Mom Cooked Food . . . That's Why I'm Here

"Okay, lunchtime!" Athanasia sang, dancing happily as she take her bag, ignoring Jennette's knowing stare from across the table.

"He asked you out?" Jeanette guessed, her voice hinted with a tease, her arms crossed to lean close to her friend to get her attention. She can't help but smirk at Athanasia's reaction.

"W-What about it?" Athanasia stuttered. She tried to avoid Jennette's eyes, her hands fumbling on the straps of her bag in embarrassment. Though why would she trouble herself acting innocent when her friend already knows?

Jennette stood up and walked close to Athanasia, sitting on her desk. "Is it a date?" She continued to tease, her hands found their way to tickle Athanasia's sides, which she immediately smack away with her bag.

"It's none of your business!" Athanasia exclaimed, her face was beet red. "Anyway, it's just lunch! I'm going back here later!!"

She left the room, though she could still hear Jennette's voice from behind that made her sigh in annoyance. Jeez, it's only just lunch, what's the big deal? It's been a while since they've hung out, why would Jennette suddenly call it a date?

Her cheeks flushed pink at the thought of her having a date with him. She immediately shook off the thought, forcing her away from her fantasy. "You're not a high school girl, Athanasia, get yourself together," she told herself.

While trying to distract herself, she finally arrived at a small restaurant where she saw her friend sitting by the window, sipping coffee while reading today's newspaper. She finds it amusing to see that he is reading one, she thinks the newspaper is too old now.

She walked in and made her way to the table, sitting across from him. "Sorry, I'm late, Kiel!" She said, bowing slightly. "I was helping a student before getting here, hope you didn't wait that long."

"It's fine, I just got here," Ijekiel said, looking up from the newspaper. He set it aside on the table and stared at Athanasia with a welcoming smile. "You really are working hard these days, huh?"

"Yeah..." Athanasia sighed, almost slouching herself on her seat. "It's very tiring but I still managed... somehow..."

Ijekiel chuckled. "That's so you."

"Anyway, let's order ourselves, shall we?"

"Sure."

As they waited for their orders, Athanasia leaned on the palm of her hand, staring at the window with a bright smile on her face. After weeks of trying to hang out with Ijekiel, she finally got the chance to be with him. Though it's only just an hour since Athanasia still has her classes to teach, she's still happy and content with this.

"You look very happy," Ijekiel pointed out with a chuckle, leaning close with his arms crossed to support him. "Did something good happen to you?"

Athanasia flinched, and a small blush crept onto her face as her eyes widened. "Ah, I'm always like this!! Hahaha, you know me, food, hahaha!!" She stammered, almost biting her tongue as she tried to explain to the silver-head.

Ijekiel laughed louder, amused to see watch Athanasia in her panic state. In a good way, of course. He tilted his head teasingly, his smile never fade. "It's been a while, huh?" He muttered, pulling Athanasia out of her embarrassment.

"Huh?" She paused, blinking.

"We try to meet each other but it always gets canceled, I'm glad we could have lunch like this, even if it's just for an hour," Ijekiel said, leaning his head on the palm of his hand, watching Athanasia get flustered by his words. "How's work, by the way?" He decided to change the topic to calm her down.

Athanasia blinked again, her red cheeks were still visible as she pondered. "I..." She coughed. "It's fine. Normal. I got to help with the students as usual, which is the best part as a teacher. Though there are tough times but this woman right here won't just back down over that kind of thing. I'm Athanasia."

Ijekiel smiled, almost looking relieved from Athanasia's point of view. "That's great. Just don't push yourself too much, remember, I'm only a call away to help you with everything," He reassured.

It seemed like Ijekiel was reaching to hold Athanasia's hand but the waiter got ahead of him and politely put down the that with their orders. He could only chuckle and move his hand away while Athanasia thanked the waiter without noticing her friend's actions.

"Ah, I'm famished!" Athanasia sighed exasperatedly as she held her utensils high, ready to dig in. "I really need this kind of food!"

"Eat up," Ijekiel said, leaning on the table to watch Athanasia eat with a soft look on his face.

Athanasia would be flustered if she noticed his look. Thankfully, she didn't.

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"Thanks for the food," Athanasia said, facing Ijekiel as they went out of the cafe together. "And also, thank you for your time. I had fun."

Ijekiel shrugged after checking his watch. "I wish time would slow down. Our time together was pretty quick," he said with a sigh. "Unfortunately, we have to go back to our work. I hope we could do this again, Athy. Like on a free day, or something."

"Sure!" Athanasia said without hesitation as a blush crept on her face.

"It's a date then?"

Athanasia paused, her smile was still there but the heat on her face was rising at an incredible speed, watching Ijekiel chuckle before bidding himself goodbye. Her silence was accepted by him as a yes and Athanasia can't do anything about that.

Well, it's not like she doesn't want to.

It took everything for Athanasia to walk away and go back to her school while trying to calm down the harsh beating of her heart and her flustered face so that Jennette won't be teasing her when they see each other. Jeannette is the last person she wanted to be teased on.

She made her way back, walking in a peaceful neighborhood. Somehow, it calmed her down. She lets out a deep sigh of relief, checking her phone to see what time she has left to arrive at school, also absentmindedly checking the calendar of when she would have that date that Ijekiel mentioned.

She's an adult now, why is she getting excited like a high school girl? Unbelievable.

"Heavy..."

Athanasia looked up to see a woman carrying four bags of huge groceries in both hands. Athanasia gaped at the woman with an amazing look on her face before rushing to her side to help her.

"Miss, let me help you!" She said, surprising the woman.

"Ah!" She flinched, almost taking a step back away from Athanasia. "My, young lady, you scared me!"

Athanasia flushed. "I-I'm sorry!" She stuttered, apologizing to the woman with a bow. "It's just I see that you're having a hard time. I got used to immediately helping someone in need without hesitation, I'm a teacher, you see..."

The woman stared at her before relaxing herself, finding Athanasia's words true by seeing her uniform. "Thank you, young lady. If it doesn't bother you, I'd like a hand to take some of these groceries to my home."

"Sure, ma'am!" Athanasia brightens, carefully taking two grocery bags from the woman and following her to where her home is. "You sure have a lot of groceries, ma'am. Is there a party at your home, ma'am?"

"Oh, it's nothing," the woman said with a laugh, shaking her head. "I just got discharged from the hospital and I wanted to surprise my son. I heard that he's been eating less for years. It worries me, thankfully I finally got the chance to cook him warm meals that he missed."

Athanasia smiled warmly. "I'm sure he would be happy, ma'am! I'm sure of that!"

"I think so too!" The woman smiled back. She then gently nudged Athanasia's side with a teasing look on her face. "I was lucky to have someone like you to help me, dear. I hope that you would meet my son, someday. I'd love to have someone like you to have my son."

Athanasia's smile froze and lets out an awkward laugh. She was thinking of something to reply to the woman to cut off the awkward tension she was feeling in the air but she was beaten up by the woman with a loud laugh, surprising Athanasia. "I'm just joking, young lady! Please don't take it seriously!"

Athanasia immediately felt relieved, sighing the air out that she didn't think she kept in her lungs. "You got me there, ma'am!" She laughed with the woman.

The two made their way to the house. Athanasia insisted to help the woman put the groceries in the kitchen since she was already there. The woman was thankful for her help and let Athanasia in her home.

Before the woman could find the keys to her house, the door suddenly opened in front of them only to see a tall familiar man with raven-colored hair that almost went down to his shoulders, glasses on his nose. Athanasia almost snorted to see his messy appearance but was defeated by her shock at why was he here.

Wait.

"Mom! I heard from the hospital, you should've told me!" Lucas said, not noticing Athanasia standing behind his mom as she walked out to hug her. "When I visited your room, you weren't there and it was empty, I thought something happened to you!"

His mother chuckled, wanting to hug back but her hands are full. "I wanted to surprise you, son! So I went to get some groceries for us. It was heavy but luckily, this young lady helped me carry them here!" She pointed at Athanasia who is still there, waiting for Lucas to at least notice her.

Lucas turned his head to see Athanasia with an awkward smile on her face. His eyes widened, making him stumble backward with his cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "A-Athanasia?!" He stuttered, also cursing at himself for that. "W-What are you doing here?!!"

Athanasia shrugged. She tried to be the calm one in this situation. "As your mother said, I helped her here. I didn't know that you were her son that she mentioned earlier!" She played it off with a laugh, though she is screaming right now.

Right?! Why didn't she remember this neighborhood?! Didn't she come here before she changed schools?!

"My! You two know each other?!" Lucas' mother beamed in delight. They completely forgot about her. "Isn't this fate?!"

"No, it's not," Lucas said with a sigh, running his hand through his hair. Athanasia's eyes were stuck on him for a while then back to his mother, who is whining at Lucas for declining her words. "Well..." She said with a cough. "Since your son is here, ma'am, I think I would be leaving here, right now. I still have a class to teach."

"Oh, right!" His mother realized. "I am so sorry I took your time! Sure, dear, you can go now. Thank you so much for the help!"

"No, it's fine, ma'am." Athanasia smiled then it disappeared when she faced Lucas. She immediately hands the groceries to him, earning a surprised yelp from him. "Here ya go!" She sang.

"You could have at least warned," Lucas grumbled, rolling his eyes as he tried to arrange the groceries in his hands, he also took the groceries from his mother. "You're glad that my mom is here. But really, though, what a coincidence seeing you here and meeting my mom too."

Athanasia raised a brow and smiled(teasingly). "By what your mother said, I think this is fate meeting you here," she said while reaching to pat his shoulder. She then earned a frown from him, making her laugh. "Anyways, it's time for me to go. Be a good boy to your mom, alright?"

Before Lucas could say a word, Athanasia immediately ran away to avoid war. Lucas could only glare at her back since he was shackled by the groceries in his hands. How dare she tease him like that in front of his mother?!

"She's a sweetheart." He heard his mother say.

".... Huh?"

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Athanasia was finally free from her work and the scolding she received because of her late attendance. She happily went to get her bag while thinking of rewarding herself with a warm coffee on the way home.

"So..."

Here we go again.

Athanasia turned and faced Jennette who just walked into the office, making eyes with her target. She rolled her eyes, facing the brunette, already assuming what she would say to her.

"How's the date?!" She asked, squealing in delight, holding both of Athanasia's hands as if she would run away if she would asked her the magic question.

"Fine...?" Athanasia said, almost in a question as she tried to let go of her friend's grasp. "We just ate and talked about how we are doing and such." She completely erased sharing the date that Ijekiel invited her to or Jennette won't let her go.

"Then why are you late earlier?" Jennette narrowed her eyes, trying to find anything suspicious on Athanasia's face. "I'm sure that you two didn't just eat lunch! Spill the beans girl!!"

Athanasia rolled her eyes again, sighing. "Really, Jennette.." She muttered.

"C'mon!" Jennette whined. "It's been a while since I got to talk love like this!"

"Nothing really happened between us!" Athanasia exasperated, finally free from Jennette's hands. "We just ate and went on our separate ways! And the reason why I was late is that I helped a woman carry groceries in her house and coincidentally met Lucas because his mother is that lady that I helped."

"Oh..." Jennette pouted but that pout soon disappeared as she realized something. "Wait! You met Lucas and his mom?!"

"Uh, yeah...? Why?"

As Jennette was about to say something to Athanasia, their conversation got interrupted by a soft knock on their door. The two turned to see Lucas, leaning on the doorframe, his knuckles were still on it. Jennette immediately covered her mouth with an interesting look in her eyes.

"L-Lucas?!" Athanasia blinked.

"I was about to wait behind the door but I heard you two talking about me, I just... you know... walked in," Lucas said, looking around to hide the awkwardness in the room. "Anyway! I have an important matter from Athanasia..."

Jennette stared at Athanasia and Lucas back in forth, confused then shook her head to pull herself together. "Well! Nice to see you too Lucas!" She said with sarcasm in her voice, noticing that the raven-head did not even greet them first before or after explaining. "Last time we met was at the reunion, right? How's life?"

Lucas could only stare at Jennette weirdly, didn't get what she said while Athanasia was on the verge of laughing at what her friend said. Jennette may be a sweetheart but there are times her words go crass.

"Huh?" Was the only thing that Lucas could utter.

Athanasia clicked her tongue as she finally regained her sanity. "Never mind her, she was just... stressed from work," she excused, walking towards Lucas and pushing him out of the room. "Let's go! We don't want to be Jennette's first victims of the day."

"Huh, oh, okay... Well, bye Chimera!" Lucas said before following Athanasia. The latter laughed at the nickname he gave while Jennette yelled at him from the distance, wanting to attack him but she was called by a student. Lucky Lucas.

"Thank you for that, my savior," Athanasia said, giving Lucas a hard smack on the back. Lucas stumbled forward with a yelp, he turned fo glare at the blonde who just silently walking beside him as if nothing happened.

"I'm not your savior, I just happened to be at your school because of my mom," Lucas grumbled. He decided to let her go and walked comfortably with her. "She wanted to give you this."

Athanasia stopped, seeing a bag floating in front of her face. She took it, getting a whiff of a delicious fragrance inside. She looked up at Lucas with bright eyes. "Omg, what's this?!" She gasped, running to a nearby bench to open it.

"It's just food," Lucas muttered with a sigh, hands in his pockets as he followed. He just stood in front of her to watch her reaction. "and some sweets. My mom made those as thanks for helping her."

"Thank you so much! Your mom doesn't have to do this!" Athanasia smiled, thrilled to see sweets in one of the tupperware. "What a good boy are you!"

"What?!" Lucas cringed. "You wanna fight?"

"Nu-uh mister! I am now under your mom's care, you can't fight me!" Athanasia proudly said, gently hugging the bag. "I am so gonna eat them, thanks again!"

Lucas looked away with a click of his tongue. "Why are you thanking me, jeez..."

"Because you brought them!"

"Also," Lucas ignored her words. "Never walking in my neighborhood again. It'll be bothersome that mom would see you and then invite you out of a blue. Because of what you did earlier, she began to have some interest in you."

"Why is it bothersome?" Athanasia frowned. "Well, never mind that, I think I know the answer and that only makes me want to come more!"

"Didn't I just tell you?!" Lucas' eyes widened in disbelief. "No!"

"Yes!!"

"No!!"

"Yes!!"

"You know what, give me the bag. You don't deserve this!"

"Wha- NOOOOOOOOO!!!"

---finallyyyyyyyymy exam is in 3 days lol but I got some time fo to finish this 3k word chapter XDThanks for waiting T~T