Chapter 6

"I AM GLAD to know you know who I am," Clyde said when Callie uttered his name.

Callie immediately averted her eyes from Clyde and proceeded to pick up her belongings. Clyde helped her as well.

"So, tell me, who made you cry?" Clyde inquired as he handed Callie some of her stuff.

"No one," Callie replied then, started walking to go to her class. She was puzzled when she noticed Clyde was following her. He was still wearing that strange smile on his lips as he looked at her. She halted and looked at him. "Are you following me?"

Clyde shrugged slightly and smiled even brighter. "Well, I still didn't get your name."

Callie frowned.

Clyde smiled and scratched his neck, then took a step closer to Callie. "I just felt it was unfair because you know who I am but I don't know you," he explained. "And now that I mention it, how did you come to know me?" Full of curiosity he stared at Callie. "Well, yeah, I know I'm pretty well-known around here, but the way you said my name makes it sounds like you've known me for a while."

Clyde drew his face closer to Callie's and studied her features in great detail. He'd dated a lot of beautiful girls in the past, but Callie stood out. She had the appearance of a goddess. He had been wondering why he had only seen her now during his time at their university. But now that he has found her, he can never allow her not to be included in his collection of women.

"It looks that I've been completely overwhelmed by daily life attractions," he said, smiling. "How could I not notice your beauty in all the time I've spent here at this university? I must be a fool."

Callie looked at Clyde and immediately raised an eyebrow. She admitted that she was relieved to see him again, but she became dissatisfied with him as their conversation progressed. She didn't think of him to be like this.

She was well aware of Clyde's character. She knew he was the type of guy who liked collecting women and enjoys playing with their hearts, aside from the fact that he was so full of himself.

Callie smiled and locked eyes with Clyde. When she did it, she thought Clyde liked it even more. "You really are a fool to think that your flattery will work on me."

"What?"

"Whatever you're thinking, stop it this instance. I have no intentions of becoming one of your toys," Callie said coldly before turning her back on Clyde.

Clyde fell silent at what Callie said. He'd never been turned down by a woman before. He laughed as he watched Callie walking away.

"You really don't have a plan to tell me your name ?!" he shouted.

Callie waved her hand as a no.

Clyde shook his head and chuckled.

"Clyde! There you are!"

Clyde turned to the person who had just arrived. It was Megan, one of his friends.

"Hi, Megs!" A smile was still lingering on his lips.

"What's with that grin?"

Clyde didn't answer. He returned his gaze to Callie, who had already reached the end of the long corridor.

"Callie?" Megan said in astonishment as she followed Clyde's gaze.

Clyde immediately turned to Megan. "You know her?"

"You're such a moron for not knowing who Callie is; she's the Education Department's goddess."

Megan's response made Clyde laugh. "I am indeed an idiot," he admitted quietly to himself. "You mean your department, the Education Department?"

Megan nodded. "Yes, she's one of my seniors."

"So, she's going to be a teacher too just like you. Okay," Clyde said as he nodded. "But how come I don't see her here on campus?"

"Well, she's always there in that place you've never dared to go."

Clyde paused for a while. His face brightened a few moments later when he realized the place where Megan was referring to.

*****

"HE'S HERE AGAIN."

Callie couldn't help but sigh when she felt Clyde's presence inside the library.

She noticed Clyde had been going to the library for a few days, and even though he wouldn't admit it, she knew she was the reason he was there because she overheard him and Megan talking the first time they met in the corridor. She also knew that he already knew her name.

Clyde appeared in front of her and joined her at her desk. He sat in the empty seat in front of her with a thick book. It was a book about Police Administration.

As he sat down, pretending to be surprised, Clyde said, "It's you again? Wow! I guess we meet more often. Don't you think this is fate?"

"So, you're a criminology student," Callie said, and briefly took her eyes off the book she was reading to look at Clyde.

Clyde does not appear to be a criminology student based on his appearance. Clyde's hair was longer and thicker than the other criminology students who had neat haircuts.

When Clyde realized Callie was staring at his hair, he laughed. "Is it because of my hair? Well, I'm not going to cut it because I like it this way."

"At some point, you'll have to say goodbye to your hairstyle," Callie said, rolling her eyes at the book she was reading. "Especially if you're going to a practicum, I heard it's a requirement for you guys to have a clean cut."

Clyde nodded. "You are indeed right. Actually, I'm going to do the second part of my OJT next month. Meaning, you will rarely see my face in the next few days."

"That's good then."

Clyde groaned. "Ouch!"

"Shhhh!" the librarian scolded him when his voice grew slightly louder.

Clyde apologized to the librarian. He returned his gaze to Callie, who was engrossed in the book she was reading.

"Hey Callie, would you like to join me for dinner after class?"

"No," Callie said emphatically, without even looking at Clyde.

"I know I made an impression that day, but I'm not who you think I am. I'm not a f*ckboy. Get to know me and you'll see I'm also a nice guy."

Callie pondered what Clyde had just said. Has she been too harsh with him?

Clyde was looking at his phone when he received a call. He told Callie that he would answer it first before leaving the library.

Callie's gaze followed Clyde until he came out. Her gaze shifted to the book he had left behind when she lost sight of him. She picked it up and noticed that something thick was stuck there. When she flipped through its pages, she found a magazine of sexy women stuck to it.

She smirked and said, "Not a f*ckboy, huh?"

As Clyde returned inside, he was dismayed when he saw that Callie was no longer inside the library. When he approached the table they were sitting at earlier, he realized why she had suddenly left. The magazine he had previously hidden was now on the top of the table.

He squirms his brows and chuckles, "Why do I always make a fool of myself in front of her?"

*****

"WHY is it so hard to get a hold of you these days? What are you up to?" Andrew asked Clyde.

Clyde and his friends Megan, Andrew, and Spencer are currently gathering in their university cafeteria for a snack.

Although he was with his friends, Callie was still the stuff of Clyde’s mind. What is it about him that she dislikes?

"Megan, do I still look the same?" Clyde asked Megan who was the only woman in their group.

Megan frowned and asked, "What do you mean?"

"Am I ugly?" Clyde asked once more.

The three exchanged puzzled looks as Clyde's questions perplexed them.

To Andrew and Spencer's surprise, Megan exclaimed, "Wait, are you still hitting on Callie?"

"Callie? The goddess?" Spencer mused.

Megan nodded and laughed. "I'm telling you, Clyde, whatever your planning to isn't gonna work. Callie isn't into dating."

Clyde sulked as he stared at Megan, "How did you know?"

"Do you think no one in our department attempted to court her?"

“With that gorgeous face, that's impossible,” Andrew commented.

"Callie isn't interested in men," Megan added. "She'd rather be with books than with you guys."

"Hey, we're talking about Clyde Martin here. As we all know, no one says no to him." Spencer leaned back in his chair with a grin. "Perhaps that woman is just playing hard to get."

What Spencer had said seemed to encourage Clyde. What he said was true because no woman had ever really said no to him.

"I can make her mine," Clyde said that driving his companions burst out laughing.

"I doubt it." Megan shook her head. "I know her."

"Let's make a bet then," Andrew suggested.

"I like that!" Spencer applauded.

Clyde just laughed. "Fine!"

"There's no need for that. I'm telling you guys, that won't happen."

Clyde raised his eyebrows to Megan. "I can do it, Megs. Callie is not the one who would break my record." He grinned. "Mark my word, I'll have her in a week."

They all laughed because of what Clyde said. He seems very sure of what he says.

They stopped talking when they saw Callie approaching.

Clyde was prompted to approach her by his friends. He did as they asked because he wanted to show them his capabilities.

"Hey, it's you again," he said to Callie who stood in line at the counter.

"Yes, but don't assume that this is all because of fate. Clyde, we're both at the same university, so it's only natural that our paths cross frequently," Callie replied, smiling at him.

Clyde was astonished by Callie's smile at him. He wasn't used to it.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Callie asked him when she noticed he was stunned in front of her.

"Ummm... Would you like to watch a movie with me this weekend?" he suddenly asked. He had a slight hunch that, like before, she would turn down his offer.

Callie smiled again which made Clyde's heart skip a beat. Her response surprised him.

"Sure, why not?"