I looked for an empty seat beside a window. I sat all alone in the corner feeling sorry for myself. I hugged my sling bag and pouted in dismay.

Coach was so unfair. He left me all by myself. He chose those two gorillas over me. ​​

"What's with that face?"

"Holy cow!" A familiar voice startled me. The tears that were about to fall from my eyes find their trail back in, out of nervousness. Or should I say the tears dried up pretty quick after I realized he was beside me again.

He stood there and frowned over my uncongenial and frigid response. It appeared that he wanted to talk more but decided not to because of my obstinate hostility.

Well, it was his fault anyway. Why does he always appear so sudden most of the times? His unannounced presence frightened me. It was not that I was not aware that he was here— but I did think he would just ignore me all throughout, yet here he was trying to pry on me again!

I realized that I hadn't seen him when I hopped on the bus earlier. Perhaps he dropped by somewhere on the way. Obviously, he just came back, and his mood right now was not that pleasant— to say the least.

He decided to sit beside me a minute after.

"What do you think you are doing?" I asked exasperatedly.

"Sitting beside you." He responded in a nonchalant way.

"I don't want you to sit beside me."

"Then find another seat."

"But I sat here first!"

"Then shut up 'kay? Have you forgotten something?"

"What? "

"I'm your coach…" That statement sounded like a threat under his flaring beastly eyes. I swallowed in fright.

I turned my head to the window to elude from the beast eyes. I was cautious not to make any sound afraid that I might aggravate the beast.

"Good girl" That was the last word he said.

There was a vast ocean of silence between us after that. I sat there impatiently, looking at my watch every minute, waiting for the bus to drive off. Other participants started hoping in the bus one by one, but the bus was still half full after fifteen minutes.

The beast beside me had been quiet for a moment now. Suddenly, I heard him subtly breathing. Wait, was he snoring? I sluggishly turned my head and saw the beast sleeping.

His face was so calm and peaceful. He was snoring lightly, and it wasn't bothersome. It was kinda luscious and actually manly. He didn't sleep well last night, did he?

Admiring his sleeping face, I suddenly remembered the conversation between my teammates. Coach's words began ringing in my ear.

◘--Flashback--◘

"Second. You will feel an electrifying feeling whenever you touch that person!"

"You mean you will be electrified?I didn't know love can kill!" Ziggy thought for a moment.

"Silly child. I'm talking about a different electricity. It's something that you feel running through your veins"

◘------End------◘

Again, I was reminded by the boy's colloquy yesterday. I thought about it for a second and hesitated.

It's only a touch, a touch doesn't kill, right? Besides, the beast was sleeping so he would not know I took advantage of touching him. This also might be my only chance to give it a try without getting caught. Better execute it now than later regret not doing it, right?

I raised my pointer finger in the air and slowly yet cautiously reached out for the beast face.

Boink.

My finger landed and sank on his soft cheeks. Hmm, I didn't feel anything. See Xhem, you were not feeling anything! So, stopped worrying about it! You can't possibly be in love with this beast! I smiled confidently when I figured out that the second test failed.

Boink. Boink.

I tried it again twice to satisfy my curiosity. However, before I was able to withdraw my finger away from his face, the beast suddenly opened his eyes! He gave me a complicated look!

And….

Ksksksksksksksskskks!

I was so stunned at being caught. An electrifying feeling ran from his cheeks to my finger and traveled to the different parts of my body. My eyes grew wide out of shock!

I pulled out my finger in an instant. I began trembling and became all panicky. I had no idea how to explain what I was doing.

I felt it! I really felt it! Indeed, there was electricity!

"WAAAAH" I shouted while looking at my finger in front of me— like a kid whose fingers was cut open as a result of her silliness.

The bus was full of my screams; all the passengers came rushing to my seat when they heard me.

"Are you hurt Miss?"

"What happened?"

The beast was stunned, and he instinctively pulled my finger in front of him as soon as he recovered his senses. He scrutinized every inch of it to see if I had any open wounds.

"Don't touch me! Stay away!" I shouted in terror, afraid that his touch will bring more of those electrifying energy. I pulled my finger right away and hid it behind my back.

His face grimaced at my recent reaction. His eyes flashed so many expressions; but the only expression I caught on to was his confusion.

"Hey what's wrong?" He asked looking distinctly disappointed.

"Just stay away from me!" I shouted back at him.

He hesitated, looking shamefaced. After a minute, he rose and transferred to a different seat behind me.

The other passengers saw how I calmed down when the beast left; they withdrew from me whilst looking at the beast with suspicion.

They must have thought that the beast did something bad to me and that was the reason for my loud scream. In their eyes, the beast was guilty without doubt.

I closed my eyes helplessly feeling ashamed of the little commotion I caused. I successfully shooed away the beast this time. However, I felt bad for making him the culprit when he clearly wasn't. The other students mistakenly accused him of something he didn't do. But what can I do? I was too embarrassed to say anything so I decided to just let it be.

I leaned on the bus window and slept.

Thirty minutes after, one of the San Sebastian students tapped my shoulder to wake me up. I realized we had arrived at the venue.

I blended with the crowd of students following them inside the building. The organizers welcomed us and gave us a brief orientation.

I was silent the whole time and intentionally separated myself from the San Sebastian flock. Not because I dislike them, I just didn't know how to act in front of the beast after what happened.

I tried to avoid every possible interaction with the beast but my eyes would occasionally drift to where he was for about one second. In the corner of my eye, I noticed that his eyes were fixated on me—always. His stares followed my every move the entire time and that made me feel conscious.

When competitions were about to start, the contestants for the desktop publishing was instructed to enter the computer room.

I saw the beast talking to the contestant of San Sebastian High. There was a moue of dismay on my pretty face envious that I didn't have coach with me. I missed coach Gem and his nagging.

I turned and headed out to the computer lab. I was almost at the door when I heard his call.

" Xhemin"

'Oh please! What is it this time around?' I made a sarcastic remark in my head.

◘--Flashback--◘

" Third. If that person calls your name, your heart will jump!"

" Is it possible for a heart to jump?"

" Yeah I think! Okay coach this is noted"

◘------End------◘

The boy's conversation once again echoed in my ears hearing him call my name. Heck!

Dug-dug-dug-dug-dug.

Dug-dug-dug-dug-dug.

Dug-dug-dug-dug-dug.

Is this how a heart jumps?

I put my hand on my chest and inwardly cursed my beating heart. Stop beating, I'm losing my breath!

"Xhemin" He called again.

"....." I didn't respond, nor did I turn to face him. How was I supposed to answer when my heart was beating wildly?

'Stop calling name! Stop calling my name, will you?' I begged him in my mind to just leave me alone.

"Huh" I heard him sighed. "Good luck!"

I nodded and entered the door immediately. I closed the door and walk empty-headed inside. I walked like a zombie and seated myself at an empty computer table.

I intentionally banged my head in the table a couple of times in an attempt to wake myself up from my own daze.

Thud. Thud. THUD!

However, I think I overdid the last bang seeing that my head loudly hit the table.

"Ouch!" I complained to myself while caressing my aching head.

Now, my heart beat started to slow down. I guess I need to bang my head more often to stop feeling those weird things.

"Are you okay Miss?" I turned around to head the call.

Heck! Everybody was looking at me. I guess I caught their attention when I banged my head a moment ago. They were anticipating my response. I was still in a daze and didn't realize they were waiting for a reply.

Another awkward moment for me! Bravo! Looks like I'll go home with an Oscar for the most stupid acts of the year! I thought to myself sighing inside.