Love Born From Revenge

Chapter 09.

Albert

When I arrive at school, it is even quieter than the first day. Heading straight to the classroom, I expect to see her there, reading her k****e. However, the person inside the room is Mia.

"Good afternoon, Mia." I greet her as I walk in.

Turning around, she flashes an angelic smile at me. "Good afternoon, Al. You're early."

"So are you."

"Well, I'm assigned as the class monitor. It's my job."

I must have forgotten to mention that with the vote from all the students in class the day before yesterday, Mia won twelve votes against eleven, making her the class monitor and Suda the vice-monitor.

"Are we changing the seat arrangement?" I ask, looking at the out-of-place chairs.

"No, this is the arrangement of the morning class. We still stick to our U-shape. I'm arranging it now."

"I see." Putting down my bag on the nearby chair, I walk close to her. "Let me help you."

"Thank you."

It doesn't take long to shape out twenty-three chairs. Before I can break a sweat, the room is all neat.

"Thanks again, Al," she says.

"Don't mention it. Besides, you already thanked me once. It's my pleasure to help a damsel in distress."

A peal of soft laughter escapes the peachy lips. "I'm not a damsel in distress. I could have handled it very well, even without your help."

"Just kidding. I wouldn't be a gentleman if I let a girl handle all the labor works right before my eyes. Besides football, this muscle can also be used elsewhere."

"Oh, speaking of football, I just remember something." Mia picks up her bag and takes out a piece of paper before handing it to me.

"This is?"

"A form to join the football team. I figure you may be interested in it. I remember that you've mentioned playing football."

"Thanks. I'm actually planning on joining the team too."

"You're welcome. Have you been playing it since you were young?"

"Of course."

I start telling her about my childhood story. I talk about the first time seeing my idol play football on the telly and how inspired I was to become just like him. We stand talking until our legs grow weary. Mia offers me to sit at Cindy's seat for the time being to continue with my story while she listens to it with full interest.

"You're very passionate about it. Your story makes me fall for football, even though I know nothing of it."

"Really? Falling for football or a footballer?" I begin my flirtatious line, to which she just chuckles. She is about to say something back when, through the corner of my eyes, I catch a shadow casting from the open door, making me turn my head in that direction.

However, there is nothing noticeable.

"What's wrong?" Mia asks, sounding confused at my sudden distraction.

"I thought I saw something there."

"What is it?"

"I don't know." I try looking again, but the shadow isn't there anymore. "Maybe I saw things."

I am about to pick up where we have left off when a knocking sound echoes next to me. I turn to find Cindy stands with her arm akimbo, looking at me with her eyebrow raised.

"That's my seat, handsome. If you're not going to get up, then I'm going to sit on your laps."

"Oh, I don't mind that. It'll be my pleasure."

Cindy shrugs and walks closer, planning to do what she has said, but Mia puts a stop to it. "Excuse me, but I mind. This is the campus ground. We can't have that, and especially not under my watch. I'm a class monitor here."

"Mia, are you sure the reason is because of duty alone?" Cindy's lips come with a smirk as she asks her best friend this question, causing Mia to frown.

"What do you mean?"

"You've heard me." She shrugs. "Is there a rule stating 'no sitting on the lap at school'?"

"There isn't exactly a rule stating that, but clearly there is one saying 'no intimate or s****l behavior allowed on campus.'"

"And sitting on a friend's lap is considered that? I don't think so."

The air is a little awkward, and I know better than to let it linger. Having two girls fighting over me is not something new, but I'm still not too fond of it when it happens. Despite everything, I hate seeing the breaking bond of friendships. Mainly, I hate to be the cause of it.

"It would be my honor to serve my lap to the goddess, Cindy. But class is about to start, so I think it's time to give the seat back to you." I get up and head toward my seat. I know how scary girl fights can be, and I don't want to be a part of it.

The students come in one by one since the class is about to start. It makes the situation less awkward, for it isn't just the three of us inside the room anymore. I glance at the one empty seat that has recently become my favorite spot and wonder how much longer it takes for the owner to arrive. Suda is already there next to it, but her best friend is nowhere in sight.

I had it wrong then. Pree isn't the type to come to school early.

I come to school early to have a moment alone with Preeda. We seemed to have an unfinished talk yesterday, and I planned to get it sorted accordingly. I thought she was the type to come to school early since that was how we first met.

Sadly, I am wrong.

It isn't until two minutes to two does my target drags herself inside the room and heads to her seat. After exchanging a quick greeting with her best friend, she takes out the k****e and gets into her reading, ignoring everything around her.

I keep staring at her, hoping our eyes will meet somehow, but she refuses to look around. Then it occurs to me. When you keep staring at someone for so long, that person will get an uneasy feeling of being stared at, and she will start looking around. I am not sure if my hunch is right, but it doesn't hurt to try. So I do.

I direct my eyes, locking them at the target, committing to get the result I want. I begin staring at her intensely, that I even resist the urge to blink. My eyeballs are about to explode from the long-minute staring, but she doesn't even budge in her seat. Finally, I rub my sore eyes in defeat.

However, her pale complexion doesn't escape my notice. I can tell that she doesn't look so well, given the continuous massage she is applying to her temples.

*******

DD/ MM /YY



Diary,

I didn't get to talk to her. To Pree, but instead, I spoke to Mia. It wasn't my intention, but it wasn't that bad. We seemed to get along quite well. It shouldn't be a surprise since she had every characteristic of my ideal type.

But again, no matter what logical reasons I'm feeding my head, the heart only wants what it wants, refusing to come to a consensus.

It keeps yearning for its target. The very one that has never crossed my mind ever to consume my whole thought. Yet she does. Preeda Chan is like glue, stubbornly sticking to my heart, refusing to go away no matter what. Just like a boomerang, her face, her eyes, and her entire being keep coming back to me despite how hard I try to brush her off my head.

Honestly, it's the first for me to experience such a thing.

I don't know what this feeling I feel, but I am sure that Preeda Chan is the cause of the queer occurrence.

And I can't wait to solve this mystery.