“Is the new student your girl, Jiro?” Picaro, one of the Black Dragons, asked.

“No”, he replied with disinterest while looking out of the window. The Black Dragons were hanging out in their turf and everyone is curious as to who Dara is. Unfortunately, Jiro is not the type to talk. Picaro is still eyeing him curiously when the door opened, revealing one of their gang members, named Bonsai, who is now sporting a Mohawk hairstyle. Everyone knew it’s for added height but nobody dared to comment; knowing how touchy Bonsai is when it comes to that topic.

“Did you guys see our new class schedule for this semester? We still have two vacant hours until our next class. Should we go somewhere?” Bonsai asked. Everyone cheered in agreement and headed towards the door.

“Where are you going?” Picaro asked when Jiro suddenly turned upon reaching the door and started walking on the other direction.

“Class”, he replied simply.

Bonsai furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and glanced at Picaro. “But we don’t have class until-”

“I changed my schedule”, Jiro swung his bag over his shoulders and continued walking, not offering an explanation to his gang who are left dumbfounded on their spot.

***

Dara’s POV

Being stared at amidst the students’ murmurs became an everyday occurrence for me in InterSAT. It is quite obvious they are talking about me again because Jiro turned into a super monster the other day and beat the crap out of the guy named Hawk. *Sigh* I honestly don’t want to be part of this madness but it looks like my association with Jiro has already catapulted me to the kind of fame that I have never dreamed of.

While Namee and I were walking towards our next class, we came across Arden Lee, or Bullet, whatever. He was looking at me while smirking creepily, as though he can see through me. I immediately averted my gaze and pretended to talk to Namee. I don’t like looking at Bullet’s eyes. It makes me feel like he can see my vagina. Fortunately, he’s not in our class today.

“Is Ice Lord going to walk you home again?” Namee asked, her cheeks pushing up as she smiled at me teasingly.

“Namee…” I said in warning tone. Her campaign to get me and Jiro together boggles my mind. I have told her a million times that we’re not in any way romantically linked but she always dismisses my arguments. “I told you, Jiro and I are not-”

“I still can’t forget the way he rescued you, Dara! He was so cool! And…”

Oh my gosh. She’s not stopping, is she? I groaned and slumped my shoulders in defeat as Namee continued to move her mouth and spout some more nonsense. I have already mastered the ancient art of turning off her voice in my mind so I can continue to live in peace. I was just thinking how I could go on with my student life in ‘peace’ when a body was hurled in front of me. I screamed in fright and took a few steps back as the brawl turned into a massive gang fight.

“Come on, let’s hurry”, Namee said, dragging me away from there. I looked back at the chaos with furrowed eyebrows. ‘Peace’ does not seem to be a word that should ever be used when one is in InterSAT. I clicked my tongue and let myself be dragged by Namee as my mind wandered elsewhere. If Jiro isn’t here in this school, my dead body would already be in a gutter somewhere.

A normal student life seems to be a faraway dream. The mere thought of it is quite depressing.

***

Dara sighed once again and rested her head on her folded arms. She firmly closed her eyes as they waited for the professor to arrive. Namee is seated on her right side, talking nonstop with their classmates.

The steady noise inside the classroom somehow eases her mind. Truthfully, she has pondered about transferring to the university located in the city but for some reason, it doesn’t sit well with her.

“Hey, Dara! Dara!” Namee urgently called out but she chose to ignore it. The classroom became unusually quiet and she can feel the heavy stares of the students directed to her so Dara straightened out and roamed her eyes, curious as to what the fuss is about. She shrieked in surprise when someone from behind her tilted her chair backwards, causing her to recline on her seat. Her vision was upside down and she was welcomed by the sight of Jiro.

“Are you sick?” he asked while frowning. He then placed his hand on her forehead to feel her temperature. Still stunned, Dara wasn’t able to reply.

“She’s fine. There was a gang fight on our way here and perhaps she’s just a bit disoriented since Dara is still not used to it”, Namee explained. Trust Namee to do the talking.

Jiro’s eyebrows furrowed some more as he inspected her face. “Are you hurt?” he asked in alarm.

“No, I’m not. Jiro, this is making me dizzy”, Dara finally replied. Jiro carefully pushed her chair in its normal position and stood up. “Which gangs were fighting?” he asked in a dangerous tone.

Namee was about to answer but Dara cut her off. She knew that Jiro is going to do something again and she doesn’t want that to happen.

“I’m fine. Please sit down. The other students are already looking at us”, Dara pleaded. Jiro stared at her silently before finally going back to his chair behind her.

“Change your speed dial. Put my number as the first one and call me when something happens again”, Jiro instructed. Dara turned around on her seat and rested her arm on the chair’s headrest. “You’re already in my speed dial, remember?” she answered and smiled at him.

Jiro’s face remained impassive as he reached out for her forehead once again to feel her temperature. “Are you sure you’re not sick? You look tired”, he said.

Murmurs filled the room once again as everybody watched the two. It’s quite a spectacle to see the Ice Lord behaving that way towards a girl. He doesn’t normally speak with anyone except his gang members. And what’s more, she knew Jiro Montecillo’s cellphone number!

“I can’t sleep well recently”, Dara mumbled. “I had nightmares again.”

Jiro eyed her thoughtfully before replying. “I’ll drop by your house tonight”, he said, making their classmates gasp in shock. What?

***

Dara’s POV

“HE LIKES YOU!” Namee exclaimed. God, if I hear that again one more time, I might punch her!

“He even changed his class schedule to be with you!” she continued. “And he said he’s visiting you tonight!”

“Namee, he’s been a constant visitor in my house even when my dad is still alive. We don’t even talk much whenever he drops by.”

Namee sighed dramatically and sat beside me on the grass. We were spending our vacant hour at the university garden, away from the other students who are hunting me to get Jiro’s number.

“Gosh, what the hell is up with you and Jiro?” she asked. “I really don’t understand what’s going on between you two.”

“Nothing.”

“It’s not just nothing, Dara. Have you asked Jiro what he really feels for you? Is this really just about his promise to your father?”

I stared at nothing in particular and recalled the day of my father’s accident. He was an engineer and while working in a construction site, the steel bars fell and my father was not able to quickly move away because his foot got stuck. At the funeral, Jiro was the one who took care of everything. He was also the one who was always beside me when I began having nightmares after my father’s death.

“Dara?” Namee called out, pulling me out of my trance.

“He was always there for me. Despite everything, he remained distant. I still don’t know him at all”, I said, more to myself.

“Well, it’s time to know him a bit better”, Namee cocked her eyebrows at me while smiling mischievously.

***

Just like before, Dara found Jiro sitting at the balcony outside of her room. He must’ve climbed on the tree again to get there.

“Hey”, she greeted. Jiro just looked at her blankly and nodded. Usually, Dara would leave him alone but remembering Namee’s advice, she opted to stay and tried to engage him in a conversation. As expected, all she got from him are vague and one-liner responses. It’s becoming more of a monologue than a decent conversation between two normally functioning human beings.

“I was thinking a while ago if I should just transfer at the university in the city. I know it’s quite far but-”

“Just stay in InterSAT”, Jiro suddenly interjected. He then faced her with a serious expression on his face. “Don’t worry about the gangs, I’ll protect you.”

There it is. The magic word once again which Dara is already tired of hearing.

“Jiro, why are you always protecting me? I know you made a promise to my father but you really don’t have to do it.”

“I owe my life to your father, Ramirez”, Jiro said. “I was ready to take my life years ago when he found me. He became my guide and helped me out to survive.”

“But I don’t want you to be tied to a promise.”

Silence stretched between them as Jiro stared at her with deep penetrating eyes, making her conscious. “I want to”, he said after a while. “I have nothing to protect anyway.”

***

Dara’s POV

I looked at myself in the mirror as I prepared for school, my mind drifting back to last night’s conversation with Jiro. It makes my heart heavy, to be quite honest. Perhaps because I wanted him to see me as his friend, instead of a responsibility. I shook my head somberly and decided to just leave early.

I was already heading out when I noticed something at the kitchen. There was a brown bag on top of the dining table and it certainly wasn’t there last night. I retraced my steps and went to the table. When I opened the brown bag, a smile broke on my lips when I saw a packed lunch. Only one person could have prepared this and left this here. Oddly, it makes me extremely happy.

I immediately bolted out of the house and headed towards the university, feeling excited to see him and thank him personally. I was already in school when I realized that I forgot my phone at my bedside table and since I didn’t know his schedule, I just roamed aimlessly at the university hallway, feeling utterly stupid.

I was about to give up and proceed to my classroom when I remembered Namee showing me the Black Dragon’s turf. Without thinking twice, I began heading on that direction.

“Is she really Ice Lord’s girlfriend?”

“I doubt it. I mean look at her.”

“But he’s always protecting that new student.”

“She’s not his girlfriend. I heard Jiro Montecillo said it before.”

I can only roll my eyes when I heard what they were saying. Yes, I’m not his girlfriend. Jeez, these people. Can’t they find another topic to talk about? Global warming, economic decline, the new pizza joint at the next block? Anything.

I hastened my pace and decided to ignore the gossipmongers. I was about to reach the corner when the students loitering at the hallway parted and a group of tough-looking guys appeared. I immediately pressed myself against the wall and tried to be invisible. They were about to walk past me when I finally noticed that Jiro was among them, walking in front with his hands shoved inside his pockets and his eyes directed forward. I wanted to call him but decided against it. He looks intimidating and imposing especially when he’s with his gang.

I glued my eyes on the floor and waited for them to walk past me. When I heard another round of murmurs from the students, I tilted my head and peered at them, only to find out that they were all staring at me. Gah!

“Ramirez?” I jerked back in surprise when I heard Jiro’s voice. I lifted my gaze and saw him standing in front of me with furrowed eyebrows. “What are you doing here?”

“Huh? Uh…” I looked past him and noticed that his gang members are nudging each other while smirking. It’s a bit hard to talk when everyone’s staring at us like we’re going to perform a miracle.

I cupped my hands and just whispered at him. “Thank you for the packed lunch”, I said.

“What?” he asked and leaned down while tilting his head.

I cupped my hands again and whispered near his ear. “I said, thank you for the packed lunch.”

“Oh that”, he said flatly.

“Did you prepare it last night?”

“No, this morning”, he replied and did not further elaborate. I knew he stayed with me so he can wake me up if I’m having nightmares again. My heart swelled as I stared at his stoic face that hides how caring he can be. “Not sure if it’ll taste good, though”, he added.

“I’m sure it will”, I whispered and before I could stop myself, I tiptoed and kissed him on the cheek. There was a collective gasp and sharp intakes of breath all around us before everything forcibly registered on my brain. I covered my mouth in shock and darted my eyes around.

Oh no.

OH NOOOO!!! WHAT HAVE I DONE?!

“I… uh.. Thanks, bye”, I stuttered, BECAUSE I’M STUPID AND I DESERVE TO DIE! ARGGGHHH!!

I spun on my heels and walked away, wanting to get as far away from him as possible. All the students were gawking at me and I can still hear his gang members whistling and cheering.

“Ramirez”, Jiro called out. I abruptly stopped on my tracks and glanced back at him.

“Your classroom is this way”, he said calmly and pointed at the other direction.

Damn it. Damn it. Damn it.

Writer's Note:

Okay, only up to here! Kyahhhh!! *rocking left and right* Thank you for reading my 'teenage romance'(?) fic. I know you're disappointed because I used original character names but I really want to try it ^_^

^_^ huntress (my twitter @huntress2021 )