Never Again

Chapter 7 - Dumb Ways To Kill

My mind was wandering along the green field outside the large window of the classroom. Our professor has not arrived yet, which gave me time to process what just happened this morning.

We arrived thirty minutes earlier, thanks to how maniac Albert was in driving his car this morning. I gave him a fair warning by trying to remove my seatbelt.

“Hey!” He shouted when he saw me from the rearview mirror, then slowed down the speed of his driving.

I care less about him being a drag racer, but we will not die today just because he wanted to prove something. I gave him a sullen look, then gazed outside the car.

“Did you fight or something?” Ed chuckled as he glanced at me. “I thought you’re friends already,” He said grinning at Jane. They were suspicious of our silence about what happened last night.

“She was very clear last night. She doesn’t want me to be her friend,” His voice was serious.

I raised my eyebrows and peeked at him in the mirror. I just wanted to check if I was hearing the right thing. I wanted to pull his hair and asked him if he got amnesia overnight. He caught my glance and smirked at me.

I groaned in annoyance. He was getting on my nerves already. I did not know if he was just toying with me, because a sane person would brag about that perfect kiss. I frowned as I thought of the right words to describe what happened last night, but it was indeed a perfect kiss.

As soon as the car was parked, I slammed the door on my way out and stormed towards the building. I did not even wait for Jane.

And here I was, fidgeting and fuming with anger as I waited for my best friend. Right on the dot, our professor came, chatting with the group of students who came into the room. I furrowed my forehead. I did not recall having them in this class.

Jane hurried to her seat next to mine. “Hey,” She went to see where Ed was and waved at him. They moved towards the two vacant seats in front of us.

I wanted to growl with anger. What was he trying to do with me? Kill with me irritation?

My eyes darted to the students who went to find their seats. They were the same group in our other class. Albert’s friends, his kind. Elite. Rich people.

The class was hushed in silence when our professor started the lesson. They all became busy when he started writing numbers and explained them to class. I shook my head in amusement because I could feel their stress while scribbling, computing, and some trying to ask their seatmates how the result was computed.

It was like my long journey of tutoring Jane’s and Mrs. Fritz’s children were finally paying off. In the future, this topic was already part of the high school curriculum.

“Miss Rivera,” Our professor called.

I groaned. Not again. I was hardly noticed before, but now I felt like becoming the target. All eyes turned to me, including Albert’s. His smug smile irritated me more.

I stood up, and I didn’t know if it was even necessary.

“Yes, sir?”

He raised his chalk. “Maybe you’d like to answer the problem on the board,” he said.

I almost groaned aloud, but then I noticed that I wasn’t blending in. I looked like a proud student with nothing on my table except my close book.

I took a deep breath. I went to the front, took the chalk from him, and wrote X = 3 without any solutions. I knew the answer was correct.

Mr. Davis crossed his arms. He waited for me to explain my answer.

I faked a smile and went to the board again to write my solution. I explained it to him, not to the class, the step-by-step solution, just like how I used to explain it to the kids. Then I encircled the final answer.

When he nodded, I returned to my seat.

Albert turned to me and said. "You're good, Miss Rivera. Maybe I should get you as my tutor."

I wished to punch him in the face. Now, it’s Miss Rivera? Are we now on a formality basis? If fuming in anger means producing real fire, this old building would burn in an instant. I gave him a sullen look and opened my notebook to solve the problems on the board. It was an easy exercise, me, at least. I was done in ten minutes. While they seemed to struggle with the problems, I scribbled on my notebook and thought of ways on how to kill Albert. I guess no matter how I change my future, I was doomed to eternity as long as I meet him in whatever lifetime we had.

“Dumb ways to kill Albert:” I smirked at my title. I enumerated my ways but drew little hearts at the end of each sentence. “1. Strangle him with my own hands. 2. Push him on the stairs. 3. Poison him...” I was about to write number four, but my notebook was taken away from me. Before I could react, Albert was already reading my notes. He was furious as he peeled the page and tore the paper to pieces.

Then, he turned to me. We looked daggers at each other. I knew he won’t admit defeat, but I won’t be the first to raise the white flag. He did not wait for our professor to go out of the room. As soon as he heard that the class was dismissed, he clutched my arm and dragged me outside. I was focused on the pain of his grip that I did not notice where he brought me.

I could feel his anger by the way he held my arms, but I wasn’t afraid. As he pushed me to the wall, I closed my eyes as I imagined my back hitting the wall, but instead, he blocked his arms to protect my back.

“Don’t you dare do that again, Miss Rivera,” He hissed.

I swallowed and met his gaze. I have never seen him so mad before. For the first time, I was terrified. My tears began to escape my eyes as his grip on my right arm became tighter and his threatening look brought back painful memories.

He seemed to wake up from his senses when he saw my tears. He released my arms and lightly pressed his forehead on mine. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he was calm, he cupped my face and wiped the trace of tears in my cheeks.

He leaned closer, making my heart go crazy again. “I don’t care what you want to do with me, my beautiful Selene,” He said in a whisper, “but please, never do that. Do you know how many threats my family received every day? I don’t want you to be taken away from me,” He caressed my arm, the part which now had the trace of his grip. I heard him curse himself when he saw the red mark on my arm.

He lowered his face, but before he could brush his lips to mine, I pushed him. I was too consumed with anger and fear that all I wanted was to run away as far from him as possible. Maybe I went back in time to realize that I have a bearable life after all. Maybe this was God’s way of telling me I should stop complaining and enjoy my remaining time on earth. If I go back to my 55-year-old body, I still do not wish for long life.

I ditched the next class. I just kept on walking until my mind was clear. When I heard the river, it was only then I realized that I reached the woods. I released a heavy sigh before I sat down on the bench. This was still part of the university park, so I did not need to worry.

“Ditching classes?”

I looked, but no one’s around.

“Up here.” I looked up and saw a good-looking guy, on a branch. He was comfortably lying on the branch while his back was leaning on the thick body of the tree. His face was familiar, but I can’t recall where I saw him. His face was as beautiful as Albert’s but his eyes were sapphire blue. He smirked.

“How did you get up there?” I searched for a way, but there seemed no other way except to climb. I stood up and tried, but on my first attempt, I failed and ended scraping my hand a bit.

“Whoa, stop there my lady.” He said and climbed down to reach me. I was awed at how he climbed down gracefully.

He was taller than me that I had to look up. I had to search my confused brain where I could possibly see him.

My humor tells me to bow as soon as I realized who he was. Of course, his eyes’ color may be different, but their face and physique were the same. He was the second son, Albert’s brother.

“What are you doing?” He laughed at me.

“Showing respect to the royal family member.” I joked.

He snickered. “Oh please, I’m just an ordinary person,” He narrowed his eyes, “How did you know?” He asked curiously.

I sat back on the bench. “Your pendant,” Albert has the same pendant, too. It was like a family heirloom. I touched the pendant of my necklace. In my memory, he gave me his necklace and promised me that no matter what happens, I will always be part of him. I knew I was wearing that necklace on the day I saw Albert again, but I have forgotten about it completely when I woke up in my 18-year-old body.

“Where have you been all this time?” He asked.

“Huh?” I glanced at him and answered, “In the classroom? At home?” I grinned. His eyes were telling me something personal, but I never wanted another royal family member to intensify my ‘already complicated life.

He chuckled, amused by my answer. He was quiet for a while, then stared at me. I looked elsewhere before I drowned in his ocean-colored eyes.

“I’m Philip,”

“Selene,” I glance at him.

He smiled as he said, “Ah! The goddess of the moon,”

I grinned. “Yeah, but not as beautiful as her,”

“You’re right.” He agreed and smiled broadly, “You’re more beautiful than her.”

My lips parted in surprise, then laughed out loud. Any woman would probably love this intensity of his flattery, but not me.

His smile was gentle and calm, but I couldn’t help myself comparing him to Albert’s. His smile, whether it’s scorn or sheepish, it brings thrilling sensation. His honey-colored eyes warm and melt my heart. His lips, whenever it touches my lips, it’s incredibly divine.

I swallowed. My cheeks became tomato red. Just this morning, he was trying to kill me with irritation, hurt me... and yet I couldn’t believe I was daydreaming about him. I groaned in disbelief. I raised my feet in the bench and buried my face on my knees. The more I stayed here in this time, the more complicated it became. I have to find ways to go back before everything went out of control.

I stood up. “Nice meeting you, Philip,” I said and started to walk.

“Wait,”

When I looked back, he seemed to have something he wanted to say, but he couldn’t. He forced a smile in his full-bodied lips. “When will I see you again, Selene?”

I shrugged and smiled back. “I don’t know, Philip,” I waved to him then walked away. I didn't bother looking back. I wish to tell him, ‘Let’s not see each other.’