Capítulo 24: THE BUBBLY LITTLE WAVE

As soon as York arrived, he scans over the entire classroom's entirety after observing that Nerie's not in her usual place. Maybe she's late, he thought, although he's even doubtful since, as what Mrs. Vier says, she went out early. It seems so impossible if the only reason is traffic. He began to get disconcerted, yet he needs to stay and attend the class since their first subject instructor arrived. It takes two hours for that subject. As soon as the professor goes out, York decided to go out as well and cut classes. Yet opportunity doesn't favor him, that he bumps by his second subject professor on his way out.

"Mr. Tompkins, where are you going? You haven't been attending most of my class these past days. Is there any problem?"

"No sir, I just to go out for a while, to... address some call of nature?" He feigns uncomfortable in front of the professor.

"I'm sure you're matured enough to hold it until we're done. Go back to your set." He's one of those so-called instructors. Who make their student feels like an army cadet. York did not try to insist but obeyed, and as soon as their professor goes out, York is tailing him.

Joining the busy hallway and the rushing crowd of students bursting out from each classroom, York notices the distinguishable ombre hair that Nerie has. He tries to insert passing through each student bumping and brushing shoulders to get through them while crying out, "Nerie! Nerie! wait! Nerie! Thea!".

*****

"Bzzzzzzzzzzzzz" The school bell buzzing, the clock strikes twelve. Thea stretches out, still didn't have any idea what to do and where to go next. She stands up, gathers her trash, and dumps them into the garbage box before leaving the library.

After hearing her phone vibrating, she halts along the school corridor since she put it in discreet mode inside the library. It's another text from Mang Simo, and he had been sending numerous texts for the last two hours asking for her schedule.

She's about to take out her phone from the bag when she heard someone calling, it didn't get her attention hearing someone calling her Nerie, but somebody calls her Thea. She looks around and sees York, pushing his way towards the crowd, while mumbling "excuse me, excuse me."

'Wait, did he just calls me Thea? Did he really...? No, maybe it's just my ear, trying to tease me.' Thea thought.

"Nerie, you didn't attend the classes." York finally found her way to Nerie/Thea.

"Uhm, I don't feel well, so I just stayed in the library." While her phone buzzes again, she opens it and flinched, reading the message.

"Why, what happened? Why you look so scared, what's the message tell? Nerie do you have any problem?"

"Uhmm, n-no, it's just my driver asking when to pick me." But on the contrary, Thea acted like something is giving her affliction.

"Are you sure? May I see it?" York unconvinced, and he knows that Thea will just keep and hide for herself, but it's too obvious she's carrying something heavy within. York grabs her phone unfaltering.

"Who's Mr. Howard? Nerie you can tell me anything, I know, that something is not right, I can feel it. I want to help you, I need you to talk to me." York, looking so concerned and trying to convince Nerie.

Thea takes a deep hopeless, breath. He looks at York, with tears that are about to drop clouding her eyes.

York didn't say another word, he feels and knows something is not right. She grabs her by the wrist and pulls her to his bike.

"Come, ride on."

She hesitates, thinking if she won't reply and go home with Mang Simo, he might get fired. "No, tha--." Before she can actually say something to disagree and hesitate, York covered her mouth with his lips.

"Now do you still want to say no? Please ride with me." Leaving their forehead touching each other.

Thea slightly shakes her head and just like being hypnotized she eventually joined York on his bike.

A while later they pass by the rough sandy road, the place looks secluded and bushy with few Talisay trees. They set foot on a small native open ear restaurant, along the bay. It is mostly made of glazed bamboo and Nipa roofing. The ambiance is cool and the salty sea air making it more serene.

"Care to talk your vexation over lunch?" York with his relaxing smile that can definitely take all worries away.

York leaves Thea at the table under the Talisay tree. She gazes over the shore where the water is trying to reach the sandy bay to kiss it, before being pulled out, again and again without ceasing. the white bubbly water lining the shore keeps on crawling out and grabbing few grains of sand and gravel as it went back to the bigger sea. The persistence of that little waves to reach the land inspires her, it never stops the whole day and whole night, from dusk till dawn, day break, and even midday, they may lessen during low tide or sometimes higher and larger in high tide, still, it didn't stop in fact would even fight more to reach the land when stirred by the wind.

She sits straight and closes her eyes with the thought. 'Like this little wave, I will continue the fight for all the people who needed me. For the people that Nerie cares, I will not leave them alone that way.' She takes her phone as soon as she opens her eyes and replies to Mang Simo.

<I'm presently out of the campus for lunch with a friend, please tell my parents don't worry, I will be home before dinner and a friend will drive me home. I promise I won't leave you behind.>

York approaches with two basket plates in hand, the skewered meat and vegetables were placed on a banana leaf cut out to fit the basket. Tailing him is a server with the drinks and rice.

York observes me staring over my food and nibbling it unappetizingly.

"Do you think you can tell me now, what's bothering you? And who Mr. Howard is?" Looking at Nerie/Thea intensely.

"York, my problem is more complicated than you think. I am n---" Before Thea, can finish her words, she can feel two of York's fingers, pressed in her lips that muted her.

"You are not Nerie, because you are my Thea." York's eyes gleam over the overflowing emotion of mixed felicity and grief.

Thea completely dumbfounded, couldn't find another word to say. She had to try her best composing herself only to release a few words with a stutter. "H-h-how did you know?"

And without an utter, York just simply takes out Thea's diary from his bag.

Fixing her gaze on that simple, hard bonded notebook, that usually serves as the only outlet of her emotions. Her views getting blurry, the euphoria she feels at the moment, is brimming out to her eyes, spilling that sparkling crystal liquid.

York holds her face with both hands, wiping the falling tears away from her skin. Their eyes meet each other with their most heartfelt gaze followed by their enchantingly passionate kiss.

"You'll never know how happy I am, that I found you back." He mutters with his eyes close and lips brushing hers.

"And you'll never know how happy I am being found." They never open their eyes the whole time, they want to feel every moment and they believe the most beautiful things can only be seen with eyes closed.

"Thea from now own, you will never be alone because together, we're going to decipher everything encrypted, disentangle all that are tangled, resolve all the questions, clarify all the fuzziness, and clear up all the messes. Yes, we can do it hand in hand, just don't let go." York, holding Thea's hand tightly while pressing it to his lips.

Thea nodded with more and more tears, from mixed emotions coming out from her eyes. "Yes I know York, I am even very grateful that God showed you to me, for the second time. But Nerie's problem that I am entangled with now is not that simple. There are too many people who might get affected if ever I will decide to fight. I need to consider these people more than myself because they are important to Nerie and also to me and I don't want to drag anybody else in this peril, especially you. Mr. Howard is so powerful. He's a big man in business industries, and I don't even have any idea what kind of business he has, behind those legal ones. I can see from Mr. and Mrs. Vier's eyes, that they feared him. Please, York, I'll find my way out from this, ju-just please don't get yourself into this." She's twitching, over her anxiousness and agitation.

He shakes his head strongly nonconforming to Thea's plea. "I almost lost you, I can't even dare to think another moment to lose you again. So no, not a chance. We will do this together, side by side, hand in hand."