CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR: NOT SOMEONE YOU KNOW
"Nah! I can't take it," Daniel said again, politely refusing the bundle of money my brother offered.
"If it were small money, I'd appreciate your rejection—but this? This isn't small," Francis said, a teasing glint in his eye.
"I still can't," Daniel insisted, shaking his head.
"Just take it as a gift from me," my brother said patiently, placing his hand gently over Daniel's, pressing the money into his palm, and then closing Daniel's hand with his own.
"Thanks," Daniel muttered, finally holding the bundle carefully in his bag before taking a sip from his Pepsi.
"You're welcome," Francis replied with a warm smile.
"I'll be expecting my money from you," I said teasingly, tapping my brother's shoulder.
"Didn't Mom and Dad give you money separately? That's enough to feed you for a term," he teased.
"Enough with the exaggeration! Besides, it's different when it comes from you," I said with a laugh.
"Don't whine at my back! I'll give you money since you've been on your best behavior," he said, pretending to scold me.
"Thanks, father!" I said, bowing playfully.
"Lol! Enough with the whining!"
"Francis!" a familiar voice called as someone walked toward our car.
Samuel.
My heart skipped a beat as he approached, his smile that killer grin that always made my stomach flutter.
"Samuel, the most gentle boy I've ever met. How's your girlfriend?" my brother asked casually, leaning back in the driver's seat. He hadn't stood up, still exhausted from registration and all the other tasks.
"Girlfriend? You mean ex," Samuel replied, giving Francis a firm handshake.
"Oh… you broke up with that fine girl?" my brother asked, surprised.
"Yeah. I'm not feeling her the way I feel my present… crush," Samuel said, letting the word hang in the air without elaboration.
"Hmn… crush?" Francis asked, curious.
"Yeah… is it someone I know?" he continued, his tone casual.
"Nah, you don't know everyone in my set," Samuel replied with a small grin.
"It isn't someone I know?" my brother asked, narrowing his eyes playfully.
"Yeah," Samuel confirmed, smiling at Francis.
I felt my stomach drop. My brother knows me, obviously—he's my brother. Him saying Samuel's crush isn't someone he knows automatically excludes me from the guess.
I remembered Samuel talking about asking a girl out back in J.S.S. three, and how he even requested my advice.
Urgh! I almost groaned aloud. Exhaustion from the realization of falling for someone who doesn't love me… and I wasn't even sure Daniel did either.
I turned to look at Daniel, sitting in the passenger seat, engrossed in something on Francis's laptop. His expression was unreadable. I wasn't even sure if he liked me.
"Aren't you dating my sister?" Samuel asked, breaking my thoughts.
My brother had mentioned dating a Mexican girl named Sandra, who was now transferring to another school.
"Nah, she broke up with me. She wasn't interested in a long-distance relationship," Francis said, shrugging.
"What's wrong with her? Isn't she going to the same school as yours?" Samuel asked, curious.
"No, she got lucky—Harvard picked her. I'm going to Wisconsin," Francis explained.
"I thought…" Samuel started.
"…yeah, I was supposed to, but the school didn't pick me," Francis finished, shaking his head.
"Sorry!" Samuel said sympathetically.
"It's okay," Francis replied with a nod. He had worked hard and, though he didn't get into his top choice, he still got accepted into Wisconsin—a massive achievement.
"Hey! Didn't see you there!" Samuel said to me, turning his attention my way.
"Yeah," I said, trying to keep my voice steady, though my heart pounded in my chest.
"How's everything?" he asked, his smile warm and casual.
"Great!" I responded.
"In case you're asking, mine's been great too. I even wished the holiday wouldn't end," he said with a chuckle.
"Yeah, I can see it. You really enjoyed your stay at home," I replied.
"Didn't you?" he asked.
"I did! I actually did," I nodded.
"It shows—you're glowing! Your skin's beautiful as ever."
"Your height too," I teased.
"Yeah, I'm almost 6'2" now," he said, shrugging casually.
"Isn't that something?" I asked, impressed.
"It is… until I grow taller than Francis and my dad," he joked.
"You want to be an iroko tree?" I teased, laughing.
"Lol! Funny! That's the truth," he said with a grin.
"Thank you," he added suddenly, smiling sincerely.
"I'll start going. My parents are waiting, so I can't keep them," Samuel said politely.
"Okay," I replied, echoing my brother's words.
"I'm also here!" Daniel said, closing Francis's MacBook and looking at Samuel with a faint smile.
"You've been here the whole time?" Samuel asked, a bit surprised.
"Yeah. I heard everything, including the crush part," Daniel said with a shrug.
"Nothing concerns you," Samuel replied, frowning slightly.
"Just saying… and I don't want you going against your word," Daniel said calmly, looking directly into Samuel's eyes.
Francis suddenly laughed quietly, quickly turning it into a cough so as not to alert the others.
I wondered what Daniel meant, but whatever he said made Francis act like that, which only deepened my curiosity.
"You want water?" Samuel asked Daniel, but Daniel only smiled knowingly.
"No worries, I'm fine," Francis said, assuring him.
"Okay," Samuel replied, glancing at both of them.
"I have the key to what I said, and if you go against it, I'll use your words against you," Samuel said, his voice serious.
"I don't want to keep my parents waiting, so I'll say this before leaving: I don't say everything aloud; some words remain silent, not to be taken outside," he added, then walked to his parents' car.
What does that even mean? I wondered. Am I the only one confused here?
"Lol! He's funny!" my brother said with a smile.
"What's with him?" I asked, turning toward Francis.
"You'll understand soon… don't worry," he whispered, a mischievous smile on his face.
"Your laptop is so boring, full of non-educational stuff. Don't you play games or watch movies?" I asked, trying to change the topic.
"They're all on a different laptop," Francis said, taking back his MacBook from Daniel.
"You have two?" I asked, surprised.
"Yes. Why not?" he answered, shrugging.
I glanced at him, curiosity burning. What does he mean by you'll understand soon? My brain was already overthinking. Urgh!