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

Heck! Everybody was looking at me. I think I caught their attention when I banged my head moments 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 act of the year! I thought to myself sighing inside.

"Ehhh yeah, I'm fine. Sorry" I responded.

Do I sound like a sane person now? These people must think that I am crazy.

A moment later, the competition officially started. I seated myself properly and reached out for the computer's mouse.

'Hey beast, can you stay away from my mind for few hours? I need to focus!' I shooed away any thoughts of him from my mind and started working on my task.

Type.

Scroll.

Work.

Work.

After few hours of working, I finished my layout. I reviewed my work and felt satisfied with it. I checked the time on my wristwatch, it was already 11:30 am —almost time for lunch.

"Time is up!" A staff exclaimed after I bore myself doing nothing for few minutes. Finally!

The announcement was followed by series of sighs and ohhs from the other participants.

The moment we were allowed to exit the computer lab, everyone headed directly to the canteen. I just went with the flow since I was also dead hungry.

However, as I entered the canteen, I saw the beast eating with the other students. I walked out right away!

I can't stay there; I can't be where he is— that is not safe! I will never be safe when the beast is around.

I separated myself from the rest to go search for soda instead. I hoped there was a vending machine somewhere other than the one which was in the canteen. I thought having a boost from artificial sweeteners might make me more alert and prevent me from causing anymore trouble for myself.

My search for soda was a complete failure. However, I found a long bench just in front of the computer lab and sat there. I was tired so I figured I should lean against the wall and wait for the next session.

I felt an inner force that was pulling me to sleep. I guess I had exhausted my mind in the competition earlier, I needed a nap. I heaved a sigh, closed my eyes, and tried to sleep.

One sheep, two sheep, three sheep.

My mind started shaping a familiar figure. F*ck it was the beast silhouette!

Four sheep, five sheep, six sheep

"Excuse me beast can you stop running in my mind?' I'm a little exhausted you know. I still deserve some privacy in my own mind so, can you please go away?" I mumbled slowly with my eyes still closed.

Seven sheep, eight sheep.

◘--Flashback--◘

"Fourth. Whether you close or open your eyes, you will continually see his face"

◘------End------◘

I shivered when the scene of yesterday's discussion among the boys flashed in my mind. Well, half of it was happening right now since the beast seemed to be troubling my mind like an illegal settler who refused to go away.

Coach? Why did you have to set me up with the beast? Look what you and the boys did. You injected these silly thoughts in my mind that keeps popping up endlessly.

Nine sheep, ten sheep.

Here we go again. The beast was still on my mind looking like my knight in shining armor. How troublesome! Okay fine, I give up!

"Why are you so fucking handsome, Darryl Lemmuel Lagdameo" I mumbled again. Hell, my mind was so full of you and that handsome face of yours!

Unable to fall asleep, I slowly opened my eyes to find something to distract my thoughts.

However….

"Holy crap!" I yelled almost falling off the bench. I was shocked when I saw the beast's face in front of me. Did he just heard my words? How long had he been there? I groaned wondering if he had heard me.

"So, you know my first name?" Fuck! There—that answered my first question. I cursed myself a million times over.

"Everybody knows your name…."

"Then why do you call me Mister?"

"Because you are a coach? That's what we call being respectful. You know, like one calls an ELDERLY." I emphasized the last word.

"And this elderly looks so fucking handsome in your mind?"

"How long have you been here?" I tried to change the topic trying to hide my embarrassment. The atmosphere suddenly became so hot that I broke into sweats.

"Let me see, how long have I been running in your mind?"

"Why are you here anyway?" I attempted to change the topic once again as I rolled my eyes.

"I came here to check on you. You need to eat you know." He chastised me.

"I'm not hungry, so I'm not going to eat any food." I said without the slightest enthusiasm. My stomach began protesting over my unbending pride.

"So, you wanna eat me instead?" He smirked.

I froze at his last words not sure how to respond. Pervert!

He stood there staring at me with those damn hazel eyes and arms crossed, patiently waiting for me to answer. I swallowed a bit before I replied not wanting to say anything to provoke the beast.

"You don't say that to a sixteen-year-old"

"Okay….. Let's delay it till your eighteen then?" He said sarcastically. I blushed. Or so I think.

"May I remind you Mr. Lagdameo that you are my coach, and that under the code of ethics, you are supposed to be an archetype for good moral behavior." I stated heartily.

"So, you are acknowledging that I'm your coach now." He said in a tone which showed he wasn't asking but rather suggesting.

No, of course not! I yelled in my mind.

I decided to just nod. I was not really in the mood for further argument since I was partly responsible for poking the lion's den because of my silly mumbling.

Also, I was a little bit terrified by the beast now. Was he mad? Although his glaring eyes did look like he was mad, I wondered if he was trying to scare me. Seeing he chose to hold his anger for unknown reasons, I didn't bother asking. I was afraid that one wrong word of mine would make him explode.

We all know what happens when a beast explodes, right?

He grabbed my hand and dragged me forcefully to the canteen a minute after. Coach help! I'm afraid.

"What do you want to eat?" he asked as soon as we reached the counter.

"Nothing"

"NOTHING?" He said sharply. His beastly eyes were not so friendly as of this moment.

"Nothing, rather than a strawberry sandwich." I said changing my previous thought.

He then drag me out of the canteen and later out of the building. I began panicking as soon as we exited! Where is he taking me? Will I be a dead woman at the end of the day?

The beast. I think he is going to eat me alive now!

"Hey! Where are you taking me?" I attempted to escape from his grip, but he was just too strong. Well, what did I expect, he is a beast after all.

"It's hot here! The sun hurts!" I attempted to sway him once more.

He halted for a minute, hesitated a bit and looked at me from head to foot, then looked away after.

'Hey beast, can't you see I'm not a good menu for lunch?'. My thoughts were as crazy as the feelings that were running inside me now.

"Stay here" It was a command. Or a threat I think.

I suddenly realized that he dragged me to a tree beside the street. I wonder why?

"You want a strawberry sandwich, right? I'll get it for you. Just wait here, don't go walking around its hot." He said and hurriedly walked away.

What did he say? Why would he get me a strawberry sandwich outside? Was there no strawberry sandwich at the canteen?

I guess not, because if there was, it wouldn't have gone unnoticed under my watchful eyes and hidden from my sense of smell. Apart from my natural senses, I think I have another sense especially exclusive for sensing strawberries that made me hundred percent certain there was no strawberries in the canteen. Otherwise why would he forcefully drag me all the way out here in the scorching sun to get me a strawberry sandwich?

Even though I had said I wanted a strawberry sandwich on impulse, had I known the canteen had none, I would have said something else.

So, he took me outside to buy me a strawberry sandwich, hmm?

Whew! I started to feel guilty having him come all this way just for a strawberry sandwich.

I stared at the beast back as he rushed under the heat to get me a sandwich. His pale skin was shining with sweat. My eyes followed him until he was lost in the sea of vehicles driving along the busy streets.

I was lost in thought thinking about the beast and what he had just done for me. Smiling to myself I stood next to the tree and waited patiently.

"Look out!" I heard someone scream exactly from the direction where the beast went to.

Then the next thing I heard was an extremely loud thud followed by a deafening crash! Metals and sharp pieces of glasses flying everywhere!

Before I was even completely aware of what was happening, I noticed a lifeless body sprawled across the sidewalk with blood gushing out from different areas on the body.

I was transfixed for a second or two!

Is that the beast?