Weeks passed, and the school semester began. Excel and Roi walked to school together. Although they took the same degree in Entrepreneurship, they were not in the same class and so they went to their respective classrooms. Excel stood in front of the only doorway of the classroom. As soon as he entered, silence dominated the classroom. Gossips followed. A girl sitting in front pushed away the guy sitting beside her and offered the seat to Excel. He was about to take the seat when someone dragged him away.
"What are you do—" Excel was shocked when he saw it was Aliah who did that.
"Sit here." Aliah, interrupting him, gestured toward the seat in front of them.
"Hey!" shouted the girl sitting in front. "I already offered him to sit beside me. How dare you take him!"
The girl in front stood up. Her eyes bulged in anger as she walked toward Aliah. She hadn't taken more than two steps when someone tripped her, and she fell on the floor. Everyone burst into laughter. She then stood up to face the one who tripped her and saw it was a tan girl wearing cat-eye glasses. The tan girl also stood up to face her. Excel could barely see the tan girl, but he recognized her. She was one of those four girls who came to protect Aliah and she's protecting her again.
The girl from the front seat was about to pull the hair of the tan girl who tripped her, but her hands were blocked. When the tan girl pushed away her hands, the girl from the front seat flew over the other students.
"I will keep on repeating this, and I will keep on reminding everyone until it's memorized. The same thing will happen to any girl who dares to touch this guy," Aliah announced. "Thank you, Lani. You can now go back to your classroom."
Everyone was stunned, knowing that Lani wasn't even one of their classmates. After she left, the room became enveloped in silence.
Excel looked at Aliah, who sat beside him. As she looked back at him, her tense face softened. There was even an upward curve that appeared on her lips.
Aliah was like a gangster at school. Everyone who fought her was soon delivered a dose of their own medicine; that's why Excel felt intimidated by her. He was left with no choice but to bear with her. He knew he couldn't fight Aliah and her group. They were skilled. Still, he knew Aliah wouldn't hurt him—she was too obsessed with him to do that.
Excel glanced at her lips. He imagined them being as soft as his favorite pillow. He knew he could press his own against them without hearing any complain from her.
"Um, Aliah, right?"
"Wait, before you continue," Aliah said, "I forgot to remind you of something. At the end of every day, I will walk you home. Always. Starting today," she commanded. "Okay, you can continue with what you were going to say."
Excel gaped at her. "Look, I don't need a bodyguard."
"I don't need your permission."
Excel stood up. "You don't have the right to control me."
"Again, I don't need your permission," she insisted, averting her eyes from him.
Excel was getting pissed. He didn't want anyone controlling him. He was about to respond when their professor entered the room. Excel decided to instead settle down and remain quiet.
"Good morning. I'm Mrs. Dimagiba," their professor said, introducing herself. She was a plus-size woman with shoulder-length hair that she'd tied back. She began her lesson.
Excel and Aliah remained quiet as their classes went on.
After the class ended, Aliah asked Excel to stay for a minute. "I just need to go to the bathroom. Wait for me here," she said.
Excel knew this was his time to escape. When Aliah left for the bathroom, he furtively exited the classroom. He ran down the hallway. Roi's class wasn't over yet, so he decided to just go home alone, hoping Aliah wouldn't follow him. He was taking the foggy sidewalk, as he tried to warm himself by rubbing his arms with his palms, heading north when Aliah suddenly came out of the woods. She appeared two yards in front of him.
Excel's eyes expanded, as did his mouth. Aliah's face was serious.
"How? How did you do that?" Excel stammered.
"Keep on walking," she said. "If you don't want to walk with me, I'll stay behind you."
Excel heard every word she said, but nothing seemed to register in his mind. He was still wondering how she just appeared like that. There must be a shortcut in the woods. He settled on that conclusion, unable to think of any other explanation.
Excel resumed his stride. He passed by Aliah without throwing a single glance in her direction. Aliah stayed right behind him until he reached home. When he stepped onto the porch, he looked at her over his shoulder. She smiled as she waved goodbye. Excel didn't respond and instead silently entered the house. Once inside, he peeked out the window to check if she was leaving. He was relieved to see she was. Like before, she took a path through the woods.
"She's pretty, but she's getting creepy," he mumbled as he walked away from the window. He turned back when he heard a knock on the door. It was Aliah again. She had come back.
"What does she need now? Is she thinking about being a house guard too?" Excel figured he would open the door for her, since she'd probably seen him peeking out the window.
"Why did you come back?"
"I . . . I forgot something," she replied, playing with her hair.
"What is it?" She remained playing with her hair. "Tell it to me now so you could–"
Aliah abruptly pressed her lips against his, not giving him the chance to finish what he was saying. After that, she left, gone from his sight like a puff of cigarette he used to smoke. He was so dazed that he hadn't noticed she'd gone.
Excel still couldn't believe she'd kissed him. He thought about it while they were still at school and yet Aliah did the favor for him without even asking. Well, he wasn't that surprised anymore. It wasn't the first time a girl had made the first move. But that kiss—he felt something different after it. It was as if there was some sort of magic enveloped within it. It tasted and smelled bizarre. It was the first time he had experienced a kiss quite like it.
Aliah was looking at him from the woods when a girl with a side bun hair approached her.
"I saw what you did," said the girl. "That kiss. You know you can't take it back."
"I don't care, Gina," Aliah said. "I like him. I want him to be the father of my daughters." There was an indelible smile on her lips. She was staring at Excel who was still stunned and standing at the door.
"I know this is the first time you're feeling that. But please, stop treating him like he is one of your pack."
"We need guys to keep our race alive. You know that. I like him, and I shouldn't miss any bullet for him." Aliah glimpsed at Gina. "I can't lose him now that I gave him the kiss. He'll be my only hope now."
Gina sighed. "I just don't want you to experience what your late mother had experienced."
Aliah turned to face Gina. "What do you mean?"
"Your father left your mother because he didn't really love her. He was just afraid of her. That's what he felt all the years they were together. But when your father finally had the courage, he left your mother."
"But she told me he passed away."
"Yes, because he was not with your mother anymore when she died. We didn't have news about him after he left. He went to the farthest place and was gone. But that's not the point, Aliah. My point is that you should make sure first that he will love you." Gina paused. "Especially for who you really are, for who we really are." She tapped Aliah's back. "I just don't want you to make the same mistake she did, when she could have avoided it if she had only listened."
"Tell me what should I do." There was eagerness in her eyes.
Gina slid a frugal smile on her lips. "First and foremost, stop acting as if he's the only man left in the world. Guys love to chase, and you give them that game. Always keep yourself a bit busy, and act as if he can't always have your time, and he had to work for it. He'll go crazy over you. Believe me."
"Who taught you that?"Aliah's brows furrowed.
"It was Kai. I'm sure you can learn more from her if we go home now."
"Are you sure with that idea?" Her eyes narrowed.
"I had three children because of that." Her smile slowly turned into a frown. "Although, only one was able to live."
Aliah rubbed Gina's shoulder. "You know, wherever Nico and Migo are right now, I'm sure they're happy."
"And they told me, you deserve to be happy too. So, let's go back on our house now. We'll consult Kai, so we can give you some tips on what you should do to get that Excel guy go crazy over you."
Aliah smiled and held her hand as they walked their way home together.