Chasing over the Belief (Secondary Series #1)

11

Chapter 11

Countermoves

"Felix! Where the hell are you taking me?"

I complained as he keeps dragging me in the school corridor. Our schoolmates eyes are on eyes, whispering to one another. I'm sure a new issue will be up again by tomorrow about us.

"We'll hang out." he said, grinning at me.

Obviously! Because he wouldn't drag me out suddenly for no reason. I wasn't even able to say goodbye to my friends!

"I didn't say I'll hang out with you!" I hissed.

The six of us were just planning to hang out today and Felix just had to ruin it. I mean, the last time we're supposed to hang out Noah and I had an argument.

He didn't say anything and kept dragging me out of our school until we arrived in the parking lot. I saw a middle-aged man standing in front of a car looking at us. He bowed to me and Felix when we stood in front of him. Felix's hand is still holding my wrist tight, afraid that I'll run away once he lets go.

"Let's go to the mall kuya Luis." Felix went to the middle-aged man, whom I presume is his driver.

The man immediately walk to the driver's seat and start the car. Felix drag me to the back seat next to him.

"I didn't say that I'll go to the mall with you!" I complained.

Felix sigh and shook his head before telling his driver to drive already. My forehead is creased and my eyes are glaring at Felix as the car drives away.

"Don't worry. I'll bring you home at 8." Felix assured me.

I shook my head. Disagreeing to his statement.

"I wanna go home now Felix! My parents doesn't even know that I'll go out after class today!" I protest but he just smirked at me.

"Noah said he'll take care of it."

My eyes widened with the mention of Noah's name. What does Noah have anything to do with this?

"What do you mean?" I asked him.

He opened his phone before turning to me. My eyes are still in confusion as he showed me his phone where Noah's message is seen.

Noah Castro: I already told tita that she'll be with us for the rest of the afternoon.

Noah Castro: You better make sure she's safe or else, I'll hunt you down

My jaw dropped with this alliance. How come he and Noah are suddenly on good terms? Making me the only one on the bad side?

"Did you threaten Noah or what?!" I raised my voice making him twitch.

Thoughts are running through my mind. Noah and I just cleared things up between the two of us just a few hours ago. I can't even imagine that Noah will help Felix over this kind of gimmick.

"More like he threatened me." he scoffed in disbelief that turned into a smile a few seconds after.

I raised a brow at him. I wanted to say more but my complaints were no use now that I am already that in his car and being force to go to the mall without my consent. My eyes went down to his hand holding my wrist.

I cleared my throat. "Wrist."

He raised a brow at me before I pointed to his hand. His mouth opened a but before letting out a smile and letting go of my wrist. I held on my wrist that he was holding, massaging it. I must have created a huge fuss out that my wrist hurts with Felix holding it tight so I can't run.

"Sorry... I thought you don't want me to let go already." he said, smirking.

I rolled my eyes before looking at the view outside the window. I stayed silent on my seat until my phone rang.

"Hello?" I answered.

"You've got a lot of explaining to do tomorrow Felicity Amora." I heard Charlotte's nagging over the phone.

James and Noah's laughter were heard also with Emma nagging the boys for letting me leave.

"I didn't even know that I would be dragged away Char." I defended myself.

Felix raised a brow at me. Yes Felix, I'm being nagged because of what you've done.

"You should blame Noah for letting Felix do this!" I complained.

I heard loud voices on the other side of the call with a mixture of laughter before the call ended. I just stared at my phone curious with what happened to wherever they are right now.

"You're the one who dragged me but I get the nagging. How unfair." I complained, crossing my arm over my chest.

He laughed at what I said. I glared at him in return making him stop and clear his throat.

"I'll handle the explanation tomorrow so don't worry." he says.

The car entered the mall's parking lot. I was planning to run away once I hop off the car but Felix was too quick to hold my wrist and made me hop off to the door to his side after him. I frowned with what he did until his driver went down of the car also.

"You can go home for now kuya Luis. I'll message you once we'll go home already." Felix told his driver in which he returned with a nod before bowing at us as we passed by him.

I was feeling uncomfortable with his hand on my wrist again because the mall is a very public place and we are in high school. I don't want anyone to mistook us as a couple even though I don't know any of them. But just in case that we accidentally bump to someone I know, I don't want any complications already.

"Can you let my wrist go? I won't run." I said softly.

He eyed me first, hesitating whether he should let of or not. In the end, he did let go because he said that I might create a commotion which made me frown. He really has his ways to annoy me at some point.

"Where do you want to go?" he asks.

I roamed my eyes around the area of the mall we are in. Since I went to this mall for many times already, I wanna go somewhere and do something different.

"I don't know arcade? What do you have in mind?" I asked him back.

He eyed me from up to down making me smack his shoulder because of his action. He laughed, amused.

"How about let's go change? Let's buy something decent to wear. I don't think wearing our school uniform is proper clothing for our first date." he said.

I agree with him until I realize what he said when we were already making our way to the department store. D-date?!

"First date your ass Alcantara! I've been forcefully dragged here and for your information, THIS IS NOT A DATE!" I said emphasizing my last few words.

I look around us to see whether someone heard what I just said. Felix, on the other hand, was left chuckling.

"It might be not to you, but it is for me." he said before walking first inside the department store. I was left with my jar drop because of what he said.

I followed him inside and is ready to complain when I saw him standing still. He was staring at something when I stood next to him. I followed his eyes and saw him eyeing a middle-aged woman wearing a white button up blouse and a black slack with a black coat nicely hang on her arm beside her white bag. She was in the adult formal clothing section, checking each of the racks in there.

I look at Felix to see him owning a serious face before I look back at the woman once again. She is looking in our direction now with her eyes showing a mixture of emotion. Longing Sadness. Happiness.

"Hey-"

Felix suddenly dragged me out of the department store, making me shocked. He kept walking and walking until we arrived at the other side of the mall. He was breathing heavily with eyes that are dark now while looking down and jaw clenched.

I put my hand on his shoulder carefully, afraid that he'll suddenly push me away due to his reaction right now. I felt him calming down before looking at me. I don't even know what happened or even what provoked his anger.

"Are you okay?" I asked him softly.

He eyed me before giving me a smile and pat the top of my head.

"Let's just go to another store." he said.

I followed him after that. There is something inside me that keeps telling me that I shouldn't complain for now. Something was wrong and I don't want to push Felix to his limit. Despite that I don't really want to hang out with him, I just can't leave him alone after what I saw.

We entered a designer brand clothing line that offers both men and women clothings. He ran his hand over the racks of clothes to the guy section before telling me to go to the other side for the female section. I don't know but I find myself being so careful with my words, reaction, and action right now. Maybe I was too shocked with what I saw.

"You done choosing?" Felix appeared beside me with clothes hanging on his arm. I nod at him as he smiled.

The sales lady guides the two of the in a separate fitting room. I wore black jumper pants, inside it is a striped shirt. I walked out of the fitting room to see Felix dressed in a black simple t shirt with a graphic design and a black ripped pants.

"You don't like black too much." I commented.

I think I've seen him wear black most of the time.

"You don't like jumper clothes." he commented with a smirk.

I frowned. He paid for our clothes when I was changing which I complained about so bad. I was being patient because I don't want him to feel provoked with what happened earlier but I can't just let him pay for my things.

"I'll pay for the shoes!" I said before entering a shoe store.

I picked a white sneakers while Felix picked a black sneakers. I immediately took the sneakers from his hand and paid for it. He scoffed in disbelief with my action but he also laughed.

"Don't you dare run or else I'm dead to Noah." Felix said before I pushed him away from the door of the ladies restroom.

Since he was stubborn about pushing through wearing different clothes, I had to wear new clothes that are not washed yet. It's the first time I'll do this. So Felix better be good to me today.

I walked out of the restroom to see Felix standing a few meters away from the door of the ladies restroom. I tried to put a prank on him by walking straight and ignored him instead of going to him. I heard his calls as I rushed walking but his steps are so big that he still catches me by my elbow. He gave me a glare while I just laughed at him.

"Don't even try to do it again." he threatened.

"Don't even try to do it again..." I was mocked to pissed him off. I think I lied when I said that I'll be patient to him. "So what are we going to do now?"

"Thor: The Dark World is still on theater. Do you want to watch it?" Felix asks.

My eyes sparkled which made him amused. I almost forgot to watch it already because of how busy it got during our undas break.

"Let's go!" I exclaimed.

Due to my excitement, I was the one to even drag Felix to the cinema section. He just let me drag him and I can even hear him laugh. It was like my excitement was his pure happiness.

"I'll just buy our ticket." Felix stated as I stared in the monitor where the teaser of The Dark World is being shown. Chris Hemsworth is really handsome. I can just steal him and put him in my pocket.

Felix came back after a few minutes with our ticket in his hands. "You want to bring this monitor home?" he scoffed.

"I can watch Chris Hemsworth all day! He's so charming." I said, fangirling.

I heard Felix silent complaints that made me laugh. He even frowned that made me c***k so hard.

"What's wrong with you?" I said in between laughter. He rolled his eyes on me before glaring at the monitor.

"I'm more handsome than him," he said before walking away.

It's cute seeing him like this but I don't know why I'm having so fun teasing him.

"What time is the showing?" I asks.

"We still have 20 more minutes. What do you want to do first?" he said after looking at his watch.

"Let's do arcade for now."

We went to the arcade besides the cinema section. We stayed there for a few minutes before deciding to buy our snacks already. I followed Felix in the snacks bar as I roamed my eyes in the choices of snacks.

"How much is the ticket?" I asks, taking out my wallet. He took it from my hand before I can even open it.

I almost forgot that he bought the ticket with his own money because of that talk about Chris Hemsworth earlier.

"No need. I told you. This is a date." he said which earned him a smack. I steal my wallet from him.

"And I told you it isn't!" I bicker.

He scoffed with my continuous rejection over his view in this hang out. He dragged me here so it's not a date.

"I'll pay for the snacks." I said.

He didn't argue with me anymore because I wouldn't let him too. I bought popcorn, two bottled water, and two soda for the two of us. He immediately took our snacks from my hand before handing me the ticket.

We entered the cinema bickering a little about him pushing through that this is a date. I realized that there's only a few people inside when the show started. Maybe it's because many already watched it during the 1st week of its release.

"He looks really good in that long hair." I commented.

"He looks like a guy with a yellow colored seaweed at the end of his hair." he commented.

I glared at him for his comment. He was just looking at the big screen in front of us. His long eyelashes fluttered and his nose looks so tall on this side. There's only a few lights to show his face but its already enough to see how attractive he really is. No wonder he flirts with others. His lips suddenly rose a little.

"Had fun staring at me?" he asks before he looks at me in which I avoid and look in front.

"I'm not." I commented as he scoffed.

"You don't need to secretly stare at me..." he said. I felt him inch closer to me until I could feel his breath already. "Because I'm willing to let you stare at it whenever you want to."

I look at his side which is the right choice because he is just an inch away from me. One move and everything will go wrong. His eyes roam around my face. He examined my facial features until it went down to my lips. My mouth opened a bit when he stared at it with an unexplainable emotion in his eyes.

A loud thud from the movie was heard around the whole cinema making me twitch and got the opportunity to put a distance from the two of us. I almost sat on the vacant seat next to me just to stay away from him. I suddenly felt hot and my breath is almost as heavy as a big rock.

"Calm down. I won't do anything to you except make your heart flutter." He said straightforwardly.

I look at him to see him staring at the big screen again already. He has a smile on his lips as if he is satisfied over something.

The movie goes on with me already distracted. I didn't even realize that it already ended. The lights just suddenly light up bringing me back to my senses.

"Let's go eat!" Felix suggested as I nod.

I followed him enter a buffalo wings restaurant. We took a seat on a couch before a waiter walked to us and took our orders.

"How was the movie?" Felix asks when the waiter left.

"It was great." I commented.

It was the only thing I could say because I wasn't able to watch it properly. He just had to be a big distraction.

He was checking his phone when I suddenly remembered what happened in the department store earlier. I was about to ask him about it when his phone rang.

"Hello? Dad?" he said. I just took out my phone also to not disturb him.

"I'm out but I'll be home after an hour I think." he said.

He was silent at the moment so I raised my look at him. His expression changes to almost an angry one. "I saw her." he said.

He told her so he must be talking about that woman in the department store. I tried to avoid eavesdropping but I can't help especially that he's just in front of me. He doesn't mind it at all too anyway.

It was obvious in him that he was trying to control himself but he was close to losing his control. "As if she needs one from me."

I want to tell him to calm down but he was too occupied with his emotion that almost a visible smoke in his ears is coming out already. "Yeah. Okay."

He ended the call after closing his eyes to help him calm himself down I think. I don't know what's the issue with that woman but based on his reaction, it wasn't a really good one.

"Sorry. Its my dad." he said when he finally calmed down as I shook my head.

"No. It's okay." I said.

I was avoiding his eyes because I'm afraid that I'll ask about that woman suddenly. I don't want to force him to tell me about it because it's his personal issue but seeing him that angry is the first time in my eyes since I met him. He was always that one to c***k up jokes just like Noah and James. He's always a happy go lucky one rather than an emotional boy who hates everything. People really do have their own way of coping up with their own problems.

"You're curious about that woman earlier, aren't you?" he suddenly asks.

Was curiosity that obvious in my face?

"If you don't want to tell, it's okay. It's not my issue to deal with anyway." I said.

Our food arrived after that. The waiter silently left once he placed the food on the table already.

"The woman is the one who almost ruined my life. That's that." he said unknowingly.

I don't know how to respond except nodding. I don't want to be curious about him and his whereabouts.

We ate silently with the only sound between the two of us is our mouth chewing the food and also the people inside the restaurant.

"By the way, what did you and Noah talk about earlier?" I curiously asked him.

He raised a brow. "You."

He was obviously trying to avoid my gaze at him after saying that. There is a hidden meaning behind it. I just knew there is.

"What about me?" I asked.

He puts down his utensils and looks from afar. He made a sound like he was thinking of an answer for my questions. Was my question that hard to answer?

"It's a conversation between me and Noah. You're not him so I'll keep my mouth shut," he answered. "One thing for sure is that you both are so selfless that I just wanna try to provoke it."

I almost threw my fork at him when he said that. Whatever that talk is, I'll make sure to know about it. The fact that Felix had Noah send my parents a message that I will be with them when in fact I'm in the mall with Felix right now just clearly shows that these two did have a serious conversation.

We finished our food and I complained once again when Felix puts down his card when the waiter gave us the bill. He was too quick that I wasn't able to steal it from him. I keep telling him that I will pay him for mine but he just won't let me. We roam around the mall more after that and I even bought a new video game console for Christian because he's been asking our parents to buy him one. Since I'm already at the mall, I'll just buy it already and give it to him as a gift or what.

Felix's driver arrived shortly and we were stuck in a traffic which explains why we arrived at my house after an hour since we left the mall.

"Thanks for today Felix. Even though you dragged me, I still had some fun." I told him softly with a sincere smile.

We are standing in front of our gate with both of Felix's hands placed inside his pocket.

"I can drag you all the time if you want. I don't mind it at all." he said, smirking.

I rolled my eyes with what he said but let out a chuckle afterwards.

"You should leave now." I said as he nodded.

I gave him a smile for the last time as he looked at me only. I walked to our gate entering it when he suddenly called my name.

"Thanks for today Felicity," he said. "I hope that I manage to replace the guilt you have earlier with happiness. Goodnight Amora."

He hopped in his car, in the passenger seat, before his driver drove away our eyes. I watched as his car drove away with a smile on my face. Its heart melting that despite my continuous complaints about him dragging me, his intention is still pure.

I entered our house with my mom sitting on the couch while Christian was beside her. They were watching on the ipad and the view just made me feel relieved for no reason. I greeted the two of them before handing Christian the game console I bought him. He was cheering in happiness when he took it out of the paper bag.

"You bought new clothes?," mom lowered her eyes to my shoes. "And sneakers? Aren't you supposed to be in your uniform?"

"W-we stopped by the mall to buy some clothes mom. The girls want to change so I have no choice." I lied. I usually feel so guilty everytime I try to lie but this time is different and I don't know why.

I excused myself to go upstairs already to sleep. The next few days continues with our regular class already. Everything is back to its normal state. Noah is joking around again as if nothing really happened. He wasn't joking when he said that my happiness matters to him because he always try to make laugh every single day. Felix is no difference. He keeps pestering me and have been buying my lunch and snacks even I didn't asked him to.

Surprisingly, him and Noah along with James are all on good terms which is really suspicious. They will always drag Felix with them whenever they go. Charlotte even questioned them about it but they only said that Felix is their newly added friend. Weird.

I was busy checking documents and presentations on my laptop when the maid suddenly knocked on my door. She said that I have a visitor waiting downstairs.

"Ate, you really are old already. I didn't know you're into it now." Christian said when I was on my way downstairs.

I look at him with my forehead creased. He has a grin over his face which confuses me more. I continued going downstairs with Christian behind me. My eyes widened when I saw Felix sitting on the couch while talking with my mom. I freaked out and immediately ran to the living room with my mom even shouting that I might slip.

"What are you doing here?" I immediately asked Felix.

"I'm here to court you Feli."

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Kuya - a Filipino term for an older brother or a guy who is older.