"Huh?"
In a state of complete loss for words, Callisto's cheeks turned a pinkish hue as she looked face-to-face with Hinata, his words repeating in her mind like a broken alarm that was never-ending.
The young man wanted to be closer with Callisto. By that, he meant closer, as in the same way as Elesis wanted to be really close friends with her. No matter how Callisto looked at it, that was the most logical conclusion in this tense situation she found herself in.
So why?
"Why is my heart beating so fast right now?" Callisto asked herself in thought.
Callisto couldn't help but wonder if the young man's words carried a different meaning. She couldn't understand why it seemed as though she was leaning towards it, hoping that Hinata did mean his words differently than what she initially had in mind.
On the other hand...
"..."
Hinata was waiting patiently for Callisto's answer. He also only realized it after blurting those words out, how she could have taken what he said with a completely different meaning than just being close friends.
Even so, Hinata kept a determined look on his face. Frankly, he couldn't care less how Callisto would interpret his words.
"Of course, I want to be very close friends with you, Calli," Hinata thought to himself, his gaze holding Callisto's captive. "But..."
He wouldn't mind being something more than close friends if it was with Callisto.
Hinata's eyes fell down to the way Callisto's soft, pink lips moved as she uttered her answer before looking back up to meet her gaze.
"I... I would love that too."
Another moment of silence befell them.
Callisto dug deep into her brain to find the words to say to Hinata, only to muster an answer that could have been interpreted differently than what she intended.
The question is, what did she intend with her vague words? Not even Callisto knew the answer to that question.
"Thank you, Calli."
A bittersweet smile was etched on the young man's face as he expressed his gratitude towards Callisto. He was glad to know she felt the same way as him but a bit disappointed that he couldn't exactly tell if the words they've thrown at each other really carried the meaning both of them truly intended.
Both Hinata and Callisto returned to the same way they sat against the tree next to each other the first time, though the young lady kept her head up for a change.
Hinata set aside the thoughts clouding his mind at the moment and turned his focus on the real reason why they were in the track.
"Should I tell El we're here?" Hinata asked, taking his phone out.
Callisto turned to him, cat ears spiking up at the mention of Elesis. "Yes, please."
"All right."
* * *
Inside the classroom, Elesis was still on her desk chair, staring idly toward the window. She was neither in a good nor bad mood. She simply looked hollow.
Just then, a burger in a wrapper was placed on top of her desk with a soft thud, drawing her attention towards it.
"You haven't eaten yet," one of Elesis's close friends who placed the burger in front of her said. "You don't do that unless something's really bothering you."
"What's the matter, El?"
"Was it something related to Calli?"
"We noticed she's been avoiding talking much to everyone since this morning. She even declined to join us for lunch."
"Uh, thank you." Elesis forced a smile, even as she knew how futile it was to do it in front of people who knew her very well. "It's not a big deal, really. I'll resolve it soon."
"So it is related to Calli."
"You guys better make up quick. I wanna ask Calli about our new homework."
"Didn't Callisto tell you to try answering the problems yourself before asking for help?"
"I already did; it's impossible."
Despite the turmoil deep inside her, Elesis caught herself letting out a warm, genuine chuckle at her friends' bantering. Perhaps that was their way of cheering the redhead up.
Then, out of nowhere, she felt her smartphone vibrate in the pocket of her jogging pants. When she opened it and read the text message coming from Hinata, Elesis bolted out of her chair almost instantaneously, surprising her friends.
"What's the matter, El?"
"Sorry, I gotta go!" Elesis immediately made her way towards the door, leaving behind the burger on her desk.
One of her friends noticed it and called to her.
"Hey, you left your food!"
Elesis stopped right in front of the door just as the friend approached her with the food and handed it to her.
"Thank you!"
Elesis's friend watched her storm out of the classroom, almost colliding with other students on the way. A warm smile played on the friend's lips before he went back to the others.
* * *
Purposeful footsteps, labored breathing, a throng of students looking and wondering what the rush was as she passed by them one after the other.
It didn't take long before Elesis reached the track after running through the school grounds and getting warned by teachers not to run around the school premises. Elesis's crimson hair caught the warm sunlight as she pulled out her smartphone once again, double checking the message for Hinata and Callisto's exact location.
"Under the tree," she muttered to herself as she went further into the track.
One tree immediately caught her attention because of the glimpse of silver that caught her eyes. There, under the shade of a big tree, sitting next to each other and talking were Hinata and Callisto.
Elesis held one hand against her chest, feeling the rampant thumping of her heartbeat inside her chest. Needless to say, she was nervous, scared even.
But this was her chance, and she was not about to let it slip away this time. She stepped toward their direction with a purpose, trying her hardest to keep a composed demeanor but failing so miserably.
Elesis's footsteps stopped, maintaining a distance between them as Callisto and Hinata finally took notice of her.
The redhead's hands on her chest and her side were shaking the same way her lips trembled as she struggled to push the words out of her mouth amidst the whirlwind of emotions threatening to overwhelm her.
"Calli, I... I'm so—"
Just as tears started flowing from her eyes, Elesis's words were cut off by a sudden warm embrace of Callisto.
"I'm sorry, El!"