3 Invitation

"Gabby, Are you okay?" Vanessa approached Gabriella after noticing an uncomfortable expression on her face. Gabriella could literally see how worried Vanessa is so she stands up and smile.

"Yeah, I was just a little tired." Gabriella reassured Vanessa and walk towards their other group members so she could continue on their practice. She brushed off the lingering thought on her mind and focus on their task. And soon after, their practice ends. Vanessa immediately leaves them for her badminton practice. Gabriella was just staring at her while Vanessa was walking away.

Gabriella went back to her senses when her mobile phone vibrates from her pocket. She took it and checks its notification. When she saw who the text came from, she suddenly smiles as if she wasn't feeling quite anxious just a while ago. Her somber moods turned into jovial mood. Indeed, love can wipe away all the struggles or despair you're going through.

'Are you done for today?' Charles asked. Gabriella immediately typed a response on her mobile phone and sent it to him.

'Yeah, how about you?'

'Not yet, wait for me. Let's take a stroll home together.' Charles' response was so quick this time. Gabriella puts her mobile down first and took a deep breathe while suppressing a smile. Her fingers were ready to type while thinking about what would be a better reply other than 'okay' or 'sure'. She already typed the ones she wanted to send but she also deleted it at the end, it was repeated several times until she ends up sending her text message that says, 'Sure, I'll wait you here at the field.'. After sending her response, Gabriella didn't get any in return so she just waits at the bench patiently while her friends were leaving one by one.

She was watching the passers-by and enjoying the scenery when a soothing voice suddenly echoed on her ears. She turned to where the voice came from and her lips formed a smile when she saw Charles behind her. He has already changed his clothes, from their sports clothes to sleeveless black t-shirt which reveal his hulky biceps and paired it with black comfy shorts. His hair was still wet; Gabriella could smell the earthy fragrance coming from his body.

'Gosh, this guy is so hot!' she utters in her mind.

"Should we get going?" Charles asked. Gabriella fixed her things and stand up while Charles was just standing beside her. Charles insists on helping her carry her thing which she didn't refuse. They started walking beside one another. Gabriella feels nervous walking beside Charles while butterflies on her stomach flies out. She suddenly felt self-conscious. She wanted to fixed her hair, the way her clothes fits on her, and anything that she could fix in her body and face just to look good in Charles eyes.

They have been walking for a minute or two now when Gabriella's stomach suddenly produces a rumbling sound. It was quite on the path they were walking on so they both heard it clearly. Gabriella was embarrassed as she holds her stomach while Charles laughed softly.

"We should eat first." Charles said while laughing softly. They walk towards Teaboba, the nearest tea shop on their campus. Once they arrived at the tea shop they immediately ordered one cheese cake with a tea for Gabriella and another tea for Charles. They sat on the vacant chair while they wait for their orders.

While they were waiting, something came up on Gabriella's mind. "Can I ask question something about the girl you've told me?"

"Yeah, sure." Charles responded.

"Is she a junior or a senior?" Gabriella then asked, trying to figure out whether it really is her friend, Vanessa. Charles looks up as though he was pondering on what was the answer.

"I actually don't know." He calmly answered. Gabriella was drowned in her own thoughts. She wanted to clarify whether the girl Charles' mentioned recently was her friend or not, but she is not ready to hear the answer. If by any chance it really is her friend then she doesn't know what to do. She doesn't want to tell Charles that she can't do it anymore because she's enjoying every moment she's with him; she's seeing their deal as a chance so she could get closer to him. But on the other side she doesn't want to hurt her friend in any way.

"Gabriella." Charles voice was a bit loud when he called her name while his hand was placed on her shoulder, gently shaking it. "I have been talking here when I notice you're not actually listening. What is it that's bothering you? I'm all ears." Charles said.

"It's nothing, I was just thinking of some school works." Gabriella said. Charles was ready to ask Gabriella when his nickname was called for their orders ready to be claimed. Charles stands up and walks to the counter to take their orders. Gabriella was just observing him, from the way he walks to how he politely talks and take their orders. When Charles came back, he was already holding a tray where their orders were placed.

"Cj." Gabriella was giggling as she calls Charles by his nickname.

"Huh?" Charles asked confused while placing their foods down.

"Cj." Gabriella called him again in a louder voice. He laughs softly when he heard her say his nickname. Gabriella blushed seeing how Charles laugh, even her laugh could turn her face as red as a tomato.

"I like hearing my name when you're the one saying." Charles said that made Gabriella blushed even more. She got a sudden inexplicable feeling after hearing it. They both started eating silently, no one dares to talk again after the previous conversation. They could only hear noises from other costumers that are not really loud.

The tea shop where they are has a calming vibe which Gabriella and her friends love because they could study in peace. But this time, even if the tea shop was at peace and quiet, Gabriella cannot still calm. She seem calm in the outside but she's feeling thrilled. Whenever Charles is near her, she would always act the opposite way she wanted to. She wants to open up a topic to talk to him while other part of her just wanted to stare at him and enjoy the moment. She was watching him sip on his tea, she felt really happy just watching him.

"Are you free this Saturday?" Charles suddenly asked that made Gabriella flinched a bit for she was staring at him when he suddenly looks up to her.

"Yes, why?" she answered calmly while she was already expecting him to ask her on a date. A fake date it is, she doesn't care as long as she could spend more time with him she would love to do it.

"I was really planning to invite you on our upcoming game with the hustlers. Would you like to come and watch me play?" he asked while looking at her intently, waiting for her answer.

"Sure." Gabriella immediately answered with a smile as if she has been anticipating such invitation. After that conversation they resumed eating. An awkward silence engulfs their atmosphere, no one dares to talk. They were both silent as they finish their food. Gabriella wants to continue chatting with him but she just can't think of anything to ask so their chat would go on.

"How's your day went?" Charles suddenly asked in the midst of silence. Gabriella shifted her gaze from her food towards Charles' direction.

'Oh gosh!' it was her first reaction after hearing his question. For someone to ask you about how your days went means they are interested in you, they wanted to know what you did and what you felt. Gabriella felt butterflies on her stomach.

"It was fine. We were quite busy this time compares to other regular days, lectures assign so many projects I sometimes think I cannot take it anymore, and it's too overwhelming." Gabriella comfortably answers while Charles was just listening to her. 'It's tiring but when I see you, I feel better. And when you start to talk to me, I feel like I'm in heaven.' She utters in her mind.

"That's frustrating, but I hope you won't forget to take a rest sometime. Put your mental and physical health first." Charles said as he placed his right elbow on the table and rests his chin on his right hand while looking at Gabriella. "Should I start calling you Ella?" he smirks as he asks the question.

"Sure, if that's what you want." Gabriella answered while smiling, she then start blushing. He sounded so hot and manly in Gabriella's ears that makes her so excited. She wanted to ask him to call her one more time but she was too shy to do so, so she just keep her thought to herself.

Time past quickly and they decided to leave and go home. Just like what happen the first time they eat at Teaboba, Charles walk Gabriella to the jeep stop and wait until she leave.

When Gabriella arrived at their home she immediately go up to her room and changes her clothes after kissing her mother's hand. She opens her computer and log in her instagram account. She tried to search for Charles' name but she wasn't able to find Charles account so she decided to check her cousin's, Carlos, account. She looks up at the accounts he was following and checks it one by one until she opened a private account that has Charles face as a profile picture. She didn't send a request yet instead she wait for an hour before deciding to finally send it so it wouldn't seem as if she was stalking him.

'Let him think that his account just showed on suggestions hehe.'

Soon after, her request was accepted and he follows her back. She was excited when she saw that they are now following each other so she decided to check his account. He only has six posts. She checks each picture one after another and would take too long to scroll as she was staring at his pictures, admiring it so much.

She opened her books and started working on her school works. And every time she feels tired from all the activities, should check Charles' account one more time. She repeated the same action until she finishes her activities. Since it is getting late, she decided to finally sleep. But she checks Charles' account once again before going to bed, so she slept with a smile glued on her lips.

Morning came, it was Friday. Gabriella woke up with a smile considering what she dream of last night, she was with Charles' and they are acting lovey-dovey for real and for the deal. She got ready for classes and soon leave their house.

It was still early when she arrived at their campus. She immediately went to her room to unload her belongings. When she arrived there, her friend Olivia was already there who ask her to go to the cafeteria.

When they arrived at the cafeteria, Gabriella was surprised to see Charles standing there while holding his phone on his right hand and a bottle of juice on his left hand. He was typing something when suddenly Gabriella's phone vibrates. She checks on it and was thrilled to see two text messages from the same person, Charles.

'Good Morning.' Was Charles' first text message that was followed by 'Where are you right now?'. She replied immediately. After sending her response she looks back at Charles' direction and he's now looking everywhere at the cafeteria as if he was looking for someone when their eyes suddenly met. Charles smiled at her from a far that makes her cheeks blushed. He walks towards their direction and handed her the bottle of apple juice which she took using both of her hands.

"Hope you'll have a good day today. "Charles said and then gently rubbed the top of her head before walking away. Gabriella was smiling when she met her friend's eyes. Olivia was looking at her, ready to tease her because how she suddenly acts.

"Is that how you really act in front of him?" Olivia asked while laughing playfully. "You act so different than your usual self hahaha." She added. Olivia continues on teasing her on their way back to their room.

They started their classes not long after. They did a few experiments on their chemistry subject and discussion on their physics subject, while their other minor subject just had a discussion and quizzes. Their classes ended on the afternoon, they fix their thing immediately. They were living one after another. Gabriella was about to leave their room when her phone vibrates. She checks it to see a text message from Charles.

'Let's walk home together. I'll be waiting outside the campus.' When she read the text, she sprint outside, excited to see Charles again. Her friends called her but she didn't stop, she just turned to them while walking fast and shouted that she wouldn't go with them today.

When Gabriella arrived at the campus gate, she saw Charles standing there while doing something on his phone. She gasps for breathe, fix her uniform, and then she puts her hair behind her ears. She walks slowly towards Charles' and when she was near him he finally turned his gaze to her. He smiled and comes toward her too. He again insists on carrying Gabriella's books which she handed to him willingly.

They walk beside each other. They did what they usually do when they were walking home together. They ate and chat at Teaboba before going home. When Gabriella arrived at their home she immediately choose a cloth she would wear tomorrow as she was invited by Charles to watch their game. When she was done choosing clothes, she then washed her face and put on a facial mask before going to sleep.

Time passes quickly and Saturday came. She woke up so early because of too much excitement. She got up and eats her breakfast. While she was eating, she received a text message from Charles.

'Let's meet in Teaboba at 8:00 am.' After reading the text message she immediately runs toward their bathroom to wash her body. She just wore a black tank top and partnered it with a wide leg pants and a rubber shoes. She also wore a white cropped cardigan. She put her hair on a half ponytail, puts a white ribbon on it and slightly curls her side bangs

Not long after she arrived at their meeting place and Charles was already waiting there. When Charles saw her, he immediately approached her.

"You look stunning." Charles complimented her that made her blush. Charles was just wearing a black short and a plain black t-shirt and a black rubber shoes while a bag was hanging on his shoulder.

"Of course I was preferring for almost 5 hours so I would look really pretty on our first date." Gabriella replied as she put her side bangs behind her ears while acting cute.

"The 5 hours you spent preferring didn't go to waste, and you might even distract the other players with you beauty." Charles said and laughs softly. They talk more for a few minutes before deciding to head to where the game will be held.

Other players were already there. She just sat on one of the vacant bench while Charles sat beside her. Hustlers weren't there yet so they were just waiting while others were playing. Gabriella stands up and excuses herself when she felt like she wanted to pee, Charles point to where the bathroom is and so Gabriella walks towards the direction he said.

"Gabby?" Gabriella stops when someone suddenly called her name. She turned toward its direction and saw Vanessa walking towards her. Gabriella waited until her friend was in front of her. "OMG, you're also here!" Vanessa excitedly said, she was about to chat with her more when her teammates suddenly called her name so she excuse herself and leave. Gabriella then continues on walking towards the bathroom.

She go out after peeing, she didn't saw Charles on the bench when she came back so she looks around to see where he is now when something caught her eyes. It was Vanessa talking to a guy, she couldn't clearly see who is the guy she was talking with since she was facing its back. She looks at it intently figuring out whether it is Charles or not when someone suddenly covered their direction.

'Oh gosh!'