“Pahingi naman ako ng chocolates d’yan, Zacharias,” I said, leaning over his desk with my best I’m starving and you owe me look.
He glanced up from his notebook, one eyebrow raised. “Ubos na.”
I crossed my arms. “Liar. I literally saw you eat just one.”
He smirked, slowly chewing the last piece before showing me the empty wrapper. “See? Wala na talaga.”
I glared at him. “You’re so damot!”
He chuckled. “I’m not selfish, Ms. Vice President. I’m just… selective with who I share my chocolates with.”
I rolled my eyes. “Selective? Wow. As if people are fighting to get a piece from you.”
“Actually,” he said, leaning closer, “they kind of are.”
I made a face. “You’re so full of yourself, Dela Paz.”
He laughed, and I couldn’t help but notice how casual he was around me—like we’d known each other for months instead of just weeks. His confidence was different from Jacob’s. Where Jacob teased to provoke, Zacharias teased to charm.
Still, I wasn’t falling for it.
“Fine,” I said, pretending to be annoyed. “Keep your stupid chocolates.”
He tilted his head. “Why don’t you just ask Mr. President for some? I’m sure he’d give you the whole box if you asked nicely.”
I froze for half a second before glaring again. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
He grinned. “Nothing. Just saying… he seems *very* interested in you lately.”
“Yeah, right,” I muttered, stuffing my pen into my bag to avoid his knowing gaze. “He’s interested in annoying me, that’s all.”
Zacharias shrugged, still smiling. “If you say so, Ms. Garcia. But between you and me…” He lowered his voice, playful. “When a guy teases you that much, it’s not because he’s bored.”
I rolled my eyes again, but I could feel my cheeks warming.
“Shut up and give me a chocolate, Dela Paz.”
He grinned wider, tossing me one from his pocket. “See? You just had to ask nicely.”
“Let me ask you something,” I said, resting my chin on my palm as I watched Zacharias peel the wrapper off yet another chocolate. “Promise to be honest, okay?”
He chuckled, half amused, half cautious. “Yes, of course, Ms. VP.”
I squinted at him. “Who’s your crush? Long-time crush, ha. No lying.”
He tilted his head, pretending to think. “Uhmm…”
“Come on!” I urged, nudging his arm. “Tell meeee!”
He leaned a bit closer and whispered, “Okay, fine—it’s Jhessy.”
My eyes widened. “Seriously? Isn’t Jhessy your older brother’s girlfriend?” I whispered back, shocked.
He nodded, unbothered. “Yeah… but I was there for her first.”
I blinked, trying to process that. “Really?”
He grinned slightly, though there was something bitter behind it. “Yeah. But she chose him. What can I do?”
I stared at him quietly for a moment. I didn’t know what to say—because behind the teasing, there was a flicker of something real in his eyes. Something almost… sad.
I softened my voice. “You’re too nosy, Ms. Garcia,” he teased suddenly, breaking the tension with a small smirk.
“Excuse me? You’re the one confessing illegal feelings here!” I shot back, trying to sound annoyed but failing to hide the smile tugging at my lips.
Before he could answer, the classroom door creaked open.
And just like that—he walked in.
Jacob Villanueva.
Perfect posture. Perfect uniform. Annoyingly perfect timing.
He strode toward us, holding a tall stack of books—five, to be exact—and placed them right on the table between Zacharias and me. The loud thud made us both jump.
“Put these in the library, you two,” he said flatly, adjusting his glasses. Then, with a sharp glance between us, he added, “And be quiet.”
I blinked up at him, stunned. “Uh… we weren’t even—”
“Quiet, Ms. Garcia,” he said again, tone firm but eyes flickering briefly to mine. Something unreadable lingered there—jealousy, maybe? Or curiosity?
Zacharias raised a brow, smirking slightly. “Yes, Mr. President,” he said mockingly.
Jacob shot him a look before turning on his heel and walking out of the room.
The silence that followed was heavy—awkward, even. I exhaled slowly, staring at the stack of books he’d left.
“Well,” I muttered, breaking the silence, “that was… weird.”
Zacharias chuckled. “Looks like someone’s jealous.”
I frowned. “What? Jealous? Jacob? Of you? Please.”
He shrugged, teasing grin on full display. “You said it, not me.”
I rolled my eyes, grabbing the top few books. “Let’s just get this over with before Mr. President sends us a formal memo for ‘excessive chatter.’”
But deep down, as we walked toward the library, I couldn’t help but wonder—
why did Jacob’s voice sound just a little too cold?
and why did my heart skip when his eyes met mine, even for a second?
We were halfway to the library, arms full of books, when Zacharias suddenly spoke, breaking the quiet hum of our footsteps.
“Well, Ms. Garcia,” he said casually, shifting the stack in his arms, “you didn’t tell me who your crush is. Isn’t that a little unfair?”
I shot him a look. “Call it unfair. I’m not telling you.”
He gasped dramatically, pretending to be offended. “Hey, that’s *not fair!*”
I smirked. “Life’s not fair, Dela Paz.”
He leaned closer, eyebrows raised mischievously. “Come on, just a clue. Is it someone from Artemis? Or…” he grinned, “someone from Poseidon?”
I stuck my tongue out at him. “Bleeee! Shut up or I’ll tell Jhessy you have a cr—”
Before I could even finish, his hand shot up, covering my mouth.
“Okay, okay, geez!” he whispered hurriedly, eyes wide as he glanced around. “Don’t you dare finish that sentence.”
I pulled back, laughing so hard I nearly dropped the books. “Wow, look at you panic!”
He sighed in defeat, rubbing the back of his neck. “You’re evil, Ms. Vice President.”
“And you,” I said between giggles, “are way too easy to mess with.”
He gave me a mock glare. “Remind me never to trust you with my secrets again.”
“Noted,” I said smugly, flipping my hair as we reached the library doors.
The laughter between us echoed softly through the hallway—a kind of lightness I hadn’t felt in a while. For a brief moment, I forgot about everything: the bouquet, the letters, and the confusing way Jacob’s voice had sounded earlier.
But as we entered the quiet library, I caught a familiar figure near the window—
Jacob Villanueva, standing there with his arms crossed, watching us.
And just like that, the air shifted.
YOU ARE READING
His Code Name: ULAP (Code Name Series #1)
RomanceShe wasn't supposed to fall for him. Not when everything about him screamed mystery, danger, and the kind of perfection that didn't belong in her world. But from the moment he held her hand under the golden lights of the prom night, everything chang...
