Chapter 26: Chapter 26

Athena’s P.O.V.

The book was actually placed at the bottommost part of his bag and was covered by his other books and notebooks. My not-so-round eyes were just too vigilant to notice it. It looked like my fake eyeglasses could help me see clearly, although they were useless in the first place.

I silently scanned the whole area around, and because there were so many people here in the canteen, I did not fully bring out Cristoff’s book because other people could overreact all of a sudden. Like what I did.

Oh my God, this is not even allowed here! Is Cristoff reading things like this? Seriously? my mind screamed while reading the title of the book. I even blinked a few times just to make sure that my eyes were not cheating me.

I didn’t know why, but I felt like my body suddenly got warmed up as if I would be getting a fever again. I didn’t want to think badly of Cristoff and judge him too soon, but why does he have this kind of book? For Pete’s sake, he was even bringing it here in our school! This book was allegedly his property because it was placed inside his backpack, so why he wouldn’t be at fault?

My mind suddenly got filled with questions. I looked at Cristoff as he was patiently waiting for the one who would lend him a knife. He had an angelic face, and just by simply looking at him, I believed that he was a nice and innocent person. I did not want to accuse him of anything, and that was why I just forced myself to set aside my thoughts.

I just took his Physics notebook with pinned index cards inside, brought out my notebook, and started to copy the formulas. In fairness for a guy, he was so organized. I should not doubt him after seeing how he did our report with a systematic approach. It was superb!

After that, I zipped back his bag. Now, I could no longer concentrate. I did not know why. I just could not help but overthink things about him.

So, to totally forget about the book that I saw as one of his belongings, I focused on copying his notes. I intentionally got engrossed in solving the problems first without copying the solutions. While I was doing this, I got interested in what was inside Cristoff’s food vessel. Curiosity began to eat me because all I could barely see inside was something red and orange.

What could be that possible viand to be paired up with rice that I haven’t yet eaten my whole life? Hmm, isn’t that a huge edible worm? Oh, hell no!

Cristoff came back with a knife and other utensils in his hand. I stopped copying his notes and placed my things on the side of the table to be observant of how he would prepare our lunch.

“Trust me, Helena. It’s better to eat these with our bare hands, but I still get a spoon and fork for you. For sure, you have not yet experienced eating with just your fingers,” he concluded with a genuine smile on his face.

I found him extraordinarily sweet and caring, and I could not help myself but depend on him. It was the first time someone unrelated to my family did this for me. Thinking about the things Cristoff had done for me… I realized that it was all my ‘first time’ with him.

“You know what? My mind already went somewhere far, trying to think of what we would be eating for lunch! All I could barely see was something red and orange from the inside. What are those, Cristoff? Can you open it now?”

Could not help myself but look like being in a rush, I was unquestionably hungry. Actually, I lied to him because I was already famished even before the end of our Geometry subject.

“Just wait, okay? You are so impatient! I thought you are not yet hungry? Why rush now?” he was teasing me. “Alright, here we go. I would have to break this red stuff first, then cut the orange ones, and mix all together.” He slowly opened the container, and I could not get enough of staring at him.

Other than our maids, the last time I experienced someone prepared for my food was when Mommy was still alive. Even at six years old, I kept on staying in our kitchen area as I always wanted to help Mommy cook our food.

On the other hand, Helena was indeed the sleepy type. So, while she was waiting at the dining table, her head would inevitably bow as a sign that she had already fallen asleep.

When Mom died, Dad would only prepare the table for Helena... as if she was his only daughter. It was a good thing that I knew how to prepare my food, and being with Paula in the kitchen made me learn how to cook even more. Aside from Mom, who untimely passed away, my assistant and maids at home... now, I had Cristoff.

“Let me help you,” I offered. I was ready to steal the container from him, but Cristoff just stopped me.

“No, I can do this. These are only baluts*, Helena. I just dyed them to become red!” he blurted out.

My eyes grew wide in horror at what I heard. “Balut? Oh my God, no way, Cristoff!” I yelled at him while moving my head sideways to keep myself from disagreeing. Because of my scream, almost everyone in the canteen looked at us, but I did not care.

For Christ’s sake, there is no way that I would eat a small chick! Just thinking about its black head popping as you crack its shell would already make me feel sick and vomit.

He laughed transparently. “I loved your reaction, Helena, but don’t you trust me enough? I’m only kidding. These are indeed salty eggs!”

“Promise?” I asked like a kid.

“I promise,” he confirmed.

Learning that those were salty eggs made me heave a deep sigh out of relief, but I wouldn’t just sit here without doing anything to get even. The next thing I knew was I immediately stood up, and before Cristoff could even say a word, I already spanked his shoulder.

“Ouch! You’re getting used to hitting me, huh? Can’t you just relax? I wouldn’t let you eat something that I knew you wouldn’t like.” He couldn’t stop laughing, but his laugh seemed to be music to my ears.

I sat down. “I’ll help you. I’ll make sure that there was no balut in there!”

“No, Helena… just sit there and watch me. You’re my princess for today so let me be your slave,” he ordered me.

Then, he brought four red eggs and three tomatoes from his food vessel. I must admit that I never tried eating that food combination as I wasn’t good at eating vegetables, but I could at least give it a try.

“But I don’t want you to be my slave, Cristoff. You’re my rival, remember? Look, when Mommy was still alive, it might not be obvious, but I always helped her cook and set up our dining table. I was only four by then,” I smiled while boastfully telling him my story.

“But I don’t want you to be my rival, Helena. I want you to be my—” he cut off mid-sentence.

He was then speechless while breaking the salty egg as his fingers turned red-violet. He looked at me, and his piercing brown eyes seemed to be telling me something he couldn’t say personally.

“What?” I asked. Badly wanting him to finish his sentence to satisfy what I really wanted to hear, my eyes got fixated on his face trying to read him translucently. It seemed like all I could see right now was him, only him, in this almost crowded place.

My heart started to beat fast, and butterflies suddenly fluttered inside my stomach. It felt like the background scenes swiftly transitioned into a slow-motion manner as if an imaginary spotlight was focused on us.

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Balut* is a fertilized bird egg (usually a duck) that is incubated for a period of fourteen to twenty-one days depending on the local culture, then boiled or steamed. The contents are eaten directly from the shell.

Balut that is incubated for longer periods have a well-developed embryo and the features of the duckling are recognizable. The partially developed embryo bones are soft enough to chew and swallow as a whole.

Balut is common street food in the Philippines and other localities and is also sold in stores and malls. It is a relatively cheap source of protein and calcium. Wherever Filipinos migrated for work, a large market for balut would develop.