Chapter 02

"WHAT HAPPENED? How did you even get your uniform stained with coffee?”

I glanced at her before I started unbuttoning my blouse. “Some weird dude bumped into me earlier.” I removed my blouse completely before I wore the shirt that Ruby lent me. 

Good thing Ruby always has an extra shirt in her locker. And good thing the school wasn't that strict with what we wear in school. 

I felt like not telling Ruby the whole truth about how I got my uniform stained. She's talkative, everything she hears will spread anywhere like wildfire.

When I looked at her again, she gave me her ever malicious and intriguing smile. My brows furrowed in confusion. “What?”

“Is he handsome?” she asked with a hint of malice in her tone.

I rolled my eyeballs and shook my head. “You're really a sucker for handsome guys.” I threw my blouse inside my locker before I closed and locked it.

But was that guy handsome? I hate to admit, but he was. No doubt.

“Of course! Who wouldn't!” she abruptly affirmed while dramatically raising her hands. “I should at least get a handsome guy 'cause if he breaks my heart, I could comfort myself by saying ‘at least he's handsome.' You get me?”

I chuckled. “Whatever. Let's go to class now. We'll be late. Oh, right..." I quickly turned to look at her when I remembered something. “Where are our other friends? It's unusual for them to be not around in this time of the day.”

Ruby shrugged. "Where else could they be if they're not with me? Of course, they'll be at the school gym, ogling and drooling over those sweaty varisty players.” She rolled her eyes and jokingly gagged.

I shook my head in disappointment. I mean, they're always like that, but it's still disappointing all the time. I encircled my arm around Ruby's shoulders. “I'm glad you're not like them. You're a good girl. Keep it up. Girls like you are rare nowadays.”

She chuckled. “You do know we're all the same, the only differences we have is that I don't flaunt my ‘whore’ side like that.”

I laughed and just shook my head.

After I wore the shirt Ruby lent me, we immediately walked to our classrooms. We'll be scolded again by our adviser if we arrive later than her. We didn't pass by the school gym to call our other best friends. Them being late should be a consequence of their whore-like behavior.

When we passed by the campus quadrangle, Ruby and I both stopped walking when we saw people gathering in front and girls were screaming.

"What's happening there?" Jennie voiced out the question in my head.

"Come. Let's see what their screaming is all about." I pulled Jennie to the crowd.

When we got near the crowd, women were too wild. It's as if they saw something that they'll never see again in this lifetime. 

"Excuse me! Excuse me!" I said as I gently pushed people out of my way. "I said excuse me! F*cking move out of the way, damn it!”

Thankfully, after that cursing, they finally moved out of our way. I blew out a breathe, fixed my hair, and started walking. When I got near the source of the screams of these b*tches, a gasp escaped my lips.

It's that guy! It's that f*cking shameless guy who kissed me earlier this morning!

And oh my god, why's he coming towards me?!

He removed his dark sunglasses, and gave me a stare that says, ‘we meet again’ with a sly smile. "Oh, there she is!"

My jaw dropped when the four other men with him glanced at me all at once and removing their sunglasses to take a better look at me. My heartbeat started to double. 

"Wait... why are they looking at you?" Ruby asked. 

"That's what I want to ask, too.” I bit my lower lip. 

This is crazy! Why is he here? And who are those guys beside him? Are they his bodyguards or something?

Shouldn't I be the one bringing bodyguards or police? He's the one who harassed me!

With a smile, he ran towards me. When he stopped in front of me, exaggerated gasps from his female fans echoed. 

"What? Is that his girlfriend?"

"Girlfriend? She looks too ugly to be his girlfriend!"

"OMG?! He's taken! I wanna die now."

"What? Girlfriend? She can't be. She must be his nanny or something.

Okay. My fist will fly and make a cute, red mark on their faces if they keep this up. Grabbing attention from the public is something I hate the most because it ruins my peace of mind. But looks like it's too late to gatekeep my peace of mind, when these flashy guys are here in front of me!

“And... why are you here?” I raised a brow at him. I didn't hide my annoyance. 

He combed his hair with his fingers, bit his lower lip and gave me a lopsided smile. 

I didn't know what to feel with what he just did, but I'm sure my stomach almost churned. 

“I'm here for you.”

My nose scrunched. I opened my mouth and was about to spout the nastiest and trashiest words to him when the people behind me started to squeal. I even heard Ruby's voice and when I turned to look at her, she has that malicious smile again while slowly walking backwards and leaving me!

I glanced again at the guy in front of me. “W-What?” 

I blinked and was caught off gaurd when he suddenly grabbed my wrist and dragged me. I wasn't sure where he was leading me to, but when I realized he was dragging me towards the back of the school, my heartbeat started to double. He only let my wrist go when we stopped in front of the acacia tree.

I watched him intently as he fished out the transparent plastic with a black fabric inside. Wait, so that thing's hiding behind his back this whole time?

"Here." He handed it to me. 

I gave him a reluctant look. "And what is that?"

"Your uniform," he answered shortly. "I'm sorry about what I did earlier. As I've said, I only did it to save myself. I'm sure you'll do the same desperate move if you're in my position. I also felt bad for ruining your uniform, so as an apology here's another set of uniform.”

I stared at him full of doubt. He just tilted his head, as if telling me to take it.

“Where did you even get these?” I finally took the uniform from him. “I'm sure our school doesn't let anyone stitch our uniform.”

"I have my ways."

His answer even made me doubt him more. He just winked at me. I blew out an exhausted sigh. He's hopeless.

"Okay. Whatever. If this is all you're here for, you can leave now. I still have classes.” I turned around and was about to leave when he spoke again.

"Actually. Replacing your uniform was just one-fourth of my reason why I came here and looked for you."

I glanced at him over my shoulder. “Oh, yeah?”

He stepped closer towards me. He slid his hands inside the pockets of his jeans. "I came here to ask a favor. And also, to help you."

My brows furrowed. “What? Help me? Do I look like I need help from you, right now?”

He chuckled. "You see..." With his forefinger, he scratched the bridge of his nose. "A paparazzi saw what I did to you yesterday. And I hate to say this to you, but... it has already spread in the internet.”

I blinked and titled my head to the side. “What? And what favor can I do for that? What kind of help are you gonna offer to me?”

"So..." He stared directly into my eyes. "I want you to date me."

Out of reflex, I smashed the uniform on his shoulder.

"Ouch!" he hissed and flinched. "Why do you have to hit me all the time? God!"

“What the heck?! Out of all the options there are, you're really asking me to date you? How can that solve anything?!” I continued smashing the uniform at him. 

“Wait! Wait! Hear me out first, okay?!” He caught my arm and stopped me. “This plan can actually work, you know? If they see you as my girlfriend, they would think you're under my and our company's care, so no one would dare harm you. You get me?”

“That's a very old trick! You think your ‘obssessed fans’ would think that? They'd even go to lengths such as invading your privacy, and you think a security gaurd or police or you can stop them?!”

He finally let go of me. He closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. “Yes, I know that, but--”

“No!” I quickly answered and turned around. “You can ask anyone about it but no thanks, I won't. Thanks for the uniform, though.”

“Aww. Too bad I have this gift certificate from a famous book store worth one hundred thousand...”

I quickly halted. My eyes narrowed and I slowly turned around to look at him and to confirm what he said. Did he just say one hundred thousand? 

He gave me that pleading look while waving the rectangular shaped paper at me. My eyes quickly widened when I realized what he said was true. 

“W-Which book store is that?”

Is he kidding me?! I have always wanted to buy books but I didn't have the money to collect every book I love!?

“Hmm.” He spread the paper as if it was the daily newspaper. “National Book Store.”

I gasped. No way!

“You are still not forgiven, you know.” I tried to sound mad and started walking towards me. “If you give that to me, I might forgive you and really not say about what happened and bring it to my grave.”

He smirked. “Really?”

I nodded quickly. “Yes. Now, give it to me.” I tried to snatch the certificate from him but he was fast enough to swing it away from me. I glared at him. 

“Nah-uh, Miss.” He shook his head in a mocking manner. “Not until you accept the favor I'm asking.”

“What favor?”

“I told you. Date me.”

It immediately earned a groan from me and I rolled my eyes. He won't stop, will he. “Don't you have other ideas? That one's bullsh*t, you know.”

He sighed. And my eyes widened when he put the certificate back in his pocket. 

“Oh, well. I can just ask our company to make a statement about it being fake--”

“Wait, wait! How about the certificate?” I extended my hand. “Can you give it to me?”

He chuckled. He fished it out again. “Date me?”

I glared at him. “No.”

He sarcastically pouted. “No certificate, then.” He was about to put it in his pocket again but I stopped his hand. 

“W-Wait, wait, wait! Let me think about it!” I heaved out an exhausted sigh. “But can you give it to me first, then let me think about your plan?”

He quickly shook his head. “I don't want to. You might scam me.”

I rolled my eyes at him. “I don't even know you, so why should I date you?”

“It's just a simple yes or no. But if you say yes, it comes with this.” He waved the certificate in my face. 

I glared at him more. How sure was he that his plan would actually work? Are we in some kind of TV drama that he thinks his plan would work? 

“Fine!” I massaged my forehead. This is making my head hurt. “Just... give it to me!” I tried snatching the certificate from him again, but as always, he's quicker. He hid it behind his back. 

His eyes twinkled in amusement. “You agree to do it with me?”

I grimaced. “You made it sound like we're about to do something dirty. But yes, I will.” I rolled my eyes at him. 

His smile widened. When he fished out the certificate, I quickly moved my hand to snatch it from him and this time, he didn't resist. He's giving it to me now. 

I wanted to smile but I pursed my lips so I could continue to act mad at him. 

“We'll discuss more about this tomorrow or tonight.”

I turned around and waved my hand at him, as if telling him to go away. “Yeah, yeah, whatever.” I started walking away. 

“I'll contact you soon.”

I ignored him and started walking back to our classroom. I could feel some stared at me but my eyes were only darted at the certificate I'm holding! 

This id the first time I've hold money this large! I kissed the paper and even sniffed it like it was some kind of drugs. I laughed and screamed while I was at the hallway but I didn't care. I was too happy to even care. 

Finally. I'll be able to buy any book I want!