Work in Progress

Chapter 37: Dinner

*SAM'S POV*

I'm frozen in place. I did not expect Eli to kiss me. I mean, I loved that she did. I've been wanting to kiss her for so long now. I just never thought she'd break her promise to herself. When she was staring into my eyes... her brown eyes bloodshot from crying so much... I didn't see any pain. I saw... home. I saw the same expression my parents would have when they looked at each other every morning before they left for work and every night when they arrived home.

"Just this once," Eli whispers.

I hug her tight and say, "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone."

She gives a small chuckle. "I'm sorry I'm not sorry."

"Me neither."

We break apart and Eli looks at me smiling. No sign of the broken teenager longing for her family except for the redness in her eyes. "You're the bravest and most caring person I know," I tell her.

"That's probably because you haven't met a lot of people yet," she jokes and I slap her arm. "Before we go down... let me just shake off my very public breakdown so I won't overthink what Jane and Kate think of me now."

"They don't think any--." Before I could finish my sentence, Eli started literally shaking, waving her arms around and kicking her feet.

"Alright, I'm ready."

I'm clutching my stomach now from laughing at her absurdity. "Wait-- give me-- a moment--."

Eli laughs quietly while I gather my breath. When we were both ready, we headed back down to Eli's apartment where the others were waiting. Jane, Kate, and Tera were on the couch chatting when we arrived. Eli quickly excused herself for a moment and said she'll start prepping dinner in a while. I join the others, each of us sporting a warm smile. The kind you can't help but give at moments like this.

"Thank you, all of you, really for coming here today. This is actually the first time that Eli got to properly say goodbye to them," Tera tells us and I remember when Eli told me when she woke up from her coma and the funeral was already done.

"We've got her back. Even though she acts tough all of the time, we'll be her bodyguards now," Jane says and I couldn't help but appreciate the genuineness in her words.

"Yup, she's stuck with us now," Kate adds. "And can I just say how amazing Eli's voice is. Why has she been hiding that? She could definitely break hearts with that voice!"

Tera laughs, "Trust me. She has. But she's totally oblivious to that fact since she wasn't a flirt yet then."

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Eli played a lot of instruments in middle school. Our group would hang out in the music room and have jam sessions while other students would peek through the windows. Don't tell Eli I said this but she was a crush ng bayan before. Everyone had a crush on her I mean. But she was totally manhid --oblivious about it. She stopped playing after the accident but that was also when she became a flirt."

"Was today her first time playing again?"

"Mmm... I don't think so. I think she still plays but only when she's alone."

"We have to make Eli perform more," Kate insists.

"Yeah, goodluck with that," Tera laughs. She then turns to me, "I'd wish you luck too but I know you won't need it. Eli's stupid if she let's you go."

"Good thing I'm smart then." Eli comes out of her bedroom, looking fresh from a shower. "I hope you didn't say anything you'd regret," she narrows her eyes at Tera.

"Relax. We were just having a regular gal pal chat." Tera says acting innocent.

"Uh-huh, sure." Eli says not buying the act. Then she heads for the kitchen and asks, "So what do you guys think about Filipino cuisine?"

***

After an hour of prepping, we were all now seated around the dining table full of dishes new to us, well at least to me, Jane, and Kate. Eli heated up the chicken adobo that she made yesterday. She said it tastes better the longer it sits in the sauce and if you had leftovers, you could fry it with some rice. She also fried some lumpia with matching sweet 'n sour sauce, which was a staple Filipino party dish. And while she was making sisig, she made Tera go back up to the rooftop to grill some barbecue. They had a small fight about that one, since Tera didn't want to go back up again after already going back and forth from cleaning the set-up. Although, we only really had to make two trips since we helped her with that.

-flashback-

"Bakit ako mag iihaw? Sabi mo ikaw magluluto. (Why should I grill? You said you'd be the one to cook.)"

"Bagong ligo na ko. Dali na. Para makakain na tayo. (I just took a bath. Come on. So we can eat already.)"

"Pano kung ayoko? (What if I don't want to?)"

"Edi walang barbecue. (Then we won't have barbecue.)"

"Don't worry about her," Eli says as Tera stomps outside. "Barbecue's her favourite."

-end flashback-

"Before we eat--." Eli clears her throat. "I'd like to say thank you. So... thank you... for coming here... and being with me."

We laugh at Eli's awkwardness and tell her variations of "no worries." I take her hand under the table and squeeze it as I give her a smile.

***

We were now saying our goodbyes. Jane and Kate were waiting for me in the car and Tera was probably not doing the dishes despite Eli asking her to.

"Hey, umm... I won't be coming to school tomorrow. So maybe you can ride with Jane in the morning and I can pick you up in the afternoon if you'd like?"

"Why aren't you coming?" I ask worried.

"I don't really want to go to school with swollen eyes. It destroys my reputation," Eli jokes.

I'm sad that I won't get to see Eli tomorrow but I understand why. I stand on my toes and kiss both of her eyes. "There. So it won't be so swollen. And you don't have to pick me up. You should get some rest." After a day like today, she deserves it.

"I'll call you," she smiles at me.

I give her a hug before leaving and wave goodbye as we drive off.

A/N: Wazzap. I'll be back to my regular Monday updates. I've got like 10 or so more chapters. I'm not sure if I'll end it at that or start a part three.

Also, I can't believe christmas is next week. Where did the time go?