Chapter 12
(●’3)Zayne’s POV (ε`●)
Daleyza looked at me as if I had just said something strange.
“You mean your driver is outside to take me home?” Daleyza asked.
“My driver is outside,” I repeated. “It’s not a big deal.”
“Don’t worry, thanks, I can walk.”
“Tell me you’re joking, Dale. You just collapsed on the floor not less than two hours ago, and someone is offering you a ride, and you’re saying no. By the way, isn’t that better than trekking in the hot sun?” Ivy protested with her hands on Daleyza’s shoulder.
“Should everyone know that we’re always trekking home in the hot sun? Okay, I’ve heard you. I’d go.”
Ivy clapped her hands. “Wonderful.”
We walked to the car park together. Caleb was in front of us narrating a story I couldn’t even make sense of. He can be talkative at times.
Ivy stopped and turned to me. “I’d be on my way now. My house is on…”
Daleyza didn’t even let her finish before cutting her off. “What are you trying to say? You wanna trek home? Look, if you can convince me to enter a stranger’s car, then you must tag along. Don’t even bother arguing.”
Ivy replied, “But Zayne is not a stranger.”
“Caleb is,” she added.
Caleb raised his hands up and said, “Hey, easy. I’m a very friendly stranger.”
Daleyza didn’t reply to him. Instead, she turned to Ivy and said, “You’re coming with us.”
Ivy looked at me, and I told her, “Okay, you should tag along. There’s space.”
She smiled and later got in the car.
Caleb got in and sat beside the driver’s seat. He brought out his ear phone and placed it on his ear while listening to some music.
Daleyza went in and sat beside the window. I got in to sit beside her. Ivy slid in after.
The driver pulled out of the school gate and started driving on the main road. Ivy was with her earpod. I guess she too was listening to some music.
I fixed my gaze on the road. Then I glanced back at Daleyza. This time her head was placed on the window with her eyes closed.
Her breathing slowed down. She was probably sleeping. Looking at her right now, she looked nothing like the sharp-tongued girl.
For once, she wasn’t arguing with me. That’s what tiredness could do.
And yet, I was still asking myself why, why I was doing all of this. I could have probably ignored and turned a deaf ear when Ivy called out for help that she had fainted.
I could have asked someone else to carry her to the infirmary. I could have even left her in the infirmary without checking on her or giving her a lift.
Why was she even in my car in the first place? Why do I care?
Owing to her attitude the first day we met and even in English class, ignoring her should have been the best, but here I was.
I later settled on the explanation that I was doing it for the sake of humanity. That’s what good and decent people do, right? Anyone in my shoes would do the same.
A strand of hair moved to her cheek covering her face.
I reached out to remove it and put it back in place, but I withdrew my hand.
What was I doing?
We were supposed to be project partners, nothing more. We would finish this project, submit it at the end of the semester, and we would go our separate ways.
I told myself that as I focused on the road.
Ivy directed the driver through a quiet street lined with thick trees. The houses there were smaller, and it was much quieter.
“There,” Ivy called, pointing. “Please stop at the house with the yellow door.”
When we got to the house, my driver stopped.
I tapped Daleyza gently. She stirred, blinked, and sat upright, cleaning the sides of her mouth, hoping nobody saw it. Though Caleb did, he said nothing, which I was grateful for.
“We’re at your house,” I told her.
She saw the yellow door and reached for her bag as she mouthed a thank you.
When she reached for her bag, Ivy collected it and carried it for her.
Before we could open the front door, it was already opened by an older woman whom I guessed would be her grandma.
She stood by the door. Looking at her, I could see the resemblance between her and Daleyza.
She looked at Daleyza with a caring and worried look at the same time.
“Leya, what happened?”
Before Daleyza could even talk, Ivy launched into the whole story for her from when they left the classroom, when they got to the hall, and how Daleyza fainted amongst the crowd and was brought to the infirmary.
The woman listened without interrupting her.
As soon as Ivy finished her explanation, the grandma turned to me and said, “You carried her here?”
“I carried her to the infirmary. The driver brought her home,” I said.
When I said that, her face broke into a warm smile as she touched my cheeks. “Bonbon,” she cooed.
I blinked. I could hear Caleb chuckle behind me before turning it into a cough.
“Thank you so much for bringing my Leya home safely. Come inside, the both of you. Let me serve you some refreshments.”
“No need, ma’am. I need to be home. My dad needs me at home urgently.”
“Next time, bonbon. Be a good boy,” she replied.
Daleyza looked at her grandma before turning to face me. “Thank you once again,” she added.
I nodded as I walked to the car with Caleb while Ivy stayed behind.
Caleb walked beside me and waited till we were both inside the car and the door was shut before he said anything.
“Bonbon,” he teased.
“Caleb, please don’t start.”
“Her grandma called you bonbon.”
“Caleb…” I called.
“Okay, okay. I won’t tease you,” he promised, though he was still laughing his lungs out.
I looked outside the window. The yellow door was still open.
As the car drove away, I kept telling myself this didn’t mean anything.