I sat across Carlos' desk and watched as he worked on the science project. I missed the last three meetings since I used Enrique as my Substitute student.
I didn't even bother ask what it was all about.
Why would I anyway....
Today, I thought I might be a part of it and work it out...
I asked for help from all my group members except Carlos, of course, and none of them seemed to be available and referred me to Carlos.
Really?
Enrique hooked me up with him and I was frustrated when I went to the science lab only to find him there...
"What are you doing here?",I asked him. He ignored me and walked past to the station that had our project. I rolled my eyes and followed suit. I sat on the nearest chair and was about to touch a ball when he thundered at me.
"Don't you dare touch!",
"You're not the boss of me...",I thundered back and aimed to touch the dangling ball anyway for him to grab my hand and lightly squeeze it.
Lovingly....yes. It felt....good..to be touched by him like that.
I snatched my hand away from him and gave him a death glare so that he doesn't suspect me.
He chuckled and put on his safety googles.
Why??
I had no idea...
"How far done is this??",I asked looking at our project from all angles.
"Didn't your exchange student tip you off??", He asked in a very rude tone.
Since last Friday at sports, we haven't talked again. The weekend passed and when we met on Monday in the Westwood corridors, everything was crystal clear.
We are forever at a battle...that 'get-me-some-water' drama was truly momentary. Knowing that was quiet satisfying. At least then I'd have less expectations.
He stopped what he was doing and looked at me. His eyes seeming murderous as his stares passed through the transparent glass.
"If you ask me, I think you should fire him...."
"Here we go again....",I groaned and rested my hand on my forehead with the other on my waist.
I didn't want to fight with Carlos today. I had just about enough of this game. As a woman, my dignity lied in the way I handled men and this was being recorded in my book of behaviours. I knew very well.
When around him, I had to be in my best behaviour.
I turned to try and talk to him but he seemed too busy to even spare a minute. I decided not to even try coax his attention to me.
Knowing him, he'd eventually talk to me.
Time passed and seeing that he wasn't giving me any attendance, I decided to call Enrique and ask him to meet me in the science lab.
"I'll wait for Enrique... he'll be here in half an hour, then he'll tip me off",I raised the corner of my upper lip the moment I saw his lips shape into a rather handsome smirk.
I hated that I found him handsome.
Something was definitely wrong with me...
I walked around the room and checked other people's projects while trying not to touch anything.
I was impressed by the ideas each group was displaying so much that I was doubting my group's stand in this.
Our project was a depiction of the solar system. Well...not so bad but some group actually advanced by depicting the whole hydrosphere.
The full water cycle.
I wish we thought of that..
I walked further and looked at more projects when I suddenly titled my head and looked at Carlos. He was busy and drawn into whatever he was doing.
I could see through his safety glasses as his eyes pierced through whatever he was looking at. He had his hair in a ponytail and a few strands dropped off and fell over his face completing his look.
I turned back around and bit my lower lip preventing me from smiling. Finding out that I was staring at Carlos was threatening to my ego.
What was going on with me?
I decided to survey more projects.
Maybe then I'll refresh my brain as lasting long like five minutes in this lab caused me hallucinations. There's no way in a million years I'd ever think Carlos is handsome...no way.
I looked at my watch and it was fifteen minutes after. Fifteen more and Enrique would be here. He'd brief me on the presentation about whatever they discussed of the solar system and then I'd leave. At least he was the only one who knew exactly why I wasn't putting in much effort to do this. And it was good knowing that someone understood.
I noticed a book shelf and I walked over and grabbed myself a book. My eyes grinned when I saw the title.
Anatomy.
To be frank, medicine wasn't anywhere near my list of achievements in life. Nowhere near. And grabbing this book was more like an insult to me. I was about to put it back when my peripheral vision caught sight of Carlos.
He seemed excited about what we it was. Then, though dimly there was a light and his face glistened in a smile. It was too much. I couldn't resisted the temptation and found myself giving in.
I held the book back and clenched it to my chest. I walked towards him and a smile lit on my face after what I saw. I don't know what he did but the sun was suddenly bright. It was the light I'd seen. And the nine planets....they were revolving around their orbits and around the sun...just like the real solar system.
"Oh my God that's incredible...you did that??",I asked as I walked close to the project.
"Keep away from the project site miss....caution is advised....",he yanked his hand in front of me preventing me from getting a closer look. I let out an angry sneer and sat down.
At least ten inches away.
All happy and impressed, I quietly watched as he danced around the project praising himself for having such a magnificent brain. I held the book in front of my face and laughed behind it as I found his victory dance really cute.
Then, in a what seemed like a blip, he stopped and looked at me. His eye met mine and we at most spent that position for about ten seconds. As we looked into eachother's eyes like that, I felt --- a searching, a perfectly sober exchange and suddenly I diverted my eyes to behind the book, looking at my watch. Five more minutes and Enrique would be here.
I tapped the table as I flipped the pages and stole a glance to look at Carlos. I froze when I saw him walk towards me. He took a stool from the nearby bench and sat just about opposite to where I sat.
The nerve....
"Are you planning on enrolling into medschool after highschool?? Because if you aren't, you should consider it....",he rested his hands on the table causing me to draw away. As much as that sounded sincere, it felt sarcastic.
"Excuse me?",
"You're quiet a talented woman Jennifer Gonzalez. It'll come in handy with the pressure of medschool...",he furrowed his eyebrows and his lips formed a single line.
Did I just detect pure sarcasm in that statement?
"What are you driving at Carlos Jeffrey?", I hissed as I dropped the book, breaking the barrier between our faces.
"You, my lady, were reading a medicine based book upside down...",he gestured at the book between us.
Darn it!! This was embarrassing...
His laugh echoed through my ears and am sure was loud enough to break the glass windows. I quickly pressed my thumbs on the sides of my head and began to pound on my temples. Carlos got the last laughter. Shame! Shame! Shame! On me....
"It's alright Jenny...you know you can just come clean and tell me you like me..", He wiggled his eyebrows and rested his clubbed fists on both his cheeks.
"Wh-what?", I blushed as I got up to leave when he grabbed my hand.
"Where are you going princess??", He asked and I immediately lost my will to speak.
Without turning around, I twisted my wrist so that he would let go of me but he didn't. His grip tightened around my wrist with the more twisting and I decided to stop.
"Let go of me Carlos Jeffrey...", My authoritative voice pitched and I found myself straining too hard.
He denied to obey and it awoke the devil in me. I was used to people falling at my feet and walking with my nose up high after every decision I made and encountering Carlos seemed to be embarrassing to me.
Without letting go, he span me around and I faced him with my hand bent to my back and him holding onto my wrist.
This guy was a total psycho.... honestly...
"Carlos....",I let out a soft moan which met it's end right after I met his face awfully close to mine.
Something strange happened.
As if a dream-like mist washed over me, my eyes wondered all over his face.
My free hand lifted itself and traced the contours of his face.
He closed his eyes and smiled.
I think I smiled back.
He ran his other hand on my forearm and brought the back of my hand against his lips, planting a fair kiss.
It ended with him lacing his fingers with mine and before I knew it, I was staring at his bluish eyes as much as he was staring at my brown ones.
Good Lord.
This guy will be the death of me.
In a glance, his forehead was resting against mine after he moved in what seemed like a fraction. Our breaths mingled as our skin burned with a high fever. What exactly was going on?? I think I was daydreaming....yes...I was dreaming...
"Don't bite me Draculaura....am not ready to turn into a flying bat...",he joked and pecked my cheek giving me access to his neck.
As though I was a real live vampire...
"I might ...I might not....just don't irritate me",I smiled leaning against his neck as I whispered into his ear. He finally let go of my hand and I ran them both behind his back. I could feel his tense muscles relax beneath my touch.
Oh how I loved the feeling. He returned my gesture and pulled me toward his hard chest.
I didn't care anymore. I was skin to skin and chest to chest with the guy I so much despised.
How was that possible??
I felt tingles spread across my body in a second like a disease. It seemed to infect my brain as I had immediately stopped thinking. I felt Carlos's breath on my neck causing me to.jerk and cling to his collar. I swallowed hard and ran my hands on his neck. He turned his face to me and raised my chin with his forefinger.
I knew it. I knew what was to follow. I'd watched a lot of movies and read so many books that I wouldn't miss the hint.
Impossible.
I was too smart for my own good!
Before I knew it, he had his lips on mine in what seemed like a sea wave.
I froze...
Completely....
I didn't know what to do or how to do it...
"Why aren't you kissing me back Jenny??" he asked and I think I felt sadness in his tone. I felt embarrassed to tell him all this was new to me and I'd never done it before.
But no.
That would be humiliating...
I've suffered enough humiliation already and I wouldn't want the next thing being because I didn't kiss anyone before, I ended up spitting into Carlos's mouth.
"Sorry..." I chuckled. "It's just that...I've...well...." I paused and looked at him. He raised his eyebrows encouragingly and I smiled.
I felt his thumb on my cheek, making tiny circles and it felt so good I would explode.
Before I'd even finish my statement, I pulled his face towards mine closing the gap between is.
I remembered what he did and I copied exactly that and did it to him.
Yes...that's how it's done.
I felt happy knowing that finally....I'd kissed someone. And that someone was Carlos Jeffrey???
Then, the door flipped open and..
"What's going on here??", The voice of Enrique Casagrandes woke me up from the dream. I blinked for a minimum of three in a minisecond.
What was going on?
I looked at my hands and I jerked when I felt someone's warm breath against my neck. Fear coated me and in no time I had the strength equivalent to that of 'the thing'.
My wrist moved to his chest and with all my might pushed him away from me.
I held his collar and looked at his face, Carlos Jeffrey!!
"Jenny...what are you doing in Carlos' arms??? It's Carlos Jeffrey you're busy smooching with....Carlos Jeffrey! You hate him remember!!", Enrique raised his voice to me as he walked towards us.
"I swear I don't know what's going on....",I defended myself.
How on Earth would I have done that...and with Carlos...and in a science laboratory??
This was so messed up.
Definitely messed up...
I looked at Carlos and at Enrique.
Both guys looked at me like I'd gone mad.
"Enrique, get your cousin enrolled in Utah...she's lost her sanity again....", Carlos snapped at Enrique while quoting the word cousin with his fingers.
I felt belittled by that. Right after our kiss and that's how he talks about us??
Us?? what did that even mean?
why did I even say that...there was no us.
Darn it!!!
He must've done something to me.
Magic?
Did he use black magic on me?
"What did you do to me?? What were you about to do? How dare you touch me?"
"Chill princess....am sure you know very well that even before a doctor examines a patient, he waits for a consent. And draculaura, you're the doctor and am the patient...", The corners of his lips slightly rise to my annoyance.
"Jenny ---",
"Save it Enrique....",I replied and in the next second I was out of the room. I slammed the door and stood behind it. I rubbed my mouth and my eyes. I ran my hands over my face and let my fingers slide in my hair before making them run to my back dropping my hat.
I didn't care.
Let whoever it was see my face I didn't give a damn anymore. What happened in the lab was a big deal.
I remembered every single detail of his face no matter how hard I tried to forget.
His different expressions, smiling, teasing, sarcastic, thoughtful at times, brooding and inscrutable.
Aarrghh...
I clenched my fingers and heard my teeth rattling in my mouth as though I'd been in a permafrost.
"Heeeyyy....",the high pitched voice of my Filipino best friend echoed throughout the entire hallway. She ran to where I was but my disturbed look gave me away.
"What's wrong???", She asked looking concerned. She looked around and picked my hat which she carefully placed on my head.
She knew very well I'd never leave my heart lying on the ground not even 'unless otherwise' and this had to be something big.
"Someone cast a spell on me....",
"What??" As I expected.
"I think it's Carlos Jeffery....", I held her shoulders and pulled her to my face. "Kris....there's a slight, thin chance...that something might have happened and am fighting hard for it not to...I think I have a crush on Carlos Jeffrey....forget have a crush on him. We kissed!! Just a few minutes ago...." I jerked her vigorously and out her down when I felt my heart still pounding. I took out my phone and immediately called my bodyguard.
"Girl you're joking...What?? like... really...what???What????",she gasped her glasses almost falling off. She placed her books down and pushed the specs into place. She crossed her hands and gave me that look...the one I wasn't ready for...
"Richie...where are you??.",I spoke under my breath.
"Yes ma'am...am at the schools entrance...do you need anything? What's wrong?",
"Please come and fetch me. I want to go home...NOW",I emphasized on the now and Richie came running.
In about less than a minute he was with me. Guy knew how to pick up his pace.
Without even waving Kris goodbye, he led me through the door and we walked out together all the way out of the dorm.
In a blink, as though we teleported, I figured we were in the parking lot and Richie was opening the door for me.
I got in, still disturbed.
I couldn't understand what happened, how it happened and why it happened.
All I could remember was Carlos Jeffery poking me to admit I had feelings for him when I clearly did not.
He mistook my sarcasm for passion.
I chuckled.
He dared to tell me to get a reality check when he needed one.
And he wants me to get enrolled in Utah?? He dare say I've lost my sanity? This guy sure knows how to make my blood boil...
But the kiss...did it happen? If it did.... he really cast a spell on me....oh wow...I don't know...I just don't know.
I arrived home and walked out of the car straight to my room. The house was empty seeing to it that it was a week day and still two in the afternoon. My father must've gone project site inspecting and Kailani must have been at her house. I had the whole house to myself.
I walked up to my room and Richie opened the door for me. Anila was there and she rushed to welcome me into the room.
"Anything else you need ma'am?",Richie asked. Now that I was in my room, he had no other duties to me. My nanny would take it over there.
"Umm...please be a dear and get me a Xanax... I need one...",I said sleepily. My vision became blurred but I saw him leave. I yawned over and over again and my nanny quickly took me out of my heavy cloths and dressed me in much comfortable ones. She placed a pillow on her lap and made me rest my head while she gave me a light head massage with which I slowly drifted to sleep.
After that afternoon insident, I planned to miss school for the next two weeks.