7 Be Careful (1/2)
”Man, I can't believe you're going.” Lucian Guerrero says to Ephraim. ”I thought we would go together to Cairo.”
”Yeah,” was all Ephraim could muster to say. ”I thought so too.”
Lucian had been his friend ever since middle school. They were typical classmates turned into friends; ones with same interests, and with same ambitions. The only different thing about them is that—Lucian is Lucian, and Ephraim is Ephraim. Lucian Guerrero is the most zealous, brash, and belligerently clingy person he ever knew.
Lucian had been the first person to ever pick a fight with Ephraim at middle school (solely because he misunderstood him) and that was the start of their friendship. Ephraim was the kind of person who would smile at everyone, and would help you with your homework—whereas Lucian on the other hand, looked standoffish; with his long, brunette hair, and bangs almost covering his sharp, dark eyes, he certainly gave the vibe of an evil lord emitting a dark aura. He had the face of a snob, and he was impetuous and loud—which was the opposite of Ephraim who was more collected, gentle, and just generally had warm air around him.
”You're odd,” says Lucian when Ephraim was helping him with an assignment. They were the only ones left in class; Ephraim had volunteered to help Lucian, who was one of the students to take extra lessons due to his failing grades. He was teaching him mathematics—among other subjects.
Ephraim tilted his head. ”Odd?”
Lucian nods.
”I don't understand, but thank you.” Ephraim dismissively exclaims. ”So, in order to get the x-intercept . . .”
”You're a fake,” Lucian bluntly says. ”You're always smiling. It's weird.”
Ephraim blinked. ”Pardon?”
”You're young, but you're . . . old. You talk like you're old, but you're just my age. It's weird,” Lucian says as he plays with the pencil. ”It's odd.”
”Anyway, look at the Cartesian plane. . .”
”You're faking everything. Being nice to everyone and all. I know you're mad sometimes,” Lucian exclaims. ”But you still smile. You're kind of a sham.”
”I don't consider myself as one,” Ephraim exclaims. ”I'm teaching you. Could you please listen? You're going to fail at this point.”
”Why are you so concerned anyway?” Lucian smirks. ”Didn't ask you to teach me,”
THUD.
Lucian blinked and saw a pen digging right through the paper down to the wooden desk. He slowly raised his head to see a smiling Ephraim, looking down at him.
”I said,” Ephraim states. ”Look at the Cartesian plane,”
”Y-yes?” Lucian obeys quickly and stares at the hole on the paper.
”Now, in order to get the x-intercept, you need to look at this axis . . .”
**
”I don't get it, but I think you're going to screw it up,” Lucian says. ”Gut feeling.”
”Screw it up?”
”. . . I'm not you, Lucian,”
”THE POINT IS,” Lucian grabs both of Ephraim's shoulder. ”She's cute. Totally my type.”
”Esmeralda?”
”That's her name?” Lucian grinned. ”Cute. Make sure to give me her number once you have it.”
”I have it,” Ephraim says nonchalantly. ”But I won't give my team member's personal data so easily. Are you stupid?”
Lucian grunted. ”It's because you have it easy with women—while I have zero luck with them. I graduated and haven't even got on a date!”
”It's because you're loud,” Ephraim mutters.
They were in an airport; Ephraim's flight to Peru was about 9 AM in the morning. Only he and Esmeralda were the first ones to arrive. Esmeralda was sitting on the bleachers meters away from them, head bowed down. Lucian, who was sending Ephraim off, had his eyes set on the small biologist. Lucian has been one of the boys who had a hard time talking to women even in his age. Lucian, after all, had an uncanny impulse of retorting with an angry tone whenever he talks to any woman. He scared off every woman in the class (Cecily had been scared of him since day one).
He was poles apart from the gentle Ephraim.
”Damn . . . she's so cute.” Lucian exclaims. ”I like her. She looks cute in that ponytail. Her hair's so long. She's so cute,”
”It's because of that online game you're playing, right?” Ephraim says. ”It's that small character.”
”N-n-no! Wh-what the hell, o-online games? Are you friggin' serious? Ha-ha-ha, I don't play those kinds of n-nerdy kinds of stuff.”
”Yes, yes. I'll just dismiss the fact you sent me an invitation code to an Otome game,” Ephraim exclaims. ”Doki Doki Love Love Academy? Are you serious, Lucian?”
”Fine, dammit,” Lucian cursed. ”It's not my fault I can't handle women. I needed a freakin' guide.”
”Right,” Ephraim smiles. ”And you got addicted.”
”Addicted? No,” Lucian says with a straight face. ”I learned.”
”Yes, your taste definitely shifted from bust to loli.”
”I- I—”
”You're so naïve, Luce,” Ephraim says. ”Oh. Looks like the two of the team are here.”
Berthold and Samuel came with their backpacks and had dressed neatly. Berthold had a briefcase, which (as far as Ephraim could guess) contents comprised of medical supplies.
”Hello, team leader.” Berthold greets. His eyes drifted to Lucian.
”Berthold, this is Lucian,” Ephraim says. ”Sam, this is Lucian.”
”Che,” Samuel retorts.
”Hello, Lucian,” Berthold politely exclaims as he shakes Lucian's hand.
”Sup?”
Berthold smiles. ”I presume you're here to send Ephraim off?”
Lucian grinned. ”You betcha. Raim's gonna be lonely, his Mom sent me to send him off.”
Samuel snorted. ”Mama's boy, huh?”
Lucian tilted his head and looked down on Samuel. His gaze went back to Berthold. ”Your brother?”
”WHAT DID YOU SAY?” Samuel retorts grimly. ”BROTHER?”
”No, no, no.” Berthold shakes his head, as he raised both of his arms and waves it in disagreement. ”He's a part of the task force.”
”That's odd, he's short,” Lucian says bluntly. ”How old are you? 12?”
Samuel exclaims a loud curse; ”I'm the freakin' researcher in this stupid team. Know who you're talkin' to!”
Lucian grinned and ruffled Samuel's hair.
”You kinda remind me of my elementary self,” Lucian exclaims.