Crush Me Not (English)

2: Lexus

Reena had been pacing back and forth in her room for a while now. Ever since she woke up in the clinic, she hadn't been able to settle down. She couldn’t get the man she bumped into out of her head, and she was annoyed at herself for fainting. It was so embarrassing! Fortunately, the nurse had said that she had probably passed out due to dizziness from the collision. But the truth was, she knew she had fainted purely out of shock at seeing that man again—Lexus, as she had now learned his name was.

Maze had spoken to him earlier while she was still unconscious. She was actually grateful that he was gone when she woke up because if they had met again, she might have had a full-blown breakdown. According to Maze, the man had said he had something important to take care of but would be back soon. Before that could happen, however, Reena had insisted on going home, and thankfully, the nurse allowed it. She was definitely not ready to face the embarrassment of what she had done.

"Maze, I can’t take this anymore! Out of all the ways we could have met again, why did it have to be like that?! But why?" Reena ran her hands down her face and dropped to the floor in frustration. She continued whining and was practically having a tantrum. Maze, on the other hand, could only shake her head as she watched her friend. She wasn’t sure if she should be irritated or amused by Reena’s dramatics. All this over a guy?

"Maze, what if I see him at school again? How am I supposed to face him?" Reena asked, panicked.

Maze sighed and shot her an exasperated look. "Uh, with your usual face, Reena. What, do you expect to borrow mine?" she snapped. She was running out of patience. Because of Reena’s antics, even her head was starting to hurt.

"Ugh, Maze! Can’t you at least sympathize with me? And stop being sarcastic!" Reena whined, her face scrunched up.

Maze turned to face her, her expression now serious. "Sympathize? And how exactly am I supposed to do that? Also… who even is this guy? Why are you reacting like this?" she asked, frowning. When Reena didn’t answer, Maze’s patience wore even thinner. "Why aren’t you saying anything? I’ve been asking you for a while now, but you’re not giving me a straight answer. What’s the deal?" she pressed.

She studied Reena’s expression carefully, trying to read between the lines. She was really curious why her friend had reacted so dramatically upon seeing that guy—like she had seen a ghost. Sure, Reena was always a bit over-the-top, but this was different. She had even fainted.

"I don’t even know how you know him," Maze continued, narrowing her eyes. "Reena, get it together!"

Reena got up from the floor and moved closer to Maze, who was lying on her Hello Kitty-inspired bed. The headboard had the famous cat’s face carved into it, and even the pillows, blankets, and sheets were covered in Hello Kitty designs. Reena was obsessed with the character—it was practically the theme of her entire room.

A few moments passed before Reena finally spoke. "Do you remember the guy from last Saturday? The one we were following?" she asked hesitantly, sitting at the edge of the bed. She spoke slowly, as if debating whether or not to tell Maze the whole truth.

Maze thought for a moment before realization dawned on her face. "Oh, I remember now! Of course, I do!" She sat up and squinted at Reena. "That guy is the reason my skin got like ten percent darker!" She scowled, still annoyed at the memory.

Reena pouted. "Oh, come on! Are you really exaggerating like that?" She glanced at Maze and, upon noticing that her skin did look a little tanned, bit her lip and looked away. "I mean… it’s not that bad…"

"Not that bad? Excuse me?! Of course, it is! You know how much I value my skin, right?" Maze ranted. Before Reena could even say anything, Maze continued, making Reena nearly jump in surprise. "Oh, and that reminds me! You still owe me a new supply of glutathione, okay? Don’t forget!"

"Of course, I didn’t forget! What do you take me for?" Reena looked away, closing her eyes tightly. The truth was, she had completely forgotten. Discreetly, she grabbed her phone and added it to her to-do list, even setting an alarm as a reminder. Then she turned back to Maze with an overly sweet smile. Maze, however, remained unconvinced and glared at her.

"Just make sure. Or else, I’ll shave your head," Maze warned.

Reena awkwardly laughed, knowing that Maze could be brutal sometimes. "Oh, come on! I always keep my word. And please, just leave my hair alone, and we’ll be just fine, my best friend!" she said, trying to placate her.

Maze stared at her for a few moments before nodding in satisfaction. "Good. I just wanted to make that clear," she said triumphantly. Then she changed the topic. "Now, back to the guy from Saturday. Don’t tell me…" She trailed off as realization hit her. Even before Reena confirmed it, Maze could tell by her expression that she was right. "So, Lexus is that guy?"

Reena nodded excitedly. "Yes, that’s him!"

"What a coincidence! Are you serious?" Maze asked, still in shock.

Reena grinned widely. "I can’t believe we met again! And at school, no less!" she said, practically bouncing in excitement. It was a stark contrast to her earlier panic. "Isn’t it amazing?"

Maze raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so now you think you’re destined to be together?" she asked sarcastically. The way Reena was smiling, you’d think she had just won the lottery.

Reena turned to her, still beaming. "Yes, exactly! I really feel like he’s my destiny! Out of one in a million chances, we met again. That means something, Mazey!" She squealed, hugging a Hello Kitty pillow and giggling as she daydreamed.

Maze, on the other hand, looked like she was about to lose it. She remembered Reena saying the same thing about her past crushes every time she got excited over a guy. As much as she wanted to burst Reena’s bubble, she decided to let her be.

"Reena, hello? The world is small, so don’t be ridiculous. It’s not like he lives on the moon or another planet! Then maybe I’d believe your fantasy," Maze said, rolling her eyes.

Reena ignored her. "Whatever! Lexus and I are destined for each other! Don’t try to argue with me!" she insisted, lying down on the bed and staring dreamily at the ceiling.

Maze sighed in defeat and rubbed her temples. "You know what? Whatever! You’re hopeless!" she muttered before sighing again. She had seen this scenario play out too many times before.

Meanwhile, Lexus couldn’t understand why he had been smiling so much. He just felt incredibly happy that day, and nothing could ruin his mood. There was only one reason he could think of—the girl he had bumped into earlier. He had no idea why she was stuck in his mind. Unfortunately, he hadn’t gotten a proper chance to introduce himself. By the time he returned to the clinic, she had already left with her friend. According to the nurse, she had decided to go home and rest.

Right now, he was hanging out at his cousin Xander’s condo. Xander’s father, Alexander Anderson, owned Anderson University, where Lexus had just transferred. The two cousins had always been close.

"Hey, I heard what happened earlier," Xander suddenly said.

"What?" Lexus feigned ignorance.

Xander burst into laughter. "Oh, come on! I’m talking about Reena. Damn, bro, you’re so handsome girls are literally fainting over you!"

Lexus laughed. "No, it’s not like that. We just collided, and I guess the impact was strong enough to make her dizzy."

Xander smirked. "Ahh, so the impact was strong, huh? No wonder she’s stuck in your head. Or should I say… she’s found her way into your heart?"

Lexus scoffed. "Dude, you’re so corny."

Xander only grinned. "It’s written all over your face, Lexus Reigan."

Lexus hesitated. "I don’t know… but there’s something about her."

After saying that, Lexus once again averted his gaze and focused his attention elsewhere. He seemed deep in thought.

Well, it was true. It seemed like he had seen her before. He just couldn't remember where or when. It was strange because, usually, if he saw a face like that… he never forgot it. What was even more puzzling was Reena's reaction when she saw him—it was as if she knew him. But when he asked her friend Maze about it, she had no idea either. So there he was… left on the verge of curiosity.

Lexus's attention was only drawn back when his cousin spoke again.

“Yeah. She’s really something, I see,” Xander said, nodding.

Well, knowing Reena, she was indeed a special girl. She was popular at their school because of her unique charisma. It was no surprise that even his cousin had fallen under Reena’s spell.

“Maybe that girl’s a witch. She cast a spell on me,” Lexus suddenly said, then laughed at his own thought. He didn't really believe in such things, so he didn't even know why that idea crossed his mind. Besides, the girl was far too beautiful to be a witch. Reena was more of a goddess than anything else. That’s what her best friend Maze had said, anyway.

“Ugh! Whatever. I shouldn’t be thinking about her,” he blurted out again, shaking his head several times in an attempt to clear his mind.

Lexus wasn’t the type of guy to get infatuated with a girl. He was used to girls being the ones infatuated with him. After all, what girl could resist Lexus Reigan Adams? He could make any girl fall for his charms. He had it all—talent, fame, money, and most importantly, looks. He never even needed to pursue a girl because they were always the ones making the first move.

Lexus was half-Filipino, half-American. At nineteen years old, he already stood over six feet tall. His physique was well-built, thanks to his love for sports and regular gym workouts. His messy brown hair added to his appeal, and his deep brown eyes seemed to speak volumes. His skin was as fair as porcelain. Many said he was almost an exact copy of his father—except for his eyes, which he had inherited from his mother.

“You’re smitten, bro!” Xander teased, laughing. He seemed to be enjoying this discovery about his cousin.

“Stop teasing me, Xan. Have you forgotten why I came to the Philippines?” Lexus said seriously. He grabbed the last slice of Hawaiian pizza they had bought from a fast-food restaurant earlier and took one big bite. He remained serious as he chewed, lost in thought once again.

Xander fell silent at Lexus’s words. He was right. He shouldn’t be teasing him about some girl. That was the whole reason Lexus was in the Philippines in the first place. No matter what happened, he couldn't afford to get caught up in any distractions. Not even with a girl who seemed to have bewitched him.

It simply wasn’t an option.