Excel still couldn't get over what had happened the day before. He had already reached the university, but he stayed on the hallway. His class will start soon but he was still hesitating to enter the classroom. He went to the washroom and checked how he looked. Excel washed his hands and took a deep breath before he finally took the courage to enter the classroom.
Aliah was already on her seat but Excel didn't throw any glance at her. He just heaved a deep sigh and took the seat beside her. Aliah was busy. Although she knew Excel was there, she kept on writing as if no one had come.
Excel wondered. He thought she was beginning to feel anxious because of his presence. What happened to him the day before was normal as it happened to him most of the time. But in his experience, some girls feel awkward after doing such impulsive acts, and he thought Aliah was experiencing it.
Excel felt uncomfortable seeing her feeling awkward. He was used to see her being consumed by his presence and not like that. So, he thought of a way to make her notice him. He tried to get her attention by coughing, a couple of times, but it didn't make her any less busy. He also tried putting his hand on the notebook she was writing on, but she just pushed his hands away like she was clearing it out with dirt. Suddenly, he got an idea. He speedily took her pen.
"Knock it off. Can't you see I'm busy? Please stop bothering me." Aliah took her pen back and started writing again.
Excel was shocked with her reaction, but he thought maybe it was just because of what happened the day before. He thought she was just feeling awkward and that was just her way to get less noticed. Excel knew he had to talk about it to make the situation lighter.
"If you're still thinking about what happened yesterday, I just want to let you know that it's fine. That's not the first time it has happened with me," said Excel.
"Sending you home yesterday wasn't a big deal for me. And don't worry, it won't happen again." She didn't stop writing.
"No, not that. Aside from that, what you did is fine with me."
Aliah stopped what she was doing for a while and looked at him with her brow arched. "What do you mean? I just sent you home." She went back to writing again.
"What? Don't tell me you don't remember?"
"Remember what?" She rolled eyes at him.
Excel labeled her response as unacceptable. It was unusual for him since Aliah had been crazy for his attention since day one. But, looking at her now, he felt she didn't seem to care.
Excel thought of a way to test how long she would continue to deny it. Deep inside, he knew that she couldn't resist him for long.
He put his face close to hers. "Remember anything from this, Aliah?" He puckered his lips and shut his eyes.
Aliah gawked at him. "T-that?" she stuttered. "No, sorry."
Excel sensed her nervousness and knew it wouldn't take much more to make her relent.
"Fine. So, if you really don't remember anything from that," he said casually, as he reseated himself, "maybe you do remember what you did when you knocked on our door after I got home."
"What do you mean?" Aliah's eyes darted around, avoiding his gaze.
"Don't tell me you don't remember kissing me."
"What?" Aliah gasped. "Did I?"
Excel sat in shock, unblinking. "How can you not remember that?"
Aliah pretended she was about to vomit.
"Maybe because it really didn't happen?" she said. "You're imagining things, Excel. I sent you home—that's all. You're going beyond, don't you see? You're already fantasizing about me."
"What?" Excel's brows knitted together. "After what you did to me, you'll tell me you don't remember it. You took advantage of me. You ruined my purity!" He covered his chest and cried like a girl who had just been molested by a maniac. "Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. Can anyone help? She took my virginity."
Some of their classmates laugh at him.
"Snap out of it? Please! Stop making stories, okay? I still have a lot of things to do."
Excel gasped. "You're unbelievable."
Aliah hissed and rolled eyes at him.
Their professor came in and began writing on the board, signaling class was about to start. Aliah didn't talked the whole class even though he tried bothering her by pushing her things to fall while she was not looking. It didn't work. Aliah focus revolved on her notebook, the board and their professor only. Then, after what could be considered a rather uneventful class, Excel received a message from his best friend, Emy.
Open your GPS, dude.
His brow netted in confusion.
Excel replied. What for?
I got a surprise. Emy texted back.
Although uncertain, Excel followed his childhood friend's demand and opened his GPS. He noticed Aliah was still beside him, fixing her things.
"Aren't you gonna invite me to the cafeteria to eat with you?" he asked.
"Um, no, sorry. I'm eating with my pack," she replied. "I mean, my squad."
Aliah left the classroom. Excel began to feel differently toward her and wondered if she was just really feeling awkward or he did something wrong. His face clouded over. He then decided to eat with Roi.
They queued at the counter near the hinged patio entrance door. There were long plastic tables scattered inside that were almost completely filled by the students eating in unison. The cafeteria, being as full as it was, left them no choice but to take the unoccupied table that was five tables away from Aliah, who was with four other girls. Excel recognized them immediately as the girls who fought over other girls to protect Aliah.
"See, Aliah? It's effective," said Gina. "Look at him. He's going crazy thinking about your sudden changes."
Aliah chuckled. "I never thought I could be a good actress, but don't forget our compromise—keep an eye to him, okay? I need him safe and sound."
"As long as you keep on doing what I've told you—which is to play hard to get—everything will fall into place," Kai said while playing with her mermaid braid hair. "Play hard to get with boys," she emphasized while staring at a guy two tables away from them. She waved at him and bit her lips when he glanced at her. "I think he likes me."
"Kai, can you please stop giving advices you can't even practice?" Jelly rolled eyes at her, the mole below her lips making her look even sexier. "Anyway, Aliah, we just want the best for you. We will support you no matter what."
Lani then fixed her cat eyeglasses yelling, "Group hug!"
They all stood up and embraced each other. Excel spun his head around and saw them laughing as they hugged.
"She seemed happy with not remembering what she did," he murmured. "I know she's just denying it. She can't accept she took advantage of a guy. Yeah, maybe, but let's see how long she can deny it," said Excel, nodding lightly.
"Are you saying something?" Roi asked. He took his earphones off.
"I said, we're done eating. Let's go now."
They stood up and left the table. Break time wasn't over yet, so they decided to wait on the benches at the rear part of the school.
"Excel!" A familiar voice called to him.