Chapter 7 University

KIA

"Oh, you're here! Ah, ah—" When someone spoke from behind her, Kia turned her head abruptly, almost slipping. She shut her eyes, bracing for impact, but Ares caught her by the waist. "Are you okay?" Ares asked, concern in his voice.

Kia was too shaken to respond at first. Ares gently released his hold on her waist and helped her regain her balance. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize the floor was wet. Don't worry, I'll clean it up."

"Ahh, I'll just be more careful next time. Thanks."

Why does he have to make it so dramatic when he catches me? It's like something out of a soap opera with a bossy President. You're being ridiculous, Kianna Myst Saavedra!

I've been replaying that moment in my head for what feels like hours. Am I losing my mind? I've tried to sleep, but fatigue seems to have abandoned me completely. Despite the comfortable bed in Ares' room, sleep eludes me. Maybe I won't be able to sleep if I keep ruminating on things like this.

"Sh*t! I have class in the morning! What am I going to do?" Suddenly, it dawns on me that it's already Monday. I glance at the clock hanging above the door.

"What?! It's 4 a.m.?! " I gasp, covering my mouth in shock, then rub my eyes to make sure I'm not seeing things. How did it become four o'clock so quickly? It feels like I just entered this room.

*flashback*

"Ahh, I'll just be more careful next time. Thanks..." I whisper, and for some inexplicable reason, I feel a pang of longing.

He pulls me closer, which surprises me once more. "How about we get some rest?"

"Ah, um... Can we sleep together?" He suddenly smiles. He must have noticed my anxiety and the way I nervously swallowed.

"Relax, I won't force you if you're not comfortable with that. For now, I just want you to feel at home here. This is your home now, our home," he says softly.

His gaze is so commanding that any woman would be captivated. He tenderly kisses my right hand. I just want to hold and snuggle his hand because it's so warm.

Thump— Thump— Thump—

My heart races as if I'm being chased by a dog down the street. To break the silence, I ask, "Where should I sleep?"

"Right here," Ares points to the first room. "The bed is ready for you, so take a shower and get some rest. I just need to finish some work," he says, and I nod in response.

*end of flashback*

Since I've been lying in bed, all I've done is replay that moment in my mind. I still have a few hours left to sleep, so I'll try to force myself to rest. I hug a pillow, inhale deeply, and exhale slowly, repeating the process to calm my racing thoughts, eventually drifting off to sleep.

…

Kia woke up at noon and hurried to get ready. She skipped taking a bath and just applied some perfume. As she left the room, she noticed that Ares was no longer there. She headed straight to the kitchen to grab her tumbler from the fridge when she spotted covered food on the table along with a note.

The note read: "I had to leave early. I forgot to inform you last night, so please accept my apology. I didn't wake you up because you seemed to be sleeping well. Eat the breakfast I prepared for you! I love you. Love, Ares."

"He's really going the extra mile to cook for me," Kia said, smiling. She sat at the table and followed Ares' instructions, quickly devouring the meal he had prepared.

She didn't have time to clean up the dining area and hurriedly left the house. She rushed to the jeep waiting outside. Luckily, there were two empty seats, so she hopped on board immediately.

Meanwhile, at school, Kia's classmates were busy gossiping. Lunchtime was almost over, and their friend hadn't arrived yet. They huddled together at the back of the room, discussing Kia.

"It's strange... Kia hasn't been absent from the start of class... I haven't received any message from her saying she'll be absent today," Miaree, Kia's half-Japanese best friend, remarked.

"Oh no! Our next teacher is a real nightmare. Once she finds out Kia is absent, she'll definitely scold her. Ma'am will think we're skipping her class out of fear," their class president, Marc, fretted.

"Do you guys really have time to worry about her? You know, if Mrs. Ramos scolds her, it's her problem. So please be quiet and return to your seats. You're all so noisy, like a bunch of chickens," Vera said angrily and groaned. She was Vera Eunice Ventura, the self-proclaimed campus crush at their university.

Miaree's blood began to boil upon hearing Vera's words. She approached Vera's seat and confronted her. "Could you just mind your own business, Vera? You're not part of this conversation, so you should be the one to be quiet," Miaree stated, pointing at Vera. "Don't you have friends to chat with?" she added.

Vera's face turned red rapidly, as if it might explode at any moment. "How dare you?! You're nothing compared to Kianna! Don't act like we're on the same level!"

"Yeah, you're absolutely right. I shouldn't even be talking to you because we're not on the same level. You haven't reached our level yet, Eunice," Miaree playfully teased with a smile.

"Argh! Don't call me by my middle name, you filthy mutt!" Vera shouted so loudly it almost echoed in the room. She grabbed her book and hurled it at Miaree, but luckily, Miaree swiftly dodged it.

"You know what, Vera? You look more like a dog right now with what you're doing. Stop barking as if you've lost your owner's leash. What an angry little dog!"

"Hey, everyone! Sorry for being late." A voice from the door grabbed everyone's attention. Kia smiled at her classmates and apologized for her tardiness before entering the room.