~•~

"Ann, who are you smiling at?" He asked, his gazed fixed on the direction I was before looking.

"Nothing." He looked at me skeptically. His brows furrowed, as if he was calculating all of my moves. I raised my brow at him, and he smiled. I blushed as he tucked the loose tendrils behind my ear.

What is he doing? In the corner of my eyes I saw Mia and the others stared at us searchingly.

"Come on, we'd better hurry up or we'll be late," he said as he wrapped his hand around my wrist and we walked to our first class.

"Lovely day, isn't it?" He stated.

I stared at him oddly. A warm smile never leaving his face.

"Are you on drugs, East?"

Easton laughed.

"No. Why?" He said, still chuckling.

"Nothing. It's just that... you seem a little weird." I admitted.

We walked into the room and took our seats. He sat beside me. Everyone was preoccupied doing their businesses. I took out my notebook and pen and set them on my desk.

"Is being happy a crime now?" Easton mused. He supported his elbow on the desk and rested his face on his palm, facing me.

"No. No. It's just that you are not you."

"You don't know who I am, Ann," and that made me shut up. It's as if someone slapped me in the face with a durian. But what can I do? Reality hurts. Who am I to tell him that the way he acts now isn't him? I'm just a transferee he knew in two weeks.

"Right," I said, smiling. "Um, it's a lovely day." I chuckled awkwardly. I turned away from him and focused on something else. I started scribbling random words and emoji on my notes until I begin to doodle.

I'm not very good at drawing. What I enjoy doing the most is playing instruments. Among all instruments, I think piano is my strongest suit. In my previous school, w e were taught that we should master at least one field of instrument. I'm not particularly skilled at this. Lucia... was more skilled at it. In fact, she excels at everything.

There my insecurities go again.

Suddenly I felt a warm hand enveloped my hand. "Hey."

"Ann?"

"What?"

"You doze off." Easton said and I shifted on my seat.

"Don't think of me too much." He smirked.

I rolled my eyes at him. "You wish."

"Oh please, you don't have to deny."

"I don't deny because there is nothing to deny."

"Now you're denying it." He pressed and poked me on the ribs.

"Know what? I'll keep denying it because I didn't!" I grumbled. Why does that line sounds familiar?

"What are you denying, Annathea?" he asks, his brows knit together, but a goofy grin appears on his lips.

I whipped my notes at his shoulder, but he didn't even flinch or budge; instead, he seemed amused, which added to my frustration. The class gave us a strange look. I pursed my lips and placed my notes back on the desk. Easton laughed.

"I'm not making sense anymore, am I?" I pouted.

"I'm just making fun of you." He said and ruffles my hair." I don't want to see you upset." He added, "About what I've said earlier–"

"East, it's fi -" fine.

"I am showing you my other self." He continued and ruffles my hair again. I swatted his hand away.

"Stop messing my hair!"

~•~

The bell rang, signaling that it's time for my favorite time– the lunch break. My stomach starts to grumble in protest because I wasn't able to grab breakfast this morning. Thanks for the precious phone. Yay!

This morning, I didn't see Ashton in the homeroom. Where had he gone? Was he okay? Was he with his girlfriend? Nate's shadow was nowhere to be seen in the classroom, probably they skipped class with his mates.

Why do you care about Ashton's whereabouts?

Yes! Why do I care? What's on me that he wasn't in homeroom? What's on me if he's in his girlfriend's arms right now? Why do I care?!

I shook my head. What am I thinking?

Gosh. Is this just me being hungry? Is it possible for hunger to have an effect on my mental health? My stomach grumbled once more, and the person next to me looked at me in incredulity.

Because the hallway was flooded with students, I exited the room and walked on the left side of the pathway, detouring to the exit door. I don't like being pressed against a throng of hustling bodies, and I'm also taking a shortcut.

When I opened the door, I heard hushed voices coming down the stairs. It appears that I am not the only one in a hurry.

My eyes outsized the moon for a split second when the owner of hush voices came into view.In this narrow exit stairwell, Victoria McWitch was kissing someone. I can't see the boy's face because his back is to me.

She and Ashton were so perfect for each other. They were labelled the school's "golden couple." If Victoria loves Ashton so much, why would she cheat on him? Will Ashton be furious if he discovers Victoria is cheating on him behind his back?

Again, why do I care? It's not my business. They are not my affairs to pry. So I turned and start my way back to give them privacy.

"Victoria-"

Wait. My ears perked up hearing the guy's voice.

"You don't love me anymore, do you?" Victoria asked.

"I'm tired of pretending." He said.

Pretending? What is he talking about? I went nearer and pressed my ear on the wall to hear them better.

"I know you no longer feel the same way like the way I feel for you. I know you don't feel any sparks between us anymore but..." I saw tears strayed on Victoria's cheeks. She bit her lower lips to keep her lips from trembling.

Victoria's head hung low, and she upheld herself with a fistful of his shirt. "But I care so much about you that I can't just give up."

He took Victoria's hand off his shirt and leaned against the wall. What a jerk! She needs you for support! I clasped my hand unto my mouth as I verified the side view of his features. Victoria leaned against the wall to support herself.

"Please say something. Please say you are not giving up." More tears falling down smudging her mascara over her cheeks.

"Please say you're not giving up on us." She pleaded, tone of desperation lacing her voice.

My heart clenched. I feel like I'm in a theater right now because of the heartsick breakup in front of me. I shouldn't see this. I must not have witness this because it felt so wrong. I feel bad of Victoria for seeing her so weak. She's far from the girl who's everyone looks up and envy of.

I may not know her but I got this feeling to console her and tell she can do better. I don't like seeing girls cry because I highly believe and support in girl power.

The best thing I can do now was to leave. Yet the curious side of me was so tough that I can't command my system to turn and walk away.

Victoria is still sobbing, but not like a river. Meanwhile, Ashton continues to keep his mouth shut. Is he truly the heartless jerk that everyone accuses him to be? Is it wrong for me to believe he has kindness in him? The Ashton I imagined was far from the man standing here right now. He comes across as cold and heartless. He has a stone heart for standing there and watching a girl cry in front of him. I felt a rush of rage rush through my veins. How could he bear seeing someone cry because of him?!

"Ashton... please... "She cupped his face and drew her face closer to kiss him.

My phone began to vibrate. Fumbling, I fished it out of my bag, and my book fell to the floor, making a flick sound. I immediately looked in their direction and breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that they were still intimate with each other. I never thought eavesdropping made you feel like a criminal; you have to be careful in everything you do to avoid being caught.

A missed call from Mia.

Disappointed, I decided to turn around and make my way back to the hall. I thought I could find a shortcut, but it only took longer to find the cafeteria.

I yelped in surprise when someone grabbed my wrist and pushed me against the wall. My instinct told me to scream, but when I looked at my kidnapper in the eyes, my words died in my throat.

'Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh.' I breathed. 'He just broke Victoria's heart and now my face.'

I firmly closed my eyes. I waited for the strike, but it never came. I slowly opened my eyes. His deep blue eyes appear menacing. I squirmed in my shoes as he stared at me. I have no idea what he was thinking, and I can't read his expression.

"You thought I'll hit you?" His deep voice resonates my ears. Is his voice really had to be that deep? It's kind of annoying because it adds to his sexiness.

What?!

What am I thinking? Hunger gives me malfunction in my mentality. That's for sure.

I cleared my throat and composed myself.

I looked behind him and shrugged. "Why not? You just broke her heart. You can't stop me thinking something incongruous actions from you." I give myself a pat on the back for uttering so neutral where in fact, I was shaking inside.

Ashton's jaw tightens. His hands balled into fist and my breath turned heavy. I tried to slip off from him but he blocked my way by placing his arms on the wall, cornering me.

"Didn't your mother teach you that eavesdropping is bad?"

"Didn't your mother teach you that making girls cry is bad?" I fired back.

His eyes turned into slit." How long were you eavesdropping?

I held my chin up and said, "Enough to tell that you hurt her." My solemn features morphed into hurt when I feel the pang on my wrist where he absentmindedly holding firm. He saw this and loosens his gripped but didn't let go of my wrist.

"You don't know everything." He seethed.

"I don't have to know everything. What I've seen and heard were enough."

I heard shuffling sounds at the bottom of the exit door and our eyes darted towards the direction. The door clicked open and Ashton swiftly pulled me to the right side so his back facing them and blocking me from their views. I heard soft murmurs of sorry from them and closed the door again.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

"I- I was looking for--"

"Are you looking for me? What do you want?" He smirked.

Aish. What a cocky jerk. Does he really think I was looking after him? Well, maybe. I was looking for him early in the morning to get my phone back but I have my phone now. I was actually surprised to found it in my locker this morning.

So, a small thanks for the effort, perhaps? The suggestion sounds so appealing but . . . it turns out that I was actually looking for him the whole time! Not wanting to add his oversized ego, instead of saying thank you and be grateful for the effort I said,

"I was just using a shortcut, okay? But . . . what were you saying awhile ago? Were you both pretending as a -"

"Stay out of trouble. Don't meddle on the things you don't care."

"I'm not meddling! I told you I was just using a shortcut!" I denied. "You know what, I don't care about your affairs with your girlfriend nor was prying."

'Why sounds so defensive, Annathea?' My mind taunted.

I'm not! What I've said is true. I'm not being nosy for everything happens here was pure coincident.

He looked at me with an unknown expression wrapped on his face. "What you've heard and seen here leaves here," he said lowly, letting go of me.

He turned and began walking back in the direction where I had last seen him and Victoria. Victoria was no longer visible, so I turned my back to the other side and began making my way back to the hall. This time, to the cafeteria.