Cherreads

Chapter 11 - Smile

\MONDAY/

. . .

*Class ends.

[Cyan] Let's go to the library. Leave our bags in those storage lockers.

[Ember] How much?

[Cyan] Zero, all we need to do is sign up, show ID and claim it after the day.

[Cyan] Unclaimed bags after the day gets penalty fee though.

[Ember] Okay.

*Cyan and Ember walk to the library.

*In front of the counter.

[Cyan] Hello, we would like to leave our bags here.

[Librarian] ID. \taps a small basket\

*Cyan pulls out his ID and Ember does the same.

*Ember then gives her ID to Cyan.

*Cyan and Ember hand over their bags.

[Librarian] How about that one? \points to the bouquet\

[Ember] \stares at the bouquet\ (You stay with me, you pretty things.)

[Ember] \turns back to the librarian\ No need. I'll keep them with me. \smiles\

*Ember keeps the flowers.

*They also kept their phones with them.

[Ember] So Cyan, where should we go?

[Cyan] I don't know, you decide.

[Ember] Really? I decide? Okay let's get coffee.

*They go to the spot of their first meeting. A coffee shop run by students of the campus.

*Same order, iced caramel latte, large, and iced dark chocolate mocha, large.

[Ember] \sits beside Cyan, takes phone out to take a selfie plus one\ Smile!

*Poses.

[Ember] \checks the photo\ (We look cute.) Okay next, your phone. \gestures, asking Cyan for his phone\

[Cyan] \takes his phone out\

[Ember] \takes the bouquet on the table, holds it near the chest, between them and grins\ Smile! :> 

[Ember] \snap\ \returns phone to Cyan\ Your new wallpaper. \winks\

[Cyan] \looks at the photo and smiles\ (She's so bright.)

[Cyan] \puts the photo as a wallpaper and shows Ember\ You look cute.

[Ember] \slightly embarrass\ I know. \grins\

*They were called. They take their coffees and get back to their seat.

[Ember] \sips her coffee then stares at Cyan sipping his coffee\

*A thought came to her mind.

[Ember] (Caramel Latte, I wonder what it taste like?)

[Ember] \realizes\ (Wait! I already know what caramel latte taste like. I'm a coffee girl. Calm down Ember.) \heart skips a beat\

[Ember] Can I borrow your coffee for a bit. 

[Cyan] Okay. \hands her his coffee\ 

[Ember] \puts the coffees side by side, then moves the straws close to each other\ \smiles\

[Ember] Yeah. Perfect. \snaps a picture\ \giggles\

[Ember] Here, you can have your coffee back. \hands Cyan's coffee back\

[Cyan] \smiles and takes coffee back\ So where to next?

[Ember] How about main pavilion?

[Cyan] Okay.

*Ember stands, grabs her bouquet and takes the lead.

[Ember] Let's go.

*Cyan and Ember walk to the main pavilion.

*They find a table and sit, facing each other.

[Ember] Hey, can you take out your sketch notebook and draw a little.

[Cyan] \smiles\ Alright. \takes out his pen and notebook\

*Cyan begins drawing.

[Ember] \takes multiple pictures of Cyan\ (He's so focused and so dedicated on sketching.) \stares at Cyan\

[Ember] So. What are you drawing?

[Cyan] \smiles\ It's you, \flips the notebook and shows her\

*It is a cute bear, with Ember's hairstyle, and a rose tucked behind her ears.

[Ember] A bear? \laughs\ Haha, hang on let me have that. 

[Cyan] Wait let me finish it.

[Ember] Okay.

*Ember stares at Cyan, until he finished sketching. Cyan tears the page and gives it to Ember.

*Ember takes the paper, folds it and puts it at the back of her phone, like a cover.

[Ember] \shows Cyan the back of her phone and grins\

[Cyan] \smiles\ So, where to next?

[Ember] I don't know, why don't we just stroll.

[Cyan] Okay, let's start there. \points\

[Ember] Okay.

*They walk, to the spot.

*It was near the gates, at the edge of the entrance pavilion.

[Cyan] \stops\

[Ember] (Isn't this, the rain?) \remembers the moment Cyan was about to run through the rain\

[Ember] \looks at Cyan\ (Cyan do you want to take a picture here?)

[Ember] (But, how will we do it, there's no rain. Even if we did take a photo, it's not that moment)

[Cyan] \finally speaks\ Yeah. Let's start walking here. \offers his hand\

[Ember] \puts her phone on her left hand while holding the bouquet with her left arm\

[Ember] \takes his hand and starts walking\ (Hmmm.) \quickly snaps the photo of their hands holding\ \smiles\

*Ember takes a photo of everything else they pass by.

[Ember] \notices\ (A church?) \looks at Cyan\ (He doesn't notice.)

[Ember] (Should we take a picture inside the church?) \imagines\ (...Nevermind!) \embarrass\

[Ember] (Let's choose outside the church. Yeah. Outside should be fine) \heart still skips a beat\ (Lets do it)

[Ember] \whispers\ Over there. \points a spot on the pavement\

[Cyan] \looks\ Okay.

*They walk closer. It's near a church.

[Cyan] (A church?) \heart skips a beat, turns and glance at Ember\

*Ember is hiding her face.

[Ember] (Outside, In front of the Church) Yeah. This is enough, lets take a picture here.

*Ember runs away, towards a stranger, and asks for a picture.

[Ember] \whispers\ Full-body, include the church. \hands her phone\

[Student abc] Okay.

[Ember] \holds Cyan's right hand with her left hand then interlocks their arms closer\

[Ember] \lift her right hand holding the bouquet and puts it near her chest then leans on Cyan\

[Ember] Ready! Take the shot.

*Ember shouts.

*Snaps. 

[Ember] \heart beats and chest tightens\ (Too much!)

[Ember] (I need space.) \pushes Cyan slightly and establishes space\ (Breathe) \takes a deep breath\

[Ember] \faces Cyan and grins\ So, where to next?

[Cyan] \smiles\ I don't know. But I think anywhere would be fine, as long as you're there.

[Ember] \grins\ Really? Okay. Let's walk.

*Ember walks first and Cyan follows.

*They pass different buildings and spots.

*While on the way, they take a couple of solo pictures and selfie-plus-one pictures.

[Ember] \points\ Look, a passage. Wanna see?

[Cyan] \looks at where Ember pointed\ Sure. 

*They enter a small private garden with a small pavilion, a fishpond, a bench facing the pond and a small tree shading that bench.

*The pavilion has students typing in their laptops.

[Ember] (They even have a charger, wow.) Over there, an empty bench! Lets rest there.

[Cyan] Okay.

*They were walking for a while, so a rest is indeed not a bad idea.

*They take a seat, and a sense of cool air blows by.

*The small tree had positioned itself flawlessly.

*With leaves spread in a way that filter the harsh midday glare.

*And turning it into a soft, inviting gloom.

[Cyan] You tired?

[Ember] Not much. Why?

[Cyan] Wanna lie on my lap? \pats his lap\

[Ember] (tempting) Okay. \lies head on Cyan's lap\

[Ember] \immediately rises up\ (Nope, I can't rest if I do that, my heart's racing)

[Ember] \stands up\ (Revenge!)

[Ember] I'll ask them to take a picture of us. \points to the small pavilion\ Wait here.

[Cyan] Got it.

*Ember runs to their seniors, and ask for a photo. 

[Ember] \whispers\ Burst Mode, don't stop okay.

[Senior yz] Don't stop? Uhm okay?

*The senior questions what Ember meant.

*Ember goes back besides Cyan.

[Ember] Ready Cyan? \poses\

[Cyan] Yeah. \poses\

[Ember] Start Senior! \yells\

[Senior yz] Got it! \readies burst mode, and shoots\

*Ember change her pose.

*Ember turns, looks at Cyan, and kiss his cheek.

[Senior yz] \heart skips a beat\

*While the burst mode continues.

*A moment of Cyan's reaction is captured like a flipbook animation.

-The moment before the kiss.-

[Cyan] \poses and smiles\

*Ember kisses Cyan quickly.

[Cyan] \smile turns to surprise\ \turns to Ember and sees Ember hiding her face\

[Ember] (I did it. I really did it!)

[Cyan] \realizes the shooting continues and then looks at the camera\

*Cyan tries to control his reaction.

[Cyan] \looks at Ember again, head down, hiding his face\

[Cyan] \whispers\ Ember. You!

[Ember] \grins\ hehe.

*They settled.

*Ember goes to the Senior to retrieve her phone.

[Ember] Thank you Senior! \grins\

[Senior yz] \smiles\ Yeah, warn me next time! \stares and giggles\ \waves\

[Ember] \waves\

[Cyan] \waves\

*Cyan and Ember continue their stroll, but there wasn't enough time, class will start soon.

*So they went to get their bags.

*As they exit the library, they realized.

[Cyan] Wait, we haven't eaten lunch yet.

[Ember] \shock\ Oh! Yeah. 

*They shared a stare and laughs.

[Cyan] Sandwich?

[Ember] Yeah sandwich.

*They bought a sandwich, eat it while walking to their next class.

*And takes photos, here, stairs, and there.

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