FAWN 🍂 12
   (Day 13, Tuesday)
   After talking to the school's CEO about my new uniform, I head straight to my room. I know I'm a graduating student, but I don't want to wear my former uniform. I can't even bring myself to look or enter my old room, let alone wear the uniform that is the reason why I went there that night. The incident that happened, which I will never forget, haunted me. The memory of what happened was like a nightmare that I tried so hard to forget but keep on haunting me.
   Warm arms wrap around my body, bringing me back to reality. "Morning," Zev mumbles.
   "Hey! It's too early for hugs!"
   "Come on, Zev, stop hugging my friend."
   "Do you know, Felly, after our performance yesterday, Zev hugged Fawn in front of the dance troupe team and Mr. Damian." I hear Dhame reporting to Felly.
   "The man is just head over heels for Fawn. Let him be, Felizitas."
   "Kai, be quiet!"
   "Nope. You just can't admit that someone is stealing your friend from you."
   "Are you going to be quiet, or do I need to hit you?"
   "Try it, and I'll kiss you."
   "Hey, both of you, stop!"
   Zev chuckles while still hugging me, "They're noisy," then he lets go.
   "You'll get used to it." I leave Zev and approach Felly, who is holding her shoes in the air, apparently about to throw them at Kai. "Dhai, stop that, or you might end up with Kai." She gives me a stern look.
   "Dhai, I will never go for a man with Italian blood." Then she really throws her shoe at Kai. Luckily, Kai dodges it.
   "Do you know that's where everything begins? In arguments and denial." I laugh, but her face darkens, and she suddenly pinches my side. "Ow! Okay, sorry, I'll stop."
   "Don't worry, Fawn. I know how to calm down someone like Felizitas. Right, mia cara?"
   "Kaizo!"
   Luckily, our teacher, Miss Gomez, enters before a room war can break out between the two of them.
   "Be prepared for Thursday's class. We have another debate," Miss immediately informs us. Oh, I love debates.
   "Another debate?"
   "One debate every month, remember?" My classmates frown as they recall Miss Gomez's rule. Yeah, in our Oral Communication subject, we need to have a debate every month. "I'll send the details later in the group chat," she says before starting the discussion. It's more like testing our vocabulary because after the discussion, Miss gives us a vocabulary quiz, and I hate vocabulary the most in Oral Communication.
   "It is an adjective which means having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way, number 5."
   "Wait, hang on, I haven't answered number four yet."
   "It is a verb which means to deliberately make something unclear or difficult to understand."
   "It is a verb which means to place two things side by side for comparison or contrast."
   I stop writing after Miss reaches number 30. I have so many unanswered questions. It's frustrating. In the end, I only score 15 marks while Zev gets perfect marks. It's not that I'm comparing my marks to Zev's; it's just that I'm weak in vocabulary.
   "Here, have some manakish," I look up as Zev places a Tupperware on my desk with a manakish inside.
   "Are you trying to cheer me up?" I furrow my brow in question.
   "Nope, you just need some snacks to eat," he replies. I return my gaze to the Tupperware, quickly remove the lid, and take a piece of manakish to eat. "How's it taste? Do you like it?" I look at Zev, smile, and give a thumbs up in front of him. When it comes to food, I find everything delicious, even if it's international snacks. Food is also my comfort zone, and being half Russian, I'm not a picky eater.
   "You might think I'm greedy when it comes to food," as I finish what he gave me. I'm no longer upset about the marks I received earlier.
   He smiles, showcasing his perfect set of teeth, "I love a woman who loves food, and that's you."
   "Oh my god! That was smooth!"
   "Holy cow! We have another couple coming up!"
   "Are you guys team Lufa or team Faze?!"
   I'm taken aback when my classmates suddenly tease us. I feel my cheeks flush at what I heard. I almost forget we're still in the classroom.
   "Ayiee!!! Fawn's blushing!"
   "I'm Team Faze!" Felly shouts.
   "I'm loyal to Team Lufa, guys!"
   Eventually, the room fills with laughter. I want to get annoyed, but I can't because deep down, I know I'm slowly falling for Zev. I kust don't want to admit it yet.
   In the afternoon class, during our last subject, Social Sciences, we explore historical political cartoons to understand how they shape opinions and perspectives, encouraging critical thinking and discussion. When the class ends at 7:30 in the evening, Zev invites us to drop us home.
   "So when are you planning to announce that you're a couple?"
   My eyes widen as Felly and I get into the backseat of Zev's car. "Are you going insane, Dhai?" I irritably hit her arm. "You really have no filter in your mouth."
   Felly laughs and pinches my side. Sometimes, physical teasing is our love language, "Dhai, you guys are so sweet, and yet, no label? Do you want me to announce it tomorrow in the room? Zev, are you game?"
   "Yes," I glare at Zev in the driver's seat as he starts the car.
   "Stop it, Felizitas! Especially you, Zevadiah," it feels good saying his first name.
   Felly has a wide smile throughout the journey, teasing me about Zev. I don't care about what Zev will say; I actually smack Felly to make her stop until Zev drops her off at her house, leaving just the two of us in the car.
   "You really love hurting each other," he comments.
   "That's our love language, Zev. Physical teasing," I reply.
   He just laughs at my words until he drops me off in front of our gate, and I step out of the backseat just as my mum comes out.
    "Dear," I approach and hug her tightly. "Zev, hijo, come inside and eat with us," Mum invites as I release the hug.
   "Ma," I give her a please-don't-look expression, but she just pinches my side and pushes me inside our gate before approaching Zev.
   "Oh, Tita Tina, I can't say no to your offer." I frown while Zev smiles at Mum.
   I enter the house, placing my bag on the couch. "Arlo," I call and quickly run towards him. I hug my brother and kiss his head. "Where have you been?" I let go and look at him.
   "In my room." I'm frozen in place. There are two places I can't handle and look at in this house, the room and the kitchen. "Fawn... are you okay?" Arlo is unaware of what happened that night. I have to keep it from my younger brother. It's better if he don't know. My body slowly trembles as the memory of the incident slowly flashes in my mind.
   "Liebsti," a warm hand grips and pulls me away from Arlo, turning me to face him. He cups my face and uses his hands to make me look up at him, his thumbs gently caressing my cheeks. "Breathe... breathe with me, okay?" I nod gently. "Inhale... exhale... inhale... exhale..." I follow his breathing, and my body gradually stops trembling.
   "Ma, what happened to Fawn?" I turn my gaze back to Arlo beside me and then to Mum.
   "We need to find another place to stay," Mum says, tears welling up as she looks at me.
   I feel Zev's hands lower from my face and grasp my hand, then he looks at Mum. "Tita Tina, I have a place in mind that will be available for you to stay."
   "Oh hijo, it's not necessary. We'll temporarily stay at our old house."
   "Ma..." I shake my head at Mum's suggestion. That place was another nightmare, not for me but for Mum. My grandparents disowned my mother after the divorce. Her own parents disowned her.
   "It's better to stay at your grandparents' house for now than to inconvenience your classmate--"
   "Tita Tina, I'm sorry, but I'm not just Fawn's classmate," I return my gaze to Zev standing beside of me.
   "Zev," he looks at me again.
   "I always love her. I love Fawn. I love your daughter, Tita," he looks back at Mum.
   I look at Mum, clearly surprised by Zev's confession.
   "I know she's still young to have me, to be in a relationship with me, but I genuinely love your daughter for so long, and I don't want to see her in pain again. I'm asking for your permission to make her my girlfriend, personally and respectfully."
   Mum doesn't react before looking at me and then at Zev. "You love my daughter?"
   "Yes," he replies simply and firmly.
   Mum takes a deep breath. I don't know what's going through her mind. She never warned me about not having a boyfriend. "I give you my permission..." after a long silence, Mum finally speaks. "But on one condition--I will agree for you to be with my daughter after she finishes college."
   "I'm willing to wait. Years or decades, it doesn't matter as long as she'll be mine in the end," Zev looks back at me without hesitation as he says that in front of Mum.
   "That's good enough to hear."
   Zev looks back at me and then at Arlo, "Arlo, will you let me court your sister?"
   "You're going to court her? Why?" I frown and look at Arlo. "She's not even likable," he adds.
   "Arlo," that hurts.
   I hear Zev's laughter, "She's not indeed likable, kiddo," I irritably pinch Zev's side. "But still, I'm so in love with your sister. So, will you give me your permission too?"
   Arlo nods, "Yeah. I know you can find someone better looking than my sister anyway."
   I'm taken aback by Arlo's words as he runs towards the dining table. What was that? Did my own younger brother secretly hates me?
   "I need your Dad and Asher's permission too."
   Wait? What?