The next day at school, I sat with Daisy at the lunch table and ate our lunch like usual. I scanned the cafeteria and spotted Apollo holding a juice pouch and an apple. Apollo didn't usually appeared in the cafeteria, he said he like the peace and quiet in his own lab or in his car. It was really weird why Apollo didn't like to eat in the cafeteria. Daisy caught me staring at Apollo, he was heading to the exit door.
Daisy : Vi! (Her soft shouting brought my attention back to her)
Me : Oh, sorry what were you saying?
Daisy : Girl, if you want him to sit with us it's fine.
Me : Nah, it would be weird.
Daisy : (she smirked and leaped from her seat)
Me : Daze, what are you doing?
Daisy : Relax!
She ran to Apollo and tapped his back. He turned around, one hand holding his tie on his chest the other carrying juice pouch and an apple, and looked perplex, I didn't want to look so I altered my vision to my grilled chicken and salad, it looked good and I was starving, so I cut the chicken and I ate a piece of it. I sneaked a peek and saw Apollo looking to my direction with a small smirk and nodded. I looked down again and when I looked at Daisy approaching, Apollo was with her.
Apollo : Do you mind? (He gestured his hand to the empty seat beside me)
Me : Oh no, please. (I said softly)
Daisy : (She sat on her side of the table and put in a forkful of fruit salad to her mouth) So.. are you guys a thing now?
Me : Daisy!
Daisy : What? Oh please, just spill the beans already. I saw you guys in front of your locker, Vi it's rude to keep secret with your own best friend.
Me : Daze..
Daisy: So? (She looked to Apollo then to me and then to Apollo again.)
Apollo: (Apollo tilted his head half down and smiled shyly and scoffed)
Me : What is a thing anyway?
Daisy : You know, boyfriend and girlfriend (She gulped)
Me : Are we? (I asked Apollo, teasing him)
Apollo : I don't really care about labels. If you want to call it that way it's fine with me. (His lips twitched into a small cool yet teasing smile I loved)
Me : (I felt heat on my cheek and I looked down again, not able to speak)
Daisy : Of course she does!
Apollo : Well? what do you think?
Me : Hmm, I don't know.
Daisy : Oh just say yes already!
Me : (I looked at Apollo's face, he looked relax and cool but his eyes was wondering for an answer) Okay (I finally said)
Apollo : Okay what? (He loved teasing me, jackass)
Me : Okay, yes, We are a thing. Whatever you want to call it, Daze. (Apollo was amused by my exasperated as I scowled to Daisy)
Daisy : Aww guys! That's cute!
Apollo : Thank you Ms. Daring. (He inserted the straw to his juice pouch and drank)
Daisy : Why do you call me Ms. Daring?
Apollo : I'm supposed to call Mrs. Garcia's students formally. (He said without expression)
Daisy : Yeah, but you're a student. It's weird.
Apollo : Ms Daring, I'm actually older than most of Mrs. Garcia's junior class, I'm qualified to tutor junior class and as a tutor calling my students formally is a rule I must obliged. (He stricken his body, tense and uncomfortable, definitely clear that he didn't want to talk about it)
Daisy : How old are you? ( I was beginning to get annoyed with Daisy's being curious with Apollo, but I couldn't blame her anyway, I was curious about Apollo too, most girls do. He didn't talk much)
Apollo : I'm 18
Daisy : You are just a year older than I am and Viola, call me Daisy instead.
Apollo : Well, Daisy it was nice talking to you, but I have to prepare Mrs. Garcia's class. See you later? (his tense stare to Daisy suddenly changed to me, he looked at me dearly)
Me : Yeah, see you later. (I gave him a sweet smile)
Apollo took my hand and kissed my knuckles, and then he stood up and grabbed his apple then nodded to Daisy who was gaping at him. He turned around and walked to the exit without looking back, that was when I realized half of the girls in the cafeteria were looking at me, and surprisingly some boys and jocks too. Daisy caught my attention again by taking a forkful of my salad.
Daisy : You know, he's unexpectedly romantic.
Me : Yeah, he is (I ate another piece of grilled chicken but it tasted different now, much more bland)
Diasy : You know you're being too cavalier about this, right? Come on tell me everything.
Me : Like what?
Daisy : Oh you know, details! (Her eyes were suddenly wider and her face was full of anticipation) did you guys do "it"?
Me : OH GEEZ! Daze! (I chocked)
Daisy : Argh! you're driving me nuts come on!
Me : Daisy you're way out of line. Stop being so nosy about this. (I grabbed the mineral water bottle and gulped to ease my chocking. I have never thought about Apollo that way, and the possibility for us to do so was so far off my mind, I wasn't even so sure about what Apollo and I had and our feelings toward each other.)
Daisy : Just tell me, yes or no?
Me : NO! (Stop it, Daisy!)
Daisy : Are you planning to?
Me : That's enough! (I snapped)
Daisy : Alright, alright. Chill girl. (she laughed and then stood up) Come on, I need to go to the toilet.
Me : Yeah okay, whatever.
Daisy was not the type of girl who wears her uniform neatly, she always looked so negligent and could care less of all the teachers warnings. She was a badass so I was quite surprised that she wanted to go to the toilet cause most girls just fixed their hair and put on some make up in the toilet rather than actually using the toilet, and Daisy never actually went to the public bathroom, she would say she might as well die keeping it than to use public toilet, weird. So we went to the bathroom and then she stood in front of the mirror and started to fix her hair and tugged the hem line of her uniform skirt and looked at me anxiously, I started to think something was up with her.
Me : Daze what's wrong?
Daisy : Nothing, it's just me and Josh are getting quite serious now.
Me : Okay, that sounds good, so why are you nervous?
Daisy : Is it that obvious?
Me : To me. What's up? (I frowned, she was getting quite jumpy)
Daisy : I'm going to meet Josh's parents tonight. (She scrathed her back of her palm, classic anxious Daisy. She scratched the back of her palm until it was scarlet red if she was nervous)
Me : Daze, You are a rock star, everybody loves you. You are going to win Josh's parents heart, and you are a good girl and Josh likes you, a lot. You'll be fine he will be there with you the whole time. (I took Daisy's hand and shook her body to calm her)
Daisy : Yeah, you're right.
Me : Okay good.
Daisy : Let's get to class
We walked to the class and I tried to make sure that she was alright. I asked her some small questions like how are things going with Josh and stuff, but then she started to ask me a question I couldn't actually answered.
Daisy : Vi, why do you think he's tutoring Mrs. Garcia's class?
Me : He said it's for extra credit. (I shrugged)
Daisy : Oh, but he was very uncomfortable when we mention tutoring in the cafeteria earlier.
Me : Yeah.. I don't really know why.
Daisy : You never ask?
Me : Nope.
We reached Physics class, the last class of the day. Apollo was not inside, but our tables were equipped with some cables, and jump-starters and electric circuit stuff, we must be learning a new chapter I thought. Apollo's work was so neat, everything was perfect and carefully stacked on our table. I smiled, simply because even when he was not in the room, I was still able to admire his work and his professional work ethic.
***
After school, I headed to Apollo's locker across the physics lab and he was taking his backpack and slung it to his right shoulders first and then to his left. He smiled when he saw me and closed his locker. I leaned against the locker beside his and he fetched his car keys inside his pocket and kept his other hand inside the other pocket.
Apollo : Hi (He whispered)
Me : Hey (I whispered back)
Apollo : ready to go?
Me : Yup, I need to put the books back to my locker though
Apollo : Okay, I'll go with you.
We walked to my locker, and as soon as I was ready, we went to his car. I told Bruce earlier in the morning that I might go with a friend to the rehearsal and I told him to wait for me in the rehearsal sight instead so that mom wouldn't suspecting anything. Apollo drove the car like a pro and very careful, he was a competent driver, every shift he made and every time he clutched to change gear I couldn't help it but to swoon.
Apollo : So how was school?
Me : Really? You're asking me how was school?
Apollo : (he laughed) yeah, lets make it more specific, how was physics?
Me : Good, we learn about electric force today
Apollo : That's it? nothing else?
Me : Yeah
Apollo : Ouch!
Me : What?
Apollo : Oh I know you're being dubious
Me : (I was quiet a while and then I shook my head trying hard to hid my grinning face) and I missed you.
Apollo : I thought so
Me : You're so cocky you know
Apollo : I know baby, and I missed you too. (He grabbed my hand and held it close to him.) Are you still nervous about performing in the winter show?
Me : Yeah a bit
Apollo : You'll be fine, (He rubbed my palm with his thumb) I'm going to be there
Me : You will? ( I looked at him and failed to hide the anxiety and also thrill) There will be my parents, Apollo are you sure?
Apollo : Are you kidding? My girlfriend is going to perform in the winter show, what kind of boyfriend am I if I'm not there supporting her? (He raised an eyebrow, smiling at me. He pointed the word boyfriend and girlfriend to make it sounded cheesy, but he said "my girlfriend" and he meant me, I couldn't help it but to swoon)
Me : (I couldn't resist his playfulness, so I kissed him on the cheek, and then whispered as playful as I could be into his left ear) You haven't actually asked me properly to be your girlfriend you know.
Apollo : I'm planning on it (he winked at me, GAH! that was not fair!) Okay, we're here.
Me : (He jumped outside his car and opened my door) It's not necessary Apollo, but what a romantic gesture Mr. Harp.
Apollo : It's what a gentleman do. (He said and kissed me on my temple) Viola?
Me : Yes?
Apollo : I would like you to go out on a second date with me. (he said confidently)
Me : (I grinned widely, seriously could he be cuter? and hotter?) I would love too
Apollo : Yeah? Saturday, 5 o'clock. I'll pick you up.
Me : Tell me where we will go to! (I demand)
Apollo : Curious as ever. You'll see, baby.
Me : No! Tell me now!
Apollo : Dinner. That's all I can say. Now go inside! (He pushed me away from him gently and I shook my head to stop myself from smiling too much)
Me : Fine, I'll see you around. (I winked at him playfully)
Apollo : See you around. (He smiled and looked down shaking his head in amusement)
I walked to the hall, and I reassured myself, what would happen during the rehearsal, couldn't ruin my piacevole day.
