Meet Me In The Umbrella Garden

Chapter 10: The Banner

"Ice cream? This late at night? Seriously?"

All of a sudden, it's as if Ivy forgot whatever was bothering her, as she furrowed her brows and looked at Luke with a judgemental stare.

The latter, however, was unbothered as usual as he held his hand out for the girl to take. His smile turned soft as he looked at her, waiting, and Ivy's expression dropped as she met his eyes.

"... Sheesh, you're so stubborn," she muttered as she eventually placed her hand on Luke's while looking away with an annoyed look on her face. But a moment later, a smile appeared on her face, one that Luke failed to see, unfortunately, as he led her to the closest convenience store they could find.

☂︎

When the week of their school's sports fest arrived, it happened all too quickly for Ivy. In the span of two weeks, she had witnessed everyone in class but her getting busy and getting excited for all the events happening at the sports fest, but then that time passed, and it's almost as if she didn't even have enough time to react. Especially when she suddenly found herself at the bleachers of the open court, holding a banner representing their class with some classmate of hers that she had never even talked to before.

It was awkward, to say the least, and she just wanted to get out of this situation as soon as possible. If only she could find a replacement to hold the banner instead of her. Or, at least, if her partner wanted out, too.

She turned her head, hesitantly, hoping to see her classmate perhaps dozing off or at least looking bored and wanting to join their classmates cheering at the frontlines. But before she could do that, however, another person suddenly spoke from behind her.

"How's our team doing?"

"Gah!" Ivy jumped, before she turned around to see that Luke had taken his seat on the bleacher just above hers. His eyes were on the basketball game happening on the court, but shortly after, he turned his gaze towards Ivy.

He was shining, as usual.

But Ivy was not so impressed with the surprising act he pulled. "Why would you do that?" she scolded him, all while slapping his leg in the process.

"Ah! Ow..." Luke reacted, jumping in his seat shortly after impact before rubbing where Ivy had hit him. Still, he looked as if he wanted to laugh, so it didn't really make Ivy all that guilty about hitting him.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be out somewhere playing in a game or something?" Ivy's brows were furrowed as she asked. Though, that could also be partially because of the strong sunlight that day.

Luke looked at her with a smile. "Didn't I tell you already?"

"What? That you can't join?" Ivy asked, unconvinced.

"So you were listening!"

"Of course, I was! But why wouldn't you be able to join?"

All of a sudden, Luke looked away, and his actions became almost stiff as he replied in an awkwars manner. "Because... I have... asthma."

"No, you don't." Ivy replied, now looking unimpressed at the boy's obvious lie. She had expected him to defend himself with much fervor after she said that, but then Luke just laughed nervously as he placed his hand on the back of his neck.

He didn't even try to deny or agree at all!

And then, all of a sudden, Luke leaned in close towards Ivy before he spoke in a low tone. "Anyway, are you tired of holding the banner or are you just tired of holding it with someone you're not so close with?"

Ivy's eyes widened, mostly because she didn't think that Luke might have an ability to read her mind. And then she looked back at him again only to have the boy smiling at her innocently.

But then again, now that she thought about it, he had always been reading her like an open book.

"Am I really that easy to read?" was what crossed Ivy's mind, before she finally gave Luke a response: "Both."

"Will you be less tired if I hold the banner with you?"

Ivy blinked, as her expression dropped only to be replaced with a blank, but so obviously confused look. "Huh?"

Luke acted before she could reach a decision this time. "Hey, Joshua! I'll hold the banner for now, yeah? You go on and join your friends."

Joshua's face lit up almost instantly, and before Ivy could realize what just happened, her former partner had already joined their other classmates at the bottom of the bleachers while Luke now sat in his place, holding the other end of the banner. He grinned as he looked back at Ivy, like he was proud of what he had just done.

Ivy just sighed as she looked at him.

For the past two weeks, she had seen how stubborn Luke really was. Turns out, it wasn't just in him insisting to hang out with her despite her protests. He was stubborn in most things, especially if he had an idea that he was so adamant about.

But then again, Ivy did find that admirable. To stick to one's ideals despite what anyone else says. She had always hoped to be like that too, one day.

"How are you still alive to this day?" All of a sudden, those words came out of Ivy's mouth, with not much thought and not much expectation for what Luke might respond to it.

Rightfully so, the boy's brows rose as he looked at her in surprise. "Hmm? What... do you mean?"

"You seem to have a thing for sticking to what you believe in, no matter what, even in arguments... How come no one's ever beaten you up before?" Ivy continued asking, her face blank and her tone too serious.

But maybe that's exactly what made Luke laugh out loud all of a sudden. "Would you have wanted me to be beaten up?" he asked after calming down a little.

Once again, Ivy was left looking at him with puzzled eyes. "... I guess not... But then again, if it did happen, I guess I never would have been able to meet you."

"That's right," Luke replied with a smile.

"You're odd," was all Ivy was left to say, before Luke would be chuckling at her words.