Chapter Two
Rhian
“Yan, wake up,” mom knocked on my door. “It’s time for school.”
Rubbing sleep from my eyes, I got up and prepared myself for school. Today is the day of the welcoming event. That Adrian guy must be pretty important to have a welcoming party all to himself from the whole school.
By the time I entered the auditorium, the place was already packed with people and props. Everyone was preparing and re-checking the decorations and the presentations for his arrival. I sat at the very back, determined to keep myself busy by reading a manga-novel.
I’m wasting my time here. I would’ve been at a cosplay event or a book fair right now if there wasn’t an attendance check. I can’t miss out on school, or my grades would drop. I glanced at the exit door. It was crowded. Too late to back out now. I tried to focus my attention to the program. It was too flashy—like they were trying to impress a king or something. But, then again, he is the son of the biggest corporation in the country. I did my research, don’t ask.
After a couple of hours, the event ended. The principal announced an important meeting for the teachers this afternoon, so classes will be suspended. I did a little victory dance in my mind.
I was busy thinking of my plans for this afternoon when Chelsea, Bianca’s best friend and right-hand woman, who was seating next to me, accidentally elbowed my book from my hand. Cursing, I bend to pick up the book.
Contemplating the following events still makes my heart beat fast every time. Adrian had grabbed it the same time I did. Electricity coursed through me from the area where our hands touched. My heart was beating so fast I was afraid he would hear, so I took my book from him and turned away. He grabbed my hand before I could go and stared. Nobody ever stared at me that long before. His other hand went up to my face and brushed my hair from my eyes. My skin burned where his fingers touched them. What is he? What is happening? Why am I reacting to his touch like this?
I blink back reality and ran away from him. Without making up my mind, I instinctively headed to the butterfly dome. It was my utopia—my most favourite spot in the school because nobody else comes in. A piano was set up on one corner of the room. A guitar was sprawled on top of it. They say butterflies loved music next to flowers. Since I was the only person who bothered to visit them, I often play the piano.
I lean on the wall next to the entrance to catch my breath. I saw Bianca and her friends’ nasty looks before I ran away. I guess she wasn’t so happy that it was me who caught Adrian’s attention and not her. What did he see when he looked at me anyway? Did he see something I do not see in front of the mirror every morning?
But he wasn’t the only one who was staring.
I flushed guiltily. I closed my eyes and I see his image behind my eyelids. He looked like Kirito, Sasuke, and Gray put together. His eyes were deep blue, so deep that I felt like drowning when he stared intently at my face after he grabbed my hand. And His nose and lips compliments his eyes, it seems that he was sculpted by God perfectly. He was so handsome, it made my heart beat even faster. God, if his picture turns me on this much, what would happen if he talks to me?
Adrian
“Dude, chill,” my cousin, Jeric, said on the phone. “You’re a playboy. You’re a star. And you just plainly admitted that you were in love with a simple girl at first sight. That can’t be possible.”
“I never said she was simple.”
“Then let me rephrase that—you should not be in love with a random brown-eyed girl you just met on that day. Worse, you didn’t even talk to her. Forget about her, man.”
I nodded my head. Then I realized he couldn’t see me. “Yeah, sure, I will.” I hung up and sighed heavily. I couldn’t just forget about her. Fate brought her to me, so I’ll make sure fate won’t take her back.
I tour myself around the school. The corridors were like a maze, leading me this way and that. Soon, I was lost.
“Look! It’s Adrian,” someone called out.
I turned to see a giant mob run towards me. I scampered away, turned a corner, and entered the nearest room.
Breathing heavily, I leaned against the door. Those fans would certainly be the cause of my death someday. I opened my eyes and gasped. I was in paradise; there were all kinds of trees, fruit-bearing and not, a swing at the center of the room, a piano on one corner, and a guitar on top of it.
As I walked closer to the swing, something dark caught my eye. I picked it up and flipped it open. It was a student passbook—only Japanese schools usually use these, but maybe this school became accustomed to them. The passbook belonged to a Rhian Montez from class A. I can see she wasn’t photogenic because she wasn’t smiling when her picture was taken, and her hair almost hid her face in shadows. I decided to keep it. If anyone will be looking for it, they’ll probably broadcast it through the intercom or something.
I suddenly heard voices outside the door, so I hid myself at the very back of the garden and lay low among the bushes.
It wasn’t until I heard the piano playing that I realized I’ve been asleep for quite a while now. I rub my eyes and listen intently. Someone was playing a piece of Yiruma; something called River Flows In You. It was my mom’s favourite. She’d play it to me every time and I never get tired of it.
I inch closer to the sound and made the bushes rustle. The music stopped.
“Who’s there?” the pianist called.
Slowly, I revealed myself from my hiding spot, my arms raised above my head. “It’s only me,” I said. I turned around to look at her. It was the girl from before.
Her mouth dropped animatedly and she knocked her glasses off her nose. She immediately searched the ground with her hands. I picked up her glasses which were thrown near my feet. I hand it to her and stare longer than I intended to at her face. She was so beautiful my chest hurt.
When she put on the glasses, her face seemed familiar. Hurriedly, she picked up the scattered music sheets and ran out of the room. Great, will we be running away from each other our whole lives? Groaning inwardly, I followed her. But once I stepped out of the room, the pep squad spotted me. They giggled and screamed their heads off the entire time they chased me to the basketball court.
A boy with messy, brown hair and a mischievous smile came to my aid. He tossed me the ball just as the pep squad was about to catch up with me. “Care to play a one-on-one game with me, newbie?” he asked with a grin.
I look from him to the girls and nodded my head without much choice. I tossed my varsity jacket on the nearby bleachers and began dribbling the ball. I haven’t played basketball for a very long time, so I was a little rusty. But I got used to it, and even made it to the team. Joseph, the guy who invited me to play, wrapped an arm around me and introduced me to the group.
“Looks like we’ve got another player, guys,” he said. “Oh, and by the way, no pun intended.”
