The Last Dance

Chapter 12 - His Foul Jokes

He remained so calm as he finished my experiments. I turned on the lights and looked for a flashlight around. Of all days, why do I have to leave my charger at home today? Mom will be dead worried if I don't contact her before it gets dark outside.

"Marco..." I called out when I heard a loud noise outside. I have never heard horror story about this school, but I am having goosebumps right now. When I saw Marco, my heart somehow calmed.

"What's that?" His voice wants to imply something. I glared at him as I walked closer to him. Don't he ever think of scaring me right now.

"I-i don't k-know. Just think of a w-way so we ant get out of here!" He looked at the glass door for a while, but we can't see anything outside because the lights in the corridor are turned off.

"Should I just break that door?" He looks serious when he asked that question.

"No. That might hurt you. Your hand is not in good condition. Can't you think of anything else?" His brow raised and he stretched his arms. He gave the lab report to me before he turned around to look at the windows. It is already dark!

"I am fine spending the night here with you." My jaw dropped. He was dead serious when he said that line. We are not kids anymore. If we stay here for the night, the professors and other people will have doubts what we did here.

"I am not. Mom and dad will be worried, and..." And I can't say any other reasons although I have a hundred more.

"And what?" He can't be serious about doing nothing about this situation. I know that he only sees me as a little sister, but I can't believe that he is so confident that nothing will happen between us over night! Wow! He makes me feel so unattractive.

The corner of his lips turned up for a mocking smile. I can't believe him.

"Marco!!!" I shouted when he only stared at me for a long time.

"You have been roaming around, Alisha. What are you looking for? Are you that afraid to spend the night with me?" Of course. I don't even have to answer that. And one more thing, it is so cold here.

"I just want to get out of here."

"Are you still mad at me?"

He knows more than anyone that I can't stand being mad at him for a long time.

"If you were me, you would be mad too, Marco. But I don't want to talk about it now, Can't you see our situation here?"

"I won't forgive you if I were you." He confused me.

"Come again?"

"This is why I am afraid that you would find someone you like. I don't think I can tolerate you being dumb for a guy. And I can't imagine you choosing someone else beside me." He is always honest with what he thinks. I was caught off guard when he leaned on the table and his face got close to mine.

My heart is aching from so much happiness with what he just said. Those eyes were strictly looking at me. When I can no longer take it, I looked down to the table. The way he looks can shake me. How can I look for someone else if I am so down for him like this?

"Someday I will find someone, Marco. And I'll make sure to introduce him to you first. I need your approval." He smirked when I glimpsed at him again.

"Don't expect me to approve just anyone for you." He even snorted.

My eyes widened when I heard the ringtone of his phone. He smiled as he pulled out his phone from the pocket of his slacks. I gave him an annoyed look. He said he left his phone in his car.

"Hello, Aunt Camille?" I watched him carefully. His adam's apple moved when he looked at me using his serious eyes. He glanced at the papers on the table as if telling me to arrange it already.

"Yes Alisha is with me. I helped her with the laboratory activities. No worries, Aunt Camille. I will take her home after we have dinner." I gave him a mean look. So he was just making fun of me telling me hat he left his phone in his car.

"Sure thing, Auntie. Her battery is dead. Do you want to talk to her now? Oh. Alright. Yes. Of course. We will take care." He reassured mom.

He looked at me after putting down his phone. He laughed with my reaction.

"Arrange your things. Let's grab some dinner before I take you home." I hate him. How dare he pull jokes on me!

"Do you think that's funny?" He nodded with a big smile on his face. I can't even get mad at him. I saw him call someone after helping me arrange my things.

He was talking with Leysam when I heard a loud noise on the door again. That is the second time. What is that? I stood and stood closer to Marco. He stopped from whatever he was talking about with Leysam.

"W-what is that?" I asked him.

"Calm down. It could be just students playing tricks. Leysam will be on his way." His words were reassuring.

When I was about to sit back next to Marco, there had another loud noise outside. I can't help but cling to his left arm. He laughed while watching me. I was shaking when the door opened.

Marco pulled me close, so I will look at him. He wiped away the tears in my eyes. My brows were in line when he smiled from ear to ear.

"Why are you such a scaredy-cat, Alisha? You are even crying."

"You are so mean!" He kept making me cry.

"Sorry. Let's have dinner now. If you need any help, don't hesitate to ask for my help. If I didn't come a while ago then you would be stuck here alone." He has a point. That thought creeps me out.

"How did you know I was here?" I saw Leysam went inside with a guard. He is giving me a mischievous look. Somehow, Leysam managed to find out my real feelings for Marco.

"Thanks, bro. Thank you, sir." He faced the guard who is now holding the keys for the laboratories in this floor.

"No problem, sir. Who is the teacher-in-charge in your class here? I just need it for the report." Marco asked to talk with him in private. I rolled my eyes when I realized that he's going to settle it with the use of his family name.

We had dinner, and I tried to be mean with him too. I just want to get even with his foul jokes. I know how he hates it everytime my friends tease me with Leysam. Marco does not like me for him.

"Leysam doesn't have a girlfriend, right?" He did not answer that. He continued eating as if he did not hear anything.

"How come a wholesome guy like him can't find a girl, Marco? To be honest, he's so attractive and hot. Especially when he acts so gentleman towards a girl. I mean he has everything, but still decides to be single."

"He's in love with someone. Don't get your hopes too high when it comes to him. He won't dare to be with you." I glared at him.

"Why? What's wrong with me?" I put down my utensils. He looked at me as if telling me to continue eating. He put carbonara in my plate. I have been asking him for that since a while ago, but he's giving me just now when I am already full.

"Nothing is wrong with you, Alisha. It's with Leysam. I know him too much that I don't trust him when it comes to you. Can you just stay single all your life? You don't need a man anyway. You have me and your dad." I can't believe what I am hearing!

"You are so strict as a brother, Marco. Leysam does not seem so bad."

"All men are bad in a way." This conversation is going nowhere.

"When is your graduation ball?" He put a slice of burger in my plate before he answered.

"Next month." I don't expect him to invite me there for many reasons. First, he will surely ask Camille to be his date. Second, he does not want me to party. He's jut as strict as my parents.

I cna no longer eat the food in my plate, so I just watched him finish his food. While doing so, I started wondering what Camille did to him to make him fall so hard.

"What do you like so much about Camille?" He was not expecting for that question. He reached for the glass of water and drink. I love every detail in his face. Even I don't see him for a long time, I will certainly recognize him once we meet again. I memorized the meaning of his every move. I know when he's uncomfortable, angry, happy or excited.

"She's beautiful like a goddess. Aside from being one of the top students in our college, I like how independent she is. She doesn't need any man to stand with her because she can do things alone." I rolled my eyes when he was not looking.

"You like her so much that it's fine with you even she already has a boyfriend." He smirked as if he hates what I just said.

"The lame guy that Nitro is can't keep a woman like her. You will soon see who she will choose between us."

"If she's going to choose you, she won't hesitate from the beginning to break up with Nitro. How long have you been chasing her? I think she has no plan of choosing you ever." He gave me an aggravated look. He knows that I am always just being honest with him.

"Let's not get ahead of our thoughts. I'm willing to wait for her no matter how long it takes her to come to me." My lips flinched in disappointment of him. This is more painful than hearing the news of all his flings before.

"You can't even stick with her, Marco. You keep flirting with different women until today."

"I am willing to stop once she asks me to." My jaw dropped. H answered my criticism without thinking much. He's so down for that woman.

"I want to know that feeling too." I murmured, but he surely heard.

He stared at me for a brief moment until he put down the table knife and fork.

"I am not mentally prepared for that, Alisha."

"Why? Because you're afraid that I'll be as dumb as you when I fall in love? Are you afraid that I will choose him over you someday?" I asked.

My eyes went to the piano at the other side of the restaurant. How can I choose someone else if he's the man I fell in love with? I am most afraid of the day when Camille finally decides to reciprocate Marco's feelings with sincerity. Because that will be the day when I totally lose my chance to be with him.

The lights inside the restaurant became dim as a romantic song starts playing in the background. I looked at the piano again and someone is sitting there. He looks familiar, but I am not sure if he is really the person I know.

"Can you seriously choose someone over me?" He was serious when he asked that. My eyes went back to him, and I smiled.

"I haven't been struck my love. Who knows? But I hope you support me someday. Although you know well that I can never support you when it comes to Camille unless she shows that she feels the same way as you." He took a deep sigh and he also looked at the person in the piano.

He was speechless, but when he looked at me again, he was able to say something.

"I'll cross the bridge when I get there. For now, I don't want to think about you getting into a relationship."

That night, he told me his plans for the future. He wants to start a business with his friends. Although his priority is to work in the architectural firm of his uncle after the board exam, he still eyes for other businesses. When it comes to family business, he does not concern himself much because his siblings are already taking in-charge. If the day comes that their father entrusts the company in their full control, Marco will give the support that his siblings would ask, but he won't consider using his share in the company as a means of supporting him.

"You are still young, Marco. But you have so much plans for the future already. I am always proud of you." That made him smile.

"You taught me to do things that are rewarding. Money is not everything, Alisha, but it helps people most of the time. You said love completes one's life, but I don't think that's true. I'm in love with Camille, but I don't necessarily need her love in return. You see? I feel complete without her validation."

It's because you are receiving love from me, your friends and your family. He does not seem to see that because he's blinded by the great feeling that Camille is giving him. There is so many kinds of love around; I hope he realize soon that what Camille's giving him is not the best type.