Page Fourteen: Lingering Touches, Dawdling Thoughts

It was the first day of practice for the upcoming fashion walk for the kick-off party planned by the council and it’s the first time in my whole life that I’m dreading for the bell ringing signalling that regular classes were dismissed already. Normally, I would be the happiest person to hear the bell ringing but now it feels like I’m hearing my funeral bells.

‘Stupid Minho and his idiotic brain’ I thought to myself as a grinning face of my best friend popped inside my mind. I mumbled to myself, “I’ll seriously get back at him for putting me into this situation.”

“Get back at whom, Dar?”

I felt my spine shivered at the sound of his voice. I don’t have to turn around to know who just asked me since I only know one person in this world that called me by that nickname. Clutching the hem of my t-shirt, I asked. “Where’s Yoona?”

“At the field. Practice for cheerleading?” Seunghyun offered an answer and I can feel his eyes burning a hole in my back. It must frustrate him that I tried not to face him and avoid him at all cost. Talk about awkwardness.

“She got clutches. How would she practice?” I asked as I put back the things on my desk inside my bag and without sparing a look on Seunghyun.

“I don’t know. I told her to go home.” Seunghyun said with a no-care attitude. “Before you lecture me about it, you should know her by now on how stubborn and bratty she can get.”

“How could I miss?” I whispered and sighed. Finally, after my failed attempt to make him leave, I turned around and I almost choked with my own saliva at seeing him. My memory fresh from the wicked dream that I got of him. Biting my lower lip, I asked in stutters, “W-what are you doing here?”

“Picking you up.” Seunghyun answered and a victorious smile formed on his lips that made his eyes gleam with happiness.

“What am I? A child that needs someone to pick her up?” I asked and rolled my eyes, trying to avoid the intense stares he’s giving me.

“A child?” Seunghyun repeated what I said and added a slight hint of sarcasm. He let out a chuckle in his deep voice reverberating inside my ears as he added, “I can’t even see you as a friend. How much more a child?” Catching me in my unguarded moment, he grabbed my free arms and pulled me closer that made me gasp for air as he whispered for my ears only, “I can only see you as a woman, Dar. No matter how much you deny it.”

My cheeks burn and I knew how red my face is with his words. When I realize he won’t let my arm go, my eyes turned into slits and tried to free myself. But to my disappointment, he’s quite stronger than what I know of.

“Let go, Seunghyun.” I muttered under my breath, my eyes closed so that I can’t see his magnetising eyes that always burned me. When I didn’t hear any response from him, I called his name again in a sharper tone, “Seunghyun.”

“I love the way you say my name.” Seunghyun whispered out of nowhere that surprise me and then he lets go. “I’m just going to free your arms but…” He paused and he pushed my chin upwards to meet his eyes and added, “…but I won’t let you go, Dar.”

He grabbed my bag and swings it on his arms as he turned around.

“Come on, they’re waiting for us at the auditorium.” Seunghyun said as he started ahead of me and when he noticed that I’m not following him. He turned around so gracefully that I felt like he was some dashing actor in a movie. He said with a charming smile, “Come on, Dar. Don’t be such a slowpoke or else they would think we’ve gone off and skipped the practice to do other things.”

I blushed at his words that insinuate other definition. This guy really knew how to rattle me inside and even if I knew that, I can’t seem to avoid his attacks. Then I asked myself if I really wanted to avoid it from the start. I shook my head and scolded myself for even thinking of such things.

“Dar.” I heard Seunghyun called out my name again and a frown appeared in between his brows. It seems I worried him. “Come on.”

“Fine.” I grumbled as I followed him unwillingly.

I walked a little slower so that he can went ahead of me but it seems he knew my idea so he stopped on his tracks to wait for me to catch up with him.

“Slowpoke.” Seunghyun teased which made me blush again.

I blame my pale skin for making my embarrassment seen. Those red cheeks are visible in my pale skin and he knew it.

“Shut up.” I uttered and I felt all the eyes are on us.

I’m not that popular with the whole student body but my name seems to go around because of Yoona, Seunghyun and Hyunjoong. After all, I am the nobody closed to them. Someone who doesn’t go around socializing with a slight poker face. Oftentimes, I heard them label me as ice queen which made me think if it’s appropriate for me. Or they just didn’t put an effort into knowing me at all.

I knew that they’re very curious why am I with Seunghyun. Or why does Seunghyun wait for me and hold my things for me when he rarely does it for his own girlfriend?

If they just knew on how confuse I am as well then they may go easy on me. Walking side by side with him made me remember my older sister’s words to me.

“Stop thinking about what others think of you and think about your own happiness!” Bom’s indignant voice scolded her.

If only I can do that then would I be happy? Would my heart stop beating too fast whenever he’s around? Would the increasing chest pains that I have whenever I see Yoona and Seunghyun together disappear?

I closed my eyes and I caught him looking at me with content on his eyes and smile on his lips.

“Seeing you lost in your thoughts, I hope that you were thinking about me.” Seunghyun teased but I can feel the anxiousness on his tone as if he sincerely wanted to be inside my thoughts.

I was about to answer when I felt a pair of arms wrapped around me and Seunghyun’s eyes burned with anger… and is that jealousy in there? Or maybe not.

“Dara. What took you so long?” I heard the familiar childish tone of Hyunjoong.

I turned around and I felt Hyunjoong’s lips brushed into my right cheek as I heard Hyunjoong added, “I finally caught you.”

I swear I felt the intense tension between the two and I’m at lost on how to stop this kind of situation. The feeling of them wrestling it till one of them would fall down is hanging in the air and I knew I had to do something. Then Minho appeared like he was the answer to my prayer as he loudly exclaimed his presence.

“The gorgeous Minho Lee is now here so everyone gather up so we can start the practice now for one of the main events for the party!” Minho, an answer to my prayer, yelled and stealing the focus of the two guys.

I freed myself from Hyunjoong and I was about to walk away from the two of them when Seunghyun grabbed my arm and pulled me closer to him. Too close for my own comfort and I can feel the glares of Hyunjoong.

“You heard the man, we’ll have to practice.” Seunghyun uttered and I didn’t fail to notice the emphasis on the ‘we’ part that probably annoyed Hyunjoong. “So you stay here, Dar.”

“Ah, okay.” I just answered and apologetically looked at Hyunjoong. “I’ll see you later, Hyunjoong.”

Hyunjoong nodded at me and walked off leaving me with a furious looking Seunghyun who’s offering me a neat looking handkerchief.

“What’s this?” I asked.

“A handkerchief.” Seunghyun answered.

I gritted my teeth at his ridiculous answer and repeated my question, “What’s this for?”

“To wipe off that idiot’s saliva on you.” Seunghyun answered in a childish mock.

Finally, I let out a chuckle to his irritation and slapped his hand away.

“Flash news, Seunghyun. He didn’t me so I don’t need to wipe off his saliva.” I glared at him.

“But he kissed you in the cheeks.” Seunghyun uttered like a child who didn’t get what he wanted.

“And that’s a peck. A light brush of his lips on my cheeks. No tongues involve.” I said and rolled my eyes again at him. I can’t count on how many times did I roll my eyes at him. “Grow up, Seunghyun.”

“Oh, I’m definitely up. Somewhere.” Seunghyun kidded which earned another blush on my cheeks.

“Just shut up.” I mumbled and turned my back away from him. Then I heard him laugh again and I’m in a real deep knee trouble as I love the sound of his laugh. It sounded like a beautiful music in my ears.

And that just means big trouble coming in my way. Complications and a lot more but I didn’t do anything to stop it. Maybe at the back of mind, I wanted to be with him despite of everything. I just hate how this is going. Making myself contradict on some things and somehow it all involves him.

Always him.