The Redamancy of Shade and Art (BOOK 2)

Chapter 4

THE LAST DAY OF SUMMER

Art sat at Baskin Robbin's with Shay and Chase, soaking in the last few hours of the summer sun. Tomorrow was a Monday, which meant they were all going back to their pink school. For real, this time. With academics. With teachers. With new classmates and new projects.

"Are you nervous?" Art asked Shay.

Shay shook his head. "Not really." He wiped his mouth with a pink napkin. "I... We're classmates this incoming year, anyway. I'm not really scared for anything else."

"Nakoooo," Chase teased. "Nako, nakooo, binayaran mo 'yung school, 'no?" (("Did you bribe the school?"))

"Gago," Shade grouched. He kicked Chase underneath the table. "I would never."

Art and Chase shared a look.

"I think you would," Art said.

"Same." Chase took a satisfying lick of his ice cream. "You've done it once."

Art raised their eyebrows. "He what?"

"I wouldn't!" Shade protested quickly, batting away Art's demands for elaboration. "I just... wrote a letter to the coordinators. And they took it kindly."

"Sipsip," Chase coughed.

"What did you say?" Art asked.

Shay shrugged. He leaned back in his chair. "Uh... I worded it weirdly."

Art grinned. "Sige naaa! I-kwento mo!" (("Tell is about it!"))

Chase elbowed Shay in the ribs. "Oo nga! What did you say?"

Shay held his hands up defensively. "Okay. Okay, don't laugh. But I said that having both of you in proximity would help me exceed academically. And, well, our friendship makes me more comfortable in the school, helps me step up in my mission of competence and excellence, blah, blah, blah, with a sprinkle of mommy and daddy issues."

Art blinked. "Putang ina, and they believed you?"

Shay shrugged. "They believed me," he said. "It works every year with Angelito. I kind of just amped up the stakes a bit."

"Oh my God." Art grinned at Shay's adorable yellow summer shirt and the absurdity of how he had the school admins wrapped around his finger.

Shade grinned back. "You talk a lot of shit for someone who copies my homework."

"You talk a lot of shit in general."

"Touché."

Art stuck their tongue out at him, and he did the same.

Chase sighed. He leaned back in his chair and grinned at both of them. "Ano kaya mangyayari satin this school year?" (("What'll happen to us this school year?"))

"Who knows?" Art said. "It can't be that bad, right?"

"Yeah, can't be that bad," Shay said. Art thought he was sarcastic, but he had the gentlest smile on his face.

It can't be that bad.

Chase coughed. And Art thought it sounded like, "Sana all, Lord."

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hi!! i've been feeling pretty drained recently, so here's a neat and short chapter 😅😅 i know i usually don't upload chapters this short, but bear w me please! i'll be uploading a 6K word chapter next week to compensate 🥺🥺

also... thank u for 1K reads so far!! i appreciate all of you so much. i know i haven't been replying to every comment these days, but pls know that i do read them all, and they make me smile!

that's all. see you next week!

- yana