ELEVEN YEARS

Spilled Coffee

It's Thursday, and still, no lessons to be tackled. Their first week of the school year has no lessons, because it's a week for refreshments and for students, especially the new ones, to understand the school's system.

"Yeah, so, Chloe...," said Olivia. "What about her?" asked Irish. They were walking in the hallway, and Prim was in their middle. "Keira told me that Chloe wanted to invite us to Chloe's 16th birthday," replied Olivia. "As if I wanted to go," she added. "What do you mean?" asked Irish. "Well, it's obvious already that Keira and Louie are going to be there, and you know the rest," said Olivia.

"Are you going though?" asked Irish. "Well, it depends if Prim's going to," replied Olivia as she looked at Prim. Prim was silent all along. "If Prim's going, I'll be there too," Olivia added.

Olivia thought that Prim would need someone to be with her, concerning her state right now.

"When is it?" asked Irish. "Um, I heard it is on June 24?" said Olivia, in an unsure tone. "Are you going?" asked Olivia. "If y'all are going, I'll be there too... like, what am I supposed to do at home?" said Irish.

They were walking slowly because they still had enough time to gossip, and they were heading for their classroom.

"Oh, and about Tiffany," said Irish. "Yeah, don't even mention about it," said Olivia. Their topic is now focused on Tiffany as they recalled what happened last year.

Tiffany was accused of sabotaging Olivia's major project for science which should be featured by the school. She always denied this and never admitted what she did because she said that she would never do such kind of stuff. Irish began to hate her that time too, without being open to all details and sides of the issue. Their squad was the popular one, so it'd be challenging for Tiffany to be in conflict with two of her best friends, so she was forced to transfer to another school to avoid any more heated arguments and conflicts.

Prim, on the other side, never hated Tiffany. She always believed and knew that Tiffany would never do such kind of stuff. However, she never knew who sabotaged Olivia's project.

While Olivia and Irish were gossiping, Prim saw Angel and they smiled at each other. Their small interactions are genuine for Prim.

-

In the classroom, Olivia was busy stalking Louie's social media account, while Irish was chatting with Evelyn, their classmate with blue-dyed hair.

Prim was on her seat, always staring at their blank wall; thoughts racing through her mind.

Angel noticed Prim was always lonely, even though she was always with her squad.

Even during lunch, Prim didn't join Olivia and Irish and chose to stay inside their classroom and skip lunch.

Prim stared at the blank wall. Her mind couldn't get over what happened at the funeral and how she now realized that she wouldn't see her mother again. Prim was used to her mother's comfort. She was forced to accept the death and grow up, but she couldn't, for now. Maybe, she thought, she'll get to see her mother again; maybe in another dimension; in another world or universe. She was stuck.

Angel walked past their classroom and saw, once again, Prim being left alone. She was all alone inside the classroom. Angel wanted to approach her but she was too shy, so she just continued heading to the cafeteria.

Angel was at the cafeteria. She saw Olivia and Irish having their lunch and took the courage to tell them that Prim was all alone inside the classroom and that she noticed Prim always acting odd.

She suggested that they would take Prim to somewhere she would like to go or somewhere calming, to distract Prim from her thoughts.

"She'd still think about it even if we're at the café. But, okay, thank you. We'll do that," said Olivia, expressing her gratitude. Angel smiled and then left.

Olivia turned her head to Irish and then said "Does she have an intention to get closer to Prim?". "Dunno, but she always seemed concerned for her though," replied Irish.

After having their lunch, they went back to their classroom. Prim was still there. She is now looking out the window.

Olivia rushed to Prim and hugged her from behind. This did cause a surprise to Prim, but it also did give her a warm feeling.

"Hey sunshine, do you want to go to Sweet Serenity Café after class?" Olivia said to Prim, as Angel suggested. Prim nodded.

"Lovely, you come with us, okay?" said Olivia. "'kay," replied Prim.

-

After class, they headed for Sweet Serenity Café, just a 5-minute walk from the campus.

"Sweet serenity it is!" exclaimed Olivia, overwhelmed by the atmosphere the café gives. The dim yet calming atmosphere inside the café could give a warm embrace to customers like Olivia.

They occupied one of the tables on the right side of the café.

"....so, as usual, I prefer the matcha, please, and the cheesecake goes for the three of us," said Olivia as she ordered food for the three of them. Irish also added some orders for her own and Olivia for Prim. Prim just sat there.

A while later, one of the café's staff placed their food on the table and smiled at them, then walked away.

"Hmm... matcha could make my day complete," said Olivia while taking pictures of their food. Olivia and Irish were busy taking pictures, while Prim was just sitting there.

While eating, someone came in which made Olivia widen her eyes.

"Oh, fuck," Olivia cursed when she saw Louie and Keira occupying the table on the opposite side of the café visible to them. "Wow, have a nice day," said Irish to Olivia sarcastically. Irish laughed, then she saw Olivia's grumpy face.

Olivia glared at Keira and Louie while they were dating. They did not notice Olivia and her friends were there.

A minute later, another person came in. Prim and Irish checked to see, while Olivia was busy being nosy to Keira and Louie. Prim, wide-eyed, same as Olivia's reaction earlier, hid her face away from the person who just come in. It's Anthony.

Prim was panicking, but Anthony did not notice she was there. After Anthony occupied the remaining table, she calmed down. She was hiding her face all that time.

Irish did not give much thought to this and went back to Olivia's 'problem'. "Hey, about Louie-" Irish had been cut off by the coffee she spilled just now.

"Yeah, bitch," said Olivia, while wiping the spilled coffee with the tissue. "Perfect timing, I have a tea," she added. "Spill," said Irish.

After cleaning the table, Olivia proceeded to share with them the rumor about Louie. "There's this rumor spreading, saying that Louie hooked up with Candice," said Olivia. "So? Was he already in a relationship with Keira at that time?" asked Irish. "Yes," replied Olivia. "Why do you still fancy him, though?" asked Irish. "Well, it doesn't change his facial features... and he's cool... and Keira's not that type of girl to be called 'special'," said Olivia. "Hey!" exclaimed Prim, she thought Keira's fine. "What?" Olivia said with a confused tone, unsure what was wrong with what she had said.

After they finished their food, they decided to go home because Prim insisted. It was her first time to speak up during her state.

Anthony already left so Prim decided to leave after a few minutes because she didn't want Anthony to see her.

Anthony was waiting for their car outside when Prim came outside. Anthony saw Prim then, again, they stared into each other's eyes for a few seconds. Then Anthony decided to say "Hi, commute ka? Or do you have a service?". "Um," said Prim at a loss for words to say. "I'm waiting for my dad," she added, finally finding some words to reply.

Prim stared at Anthony's face, not realizing it. Then Anthony gave, once again, the endearing smile he held during the first day of the school year. This made Prim come back to her senses and look away from him. Prim felt something in her stomach. Butterflies, she thought.

'What the heck is this?' she thought to herself. That interaction between them, made her forget everything that was going on in her life.