Chapter 5 I'm Sorry

The second quarterly exam in high school starts today. All students prepared for this exam. Students need to study hard because their grades will depend if they are qualified for their future courses in college. However, Callista never mind about rankings or grades when she didn't meet Ken. But when Ken met her and her original face. She became motivated in studying because of the threat of Ken.

Finally, students finished taking exams. A lot of students celebrate it. The section of Callista gathered in a chicken restaurant and they celebrated it. Callista awkwardly eats because Ken sits next to her. She's nervous because she is not confident in her answers. Sam sings along with the other classmates and while Marjorie is dancing. They are all happy.

One week later, Callista is very nervous because it is a ranking day. Callista opens her laptop and sees the rankings. She found her name. She was in third place.

"I'm done," she said.

Ken is still in first place and she feels devastated. She is scared because Ken might tell everything to her classmate. She imagined that Marjorie would leave her and Mara would hate her. Then, she imagined the bullies would appear and knock her out. So, Callista calls her manager at work and says that she will be absent. After that she turned off her phone and didn't go to school.

In school, Ken found out that Callista is in third place. Mara and Marjorie are very happy. Ken was listening to Callista's friend.

"I knew it, our friend will be in a higher rank. I'm so proud of her" Marjorie said.

"Yeah, she's a bomb. What rank are you? I'm in 11th?" Mara asked.

"I'm 14th, how about you Sam?" Marjorie asked.

"I'm in 4th now, I went up. Travis is in 5th." Sam said.

"But where is Callista? She is always early. Weird, is she late or absent?" Mara asked.

"I don't know. I'll call her" Marjorie said.

Marjorie tried to call Callista. But it is unreachable. Marjorie left a message to Callista because they are worried. Meanwhile, Ken looked at his phone and texted Callista but there was no response. He thinks that she is late. The whole day no Callista appeared in the class.

Her friends tried to call her but it is still unreachable. Ken stops by to the cafe restaurant where Callista works. He spends his time in the cafe just taking a chance to see Callista. Two hours passed and no Callista appeared in the café. Until the manager of the café came to him.

"You are Callista's friend right?" she said.

"Yes, who are you miss?" he asked.

"I'm the manager of the café." she said and smiled.

"Oh? Nice to meet you ma'am" he formally said.

"Are you looking for Callista?" the manager asked.

"Actually yes ma'am. I'm wondering if she's here because she is absent today in our school." he explained.

The manager tells him that Callista was absent too for some reason. Ken asked the manager not to tell Callista that he was looking for her, so he left. Ken stops by Callista's house and thinks about what happened to her. A few minutes he went home. He thinks that Callista will go to school tomorrow and sleep.

Another day, Callista is still absent. Ken is worried. He thinks that maybe she vanished because of what he said. Ken doesn't know what to do. He called her and messaged her but there was no response. He decided to visit her house again. On his way, he saw a woman struggling in her bags. He ran and helped the woman. The woman thanked him.

"Are you busy?" the woman said.

"Not really ma'am," he said.

"Good to hear, I will cook you food. Join us for dinner. Our house is near, come join us. I live with my daughter." she said.

"It's okay ma'am, you don't need to do that" he refused.

"No, this is the exchange because you help me. Please" she said.

This woman looks like someone. But Ken doesn't know who it is.

While they are walking Ken realizes that the woman will stop in front of Callista's house. He thinks that this woman would be her mother.

"I'm home," the woman said.

"Welcome home!" a woman from nowhere said.

The woman let him sit on their sofa.

"I'm sorry our house is not that big." a woman said.

"No, it's okay. It looks comfortable." he said.

"Wait, I'll cook. My daughter will go down anytime. Please wait for our food." the woman said.

Ken nodded to her.

Meanwhile, Callista practiced some dance moves from the video. Until she feels hungry. Callista goes down the stairs without knowing Ken is here.

"Mom, what is our food for dinner?" she said.

She stopped talking because he saw Ken sitting on the sofa looking at her. They made eye to eye contact for a few seconds until they realized she's wearing a shirt and undies. She looks at her body and turns around. She runs upstairs and wears jogging pants. Ken turned around his face red.

"Mom! why didn't you say that we have visitor?!" she yelled.

"Sorry! you didn't tell you're naked again. I told you to wear shorts. You're only wearing undies" the mother said.

"Mom!" she said.

After the mother cooked dinner.

Callista talks to Ken.

"Hey! What are you doing here? Are you a stalker?" she said.

"You know him?" her mother asked.

"He's Ken Davis, my classmate," she said.

"What a coincidence. He helped me on the way home. So I invited him" mother explained.

"Hey! I'm very handsome to be your stalker, bleeeeh!" Ken teased Callista.

Callista kicked him and her mother laughed.

"I hope I have a son like you. Callista has always been lonely in our home" she said.

"I'll be your son! You are my mother from now on" he said.

"Mom!" Callista yelled.

But Ken teased her.

After eating Callista's mother left for a while to buy snacks. The two left alone in the house.

"Hey! Did you see your rank today?" Ken suddenly asked.

She nodded.

"Why were you absent for two days?" he asked.

"I'm scared. I'm not Top 1 " she said.

"You know, you want me to beat you to keep my identity secret." she added.

Ken felt guilty.

"It is my fault. I thought you would still come to the school. Actually it was a joke. I'll still keep it a secret." he said.

When he looked at her. Callista glares at her and punches him. They were wrestling because she was upset. Ken felt pain but he was laughing because his heart felt relieved that Callista is okay.

Her mother came to the home and she saw the two watching movies. Her mother smiled because it was the first time that she saw her daughter smile. She knew that she's struggling in her previous school.

After two hours, Ken says goodbye and he's coming back again soon. Callista escorts him to the gate.

"I'm going home. Thank you for accepting me here. Also, I'm sorry I didn't know that you take it seriously" he said.

"It's okay, I'm thankful because you're the one who knows my secret," she said excitedly and looked at him.

Ken felt his heart beat so fast. He blushed.

"You'll come to school tomorrow right?" he asked

"Yes, I take a leave for two days at work so I need to go to work tomorrow too." she said.

Ken pretended that he didn't know.

"I can't reach your phone. You didn't receive my messages?" he said.

"Ow! I turned it off. I'm using my laptop, sorry." she awkwardly said.

"It's okay, it is also my fault too. You're two friends are worried because they can't reach you. You must text or call them to know that you are okay." he said.

"Oh really? thank you, later I'll text them." she said.

"That's all. Goodbye, see you tomorrow mushroom" he said.

"Bye, Potato" she said and then Ken left.

She rushed to her room and turned on her phone. Blast of messages she receives. It's from her friend Marjorie and Mara, from Celestine, messages from her manager and from Ken.

She opened all the messages and she texted Marjorie and Mara. She used makeup because she thought that her friends would call.

A few minutes later they called and they talked about what she missed in school. Then, they congratulate her.

After that, she texted Celestine. She texted her manager that she will start working tomorrow. However, the manager broke her promise to Ken. She said to Callista that Ken is looking for her. Callista is shocked because it is unexpected to him. Callista is touched on his effort.

"He is really cute," she said.

She texted Ken goodnight and she said thank you.

Ken replied "You must finish our lunch tomorrow, see you"

"We have a date again iihhh" she said and jumped. But she realizes that she's being crazy so she stops jumping.

Another day, Callista came to school and her friends hugged her. They really missed her. Ken came to the room and Callista looked at him and smiled.

Travis came to the room and grabbed Ken's collar.

"We need to talk," Travis said and he left.

All the students were shocked. Callista is worried. Ken stood up and left the classroom. Callista runs to him and holds his hand to stop him.

"It's okay" he said and Callista let her hand go then Ken left.

On the rooftop Ken, Sam and Travis are there.

"What's the matter?" Ken asked.

"She's coming," Travis said.

"I'm in trouble," he added.

"Ow damn" Ken said.

Sam feels a headache and looks down.

Meanwhile, Callista and her classmates are waiting for Ken and Travis. After a few minutes.

"Where are Travis, Sam and Ken?" a girl said.

Mara messaged Sam "She's here"

"We're doomed, she's here!" he said and got nervous.

"Who are you?" a girl said to Callista.