Chapter Two

I was already huffing and puffing when I entered the campus' vicinity. The security guard situated by the entrance looked at me weirdly and looked at the clock hanging on the wall by his small office.

"You're way early today." He commented. "I just opened the gates"

"Yeah, sorry about that."

He waved it off and finally gestured me to enter.

My breathing was jagged and it took me a while to get it back to normal, making my way towards the girl's room to try and composed myself, checking my appearance once more. Walking towards the school hastily didn't help since I found my hair loosely tied, parts of my blouse untucked, and glistening sweat dripping on my face and neck.

Sighing in utter frustration, I repair the damage. Tucking my blouse back in and straightening them. I took my comb from my bag and loosen my hair, dark locks flowed dramatically on the middle of my back. I smoothed it with my comb and tied it back up.

Turning the faucet, I washed my face again, careful to not splash water on my uniform. After that, I dried it with a paper towel and fixed my get-up once more.

"You shouldn't look bad," I whispered, echoing my mom's voice inside my head. "It's a sin to look like a mess."

Re-applying face powder and re-spraying my favorite perfume, I packed everything back and checked myself again, when I'm satisfied with my reflection, I stepped out and confidently strutted in the empty hallway. i still have at least one and a half hours to wait before the class starts so I am left to fend for my own entertainment.

Walking on the empty space, my footsteps echoing, I remembered the events of the early morning, the near-death experience as well as the surprise savior I met.

In an instant, my mind conjured the image I captured even though how briefly the meeting was.

I remember his eyes, his dark appealing eyes boring into mine, how the wind slightly ruffled the dark locks, and even question how tall he is since he's towering over my five feet six inches in height.

His skin is fair and his face is pretty and small. He has thick eyebrows furrowed while he was looking at me angrily moments after my almost accident and made me quiver under his dominating gaze. His lips pursed in worry and frustrations with what he witnessed as my momentary recklessness.

I could have died if he didn't pull me out of my foolish reverie.

Why do I act so stupidly as if I am a protagonist in some sort of teen movie? it was embarrassing!

Groaning in frustration, I let myself drown in utterance stupidity, praying that it won't happen again.

Or...

I smirked. Or, if it will happen again, I hope that I'll see him again and protecting me even though I act so carelessly.

And then, it hits me...

Will I see him again?

That question bombarded me as the day passed.

Nothing eventful really took place and I was too preoccupied retaining the blurry image of that boy who saved me. Everything was blurry but my thoughts of him.

Will I see him again?

Will I talk to him again?

What can I do to meet him again?

Then an idea hits me.

I smile forming on my face, I began planning, thinking about the routes i have to take tomorrow.

Should I leave in the early morning like I did today and casually wait for him to pass by?

Should I act so careless again and use danger, hoping that he'll be there again to save me?

But, that seems to be stupid again.

Nah, I won't do that.

I want to see him and meet him when I'm alive and not haunting him when I'm dead.

With the planning, I was unconscious.

I was not aware that my mere attraction to a mysterious boy will turn my life upside down and it's not for the better. 

~

It was a peaceful morning. The silence which invaded my ears was eerie making me confused why.

There's no breaking of glasses or plates or shouting or crying.

The most bizarre thing is though, I hear my parents' faint laughter from downstairs, along with the smell of breakfast being cooked in the kitchen.

Everything was also cleaned and replaced as if nothing happened.

Sighing, I thought, they did it again.

The atmosphere was normal which was not usual in this home.

Still confused, I peeled my blanket off of me and decided to prepare for school.

My mom was cooking in the kitchen when I entered the room, she welcomed me with a bright smile as if it was carved permanently on her lips.

I furrowed my eyebrows and internally rolled my eyes.

She's in one of her after-the-fight moods. A typical thing for her to do, to be in an annoyingly positive mood after a day of bombing fights with my dad. Acting like nothing is wrong and that we are in a normal family even though we are far from it.

I found her placing the food she prepared on the table wearing an apron on top of her yellow sundress and pinned-up hair. Her lips were covered with pink lipstick and her feet were clad with white pumps.

"Good morning, honey." She greeted with her fake sickly sweet voice. "How was your night?"

I smiled. "It's fine. How was yours?" What spirit entered your body that you transformed into this person?

She gestured for me to sit and I did. "Been great, I slept wonderfully. By the way, breakfast is ready. Yours are there as well, healthy eating for healthy living."

I nodded and just look at my plateful of sliced fruits and boiled egg. I gave her a smile and mumbled. "Thanks, mom." before scooping a spoonful of my food while I looked at the pile of pancakes in front of me, wanting to have a piece.

My mom then joined me as she sat on her spot and took some of the food she prepared and began eating. I was almost finished when my dad decided to join us. He was already wearing his office clothes with his briefcase in his hand.

"Good morning, hubby!" My mom greeted and I tried to stop myself from puking on how fake the whole thing was.

What are they trying to achieve, seriously?

My dad, however, didn't take up the whole scene and didn't respond to his wife. I looked at him with raised eyebrows while he just shook his head which means he has no idea what was happening as well.

He sat at the head of the table and helped himself with the food and coffee.

The whole mood was suffocating and I almost bolted out of the room as finished my food, trying to survive the awkward scene in the kitchen. I went back to my room and brushed my teeth once again before checking my appearance one last time and finally made my way out of the door.

The suffocating sensation building inside me vanished the moment I was in an open area and started walking by the road again.

It was also only then that I remember my plan and facepalmed, realizing that it was already too late to execute the whole thing. I am supposed to be waiting for him to walk by.

Ugh, such an idiot I am.

In utter dismay, I do not have any other choice but to relish the same scene in my head over and over again while walking through the same path I took yesterday.

A smile curved on my face, partnered with a sigh while the image of his intense dark gaze invaded my senses once again.

"Stop daydreaming and walk." A voice said which took me completely off guard. I instantly spun around and found the guy I was hoping to meet standing in front of me, annoyed.

My eyes widened and blood rushed on my cheeks. I was suddenly sweating and became incapable of saying anything or forming any words.

What in the world is happening?

Did I unconsciously call him from thinking about him too much?

Did my fantasy pull him towards me by this magic that the universe has construed?

I haven't realized I was staring at him with a surprised expression until he snapped on my face to pull me out of my obvious trance. "Hey! Stranger! Stop daydreaming and move!"

It took me a lot of time to process what he was saying before I found my voice and my courage to finally respond. "I'm sorry... I just.."

"Yeah yeah, you're not thinking straight and daydreaming." He huffed in annoyance before he walked past me and walked away.

I internally scold myself before hurriedly following him, and end up only a few steps away and can finally watch his back from where I am. For the next few seconds, I quietly watched him and wonder about his height again.

Why does he look so tall?

And then, I observed his every move.

How can he look so cool just by walking like that?

I giggled and then it hit me.

A warm fuzzy feeling started creeping up my chest and along my face. It was the first time I felt something strange. I felt the blood rushing on my cheeks, making it almost feverish even through the cold wind blowing with the early morning mist.

I also feel the erratic pounding of my heartbeat which seems to be echoing in my ears even though I am walking slowly, I feel like I am running a marathon.

I must have looked like a walking tomato.

He halted his steps and without a second thought, I mimicked his move. He turned around, annoyance once again evident on his face.

"Why do you keep following me?"

I made a face and shook my head. "I'm not. I'm also going in the same direction, genius."

He rolled his eyes. "Why don't you just run off like you did yesterday then?'

That took me off guard. "I..."

"What?!"

"I'm not in a hurry today," I murmured, almost inaudible but he thankfully seems to understand what I said.

He scoffed before turning his back on me once more and continue his pace. Staring at him, I mustered up the courage to match his pace and finally walk beside him.

He was visibly taken aback by my act but out of relief, he didn't make a fuss about it.

I bit my lip and took a deep breath before asking something I should have asked yesterday.

"What's your name?"