Three

v e r n o n

She had a boyfriend. 

I should've known. It’s so stupid how I tried to hold someone else's precious possession.

But you can’t really blame me. I mean, that’s Catherine, after all. I thought all she ever does is study and be a daddy’s girl. But then again, she’s pretty and popular. She has guys lining up for her. She could get a boyfriend easily. Guess it’s another misconception about her. 

"Never thought Vernon with a black eye would be so funny. You look like shit, man. Have you seen a mirror?" Mingyu, who couldn't be of better help to my already sour mood kept on spitting nonsense beside me. 

"And I never thought you'd actually pass out with just one punch!" He stifled a laugh. He kept on replaying last night like it was the best episode of his favorite gag show. 

I simply leaned towards him to converse while our teacher wrote something on the board. 

"I passed out because I was already sleepy before he punched me." I glared at him and I tried to keep my chill.

Thanks to the drugs that already had me light-headed and dizzy, just one stupid punch from her boyfriend whose face I didn’t even see, I was passed out without defense. 

“I thought you don’t like Catherine? What’s that about?”

“I was high and a bit drunk.”

“Guess love makes you a bad liar huh?” Mingyu grinned. I could throw a punch if not for the teacher around.

"What's his name anyway?" I asked, a bit hesitant but curiosity won't leave me alone. 

"Catherine's boyfriend?" Mingyu had the nerve to put emphasis on the last word. I clenched my jaw and nodded instead.

"Jackson."

My brows met in an instant. 

Bleached hair, fair height paired with muscular body, fists made for fighting, studded lips, and a reputation darker than mine, Jackson Wang is our senior and a football team member who got expelled last year after being caught dealing drugs at a party. 

Why won't Catherine date me instead if she's going to date someone not far from me? My sunbae indeed had a reputation among the girls because well, you can’t deny his looks, but damn, with the little confidence that I have, I honestly think I could compete with that. 

"He's no good for her." 

“And you are?" 

“You know, pretty girls like that have the tendency to attach themselves to problematic guys. You have a chance.” Mingyu tapped my shoulder and chuckled.

“What’s the conversation all about?” The Math teacher scolded us. 

About Jackson Wang and his supplies of drugs, sir, and how I think he’s no match for Catherine, I nearly answered. 

After being called, Mingyu and I both fell quiet throughout the class. I was left internally suppressing my irritation instead. 

I bit my lip harshly. The thought of Catherine and Jackson haunted me. Anger strangely grew into me over the fact that she's with someone bad for her, like some sort of a violent sense of protectiveness. I don’t even know why I was feeling mad about that but I can’t stop it. 

As soon as the class was over, I made my way to the locker area. I stayed there a little longer to wait for Catherine. Soon, my subject of interest came into view. She stood tall among her friends who were talking to her. A smirk crawled my lips as our eyes met as they walked to their lockers. She looked displeased at the sight of me, as always. 

I waited for them by the end of the hallway. There, snippets of their conversation caught my ears.  

"You should come to the party tonight, Cath. There's going to be a lot of hot guys there." Said her friend, Lisa who’s also our classmate.

"I heard Matt Stevens would be there too. He's from my class. And he's really hot. You're both single so maybe you could date each other." The other girl added. 

Catherine’s eyes were glued at me until they had to turn to the next corridor, leaving me leaning on the wall by myself. I was left pondering and disbelieving what I had just heard. 

Why are her friends selling her off when she has a boyfriend? Since I have all the free time in my hands and my wonders would never cease until my curiosity is satisfied, I stalked Catherine. 

She went to the library after lunch and I went in with her, without her knowledge of course. 

I kept my presence unknown as I trailed by the opposite side of the self that she had chosen. My eyes kept track of her from behind the books that separate us. When she finally laid hands on a particular cover, I did exactly the same, emptying a space on the shelf like a window for us to see each other. 

Her cold expression was quickly replaced with indignation upon recognizing me. Her flight response activated like an instant reaction when seeing me. She left the shelves and took a seat on a desolate corner of the library. But me being the eager and nosy guy that I am, I still followed. 

“Hey.” I greeted her then took the opposite chair uninvited. 

There was no response.

“Can we talk?” I faked the enthusiasm.

She raised her head, finally. For a second, her gaze was stuck at my bruised eye. I could tell it distracted her but she did not say anything. 

"What again, Choi?" She spat impatiently. 

I cleared my throat, gathering the confidence to speak.

“Well.. uhmm..” 

The silence stretched which I guess irritated her. 

“Come on, Choi. Where are your balls? Quit wasting my time.” She retorted crudely along with the shut of her book. 

Now that her stolen glances in the book are gone and all her undivided attention is on me, I’m losing my wits again. 

“Why do you keep calling me by my surname? It sounds so formal to me.”

"Because calling you by your first name would mean we're friends."

"Are we not?”

"We're far from it. Now, get to your point." Then a sarcastic smile.

I plopped my elbows down on the table and let my eyes leer on her. 

"You have to help me."

"Help you on what?" Her forehead creased deeply as if she’s having the weirdest encounter of her life with me.

"On my Creative Writing project. The one where we need to make blog reviews for certain books and write our own poetries. You see, I'm not that type of person--and you seem to like a bibliophile, perhaps, you're good at writing too. I mean, you're smart--" 

"Yes I am, but what made you think I would really help you?" She cut me off, sounding deeply offended by my audacity. God, it’s a struggle feigning arrogance when she’s making me intimidated with her unending sarcasm.

"Well, I could pay you."

"Money is the last thing I would need from anyone." 

My lips fell into a grim line. I instantly regretted what I had just said. Of course, she won't need money, she's damn rich from daddy’s money. How dumb of me. That’s just me bluffing anyway. I don’t have money to pay her either. 

"You won't help me?" I looked straight into her eyes, measuring her thoughts against her poker face.

"Obviously." She bravely stared back, cold and ruthless in those circular dark orbs of hers. 

"If you won't, I would have to tell your friends about you and Jackson." 

That caught her off guard. Her indifference faltered.

"What?" The shock was evident in her apprehensive eyes. 

"You're dating him, right? My swollen face explains it. But your friends don't know about him.” 

That sent her tongue-tied. I could see the unmasked tension that’s growing amid her forced composed facade. 

"Jackson is a man whore and a drunkard and he sells and uses drugs. Maybe you don’t know about these, or maybe you do. But the thing here is, why do your friends don't know about him? Are you ashamed of your relationship with him?" I taunted like a devil testing her patience.

I successfully got into her nerves. Judging by the way her jaw clamped and fists balled, I could almost see her last string of patience on the verge of breaking. 

“How did you know all of these?” She asked under gritted teeth. 

I shrugged my shoulders. 

“If you tell my friends about Jackson, I’d tell your friends that you’re a drug addict.” 

My lips curved in amusement. Of course, she won’t be threatened easily. I commend the effort to get back at me but it just isn't the right string to pull.

“Maybe you should tell them something they don’t know. And no, baby, not an addict. At least not yet.” I annoyed her more, which sent those eyes narrowing in anger. There was a silence of tension and restrained wrath until she spoke again. 

“You tried to kiss me without my consent. Who knows where that might have led? You tried to take advantage of me. I could sue you for..uh..sexual assault.”

I suppressed a grin. Why did I expect it would be easy convincing her?

“Without physical evidence of assault, a complaint about an attempt to kiss you falls under harassment and could easily be dismissed.”

Catherine clenched her jaw and pondered. Her sporadic breaths told me she’s not a bit amused by this banter. 

“Why do you keep on bothering me?” She asked, obviously pissed now.

I tilted my head hesitantly. Then gazed back at her, feigning confidence. 

“I think I like you.”

Catherine scoffed. “I don’t like you.”

“I’m not surprised but I gotta say, that still hurts.” I clutched my chest and pretended to be hurt. 

“You can’t like me either,” she warned seriously. 

“Not asking for your permission.”

“You’re a stubborn guy, aren’t you?” 

“I’ve heard the worst. Now, would you help me with this project?”

One last deathly glare, a violent shut of her book, and she stood to leave. 

“As if I have a fucking choice.” She turned to me angrily before storming out of the library.

I was left smiling in triumph.