English Version: Sands & Sparrow

39

"I just couldn't help myself," Margo confessed, her breath warm against Aveline's ear, adding to the intimacy. Her brown eyes ignited with curiosity. "Why are you here?" She gently wiped away the lipstick smudge from Margo's face.

"I like to see you."

"I miss you too." Aveline kissed her lips.

"Would you like to join me for lunch, Margo?"

"Where do you usually take your lunch?"

"Outside the school. I like the food in the cafeteria, but sometimes it gets too crowded, so I just go outside." Aveline gave a butterfly kiss on Margo's forehead.

"Can you hand me my phone? I have to check my schedule."

Aveline handed her the cellphone, then buried her face in Margo's neck, a spot where she always loved to linger, inhaling the blend of strawberry and sweet vanilla that became her favorite scent.

Margo texted a message, then quietly set the phone down on the table. "Your offer, does it still stand?" she whispered huskily.

"Do you want to have fun in the Dean's office?" Aveline licked her bottom lip; she glided the tip of her nose on Margo's cheek.

Margo arched her brow in amusement. "I own this place...I can do whatever I want."

Aveline's hand gently slipped through Margo's hair as she looked into the vivid green eyes in a way she had never done before. Her chocolate eyes sparked with passionate desire. A tiny smile crept upon her face, and goosebumps lined her skin—not the kind she gets when scared, but the thrilling sensation that comes when nothing else matters except the here and now. "As you wish, my Queen," she whispered slowly, prolonging each letter as if savoring them, before crashing into an intense kiss on Margo's lips.

++++

"Guard! Why are we here? Why can't we enter the premises?" a man demanded angrily in front of the gate. Teachers and students had gathered outside the school, a mix of confusion and curiosity among the crowd.

"We're sorry for the inconvenience, but you'll just have to wait until we receive further orders. There's a fire drill, uh, just started?" the head of security informed, his voice lacking confidence. He stepped away from the closed gate to dodge more questions, leaving a murmur of dissatisfaction in his wake.

"How long does it take for a fire drill to finish?" one student asked, peering through the gates. Her gaze landed on the security personnel, her impatience palpable.

"Thirty minutes," the head of security shrugged, scratching his head. His nonchalant response elicited a collective sigh of disappointment from the crowd as they settled in to wait outside the gates.

"Where's everybody?" Aveline muttered, peering outside the window. The campus was engulfed in silence, disturbed only by a white plastic bag being whimsically carried by the wind, frolicking around like a ghost. She scanned the cafeteria interior, noting only the staff behind the counter and Margo sitting near the empty tables, waiting for her.

Aveline dismissed the unusual quiet, convincing herself they had simply arrived early at the cafeteria and that everyone else had disappeared for no apparent reason.

"What took you so long?" Margo's lips pursed in a blend of annoyance and relief.

Taking the seat opposite Margo, Aveline couldn't resist a tease. "Miss me already?" She offered a dish to Margo, her eyes sparkling. "Here, try this. It's my favorite." She placed the dish on their shared plate; Margo eyed it skeptically. "What's this?"

"It's dinuguan," Aveline explained, her enthusiasm undimmed. "A savory Filipino stew made of pig's blood and innards."

Margo ventured a taste, her initial skepticism giving way to intrigue. "It's a bit sour, but it's good. I like the flavor."