4: Who Wouldn't?

NO one initiated to start a conversation between Dione and Jax. Dione’s eyes were just focused outside the window, as if looking at the trees they were passing. But the truth is that her mind is flying to the man next to her.

She leans to the window, slightly distancing herself from Jax. This was because she felt strange when she touched the man’s arm. It was as if there’s a sudden spark inside her. Or it may seem that something is slowly burning inside her.

“What major are you taking?” Dione slightly jumped from her seat when Jax suddenly spoke. She looked at him. The man was looking at the road, so she was free to look at its face.

“Bachelor of Science in Anthrozoology, I’m going to be a 3rd year college this year,” she replied while staring at the man. She was confident that his eyes are just fix on the road. But she silently gasps when the young man’s eyes fell on her. She withdrew her gaze from him, and she was the one looking in front now.

“Ah, is that so. You like animals?” Jax asked further. Dione squeezed her hand because she’s getting weird to herself and why her regular heartbeat couldn’t back on its on.

“A-ah, yes. Specifically, I aspire to study about supernatural creatures. But even so, I really love animals,” Dione replied, her gaze still on the front. She made a side glance to look if Jax is still looking at her. And she let loose of her breath and calm herself down. ‘Why am I acting like this? Is it because Jax was the first man to talk to me blatantly?,’ Dione said in her mind.

“Supernatural creatures, huh?” Dione looks down at what she heard from Jax’s response and smiled bitterly. She thought that Jax will laugh at her too, believing in such creatures that only existed in movies and books.

“They’re surely interesting,” Jax added. Dione raised her head when Jax said that. A sweet smile replaced her bitter smile.

“I know, right? Say, do you believe they exist?” Dione asked. Dione was suddenly embarrassed because of her sudden excitement. Jax might suddenly change his mind and call her a freak and laugh at her, too.

“Hmm, yes, I do believe they exist,” Jax replied and glanced slightly at Dione and smiled sparingly. The huge smile on Dione’s lips and all the awkwardness she felt towards the man suddenly disappeared. To her great delight, she grabbed Jax’s hand, which was resting on the gear stick.

Jax’s focus was then lost when Dione suddenly gets a hold of his hand. And his heart began to beat again with the strange heat flowing from Dione’s hand towards him. As if burning, Dione withdrew her hand from the man’s hand.

But Jax’s eyes remained fixed on Dione, who was now looking at the window and unable to look at him. It was as if the way she held his hand embarrassed her.

“Dione, do you believe in love—” Jax couldn’t continue what he was going to say when Dione suddenly shouted.

“Jax! Watch out!” Jax immediately steps on the brake because of Dione’s scream. They look in front and saw that they are only a few inches away and they could run over a wolf crossing from the other side of the forest. The wolf stopped in the middle of the road and it barely stared at them, Dione and Jax. It was as if it’s trying to remember their faces. And it also immediately ran afterwards towards the other side of the forest.

“Whoa, that was close,” Dione said while holding her chest. She thought that they have actually run into the wolf. Fortunately, Dione noticed it from the other side of the forest.

“Good thing you noticed it,” Jax said. He could not forgive his self if something were to happen to Dione because of him. He can’t understand it, but he got this feeling to protect Dione no matter what.

“And that wolf is a kind of big, fascinating,” Dione said and looked in the direction where the wolf ran. She wanted to get out of the car and go into the forest to look at the animals. But this is not what they went for now. So next time.

“Let’s go?” Dione said and Jax nodded and started the car again.

A FEW minutes later, Dione and Jax were inside the university campus. The university is small to look at from a distance, but it will amaze you when you are in front. Its exterior is like those castle like schools in those fantasy school movies. When you got inside the gate, the surroundings are full of greeny colors. From trees to meadows. It is very relaxing inside and have a very fresh air. Dione instantly loves the ambiance of the school. She feels like she’s still inside a forest.

Jax accompanied Dione to the Admission Office and Jax immediately handed over the card he was carrying that was exclusively only to the Hemmings family.

“Good morning—” the registrar lost her strict mode when Jax dropped the card on the counter.

“O-oh, if it’s not you, Mr Jax Hemmings, please come inside,” the registrar said softly. Jax came in first, and Dione followed.

“She is Mr Baron’s stepdaughter, and she would like to enroll here in the university,” Jax said after they sat down. All the staff inside the Admission Office looked in their direction. Not because of Jax’s unfriendly attitude, but because of his appearance. He has this rugged bad boy physical looks that makes the women drools over him.

“Kindly fill up this form, Miss,” a staff hand over an enrollment form to Dione that she received. She immediately filled it up and handed it back afterwards.

“Let’s go, Dione,” Jax said and opened the door for her. Embarrassed, Dione thanked the staff and left.

As Dione and Jax walked together, a few students on campus looked at them from time to time — particularly at Jax. Dione then knew that Jax is somewhat popular here, just by the body language of the women they’ve met or either passed by. She then looked at Jax, who was back with his neutral poker face expression. And she thought, ‘who wouldn’t fall for him?’