Owned by a Speed Racer

3

"Daze Alessaina, you're excused." My eyes shot up as I was reeled back to reality. I looked at my Trigonometry professor, Ms. Cordel, with confusion hanging in my features.

"I'm excused? Why? I mean, not that I don't want to be excused but why would you do that?" I questioned her and she gave me the Ms. Tapia stare in return.

"The guard phoned me to say that someone's looking for you outside. He says it’s urgent,” she replied and continued with the bloody discussion that almost made my brain bleed numbers and letters and mathematical equations.

"Bless that person, whoever it is." I smirked as I slung my bag over my shoulders. Even with my back turned, I could feel my professor looking at me with a nasty scowl. I traversed the school grounds to get to the university entrance and was pleasantly delighted to see my boyfriend. Ian Lexus sat with a straight face on one of the couches looking very agitated.

"Hi,” I greeted. He stood up from the couch and walked toward me. He stopped when we were a few inches away from each other.

"Where's your phone?" he asked coldly. I fetched the phone from my pocket and waved it in front of his face. Upon seeing my mobile, he quickly let go of a sigh.

"Did you let someone use it a while ago? Or did you by any chance leave it somewhere? I tried calling you a couple of times but your phone’s turned off, the call wouldn’t go through."

“No. The battery’s actually dead and I left the charger at home. My powerbank broke the other week and I haven’t bought a replacement yet so… it’s basically useless right now.”

His forehead wrinkled while he looked at the phone. “No? But someone sent me a message –”

“Saying that you should make sundo at 4 pm? That was me." The realization that I texted him in Tagalog seemed to dawn on him only now. He pursed his lips and nodded.

"Really? Well, what a shocker,” he said sarcastically before looking down at his wristwatch to check the time. “I think it's time for me to go, I have more important matters to attend to. Bumalik ka na sa klase mo.”

He turned away to leave but I started to grin uncontrollably. He gazed back, eyes narrowed in my direction. “What’s so funny?”

“You,” I responded. His eyes narrowed even more as he glared at me, nostrils flaring while doing so. "You thought I was in trouble, didn't you? You thought my phone got stolen or something. You went here to personally check on me." He looked annoyed upon seeing the amusement visible in my eyes. The truth lay in his eyes but his lips were such beautiful liars.

"So full of yourself, aren't you, Daze? Pumunta ako rito kasi pinuntahan ko ang pinsan kong professor. Caroline Mazitelli.” His adam apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed uneasily.

"What subject does she teach?" I queried. Ian’s mouth formed a small o as my question caught him off guard for a few seconds.

“Algebra,” he answered after he regained his composure.

          “Really? Caroline teaches here? What a coincidence. There I was thinking she was still in Toronto living with her Canadian husband and three kids. You mean to say her family moved back to the Philippines and that she decided to drop her job as a doctor so she can teach Algebra in this university? Oh, I’d love to cross paths with her one day!”

          Ian’s eyes widened and I had to bite my lower lip to suppress another laugh. “How did you know all that? Did you stalk my entire family? Jesus!”

          “I call it research. I’m terribly good at it, don’t you think?” He massaged his temples as if he couldn’t believe I caught him lying. Exasperation was written on his face when he looked at me again.

          “Whatever, I’m leaving.”

          “Can I go with you? I’m starving. Let’s have lunch somewhere,” I proposed. “I want some Chinese food at the moment, what do you say?”

“Just go buy something from the university canteen. You can’t skip your class. You already missed a portion of it because I dropped by,” he said. He patted my head as if I was a little girl before he turned away. I ran after him and pulled at his arm.

“Don’t turn your back on me because it pisses me. You don’t want me pissed, Ian. I might even commit a crime right here.” Like stealing a kiss.   

"What crime? You’re planning to murder me? Baby, it’s going to take a lot more than a single meaningless threat from those lips of yours to scare me,” he snorted. “Besides, you’re far too bratty to commit a crime that big.”

I held his arm and snickered. "Who says anything about murder? What I'm planning to do to you is far more enjoyable than that."

"Are you planning to sexually harass me?” he feigned shock as he held his chest in mock surprise. I doubled-over, laughing, as he rode the bawdy joke. His perfect set of blinding whites became noticeable when he produced an entertained smile.

"Ever the smart guy for guessing out the plan, huh." I continued with the raillery. On my peripheral vision, I saw the guard giving us a disgusted look.

"You know what, baby? s****l harassment only occurs when the victim is unwilling. So I don’t think that’s the correct term to use. I’m pretty sure I’ll be very much willing.” I didn’t know Ian had this playful side to him. I’ve always thought he was the silent type and that he kept to himself, but witnessing him like this, with a gentle smile across his lips, I couldn’t help but yield more to the attraction.

I don’t really know the reason why he said yes to me when I barged in his house, but right now watching him, I don’t think it still matters to me.

"You're right. I think we should use the term make love." Ian was about to reply when we were approached by one of the guards.

"Mawalang galang na ho, pero baka p’wedeng sa labas na lang ho kayo mag-usap. Hindi lahat ng tao gustong marinig ang pinag-uusapan n’yo." The guard motioned to the exit and we both headed to the direction, chortling. I tugged at Ian’s arm and he allowed me to hold onto him while we walked to the parking lot.

"Naughty brat, this will be the first and only time I’m allowing you to skip class, alright?” He smiled again. I can't really tell if this guy's pissed or pleased with my personality. s

"C'mon." He hopped inside his car and for the second time today, he didn’t open the car door for me. I went in and sat on the shotgun seat. He was about to star the car when I hit his arm. He grimaced and rubbed the affected area.

          “Are you always this violent even at home? What is it this time?”

          “You didn’t open the car door for me. Can you at least try to be nice and act like a gentleman? It wouldn’t kill to have manners, you know?”

          “Whoa. Coming from you, it doesn’t sound that offensive.”

          “Make labas sa car and let’s do it again. This time, you have to open the damn car door.” I threw him a hostile glare after I said that. Shooting me a look of disbelief, he watched as I slipped out of his car.

          “Please do not f*****g tell me you’re serious about the re-do.”

“Sorry to disappoint, but I’m hell-bent on having you open the door.”

“Daze," he called using a warning tone.

“We’re not going anywhere unless you do what I say.” He put a hand over his face to mask the irritation but I could feel it building up. After a short while, he finally got out of the Audi and slammed the door. He threw a sarcastic smile on my direction as he circled the car and pulled the door to the front seat open.

“Get in, Your Highness,” he whispered irately.

          I patted his arm and slid inside with a victorious smirk. I strapped the seatbelt and watched as he went through the driver’s seat and fixed his. He noticed me staring and c****d a thick bushy eyebrow.

          “Happy now, brat?”

          I giggled. “Ecstatic.”