Chapter 25
- Rhea's POV –
I still wanted to cuddle with my pillow and kiss on the bed but here I am now, walking around the campus floating and out of my mind. While some students' eyes were looking at me. Apart from my hangover, my step-sister at home really added to it. There is no peace in this second life of mine.
I was in front of the classroom door and was about to open it when I heard a rustling sound. Scratch immediately grabbed my attention. It was a bit out of tune and its rasping was intermittent.
My eyes looked around for a few minutes before I found where it came from. My feet walked on their own to go to where it came from and it brought me in front of the stairs to the second floor.
I frowned when I saw Ceejay sitting on the stairs while strumming the guitar that he was holding. Don't tell me that what I'm hearing is from him? That's why the earache. He salvages the guitar.
"Don't you feel sorry for the guitar?" I looked sarcastically while crossing my arms.
He stopped strumming and looked at me with a frown, "I'm being careful to it."
"You're salvaging!" I scolded in a high tone, "Stop that and it might break."
"Sorry if I'm not as good as Four. I'm still practicing." He was annoyed that Jc's codename was emphasized.
Is he competing with him?
I released my annoyance with a sigh before I collapsed.
"What has entered your mind?" I said it sharply.
"Jealousy!" He scolded almost shouting, "Jealousy has taken over my brain so I'm learning to play the guitar even though I don't know how. So I will be the only one that will teach you."
His face was red and he frowned. I don't know if it's out of annoyance that he's holding back or if he's ashamed to admit it.
But it's too late. I can now play the guitar and Jc taught me. When I was alive..
I covered my mouth with my hand to cover my smiling mouth.. I was also thrilled..
"Oh? What's funny?" He almost laughs. His voice was trying hard to be tough even though he was about to laugh.
He noticed that I smiled so he was also infected.
I stooped down the stairs to get closer to him. I'm still smiling. And no matter what I do being a poker face, my lips really want to vibrate.
I could feel him watching me until I sat next to him. And I calmed myself down before facing him but I was still smiling. At least it doesn't look like it's fun anymore.
He blinked as he looked at me with a smile. Her cheeks are still slightly red and I'm having a butterflies in my intestines when I look at his beautiful smile.
"Alright then. Teach me." I spoke weakly and softly.
His mouth opened slightly but it seemed to hang and could not utter a word. I raised my eyebrows to signal him and his brain cells started working.
I didn't expect his eyes to drop to my skirt and he stared at it for a few minutes. My eyes also slowly dropped to my own clothes.
Shit! I forgot that I was wearing a dark blue pencil skirt that was knee-length and it went up halfway to my thigh, because I was sitting on the stairs. That's because our uniform is white polo.
I can feel my face heating up and I'll bet my cheeks are red.
Before I could think of anything to do, he quickly placed the guitar on my thigh. Then he looked in another direction as he caught his breath.
"W-Why are you wearing a uniform? Its S-Saturday today." I can feel him shaking. But he tries to be calm.
I pouted while frowning and looking at the guitar, "Can I wear a uniform only Monday to Friday?"
His eyes moved slightly and landed on me. I raised my gaze to meet his eyes but he immediately took it back.
"Today is NSTP. We're planting trees and then you're wearing that?" He said as if annoyed.
That's why the students were looking at me because I was the only one in uniform while they were in PE attire. My brain is really floating. I left it with Janica's house. All I got back was a my body.
I just hit my face.
This time, Ceejay really looked at me. And I see from the gap of my finger. He stood up and reached for my hand and pulled it.
I automatically turned my head towards him and our eyes met. His cheeks were still a little red and he pouted slightly.
"S-Stand up. And get dressed." He stuttered.
I frowned when I looked away from him, "I don't have anything."
"I have something extra so stand up now." He growled and gently pulled my hand.
After a while, I heard someone giggling, causing my heart to beat faster. And it really comes from the bottom.
I cautiously looked down and a chill came over me when I saw the male students looking at me and laughing.
Is there nothing more embarrassing than this? I was sweating cold and my hand was shaking slightly.
I just closed my eyes and pressed the guitar on my thigh. I don't know how to react.
A few seconds later, I heard footsteps take a position in front of me. Then he grabbed both of my shoulders and carefully pulled him to stand up. I, not knowing what to do, stood up on my own. And when I opened my eyes, Ceejay was in front of me. He wasn't looking at me but his pouting eyebrows met. It's like he has an emotion that he's trying to prevent from coming out.
"Next time, don't sit on the stairs when you're in uniform." It was a calm response. I can feel the concern in his voice.
I looked at his face and we both looked exactly the same.
I don't know but my chest slowly calmed down. The nervousness in my heart is slowly disappearing and I feel safe when he is around me.
We were still staring when he took the guitar from my hand and wrapped one of his hands around my waist. He seemed hesitant when he moved my waist closer to him and I stuck to his chest. Ceejay is a little taller than me. His height is like 5'6 and a half.
My feet took a step on their own when he started to walk and pull my waist, while bending down. Trying to avoid those looks from the students who were smiling and eyeing at us.
"Chin up. Are you ashamed that Ceejay Gonzaga is your boyfriend?" He whispered.
Where did he pick up that word?? He overthinks a lot. I kept biting the lower part of my lips.
I just don't want to lift my face because I know I look like a tomato with the red of my cheeks. Its embarrassing. I might be deaf to teasing.
I was still bent over when we got to the restroom. He removed his hand from my waist and handed me his bag.
"Get dressed. The bus will come soon." He ordered as he reached for the bag.
I carefully took it from his hand, with a bit of hesitation, "Does your clothes fit me?"
I kept my eyes from looking into his eyes.
"Rather than looking stupid." It was a weak answer and I could feel him staring at my face.
I couldn't help but look up at him and our eyes met. And when our eyes met, he immediately removed his gaze from me and looked in another direction.
I sighed and entered the lady's room. Oh right. My male classmates might even made fun of me when I go to tree planting in uniform.
When I entered, the students who were busy in front of the mirror immediately turned to me. Of course, my only crushmate was included.
I briefly glanced at them and even before I heard teasing, I immediately looked for a vacancy. But because this one was here, I couldn't survive it.
"Crushmate, are you floating?" She almost laughed at me as I passed behind her.
Before I entered the gap I saw, I turned to her with one eyebrow raised. I saw her fellow idiots giggling, and was also smiling.
"Because you are the only one in uniform this tree planting." She added, almost to laugh when I just stared at her with so much evil without saying a word.
Her companions laughed softly. And she was grinning like she was trying to stop herself from laughing. It's as if she's the one who messed up.
"Sorry, crushmate huh. I left my brain at Janica's house. And all I got back was my body." I answered sarcastically and turned my back on her.
I was about to enter when she came to me and grabbed my shoulder.
"Ceejay's there? Or did Jc steal it?" She whispered to me in a teasing tone.
Half of my blood boiled. Because her joke was not funny after what happened at Janica's house. Right now. I still have a hangover.
I moved my head to look at her very evil in the eyes but she had a grin on her face that obviously pissed me off.
"Don't add to my headache." I said weakly but emphatically, as if threatening.
She raised her eyebrows, "Do you still have a hangover? Ceejay's love for you is too much. Or Jc's tenderness is too much for you." Then she covered her mouth with her hand and giggled softly.
She seemed enjoying it.
My jaw tightened. And so that she wouldn't do it again, I turned my back on her and went inside. So that she can see that I am not affected by her teasing.
This woman. All she had is pure nonsense in her mind.
I locked the door before I put Ceejay's bag on the toilet seat. I took off my bag first and placed it next to his bag.
I opened his bag and revealed to me a white t-shirt and our PE jogging pants uniform. I first took the white t-shirt and waved it in the air before sticking it to my body.
It's not that big. It seems to fit me. Because Ceejay doesn't like clothes that are too big. Almost a t-shirt, semi-fit on his body.
I first put the t-shirt on top of his bag and took off my polo shirt. Then I folded it properly before putting it in my bag. Ironing is tiring. Then put on the t-shirt.
Next, I took the jogging pants from his bag. I wrapped its waist around my neck first and I was not suffocated or too loose. I first put it on top of her bag again then took off my skirt. I also folded it properly and put it in my bag. I put on my jogging pants and looked at my feet. It's actually a bit high as I expected. What I did was fold the end of the jogging pants a few times just so it wouldn't touch the ground.
When I was comfortable in what I was wearing, I closed his bag, then took it with my bag and went out. I didn't face the mirror anymore and I went straight out of the lady's room. I don't want to see myself as an Irishman because of my stupidity.
Ceejay was still standing in front of the lady's room looking in another direction when I got out.
It seems that he heard the footsteps of my feet because he turned in my direction to greet me with his thrilled smile.
"Let's go." I did some manners while handing her bag to him before putting mine on.
I couldn't look at him directly because he was staring at me. And he was busy checking me from head to toe like... I don't know..
He swallowed before taking the bag from my hand and putting it on one of his shoulders. He looked at me again and nodded before he again bent my waist closer to him.
My eyes widened slightly and before what he did sank into my brain, we were walking towards the exit of the campus. This time, I was smiling while the eyes of the students we were passing followed.
"So sweet!"
"I hope everyone is!"
They shouted while the others giggled. Ceejay turned to me with his mouth almost bursting with a huge smile. I winked at him as our eyes met.
Our bus was already parked outside the campus, when we arrived outside. There are some students inside and it's quite busy.
Ceejay separated from me before he went upstairs and found a place to sit inside. I immediately followed him.
And when I landed my foot on the steps of the bus, I was suddenly terrified and the hair on the back of my neck stood up. I was immediately stunned and felt as if I had turned to stone where I stood.
I immediately looked around. It's getting dark little by little and the sky that was clear before is little by little covered in black clouds. My heart beat so fast that I felt like it was going to explode at any moment, causing me to break into a cold sweat and my hands trembled. It's like my ears are going to be pierced by the very sharp and loud screeching that I hear from someone. But I couldn't see anyone except the darkness that enveloped me.
I covered my ears with my hands as the deafening screams continued. I bent down and closed my eyes but I opened them suddenly when I felt heat on my skin.
The bus I was supposed to be traveling in opened up in front of me and suddenly burst into flames right in front of me. My eyes almost fell out and my mouth was open. I rush inside in a panic, and I see nothing but the burning fire inside. None of the students were there. And I can't even see Ceejay or Almira.
My whole body was shaking with fear and I was sweating because of the extreme heat inside. I'm panicking because I don't really know what to do.
The fire is slowly getting closer to me as I take heavy deep breaths. My eyes slowly grew bigger until I blinked because someone lightly hit both of my cheeks.
I was shocked when Ceejay's face appeared before my eyes. He held both my cheeks and looked worried.
My eyes were still wide when I moved it to check the surroundings. All the bad looks from the students are on me. Others were surprised by the movement and reaction of my face. Even I couldn't believe what I saw, just now.
I looked back at Ceejay and swallowed. There was concern and wonder in his eyes. But the concern prevailed when he hugged me tightly. I feel that he wants to comfort me because he is stroking the back of my head. I didn't respond to his hug because I still couldn't believe it and didn't sink into my brain. But he hugged me tighter.
I became more nervous. What did I see again? Don't tell me that this day will be miserable again?? Won't the sensible day come when I can rest? Even just 5 minutes?