Chapter 67

"Why didn't you say you haven't had breakfast yet?" she asked as we walked toward the Jollibee.
"I said it now isn"t it? Look, we're already here so don't scold me, mom," I respond, smiling. She smirked and roll her eyes at me. "Are you mad?" I asked her as the smile on my face never faded.
"No, I'm not," she responded. "I'll just look for our place," she suggested and I nodded in response to her. I went straight to the counter area and then ordered something to eat for breakfast. After the order was paid, I walked in Aly's direction. She was smiling at me and she shared some thoughts about her mom as we wait for our meal to arrive.
We didn't spend much time at Jollibee because she was already looking forward to seeing a movie at the cinema. We watch Disney movies and go directly to the time zone when we go to the theaters. I'm still undecided about what gift to offer Ivan because he already has everything he could ever want. I'll probably just ask Aly what I can get her as a gift.
"What gift will you get for Ivan, Aly?" I inquired as we exited the time zone. She didn't respond straight away, and her demeanor indicated that something was bothering her. Her cheerful expression had vanished, and I couldn't help but ask. I stopped walking and grabbed her wrist causing her to look at me.
"What happened? What"s bothering you?" I asked. I can see how she gulped before she bit her lower lip.
"I realize something," she responded. I tilted my head as I scanned her face and I tried to read whatever was on her thoughts, but nothing entered my mind as to what was bothering her.
"What's the realization that's now reflected in your expression?" I questioned again. I lock my gaze on hers, and she does the same.
"El, I'm embarrassed." She replied, "I am ashamed of what I did earlier." She diverted her gaze from me before biting her lower lip once more.
"Why? What did you do?" I directly asked. She wasn't like this when we first arrived in the time zone, and she act differently when we departed. What went wrong? Within the time zone, I don't remember or notice anything unusual occurring to us.
She turned her gaze back to me and then she asked. "Do you remember when we played at the basketball area?" I nodded in response to her and she look down. "What the hell!" she whispered before looking back at me. I saw the redness on her cheek as if she was ashamed of what had happened. I wonder even more about what I should know about her. "You were busy playing so you didn't see the embarrassment I did earlier," she stated.
"Why? What did you just do? Tell it to me now, Aly. I"m excited to know what it is all about," I respond, smiling at her.
She sighed before speaking. "So just like what I said, you were busy shooting the ball into the ring so you couldn"t see. I"m also enjoying playing and because I want to outdo your score, I asked the player next to me for the ball," she explained which makes me laugh. She put her two palms on her face because she didn"t want to show me her blush. "Don"t laugh at me. It"s embarrassing," she said.
"Don't you know the player you asked for the ball?" I asked, still chuckling. People are already looking at us because they think I'm making Aly cry. Fortunately, I wore my cap so that no one would recognize me.
"I don"t know him, El. He"s a stranger to me," she responded.
I still couldn"t stop laughing and she also didn"t remove her palm from her face. She looks so adorable. "Is the stranger you're referring to is a man, Aly?" I asked again. She nodded her head in response and when she removed her palm, I saw that the whole of her face was red.
"Let's not talk about that anymore, El. It"s nothing to me," she said which makes my smile wider.
"Are you sure, Aly? Did nothing affect you? But why are you blushing? Then you said earlier that you were ashamed," I stated, teasing her. She couldn"t look me in the eye and she grabbed me by my wrist before we started walking.
"I just can't believe I did that so I'm ashamed," she responded. I had a different feeling and I wanted to tease her so I asked again.
"You are very affected, Aly. I'm curious what the stranger I'm referring to looks like," I stated. She glared at me as we walk and I just smile at her. "Can you describe him? Maybe I saw him too," I added.
"Can you stop asking about him? He"s a stranger at all and I am not affected," she responded.
I chuckle and said, "Are you sure? Are you not affected? Look at your action; you"re too defensive, Aly."
"No, I'm not," she immediately answered back.
"If that was the case, describe him," I stated, smiling.
She took a deep breath before she answer, "he is tall." She bit her lower lip before she continue, "I don't remember his face, but he was wearing a black hoodie jacket."
I wasn't pleased with what she replied, so I asked as to what had occurred. I was ecstatic when she told me, and I'm not sure why I believe destiny would bring them back together; I can't explain why I think that's where their journey begins, and I have a slight hunch that destiny has a purpose why she did that earlier.
"What if you're intended for each other, Aly?" I inquired, smiling, and she simply smirked back.
"It only happens in books, novels, or the world of fiction. That doesn't happen in real life, so stop fantasizing, El. Let"s just buy our gift for Ivan," she stated.
I shrugged and responded to her, "okay." I won't force her to talk about it because she might be mad with me. "By the way, what gift will you buy?" I asked her.
"I don"t know what to buy, El. You just buy first so I can have an idea," she answered. I massage my temple as I took a deep breath.
"I also don't know what to buy, Aly. Do you have no idea what we can give him tomorrow?" I asked again. I have no idea what I"m going to give and I also can"t afford to attend tomorrow without a gift.
"Maybe I'll just give him a wristwatch, El. I really can"t think of anything that can be given to him so I think a wristwatch is better," she answered.
I nodded at her and then we find a shop that sells wristwatches. As we walked, I was thinking of what I could buy but I really couldn"t think of anything until we got to the shop we were looking for. Aly started to pick and I couldn"t help but swallow when I saw the wristwatch prices. It"s too expensive and I can"t afford the gift Aly will give.
"Which is better of these two, El," Aly asked me, referring to the gold and silver wristwatch.
"You choose. It"s your gift so why would you ask me?" I responded.
She didn"t respond to what I said and she looked at the two wristwatches. It took her almost two minutes to check it until she looked at the sales boy who was watching us. "I don't know what to choose so I'll just buy both," she stated that make me gulp again.
"Seriously, El?" I asked, shocked.
She chuckles and answers, "yes, I'm sure El."