** Twenty- One **
** Rhea's POV **
"Crushmate!!" I hear Almira calling me as she runs towards me.
I pretend not to hear anything and rush out of the classroom. This girl is going to gossip about what happened last night.
I just finished my 3 subjects in the morning and my vacant time is next. So when the bell rings to signal the end of the subject, I rush out of the room. If Almira catches up with me, I'll be sitting in the gossip hotseat again.
"Hey, crushmate!" Almira kept shouting as she followed me. I can hear her footsteps from behind me.
I quickened my steps and hurriedly took my earphones from my bag. I immediately plugged the end into my cellphone and put the earpiece in my ear. So that when he catches up to me, I have an excuse.
And just as I was playing a song, Almira Antopina appeared in front of me with her arms crossed and staring at me intently.
I removed one of my earphones from my left ear, "Crushmate, you're blocking."
"I was screaming earlier. Can't you hear me?" She was scolding me.
I waved the earphone I had removed from my ear in front of her, "Sorry. My ears are busy."
She just smirked then tied her hand around my arm and pulled me to walk, "Tell me."
"About what?" I pretended not to know.
"About last night at the Party House." She said in a whisper, excitement.
It took me a few minutes before I could think of a proper answer. I'm still gathering the pieces of memories I can remember from what happened.
"Tell me." She insisted.
This woman.
"Well.. We shot Scotch and then talked about whatever nonsense. Then we slept in the guest room." I told her exactly what happened.
Dead. I guess what I said had a catch.
Her eyes widened almost to the point of falling out as she gaped at me, "You slept in the same guest room?"
Wow. Her reaction was terrible.
"Your OA. It's just a sleep." I replied with a frown.
"Then what happened?" Suddenly her face broke into a grin that almost tore.
I don't like her smile.
"We slept." I replied.
That's exactly what happened.
"You're so stubborn about telling stories, crushmate." He smirked as his eyebrows met.
"What's supposed to happen?" I said irritated.
"Love making." She was still thrilled when she whispered to me, "I was expecting that because you're both drunk."
Pervert!
"Does one bottle make you drunk?" I answered irritated.
"Yes. Scotch is strong." She explained.
That's right. I was about to choke on the counter even after just 3 shots.
"And besides, he slept on the floor and I slept on the bed." I added, sounding defensive.
"You made him sleep on the floor? You're so bad, crushmate. You could have made him sleep on the bed." His face almost burst into laughter again, "Next to you."
My eyebrows met as I turned to her and glared with a very evil look, "Stop that."
"Maybe.. He just waited for you to fall asleep and then he came next to you." He said with a ticklish smile.
I raised my eyebrows at him. Something I do when I'm really annoyed.
"Stop reading books on Wattpad. Your brain is polluted." I said annoyed.
She just laughed so hard, obviously not convinced.
Nothing really happened between Jc and me. He's not like other rude men. His natural poker face is just so thrilling. When his aura becomes emotionless.
I had so many thrills and laughter last night. And my heart almost jumped out of my ribcage when he was about to kiss me. If I hadn't found a way to get out, we probably would have kissed.
Oh, Rhea. Maybe you're forgetting that you're both drunk. It's just the influence of the Scotch.
But except for the fact that he sat behind me and sang.
** Ceejay Gonzaga's POV **
We just finished class and I'm here outside the campus now. Waiting for Rhea. My class ended first because I only have 2 subjects today and Rhea is not my classmate in those two.
After a while, my eyes caught the presence of Rhea who came out, along with Almira. At the same time, a group of students came out. Even though they were a bit hidden by the large number of students, I could still clearly see Rhea's sweet laughter and eye-catching smile. While Almira's mouth was so big that Rhea could almost fit in her mouth. It seemed they were having fun chatting.
I've been courting Rhea for a long time. And I don't understand why but when I stare at her, I feel like there is no one else around me. I see nothing but her gentle face that shines. Her smile is so captivating that it feels like the rain will stop and her cute look when she frowns makes you want to pinch her cheek.
"Ceejay? Do you have a fever?" I see a hand waving in front of me.
I try to search for the covered view of the hand in front of me but it seems like it's no longer in the place I'm looking. I keep raising my head to look for it in the crowd of students but I can't really see it.
"Who are you looking for?" I heard a voice near me but I didn't look because I was busy looking for where she was.
"Rhea. I can't see her." I whispered while my eyes were on the group of students.
"Of course you can't see her there because she's right in front of you." I ignored what I heard and continued looking for her.
After a while, someone gently pulled my hand and immediately grabbed both of my cheeks.
I felt all the blood rush to my face when I realized that Rhea's face was right in front of me. It wasn't that close, but it was enough for me to get a close look at her beautiful image.
She stepped back a little from my face to stand next to Almira, "Where are you looking at?"
"Hey, why is your face red?" Almira continued, frowning while examining my stunned face.
Rhea sighed while frowning and crossing her arms, "If you have a fever, you shouldn't come in. Maybe something will happen to you while I'm still in class."
"Or maybe, he saw a goddess that's why he suddenly got a fever." Almira added a teasing smile that almost tore her face apart.
Rhea quickly looked at Almira annoyed while Almira nodded when their eyes met. And turned her gaze back to me.
I saw Rhea's face shining with her concern reaction. I wanted to speak but my brain wouldn't work. I tried to open my mouth but not a single word came out.
"Gonzaga! Are you listening!?" Rhea said so annoyed that she almost shouted at me.
"You're really beautiful, Rhea." Suddenly the word came out of my mouth.
I heard Almira burst out laughing while Rhea stared at me with a frown.
"Didn't I say that? She saw a goddess." Almira added.
Rhea quickly looked at her with one eyebrow raised while she just giggled with a finger peace sign.
Rhea looked back at me, "Beautiful? I've been worrying here and you're just joking around?" She said annoyed.
I felt something strange as my hair stood up at Rhea's annoyed tone. Only then did my mind, which was flying everywhere, come back to its senses.
"Did I say something?" I stammered.
I was still drowning in her beautiful gaze.
"Get well soon, Ceejay. I'm worried about you." She continued.
Did she say she's worried about me?
"Hello, Ceejay!" I heard a familiar and cute voice from somewhere.
I looked around again and saw Marjorie Rojo (codename: Anonymous) behind me. She suddenly kissed me on the cheek as I turned to face him and hugged my waist.
My eyebrows furrowed at what she did and immediately turned to Rhea. She looked at her with such a hateful look.
I tried to remove her hand from my waist but she tightened her embrace while looking at me with puppy eyes.
"I smell a foul leech and a smoky jellyfish." Almira said, deliberately raising her voice as she covered her mouth with one hand.
Rhea's eyebrows furrowed as she turned her attention to another direction, arms crossed.
I opened my mouth to cool the rising tension in front of me but was cut off by Marjorie.
"Aren't you Bibigurl?" Marjorie said casually then pointed at Almira, "And you're Primera, the dota girl in the clan, right?" She pointed at Rhea.
"Wrong!" Rhea sneered while raising an eyebrow at Marjorie.
Marjorie let out a bitter smile but didn't seem to be moved by Rhea's rudeness.
"I'm Marjorie Rojo also known as Anonymous." She introduced herself.
"The flirty one in the clan." Rhea whispered then looked in another direction.
"Excuse me?" Marjorie scolded her while her irritated gaze was fixed on Rhea.
Before Rhea could answer, I was ahead of her.
"S-she said, the p-princess in the clan." I said it tensely.
It was like a magnet when Rhea turned to me with a deadly look and then looked at Marjorie, "Princess of flirting."
"Do you have a problem with me, Primera?" Marjorie was holding back her anger.
"It's just my boyfriend you're flirting with." Rhea's voice almost got louder and a few of the students near us turned to where we were.
Wait a minute? Did she say I was her boyfriend?
Marjorie smirked. Showing her combative nature, "Excuse me, Primera. Ceejay is just courting you so don't act as if you own him."
"Yes, I owned him." Rhea replied emphatically, "So if you don't want to be put in an ambulance, keep your distance."
"Then he's all yours. Stab him in your lungs." Marjorie irritably removed her hand wrapped around my waist and pushed me in annoyance.
She stormed away and Rhea followed her with a frown.
"Wow. You're already in relationship? You must have forgotten to inform me." Almira said with a chuckle as her gaze shifted from me to Rhea.
Wrong joke, Almira.
"Shut up!" Rhea raised her voice at Almira.
Rhea crossed her arms as she looked in the other direction with annoyance.
"Now you're putting me on the spot?" Almira continued, "I don't know why your future boyfriend is still flirting even though he's already dating someone."
"Don't put her on the spot, Almira." I gave her a weak smile while looking at Rhea.
"Absolutely!" Rhea immediately reprimanded me with a fiery look, "Didn't I tell you to avoid Anonymous?"
Our eyes met but she looked at me more frighteningly, "she's the one who came closer."
"You liked it because you didn't even scold her or remove her hand." Her voice had gotten a little louder, showing that she couldn't hold back anymore.
I scratched the back of my head while raising both eyebrows, "Don't be jealous, Rhea. There's no malice in that."
"Just stay away from Anonymous if you want to have a you and me." Rhea threatened in annoyance, emphasizing the word you and me.
"I thought we were already together? You just said that earlier?" I asked confused.
"Wow. You're fast too. Is your soap speed bar?" Her angry sarcasm had already come out and she walked out in front of me.
"Rhea, damn..." I called but she didn't even look at me and continued walking away from us.
I simply looked down while letting out a deep sigh.
"Oh. It's not that bad but there's a rift. What if it's you?" Almira replied in a worried tone.
I raised my gaze to her, "It's just a little misunderstanding."
"Even so. Don't ignore it. Usually, the little things have the biggest impact on a relationship." She reminded me.