Once Humiliated, Now Wanted

Flustered

KILLIAN

This game with Esmeralda will turn out to be one of the most exciting ones I've ever involved myself in.

But I couldn't stop thinking of the fact that she has something special about her too.

Her eyes! Its shades are so beautiful that I could take a five-hour break to stare at them. Too bad she was one chubby little girl, I'd have made her my new favorite if she wasn't.

My mind flashed back to our encounter in the lobby. She seemed flustered, I guess this would be one easy game after all.

I strolled to the library and unintentionally sighted Esmeralda at one edge with Nela. I walked over and took my seat immediately without saying a word.

"Hey, why the hell are you doing here? Are you just being rude or clueless?" Esmeralda retorted the moment she saw it was me.

"About what?" I asked innocently and she rolled her eyes in frustration.

"That you shouldn't sit without taking permission?" She added almost in a yell but I simply shook my head.

"I guess I'm just rude, but I'll still be rude next time as long as it'll be related to you," I said silently and she shot me a glare.

"Hey! I think it's time for you to stop" Esmeralda stuttered, making me smile inwardly.

"Stop what?" I whispered and she looked away quickly as her cheek turned crimson red.

"Stop distracting me, summer test is just around the corner" she replied quickly without looking up.

I caught her pulling back her hair several times and I instinctively adjusted a strand behind her ear. She glanced at me and our eyes met, Again!

Our gazes held for a while until Nela cleared her throat funnily. "What?" I asked nonchalantly.

"Beats me, looks like someone here already has a crush" Nela replied and I glanced back at Esmeralda whose gaze was now fixed on her textbook.

"I know right?" I replied simply and my phone beeped in that instant.

I ended it and faced Esmeralda again.

"Won't you take that?" Esmeralda asked silently but I shook my head once.

"Not when I want to stare at you all day long" I replied and she choked immediately, coughing hard at the last statement.

Nela let out a laugh and I wasn't left out.

My phone beeped again and I stood up to leave reluctantly.

"Yes? What is it?" I said over the phone as I made my way out to the front door.

ESMERALDA

Crazy is an understatement for what just happened here!

"Babe, did you see that?" Nela whispered in excitement. "I told you he finds you special, didn't I?"

"I don't think that's the case, Nela, he's probably flirting around" I replied quickly and she smiled widely.

He doesn't just flirt with just any girl, babe. It's obvious he likes you and you do too, right?" Nela said and I coughed again.

"Nope, never. How can I like a nutjob like him?" I said silently as I chew on my crackers.

"You kept blushing with him around" Nela reminded and I blinked.

"That wasn't because he was there, Nela. I just felt tired from reading and I wanted to get some sleep" I quickly covered up with a fake yawn.

"Really?" Nela asked again with a pout.

"Yeah," I replied simply.

"Okay, if you insist then I guess I misunderstood," Nela said silently and I nodded once.

"I hope I'm right though" she mumbled inaudibly but I heard anyway.

"Hey, you want me to fall victim to his endless f*****g around?" I exclaimed and she laughed.

"Of course not. I just wish you'd flirt with him as it lasts?" Nela added honestly, making me sigh in confusion.

It sounds nice coming from Nela but I don't want to. I never planned on flirting and then getting hurt in the end.

"I'll leave in fifteen minutes, are you okay with that?" I announced and she shook her head. "I'm leaving very soon anyway. Perhaps we could leave together" she suggested.

"Yeah, let's do that" . . . .

"I'm home!" I announced as I walked into our little home. "Welcome back, Esmeralda" Grandma replied from the kitchen.

"Aren't you fifteen minutes late today?" Dylan said with a hint of sarcasm in his tone.

"I'm better than someone who knows nothing except playing games and getting into a series of fights" I retorted immediately and he shot me a glare.

"What... What? You want to pick a fight with me?" I said at the top of my voice.

"Looks like you're the one trying to pick one, though. Don't try it, you'll lose" Dylan said before leaving for his room.

"Hey!!! I'll kill you!" I yelled but he stuck out his tongue playfully.

"Don't be mean to your brother" Grandma murmured behind me.

"Are you on my side or his?" I asked with a scoff.

"His" she smiled as she walked back to the kitchen.

"Grandma!!!" I whined like a child, walking closely behind her.

"Go freshen up, Esmeralda" she replied without sparing me a glance.

"Okay grandma" I mumbled and went straight to my room.

I'd say my grandma is nothing compared to how she was when Mum and Dad were alive. She became more strict than ever but there was no doubt about how much she cares about us.

I shut my door behind me gently, a sigh escaping my lips as my gaze roamed my cozy room.

My phone chimed from my bag and I pulled it out to see who sent a message.

"DON'T BE LATE OUT TOMORROW, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT VERA WOULD DO TO ACCUSE YOU THIS TIME"

"Okay Nel, goodnight" I replied with a smiling sticker before heading to the bathroom.

Next Morning~~ LOCCI HIGH

"Hey babe" I muttered as soon as I sighted Nela at one corner, patiently waiting for someone.

"She was too busy with her phone and she barely heard me greet her.

I stood beside her for a minute before snatching her phone.

"Hey!!!" She almost yelled. It was so obvious that she was scared of losing it. "Sweetie, I can see clearly how close you are to losing your phone forever" I murmured and she gasped, buying my trick.

"Yeah, I smell disaster in some cases, Nel. Just like how I had known that Vera would try something crazy if I went out of the school" I replied silently.

Her eyes widened in fright and she had no choice but to tuck it back into her bag.

"I can't lose it right now" she mumbled silently and I nodded in affirmation.

I couldn't help but laugh at her naivety. She believes things easily. It's quite amazing how she still didn't have a boyfriend with her looks and everything.

"Nela, do you have a boyfriend?" I asked out of the blue, making her smile.

"No" she replied simply.

"Why don't you have one?" I asked again and she inhaled.

"Hmm… I don't know, I just haven't found the one" Nela replied quietly.

"Then would you tell me honestly what you think about Jace?" I whispered and she coughed, obviously choking on nothing.

"Well… why do you want to know, Esme?" She asked instead. "I just have the feeling that you have something for him" I replied bluntly and her hands flew towards my mouth immediately as she pulled me off to a corner.

"Hey!!! Are you crazy?" She asked immediately but I shook my head.

"You like him, don't you?" I whispered and she pulled away from me, her face turning all pink with blush.

"Why don't you just let him know?" I asked again but she sighed.

"He's not the type to settle with one girl, you know. He's just another version of Killian Maverick" she whispered back.

"You're hiding for this one reason, yet you want me to yield to Killian's approach?" I asked with a little hint of sarcasm.

"We have different cases, Esme. I like Jace and that's why I can't tell him how I feel or flirt with him. I'll get hurt in the end. But you have no feelings for Killian, do you?" She said lowly and I shook my head quickly.

"Of course not" I denied bluntly.

"The class is starting soon" we heard a girl say over her phone call and we rushed into the classroom.

"Morning, Mr. Marcus" the class greeted in unison.

"As much as I didn't want to admit it, I suddenly felt like Mr. Marcus was our homeroom teacher" I texted Nela. She picked up her phone after hearing it beep and I could see the smile on her face.

"He is" she replied simply and I almost choked on my saliva.

"The hell! I already got on the bad side of my homeroom teacher"

I tucked my phone back into my backpack and stole a glance at him but he caught me. I expected him to look away or perhaps shoot me a glare but he smiled at me.

"Holy moly, he just freaking smiled at me" I screamed within myself and my phone beeped again.

"Was I the only one that saw that smile?" Nela asked through a text and I replied with a laughing emoji.

"Nope, I saw it too! I think I was able to sort things out" I replied lastly before returning the phone into my backpack.

The class started immediately and I glanced beside me but I couldn't see Killian. He wasn't anywhere inside the classroom. Why do I care if he was in class or not? The question suddenly crossed my mind but I shrugged it off.

The class was already thirty minutes ahead when Killian finally came in. Nela made to get up but he stopped her from leaving her chair for him.

Instead, he lifted the empty chair in front of Nela and brought it exactly beside mine.

I blinked severally as I saw him adjust the chair even closer to mine. I glanced at him and our eyes met, Again.

My heart was practically pounding against my ribcage as I matched his gaze, my eyes trailing every inch of his face.