Chapter 4 Best Friend

Chapter 4: Best Friend

The gentle embrace of sleep released me, and I stirred, rising to prepare for another day at school.

But as I stepped out of my room, a sight stopped me short: my mother, her face etched with worry, rushed towards me and enveloped me in a tight hug.

"Rain, anak... are you alright? Adrian told me what happened. You were in the guidance office because some students bullied you. Did they hurt you? Are you okay?" Her voice trembled with concern as she peppered me with questions.

I offered her a reassuring smile. "I'm fine, Mama. I'm strong, remember? I won't let them get to me."

Her embrace tightened. "I worry about you so much, anak. Please, if you're not comfortable at your current school, just tell me. I'll transfer you to another one, a better one, where you can study in peace."

"Please don't worry, Mama," I said, my voice filled with a conviction I hoped she could hear. "I'll face this. And besides, I've made some friends who defended me. There are kind people there too, Mama."

She hugged me again, her relief palpable.

"Just promise me, if anything happens, you'll call me immediately, okay? Tell me everything," she urged. I nodded, my heart swelling with gratitude for her unwavering support.

"Yes, Mama."

After our conversation, I took a shower, my mind still somewhat distant.

I consciously tried to project an inner strength, wanting to ease my mother's worries.

She had already paid my tuition fees, and the thought of her hard-earned money going to waste if I transferred gnawed at me. Moreover, a newfound resolve was hardening within me. I would face those bullies.

I would focus on my studies and not let their negativity consume me.

Emerging from the bathroom, I started preparing breakfast. The familiar sight of my step-siblings' sour faces greeted me.

Sophy even shot me a venomous glare. I had grown accustomed to their animosity, their petty actions barely registering anymore, much like the taunts of the school bullies.

To my surprise, my step-siblings remained silent, refraining from their usual spiteful remarks.

They ate their breakfast in tense quietude before leaving for their own schools.

My stepbrother Richard, as always, completely ignored my existence as he headed off to work.

A small, encouraging smile touched Adrian's lips as he looked at me.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

I nodded, and we walked to school together, a silent understanding passing between us.

The school day unfolded with a surprising normalcy.

During every vacant period, Yana would seek me out, her endless chatter and amusing anecdotes a welcome distraction. She had a remarkable ability to find humor in almost anything.

Devan, meanwhile, seemed to be effortlessly integrating with our other male classmates.

I was slightly taken aback by how quickly he had made so many friends. Yet, he would often excuse himself from their company to join Yana and me, engaging us in lively conversations.

Adrian remained his quiet self, having decided to join the basketball club. He was currently occupied with their practice sessions.

Lost in my own world, I was diligently scribbling down statistical formulas in my notebook during our vacant period for Psych Stats.

Despite the class being over, I wanted to solidify my understanding, as math had always been a challenging subject for me.

Suddenly, a voice broke my concentration.

"That's the wrong formula. It's like this," Devan said gently, leaning over my notebook.

He then proceeded to write down the correct steps and patiently explained the solutions to the problem-solving exercises.

I was genuinely impressed by his teaching ability.

He explained the concepts with such clarity that I grasped them quickly.

I hadn't realized how adept he was at Statistics.

The lesson flowed smoothly, and I began to understand the intricacies of the formulas.

Just then, Devan's friend called him, and he excused himself briefly.

I continued studying my notes, reviewing the material, when a sudden, forceful kick slammed into the back of my chair.

A male classmate from our Psych Stats class stood behind me, his face contorted with anger. "Who do you think you are? Why do you act like you're so high and mighty?" he spat venomously.

I was alone at that moment, Yana being at her cooking club meeting and Adrian at basketball practice. I had been quietly studying when yet another bully decided to disrupt my peace.

"I was just studying," I replied simply, trying to keep my voice even, though a knot of frustration was tightening in my stomach.

He raised his foot to kick my chair again, but before he could make contact, Devan reappeared as if from nowhere.

His eyes blazed with fury as he glared at the bully, grabbing the front of his shirt.

"What has Rain ever done to you? Why can't you just leave her alone? Do you even like her? Is this just some pathetic attempt to get her attention? Huh?!" Devan's voice was low and menacing.

"You son of a bitch! Maybe you're the one who likes Rain, defending her like this!" the bully retorted. In a swift motion, Devan landed a solid punch on his jaw.

A full-blown fistfight erupted. It turned out the bully had backup, and suddenly, Devan was facing a small group of his cronies. Without hesitation, Devan grabbed my hand and gently pulled me away.

We ran, and ran, until we were outside the school gates. Sheesh, was this considered cutting class? No, wait, our last subject's professor had announced their absence, so I guess it was okay?

"Seriously, you really are like the protagonist in a Wattpad story," Devan quipped, a wry smile on his face. "Everywhere you go, there's always someone bullying you, even when you haven't done anything to them."

I noticed a trickle of blood on his cheek and a cut on his lip.

We found a quiet bench outside the school grounds and sat down.

I opened my bag and took out my betadine, alcohol, and a few bandaids, offering them to him.

"You really had to fight them, huh? Thank you for what you did, but please don't get hurt because of those people," I said, my voice laced with concern.

"You look like Miku Nakano," he suddenly said, his gaze softening.

"Hays, you can still joke around even when you're all bruised up," I sighed.

"Hey, 'all bruised up' is a bit of an exaggeration. Makes me sound like some weakling," he chuckled.

"Just... don't get hurt again because of me," I reiterated.

"What are you talking about, Rain? We're friends. I won't let them push you around. They'll have to go through me if they try anything again," he declared bravely.

"Well, for that, I'll treat you to an ice candy, haha. That's all I can afford right now," I said, a small smile gracing my lips.

We walked to a nearby store and bought ice candies. The cold treat would hopefully help soothe his swollen lip.

I chose an avocado-flavored ice candy, and he seemed to thoroughly enjoy his, his face lighting up with childlike glee.

We sat in front of the store, quietly savoring our treats, when he suddenly turned to me with a serious expression.

"Rain, have you ever been in love?" he asked abruptly.

"Huh?" I stammered, completely caught off guard by his question.

"Luh, what's with the sudden deafness? Have you ever been in love?" he repeated, a playful smirk on his face.

"I... I don't know," I confessed, a wave of confusion washing over me.

"Huh? That's weird. How can you not know? You're in college already!" he exclaimed.

"I just... I don't know," I repeated, feeling utterly perplexed.

"I just asked because I've noticed you. You always seem to be thinking deeply, and sometimes you just zone out... you look like you're in love," he observed.

"Ha? How can you tell?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.

"Just a feeling," he replied vaguely.

"What about you? Have you ever been in love?" I countered.

He paused for a moment, a fleeting expression crossing his face before he smiled at me.

"Of course," he said.

A strange pang of sadness resonated within me at his answer. I hesitated to ask further, worried that I might inadvertently touch upon a painful memory.

"What would you do if, for example, you kept dreaming about someone? Someone you don't know in real life, but you dream about them every night, and you feel something... different... whenever you're together in the dream?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Maybe that's a soulmate showing up in your dreams, and you'll meet them in real life, hehe. Of course, I'd be happy, especially if I get to meet that person in reality," he replied with a cheerful smile.

"Devan..."

"Hmm?"

"Why do you have a crush on Itsuki, Hinata, Yor, Boa, and Mitsuri?" I blurted out, my curiosity getting the better of me.

He burst into loud laughter, and after a moment, he looked at me with an amused expression.

"Because they're my waifus."

"Huh? But why did you develop a crush on them?" I persisted.

"Why do you ask? Are you planning to imitate them? Or are you perhaps... jealous?" he teased, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"You're so full of yourself! No, I was just asking!" I retorted.

"Because they're beautiful," he replied simply.

"That's it? You guys are so superficial," I said, a hint of annoyance in my voice.

"Wow, harsh much? Of course, it's not just that. It's also because of their big oppai-"

"Oh, for goodness sake, boys! I don't even know you anymore!" I exclaimed in exasperation, turning to walk away.

He quickly caught up to me, his laughter echoing in the air.

Despite feigning annoyance, I couldn't deny the lightness and happiness I felt in his company. It was surprisingly comforting.

"Hey, you wanna have an anime marathon? We can watch Plastic Memories, Orange, Violet Evergarden, and Your Lie in April!" he suggested enthusiastically.

"You devil! I haven't even moved on from those yet! Are you just trying to torture me?" I groaned.

"Hahahahaha, you're so cute! You really do look like Miku Nakano, especially when you're annoyed," he teased.

"Devan..."

"Oh?"

"What if I'm actually dead, and you're just hallucinating me?" I asked him suddenly, the thought inexplicably popping into my head.

"Huh? That's so random. Are you bipolar or something?" he asked, giving me a slightly judgmental look.

"Nevermind. Oh, Yana texted. She's sulking because we went out without her," I said, changing the subject.

"Well, we got into trouble, and she and Adrian were at their clubs. We didn't really have a choice," he reasoned.

"Do you have a crush on Yana?" I asked, the question popping out before I could stop it.

"Huh? You're so random! Why did you suddenly ask that? Are you bipolar?" he countered.

"Just wondering," I mumbled.

"No, my crush is someone else..." he said, avoiding my gaze and a faint blush creeping up his cheeks.

"Who?" I asked, my curiosity piqued. His blush deepened.

"J-just someone!"

"Who is it?" I pressed.

"Hays, who else? It's Kaori, Hori, Yor, Boa, Mikasa, Hinata, Kanao, Nezuko, and Mitsuri!" he blurted out, his face now a vibrant red.

"That's all? Why did it take you so long to say?" I asked, trying to suppress a smile.

"Of course, I was still feeling shy! Don't mind me," he mumbled. Luh.

Our conversation was interrupted by a small Pomeranian trotting by with its owner.

They were out for a leisurely walk. It was so cute!

I was surprised when Devan discreetly took out his phone and snapped a picture of the dog.

"Hey, that's illegal!" I exclaimed playfully.

"You're such a killjoy! I only took a picture of the dog," he defended himself.

"Let's take a picture too!" I suggested excitedly.

"Luh, no way!" he said, his cheeks flushing again as he looked away.

My face fell slightly. "Okay."

"Hays, being all gloomy now? Fine, let's take a picture," he relented, turning his phone towards us, and we took a selfie.

We probably took around 599 selfies. Just kidding.

After our impromptu photoshoot, we wandered over to a nearby playground.

It was filled with children happily playing.

Devan seemed to revert to his childhood self, thoroughly enjoying the seesaw and swings. His infectious joy prompted me to join him.

He enthusiastically played tag with the kids until they were all exhausted. I found myself enjoying watching them, a silly smile plastered on my face.

Devan's smile was different, genuinely happy. It was a bright smile, radiating a pure and unadulterated joy.

"Here, drink some water. You must be tired from playing," I said, handing him my bottled water.

"Wow, being a kid is so much fun! I felt like I went back to my childhood earlier. What about you? Why didn't you play?" he asked.

"I was happy just watching you all," I replied.

"Wow, that's touching! Thanks, are you my mom now?" he teased, bursting into laughter.

"If you could be an anime character, who would you be?" I asked him.

"Hmm, that's a tough one... but maybe... Futaro from Quintessential Quintuplets. He's so lucky, having five girls fall for him," he said with a grin.

"So you're a playboy then," I quipped.

"Hey! No way! You judged me too quickly! Can't I just appreciate the beauty of my waifus?" he defended himself.

"Yeah, yeah. If you were Futaro, who would you choose?" I pressed.

"Miku."

"Why Miku?"

"Because... she's jowable and super cute. I just want to pinch her cheeks, especially when she's annoyed or sulking. You remind me of her, you know, hahahaha," he said, chuckling.

For some reason, his words made me feel shy. I could feel my cheeks warming up.

"What about you? If you could be an anime character, who would you be?" he asked in return.

"Maybe Detective Conan."

"Why Detective Conan?" he inquired.

"Just because. I feel like it."

"Wow, so cool with your answers. I am very impressed," he said sarcastically.

We spotted a cotton candy vendor, and Devan, looking like a child, eagerly bought one.

I ended up buying one too. His was pink, and mine was blue.

"It's so soft, haha! I really feel like I've gone back to my childhood today," he said gleefully as he devoured his cotton candy.

"You look like a child, a childish one," I teased.

"Thanks for the compliment! Oh, let's take a picture first. I'll post it on my IG story, hehe," he said, snapping a picture of our cotton candies with a wide smile.

"What time is it?" I asked him.

"7:00 PM," he replied casually.

"Huh? 7:00 PM already? Oh no, it's late! Let's go home," I urged.

"Okay, I'll walk you home," he offered.

"Ha? Why would you walk me home? It's late, your family might be looking for you already," I said, concerned.

"That's exactly why. It's late, so don't be stubborn. There are a lot of bad people out there. Someone might hurt you on the way, so I'm walking you home," he said seriously, and we started looking for a jeepney.

I couldn't argue with his logic, and he indeed walked me all the way to our gate.

My step-other was still awake and waiting for me.

"Anak, I was so worried! Why are you home so late? And who is this young man? Is he your boyfriend?" my mother asked anxiously, still standing outside the gate with us.

"Ha? N-no, Mama. He's just a classmate. I'm sorry I'm late," I stammered.

"Good evening, Tita. I apologize, we lost track of time. I'm Devan, Rain's classmate," Devan said, his tone surprisingly formal and respectful.

Was this really the same playful Devan from earlier?

"Oh, it's alright. Have you eaten dinner yet? Come in, Devan, have dinner with us," my mother invited warmly.

"Oh, Mama, don't bother. His family might be looking for him too," I said shyly.

"It's okay, Tita. I'd be happy to have dinner with you," Devan replied with a polite smile.

He entered our house and immediately made himself comfortable on the sofa.

We found Adrian there, shooting Devan a dark glare.

"Hey! What did you do to my sister? Why are you both home so late?" Adrian demanded angrily.

"Relax, bro. Rain and I were just bonding. It wasn't a date, I promise. Just bonding. Right, Rain?" Devan said, looking at me with pleading eyes.

"Yeah, sorry we got home late. We lost track of time. Devan was like a kid, enjoying playing at the playground and eating ice candy and cotton candy," I explained to my brother.

Adrian's glare intensified as he looked at Devan. The atmosphere suddenly felt awkward.

We ate dinner, the presence of Devan still feeling a bit strange. My step-siblings eyed him with curiosity and suspicion.

Devan, however, seemed completely at ease, happily eating with us.

"Hey Rain, pass me the sauce. Hurry up," Sophy ordered.

I wordlessly handed Sophy the sauce.

"Devan, right? Are you Rain's boyfriend?" Kuya Richard asked Devan, his tone serious and probing.

"Ha? Boyfriend? Oh, no. We're just classmates. Honestly, I feel really comfortable around Rain. She's kind and genuinely good-hearted," Devan replied, continuing to eat as he spoke.

"It's good that Rain is making friends at school. I was worried because she was bullied the other day. Were you one of the friends who defended her?" Mama asked Devan, her gaze filled with concern.

"Yes, Tita. Adrian, Yana... the three of us defended Rain. Right, Adi?" Devan said, looking at Adrian for confirmation.

"Yeah," Adrian replied curtly, his tone still cold.

"You shouldn't have defended Rain. She deserved it. Do you know that because of her, our family fell apart? We would be happy now if she wasn't here. She just pretends to be nice, but she's the one who ruined our family," Sophy interjected sharply, her words directed at Devan, who looked visibly taken aback by her outburst.

"That's enough, Sophy. Rain, walk Devan out," Mama said firmly, and I immediately obeyed.

I escorted Devan outside, towards where he could catch a ride.

We walked in silence.

I didn't know what to say when he suddenly spoke.

"I don't believe what your step-sister said. I know you're not like that," Devan said seriously, his gaze direct and unwavering.

"Thanks. Uy, it's getting late. You should go, your family might be looking for you," I said, wanting to change the subject.

"Please tell me if any of your step-siblings hurt you. I can feel their anger towards you, and I'm worried they might do something," Devan said, his concern evident.

"Don't worry about me. Go on, we have school tomorrow," I replied, and we said our goodbyes.

I walked back into the house. Everyone was already asleep. I washed the dishes and tidied up a bit.

As I climbed the stairs to my room, an overwhelming wave of exhaustion and sleepiness washed over me, and I drifted off to sleep almost instantly.

I found myself in the moonlit garden. It was so fast. I was dreaming again.

Everything was quiet, and I searched for the mysterious man.

He was sitting behind a tree, deep in thought, his expression serious.

When he saw me, he immediately approached, but his usual gentle gaze was replaced with a stern look.

"Where have you been?"