful smile.

"Thanks, Miss Gina, you're the best!" Pasha exclaimed, playfully teasing the woman.

Miss Gina chuckled. "And you're still as silly as ever!" The playful banter between them sparked laughter. "Enjoy your food!" she said, then turned and left.

We dug into our food. Pasha and Rhys continued their lively conversation, while I was simply sipping on my coffee, fighting off a wave of drowsiness. But despite my efforts, yawned scaped me, and both Pasha and Rhys seemed to notice that.

"Vaughn, what's wrong?" asked Pasha, her concern evident.

"Yeah, you okay?" Rhys added.

"Nothing," I mumbled. "Don't worry, I'm just a bit sleepy," I explained, trying to sound unconcerned.

"You look tired," said Pasha gently. "Just take a nap, we'll keep an eye on you," she offered.

Rhys smile reassuringly. "Yeah, Vaughn. Don't worry, I've got you!" he said.

I narrowed my eyes, unconvinced of his idea. "That smile is creepy, Rhys," I muttered. My tone dripped with skepticism, but he just laughed at it.

Suddenly, a loud "AAH!" erupted from Rhys as Pasha playfully, but forcefully thumped on the arm.

Pasha is really the definition of violence. That's why if you can't handle her, you can't be her friend, and glad we can.

Pasha and Rhys flanked me, moving in tandem as they settled onto the sofa. Pasha laid me down, positioning herself in a way that allowed me to rest my head on her lap, using her legs as a cushion. Meanwhile, Rhys settled at the other end of the sofa, gently lifting my legs and placing them across his lap, adjusting them into a comfortable position.

"Sleep now, Vaughn," said Pasha. "We'll watch over you."

I might have look like awkward or embarrassed at that moment, because I felt like a child nestled in Pasha and Rhys' lap. But I was used to it, because we'd always been close like this.

Rhys grasped my hand and start squeezing it, just as he often did. My vision blurred as my eyelids drooped, and the last thing I saw before darkness fell was Pasha's gentle smile. Then I fell asleep.

PASHA'S POV:

It was the first day of May when I met him, or rather, when I found him. The sky was gloomy and rain imminent, so I waited patiently. Because my mother had told me that it's uncommon to rain during summer, specifically during the month of May. People believes that it's a miracle, possessing healing properties and the power to grants wishes. They called it AGUA de Mayo, or water of May.

As the rain started pouring down, I quickly ran and got soaked. I looked up at the sky, ready to make my wish. But before I could even utter a word, someone threw a jacket over my head, saying; "Do you want to get sick?" and it was Vaughn.

"He's asleep," I said, while stroking Vaughn's hair. He has a soft and smooth brown hair, naturally for him having a strong British blood.

"Yeah, he's asleep... yet he remains beautiful," said Caspian, his words granting on my nerves.

"Don't lust after him!" I muttered. For certain, if Vaughn wasn't sleeping, I could smacked him.

Caspian blurted, "I'm not, hag!"

Where did he got that word?!

I wanted to get up and kick him but I just chose to let it go, because Vaughn might wake up if I did.

My gaze locked onto Caspian, narrowing my eyes to intimidate him. "You will gonna get it from me later... Caspian Pineda," I warned, my voice firm.

Caspian's eyes darted away, avoiding my blazing gazed. I noticed the fear on his face, so I was so happy inside. After that, no one tried to speak between Caspian and me.

I continued brushing Vaughn's hair using my fingers, while Caspian continued squeezing Vaughn's hands with a smile spreading on his face. His eyes sparkling as if it was saying how important Vaughn was to him.

I wasn't oblivious to his deep feelings for our friend; I already knew that since we were at highschool. But I chose to remained silent, knowing I wasn't the one who should influence the course of event.

"Caspian," I whispered.

"What is it again?" he replied.

"Do you still remember the promise we made to Vaughn when we were still in high school?" I asked genuinely.

Vaughn was asleep, so I think It was okay for us to talk about that. He probably wouldn't hear us, as if he had a psychic ability to hear things even when he's sleeping.

I glanced at Caspian. The smile on his lips still remained, as he continued to caress Vaughn's hand.

"Of course, I remember. That was the day after his 3-day hospital stint, right?" Caspian said, glancing back at me with a hint of amusement. "I'll never forget how Vaughn laughed so hard he almost ended up back in the ER. All thanks to you."

It's so embarrassing to think, but he's actually right. Vaughn really laughed at me, as I was crying so much because I thought he wouldn't wake up anymore. Just imagine what you'd look like if you cried for three days, and without taking a bath.

"I'll ask you, Caspian....," I said, glancing at him. "How far can you go for our friend... for Vaughn?" Caspian couldn't answer my question immediately.

Maybe he's still thinking carefully about what he should answer. But I wouldn't be surprised if he answered "I don't know" since it has an uncertain answer.

"I don't know," he answered.

As I expected.

"But one thing is for sure... I'll do anything for him, even if it means is offering my own heart," he added.

His words caught me off guard; I didn't expect him to answer that way. Moreover, he spoke with conviction, as if he was ready to make that sacrifice at any moment.

"I see," I uttered.

But then, he asked me back, "How about you?" He glanced at me intently. "How much can you do for him?"

I anticipated this question from him. A flipped of bottle.

With unwavering confidence, I replied, "I'll protect him, no matter what happens... no matter the cost."

"If someone dares to hurt him, I'll make sure they pay a billion times over. No matter who it is, even if it's you... Caspian."

After I spoke those words, I look at Caspian. He's sweetly smiling, despite of everything I said.

"I see...," he said. "So, I don't have to worry about him, if I ever need to take drastic measures."