Beyond his Love

Chapter One

“That was a nice play,” Mililani commented as soon as I sat down next to her.

“Shut up.”

“Why did you do that by the way? I thought you're prim and proper like what the news mentions.”

“Your thoughts are wrong then. I am not like that.” I said and opened my laptop.

“My parents called; they’ve said that your mother is not in a good mood right now.”

“That’s the purpose why I did that. I can handle them.”

“Damn, that’s cool.” She said while half laughing. My lip forms a small smirk because of her reaction, I couldn’t still believe that she has a personality like this. I mean she looks like a clumsy nerd but the truth she isn’t.

We’re waiting for our next professor to enter the room, the instructor is already five minutes late, I just wore my earplugs and started to encode something on my laptop. I heard a loud thud and I looked around where it was coming from to see a man who gripped my wrist in the cafeteria. My eyes widened, what is he doing here, and on the floor? Well, he is sitting on the floor and he is using both hands to support his body, the books scattered around him, he smiled at my classmates who and laughs awkwardly, he slowly stands up and picks the papers on the floor no one dared to help him, he goes in the instructor table and sits there. I tilted my head to glare at Mililani “You said he is a college student?” she just shrugs her shoulder off. I kept my eyes on her then she motions that I should remove my earplugs so I did. And I heard his voice for the second time.

“That was awkward.” I heard him say and smiled.

“Let’s move on by the way. I am Marco Marion, a third-year engineering student from college building, your instructor couldn’t attend your class due to some reason and I will be the one who’ll fill her presence for one-two weeks.” He stated. Two weeks? For real?

“Yes, Ms. For two weeks. Do you have a problem with that?” I heard him say. Oh, shock I said that aloud. i***t. I cleared my throat first before proceeding.

“No, I am just shocked?”

I saw amusement in his eyes in my answer. But just for a second, he removes his gaze at me and looks in another direction.

“So, I was saying that in the meantime I will become your instructor in this subject, I hope we get along well in a short period.” Then he shows his smile again.

“I will give you now activity in your last lesson.” My classmates groaned but I didn’t. He laughs again before proceeding. “Don’t worry you can answer that it’s too easy.” Then he opens the laptop in front of him and I saw there is a file posted on the screen of our laptops.

“I will give you ten minutes to encrypt that.” He said and started fixing his attention on his papers. I think it’s his academic papers? Maybe.

I opened the file; I did conduct my advanced study in this one. I started answering and after one minute I sent back the file with my answers and wore my earplugs then closed my eyes. I felt the coldness of our room so I did wear my sweater and closed my eyes again, my head is twitching and it irritates me. I felt someone hand tapping my shoulder and I lazily opened my eyes.

“You shouldn’t sleep in class.” He said.

“I apologize then.”

“Finish your activity first and you sleep. You and your friend.” He said and looked at Mililani who was sleeping beside me too.

“You can check your screen first. Sir.” I said mockingly I hate his tone by the way. He went to his table and I saw how his forehead creased. I flick Mililani’s forehead then she jolts in her seat. “Let’s go.”

“What?” she said while fixing her eyeglasses.

“How’s my answer, sir?” I asked him. I saw amusement in his eyes again and cleared his throat and smiled at me.

“Your answer is awesome. You can now take your leave.” He said and I felt my face heat up. I grab Mililani’s arm and drag her out of our room.

“What was that? What happened? Did I sleep for too long?” she asked one after another.

“Why is your face like a tomato?”

“I am not feeling well.” I answered her back but then “Is it because he praised you?” I felt my face heat up more. “Then I saw the disgust on her face. “Es, he is too old for ‘a.”

“What?” I said and touched my cheeks. “it’s not like I will make him my boyfriend or what.” I shot back at her. “Then here you are thinking like that, eh.” Then I heard her laugh. I groan.

“Let’s just grab something in the cafeteria, I didn’t even touch my food earlier.”

“Because you’re busy checking on him.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Yes, you are.” Our conversation continues even after we eat our food.

“I told you to stop, my headaches because of your loud voice,” I said.

“No, I won’t stop.” She said and bit into her burger and smiled. Then she began to tease me again.

“He isn’t my crush or something,” I said and put the pasta in my mouth.

“Then, why do you have that look on your face.” I stop and think too.

“I am just amazed by him; he has a bright personality and it attracts me,” I said and drank my cola.

“At last, you’ve said it, you’re attracted to him.”

“May I know what you’re talking about.” Kendrick suddenly appeared behind me and I quickly ‘shh’ Mililani before I tilted my head to face Kendrick.

“It’s nothing,” I said not showing any emotion.

“You know my duties, Young Lady.” He said and I quickly thought for a reason. He shouldn’t know what we were talking about.

“They are talking about their substitute instructor.” I heard someone say and my eyes widened and looked at who dared to listen in our conversation. I saw a guy sitting at the table next to us and casually eating and drinking his soda. His eyes darted onto mine. His face doesn’t show any emotion and he has brown eyes and wears a uniform like ours. He put his drink on the table while his other hand was inside of his pants pocket.

“They finished their activities too early and the substitute instructor cannot believe they've done it in just two minutes I guess.” He said.

“May I know who you are, a young boy?” Kendrick said and I noticed the irritation in his voice. Kendrick hates when someone suddenly joins in every conversation we had.

“Oh, we are in the same class.” He replied with a class. But that doesn’t satisfy Kendrick. Kendrick took a step forward and looked at the man’s last name. His eyes widened and took a step backward then bowed his head to the man. “I apologize for my rudeness, Young Master.” I heard Kendrick's apologetic voice. So, he is in a higher tier too. I already had a hunch a while ago that he is not just somebody. The way he drank his soda and his gestures; it is like mine. A real definition of high-class people, we were training to become one so if ever we reach the right age our parents will start to bring us to the real world. He stood up and walked away and Kendrick went back behind me. “Who is he?” I asked him. “You should ask his identity to yourself.” He said and took a two-step backward. I rolled my eyes.

“Do you know that boy?” I asked Mililani to swallow her food first before answering me.

“Yup, he is our classmate.” She answered by popping the ‘p’.

“I heard that,” I replied to her.

“b***h, he is the second son of the CEO of Alarmin's Hotel.”

“That hotel your family always goes, Young Lady.” I heard Kendrick's comment. Oh, is that it? That hotel is known all over the world too like our company. I see. I found someone like me here then. “We need to go back; the next class is about to start,” Mililani said and stood up. I look at Kendrick and he knows what to do.

I looked around and made sure that Kendrick wasn't around and tapped Mililani’s shoulder. She looked at me with a question displayed on her face “You head back first; I need to go to the restroom.” she looked at her wristwatch and nodded after “You have still ten minutes, don’t wander around. I will just inform the next instructor.”

“It’ll be quick,” I said and turned my back on her to head to the nurse's office. I need to take a pill and I don’t want Kendrick to find out that I am not feeling well, he will make a big fuss about it and then my brothers will pest me to death again. I stop from my track when my eyes start to blur and lean on the wall next to me, I hate this. I wait for a second, and my eyes seem okay. I took a step forward but I felt my toes weaken and waited for my body to meet the ground but it didn’t, I felt a strong arm around my waist instead. I was just staring at his green orbs when and his worried face when I heard his voice.

“Are you okay?” he says and slowly guides me to stand up.

“Ah, yeah,” I said slightly stuttering. He looked around first like he was confirming something before he proceeded in talking. “This is the path of the nurse's office.” I tilted my head to look in the opposite direction, hearing his voice is just so good in my ears. I felt his hand touch my forehead and I quickly removed it then I saw he was in shock. “I just want to check your temperature; you don’t need to be rude.” He said.

“I apologize, I just don’t want someone to touch me.” I reasoned out but that isn’t true, I felt my blood go all the way on my face.

“Na ah, let’s go, I will guide you in the nurse office.” He then sat in front of me and said “come on, I will give a piggyback ride.”

“I can walk.”

“You sure.” I didn’t answer then he just looked at me. “Okay then.” He said then stood up. My vision is still blurred and my headache I start to feel dizzy also and I did take a step forward but I felt I was about to fall on the ground again so I rested my hand on the wall then I felt him lift my body and my both hands automatically hung in his neck, afraid to fall. He looked at me seriously and said “I told you I will carry you.” He said and walked. I just look in his face closely, shaved face, his narrow nose, his kissable lips, he is a God’s gift. I rested my head on his chest and tightened my hold and closed my eyes. He is the second person who carries me in a bridal style. It feels different when Kendrick carries me like this, I didn’t feel my heartthrob like there’s no tomorrow. I felt him stop and knock on the door in front of us. The door creaked and I heard him and the nurse talked. I felt the soft rough mattress on my back and the nurse started to check my temperature and pulse. She then gave me a pill and told me to rest for a couple of hours, Marco is just waiting outside. When the nurse left me, and I felt the pill start to work I slowly moved my body to sit up. But I felt a strong arm on my shoulder preventing me from moving my body.

“I need to attend my class,” I said without looking at him.

“The nurse said you have to rest a bit more an hour.” He replied. “We have an examination on that course,” I replied too.

“I will talk to your instructor, just rest.” I look up to him and he smiles at me. I sigh and lay back on the mattress. “Good girl.” He said and caressed my hair. My eyes kept blinking for a moment; he was about to leave but I grabbed one on his finger and he looked at me and asked why. “Don’t leave me alone here.”

“I will be back.” He replied. Ah right. We don’t even know each other. i***t Estelle. I let go of his finger and look away. “Can you also inform Kendrick? He is in the parking lot of school.”

“Kendrick?”

“The one from earlier in the cafeteria.”

“Ah, alright then, I’ll take my leave.” I didn’t mind responding to his words and just closed my eyes. I need to stop being a fan of romantic movies. For pet sake, it's only been two weeks since I transferred here. I should collect myself, every time he shows up, I can't recognize myself.

“Don’t cry because he didn’t stay with you.” I heard someone’s comment. I pulled the curtain off to see who it was. It’s Alarmin’s second son. He is lying sideways on the mattress while he uses both hands like a pillow, our eyes met, we stare at each other for a couple of minutes. “What?” he said casually. “Do you know me?” I asked. “What do you think?” “Confirm.” “Illinova.” He said.

“Alarmin,” I replied I saw a hit of adoration in his eyes. Then he giggles.

“That’s new, last time I remember you didn’t even know my face. Did your butler brief to you?”

“Yes, he did. Do you have a problem with that?”

“And wait? We did meet before?” I asked after. The adoration disappeared in his eyes and there’s no hint of any emotion on his face again.

“Yes, we did a lot before.”

“Why’d you mean?”

“See you didn’t even remember that at every party that your family held I was there, Alarmin are always invited, idiot.” A deep furrow showed on my forehead when I heard him call me an i***t.

“i***t, how do I remember your face when there’s a lot of human beings attending every party that my ancestors held.” He laughs but there’s no hint of emotion on his laugh and his face. Okay, that’s creeping me out. He didn’t seem like a robot to me.

“We’re both idiots then.”

“No, I’m not but you are.”

“How can you say that?”

“Figure it out.”

“Like how you figure the iolo application.” My eyes widened and I saw him smirk.

“How?” I asked him.

“Figure it out.” He said and mimicked my accent. I rolled my eyes in the air.

“I’m Alejandro Alarmin.” He said and extended his hand.

“Estelle Illinova.”

“What about a shaking hand?” he said and slightly raised his hand. I turn my body on the other side before answering him.

“I hate skinship.”

“Even for formality?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“I saw you in every event and you did shake your hands with them or kissed them on the cheeks.”

“So?” I said and closed my eyes and my ears started to itch because of him.

“So, do shake my hands too.” He answered.

I didn’t answer him. I just heard him sigh. I didn’t shake hands with him because I do have an idea of what will happen next. Mililani is enough for me. I heard him start humming a song and for some reason, it makes my nerves calm at least for a moment.  

I felt my body lift in the air and I saw Kendrick's face when I opened my eyes. “Don’t let any member of my family know that you’d carry me like this,” I said.

“Just rest.” He replied. “Why?”

“Why did you always stay by my side?” I asked but he didn’t answer and just continued walking. I rested my head on his broad chest and whispered “I’m glad.” That you care for me. I felt his hold tighten but I didn’t hear anything from him. He put me down on the backseat first before he made his way on the driving seat.

“You can sleep, My Lady.” He said before he started driving. And I did.

I woke up feeling unwell, Kendrick never disappointed me. I heard a knock before my door opened and revealed Kendrick's stoic face. “How do you feel My lady?”

“Not good,” I answered.

“I apologize to bother you, but the lady from earlier has arrived, she is now at the visitor room.”

“Oh, is that it?”

“Yes, accommodate her for a while, I will just change my clothes first. Tell to those maids to treat her nice or else they will lose their job.” I said without showing any emotion.