"I'm Vin by the way. Vin Andews Dela Cruz. So, where will be dropping you off, sweetheart?" He introduced himself plastering his sweetest smile.
I just stared at him taking in the man that annoyed the hell out of me earlier then saved me just moments ago. I couldn't deny the fact that he is handsome. He actually looks perfect. From his carelessly tousled hair to his almond shape eyes, though there wasn't enough light to see the color of his eyes, still they exude mischief and curiosity. My gaze went to his picture-perfect nose to his pinkish plump lips. I was shocked when his mouth curved into that same annoying, arrogant smirk he has been giving me.
"Like what you're seeing sweetheart?" He asked me while maintaining his smirk. I just shrugged his comment and kept my silence as I reverted my eyes from him and looked out the window.
"Take a left there. The house in front of the playground." I said to him, still focusing on the view outside. I heard him chuckle while turning to the corner I was talking about. I couldn't stay put in my seat and wished for the car ride to be over soon, but it seems like the time slowed down. I could feel him staring at me and it increased the awkwardness I'm feeling. I started to feel at ease when I saw our house just a couple of meters away.
"Just stop here." I said to him before he drove past my house. I hesitated for a moment, thinking whether or not I should thank him.
"Thank you for the lift." I said to him just in almost a whisper. I removed my seatbelt and opened the door. I was getting out of the car when my purse got stuck in the seatbelt and some of my things fell to the car's floor.
"Sorry." I whispered to him as I picked up all my belongings. I quickly went out of his car after I made sure that I have all my things.
"Thank you." I repeated as I close his car door. I watched him drive away as I closed our gates.
"Who was that?" I almost jumped in surprise when I heard Shin from behind me. He was sitting in front of our door.
"The hell Shin! You scared me!" I complained at him while trying to calm myself down.
"Stop avoiding the question? Who was that? You didn't tell me you were flirty with someone!" he continued his interrogation while walking towards me giving me a knowing look.
"Just get inside." I told him while pushing him inside my house while he protests. We went straight to my bedroom to avoid being heard by my parents and I told him everything from the moment we parted earlier.
"Are you okay?" he asked me for confirmation. In which I nodded and lay on my bed.
"He seems like a nice guy if you really look into it. It was really an accident, you know. Your whole café scenario. As far as I know, you were the one who intentionally poured frappe on him." he said in smiling at me. "Maybe he's not so bad." he added.
"Can we just watch a movie or something?" I asked him, changing the subject. I really wasn't in the mood to talk about everything that happened today. He opened my laptop and connected it to my tv and choose a movie to watch, but everything that he said actually burned in my mind. I couldn't focus on what we're watching, my mind drifting back to Vin when it has the chance. I could put my finger on it, but there is something about that man.
The movie ended before I even knew it, Shin was already standing up before the end credits even finished. He looked at me amused and just shook his head trying to control his laughter.
"You didn't even pay attention to the movie, did you?" he asked me still stifling his chuckles. I just stayed quiet, knowing that he could always tell if I'm lying.
"Well, good night Mitch. I'll just go before you burst a nerve." He said letting his chuckle out by the sight of my reddening face. He ruffled my hair and went straight to the door. I didn't even bother to see him out, he practically knew my house as well as he knew his. I just washed up, changed into my pajamas and did my routine before lying on my bed again
I woke up with the sunlight breaching through my curtains. I immediately looked for my phone and check it. I was already ten in the morning and surprisingly, I have a new message from an unknow number.
{Hey sweetheart, its Vin. Was cleaning my car this morning when I found your ID under the car seat.}
I was sat up straight shocked of what I read. I grabbed the bag I used yesterday and started going through my things to look for my ID, but I guess he's telling the truth.
{Meet me at the mall by 2PM. Near N Bookstore.} I replied to him.
{You really made an excuse to meet me. I told you. Just say the word, I'll make your fantasies come true.} he replied.
This man really gets on my nerves! I decided to ignore his message just because I need something from him. I washed up and head down stairs to grab breakfast to uplift my spirit and temporary forget that I'm going to meet the devil later.
My parents were already out of sight when I got to the dining. I guess they're already at the office. Which is fine, I do understand them and unlike busy parents from dramas and movies, both my Mom and Dad always make sure that they are very involve in my life, no matter how busy they are.
"They went out early Mitch. You were sleeping so soundly that we didn't wake you up. I'll just get your breakfast." Mama Beth said to me as she went back to the kitchen to heat up the food.
"Can you eat with me Ma?" I asked her with my puppy dog eyes and pout. She couldn't help but smile at my childishness and then went back to the kitchen to get her plates and utensils. When she got back, she was accompanied by Papa Andy, her husband. The both seated opposite of me and we all just enjoyed our breakfast together, laughing and just chatting with each other.
I washed up after breakfast and decided to go to the mall early since Mama Beth is also going to the mall with Papa Andy to go grocery shopping. We parted ways as we got to the mall, I told them to not wait for me anymore.
I went straight to N Bookstore and looked around. This was heaven for a bookworm like me. I grabbed a book from the shelves that interested me and sat on the floor in the corner of the shop. I was in deep, reading the book when I felt someone sat down beside me.
"Been looking for you everywhere." It was Vin still wearing his signature annoying smirk.
"My ID?" I asked him immediately not taking off my focus on the book.
"What's the rush? Do you have any plans for today? Why don't we just enjoy the day together?" He said, and even though I'm not looking at him, I know that he was still smirking at me but what he said caught my attention, so I looked at him.
"Look, Vin, I agreed to me you because of my ID. Nothing more, nothing less. Don't get the wrong idea that this is a date. Cause it's not." I told him then stood up, reaching a hand to him asking for my ID. He looked at my hand and smiled. He got up and stared at me then to my surprise he pulled the book from my hand and placed it on the shelf then took my hand and dragged me out of the store.
"Hey! What's the big idea? Let go!" I yelled at him while struggling from his grasp, but it was no use. Obviously, he was way stronger than me.
"Quiet down. Other people are starting to stare at us." He whispered to me. Then I realized how close he is to me, I can feel his minty breath on my face and smell the manly scented perfume he was wearing. He then dragged me towards somewhere by my hand, I was so focused on how held my hand that I didn't notice that we were already inside a restaurant. He pulled out a chair for me and sat opposite to me then called a waiter and started placing orders for the both of us.
"Why are we even here?" I whispered to him, not wanting to draw attention to us.
"I was hungry, okay? Just eat with me. Then I'll give you a ride home." He said while still smiling at me. I just sighed and slumped on my chair waiting for our food. I need my ID, so it looks like I have no choice to play along with him.
When the food was served to us, it was a pleasant surprise to see that all the food that he ordered was actually to my liking. My lips unconsciously curled up into a smile as I think about what I would eat first.
"You're smiling so, I guess you like the food." He said while putting some on his plate. I didn't even try to hide my smile, I'm in front of food so it immediately comes out. I just nodded and followed his example and started putting food on my plate. He started laughing heartily, making me look at him with a question mark on my face. I actually like the sound of his laugh, his pure genuine laugh. Its calming and very soothing.
We just ate our food, conversed a little then paid the bill then went out of the restaurant. I stood there waiting for him to give me ID back but he kept on walking. When he noticed that I wasn't following him, he came back to where I was standing and grabbed my hand then dragged me away again.
"Where are you even taking me? I just give me my ID." I asked him but he just kept walking beside me still holding my wrist.
"I'll drive you home." He finally answered while looking down at me and grinning like an idiot.
"Its fine. No need to do that. I can go home on my own." I tried reasoning with him, but it seems like he wasn't listening to me. He just continued to hold my wrist and walked across the mall towards the parking lot despite my protest. And before I knew, I was already seated at the front seat of his car.
We were drove through the streets quietly, while I was trying to answer all the questions in my head. Who the hell is this man and why does he feel the need to involve me in his life. This was just our first meeting, our first wasn't even that good of an impression but he acts like we've know each other for a long time. I'm totally confused of what to think of this man. Sometimes, he's sweet but most of the time you just want to punch him when he opens his mouth. You are a big ball of headache, Vin Andrews Dela Cruz.
The last week before start of term ended in a flash. Me, Shin and Angel spent almost every day together, but I still made sure to exit their date after a few hours. They need their alone time after all. I would spend the rest of the day just roaming around places. Sometimes I would just stay in our treehouse endlessly reading until my parents or sometimes Mama Beth would call out to me.
The next day, Shin and I went to the university together. As I got off his car, I already felt something was off. There was a sense of awkwardness as we walked inside campus. I could feel countless pairs of eyes following our every move. Some people were also mumbling thing to each other that I could quite catch, but somehow I knew they were talking about me.
To be honest, the attention wasn't really new to both Shin and I, since we were a bit popular in our previous schools and also because of our families, but I really didn't expect this from my first day of college where everything is new for me. I doubt that anybody here would have the time to get a background check on two freshmen students.
I looked at them closely and noticed that these weren't the normal, "Oh she's pretty.", stares, girls upon girls are throwing me death glares from anywhere I look and it started to make me feel uncomfortable. While walking across the campus grounds, I finally heard a snippet of what they were saying to each other that I understood perfectly.
"That's her." "She has a boyfriend?" "She came to campus in another guy's car." "Gosh, what a player!" "She's not even that pretty."
I continued walking and just ignored those comments. They didn't mention any names so I can't be so sure that they are talking about me, but I just know that it is.
"Mitch, is it just me or people are giving us death glares?" Shin whispered to me as he finally noticed all the stares coming our way.
"Don't know. Maybe they got off the wrong side of the bed?" I tried joking if off and we just both laugh of the absurd thought.
"MITCH!" our laughter stopped when we heard Angel yell my name and was running towards us.
"Mitch, are you okay?" She asked me trying to catch her breath. She didn't even pay an ounce of attention to her boyfriend.
"I'm fine Gel. Why? Do I have something to worry about?" I asked her confused on how urgent she sounds.
"No hello for your boyfriend?" Shin tried to butt in our conversation, but it looks like Angel's attention is really somewhere else, on me.
"You haven't seen it?" She asked eagerly to the both of us.
"Saw what? We just got here." I asked her, curious to what I was supposed to know.
"Here." then she showed me her phone. On the front page of the online student bulletin of our school, written in big bold letters read, "DID THE ICE PRINCE FINALLY MET HIS MATCH?" Then below that was a picture of me getting dragged by Vin by the wrist clearly, when we were at the mall. I continued reading the article.
"Nicknamed as the Ice Prince because of his cold antics towards girls that he dated and want to date him, Vin Andrews Dela Crus from college of Architecture, finally met his match? He was seen with a girl in a mall, holding hands and even getting into the same car together. The said girl is an incoming freshmen student from the college of Fashion and Design, Michihiko Yoona Isagawa."
I stopped reading the article just after the first paragraph. Letting the matter sink into my brain trying to make sense of everything I read, but I couldn't even wrap my head around it.
"What non-sense is this?" I finally asked Angel after almost straining my brain from thinking too hard.
"The article was uploaded yesterday." She replied not being able to mask the worry that she was feeling. I started reading the comments from the article, and I immediately regret it. There were comments from lots of girls. There were also pictures in the comments of me pouring frappe on top of Vin's head. There were extremely harsh comments like, "She doesn't deserve him." "Who does she think she is?" "She thinks she's pretty? Oh please."
The phone in my hand suddenly disappeared, Shin took away Angel's phone from me. And I was lucky the he did because I was already on the verge of tears. I did my best to command them to not fall, but it was a losing battle.
"I need to go to a restroom. Be right back." I told them after realizing that the tears I held back were going to fall any second. I ran and left both of them there, I didn't even look back. I went to the nearest rest room and went straight to the last stall. There I let the tears flood out of my eyes trying to cry as quiet as I could. After a couple of minutes, I got out of the stall and faced the mirror.
I shouldn't be like this. Who are they even? They don't know a thing about me. All that matter is what I think about myself. I took a deep breath and got my make-up pouch and fixed whatever there is in need of fixing in my face
I tried keeping a low profile as I went out the restroom, I know I just said that I shouldn't let them get to me but still, it's the first time I saw people saying negative things about me and I guess I was a little overwhelmed and I faltered a bit. As I composed myself, I started walking with renew vigor. I got my phone out of my pocket and started texting Shin and Angel that I was okay but before I could even press send I feel down on my butt.
"What the hell!" I yelled out of frustration while I tried to get up. A hand reached out to me, I looked up and saw a girl offering her hand. I took it and she pulled me up from the ground and that's when I noticed that she wasn't alone, there were two of them.
"You look familiar." said the other girl.
"You know Vodka? You're right." The girl who pulled me up said.
"Wait! It's you! The one with Vin in the picture." the girl named Vodka said looking at me with curiosity lingering in her eyes.
I avoided Vodka's gaze and somehow focused on the other girl. She seems very familiar to me so I looked at her intently, trying to pinpoint where exactly have I met her. I guess she notices my stares, but instead of being uncomfortable with it she smirked at me.
"It looks like you remember me Mitch. Nice to see you again, Denise Rivera. Just to refresh your memory." She said while extending a hand again to me. I didn't take it and was just so focused on remembering where I met her. She stepped forward to me and just by instinct, I stepped back tripping over my feet and losing balance. I closed my eyes and prepared myself for the impact of my body hitting the ground but it never came, instead, warm sturdy arms broke my fall.
I look up at the owner of the arms that caught me and saw the same annoying smirk that has been circling my mind for weeks. And while staring at him, I realized something. This guy, this guy who saved me a couple of times and who likes to annoy the hell out of me is also the reason that I became, at least for some of the girls in campus, PUBLIC ENEMY #1.