Rich Boys Academy

CHAPTER SEVEN

I quickly pulled away from his kiss when I realized that I was in danger.

This guy spells DANGEROUS all over his face.

And I fell on his trap!

"What's wrong?" He asked a bit surprise at my sudden restraint.

I quickly stood up and sighed heavily. He rose from the ground with a worried look on his face.

I just kissed a bad guy!

I kissed the guy who threw punches at that poor guy in the restroom! The guy who was being insolent and disrespectful to me on my first day of class! The guy who got mad at me for no reason! And the guy who made me cry because he thought I was sent by whoever that girl was!

He was about to step closer to me when I held my hand up for him to stop.

"Don't," I warned with a clenched jaw. "Come near me."

His eyebrows creased at my sudden mood swing. He was about to say something but he closed his mouth and didn't say anything. Yet he sighed in response.

"Lead me back to the school," I demanded with gritted teeth.

He didn't respond but instead he started walking towards the tree house.

"I said, lead me back to the school, Mr. Walton!" I vehemently reiterated.

I saw his jaw clenched and his face sharpened.

"It's dangerous out there. We'll wait 'til morning," he replied calmly but I can see his fists were tightly clenched.

"No! I wanna go back now!" I demanded, a bit furious.

"Then go back by yourself," he calmly replied and continued to climb towards the tree house.

"Mr. Walton!" I shouted before he slammed the door close, "Jerk!"

I groaned and sat on the ground. Then I realized that the fireflies were already gone. I sighed. Maybe they got scared at my sudden outburst.

Well, can you blame me?

I was shocked, scared, afraid, and I don't understand why— until now, my heart is still racing inside my chest for that guy! This has never happened before!

And he...he t-took...my first kiss!

Ugh! i***t! Sarah you're an i***t!

To add to my stupidity, he's my student and I'm his teacher! This is so wrong in so many levels!

I took my phone out of my pocket and texted the only person that can make me feel better.

Me: Daddy? Are you still up?

After a few minutes of waiting, my phone vibrated and a reply from dad came.

Daddy: Yeah. What's up, honey?

I sighed and shook my head, debating with myself if I will tell him what just happened.

Will he get mad though?

I sighed heavily and swallowed a lump in my throat, then typed my reply.

Me: Daddy, what if I told you that I just kissed a guy?

I pressed send and locked my phone screen. I tapped my fingers on the phone, anxiously waiting for my dad's reply as I bit my inner lip.

Waiting could be dreadful at times.

I checked at my phone's clock for the third time and it has been 10 minutes already, yet my dad hasn't replied back.

Was he mad?

Then as if on cue, my phone vibrated and dad's reply popped.

Daddy: What do you feel about it? The kiss.

What do I feel about it?

What do you feel, Sarah?

Urgh.

I liked the kiss. It was gentle and it felt real... And I think feelings were invovled in it. Argh, I don't know! My head is literally playing with me right now!

I sighed heavily.

Me: It felt right yet it felt wrong at the same time. I don't understand, dad. I'm really sorry for kissing him. :(

Daddy: Do you like him?

Do I?

Do I like him despite of his bad personality?

What if I was just deceived by his looks?

Me: I dunno, dad. He smiled at me and it was such a beautiful smile. I have never seen a guy smile like that before and I think I just fell in love..? But a part of me says that I should hate him or something.

Daddy: So you like him.

Me: Daddy, no. I shouldn't.

Daddy: Honey, I fell for your mom because of her beautiful smile. You can't lie to your own feelings. Anyway, what kind of guy is this boy?

Me: I think he's not good.

Daddy: Well, if you feel wrong about him then stay away from him. But if you feel right about him, then go for it.

Me: This is hard. :(

Daddy: Liking someone has never been easy, honey. You gotta take the risks and do something about it or you could just do nothing. Your choice. Either way, you gotta face the consequences.

I sighed.

Dad's right. I gotta do something about this.

Me: Thanks, dad. Good night.

Daddy: Good night, honey. I love you.

Me: I love you too, dad.

* * *

"Wake up!" A guy's voice exclaimed as I felt a nudge on my arm.

I groaned and opened my eyes slowly. I cringed at the sun's ray of light that shone from the window. I pulled myself up to sit and realized that I was on the bed, in the tree house.

How did I end up here?

I turned to look at Xavier who was busy mixing a cup of coffee.

Wait, did I just call him Xavier?

Ew. No, no.

He turned to face me and rolled his eyes. "Get up," he ordered. "There's coffee here if you want some."

I brushed my hair with my fingers and got out from bed. I folded the blanket and arranged the sheets before I went to get coffee.

He handed me a cup and poured some coffee on it.

"Thanks," I said and he just shrugged in reply.

I remembered my conversation with dad last night. I gotta do something. And I gotta do it now.

"Uh," I trailed off. "About last night..."

"Forget it," he shrugged. "It was a mistake."

My eyes widened at his words and I felt a pang of pain hit my chest.

I was about to say that it was okay... that I think I like him... but...

"Pretend it never happened," he added before he climbed down the tree house.

Ouch.

I frowned and controlled the tears from welling up in my eyes.

Huh, so this is what rejection feels like.

Don't cry, Sarah. You don't like him. Your mind is just playing with your feelings.

"Hurry up, teacher! We gotta get going," he yelled from below which made me snap out from my thoughts.

He called me teacher...

I scoffed to myself in realization.

I kissed a guy who doesn't even know my name!

Stupid, Sarah!

Way stupid!

I shouldn't have thought that I even like a bit of him! Pfft. i***t.

I drank my cup of coffee and composed myself before climbing down the tree house.

"Okay Sarah," I whispered to myself. "You don't like that evil prick okay. And you will never like a guy such as him! You are not in denial. Heart, listen to what I say, you do not like him okay!"

* * *

We walked into the woods to the school without saying any word. It was so quiet that only the chirping birds and the wind was all I could hear.

It was such a beautiful morning yet the atmosphere between us was so awkward. I wanted to break the silence but I also didn't want to. Seriously, what is wrong with me?

Okay, whatever. It's time to break the silence.

"Hey, Mr. Walton," I called as I followed him from behind. He glanced at me over his shoulder but didn't reply.

I frowned and did the stupidest thing I could only think of as of the moment.

"Ouch!" I cried and fraudulently fell to the ground. He spun around to face me and I pointed to my ankle.

"I tripped and it hurts," I pouted like a kid. If my dad saw me right now, I bet he will smack me with some sense.

He groaned and took small strides towards me and knelt to the ground as he checked my ankle.

He clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes. "It's fine. No need to be such a girl."

I gasped. "I am a girl!"

He shook his head and stood up and continued to walk away.

"Jerk," I muttered to myself as I helped myself up.

We continued to walk and I called him again.

"Psst!" I hissed. "Do you wanna hear me sing, Mr. Walton?"

He groaned and muttered, "No."

"I am good at it," I assumed as I catch up to him and now walking beside him.

He rolled his eyes and I stopped him from walking as I blocked his way and I held my hand up.

I looked at him in the eyes with a smirk on my face. He raised his eyebrows at me.

"Watch me," I challenged as I pointed from my eyes to his.

There was a big rock beside us, good enough for me to stand on it. I quickly jumped on the rock while holding my imaginary microphone.

He stood there in front of me, a bit amused. But his face didn't show any emotions of happiness or feeling of annoyance or madness or what. It was just...a poker face.

But I didn't care.

I am giving him a free concert. He should be thankful for that!

He crossed his arms over his chest and I swallowed a lump in my throat before I started singing my heart out with my hands and other body gestures.

I smiled at him and started singing, "Nice to meet you, where you been? I could show you incredible thingsㅡ" I winked at him and he sighed heavily.

"Magic, madness, heaven, sinㅡ" I continued and pointed at him. "Saw you there and I thoughtㅡ" I fraudulently gasped as I place my hand on my lips. "Oh my gosh, look at that face. You look like my next mistake. Love's a game, wanna play?" I extended my hand for him and he shook his head in disdain.

I jumped down from the rock and walked towards him, pointing at his clothes. "New money, suit and tie, I can read you like a magazine."

I walked around him while I touched his shoulders. "Ain't it funny, rumors fly, and I know you heard about me. So hey, let's be friends. I'm dying to see how this one ends. Grab your passport and my hand."

Knowing that if I extend my hand to him, he will not receive it, so I grabbed his right hand instead and winked at him teasingly, "I can make the bad guys good for a weekend."

"Stop," he whined as I let go of his hand and continued singing.

"So it's gonna be forever! Or it's gonna go down in flames! You can tell me when it's over! If the high was worth the pain. Got a long list of ex-lovers."

I hugged myself singing, "They'll tell you I'm insane. 'Cause you know I love the players."

I pointed at him. "And you love the game!"

"'Cause we're young and we're reckless! We'll take this way too far. It'll leave you breathless, or with a nasty scar. Got a long list of ex-lovers, they'll tell you I'm insane."

I scooted back towards him and poked him on his chest but not too hard singing, "But I've got a blank space, baby. And I'll write your name." I clicked my tongue and winked at him at the same time.

He shook his head and groaned. He grabbed my hand and dragged me along with him.

"You should stop singing. You're making my ears bleed!" He complained.

"Hey, hey. Ow!" I cried at his tight grip on my wrist.

He stopped walking and turned to face me. I flashed him a kiddy smile and sang, "Blank space, baby. And I'll write yoㅡ"

He sighed and before I could finish my song, he carried me on his arms like a bride carried by a groom on their wedding day.

I was shocked and I squirmed away from his hold. "Put me down!" I demanded.

His grip on me tightened and he smirked. "No. I won't let you sing to me again. You're horrible."

"I won't sing, okay? So put me down!" I whined as I wiggled my legs.

"No," he deadpanned and I groaned.

"Xavier Walton, I suggest you put me down this instant!" I exclaimed yet he acted like as if he didn't hear anything.

"What was that, teacher?" He mockingly teased with his evil smirk plastered all over his face.

I growled. "Put. Me. Down!"

He chuckled. "Oh, you mean throw you down?"

I glared at him and shook my head saying, "You wouldn't dare."

As if he didn't hear my response, he said, "Okay, I can throw you down if that's what you like."

"Xavier, NO!" I exclaimed as he was about to throw me. I quickly laced my arms around his shoulders and tightly hugged him as I buried my face on the crook of his neck.

He stopped walking and my feet met the ground. My arms was still hugging his shoulders and I slowly look up to him. He was already staring at me.

"What?" I asked.

"You called me Xavier," he muttered with a soft look on his eyes.

"I-I did?"

He nodded, his eyes still boring into mine.

I quickly pulled myself away from him before anything like ㅡ kissing ㅡ would happen. Those eyes were scary. They compel you to kiss him. Never look at his eyes when you're inches away from each other. They're like of a vampire.

Oh, maybe he's a vampire.

Silly of you, Sarah. Of course, he's not. Duh.

We continued to walk in silence, me following him from behind like a quiet mouse.

Then suddenly he hummed.

He hummed!

Though I don't know what song he was humming.

I looked up to him with my brows furrowed but I didn't react. He continued to hum until we reached the gates of the school.

This guy is so weird.

The gates opened after he pressed something invisible on the wall.

"After you," he curtly said as he gestured for me to enter first.

I rolled my eyes but did so.

The gates closed as we both walked towards the dorm building in silence.

When we entered the dorm building, I was expecting to see Richard sitting at his desk but he wasn't there.

So I just walked past the lobby and towards the elevator. Xavier was just following me and entered the elevator too.

The elevator door closed and I pressed the button that takes me to my destined floor, Xavier did the same.

After a few seconds of silence, he spoke and broke the silence off.

"Whatever happened in the woods stays in the woods," he said sharply and bluntly. "It was nothing. Forget about everything. It never happened, alright?"

As if on cue, the elevator made a ding indicating that he just arrived at his floor. Before I could respond, he already got out from the elevator and the doors closed on me.

A pang of hurt hit me again for the second time today.

Do I really like him already to make me feel this way?

Yes, silly. You like him, my subconscious replied.

Am I allowed to like him?

Heart: Yes.

Mind: No.

Do I want to allow myself to like him?

Heart: Yes.

Mind: No.

Heart and mind! Could you just please stop contending against each other!

I sighed heavily as I got out from the elevator. I am so complicated.

"This is why you shouldn't fall for someone," I muttered to myself as I walk towards my room. You only get hurt if the person you like doesn't like you back.

So much for liking someone.

Erase, erase. Clear your head, Sarah. You do not like him. He's scary and dangerous and mean.

But he wasn't mean to you last night and today, my subconscious interjected.

I groaned as I threw myself to my bed. I pulled the handkerchief he gave me from my jean's pocket and stared at it for a moment.

"You smiled, and I fell in love." I said, talking to the handkerchief that has his initials sewed on it.

"It's too fast isn't it? But I think it's not yet love. Maybe I just like you." I muttered. "Like really like you."

I groaned and buried my face on my pillow and wriggled my body on the bed.

"Arrggh," I groaned again. "Noooo, Sarah. You can't like him. Nooo. You just can't."

I pulled myself up and I don't know where the courage came from but I finally decided.

"Yes, I can." I replied to myself.

Well, what the heck. Sarah Greene has a taste for freaking bad boys.

Ugh, stupid love at first smile.