CHAPTER 3

As we got to the cafeteria, we lined up to buy food. The cafeteria is very occupied and quite crowded. Well, yeah because it's the first day of school.

"What do you want to eat?" I ask Steph while looking at the menu board.

"As usual. Just a second. I'm going to pee. Be right back." She says and hurriedly walks out of the cafeteria. Speaking of her 'as usual' she is talking about her all-time favorite, jacket potato with filling and egg mayo sandwich.

"Are you serious? Is Khai studying here? What's his department?"

I stop looking at the menu board when I heard that name. Looking at my right side, I saw two pretty tall girls are talking from the other line. He is still popular.

"Yes. I am dead serious. He's in a business administration department. I didn't speak to see him earlier. He is still very handsome."

Yeah, he is. But he is a dead asshole too.

"Should we shift course?" The girl in blonde brown hair giggles.

"You are crazy. But that is a good idea." They laugh, pick up their food, and leave the cafeteria right away.

As if Khai will notice them. Didn't they know that Khai is already...

"What is your order, Miss?" I go back to my senses when the cashier asks me. I didn't notice that I was already in front of the cashier.

"Uh... San..."

"One sandwich and cold water please."

Suddenly, I turn my head at someone who just spoke on the other line. My heart pounded that it almost got out of my chest because I thought it was him, but it is not. Thank god. I breathe in relief. The guy then leaves the line after he took his order.

"Miss? Are you still going to order?" The cashier asks me again causing me to return my attention to her.

"Yes. Ahm, Ham sandwich, jacket potato with filling and egg mayo sandwich, and two strawberry juice please." I say. She repeated my order, and then serve it to me within a minute. As soon as I got my order, I leave the line. Wandering my eyes around, I am trying to find vacant seats but found none. All of the seats are still occupied. Where the hell is Steph is? What took her so long?

Just then, my phone beeps. Speaking of her.

FROM: STEPH

~Hey, where are you? I'm in the field. Meet me here.~

After reading her text message, I immediately leave the cafeteria and go to the field. When I got here, I immediately look for Steph. The field is huge and some athletes from soccer and baseball are warming up. I guess they will going to play. Now I got why Steph chose to stay here than in the cafeteria. She loves hunting boys. But where the hell is she? I cannot find her presence.

"Hi," someone spoke behind me. Turning my head around... What the hell is he doing here? Is he following me? Who else is this? Yeah, it's him.

"Hi," what? Did I just greet him back? Okay. Let's not act bitter, Cass. Past is past. Show him that you have already moved on.

He smiles, "I thought you will going to ignore me."

"Ignored you? Why would I?" I laugh a little. Does he really think that I will go to ignore him? Good for him, he thought of that. But since I didn't, he should be thankful.

My eyes landed on the sandwich and bottle of water he was holding. Wait... He wasn't the guy who bought that earlier, am I right? Why does he have that?

"My friend bought it for me. The cafeteria was loaded. It makes me uncomfortable." He says. Right. That's him. He hates crowded places. Wait... Am I bringing the past? I'm crazy.

"What?"

"Oh, I thought you are curious about why I have this." He says, referring to the sandwich and bottled water.

You're right. "I'm not." He didn't change. He can still tell me what am I thinking. He should take the psychology course instead of business.

"Where are you heading to? Are you alone?" He asks.

Why do you ask? "No. I'm with Steph. I'm going. It's nice seeing you again." I say. What nice am I saying? I was about to walk away when he holds my wrist. "What?" I raised my brows at him.

"Nothing," he let go of my wrist and a smile grew on his lips. "Nice seeing you again too."

"Okay," I turn my back at him and walks away. Ah, where the hell is Steph is? Is she really here?

"Cass! Hey!" A familiar voice calls me. Steph's voice. I wander my gaze around, but cannot find her. Where is she? I keep looking around.

"Cassandra! Over here! Hey! In front of you!"

My eyes landed under the bleachers. There, I saw her. She is sitting in the grass. What the hell is she doing there? Ah, that's, why I can't, find her.

"Steph!? What the hell are you doing there?" I ask while laughing a little. But, she didn't saw me talking with Khai, right? I hope so.

"Waiting for you? Gosh, what took you so long? I'm dying in hunger here. Come. Let's eat!"

"Seriously. Why there." I laugh when I go to her. We eat our snacks, talk about the school, and everything. When the bell rings, we go back to our room section for our remaining class. Time flies so fast, and our first day has ended. It was not bad at all. It was just... I felt a bit uncomfortable because I was in the same class as Khai. It reminded me of the past.

~*~

"Should I help you?" I was startled in the middle of my writing when someone came out all of a sudden. Who else? It was Khai. He sat down on the wooden chair in front of me. How did he find me? No, why is he talking to me? It's strange since he is the type of person who is not sociable.

"Khai Yixel Chenault. What are you doing here?" I ask without looking at him. I am busy studying math since tomorrow we will have a quiz again. I need to better.

"Do not call me in my full name. It's uncomfortable." He says. His voice is flat.

"Why? Aren't you proud of your name? Your mum gave it to you. You should be proud. Anyway, what are you doing here?" I ask you again.

"I'm hungry."

My head lifts. I look at him with my eyebrows raised. "You're hungry?"

He nods his head.

"Why don't you go to the cafeteria?"

"You should come with me."

"What?" My forehead creased. What is he saying? Funny. I laugh. "Why would I? Crazy." Shaking my head, I turn my attention back to what I am doing. "I didn't know you know how to joke."

"But I am not joking," he says in a serious tone of his voice so I had to look at him again. What does he trying to say, then?

"Buy me food."

"What did you say?" I might hear it wrong.

"Let me help first so you can pay me with food." He stood up and sit next to me. "Which part you could not understand? I will discuss it with you."

Is he crazy?

"Hey! Don't you have the money to buy your food? You are born rich, right? Why are you mugging someone to get the money? You're unbelievable! Does your parents know about this, huh!?" I yell, but he didn't pay attention to me. Instead, he took the ballpen I was holding and my notebook then he starts writing.

"What are you doing? Hey. I am not asking for your help. Hey! Stop. I don't have money to buy you food—"

"Be quiet. Your disturbing me. Just watch so your paper can't be blank again." He nags but in a plain voice. I look at my notebook and I am amazed at what he is doing. Writing the formulas with explanations. Wow. I envy him. How could he be so smart? I'm jealous. Can I borrow his brain just for one day? I want to get a perfect score in math. After a minute, he finished writing and hands me back my ballpen and notebook.

"All done. Make sure to..."

"Thank you. But I don't have money right now." I cut his line.

"Make sure to read it. I'll see you tomorrow." He says and stood up. He was about to walks away but I spoke.

"I'll see you tomorrow? Why? Why would you see me?" I ask in confusion.

"Because you're going to buy me food. Bye." He then left.

Is he really serious? Never mind. Giving him food is better than giving him money anyway.

~*~