"You are not hidden
There's never been a moment
You were forgotten..."
- Lauren Daigle, Rescue

~

As Aquilina sat in her AP English class Monday morning, her attempt to ignore the whispers and stares around her seemed to be failing.

And that wasn't when it had even begun. Since she had walked into the hallways of Velvet Regent, she had found herself the centre of attention.

Many looked, some smirking and speaking about her in not-so hushed tones.

"I can't believe how quickly Francesco dumped her," a girl had said to her friends.

"Oh, puh-lease, this was bound to happen one way or the other."

"Did you see the pictures Audrey posted of Francesco and Rosa?"

Apparently, Audrey had done a very good job at filming and spreading the word about Francesco "dumping" Aqui.

And of course, such news was like a wildfire in a bush.

So as the class flew by, Aqui flipped through a novel they were to write a report on, trying hard to concentrate on it and ignore all those around her.

Don't let them get to you, she repeated over and over to herself. What they say doesn't matter.

She hadn't heard much from Francesco either, except for a brief text the previous night when she had been preparing for bed, which said,

Francesco: Hey, I'm sorry I couldn't stay with you till the end.  I'll make it up to you somehow.

When lunch finally came by, she was relieved that her duties at the MediCentre would keep her distracted for the time being.

She walked to her little cubicle to quickly drop a few of her belongings and pick her Music device — it kept her distracted whenever things were less busy at the Centre.

She opened the locker in her cubicle and a note fell out. As she picked it up and rose to her feet, she caught a sniff of a soft and delightful fragrance and saw a bouquet of rose-lilies in a ceramic porcelain vase sitting in her locker.

She gasped and looked around, but no one else was to be seen. She quickly unfolded the note and read it out loud,

"I picked these because they remind me of you... You're the only one who looks past these ice walls and chooses to bloom in this dark mire...
I am grateful, angelito mío." (My little Angel)

She read it over and over again...

Javier, she whispered to herself.

Her heart warmed, the corners of her lips lifting a tad bit. She was not forgotten. She bit her lip in deliberation before deciding on what to do.

She would stow it away in Jason's car (he never carried his keys with him but left it in his cubicle, which she knew the code of) when everyone else was preoccupied.

She would take it home with her.

She had to rush to the MediCentre and deal with whatever duties she had to take care of over there if she wanted her plan to work.

On reaching the Centre, she realised things were not so busy there, with only a student on the track team reporting for a sprained ankle.

After Aqui treated it as needed with Rose busily chatting away with her fiancé she often mentioned, Aqui was free for the moment.

"I'll be right back," she mouthed to Rose and rushed to implement her plan.

She picked the vase, wrapped what parts she could neatly in her bandana which she often kept in her locker and stepped out.

After she calculated which route on which she was less likely to encounter anyone at that hour, she headed toward the 3rd school track which had a staircase leading to the back of the underground car park.

She successfully made her way to the back of the school's car park and headed towards Jason's car. She avoided any spots where security was sure to be found.

And just as she manoeuvred past a pillar almost reaching Jason's SUV, she heard the sound of running footsteps.

"Oof!" Someone bumped into her causing her to almost drop the vase.

In an attempt to salvage it from damage, she accidentally hit her head on the pillar.

"Ouch!" She moaned in pain grabbing the side of her head.

"I'm very sorry, I wasn't watching. Are you okay?" A strange accent filled her ears.

She massaged the aching spot and slowly looked up to see a tall Asian, with dark hair and soulful eyes looking at her with his face full of worry.

"It's fine," she managed. She had been through worse.

"No, I'm sorry, I had to take care of something urgent and was rushing to return. I was careless and did not look at where I was going."

His face looked so innocent and his eyes so kind.

"No really, it's alright. I'm fine." She smiled reassuringly.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"If you don't mind my asking, where are you headed to with a vase filled with flowers?" He cocked an eyebrow, with a look of amusement.

She realised the bandana had fallen off in the collision.

"Oh... Uhm... I was just going to drop this off in my cousin's car."

"I see... Was it a gift?" He asked in a teasing tone.

"Something like that," she replied. She had only met him for a brief moment but something about his warm countenance put her at ease.

"Then, you wouldn't mind me helping you drop this off, would you?"

"Oh, I can handle it."

"I insist."

—————————

After helping her drop off the vase, she learnt his name was Kim Philip, a Korean.

His father owned a Restaurant which he ran during the evenings and worked at the school's cafeteria during the day. That was how he had earned the chance to attend Velvet Regent.

He invited her to his father's restaurant as a "payback for ruining any neurone in her brain".

"Oh, no," she shook her head.

"I'd think you're upset with me if you refuse. Come on, my dad makes the best Tteok-bokki."

She finally agreed and promised to meet him at the school's entrance when classes were over. She felt like she had made a friend.

When she returned to the MediCentre, Rose seemed to have been waiting for her.

"I'm sorry I kept so long. I had a little 'accident'." She shrugged on her assistant's coat she had taken off before leaving.

"Oh no, Aqui, are you okay?" Rose's brows furrowed in alarm.

"I'm fine, Rose. Did you need anything?" She gave her a reassuring smile.

"Oh, yes. The girl who often delivers our lunch is sick today. Would you mind grabbing it for us? Tell them the usual."

"No problem, I'll go right away."

"Thanks, dear, you're a darling."

As she headed towards the serving area of the Cafeteria, she couldn't avoid the stares that were cast her way. Some of pity, others of disgust.

What they say or think doesn't matter, she reminded herself once more.

She walked straight on to collect the MediCentre's orders. She felt that she was being looked at from the high table. In fact, she had noticed them from before.

Rosa sitting where she had once sat — in between Francesco and Javier, a smirk on her pretty face when she had noticed Aqui walk in.

She should have known how things would end, but she had been too naive.

But she braced herself, "I'm here to collect the order for the MediCentre, please."

She managed to say that politely, willing her beating heart to be calm.

"We meet again," the person behind the counter bent down revealing the smiling face of Philip, the boy she'd bumped into moments before.

"Hey!" She brightened. "I didn't know you would be here."

"I help out sometimes, both for my dad's sake and mine. It's a requirement for my scholarship, " he informed her. "What about you?" He nodded to her assistant's coat she still had on.

"I guess this is where I've been placed too." Which was the truth. Until the investigation was over, she was stuck at Velvet Regent.

He smiled and took out the food packages meant for them. But instead of handing it over, he exited from the serving area of the cafeteria, the food packages in hand.

"What are you doing?" She asked looking puzzled.

"I'm done here for the day, anyway. Come on, I'll walk you to the Centre and deliver these for you."

"I told you, you don't owe me. You're treating me later anyway."

"Aww... let me help. If not I'll feel guilty the whole day. Don't you want me to be happy?" He gave her the puppy-dog look with those soulful eyes of his.

"Okay, fine. I'll carry some. And you'll carry the rest."

"Assa!" (Yes)

She smiled, and walked away with him.

All the while during the interchange, she had forgotten or rather not realised, that certain pairs of eyes were still watching her. Javier and Francesco.

And watching Francesco's reaction, was Rosa.

----------------

Hi 🙋‍♀️ *waves shyly*

I hope you're all doing well. Please let me know what you think so far.

What do you think of her new friend?

Oh, and a picture of him is below!

Banner way above by panda_love2004
And this chapter is dedicated to, DevikaPurpleBts 💙

Much Love,
Phela ❤️