Chapter 6

NATHAN

During my breaktime, I went through Ara's class room.  I need to talk to her later after our class.  I knew I had done something wrong to her and I wanted to apologize for harassing her.

 I’m too impulsive and I can’t control myself.  I hope she's not mad at what I did.  I just can’t control myself.  I was obsessed with her and I didn’t want to feel it.

 I think I'm already in love with her.  As I walked towards their classroom I saw Ara talking to a guy.  I felt my blood pressure risen when I saw her talking to someone. 

 I had a strange feeling when I saw her talking to another man. Is it jealous? Damn it!"

 I clappeds my hands as I approached them.  The man's eyes were obviously stick to her which I didn't like.  Ara noticed me approaching them but she was just calmly talking to the guy.

 "Excuse me!"  I said loudly to grab their attention of the guy she was talking to.

 The guy immediately turned to me.  He raised an eyebrow looking at me as if he angry because I disturbed them.

 "Oh, are you lost Mr. Madrid? Isn't your classroom in the other building?"  he scoff asking me.

 I try to be calm in how it behaves towards me.  I glared at Ara and did not answer the guy's question.  How does this guy know me?  I saw him for the first time and how did he know that I was a Madrid.

 "Can I talk to you?"  I asked Ara looking straight into her eyes.

 "S-Sir Nathan ahh..." She open-mouthed and she didn't continue what she was supposed to say.

 "Follow me!"  I said emphatically.  I turned away after I say that term.  I never saw their reaction behind.

 I could hear her footsteps following behind me.  I stopped not far away and I suddenly faced her. When my sudden stop she bump infront of me. 

 "OMG... Im sorry," she said.

 She raised her eyes and stared at me straight into my eyes. 

 "What do we need to talk about?"

 "I want to talk to you tonight at the basement," I replied.

 

"Why don't you just tell me now?"

 

“We don’t have privacy here so, let’s talk about it later,” I replied.

 "Is that all you need?"  

 "You're avoiding me, but you're talking to another guy. I guess that's unfair to me," I insisted.

 

I couldn’t help myself and expressed my feelings.  When it comes to me she avoid but with other men it’s okay.

 "You don't own me Sir Nathan. Yes I'm your housemaid but you can't afford my personality," she replied sharply to me.

 

Suddenly I realized what she said.  All I want is to convey to her that I also deserve her attention.

 

"What's the matter? You seem to be talking seriously," the woman ask behind us in a curious tone.

 We immediately turned to her.  She looked sharply at Ara.  I noticed Ara's hand trembling and cupped her palm.  I immediately turned to my sister to calm her down so that she wouldn't turn around to annoyed Ara.

 "Nothing sis, I asked her something to do," I replied calmly.

 "What is that bro?"

 "Nothing it's related to her work at home," I replied and approached her.

 

I tap her shoulder to get her attention to me.  I turned to Ara who was quietly listening to us.

 

“You may go now. Don’t forget what I asked you," I reminded her. 

 

She just nodded at what I said.  I invited Crissy to the canteen to join her for a while.

 ARA

 I held my chest because of the  nervous I felt. Miguel approached me and saw me standing stunned.

 

Miguel was one of my classmates.  He is also son of a wealthy politician.  This school most of the  families here are well-known.  Others are foreigners studying in the Philippines.  Only Joy and I are low profile studying at this school.  If is not because of Sir Benedict and Madam Lucia we would not have been able to enter this such a prestigious school.

 

"What does he need? Do you know him?"  Miguel asked.

 "Ah... Nothing, he asked me something about my father.  My father worked with them so he knew me, "I replied to him.

 

"Why he talking to you seriously?" again he asked. 

 I know he has been curious because of our reactions earlier I felt little bit irritated.  But he shouldn't know about our relationship.  Because I don't want to get involved with Crissy I'm sure I'll be the one to pile up her anger.

 "Forget it, it's time for our class," I immediately changed the topic and it was time for our class to start.

 

Miguel is the one my class mates. He is the one who showed feelings to me. But he hasn’t admitted it yet because I’ve always been focused on my studies.  I also avoid men because my dream is to finish my studies to lift my father out of the poverty in life.

 

I caught up with Joy who was already inside our classroom.  She left earlier to do what Mrs. Amalia had ordered her to do.  My eyes widened at the end and Crissy hadn’t come back yet.  I immediately sat down when I saw our teacher entering our room.

 "Good morning class," Mrs. Guevarra greeted.

 We all stood up to greet her back.  She is our English teacher.  She will often give a quest and when you don’t do it, she will further increase your task.

 Crissy was anxious to arrive.  Mrs. Guevara immediately turned her. She is the worst teacher in all subjects. She is strict on time and she does not waste of it.  She always says that every minute matters to her.  And one of her motto is time is gold.

 "You're late ten minutes Ms. Madrid. This is your first offense in my class. Next time be careful, because I dare to give you a punishment," Mrs. Guevarra said. 

 

"I'm sorry Ma'am," she shyly replied.

 

All our classmates had her gaze.  The others look at her sarcastically.

 "What are you looking at me?"  Crissy asked in angry tone to all our classmates.

 She sat down in her chair and listened intently to our teacher.  It was as if she was angry with the whole world and I had never seen her smile.

The day passed and my father would pick us up again.  We overcame the challenge of the day.  We know that with each day that comes we will have to prepare for at least any test.

 Just like every day Joy and I did our work.  Even though busy at work I try to forget the nervous I feel.  But I have to face Nathan so that each of us can have clarity.

 The time came for us to talk.  I was nervous but I had to be brave.  I entered the basement of the mansion first.  I knew in a moment Nathan would be coming as well.

 While waiting for him I preoccupied myself with arranging the things in the basement.  I clean it when I'm not at school.

 It was still a few minutes away when I heard a sound.  I prepared myself because I knew he was that.

 "Hi, are you bored of waiting for me?"

 "No, I'll wait for you even if you take longer because I need to know what you want to say," I calmly replied.

 "Okay, thank you so much but before that let me apologize what I did to you."

 He reached out his hand to negotiate with me.  I readily accepted because I could not let the hatred in my heart.  We were both young and aggressive.  I understand his situation.

 "It's okay, I let you so, we can have clarity with each other," I said.

 "Thank you and I'll look at this big thing for me!"

 "Now tell me, what do you want?"  I seriously asked. 

 "All I want is for us to be okay. Can you please not avoid me? But I promise we won't show it to my sister."

 

He pleaded and almost knelt down in front of me.  His intentions are good but this is the only way for him not to bother me.

 "I don't have a problem as long as you just promise that we will avoid talking especially if your sister is around. She is the reason why I don't want to be friends with you. She is ready to hurt the poor like us.

 

He was surprised by what I said.  He didn’t expect Crissy to be willing to hurt us especially me.

"Did she hurt you?"

 

I can't answer his question.  Shall I tell him the truth?" question lingered in my mind. 

 "Huh? Ahm, just forget what I said. Nothing happened to me or Joy."

 I smiled at him to indicate that I was okay.  Not everything I tell him is true.  I don’t know who he will choose to be his side. 

 

"Tell me, if Crissy did something so, I can do any action," he said.

 

"Yeah I will!"  I smiled at him.

 But the truth is not.  I might even be the reason for them to fight.

 

"Ara, can I talk to you every night here? Before you go home let's talk here for at least 20 minutes!"

 

"Huh! What are we going to talk about every night here," I wondered.

 "You ask me to talk every night but what if someone sees us?"

 "Nothing, I just want to have fun and get to know you more."

 "What the heck? How about if somebody notices us?"

 Is not easy to do his request.  Maybe when just once a week and we won’t be noticeable.

 "Ahm... Let's just be careful that no one sees us," he replied.

 "It's too risky for us, I will let myself to talk to you but once a week only."

 I moved slightly away from him as he got closer and closer to me.  Something I don’t want to be close to him even with our skin.

 I also wanted to avoid him because I was gradually falling in love with him.  I'm not a stone not to feel something to him. 

 But how do I fight my self if I feel my heart is dictating to my mind.  He wasn’t the only one bothering me, but my heart as well. 

 

It’s not bad but I’ll ruin it when Crissy finds out my true feelings for her brother.

 

"The duration is once a week. I will miss you more if like that!"  he shrugged. 

 "Where will you choose, once a week or nothing?"

 

"Oh 'why do I have to choose? I can't! Please just three times a week, can?"  he beg for another two more days.

 "No, my decision is final!"  I said empathically

 I could see his frustration.  He really wants me to get closer to him.  Sadly, we are not free of each other.

 

What I didn’t expect was that he knelt in front of me.  Begging me to consent to the three days he requested.

 

I didn’t know that I voluntarily nodded and agreed to what he wanted to happen.  My heart softened for him, and I think I'm in love with him anymore.

 

"Thank you so much Ara," he smiled.

 To his delight he hugged me.  I stiffened when I felt the warmth of his hot body.  I immediately pushed him away and didn’t want it his hug. 

 "I'm sorry."

 "No, I'm the one who say that!"  he said.

 "What is really the reason why you are doing this to me?"

 "Actually, I'm fascinated with you. Not only that, I love you," he said.

 "When I first saw you I felt like I wanted you. Until I couldn't control myself anymore. I hope you don't avoid me because I'm going crazy," he added.

It seems to be unable to believe in what he said. He admit his true feelings for me. I secretly smile and my heart almost jumped to the excitement.

Even in the little things he is happy. But up to where will our situation lead? Until where do I take one's own feelings?"

I do not know if I say to my father about Nathan. I do not know what his reaction.