《Traversing through time to find you》 Chapter 1: going back in time "If you were given a chance to go back in time, would you take it? When and where would you go?" This was the question they asked during our high school reunion and it got me pondering. Would I take it? Maybe, probably, should I? Although I had some ups and downs, my life now was almost perfect. I''m married to a good man, lived in a house big enough to be considered a mansion, had servants, and a booming career. If one were to look at it from that point of view, I was by all standards successful. So, to ask for more, many people might say that I was an ingrate. However, as a human being, I still think of the what ifs. Perhaps one would understand me more if I were to give a rough outline of what my life was before this point. I, Michelle Lui, was born with a diamond spoon. My family was part of the social class which many people could only dream of. Rich and affluent, I was able to live the life just like that of a princess. Yet, due to some unforeseen circumstances, we were pushed down from the top of the social strata. Again, it was not due to some evil plot like what most people would imagine given the influence from television shows and novels. There was no one to blame for the fall from grace. Anyway, I took it all in strides and learned from there. I worked my way up, and here I am. I''m not saying that my life isn''t good now. It is, and I know I wouldn''t be here without that happening. Still, a part of me wished that I could go back in time. Reexperience my life before that event, do a lot of things I never got to do. -- As I drove my brand new BMW home, I looked up at the 3-storey house my husband and I had built. Could I give all of this up for a second chance at what? I read all about the butterfly effect and knew that if I go back in time, I have no guarantee that I will still have everything that I have now. I laughed at myself. Why am I even thinking of that? That kind of magic can only ever happen in novels and movies. Anyway, I climbed up the stairs and went inside our room. I saw my husband on the bed, sitting while typing on his laptop. He was still working this late at night. "you just got back?" he asked as he looked up. He was wearing his glasses while in his pajamas. He really looked comical that way. "Yes, why are you still up? Can''t that wait till you get back at work?" I told him. It was annoying that although we were successful in both of our careers, we rarely get the time to bond. It was either he was too busy, or I was too busy at work. He took off his eyeglasses as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I wish. How was your class reunion?" "Same old. They were asking why you didn''t come with me. By the way, I still feel sour about that. What if they start thinking that you''re having an affair?" I said as I moved to change my clothes. He chuckled as he stood up from the bed and moved to hug me from behind. "I would have loved to, but you know how busy I am these days. I''m hoping to get promoted as Senior Vice President by next month, then you won''t have to work anymore and enjoy your dream as a semi-retired housewife." I laughed, "You know earlier, they asked the question ''if given the chance to go back in time would you take it?'' and it got me thinking¡­ If I can go back, then I will go back to purchase a lot of bitcoin, then we will never have to go to work again. How about you? What will you do if given the chance?" "Though I think that your plan sounded brilliant, I doubt that you will just do that." "Why? By the way you did not answer my question yet." "Because I bet you will only go date a lot of other boys before me!" I turned to face him and slapped his chest in mock anger. "how could you say that?" He laughed as he kissed my lips. "What? Not true? Anyway, me, I don''t want to go back in time. I''m quite happy where I''m at now. Also, just thinking of all those grueling days I spent¡­ ah, I don''t even want to relive them." "Hmpft! I don''t know what grueling days you''re talking about, as I recall, you were just busy dating Lara when we were in college." Actually, I myself am not so sure what he did back then. He never liked to talk about it. I only figured that he dated Lara because of a picture I found in his old wallet. We never did discuss much about his college days, in fact, he never did share much about his life before we met. I did accept him though. I knew that some stories were hard to talk about. Just like the way I never saw the point of telling him what my family once was. Anyway, I just wanted him to say that he''ll date me from the very start instead. Until now, I still feel jealous just thinking that he loved her first. "If I haven''t been in that relationship before dating you, perhaps you would not like me at all. You''re the one who benefitted from that. I was quite the stoic iceberg who felt that the world revolved around him at that time." "Fine. Anyway, let me take a shower first. You go back to bed." "You sure you don''t want me to join you?" I laughed at his innuendo but shook my head. "Later." -- When I came out from the bathroom, he was already sleeping. I shook my head as I closed the lights. Three years into the marriage and we have come to this. At first, our marriage was like a fairy tale, and I thought it would be a happily ever after. But reality was not that kind. Our marriage has been filled with moments of ardent passion, then there were times that it just felt so dull. Was it just me or do all married couples become like this in the long run? Don''t get me wrong though. I still love him so. It''s just that, there were times that I don''t understand him. Perhaps it''s because he couldn''t tell me about his experiences before we met and I just dont know about a part of his life which still sometimes bother him. Anyway, whatever it may be, he will tell me in his own time. I took my side of the bed and fell asleep. -- The next day was a Sunday, and I was hoping that my husband and I could go out on a date. However, when I try to reach for him, his side of the bed has already turned cold. I understood how important our jobs were to us, but sometimes, I wish we could just throw all those responsibilities away. But what to do? We got to go and earn a living. I rose from the bed and do my morning routine then checked my phone. My mailbox was full again and was prompting me to delete some messages. Ah¡­ life. -- The week passed by as my life returned to the monotonous repetitive cycle. Then I thought of the question again. If I can go back, surely, my life would not be like this. I was a bit absent minded as I entered the elevator. It was a Sunday and I had to go to my office to do some last-minute work. I tapped my ID and pressed 42. Suddenly, I felt the elevator shaking as the lights turned off. Then there was silence. I was alone in the dark, and I started to feel fear gripping me. I took out my phone to have some light. As the screen lit up, I saw that it had no signal. What was happening? I started to panic as I pressed up, down, and door open buttons but nothing happened. I pressed the emergency button, but nothing happened too. No one was answering my call. Desperately, I slammed my hand on the elevator door that was not opening. "Is anybody there? Please, help!" I called. However, that proved to be futile. No one answered, and I started crying. What was happening? It was so hot inside, and I was starting to feel faint. Then I loss consciousness. -- It felt so strange when I gained consciousness. I was still on the bed. Was it all a dream? I tried to reach for my phone which I habitually place on the nightstand ever since I can remember. I looked at the time, it was 5:58 am. I still have some time to sleep. Then, I looked at my phone again. What was my RIM blackberry phone doing right here? I specially recalled this phone of mine as it was my present from my parents when I was able to enter the most prestigious university in our country. I turned to look around. Wait, this was my room in my parents'' house. Am I seeing things? Did I die in that elevator? No, I still have a lot of things to do in my life. I haven''t even had my own child yet. How could this happen? "Miss, wake up." I heard someone knock on the door. I recall that voice, it was my personal maid. "Rona is that you?" "Yes, Miss. You asked me to wake you up early today." Then suddenly my phone started alarming. I tried to turn it off, as I saw the notification. ''School orientation: Day 1'' it read. I rechecked my phone and looked at the date, June 13, 2006. What the actual fuck? I asked myself. -- TBC Chapter 2: Michelle Lui’s back story I looked around my room. It was just as I remembered. The pink and white colors, my queen bed, and the overall princess theme it had because I used to fancy myself as, well, a princess. Perhaps I was in a dream. Anyway, I went through the motions, took a hot shower, wore the jeans and white t-shirt, which was hanging on the handles of my cabinet, and carried my bag wherein inside were my wallet, pen, and a notebook. Soon, I was ready. Upon walking to our dining room, I saw Rona, it has been over a decade since I last saw her. "Good morning, miss. Please excuse me, I will inform Mr. Matt to ready the car." I don''t recall much of what happened this day, but I still knew the people who used to work for my family. I nodded my head. Mr. Matt has been my driver for the 4 years I spent in college. I saw the food on the table and felt a bit hungry. I helped myself with the bacon and eggs. If this was me in my younger days, I would''ve scolded the maids already. I was so used to being pampered that a maid should have already poured water or orange juice on my glass for me. This was a very strange dream though. I can vividly taste the bacon in my mouth. After having my fill, I went outside the main door and saw the Porsche waiting to send me to school. Mr. Matt opened the door for me, and I sat inside. "Good morning miss! Aren''t you excited for today? This was all you have talked about since the other day." He said. This time, I stared at him through the rear mirror. He looked a lot younger than the last time I saw him. Ah¡­ did I die on that elevator? I started to wonder. This situation is already freaking me out. Anyway, some introspection will be needed. What was I like at this age? If I remember correctly, I should be 18 years old. A young adult who was very excited to go to her dream university. Ah¡­ I remembered the first year. I was infamous then. Some of my blockmates told me that I used to have a princess complex where the world revolved around me. I must admit on looking back, that was cringeworthy. It should not be surprising though. Being born with a diamond spoon, I was used to having people cater to my every need. I graduated from an exclusive private high school. However, college gave me a culture shock. The professors and my classmates did not consider me someone special. From being the pampered princess no one dared touch in high school, I became the butt of all jokes to the girls as I barely passed my subjects. I never gave them too much thought though. As said, I was very self-centered, and I thought they were only criticizing about me because they were all envious of my beauty. Yes, I was also very narcissistic at that time. There was one time when a blockmate of mine, who I thought was my friend, asked me about who I think was beautiful in class. I did not think much of it and answered honestly. I ranked everyone and dared to place myself first. Apparently, that leaked and that was why all the girls hated me. When it came to boys, my standard was very high, and I used to believe that the first boyfriend I will have become my husband in the future. Thus, when a boy approached me and I did not like his looks, or anything about him, I will directly ignore him. Anyway, long story short, I did end up popular, but not in a good way. All those only changed when I was already in fourth year. Everyone became a little more mature and outgrew those childish things they used to do. On my part, from second year, I was able to adjust with the demands of each subject. Although my performance was still not stellar, I made it through until I graduated. After, I went to graduate school abroad despite my less than stellar performance in college. I learned a lot there and graduated after 2 years. I recall that it was 2012 at that time. I was still living the life of a nth generation rich heiress. Came 2013, my life turned upside down. My family''s stocks suddenly plummeted, and we went bankrupt. I remember that I was suddenly called back home to help. Sadly, despite our best efforts, we had to give the company up. It did not mean that we ended up with nothing but clothes behind our back. We still had some assets, but things were not like before. I chose to work a 9-5 office job as I can no longer rely on my inheritance for everything. It was not that bad though. I was able to grow as a person and it was also through that that I was able to meet my husband. We met when we were both 27. I was delegated as a representative of the company I was working at for a certain project, and he turned out to be my counterpart. Later, we found out that we graduated from the same university but from different departments. I was from the Economics department, while he was from Engineering. It was funny that in our 4 years in the same school we never met until that moment. After a year of dating, we got married, and another 3 years after, well, here I am. After some contemplating, my car stopped. "miss Michelle, we''re here." I looked through the window and smiled. The university was exactly as I remembered. I saw young adults wearing jeans and white t-shirts as instructed for the Orientation Seminar. Some were walking together in pairs, while some who didn''t know anyone yet walked alone. I opened the door and stepped on the school ground. I breathed the air which smelled like nostalgia. I vividly recalled my feelings when I first stepped foot inside this school. I was so excited at that time and thought that this was the beginning of my life. So, here I am again. Will everything still be the same as I remember? Will I be meeting the same people I met previously? What should I do now that I have this chance? I contemplated as I followed the people walking towards the orientation seminar venue. -- TBC Chapter 3: Orientation Seminar Like the first time, I went to our school''s covered court where the orientation seminar will be held for all the incoming freshmen. Our university was divided into 4 schools, the school of social sciences (SOSS), school of humanities (SOH), school of management (SOM), and school of science and engineering (SOSE). As an Economics major, I was part of the SOSS. There were long tables before one can enter the area and on each was a placard indicating the school. I lined up with the one where SOSS was posted to get my orientation materials. After, I went inside. As I can remember, the covered court area was huge. It compromises of 10 basketball courts and 10 volleyball courts. It also has tennis courts, table tennis area, swimming pool, and a gym. It was where all the physical education classes were held. Today, we were at the basketball and volleyball area as it was the largest space in the university without any divider. More freshmen students streamed in while I tried to find where my block''s designated area was. I looked around and finally saw F1. F1 was my block for the whole duration of college. Each school had different courses, and each course have different blocks. My course, Economics had 2 blocks, block F and block F1. That was one of the main differences I noticed. In high school, you have classmates. In college, classmate is different from blockmate. Anyway, you won''t be classmates with your blockmates all the time. However, there are certain classes that you will have to take together. I went over to sit on one of the plastic chairs there. I noticed that I was the first one to arrive. After a few minutes, a guy went over to sit on one of the chairs behind me. I felt my heart beating fast. Will they notice that I''m an older lady sitting here masquerading as a student? Then I recalled that I was 18 again. I turned around to know who it was. My eyes widened and I turned back to face the front. It was Vitto! I recognized his rounded face immediately. I wanted to laugh in glee! I am really back and even am encountering the same people! I tried not to let my feelings show. Then, more people came to sit around me, and I recognized all of them. As I chose to seat by the aisle, there was only one seat beside me, and it was taken by Janina. I can''t remember much of how this day went, but I knew that Janina was the girl who told everyone about what I said about the ranking. Perhaps I unconsciously chose to sit at the same seat I did before and she was again my seatmate. Janina was a friendly girl with a big mouth. She was on the petite side, had tanned skin, and rounded eyes. When I found out that it was her who told everyone, I felt betrayed and angry with her. She was such a two-faced bitch, I told myself. Looking at it now, she was just as immature as I was. She wanted to become popular or everyone to like her more, so she gossiped, or did whatever people liked. "Hi! I''m Janina Dee, it''s nice to meet you. What''s you name?" she began. I looked at her for a while. It was strange for someone to introduce herself to you again when you have known that person for a long time. It felt surreal. "Uhm¡­. It''s nice to meet you." She awkwardly said as she was about to put down her hand that was raised to give me a handshake. I belatedly realized that I did not answer her. So, I gave her a smile back. "Sorry, I was just surprised. I am Michelle Lui, it''s also nice to meet you." I said as I shook her hand. There was silence after that. I recalled last time that she kept talking endlessly to me, but this time, because of the awkward moment between us, she chose to talk to the other girl, Camille, who sat on her other side. Actually, it was nice seeing everyone again. I don''t have any hard feelings for anyone for those days were behind us, well, at least to me at this moment. Anyway, who I was looking forward to seeing again was my crush who I used to stalk during my college days. Anthony Ren. I wonder if I would still have the same feelings I did before. I remember Janina telling me that I kept on blushing whenever I see the guy. Honestly, through the years, one can count the number of times I talked to him in one hand. Anthony Ren was taking a different course. He was from SOM and his major was legal management. In my whole stay in college, he only became my classmate once, and that was in English class. Then, as if on cue, I remembered my husband. Should I go and try to get to know him now? He did tell me that he was from SOSE and was quite popular. How would he react if he were to meet me now? I recalled him telling me that Lara became his girlfriend during his second year. Should I make him my boyfriend now so that he will never get to date her? That seems like a brilliant plan. Anyway, that would have to wait for later. The program was about to begin and all the freshies were getting excited. What was very exciting to me the first time, was just so-so now. I''m not interested in the seminar at all. I knew all about our university already, so I just looked around while everyone was listening. Should I be friendly with my blockmates and build rapport? But I''m not interested. I continued to ponder on what I should do moving forward. If this is not a dream and is now my reality, then perhaps I should go figure why I''m here. I should dedicate my days finding the answer to that and find a way back my original timeline. I should¡­ hahaha!!! Why should I? I looked around again and grinned. Who says I have to do those things? Why not just immerse myself in this experience? Perhaps even change some of the events in my life? To say frankly, the only one I would miss from that timeline is Steve, my husband. Why would I want to go back knowing that I can also find him here now? I can even get to know the him I never met before and maybe even make him become my campus boyfriend! ¡ª Tbc Chapter 4: First day of class The next day after the orientation seminar was the official first day of school. Unlike in high school where students have a fixed 7:30 am- 4:00 pm schedule from Mondays to Fridays and have to wait in a single classroom for the teacher to arrive, college was a bit different. In our college, we have different sets of schedules, and for each subject, the students have to move classrooms to get from one class to the other. I looked at my class schedule and the school buildings I need to go to for class. I can''t recall everything, but I do know that I have taken the same subjects in the same sections that I am seeing in the schedule handed to me yesterday. Anyway, my MWF classes comprises of 1-hour subjects, while my T-TH subjects lasts for 1 and a half hour. The first subject I had for the day was Math 11 and if I recall correctly, after 2 weeks we will have the evaluation exam wherein the results will determine if the student should move to Math 10 or remain in class. Math 10 is the basic class that would help students prepare for Math 11 which is the intermediate class. The same is true for another subject I''m taking which is English. There, I belong to English 10 and the exam after 2 weeks will determine whether I deserve to move to English 11 or not. Either way, I think I would need to prepare for those exams as I already forgot what was taught in those subjects as it has been more than a decade since I took them. Entering class, I saw that some of my blockmates were already there. There were 15 of us in the block, and I must say that although we were only introduced briefly during the seminar, I know them all by heart, ehem, that''s an exaggeration, but I did know them for more than a decade so amongst everyone, I could say that I know each of them the most. "Hi Michelle!" Camille greeted me. although Janina has tried to befriend her yesterday, it seems that the girl wanted to befriend me more instead. In fact, contrary to my previous experience, my blockmates seem to like me more this time around. Maybe it was because I carried myself with more maturity than before? Well, I don''t know. "Hi, Camille, Joanie, Pat, and Marts. You guys have arrived early." I greeted the 5 of them as I took the 2nd seat from the front in the middle row. Well, I do plan to excel, and it would be a shame if my classmates in this class were to perform better than me. I am, after all, a person who has been rebirthed. It was strange that Marts was blushing until I recalled that at this time, he did have a crush on me. ah, it never worked out before as I never felt any attraction to him, and it certainly won''t work now. In the other timeline, I did let him help me with my English homework, and maybe that''s why he thought I was a user-friendly girl and said negative things about me later on. Though we did return to being friends after we graduated, and he chose to pursue Janina. Anyway, after a while, more people started coming in class and there were other people I don''t recognize anymore but I was sure were also my classmates at this time. Our professor, Ms. Rosaline Tan, came in. She introduced herself then started handing out the syllabus for this class. I looked it over and tried to recall what I learned from this before. It''s Geometry and I do know that although I was weak in every other subject, Math has always been my strong point. Anyway, the class did not last long. She just discussed the syllabus and told us to purchase the book indicated in the syllabus and then do some advance readings for the lecture next meeting. "Hey Michelle, wanna join us for brunch at the canteen?" Camille invited. I shook my head. I can make friends with them later, but right now, all I wanted to do was try to hunt and see my future husband. I wonder how he was at this age. "Sorry, I promised to meet with my cousin." I replied. Not that I will, but I need an excuse to not make them think that I''m snobbish. But not to say that I don''t have a cousin here, because I totally do. My cousin, Howell Lui, is an upperclassman from SOSE. Sadly, at the time I met Steve, he has already migrated to country U. We never got to bond much as I was also a snobbish little princess during my college days and although his father was my father''s cousin, I always thought that his family was leeching of mine. "oh, alright. See you later in our next class then." she replied. -- Last night, I tried to recall the details my husband told me regarding his life during college. I tried to search for his name, but I can''t find a Steve Feng in the SOSE department. Perhaps there''s something wrong with the system so I''ll just go and see for myself. When I arrived in the SOSE building, I looked at the schedule of freshmen students. His course was Civil Engineering and there was only 1 block, so he must be in that class. I saw that their block''s environmental science subject together should be at 10:30 am, at the bellarmine building. Smiling, I looked at my own schedule. Ah, my next class is still at 12:30 pm. I have time to try and see if he''s in that class! I rejoiced. -- Chapter 5: Seeing my future husband I walked to the bellarmine hall and arrived there at 10:00 am. Still quite early, but I want to pretend to be part of their class. I''ll just tell the prof that I have been enrolled in that class and maybe my name hasn''t just appeared in their class list yet. Well, it should work. Did I mention that I worked as a prof for a year in this same university parttime? I did handle 3-hours subject every Saturday in Microeconomics before. So, I know how the mind of a professor works. Well at least generally. Anyway, going to room B-232 I saw that it was empty. Apparently, there was no class before theirs, so I chose to position myself in one of the seats at the back. After a while, some people came streaming in. Some of them looked at me, but it was nothing strange. We were all first years having our first day of class. They must have thought that I must be from another block and was their classmate now. Where was Steve? I wondered. The room has been mostly occupied and I haven''t seen him just yet. The professor arrived even before he did. The bell rang already, and he still isn''t here just yet. Hmm¡­ I also do not see Lara. Where could they be? Now, talking about Lara, I have seen her in some parties when I was still part of the diamond spoon babies. Lara Chua was the daughter of one of the richest conglomerates in the country, and yeah, she was also quite pretty. Steve must really be something that he got to date her during college. Oh well, he does have a very handsome face I have to give him that. That''s why I got attracted to him in the first place. "Good morning everyone. I am Mr. Luis Go, and I shall be your professor in Environmental Science¡­." the professor started introducing himself and then he proceeded with discussing the syllabus. Lulled by his voice, I just chose to stare at the door. Did I just waste my time here for nothing? Did he choose other science subjects to take this sem? I asked myself. I almost fell asleep when suddenly, the professor addressed 3 students who I noticed just entered the class. "Are you supposed to be in this class?" he asked. The girl answered, "Yes Sir, We''re sorry for being late. We got lost as this is our first day in school." She said. And when I looked at her, I recognized her immediately. It was Lara. She was wearing a Chanel dress which I recognized as I can vividly recall wanting to buy it even though it''s been more than a decade ago for me. That''s how much I wanted it before. However when we went back to the store after I convinced my mom to buy it for me it was already sold. Ugh. There were 2 guys next to her, and to my surprise, one was Andy Peng. The famous actor who came from the Peng family. Woah. I didn''t know that they were friends. Ah, loaded people always stick together, and I was, although also from a very rich family, still from the circle beneath theirs. I mean, we get to attend the same parties, but they were like from the exclusive, exclusive group. Then finally, my eyes zeroed in on the 3rd person in their group. I almost did not recognize him. Compared to his simplistic style when we met each other, this time, he was very different. So, did that mean that what he meant by grueling days was that he had to cater to Lara''s every whim as she supports him and he''s something like a gigolo? Sorry, my imagination can only come up with that as an answer. I listened as the professor addressed them. "What are your names? let me check from the class list." The professor asked. "I am Lara Chua, Sir." Lara began. Then, Andy gave a winning smile, as if the professor should already know who he was. The professor just looked at him strangely, causing everyone in the class to laugh. "I am Andy Peng, Sir." He said defeated. I thought it funny, he will be more famous in the future I knew. Though now, he was only popular to the teens as the show he''s currently part of caters to those of that age. Now, I looked at Steve. He was wearing a frown, and did not speak. The professor looked at him strangely, and all I really wanted to do at that moment was laugh at his face. He looked like he ate a sour lemon. I can''t seem to recall him making that face in our 3 years of marriage. "you are?" the professor asked when he still did not speak. In the end, Lara was the one who spoke on his behalf, "Sorry Sir, our friend has not been feeling well since our first class. His name is Steven Sy." The professor''s eyes widened. But then he tried to act more professionally, as he said, "alright, come inside and please take your seats." The three entered the class and seeing that most of the seats in front were occupied, they chose to walk and take the seats at the back, which apparently were beside mine. Huh? I thought. Steven Sy? I''m quite positive that when we got married, his name in his birth certificate was Steve Feng. My eyes can''t be deceiving me either. I am certain that the one I just saw was Steve, my husband. Then, I tried to recall stuff. Steven Sy¡­ hmm wasn''t that the only son of the Sy corporation which was the richest family in our country? What the hell? Was this some sick joke and my husband became the stand in of that rich kid? Ugh. I can almost sympathize with him. Maybe that''s why he''s been scowling and not saying his name when the professor asked. -- TBC Chapter 6: Meeting the Nation’s husband The three took their seats and Andy Peng sat beside me. WTH!? Andy Peng sitting beside me? hahaha! Gods, the number 1 heartthrob dubbed as the Nation''s husband of our country later, was sitting beside me, and I just wanna really stay in this class. Ehem, ehem, well, for my future husband''s sake of course. I need to unravel the mystery of why he''s a stand in for that rich kid that will die at the age of 22 on a plane crash. Yeah, I suddenly recalled. Although I was still studying my Master''s in country E at that time, no one did not know it. It was all over the news but of course, the photo of the person was not shared in the media, only the name. Anyway, I never did get to meet Steven Sy as I have said, although my family was part of the rich circle, their circle was beyond our reach. Anyhow, the future of the Sy corporation was bleak. The richest corporation became a mess and I heard that it was the internal conflict which caused it. Anyway, that''s none of my business so they can just go and do whatever they want. Now, let me look at my future husband again. Hmm, he looks younger and more handsome than he did when I met him. Although he was scowling, there was an aristocratic and arrogant flare to him that he did not have when we met. Oh my god. It was like the first time when I met him before. My heart kept thumping quickly and I can feel my face flush. Although I like him the way he was when we''re older, being very gentlemanly and all, I have to admit, the bad boy aura also appealed to me. Like, come on, even during the time when we were boyfriend-girlfriend we did engage in ehem, ehem, sexual intercourse, but it was us making love. The way he looks now, it''s like he would kabedon a girl and engage in what? Like 50 shades of gray intercourse. Haha! Oh my, was I this perverted when I was 18? Holy shit, I just recalled that I was such a prude then. I tried to smile at him as I remembered he once told me that it was my smile that made him fall for me. However, instead of a smile back like he did when we were older, he furrowed his brows and chose to ignore me. Huh? Come on dude. I was not even flirting! Alright, maybe I was but still. Ok, I understand that this was the first time we met and perhaps he thought that I was such a strange girl. But to tell the truth it still kinda felt ouchie. However, at the same time, I found it funny. Well, won''t anyone in the same position think so? If he knew that I would become his future wife, I wonder if he would have made the same expression. Then, I thought of telling this to Steve himself. What would he say if he knew that his younger self did that to me? Anyway, just thinking of that, I tried not to laugh out loud so I covered my mouth with my hand. But I did know my eyes were smiling. All the while, I did not notice that Andy has been staring at me. "Excuse me, but have we met before?" Andy asked. Eh? Why was the nation''s husband talking to me? "Uh, maybe?" was all I can say in response. Like yeah, maybe you saw me around in those parties. Mind you, I did see you every once in a while. Not that you seem to know. "I''m Andy Peng from SOSE and my major is Civil Engineering. I don''t think that you''re part of our block, so what is your major?" Why is he engaging me in a conversation? Oh well. "I''m Michelle Lui. I am from the economics department." I replied. What? Later, I will go for a load revision. That''s a nice thing about college. One can switch class. As first year students, we''re only taking core subjects and the reason why students rarely do load revision at this time is because they want to stick together with their blockmates. Not me though. I am staying in this class I decided. I need to have some interaction with my hubby. It''s not that I mean to get him as my boyfriend immediately, which of course is also part of my plan, but I also just want to share this part of his life too. It''s nice to get to know him as a young adult. "Lui? Are you by chance part of the Lui family that owns RC motors? I love those remote control cars!" he said. Oh yes, our family business focuses on remote control cars, not big cars but the small ones kids play with. I mean it was a great business, but as I said, come later due to technological advances especially the cellphones, tablets, and all those, our company died. Well, kids later they like tabs more than toys and internet is the next big thing. Although we have internet now, it''s not like everyone has smartphones yet. "Yes. To be honest, I did see you around in some of the parties my family attend. It''s nice to meet you, Andy." I said calmly, but deep inside I was like, ooohhh you hot stuff. You have no idea how much I feel flattered that you know of my family and now me. You''re like the nation''s husband. Later, when you''re a big star, I hope you don''t forget me. hehe. "So that''s why I thought you looked familiar. Anyway, I don''t know if¡­" Andy started saying, but before he could continue, the professor coughed. "And Mr. at the back¡­" Andy stopped talking then turned to face the professor. He smiled at him and said, "Sorry, Sir." Then his eyes turned to look at me again and, did he just wink at me? Ok, am I being presumptuous? Because in my own humble opinion, I think Mr. Nation''s husband just winked at me, and if I were to interpret it in any other way, I would say he''s flirting with me. Sorry Andy, you''re too young for me now. Maybe a few more years and we can? Ugh, sorry, my husband is your buddy, so that''s a no no. But I did feel flattered that you''re so sweet. Hehehe. I will forever keep it in my diary that once in my life, the Nation''s husband flirted with me. -- TBC Chapter 7: University Canteen Third person POV -- Shortly after the professor discussed the syllabus, the class was dismissed. "Hey Mich, wanna join us for lunch? You don''t mind me calling you that right? By the way, let me introduce my friends. These are Lara Chua and Steven Sy. Lara, Steven, this is Michelle." Andy who was such a sweetheart introduced. Michelle looked at Andy trying hard not to give him a raised eyebrow. ''Mich? Really? Doesn''t sound that nice. Then again, a nickname from him means that we''re close. Not bad being close friends with the future nation''s husband, so why not?'' she thought. "It''s ok." Michelle replied as she smiled back. Then, Lara smiled at Michelle, "hi Michelle, it''s nice to meet you." She said as she offered her hand for a handshake. ''I can''t say the same to you though.'' was the first thing Michelle wanted to say in response, but of course, that''s not what she said. "It''s nice to meet you too, Lara." Michelle replied as she took her offered hand. At the back of her mind, she was thinking ''Ugh! Fine, she''s really a classic example of a perfectly nice and sweet lady, I should like her, but I just can''t. She''s like my husband''s ex and though I know that what I am feeling is irrational, I can''t help it. I''m jealous!'' Steven just took a glance at Michelle, then proceeded to ignore her. He did not even say anything to her at all. Michelle stared at him, ''What''s your problem? Hubby, your future wife, and I mean it literally, is standing here, and you''re acting like such a prick. Should I be offended? Though you did tell me before that you were a cold iceberg in college. Oh well.'' Andy apologized on his behalf. "Sorry about my friend, he''s just not used to interacting with people he met for the first time. So, want to have lunch with us? We''re just gonna head to the canteen. What time is your next class by the way?" "Sure, my next class is at 12:30 so I have¡­" Michelle turned to look at her watch and saw the time. 11am, "an hour and a half before then. Thanks for inviting me." she finished. This way, the 4 of them took their walk towards the canteen. Inside, as it was almost noon, a lot of students were present, and it was quite crowded. Michelle was familiar with the view as she experienced this before so there''s no culture shock for her. Many people from different social class join the university and it''s nothing strange. That doesn''t mean that when she first had this encounter she had the same thoughts or reaction. "Haha! I didn''t know that it would be this crowded. Really so different from high school. I think it would be difficult to get seats!" Andy voiced his observation. "I don''t like to eat here. It''s disgusting." Steven who did not talk at all before that moment said. Michelle hearing him speak for the first time recognized his voice. ''Ah! His voice is still as nice as the way it sounded during our older days.'' "How about we eat somewhere else?" Lara suggested hearing what Steven said. "But we won''t have enough time before our next class. Come on Steven, you have to get used to this. It''s not like this won''t be the daily routine from this day onwards." Andy dissuaded. "I don''t care." Steven replied, then he turned away from the 3 to walk out. Lara gave an apologetic smile to Michelle. "I''m sorry about our friend. Please excuse me, I''ll try to talk to him. Again, it''s nice meeting you." Michelle wondered why Steve or Steven whatever his name right now was, was acting that way. She wanted to ask but she knew that she was not in the position to do so. They just met. "I guess it''s just you and me now." Andy said as he smiled awkwardly. "What''s up with him? Is he usually like that?" Michelle asked. Andy laughed, "Don''t mind him. And yeah, he''s been like that since forever. You do know about the Sy family, right? He''s the only son and heir to that corporation, so don''t be surprised if he has a prince complex. I''m surprised about you though. As the princess from the Lui family, you sure are taking the culture change in strides." "I should say the same to you Prince Peng, for being the heir to the Peng industries and a rising star to boot, you sure are adjusting pretty well." Andy chuckled. "Touch¨¦. But hey, I''m not a prince." "Your fans sure dub you as one." Michelle teased. ''He''s such a nice guy, I thought that he''ll be a snob, but the media have not been lying. He''s humble and down to earth just like the screens portrayed.'' Andy shook his head, "I guess, joining the entertainment industry did me some good. I was able to immerse myself with people from different walks of life, so I''m more aware that there''s more to life than just being in our circle. Anyway, should we go find a table?" "Okay." Michelle replied as she nodded her head. -- TBC Chapter 8: The one who got away Michelle POV -- After having lunch, Andy and I parted ways as we both have different classes. Anyway, that was something new. I was never friends with Andy in my past life nor did I ever have a conversation with him. I did see him in some of the parties, but we have never been introduced. Would that have a butterfly effect in the future? Also, what about Steve? I did not ask Andy about him much as I thought that it would seem strange if I did so. What if Andy thinks that I''m Steve''s stalker of something? It''s just the first time I met them. Now the mystery was, was my husband really Steven Sy? Was it like a hidden identity or something? Based on my conversation with Andy, it seems like it. Then, question was, why did he keep such a secret from me? Also, what''s up with him and Lara? I thought they have been together only starting 2nd year. Seems to me that they have been closer than what he told me. That lying jerk! If this experience were just a hallucination of mine and I get back to the future, I will show him! Anyway, looking at the time, it was already 12:18. I walked to my next class at the Kostka building and before I could brace myself, my breath was taken away. He was a beautiful as I remembered, and I felt the heat creeping up my face. I did not expect it, but he still had the same effect on me like the very first time and every time after. For god''s sake, I''m already 31, and here I was crushing over my one sided first love again like a teenage girl. Taking a deep breath and finding myself some courage, instead of taking a seat anywhere else, I took the seat next to his which was still vacant. Should I try talking to him? I recall that when I came back from country E and was contemplating what I wanted to do with my life, I tried to search him in facebook many times. When I finally found his profile, I never had the courage to add nor message him as I was afraid of being seen zoned amongst other things. Anthony was the only son of the Ren corporation. He was also from the exclusive circle which was above mine. It posed no problem if I were to reach out to him if it was during the time my family was still doing well. But again, when I came back from country E, my family was already out of that circle, and I don''t have the face to show him. Not that I did from the start. I mean, he was my ultimate crush. I can''t even form a complete sentence without turning into a babbling fool in front of him. In addition to that, I know how things worked in the elite circle. Even if I try to talk chat him up, it won''t work out. Sorry, I''m not up for some crazy rich Asian drama. Other than that, I tried to avoid people I knew from that circle. It was a shame to be dubbed as a social climber if I were to still stick with them when I know I can no longer afford it. So, in the end, all I ever did was frequently look at his uploaded photos. Also, there''s a real sad thing about Anthony. He died in a car crash in 2014. I remembered I cried all night when I read about it. I never even got to confess my love for him. So, in my heart, he was always the one who got away. Does that even make sense? Soon, the room got filled by other students. For this class, my only blockmate present was David. Yes, we were the only 2 people who were in basic English amongst our blockmates. He gave me a wave in acknowledgement, and if I were still me of the past, I would have ignored him. However, I''m a better person now, so I waved back. Then, the professor came in. "Good afternoon everyone. I am Ms. Luna Dy. Depending on the result of your evaluation exam in two weeks'' time, I may remain as your professor in English. Though for now, I would just help all of you in preparation for said exam so that you can move forward to the intermediate class¡­." She started. Oh yeah, again, this is basic class, and in the past, I failed that exam even though I did try my best. I was not that great in English and my grammar kinda sucked. It improved over time, but I have to admit, that even now, it''s still not that good. Though at the very least, given the me now, I know I could pass that exam. But do I want to? Anthony also failed that exam that''s why we have been classmates in English class for 1 semester. Uh, should I take this opportunity to talk to him? Maybe offer him to study together? But won''t he think that I''m flirting with him? Or worse, maybe he might think that I''m trying to be boastful? What did I do in the past? I can''t remember! I was sitting at the back middle row and beside me was Anthony. Thus, I was excited and nervous. This will be our first interaction in this lifetime! -- TBC Chapter 9: Asthmatic? Right. Michelle POV -- When I turned to face him so that I could pass him the syllabus, he was ready to receive it. Our eyes met and I thought my heart would lurch out of my ribcage. I did not have enough sense to even school my facial expression, so I don''t know what I looked like and how he saw me. Still, politely, he smiled and said, "Thank you." And I thought my soul just went to heaven. Did I come back to this time just so that I can meet him again? Was I sent here so that I can save him from the time of his death? Gosh, I''m just crushing over a dead man, and well, maybe I died in that elevator too. Who knows? Oh, Michelle, don''t get ahead of yourself. You just saw your real future husband awhile ago and now you''re already here going gaga over another man. Anyway, before I could even say ''you''re welcome'' he already turned away from me. Maybe he thought I was weird? Or maybe I did not make any lasting impression on him? Why am I even placing so much meaning behind that? Maybe he''s just being a normal teenager. Duh! Still, even though I knew I should be 31, my heart felt like that of a teenage girl. I was even finding teenage boys attractive. Was it because I am back to this body despite my older mentality? The professor started talking about the syllabus and what we need to prepare for the next meeting. All that time, I have been peeking glances at Anthony. Will I be able not to make a babbling fool of myself if I talk to him now? I recall that we only got to talk 3 times in our lives and all those only in the parameters of this classroom because of some class activity. In the past, I am positive that he knew my name at the very least or can recognize my face because during my other years in this university, although we never got to become classmates again, we did pass by each other occasionally. Of course, some chance encounter I actually set-up myself just so that I can see him smile at me and say hi. Though that''s all there was ever to it. I would stalk him from afar, then when I feel like I look my best, I would pretend that we''re having a chance encounter and pass by each other. Yes, I was desperate but too shy to tell him what I felt. Janina was usually with me when I did that. I will ask her to stay put in a certain location so she can spy at Anthony''s expression after our ''chance'' encounter. Anyway, moving back to the present, I tried to listen to the announcements our professor was making. "Next meeting, we will have a short quiz. No need to review as it will be a reading comprehension¡­" After that announcement, the class was dismissed early. Anthony started placing the syllabus in his bag. Should I talk to him now? I swallowed. Am I ready for this? Can I do this? A part of me should be guilty as I''m already married but please, I''m not some Holy Mary, mother of God, so my heart could still beat for someone other than my husband. Plus, it''s not like we''re married in this timeline already, and he was even having the time of his life with Lara for now. Perhaps, I have been staring at Anthony so intently as I tried to decipher my next move that he noticed. "I''m sorry, is there anything I can help you with?" Anthony asked. Of all the things I have been thinking and planning to say to him, the instant our eyes met, my mind just blanked. It was like I was really my 18-year-old self again and I can''t get the words out. Perhaps seeing that I did not answer, and my face was turning red, he looked at me in concern. "Are you alright? Should I help you to the clinic?" "Sorry, I just sometimes have a hard time breathing. Thank you for your concern." Alright, that was an outright lie, but how could I tell him that every time I saw him, and I mean for a number of years, he literally took my breath away? "Are you, by chance, asthmatic? Not to pry. But my cousin also has the same symptom. I am Anthony Ren by the way." He introduced. I almost wanted to cry tears of joy¡­ he just introduced himself to me and I think this is the longest conversation we had to date. "I¡­ I am Michelle Lui. Uh, no¡­ no, I''m not, at least I think I''m not." I replied sounding so stupid. Then again, how could I sound more intelligent when my heart kept on doing summersaults? Anthony chuckled. "That''s good, but maybe you should get it checked out sometime, just in case. Anyway, I''m off. It was nice to meet you, seatmate." Before I could think of anything to say in response, he was already leaving. Thank god, I don''t want him to see my starstruck face I''m sure I am now making. When he was already out of sight, I was finally able to normalize my breathing. As I gathered my things to leave the classroom, all I could think of was how cool Anthony was. Anyway, in my mind, I could only apologize to my future husband. ''I''m so sorry Steve, but please don''t blame me. You''re still the one I love. I did not go out of my way to meet Anthony because we were to share this class in the first place. While I did go out of my way to see you, not that your younger self appreciated it.'' -- TBC Chapter 10: College life mission After English class, I went to the University administration office to ask about the load revision form. Originally, I should be attending the T-TH Environmental Science class, but I want to be classmates with Steve so I can keep watch and try to get to know him during this time of his life even though I knew I shouldn''t. The process was not that difficult. The person in charge just asked me why I wanted to change my schedule, and I made some excuse which was passable. Well, it''s not like they can decide for me. This was college not high school. Successful with changing my schedule, I now have 2 classes with Steve. The Environmental Science lecture, and the Environmental Science Laboratory. Oh my, the lengths that I go for you Steve, you better appreciate it! Anyway, I checked the time, and it was 3:30 pm. Seems like I will be late for my INTACT class. INTACT was a subject which purpose was for students to assimilate with campus life. The whole title of the subject was Introduction to A University Culture. Gods, it was the most useless subject I ever took, but it was required. It''s mostly about what University A stands for and also the time was used to form bonds with your blockmates. Short to say, I did not have fond memories of it. I entered the class as the only person who came in late. I smiled at the professor, and he did not admonish me and just asked me to take a seat. He started talking about the class syllabus and I began to bring out my notebook, pretending to take notes when in fact, I was just absent mindedly thinking about what I should do next. It was just the first day of school, and a lot of things has already changed in my life. I don''t know how it will affect the future though. Anyway, I looked at my revised class schedule. This semester I''m taking 7 subjects. M-W-F, I have Math 11, English 10, INTACT, Environmental Science Lecture. T-TH I have P.E. which I changed from tap dancing to table tennis because of my load revision, Environmental Science Laboratory every Thursday, and finally, Economics 101. When I first took all these subjects, I felt that they were daunting, but looking at them now, they seem easy to handle especially in comparison to when I had to work in the company I was working at. Then I realized that, it seems like I will be seeing Steve 4 times a week. I smiled at the thought of seeing his sour face almost every day. I know he will change later, but it''s nice to see a side of him I never knew existed before. Not that I appreciate seeing him with Lara though. While thinking of him and our past, I did not notice the passing of the time. Before I knew it, the bell rang, and it was dismissal. -- When I arrived home, I took out a pen and the diary that I have been writing in. Yes, I have always kept a diary. Yesterday, after the orientation seminar, I looked for it in hopes that it would have the answer to why I am in this current timeline. However, when I opened it, the last date of entry was the 12th of June 2006. So, I don''t think that it has the answer to the question as to why I''m back. So, does this mean that I was really just here because fate was playing its game on me? I have no idea. The only thing I can do is live my life daily. Maybe one day, I will wake up and I''ll be back in my original timeline. It''s not like I can mess up my life leading to that point too much. The only thing I see that I can do is improve it. After getting married to Steve, he became my life partner. We lived together, shared experiences, and maybe it was this companionship that kept on pulling me towards him even though I knew that the Steve now was still not the Steve I knew and loved. But no matter, he''s still the same person. So, I''ll stick to getting to know him. I won''t get in the way of his life, but at least somehow, I want to be a part of it. So, my life mission for college? Get to know Steve. Unravel the mystery of his identity. Get him to be my campus boyfriend if possible. If not possible, abort mission. Try to get to know Anthony. Try to get to know Andy. Gods, I am such a hypocrite biatch who kept on complaining about seeing Steve with Lara when in fact I am also thinking of other guys to flirt with. Hahaha! -- TBC Chapter 11: Dinner with my parents I heard someone knock on the door so I went to open it. "Miss, dinner is ready." Rona said. "Are mama and papa home already?" I asked. "Yes, Miss, they just arrived and will be joining you for dinner shortly." "Ok." I said as I exited my room and walked to the dining room. When I arrived, I took my usual seat. While waiting for my parents, I started contemplating again. Although I have my college life mission, I also have others. I mean, life does not solely revolve around one''s love life. Now, one of those missions include helping my parents get richer of course! I don''t want us to be kicked out of the social circle. I can still vividly recall how depressing that time was to me, and especially to my parents. To them, it felt like they failed our ancestors because they were not able to maintain the affluence of our family that has been passed through the generations. They have been in the social circle much longer than I have been, and their friends and everyone else suddenly abandoning them was terrible. Wait, that did not sound right. Not everyone abandoned them, there were still some real friends who tried to reach out. However, my parents were too ashamed to face them. As their daughter, I also felt bad that I can do nothing to help. When all was good, I just spent all the money without thinking how they tried to earn those to give me all the things I could ever want. I even spent so much time abroad just getting my allowance and studying while idling around. So, when everything came tumbling down, I was also at a loss. In the end, my parents retired quietly in one of our townhomes remaining in the province and lived a life of seclusion. Anyway, I did not have the ability to keep that from happening before, but since I do now, I should advise them where to invest our money. I do know some of the places that will be booming in the future. However, my parents should not buy too much. I mean, what if they buy too much land in a certain area I ask them to? It might lead to no further development in the area. That won''t be good. -- Yesterday, I was not able to have dinner with my parents as they were still in province B having an ocular to one of our factories there. Thus, since returning to this timeline, this was the first time that I saw and talked to them. I observed them first and felt happy seeing that they were obviously livelier, more vigorous, and younger looking. I recall that when I came home from country E, their faces suddenly aged by 20 years and it''s like the world was weighing on their shoulders. I wish that I would never get to see that happen in this lifetime. Since I have the foresight, I will definitely ensure that. After finishing dinner, my parents started talking to me about school. "So, Michelle, how was your first day in college?" My mother, Janet Lui, asked with a smile. I was their only daughter, for during their generation, our government was strict with the implementation of the one child policy. "It was good, mama. I get to meet many people and it was very exciting. Oh, by the way, have you heard of Steven Sy? I think I just met him in one of my classes." Ok, why not ask my parents about that too? Maybe they know something? "Steven Sy? Ah, the only son of the Sy corporation. I heard of the name but have never seen him before. We also don''t have any business with their family. Why? Have my daughter set her eyes on her first crush now?" my mother teased. My father, Morris Lui, cleared his throat. "Michelle, you''re still too young to think about those kinds of things. Finish school first." Ugh, now there goes my probing. Oh well. "Yes, papa. I only asked because I was curious. Anyway, Ma, how was your trip, did you also have a vacation aside from doing the ocular?" "Yes, we went to this new hot spring resort in the area. In fact, I have been thinking of investing on one. It''s such a delight. On your sem break, let''s go there." My mother enthusiastically shared. Now, there goes the first issue. Wrong investments. Perhaps not 100% necessarily wrong, but maybe there''s also bad luck? Nah. This one was totally wrong. My parents invested 50 million yuan in province B for their project ''dream resort''. After all negotiations about the land, construction immediately began. The resort was opened in 2009. All was good until an earthquake happened in 2012, only 3 years after the resort opened, and 80% of the resort''s structure collapsed. Was that bad luck? The answer we found out later was a no. My parents got duped. But what to do? We tried to rely on insurance as it was a force majeure but since the resort was built on top of a fault line, and apparently the contractor they hired knew it, the insurance did not cover our loss. The contractor ran away and was no where to be found, and the only silver lining was that no one got hurt. "Mama, I don''t think building a hot spring resort in province B is a good idea. I heard that there are fault lines there. Maybe if you really want to build one, you should go for province F." I suggested. Hehe, province F will have a sudden boom in 3 years'' time. I remembered that my parents were lamenting that they did not buy land there instead. "Now that you mentioned it¡­ Morris, haven''t your friend offered to sell his land to you at province F?" my mother asked. "Yes, but I already said no this morning because you told me that you already had a verbal agreement with the owner of the land you want to buy in province B." My father answered. "Indeed. It would be embarrassing to back out of the deal now¡­" my mother replied. OMG. I almost had a panic attack. My mother was about to buy it already? "Mama, whatever happens, don''t buy a land from province B! Papa, talk to your friend again! Buy that land!" My parents were surprised. "Are you okay Michelle?" my father asked. Alright, maybe I overreacted but this is a life and death for our social status! My mother is hardheaded, but she''s superstitious. I got to use that to my advantage. "Papa, Mama, last night, I had a very bad dream. I dreamed that there was an earthquake in province B, and we were in a resort there and it all collapsed because it was on top of a fault line¡­ please I don''t want to go there in the future. And now that you mentioned you will build one there, what if that''s ours? Also, about the one in province F, I always felt that province F is a good place. I want to go there someday." I said a little dramatically. My parents looked at each other. "Michelle, are you sure?" my mother asked. "Yes, if you really like that land in province B, you have to double check. Maybe my dream was true? It can''t be just coincidence Mama..." I nodded my head, "Yes, mama now I feel more assured. Papa, you have to call your friend." "Maybe tomorrow. I think it''s not proper to call now as it''s already a bit late." "NO!!!! you have to call him now¡­ uh¡­ I really like that place¡­" I tried to save. What? That province F will be like a gold mine! I mean not literally, but everyone who invested there benefitted greatly because the value of land there multiplied by 10 times in a matter of 3 years! "What''s wrong with you?" My father asked. "Please, just trust in me Papa. I won''t be able to sleep if you don''t." My father although was strict treated me like the pearl in his palm. When I said those words, he took out his phone to call his friend. And so, after hearing my father confirm that he will buy it, I was finally able to give a relieved sigh. -- TBC Chapter 12: How much is your allowance? The day was Thursday, and my first class was economics. It was 8:50 and the class would start at 9. I saw my blockmates and they waved at me to sit with them. Oh well, might as well. "How come you''re not in our class for environmental science? Did you take physics or chemistry this semester?" Camille asked. "No, I''m also taking environmental science, but I''m taking it on a different schedule." "I see. That''s too bad. Marts have been looking for you all over. Haha!" Camille joked. I just pretended that I did not understand what she meant. Sorry, I''m not interested then, and definitely not interested now. My only interest lies with handsome men¡­ ehem ehem¡­ I mean only with my husband. Like any other day, my blockmates were enjoying chatting amongst themselves. They have become friends just like before. Anyway, it''s not difficult for the students to form bonds as our university caters mostly to students from the upper class given the high tuition fee, unless of course, one gets a scholarship. The process of getting in was difficult. A student must pass the entrance exam, must be from a good high school, must have good grades, and should have a recommendation. Every year, at least a hundred thousand students apply, and the university only accepts 2000 at most. Even those from my circle, not everyone can simply get in. To the tell truth, I was even wait listed. Given this, it''s inevitable that most students have the need-to-brag attitude. Whether the basis be academics, where they graduated high school, their social status, and just like their topic that instance, how much their allowance was. In the past, I gave them an eyeroll and started bragging myself. What? Although my family was not part of the exclusive-exclusive group, we were still part of that social circle. Anyway, there were only 8 families in that exclusive group, the Sy which was the top of the food chain, followed by the Ren, Chua, Peng, Lee, Yu, Tan, and Kho. Not to say that all people with those surnames were part of the circle, but you get my drift. So, in my generation, there were only 8 people who has higher status than me, at least before we went bankrupt. Except for Anthony who I never even had the courage to pursue in my last lifetime, I never got to talk or converse with any of them. Also, the only ones I knew of were Lara and Andy. The rest were a secretive bunch. "So how much is your allowance Vitto?" Joanie asked. Vitto grinned and brought out his Balenciaga wallet. "See for yourself." He said as he opened it to show what''s inside. My blockmates made an ooh and aah sound when they saw the inside of his wallet filled with 50 yuan bills and some 100s. "How about you Jock?" Vitto asked. Jock, not wanting to fall behind took out his Bottega Veneta wallet, opened it, took out the thick pile of 100 yuan bills and waved it in front of my blockmates. "Woohoo Vitto! Burn!!!!" Eduardo commented as the others laughed. I could not help myself from wanting to laugh along. Gosh! this nouveau riche people! Okay, why did I make that comment in my head? I should be mature enough to not find what they''re doing funny. Vitto turned red, and out of nowhere, or maybe because he wanted to put Jock on his place, he mentioned my name. "Michelle, how about you?" he asked. Huh? What did I have to do with whatever they were doing? "Yeah Michelle, I''m curious too." Jock seconded. So, I took out my Hermes wallet, and just took out my platinum credit card. "I don''t have a lot of cash, but I do have this." "Whooohoo!!! In your faces Jock and Vitto! With hers, sky is the limit baby!" Eduardo exclaimed and everyone laughed. I shook my head and smiled. Gosh, these children. -- After that short episode, our professor, Mr. Ciel Ho, arrived. He started introducing himself, then gave out the class syllabus. Then, unlike my classes yesterday, he started giving an introductory lecture. He was really good, and I can still recall that when I first took this subject, I was so impressed. When we were dismissed, it was already 10:20. "Michelle, wanna join us for brunch?" Camille asked. It was strange as they were being really friendly with me, while in the past, my only friend was Janina. Anyway, my next class, ES laboratory was at noon so might as well have brunch now. "Okay." I replied. This time, since our whole block was in that same economics class, we all went to the canteen together. Since it was not yet time for lunch, there were still many vacant tables. We occupied one long table and started placing our bags on top of it. Marts volunteered to look at our things as we go and buy our food. I was in line at the cashier holding the stub for my order when suddenly, someone used his/her hand to cover my eyes. Eh? Who could it be? I don''t remember being friends with a lot of people at this time, and the person was not speaking. "Who is it?" I asked, at least speak so that I can take a guess based on your voice, weirdo! The person did not answer but I can hear suppressed laughter. I held out my hand to touch the person''s hand, and by the size, I could tell that it was a male. Finally, he asked with a sing song voice, "Guess who?" Recognizing the voice immediately because of the number of times I heard it from the television, I took a guess, "Andy?" Satisfied with my answer, he took his hands off as I turned to look at him. Andy gave me a beaming smile. "How did you get that right on the first try?" Ok, it''s official. I am no idiot when it comes to this. The nation''s husband is flirting with me. Does he like me? Am I too pretty to handle? Hahaha! I was about to flirt back when I was reminded by the physical evidence that I have a husband. He was standing behind Andy and was glaring at me like I owe him some millions. ABORT MISSION! -- TBC Chapter 13: ES laboratory What I thought was a glare out of jealousy from Steve was sadly, just false alarm. Apparently, he was just being his normal sour face self. "Hi Michelle!" Lara who was just standing beside Steve greeted me with a smile. "Hello Lara." I greeted back. The cashier cleared her throat and I remembered that I was in line. I excused myself from the three to face forward. I gave the cashier an apologetic smile and said sorry. Then, promptly presented her my stub and made my payment. As I received my change, Andy started talking to me again. "Are you with company? Want to join us?" While receiving my change, I answered, "I''m with my blockmates, so I guess I have to decline." "I would like to ask if we could join you, but our primadonna here might make a scene again. So, I guess, see you later. We do have the same class next right? ES lab?" he asked as he presented his stub to the cashier as he was next in line. I peeked at Steve who seems like he has a permanent scowl plastered on his face and couldn''t help myself from giggling. "What?" he asked as he furrowed his brows, addressing me for the first time. If he was a real stranger to me, I would have scowled back and asked what''s his problem, but since he was my husband and just looked too cute, I just smiled at him and shook my head. I faced Andy again, "Yes, I have ES lab too. Then, see you later. I''ll go ahead." Andy smiled and nodded. As I presented my stub and receipt to receive my lunch, I looked back at the cashier and saw that it was Steven''s turn to pay. He seemed like he didn''t want to, but Lara nudged him forward. He reluctantly moved forward and took out his wallet to pay. Lara giggled as he groaned. Well, won''t you look at that? Aren''t they so sweet and chummy? Almost makes me want to go back and throw my lunch at them. Ugh, stop that, Michelle. They have been friends for a long time and you''re just an outsider for now. -- It was nearing noon and the canteen was getting crowded. My blockmates having a different schedule than mine didn''t move from the table and continued playing cards. "Guys, I''ll go ahead. My next class is up." I said to excuse myself. "Oh, sure Michelle. See you tomorrow!" They said as I stood up from my seat. -- The ES lab class was held in the SEC B building which houses the university''s laboratory classrooms. It was near the covered courts which was a good thing as my next class, PE, was scheduled from 3:00-4:30 pm. The University''s practice was to dismiss the class 10 minutes before the end of the schedule to allow students to get from one class to another. So, 1 hour class becomes 50 minutes, and 1 and a half becomes 1 and 20 minutes. Inside each classroom, there were two long and wide tables which could accommodate up to 20 students each. When I arrived, Andy, Steve, and Lara were already there. Andy waved me over to sit with them. Since Lara and Steve were sitting beside each other on one side, I sat beside Andy. Andy began chatting with me again and I tried to focus on what he was saying while Lara and Steve were having their own conversation as if they were in their own world. "And¡­ uhm¡­ am I boring you?" Andy asked. "No, not at all." I replied as I gave him a smile. What was he saying again? I just want to stab Steve with a pen for acting like I don''t exist. "Ok, so I was saying, my birthday is coming up and the celebration would be on the weekend just after the evaluation exams, and I wish to invite you over. I mean we''re already friends, right?" Andy asked. Invite me over? What does he mean? Like him and me alone? Dude, aren''t you moving too fast? I furrowed my brows, and he must have noticed. He seemed to panic, "I think that didn''t sound right. I mean, invite you over with some of my other friends. It''s my birthday party but nothing formal like the events the adults hold." Oh? So, like college party? I''m so in! "Oh, I see. I''ll have to ask permission from my parents though. When and where will it be held?" He opened his bag and proudly handed me a black envelope. "Here''s the invite. My number is there, and you can directly text me and RSVP anytime. I hope your parents would allow you to." Oh Andy, are you indirectly telling me that I can text you anytime while subsequently asking for my cellphone number? Coz I totally think you are. You flirt! Should I take the bait? Ehem ehem¡­ Ok I''ll find ways to attend not because I want to flirt with Andy but because I''m sure Steve will also attend. I have to spy on him you know? Why am I even making these excuses? Ok, I''ll just admit, I do like the attention, ok? Finally, our professor, Luis Go, the same prof for our ES class arrived and greeted us. Anyway, the class was supposed to be for 3 hours, but since it''s just the first day, we were only handed the syllabus, and had a brief introduction to the course. We were also assigned to bring in seeds and a plant pot next meeting as one of the requirements of the course was growing a plant. We would need to grow and take care of said plant and every week; we would have to take note of its growth. Finally, we were dismissed by 1:30 pm. -- TBC Chapter 14: Whats your name? After our ES lab class, Andy ever the sweetheart, invited me to tag along with them knowing that my next class was not until 3pm. He suggested we go to the Al fresco area, called the SOM mall, in the middle of SOM and Tianhao building where there were booths selling different snacks ran by students. Walking out of the SEC B building, we passed through the university SEC walk. The SEC walk was the roofed walkway which connects some of the different buildings in our university. I wanted to smile feeling nostalgic seeing students milling about. Some were dressed to the nines, as if the sec walk were a ramp in a fashion show they were walking. Meanwhile, some students were seated on the side benches lining the sec walk. I was walking with Andy while Lara and Steve were walking behind us. Suddenly, he stopped and brought his cellphone out. I stopped walking and so did Lara and Steve as Andy read a message. "Mich, if you don''t mind, let''s pass by Tianhao building first. Our friend is waiting there, he said his class had a free cut and he wants to meet up." "Sure" I replied with a smile. This reminded me that free cuts were something students like me used to look forward to. It meant that the professor cannot come to class, and we can do whatever. As a professor before, I used to love to give them too. I get paid without doing anything. HAHA! Steve who was standing with Lara frowned. Well, I don''t know if it''s me he has a problem with, or he''s just angry with the world. I don''t understand what''s going on in his head. "Which friend?" Steve asked. "Your best friend." Andy teased, and Lara beamed. Steve scowled more. "Your friend. Not mine. We''re just acquaintances." "don''t be like that Steven. We''ve been friends with Tonton since forever and he is such a nice guy. I bet even Michelle would think so." Lara said. Anyway, I did not get to relate about who they''re talking about. Not surprising though, it''s the first time we interacted for a longer period of time. In this timeline, the person who I spent most time with as of now was Andy and it''s not like we already exchanged numbers, which of course, we soon will. Moving forward, we walked to the Tianhao building which was on the way to the SOM mall. The Tianhao building served as a hangout and study place for students. It was a 2-storey building where the first floor was like a computer room with desktops free to use for students for their research, while there were also single tables to serve as their study area. Meanwhile on the second floor, there were long and wide tables for at least 12 students each and can be reserved by schedule with the purpose of group studies. We stopped walking in front of the building and Andy used his cellphone to call their friend. From the window, I saw that there were already many students inside. Almost all the desktops were occupied, while some of the study tables had students typing in their own laptop. One must note that silence must be observed in that area. "Hey, we''re already here outside. Come out now." Andy said. I looked at the see-through glass doors which served as the main entrance of the building''s 1st floor, curious to see their friend. Well, who won''t be? Who can manage to be friends with these 3 who were scions from the elite of the most elite group in our society? I mean, we were kinda friends now but that''s different. At most, I can only categorize myself as their acquaintance. While the one we were waiting for must be close with them as they have each''s cp number and Lara even called him by a petname. When the doors opened, everything turned into slow motion for me. The rays of the sun shone upon him, he was so handsome, and his smile was so dazzling that I felt like I was punched in the gut. His skin was almost luminescent, and I don''t know how to describe him anymore. If I continue, I will just go on and on and write a full book of poems. I''ll just cut the chase short and say that like usual, my breath was taken away. "Hey Anthony! It''s good you finally decided to appear before us. I almost thought that you have exchanged our 15 years of friendship over your newfound friends from your block." Andy greeted as they bumped their fists. "don''t get jealous now Andy, if you keep on doing so, people might start thinking that you bend that way." Anthony joked. Then seeing Steven and Lara, he shifted awkwardly. He first addressed Steve. "Hey Steven, how have you been?" "I have been better." Steven replied, scowling. As if saying, ''better until you decided to appear.'' Anyway, Anthony ignored the way Steven answered and settled into looking at Lara. Giving her a charming little smile, he greeted her, "Hi Lara, it''s been a while." "Yes, it has been, Tonton. I''m happy to see you again." Lara replied as Steven shifted closer to her. I was standing like an idiot at the sidelines, and I just observed their interaction. Was there something between Steve, Lara, and Anthony? Why do I feel like there''s a love triangle happening or rather, based on their awkwardness, that happened? Oh, the drama! I would have liked to keep on watching and eat popcorn if the main cast weren''t my future husband, and my one who got away. Dang! I thought I was the main character as I''m the reincarnator here, but it seems like, the two have past relationships with Lara. Finally, the only person who seemed to be concerned that I was being excluded came to my rescue and cleared his throat. That was the time the other three turned to face me. Anthony looked at me and smiled. Ah, does he remember me? I thought I didn''t make too much of an impression, but it seems like I did! Then, after a few seconds that felt like eternity to me, Anthony finally addressed me, "Hi, it''s nice to meet you. I''m Anthony Ren." he introduced himself then asked, "What''s your name?" -- TBC Chapter 15: SOM Mall I want to continue smiling back at him, but I felt like my heart just shattered into a million pieces. Anthony, we just met yesterday, I was even your seatmate. Even if you didn''t remember my name, at least you should have found my face familiar. How could you do this to me? I thought there was a connection between us. When you asked me in concern, I thought¡­ huhuhu!!!!Can I just go dig a hole and bury myself? "Hello, I''m¡­ Michelle Lui." I replied as I tried not to clutch my chest from broken heartedness, it''s so painful. Alright, maybe I''m over acting, but¡­ should I still mention that we''re seatmates in English? Ugh. "Let''s go." Steve said as he started walking away. Lara smiled apologetically at us then followed. Ah, hubby, although you irritate me so in this timeline, I have never been so glad to hear your haughty voice again. I know it''s just been 2 days since I met you and should not judge, but gods, your prince complex was so much worse than mine was. Anyway, Anthony smiled at me and went to follow the two. "Let''s go?" Andy asked. I smiled at him and nodded my head. Ah Andy, thank goodness you''re still here. If not, I can just disappear and the 3 would not even notice. -- Arriving at the SOM mall, Lara chose the round table under the canopy where the 5 of us can sit. Steve and Lara sat beside each other, Anthony and Andy were gentlemanly enough to let me choose my sit next, and since Anthony was standing closer to Lara, I just took the empty seat in between the two vacant ones. Andy excused himself to buy snacks, telling us that it would be his treat. The four of us remained seated, and Lara, the friendly soul that she seems to be, tried to engage us in a conversation. To make the vibe inclusive, since I''m the only one who was new to their group, her first question was directed to me. "So, Michelle, what class do you have next after this?" she began. "I have PE, table tennis, at 3pm, how about you?" "Me, Andy, and Steve have English 11 at 3 pm too. How about you Tonton?" Anthony looked at her, his pupils were all sparkly like she was the sun, and Steve''s eyes narrowed. Gods, why am I here again? "I have PE, basketball, at 3pm too." "Oh! Maybe you and Michelle should walk together to the covered courts later. Since you''re heading to the same direction." Lara suggested which made Steve smirk. Did I just get to become the scapegoat? Anthony smiled and nodded, then he looked at me to ask, "If it''s ok with you, perhaps we can walk together?" I stared at his too charming face that made my heart stutter over and over through the years and if I wasn''t sitting, then I fear I would''ve fallen down because even now, I can feel that my knees have grown weak. What have become of my faculties? Perhaps, I was taking too long to answer and that I was turning red, that I noticed his smile becoming a bit strained as he furrowed his brows. "Are you okay?" he asked in concern. Gods Michelle, what the hell was that response? If the offer still stands? Anthony just nodded his head and said, "Of course." Then turned to face his friends again. I can feel my face flushing, and I don''t know if Lara and Steve noticed, but if they did, they did not say anything about it. I peeked at Steve, just to check and see if he even cared. But no, nothing on his face indicated that he even placed an iota of interest on whatever I do. I don''t know if I should be thankful or hateful, but I have to keep in mind that he has no idea that I was his wife in another time. "Michelle, I think Andy mentioned that he has seen you around in parties before, which means that we''re moving in similar circles. Anyway, which high school did you go to?" Lara asked. Ok, yeah, ''similar'' not same. Thanks for stabbing me while keeping that smile, you two-faced biatch. But fine, you''re still young, and I should be your auntie, so I will forgive you for the slight jab. As they say, keep your friends close, your enemies closer. Not that I have any personal issue with you, but sorry dear, we have clashing interests as the man beside you now? Yeah, he''s my future hubby. "I went to Jinhua high school for girls." I answered amicably. Hmpft! Even though you''re from the top of the echelon, we''re attending the same school now, and even my high school was not that bad. It was after all, at par with your high school. Lara nodded her head, "Oh, I have some friends from Jinhua. My good friend, Charice Lo also studied there. Are you also friends with her?" I wanted to roll my eyes, of course she''s friends with the number 1 popular girl from my high school. By the way, the high school me, although has been catered to, was also a loner. Yes, a loner. I never did have a lot of friends because of my attitude, but I did have people who I considered were my cronies. Anyway, I did become friends with my high school batchmates later in my other timeline because of facebook. And well, one of my classmates became my coworker and suddenly we just clicked. Moving on, I should also say that in the rich circle, I was also not that friendly. I have them as acquaintances but not really friends. Obviously, if I did, then I would have lots of connections and would have not needed to work my way up in the company I worked at. Anyway, I shook my head to focus on the present and answer Lara''s question. -- TBC Chapter 16: Childhood friends "We know each other but haven''t had the chance to be close." I replied, then, not wanting her to ask about me since I have nothing spectacular to share about my life from age 0 to 18, I decided to shift the direction of our conversation. "Anyhow, I see that you four have been friends before entering this university. How did that come to be?" I asked, while thinking ''might as well use this time to gather some info.'' Lara giggled as she looked at the two boys beside her, then she started her long winded talk of how they all met and how they have been friends since forever. She only took a pause when Andy arrived and sat. Andy was also a conversationalist and he also explained while laughing and joking, in sync with Lara. I let it all sink in. Apparently, the 4 of them have been friends since the time they were in their nappies. Their parents were from the same generation, and had children on the same year, and it all began from there. As long as they can remember, they have already played in the same playpen, the venue of whose, well it alternated between their mansions. Then as they grew older, because Lara was a girl, she studied in a different school exclusively for girls. The boys all studied in the same school though which was also exclusive for boys. Despite that, their closeness never wavered because their bond was already strong, and they still spent their summers together. I nodded in understanding, in my mind, I wondered what happened in the future for Steve to drift away from them. Also, even Anthony, with all my stalking, I never saw pictures of them together in facebook. Though, maybe they were in private? Anyhow, ok, I get it now, you all have a strong unbreakable bond. I would never break it in your inner circle and just be a passer-by in your lives. Ugh. Michelle, no need to think that way, you''re here now. Although I felt a little out of place and intimidated with my competition as she has been Steve''s friend for almost all their life, my consolation and fighting power was still alive. She may have been Steve''s friend since forever, but he married me in my timeline. That has got to mean something right? I was cut out of my musings when I heard the bell rang. "Oh, it''s already 2:50, time to go. Tonton, do you want to join us later? We''re heading to Steven''s." Lara said. It was a bit awkward for me to be standing there, not getting invited, but I do know that we''re not that close for me to be invited to their house. Anthony shook his head, "Sorry, I have to decline, I need to get home early for tonight or my mom will grill me. Maybe next time." "Alright." Lara replied and did not think of it anymore and started walking. I only smiled at him in return. Well, I also don''t want to join and be third wheeling. Wonder how Andy does it. The five of us walked through the SEC walk, and at the corner of my eyes, I noticed some people staring. Perhaps because they''re looking at Andy, or that we were all looking like we walked out of a fashion magazine. Not that I''m too narcissistic, but again, I would not have ranked myself first in terms of beauty in our block if I had no basis. We first passed by SEC A, which was the building where Steve, Lara, and Andy will be having their class. Steve just went inside not even turning to say goodbye to me and Anthony. Lara smiled apologetically again as she too said her goodbye. Last, Andy smiled at me, as if wanting to say something. However, seeing that Anthony was not leaving, he decided to let it go and just told me, see you tomorrow. Finally, it was just Anthony and me who will be walking the 3 minutes-walk from SEC A to the covered courts. I turned to look at him, and he looked at me too. He smiled at me and asked, "Shall we?" Not confident with my own voice, I gave him a small shy smile as I nodded my head. -- TBC Chapter 17: Walk to covered courts From the very first step we took, I already felt my heart started kabooming in my chest. For years, I have dreamed of this moment, and on this day, it''s finally happening. There was only about 10 inches space between us, and being this close to his presence made me feel warm and fuzzy all over. Faintly, my nostrils recognized the smell of his perfume. Not for the first time, I wondered what brand he was using, for I would love to buy one, spray it on my pillow and hug it to sleep. Ehem ehem, Michelle, must I remind you that you have a husband? Anyway, I could not speak at all. I was just hyper aware of him and felt this instance too surreal. "I''m sorry about Lara earlier, she might act that way, but she means well." He suddenly said as he looked at me while walking. I looked at him too and our eyes met. I could not even remember what Lara did wrong and the only question I have in my head was why he was apologizing for her. Perhaps he saw my confusion, so he just chuckled and shook his head. Then I recalled being snubbed by not getting invited. I smiled thinking that he was being considerate. Getting some of my brain cells back, I answered, "It''s alright. I know that we just met so I think that''s completely normal." He nodded his head, shifting the conversation, he mentioned, "By the way, I don''t know if it''s just me, but I feel like we''ve met before. Have we?" Now it was my turn to chuckle, so he did find my face familiar! He did kinda recognized me! Before I could let my little brain cells die again, I answered, "Yes, I was not able to mention it earlier, but I was your seatmate in English 10." It took a moment for him to put the two and two together, and as if finally recalling, he turned red, perhaps because of embarrassment. "Sorry, sorry. I think I just have poor memory. I hope I did not offend you." I shook my head as I replied, "No, it''s okay.", although the episode did shatter my heart, now it has been completely glued back together, and was fuller than ever. "Thanks, you''re a very understanding person. I see now why¡­ oh, we''re here. I guess, I''ll see you tomorrow in class then." "T- Thanks for walking me till here." I stuttered my reply and I know that my cheeks were stained red. If Anthony noticed, he did not mention it at all. He just nodded and smiled. Then, he turned on his back and walked away. After he left, all I wanted to do was scream! AHHHHHH you fickle hearted fool! Stop assuming and get your head out of the gutter! Not because he walked you till here means he has a crush on you too! But I can''t help myself. He was like my first love, though unrequited it may have been in the other timeline. But maybe, just maybe, if I tried to approach him then, would have it worked out? Would the future have turned out differently? Would I have been a Cinderella married by rich CEO after our family''s downfall? Would he have been my knight in the shining armor? ''Stop that Michelle, you''re assuming too much.'' I tried to get a hold of myself as my inner monologue kept on running amuck. To tell the truth, although married, my experience with the opposite sex has been very limited. As said, I believed that my first boyfriend should be my husband, so my standards were very high. The only husband material I considered in college was Anthony for he was my crush, and maybe if someone came along like Andy level, perhaps I would have considered. However, that did not happen in my other timeline. I had suitors, but they never met my standards, so before they could court me, I already rejected them. Thus, what happened? Until I graduated college, I never had a boyfriend. When I went abroad for graduate school, the culture was just too different, and I did not find anyone attractive enough either. Then, when I went back home, my family was in a predicament, so, love life? What''s that? It''s not like Anthony would ever notice me. I must congratulate myself though. I did succeed in getting my first boyfriend as my husband. Steve has been my one and only. He came along at the right time. I have already adopted to my new life, and he was also very very handsome. He took my breath away just like Anthony did, and I felt my lonely single heart doing summersaults again. Reminiscing all the good times, I was again reminded that he was the love of my life. I should not succumb to this momentary lapse of uhm¡­ libido? Haha! I don''t know. But then again, I should just enjoy this time of my life, and immerse myself with the things I never got to do before. At the end of the day, the end game''s still him and me, so I should not feel bad about acting like a teenager. For, despite everything, no one would be able to say anything as I am truly one now. I shook my head as I told myself, ''oh Michelle, you assume too much. Just get in class already or you''ll be late!'' -- TBC Chapter 18: It’s complicated Third POV "Hey Lara, I won''t be able to sleep if I don''t say this, but why did you have to invite Anthony earlier in front of Michelle when you''re not going to invite her too? I mean, that was rude." Andy said as they walked to the parking lot. Their English class lasted the whole 1 hour and 20 minutes as the professor started giving them an introductory lecture. "Huh? I think it''s completely understandable though. I mean, she knows that we''ve been friends forever and to be invited in someone else''s house, well, I think that should be reserved for very close friends." Lara replied. "But you could have just texted or called Anthony after they left you know. I still think you were being bitchy. I guess maybe because she''s prettier?" Andy teased. "Excuse me? I don''t think I heard you correctly." "Pretending to be deaf now, are we? Let me repeat, I think you''re jealous because Michelle is prettier than you." Lara was appalled. Looking for someone to side with her she exclaimed, "Steven, you tell him!" Steven stopped walking. He took a deep breath, while thinking, ''what''s up with these two again. What were they talking about anyway?'' Lara pouted, "Steven, who do you think is prettier? Me or Michelle?" Steven paused as he remembered how the girl, Michelle, smiled at him the first time they met. He could not understand why, but the image of her smiling got stuck in his head. ''Did she put some kind of witchcraft on me?'' he wondered. Anyhow, the answer should be obvious, despite not really knowing what the correct answer was. Like usual, he did not express his thoughts but let his actions speak for him. He grabbed Lara''s hand and intertwined their fingers. Then, he continue walking. Lara giggled as she turned to look back and stick her tongue at Andy. "See?" Andy shook his head. "That ain''t fair. Of course, Steven will pick you." When they arrived in the parking lot, Steven went to ride his brand-new gray Lambhorgini Murcielago. Andy whose car, a red Ferrari Maranello, was parked beside his also opened his door. Lara opened the door of Steven''s car riding shotgun. "How about your car?" Steven asked. Steven nodded his head. -- Steven''s house, rather, mansion, was about 30 minutes ride from the university. It was very grand, and just by the sheer size, one would think that they''re entering a palace. It even has a helipad. Of course, that was not just for design, they do have a helicopter there too. What seems to be a palace to others was just a normal day to day view to him and his group of friends. So, it did not inspire any feelings of awe. He stopped in front of their house''s main entrance, and already, a personal valet was waiting. He went down the car while a servant opened the door for Lara. Then, he threw his car key to the valet who was alert and caught it immediately. As he and Lara entered the mansion, the valet took over to drive the car to the parking area which houses over 50 different models of luxury and sports cars. When Andy arrived, he handed his car key to the valet and went inside. -- The table tennis class did not have any practical activity for the day as not everyone was dressed for it, nor did they have the equipment. Thus, their instructor just gave an introduction on how table tennis was played, and asked them that next Tuesday, they should be dressed appropriately and have a table tennis racket ready. Considering that many of them have class before this PE subject, their instructor told them that instead of starting at 3:00pm, they can start at 3:10 to give them time to change their clothes. However, they will end the class at 4:30pm. The students were okay with it for all of them have this as their last class for TTH. Anyway, when they were dismissed, Michelle exited quickly to see if she can take a chance at seeing Anthony playing basketball. Much to her disappointment, the court was already empty. Perhaps, they have been dismissed earlier than they did. Walking to the parking area, she was reminded of the invitation Andy handed her earlier. Curious, she took it out of her bag. Reading it, the celebration will apparently be an overnight party held in a yacht. Well, that''s new. Actually, not just new, but it was her first time to get invited for such an event. At least, one she wished to attend. -- Andy eyed Lara who was sitting beside Steven. She was looking at him like she was ready to worship the grounds he walks on. Meanwhile, Steven was treating her like air again. Just letting her do whatever. He never gets their relationship. Lara obviously loves Steven, while Steven was mostly hot and cold. One day he would be sweet, then the other, he would ignore her like she doesn''t exist. He doesn''t know what Steven really feels for her, but if one were to ask him, he would definitely agree with what Anthony said to Steven. That, he should let Lara go if he only felt obligated to love her. Talking about Steven and Anthony, that was where their fight began. Anthony thought that Steven should treat Lara better. So, when Steven ignored him, he decided to talk to Lara and tell her that she deserves so much better. It would have been alright if Steven did not know, but apparently, it was bad timing. Steven was listening just outside the corridor, and things, well, it escalated and went melodramatic. Steven felt like Anthony was a backstabbing snake who talks badly of him behind his back. While Anthony felt like Steven was a jerk who was preying on Lara''s innocence. Long story short, although they later patched things up, things were never the same again. Andy did not like picking sides, and he knew that both have their wrongs. Steven should indeed treat Lara better or maybe at least give her a definite answer, but then again, that''s their relationship so he should not pry. Meanwhile, Anthony was also wrong. He should not have talked behind Steven''s back, specially that he has some unrequited feelings for Lara. Not that he was sure that Steven and Lara knew of Anthony''s one-sided feelings, but well, wasn''t it obvious? Anyhow, if they did, they did not bother. After all his musings, Andy can only sigh. He wished that things could just go back to the way it was before last summer when all these complicated matters began. -- TBC Chapter 19: Getting permission Michelle POV After I read the invitation, I started thinking of ways to get my parents'' permission to attend. I''m not sure if they would agree, because in the past, I never asked. First, I never was interested to attend any. Second, when I became interested, no one invited me. Looking back, my life then has been so lacking in adventure and was so monotonously boring. After school, I usually just go home directly. During that time, I would alternate my time between studying and reading fanfiction. Studying was my priority. I was too afraid of getting kicked out from our university then becoming a laughingstock and bringing shame to my parents. As I mentioned, I was wait listed and most of my blockmates and classmates were valedictorians of their respective high schools. Though I hated to admit, I knew I got in because of luck (barely passing the entrance), combined with legacy (parents and relatives graduated from same school), the name of my high school, and my high school grades which I think I got because of my parent''s gift to my teachers. Thus, the limited number of times I went home late were only when there were group works which I find myself lacking in contribution at times because my groupmates in the form of my blockmates don''t give me too much task, afraid that I will pull them down, and when there were group studies which I later realized were not very effective to me. So, I opted for self-study and hiring some private tutors myself. Anyway, I was pulled out of my musings when Rona knocked on my door to inform me that dinner was ready. -- "Mama, Papa, how did the matter about the land go?" I asked after we ate dinner to open our conversation. "Michelle, don''t be surprised alright? When you told us about your dream last night, I had the land reevaluated this morning. You know what the result was? Apparently, it is on top of a fault line. I can''t believe that your dream was right. It was like a prophesy. I believe we need to offer incense to our ancestors for giving you foresight." My mother said. I forced myself not to laugh as I was tempted to just tell them the truth. But I was afraid that they would think I''m crazy. My mom was a fan of the supernatural, but I believe if I say that I was a reincarnator, she will have me exorcised from my own body! So, never mind, I rather not take the chance. Besides, I kinda enjoy my new status of being smarter and more respectable than before. "I see¡­ then indeed mama, we should do that! Papa, how about the land in province F? Have you and your friend finalized negotiations about it already?" "He flew here this morning, and we had the transaction completed. Why are you suddenly concerned with business?" my father asked. I shook my head, "Just that it''s the first land I had input for you to buy, papa. I think I''m learning something in university about economics and all. Hehe¡­" "Michelle, it has just been your second day, but it''s good that you''re showing interest and concern about our corporation. You are, after all, the person who will inherit it. When you grow older, mama and papa will just retire and let you handle everything. How wonderful would that be?" My mother joked. I giggled. "Yes, mama. So right now, I think the next step should be building my connections. I think papa, mama, that I should build rapport with people from our circles, more so from those above ours." My father nodded, "It''s good that you are realizing that now. Business is like that, it''s a give and take process, and you should also have the right connections most of the time." "What made you think about those things Michelle?" my mother asked curious. Well, so far, their reactions seemed positive. Maybe they already saw my past self as the social recluse I was and were worried but did not tell me about it? Now, how do I tell them that we went bankrupt, and I learned it the hard way? It''s not like they will believe that I just suddenly had an epiphany that I should be like this and that. The sudden change in personality might make my mother think that I have been possessed by an evil spirit! Ugh, just bite that dream excuse again. "Actually, I did not mention that in continuation of my dream of the resort collapsing, we suddenly went bankrupt. From then on, I had to work like a corporate slave then I realized, if I had friends, I mean real friends, in the first place, then I would at least have people to lend me a hand. Mama, papa, I''m scared." My mother furrowed her brows with worry, "Michelle, that will never happen. Mama and papa are rich enough to give even up to your great grandchildren pocket money. Don''t worry about it." My father contemplated, if buying the land from province B pushed through and they built a resort there, although it would be a substantial damage to our wealth it should not turn us bankrupt. However, it was good to act with more prudence. "Yes Mama, I understand. Anyway, you know what? For the first time, I received an invite to an overnight birthday party! And the one who invited me was Lara Chua.", well, I can''t really say that it was Andy who invited me. Come on, he''s a boy and my father will definitely disagree. "Lara Chua? Isn''t that the daughter and heiress of the Chua''s? How did you become friends and so quickly too?" My mother asked. "Uhm, she''s my classmate in two of my subjects, Environmental Science and ES lab, she was also my seatmate there. Even though her course was engineering, we just suddenly clicked. However, the birthday party was her friend''s I think his name was Andy Peng." I explained. "How come she''s the one inviting when it''s not even her birthday?" My father asked doubtfully. "I don''t know. But I want to attend. She will be my first college friend, also I will show you our photos after I get home from that party. Please mama, papa, let me attend." I kinda begged. "But when is it? Also, don''t you have your evaluation exams in two weeks?" my mother asked. "It will be the weekend after the evaluation exams. I will of course study for the exams and perform well. But please mama, papa, all my classmates in high school attended some sleep over, only I never got to attend one. So please?" Taking into consideration my words about building connections and the names that I mentioned, my parents were convinced. They nodded at each other, and my mother turned to smile at me. "Alright, we trust you. Besides, you''re already 18. However, again, always keep in mind, books before boys, ok?" my mother advised. "Of course, Mama! Thank you! Thank you! I''m so excited!" "Yes, papa! I will endeavor to pass them." My parents both smiled again, happy at seeing me happy. -- TBC Chapter 20: Library After I was able to convince my parents to let me attend the party, I went back to my room and locked the door. I could not stop the grin blooming on my face and like a teenager, I began to squeal! I''m so excited! It''s the first time that I would be attending a college party. I went to open my bag and brought out the invitation Andy gave me. Should I text him tonight to confirm my attendance? Wait, come to think of it, he gave me this because he wants to have my number. If I text him now, won''t he think that I''m too eager? I mean, I''m positive that I did not interpret his words incorrectly, because if he''s just plainly inviting me, he could have told me that I can just tell him later if I''m attending. It''s not like we won''t see each other again, considering that we have 2 subjects together and should be meeting 4 times a week in class. Aside from that, usually these RSVP should be handled by the event planner and the number indicated should also be theirs. Anyway, I saved his cellphone number and placed the invitation in my drawer afraid to lose it. I''ll just text him on Sunday. -- The next day, our professor in Math 11 class began her lecture and to my utter horror, what should be easy for me was now some alien language. I already took the subject before and passed it, but that was more than a decade ago. Math 11 which focused on geometry was not a subject I apply in my daily life, nor did I use it for my economics subjects. I wanted to cry. If I don''t focus and study, then I might get kicked out of the university and this new timeline might even become worse than my first one! Gods, this is horrendous! I must really pay attention and review everything again. At 8:20 am, the bell rang and we were dismissed. My blockmates invited me to hang out at the canteen before their next class, but I declined. I don''t want to play cards or what not as I''m already panicking. My blockmates all came from high school, their knowledge about Geometry was still fresh. Mine was already rusty! When it came to math, I knew that practice was important. Why have I not thought of this before? Why was it that all I ever thought of were enjoying my college life? Anyway, I said my goodbyes to them and walked to the library. Our professor said that she left sample exams, AKA samplex, to one of the ladies handling the photocopying machines there. I need to review and practice solving equations now. -- Upon finding the woman to whom our prof left the samplex, I immediately asked her to have it photocopied for me. Luckily, there was no line and I was handed the copies after paying. The samplex comprised of old departmental Math 11 evaluation exams. It did not only have questions, but also the answer key which shows the step-by-step solution. It would be very helpful to me in reviewing. Having the samplex with me, I was finally able to settle myself. Then, I took the time to appreciate the nostalgic feeling of being in this library again. Sometime in 2009, the new library was erected and this one has been renovated for other purposes. Don''t get me wrong, the new one was better with all the technological advances added, but there''s just a charm in the old school style of this one. On the 1st floor, upon entering, one will first notice 8 long and wide study tables with wooden chairs in the middle wherein each can be occupied by about 20 students. The bookshelves meanwhile were surrounding the area facing the tables. Not wanting to share my space with other students occupying the tables, I decided to climb the stairs leading to the 2nd floor where the layout was that, on one side of the library, arranged in rows, were singular wooden study tables with accompanying chairs. While my eyes were scanning the area to find a vacant table, I saw someone I did not expect to see alone during this time. My heart thundered in my chest. If I had doubts before, then I am sure now. He was my Steve. Even the mannerisms were the same. I could not tear my eyes away from him, and I don''t know how long I stood there watching him. "Excuse me." I heard someone say as they walked past me. I realized that I was blocking the way. I shook my head as I reprimanded myself for throwing all my thoughts about reviewing out of the window. However, who could blame me? This was the first time I saw him without Lara attached to his hips! With this chance presented in front of me, what else should I do? Obviously, I MUST TAKE ADVANTAGE! -- TBC Chapter 21: Observe silence I looked at my watch and saw that it was only 8:50 am. Our next class wasn''t until 10:30. Still a lot of time assuming that he won''t be leaving anytime soon. For a few minutes, I thought about how I should approach him. I was a bit nervous if not apprehensive, because based on the 2 days I spent with him in this timeline, he has never been welcoming. I''m not even sure if he could remember my face. Anyway, I took a deep breath. Nothing will happen if I don''t start moving and make myself known. As I walked to approach the vacant table beside his, my two-inch heels made clicking sounds. I wondered if he would notice me, but he did not raise his head nor did he give any indication that his concentration has been broken. I placed my bag on the table first before pulling the chair and sitting myself. All that time, I was looking at him, but he never tore his eyes away from his book. I wondered how I could garner his attention without making it seem like I''m doing it deliberately. Trying not to be obvious with my purpose, I took out a samplex and a pen from my bag and placed them on the table. I pretended to read through them while I peeked at him. Finally, inspired with an idea, I purposely placed my pen near the edge of the table. Then, as if accidentally, I elbowed it with some force so that when it fell, it was given enough trajectory to land near his foot. I pretended to sift through my bag to wait and see if he would pick it up. However, it was as if he didn''t hear anything or saw anything land near his feet, or if he did, he purposely ignored it. Ugh, ok, let''s go for plan B. Since he did not pick it up, I stood up from my seat to do so. It was just about 4 inches away from his right foot and since I was wearing a dress, I bent my knees to pick it. For the first time, I was near him enough to catch a whiff of his perfume. I smiled. It may not be the same, but the scent was similar to the one he''s been using since I met him. Should I give him a nudge to notice me? But won''t that be too obvious? Anyway, before standing up, I peeked at him just to have a closer look at his face. I don''t know if it was fate or anything, but that was when our eyes met. As he has been my husband for 3 years, although I found the situation embarrassing and felt my cheeks turn heated, I did not shy away. Instead, I maintained eye contact and smiled. "Hi!" I said. Steve did not say anything. He just frowned but still, he gave me a nod of acknowledgement. Then, he went back to do what he was doing. I stood up and went back to my seat. It did not go that well, but it was also not bad. At least I am certain that he recognized me. Anyhow, I continued pretending to do something while in reality, I was just observing him. After about 20 minutes, I decided that it was time to chat him up. At first, he did not give any indication that he heard me. Well, let me try again. "Steven?" Finally, he turned to face me and said irately, "What?" I did not know why, but I found the situation so funny. He also looked funny to me. So, I covered my mouth to stifle my laughter. He scowled. Does he think I''m weird? Composing myself, I smiled at him, "I''m sorry, but if you don''t mind, can I ask you a question?" I asked, then realized that I''m stupidly asking a question already. He looked at me as if contemplating his answer, then after about 3 seconds, he deadpanned with a "No." then he turned away from me. I did not take offence because I knew that what I did was rude. Still, I tried to call him again. "Steven?" When he did not reply, I tried again, "Steven?" This time, he faced me again with a frown, then he pointed at the sign which says, observe silence. Then, he turned away again. I wanted to laugh. Well, without Lara on his side, I find him more endearing even though all he did was scowl at me. Looking at the time, it was just 9:20 am. This time, I decided that I should just do what I came here to do. So, I began to focus on my samplex material on the table. It was nice, sitting there studying while knowing that Steve was just beside me doing the same. It felt comfortable, sweet and familiar, just like when we lay beside each other on the bed. Him typing on his laptop, me reading emails, novels, or whatnot on my phone. Both busy with our own stuff but contented that we''re there together. -- TBC Chapter 22: Walking together (Michelle POV) I did not notice the passing of the time, and before I knew it, the bell rang signifying that it was already 10:20. I looked to my left and saw that Steve was placing his materials in his backpack. I quickly placed my things inside my bag too, and by the time he stood up, I was done. Unsure if he would just leave me, I took it upon myself to call him. "Steven, let''s walk together?" Steve looked at me, frowned, but nodded his head. I could not help but smile. So, despite his sulky exterior, he was not necessarily evil. As we walked from the library to our classroom, I started a conversation. Steve did not answer immediately, but after a while, he said, "None." "Oh, you just arrived early to school today?" I tried again, smiling. Could it be that we have been fated to meet today? However, Steve did not answer rather, he stopped walking and brought out his phone to answer a call. I didn''t know who he was talking to, but in the end, he sighed. "You can go ahead." He told me. Why would I do that? "You waiting for someone? I can wait with you." Steve just looked at me strangely. Then, he started to ignore me again. ''uh¡­ was I being too obvious?'' After a minute, Lara whose hair was still a little wet while carrying a bigger bag today approached us. She looked at me weirdly, then she wrapped her arms around Steve''s left arm. "Have you been waiting long?" Lara asked, acting cute. Who else could he have been waiting for? Michelle, you''re getting more and more stupid by the day. Now don''t go scrunching your nose because of the bitterness, you totally deserve the vinegar right now. Steve just showed her a scowl, "Let''s go, we''ll be late." He said. Then, as if remembering something, Lara turned to look at me again, "Oh, I almost didn''t see you there Michelle, what are you doing here by the way?" ''Girl, you just totally saw me before you even reached us.'' I wanted to say. Though of course I didn''t. I just looked at her and smiled even though in reality all I wanted to do was pull her hair and tear her arms away from my hubby. "I met Steven in the library coincidentally." "I see, anyway, let''s go walk to class together." She said in a somewhat friendly manner. "Okay." I replied, then the two of them walked in front of me. Ugh. Why was I here again? -- We arrived in class a minute early, and Andy was already there. I walked towards the seat beside his. "Hi Michelle! Sup Lara, Steven." He greeted. "Hello Andy." I greeted back, then sat beside him. Andy, instead of talking with his long-time friends, chose to speak to me. "Fancy seeing you three walking in together. How did that come to be?" he asked curious. "I saw Steven at the library coincidentally¡­ so, how about you? I didn''t see you around earlier, didn''t you have the same class as them?" I replied while at the same time, trying to pry without being obvious. "Oh, no I don''t. Only Lara has swimming class every Wednesday and Friday. I guess Steven sent her to school. So, have you talked to your parents about the party?" Okay, Michelle, you shouldn''t have pried. Are you a masochist now or something? I shook my head "I wasn''t able to ask yet. I''ll let you know later or sometime this weekend." Thankfully, our professor finally arrived, and I had to face forward. This way, I could hide the sadness welling in my eyes. When the class ended, Andy again invited me to have lunch with them, but the sight of Steven and Lara were unpleasant to my eyes after I just reminisced about my past with Steve in the library. So, this time, I had to decline and excuse myself. -- (Third POV) "Steven, you have to tell me, how did you meet Michelle in the library? I mean, did she approach you suddenly? Was she the one to ask you to walk with her?" Lara kept on asking after Michelle left. "Hey, why do you keep asking that? Do you feel threatened? Lara, there are such things called coincidence." Andy interjected. "The question was not for you Andy. Why do you always have to defend her? Did she put some love potion on your meal the last time we weren''t there? You''ve only met her 3 times, and you''re taking her side than mine, who, may I remind you, have been your friend for almost all your life." Lara scolded. "It''s not like she''s done anything to you. Besides, don''t you trust Steven?" Andy teased. Lara looked at Steven again. Steven sighed. Lara would not stop until he gives her an answer. "We just exited the library at the same time." He finally said, just wanting Lara to stop. "See?" Andy told Lara with both his eyebrows raised and eyes widened exaggeratedly as if to annoy her. "You!" Lara exclaimed as she hit Andy''s arm. She may feel annoyed, but she felt better and began to laugh with Andy. Steven tilted his lips upwards seeing their antics. Then, he recalled the way Michelle smiled at him in the library and shook his head. He just lied to Lara, but he thought that it''s better that way. At least she won''t think too much of it. -- TBC Chapter 23: Difference between guys and gals Third POV "I can''t believe that we don''t even have one class together. Anyhow, how have your blockmates been treating you so far?" Lara asked Anthony. She, and the boys were currently lounging in a caf¨¦ while their mothers went shopping together. "They''re nice, easy to get along with. How about you, Steven, and Andy? How''s your block?" Anthony asked in return. "For me, it''s okay. But since me and these two are in the same block, we mostly just stick together. They''re pretty nice though." Lara replied. They didn''t really have much to talk about specially that Steven and Anthony were still awkward with each other. Usually, at times like this, Andy would get the conversation going, but he was just busy staring at his phone. Anthony felt the stagnancy of their conversation and that the atmosphere was becoming stifling, so he decided to shift the topic to Andy. "So¡­ do you have any idea why Andy won''t stop staring at his phone?" he asked. Lara made an exaggerated sigh. "Why else? He got himself a new flavor of the month, and he''s been waiting for her text since Friday." "Really? Who is it this time? Isn''t he dating that actress, what''s her name again?" "Hayley" Lara supplemented, "And no, not anymore. You know Andy, he has the attention span of a fly. Right now, he feels like he''s found his true love in that girl, Michelle. You met her with us last time. Remember?" Anthony recalled the face of the girl with a shy smile and sometimes endearing stutter. He chuckled as he nodded his head, "Yes, oh and I forgot to mention, apparently, she was my seatmate in English 10." "I see..." then Lara nudged Andy, "hey did you hear that? Your crush is seatmates with Tonton in English. Why do you keep staring at your phone anyway? I don''t remember you exchanging numbers." Andy finally decided to look up from his phone as he sighed. "We didn''t but I invited her for my birthday party. I even asked the event coordinator to personalize one invitation with my personal cellphone number to give her. She said that she will ask permission from her parents and will give me a response this weekend. Anyway, Anthony since she''s your classmate, have you noticed any guy roaming around her? Maybe like, if she has a boyfriend or something?" Anthony shook his head, "I didn''t notice, besides the school year just started." On the other hand, Lara rolled her eyes, "Not every guy is like you, Andy. Some people actually try to get to know someone first before deciding if they truly like them. Plus, personalized invitation? Really? You won''t even give me an invitation to hand Charice Lo who has been texting me for an invite since last month." "Well, it''s my birthday so I decide who I want to invite or not. Plus, Charice? Eeew. No thanks. My standards are pretty high. I told you already, I''m not interested, and you can pass her the message too." Andy replied. "I think Michelle is a step down from Hayley though. What do you see in her anyway?" "First, she''s really pretty. Second, she''s hot. Third, well, I have seen her around before, but I never got the chance to talk to her. The one time I did, she did not even notice me. As in me, Andy Peng." Andy explained. "I never knew that part, so is it like she''s a challenge to you? Like since you did not notice me before, I will get you now and dump you later?" Lara now more curious inquired. Steven who finally seems to be interested in the conversation furrowed his brows as he listened. "I don''t think that''s nice Andy. Michelle seems like a nice girl." Anthony commented. "Wait, sorry, I guess I judged you too early. So, you''re saying that you''ve been crushing on her since before? Why have I only heard of this now?" Lara asked. "I don''t mean that I have a crush on her, I just thought she''s pretty." Andy defended. "Isn''t that the same thing?" "Lara, when a guy says he has a crush on a girl, usually, it means that he wants to bang that girl okay? I mean, it''s the difference between guys and gals. Guys think that wow, she''s pretty, she''s hot, I want to bang her. Not like you gals who think, wow, he''s hot, he''s handsome, I want him to be my boyfriend and we''ll do fluffy innocent things together." Andy explained unabashedly. Steven kicked his seat. Andy looked at him, "What?" Steven just scowled. Meanwhile, Anthony explained, "Andy, that''s not always the case, and Lara''s a girl. Don''t say those kind of things in front of her." -- TBC Chapter 24 - 24: A Matter Of Timing (Michelle POV) After I left our ES class, my mood has been dampened for the whole day. I went to English class and saw Anthony. During that time, my mind has been distracted enough, so I didn''t feel bad. As usual, I blushed and stuttered like a teenage girl in his presence. However, when I got back home, I''m all sad and mopey again. This mood continued over the weekend. I know that during this time, Steve should be with Lara. Even though he told me that they have only been together during their second year, it doesn''t mean that they couldn''t be in the process of falling in love now. Besides, even if I try to get between them, there''s no guarantee that Steve will fall for me. Just like the saying goes, ''Love is also a matter of timing. If it''s meant to happen, it will, at the right time, at the right place, for the right reasons.'' I sighed. That doesn''t mean that it doesn''t hurt though. I shook my head. Well, if it''s not the right timing for us now, then should I just wallow in some sort of self pity? Hmpft! If he gets to have a girlfriend before me, why shouldn''t I get a boyfriend before him too? I still have my other life missions, like get to know Andy and Anthony! Pity though that they were his friends. But it''s not like I don''t know Lara during this timeline already. Again, if we''re meant to be, it will happen. For now, I can just go and continue my quest of getting myself a campus boyfriend. With renewed vigor, I unlocked my phone, then started typing. How should I go about this without seeming too eager? Ugh. Whatever, just type. It''s not like he will analyze each word that I typed. I mean, he did flirt with me, but it''s not like he''s THAT interested. Whatever. Then, I pressed send. (Third POV) Andy gave them an eye roll. Whatever. "Okay, Anthony''s right, it''s just that I never realized it until I met Michelle again." "So, what changed?" Lara encouraged him to continue. "Okay, so in class, I saw her smile for the first time. I mean, when she smiled, her eyes were twinkling, and I just think that she''s really really pretty." "you''re not making sense. You just said she''s pretty the first time you met." "I mean, the kind of pretty that, makes me want to take her home and introduce her to my parents. I just feel that she''s kind and if you haven''t been prejudiced against her from the start, Lara, you will see what I mean. Like when we had lunch in the canteen and it was just the two of us, she''s so unlike all the girls in our circle. She''s more. And I think I just really like her. So, guys, I want you all to give her a chance." "What chance?" Lara asked. "I want you to befriend her too. I mean, let her join our group. I want to get to know her better, and since I consider you three as my siblings, then I guess, you all can treat her as your sister-in-law. Hehe." Lara shook her head, "What if she doesn''t like you that way and fall for, let''s say another guy?" "that''s okay. I mean, although I like her, I know I can''t force her to like me back. But I do want to get close to her. It will hurt if I get rejected, but I don''t mind. If she turns out to like someone else, even it''s let''s say, Anthony, I won''t take it against her." Andy said. "Hey, why do I get to become the example?" Anthony reacted. "It''s not like I can say Steven. Maybe someone here will tear my hair out. So, what do you say?" Andy chuckled. Lara glared at Andy, but said, "I still don''t like her, but I will try. If she hurts you, it''s friendship over for us." Andy chuckled, "Fair enough." "I don''t see anything wrong with that, even if you didn''t tell me to, Michelle is really nice. So, if I pursue her, you won''t hit me or something?" Anthony joked. "Well, I think I''m the better man between us, so you can just try." Andy said laughing. He knew that Anthony was just joking and trying to make light between his and Steven''s situation. Then, the three looked at Steven who hasn''t spoken much. Steven recalled Michelle''s smiling face and until now, he can''t take it off his mind. Maybe if he gets to see her more, he will become immune to it. Anyway, he nodded his head. "Great!" Andy exclaimed. "But she hasn''t even texted you yet, you keep deciding when it doesn''t seem like she''s even interested." Lara teased. Suddenly, Andy''s phone vibrated. Quickly, he opened the message and read. ''Hi Andy, Michelle here. I already talked to my parents, and they agreed. Thank you for inviting me. See you tomorrow.'' Andy''s smile reached his ears and proudly, he showed his phone with the message to Lara. "In your face Lara!" he exclaimed laughing. -- TBC Chapter 25 - 25: Can I Call? (Third POV) "Ugh! Stop bragging. Just a text message and you''re acting like you won a lottery or something." Lara complained. Andy laughed, "Frankly, I think this feels better than winning a lottery!" then he pulled his cellphone back to start typing his reply. He typed, then deleted, typed and then deleted again. Lara, Steven, and Anthony all looked at him as he grinned, furrowed his brows, grinned, and then made a confused expression. "You need help?" Anthony asked. Andy nodded his head. "I have done this many times, but Michelle is different from those girls. What if she thinks I''m snubbish or coming too strong?" "What would you have normally texted?" Anthony asked. "Normally, I''ll just text, Great, or I won''t reply until they text me again with some questions needing a response. I mean, most girls dig it when a guy plays hard to get. No offense to someone I know." Andy replied. Lara and Steven, both gave him a glare. "Then don''t text back. Let''s see if she''ll text you again." Lara said as if daring him. Andy wanted to say no way, but Lara took his cellphone from his hands. "Hey!" he complained. "What? You can always text her later. It''s not like you''re holding your phone 24/7. Let her wait for 30 minutes, that is, IF she''s actually waiting." Andy pouted. He waited for 3 days for that single message and Lara just stole his phone. Then again, she has a point. "Fine. Just 30 minutes then hand me my phone back. Ok?" Lara grinned. "Sure." -- (Michelle POV) I looked at my phone and saw the screen saying message sent. Then I started waiting, nervous and excited at the same time. When no reply has arrived after 3 minutes, I started getting dismayed. Why was he not replying yet? Does he not like me? Did I interpret him wrong? Michelle, Michelle, how can you be so conceited? He''s Andy Peng for god''s sake. Not because he flirted a little means that he likes you. Maybe he''s just that way with other girls too. Like, even now, there should at least be tens of thousands of girls wanting to go out with him. I placed my phone on the nightstand to lie on the bed. Sad and dejected. Honestly, I keep telling myself that I won''t make him think that I like him for Steve''s sake, but in reality, I''m just scared of getting rejected, like what''s happening now. Ah¡­ I wanted to cry. But who''s to blame? He''s Andy Peng, and who am I? I''m just me. Gods, why was I feeling this way? I don''t know how long I laid there like an idiot. But I was hyper aware as deep inside me, I was still waiting for his reply. When my phone vibrated, my hand quickly reached for it and saw 1 unread message. My heart was thudding, nervous. What did he type? Was it from him? Ah!!! This is killing me. Slowly, I unlocked my phone and saw that the message did come from him. I closed my eyes as I pressed open. Then, I read it. Then, I read it again to be sure. [That''s great! I''ve been looking forward to your response since Friday, and now I feel so happy to know that it''s a positive. Is it alright for me to save your number?] I smiled so widely that I think my face will split. Oh Andy, you''re so sweet! I was about to type a reply, when I received another text message. I opened it to check. [Are you busy? Can I call?] Eh? Why does he want to call? I looked at myself still clad in my pajamas. It''s a Sunday, and I''m just too lazy so I haven''t even taken a bath yet. Thankfully, he won''t see me as there''s no video call at this time. For a moment, I thanked the lord that smartphones haven''t been invented yet. Even iphone 1 won''t be coming out until next year, and even then there''s no 3G what more 5G. Though there was internet, it''s not as convenient as one must use their PC or laptop for that. Video calls can only be done using a webcam, and well, you get my drift. Anyway, after a minute, I started typing my reply. [Yes, no, and yes. ^_^] Then I cleared my throat and practiced saying, hello? Hello? Ah, did my voice sound alright? Ugh¡­ -- (Third POV) "Ok, 30 minutes is up." Anthony, who was delegated to do the countdown announced. "Did I receive anything?" Andy asked nervous. Lara brought out the phone from her bag. Then she laughed. "Absolutely N-o-t-h-i-n-g! hahaha! Serves you right! I think I like Michelle more now." Andy pouted but took his phone, "Not that I didn''t expect that. At least I was able to think of a more proper response." "What do you plan on saying?" Lara asked. "Uh, ''That''s great! I hope you''re not busy today. How are you?'' what do you think?" Andy said. Lara gave him an eyeroll. "That is so lame. If it were me receiving the text, I would appreciate it more if you tell me that you''ve been waiting for my text and what texting? Better yet, just give me a call. And here I thought you''re smooth." Andy took what Lara said to mind, "Ok, you''re a girl. I guess I should listen to you. But call? Would she let me?" "Just be casual about it." "I''m not too sure, anyway I''m sending this one out. ''That''s great! I''ve been looking forward to your response since Friday, and now I feel so happy to know that it''s a positive. Is it alright for me to save your number?'' what do you think?" Steven and Anthony looked at him like he has grown another head. Lara gave him a thumbs up. "that''s awesome. Trust me." Andy closed his eyes and pressed send. After 1 second, he felt that he sounded wierd. "I think I should not have listened to you Lara. It sounds like I''m some weirdo stalker." "Then just give her a call." Lara said laughing. Andy nodded and went ahead and texted ''are you busy? Can I call?'' He waited and waited, and it felt like eternity when in fact it was only under 2 minutes. When his phone vibrated, everyone looked at him expectantly. Nervous, he opened the message. When he saw the response, he tried to recall the sequence of his questions, and after realizing the answer for each, he grinned. "Ok guys, you stay here for the meantime. I need to give your future sister-in-law a call." -- TBC Chapter 26 - 26: The Call (Michelle POV) After 5 minutes my phone started vibrating and I felt my heart thunder in my chest. This is it. I cleared my throat one more time then pressed the answer button and placed the phone on my ear. "Hello?" was my voice shaking? I don''t know. I hope it didn''t. After a few seconds, I recognized his voice asking hesitantly, "Mich? Is that you?" Uh, did my voice sound strange? "Yes, it''s me. Why?" Andy chuckled, and I can sense that he''s also nervous based on his tone. "Just checking, when I received your text, I thought I was being pranked." I smiled. "Why would anyone do that?" "Well, no one really, but it just felt too good to be true, so I called to check." Ok, so maybe his flirting skill was just godly level. "I see¡­ so¡­" Now what do I say next? I don''t know!!! I mean, this is the first time something like this happened to me. With Steve, it''s different as we started by being colleagues. Thankfully, he knew how to keep the conversation going. "So¡­ what do you think of our university so far?" "I think it''s very different from high school, but in a good way. How about you?" ugh¡­ Michelle, you''re so lame. "Same. Are you friendly with your blockmates? I have seen you with them just once in the canteen." "We get along well. But I guess the difference in our schedule don''t let us spend much time together. How about you? In class, I see that it''s always just you, Lara, and Steven sticking together." "My blockmates are also okay, but just that I''ve been close with Lara and Steven since we''re children so maybe that''s why. Since your schedule seems to match with ours, maybe you can hang out with us more. I mean, if you want to." Oh my, that''s so sweet of you to offer, but not so sure if I''m welcomed. "I don''t want to intrude¡­" "No, not at all. I mean, Lara would really like that. She has been talking about you wanting to be friends. Maybe because she''s sometimes lonely just being with us boys. Then Steven although acts like some stone face dude, he''s an okay fellow. I mean, even Anthony thinks you''re nice." He said quickly. I giggled. What else can I say to that? "Okay, I would like that." Though I''m not sure if he''s being truthful or just making it up as I don''t think his friends, especially Lara, really think that way. "Great! So, how has your weekend been so far?" I looked around the four corners of my room. "It''s okay. Nothing exciting. How about you?" "Oh, I''m¡­" At the background, I heard someone calling him and telling him something, but I couldn''t hear it properly. Then, he started talking again. "Sorry, I''m in Sonor mall with my friends and our moms. They just called me coz apparently, they''re done with shopping, and we''re leaving. It was nice talking to you today. I''ll see you tomorrow, okay?" "Alright. It''s nice talking to you too. See you tomorrow, and goodbye." I replied. "Goodbye." He said once more. I looked at my phone and smiled. Then I giggled. I shook my head, ok Michelle, stop assuming too much. As long as he doesn''t say the words himself, for all you know maybe he''s just like this with other girls too. Still, I couldn''t help my girly heart from squealing. ANDY PENG. Andy Peng invited me to hang out with him and his friends, he''s wanting me to join their exclusive group. Like ok, maybe he said it''s Lara wanting a friend that is a girl, but I totally don''t buy it. Was he really into me? Okay, hold your horses. There you go again with your assumptions and then getting dismayed over nothing. Either way, it''s a great thing. I will get to know Steve and be part of his life during this time, I will get to know Andy, I will get to know Anthony, okay, maybe even Lara. And that by itself is already amazing! It''s like the bulk of my college life mission! In the end, I spent the rest of the day all smiles. I can''t wait for tomorrow to arrive. -- (Third POV) "So how was your talk?" Lara asked. They were all walking to the mall''s entrance towards their respective cars. Andy was all smiles, in a great mood. "Went really well. Tomorrow, you better act more friendly towards her, okay? I told her that you keep on wanting to be friends with her because you want a friend that is a girl in our group." "Eh? When did I ever say that? And did I just become your alibi? You could have just been honest and said you like her." Lara complained. "Just as you said, some people actually try to get to know a person before they start liking them. I don''t want to get rejected immediately because I tried to rush things. Michelle might be friendly, but that doesn''t mean she likes me back that way right now. If she does, then I would say that that''s only because I''m THE Andy Peng, not me, as me. I''ve been in enough relationship with shallow girls to know that at least." Andy explained. "Wow, that''s deep. Didn''t know you had it in you." Lara teased. But inside, she knew he was talking based on experience. She can still recall how disappointed he was after Veronica, his first girlfriend. Andy chuckled. "Well, I don''t want to destroy a potentially good relationship because I''ve been rushing things. Besides, I also want to get to know her better first." -- TBC Chapter 27 - 27: New Friendships I (Michelle POV) After our Math 11 class, I walked to the library with my blockmates who just decided that it''s time to get a copy of the samplex. "Michelle, I can''t believe that you already have a copy of your own. You''re so studious!" Camille said, while the rest of our block were walking in pairs. I can only give her an awkward smile. Truth was, I didn''t want to be studious, but its not like I will pass the exam without burning my eyebrows. "Would''ve been nice if you told us that you''re getting them at that time already. At least then we could''ve requested for you get us a copy too." Angie interjected jokingly. I wanted to give her an eyeroll. Although she said it as a joke, she was half serious. Seems like the problem before was not just me, some of these girls really have some attitude problem. If I was the me before, I would have rebutted her already. However, I was more conscious of the image I projected now, especially that I know that sometime in the future, these people from my block would make it big. Even Angie this biatch would marry a politician. Not that I would be some doormat, but no need to make enemies either. Just leave some positive impression and try not to spend too much time with them. Either way, we didn''t jive the first time, so not surprising that it''s not happening now either. "Yes, you''re right. I haven''t thought of that so maybe next time. Anyway, guys, since we''re here, I''ll just take a sit over there and start studying. See you tomorrow!" I excused myself with a small smile. Okay, now no one would think that I''m arrogant or something. Plus, they would all think that I''m really nice and somewhat pitiful. They all nodded, smiled and said goodbye. As I left, I vaguely heard someone tell Angie that what she did was not very nice. It was not my intention, but after I heard that, I had to cover my mouth to stop myself from laughing. Ah, I feel like I''m a white lotus character in some Chinese novel. -- When the bell rang at 10:20, I decided that it was time to go to my next class. When I arrived, I was surprised to see Lara smiling and waving me over. Okay, did the sun rise from the west today? I waved back and smiled as I walked to my seat. "Hi Michelle! Good morning. Did you have a class before this?" Lara asked as I took my seat. I turned to face her, Andy was sitting between us, and he gave me a smile, as if saying, ''told ya she wanted to be friends.'' "Yes, I had Math 11 earlier. How about you?" "Oh, what time? Me and these two, don''t have a class before this one. But for me, every Wednesday and Friday, I have swimming class from 8am- 9:30am. What time is yours?" Lara explained. I was a bit surprised, because it seems that Lara truly wanted to be friends with me. What got into her? Like this was a complete 180 from the attitude she showed me last week. "I have it from 7:30-8:30 am every MWF." I answered, not sure if I should keep the conversation going. Lara nodded her head, and did not ask more questions as the bell for 10:30am rang and our professor came in. -- While listening to the lecture, I saw Andy pass me a note, so I looked down to read it. ''Told ya she wants to be friends with you. ^^'' I noted that his penmanship was neat, not as nice as Steve''s, but pretty neat for a guy. I looked at him and he gave me a smile. You flirt! My mind was screaming, but I smiled back and wrote on the note to reply. ''I guess you''re right. Thanks, I wanted to be friends too.'' Well, not really my sentiment initially, but close enough. ''So, since we''re friends and will hopefully be hanging out together from now on, perhaps we should share our class schedules?'' he wrote. Ok, why did he write the word friends? Was he emphasizing that that''s all he wants? Does he feel that I''m assuming that he likes me? Ugh! Whatever. I opened my notebook to the front page to show him a printed copy of my class schedule. Math 11 MWF 7:30- 8:30 am Environmental Science MWF 10:30- 11:30 am English 10 MWF 12:30- 1:30 pm INTACT W- 3:30- 4:30pm Economics 101 TTH 9- 10:30 am Environmental Science Laboratory TH 12:00- 3:00pm PE 1 T-TH 3:00-4:30 pm Andy looked at it and after a while, he smiled at me then showed me his which was still on his assessment form. Math 11 MWF 1:30- 2:30 pm Environmental Science MWF 10:30- 11:30 am English 11 TTH 3:00-4:30 pm INTACT M- 3:30- 4:30pm Engineering Physics TTH 9- 10:30 am Environmental Science Laboratory TH 12:00- 3:00pm PE 1 WF 3:00- 4:30pm Then he wrote on the paper, ''this is the same for me and Steven, we''re both taking tennis for PE. As for Lara, the only difference is that for her PE which is swimming it is every WF 8-9:30am.'' I smiled and nodded my head, not really knowing what to do with the new information. -- TBC Chapter 28 - 28: New Friendships II After class, I was invited by Andy and Lara to have lunch with them. This time, Lara went to stand beside me and even clung to my arm like we were best of friends. Andy gave me a smile while Steve just nodded his head at me in acknowledgement. Am I really part of their group now? We walked to the canteen, Lara and I together, Steve and Andy behind us. It was strange as I was not used to this kind of set up. When we arrived, Steve did not make a fuss like last time, I guess he already adjusted. We sat around one of the empty tables and Steve volunteered to look over our bags as we go buy our meal. Lara smiled at me as she pulled me to buy our meal together. Giving us some alone girl time as we went in line to get stubs and pay for our food. "You know, I always wanted a sister, someone I can share my secrets to and talk about the girly stuff I can''t tell the boys. Andy told me that you will be hanging with us more from now on, and I''m happy to know that." She began. I wanted to crunch my brows, while thinking, ''girl, that''s so high school.'', then again, she was just a first- year college student. I smiled and nodded my head, "I''m glad. I have always wanted a sister too. Thanks for having me." "So¡­ what do you think of Andy?" she suddenly asked. ''Ok, so we''re really having a sisterly friendship now? She''s asking me about boys already.'' "He''s really nice. I never thought he would be friendly given that he''s on his way to stardom and well, given who he is." I replied. "Oh, Andy has always been like that. He''s really nice and although he''s all that, he doesn''t let it get in his head. The lucky girl who captures his heart will surely be the envy of all." ''Lara, are you brushing him up to me? Like, seriously? Did he tell you to do this or are you just doing this because you feel like I have to like him so that I won''t dare venture and like Steve instead?'', when I recalled Steve, suddenly, I realized that I could use this time to ask about their relationship. I just hope she doesn''t think that I am interested in him. "Indeed. I wonder who that girl could be. By the way, I hope you don''t mind me asking, but are you and Steven, you know, like that? I see that you''re both chummy since day 1." I asked like some curious girl who doesn''t know anything about the relationship between the opposite gender. She grinned, "Steven and I, hehe¡­ it''s been a long story. I mean, we have been friends since we''ve been in our nappies. Right now, our relationship has no real label, but we have this mutual understanding already. I mean, I like him very very much, and I don''t doubt that he likes me too. It''s just that we''re still adjusting from being friends to the next level, I believe." I tried to smile as I listened while admonishing myself in my head. ''Michelle, Michelle, when will you learn? Did you just lift a rock just so that you can smash it on your foot?'' "I see¡­" was all I can say in response. "So¡­ how about you? Do you have a boyfriend?" Lara asked. ''I had a husband, and he''s the man you''ve just been talking about earlier'' I wanted to say. But I just shook my head, "No, I don''t.", well, at least not yet. Although Steven was Lara''s for now, I still have my plan of getting a campus boyfriend. Lara smiled seemingly delighted by my answer. Since we already got our food, she said, "oh, ok. Anyhow, let''s go back to the table." Lunch was spent with the 4 of us eating together. We didn''t get to talk that much given that we only had an hour. Still, it was a start. At 12:15, I had to say goodbye telling them that I have English 10 next. However, Lara and Andy insisted that they walk with me as my classroom was on the way to the library and that Anthony was also there, so might as well, say hi to him. We walked to my class, and everything just felt bizarre to me. When we reached the front of my classroom, we all saw Anthony standing outside waiting for the class before us to end. "Hi Tonton!" Lara greeted. "Hey, Anthony!" greeted Andy, followed by a "Hey." From Steven. Anthony turned to face us, he smiled and greeted. "Hi guys. What are you doing here?" "We just walked Michelle over since we had the same class before this." Lara answered. This time, Anthony looked at me directly and smiled, "Hi Michelle. Hope these 3 aren''t causing you any trouble." I tried to stop myself, but I can feel my cheeks starting to heat up. I hope no one noticed. Afraid to make a fool of myself, I just shook my head and gave him a shy smile back. "How could you say that? Michelle and I are like BFFs now." Lara complained. Andy also gave a mock punch at Anthony''s shoulder. Then the three of them started laughing. I smiled at the scene before me. Then, curious, I peeked at Steve who was left standing next to me. He was looking at his friends and for the first time in this timeline, I saw his lips tilted up to a smile. The smile brightened his face turning his already handsome face to become more so. I knew I should feel happy for him, but I could not help but feel a bit melancholic. He smiled at me a thousand times in our timeline, but I know that the one he''s giving now doesn''t belong to me. I shook my head. I should stop associating my husband Steve to the one beside me. They might have the same face and body, but they''re not the same person. With this, I pepped myself up, ''Ok, Michelle, you have to live your life facing forward. Steve belongs to Lara for now. While Andy and Anthony are in front of you. Ah, might be farfetched but maybe, you can even live your teenage dream of getting stuck in a love triangle with both guys vying for your attention. Who knows?'' I tried hard not to laugh. Thankfully, the bell rang before I could delude myself further. -- TBC Chapter 29 - 29: Updated College Life Mission (Third POV) "So? What can you say?" Lara grinned as she looked at Andy expectantly. They were in the SOM mall, sitting around a round table, just chillaxing before their next class. Andy chuckled, "Ok, I think you now deserve an Oscar." Lara hit his bicep playfully. "Hey! I was not being fake. I''m starting to like Michelle too. I mean, she''s not that bad, and I feel like we can be good friends. By the way, I have news that would definitely delight you." Andy who was feigning hurt after being hit by Lara looked at her with his two eyebrows raised. "I asked Michelle, and she told me that she doesn''t have a boyfriend. So, you can rest assured that the coast is clear. I also brushed up some nice words about you, no need to thank me." Lara said proudly. Andy shook his head as he smiled, "thanks, but don''t try to raise her expectations. As I said, I also want to get to know her better as a person before truly pursuing her." "Aren''t you a little too confident? What if someone pursues her first and she turns out to like him too?" Lara asked. "Why would she even entertain the thought of maggots when she has me in front of her?" Andy said as he smirked. "Oh god! Andy, can you feel this?" Lara said as she flicked her fingers. "Huh? What''s that? Why?" Andy asked. "Coz your face is so thick that it reaches till here!" Steven who was playing with his PSP just shook his head with their antics. -- (Michelle POV) After the bell rang at 12:20, the class before ours started filtering out of the classroom. Andy, Lara, and Steven said their goodbyes, leaving just me and Anthony to enter our class. Anthony smiled at me and asked, "Let''s go in?" I smiled back as I nodded my head. We walked side by side entering the class, and he did not sit until I was seated. I felt my body turn heated, and my heart doing summersaults again. Thankfully, Anthony did not notice as our classmate, presumably his own blockmate greeted him and they started talking. The bell rang again, and our class began. During class, I tried to focus on what our professor was saying. However, I couldn''t help but steal glances at Anthony. What can I do? I have been crushing on him ever since I stepped inside this classroom 13 years ago and now, he''s so near, I can almost touch him. ''Be still my heart.'' I chided myself. But I couldn''t help myself! I peeked again. "Ms. Lui? Again, Ms. Lui?" I heard our professor call. Oh shit. I raised my hand as I stood up, "Yes, ma''am?" I answered. "Please answer the question." She instructed. Was she asking something? What''s the question? Oh god this is embarrassing! I looked at my open book on the long table again, and then suddenly, I saw a hand pushing a piece of paper towards it. Written on it was ''B.'', I followed the hand and saw Anthony who widened his eyes as if signaling me to answer with that. "The answer is B, Ma''am." I said. "Ok, good, sit down." I sat back down and looked at Anthony who was smiling at me. I think my heart was ready to lurch out of my ribcage. I know my face was all red as I mouthed a thank you. He just shook his head and faced forward again. ''Oh Anthony, please, just take my heart, body and soul. I offer thee myself. Please, I think I love you so much and I don''t mind forgetting about all my plans if you just agree to be my boyfriend.'' Ehem ehem, of course that''s just my thoughts. I would never say them out loud. For heaven''s sake, he''s a very close friend of my husband''s, ex-husband? Or husband-to-be? Ok whatever label I should place on Steve now, and even Andy''s, who, I guess should be my flirt mate? I don''t know! Anyway, he already said, we''re friends and it''s not like he''s pursuing me, or we have a mutual understanding or anything. Whatever! Ok, this is it. I have decided and this will be the greatest leap for me in this new timeline. I now have this golden chance where my husband was not yet my husband in fact, he even has a girlfriend. I am 18, beautiful, from a good family, rich, and most importantly, I am SINGLE. Ah!!!! Anthony¡­ my dearest Anthony. If I don''t try this in this timeline, I know I would definitely regret it for the rest of my life. So, I will try my best even though I can barely form a single cohesive sentence in front of you. I can feel it now. That this, this deep feeling of longing in my heart, that perhaps, you are the reason why I''m here. Alright Michelle, no need for exaggerated reasoning, just be honest now. Anthony Ren, brace yourself, for I, Michelle Lui, will be pursuing a man for the first time in my 2 lifetimes. And that man is YOU! When the bell rang signifying the end of the class, despite my imaginary bravado, all I did was blush and stutter again in his presence. Ok, maybe pursuing is a bit overreaching given the circumstances. The most I can do probably is confess to him one day. So, during this time, I need to win him over so that I won''t get rejected when I do! Anyhow, I now have a clearer purpose, and I knew what I wanted to do. Updated college life mission. Get a campus boyfriend. Cancel out Steve from the list as he''s already taken. Win over and then confess to Anthony Ren to give him that title. Still, keep options open, just in case it doesn''t work out. Sounds neat right? Anyway, I''m single and ready to mingle, so there''s nothing too bad about that. Hehe! -- TBC Chapter 30 - 30: Breaktime (Michelle POV) After the bell rang, our English professor dismissed us, and everyone started getting ready to leave. My heart was beating a mile a second, but I need to somehow talk to Anthony. At least thank him for what he did earlier. ''Michelle, come on! You can do this! You need to show him that you''re not some ingrateful girl.'' I told myself. "Ah¡­ Anthony, thank you very much for earlier." I began. Anthony faced me after placing all his materials inside his bag, he shook his head as he smiled, "No problem. Anyway, do you have a class after this one?" he asked. ''Was he really asking me that question? Why? Would he ask me to join him for his break? Spend time together? Was this it? The beginning of my blooming campus romance?'' "For today, this class is my last one¡­ How about you?" I replied slowly, careful not to stutter. "I have another one in about¡­" then he looked at his watch before looking back at me again, "¡­8 minutes. So, I guess I need to go ahead. See you on Wednesday." He said still smiling as he stood up from his seat. His smile just took my breath away. "Yes, s-see you. Goodbye." I replied, then he walked away. When he finally left, I cupped my heated cheeks with my hands. Okay, so maybe he asked just for the sake of asking and not because he wanted to spend time together. But still! He actually asked about my schedule. Oh, my girly heart, please get a hold of yourself! Anyhow, after calming down, since I did not have any class left for the day, I called my driver to pick me near my school building so that I won''t have to walk to the parking area. -- The day was Tuesday, and our economics professor was discussing the concept of diminishing marginal utility. Like from the previous timeline, he asked for a volunteer to test the theory and one of our classmates, Jomar, volunteered himself. Our professor brought out a bunch of chocolate flavored cakes and gave one for Jomar to eat. Then he asked, "How happy are you after eating that? Let''s say from a scale of 1-10" Jomar smiled and said, "7/10, sir. The cake was too small, and it did not satiate my appetite." My classmates all laughed, and I smiled. Our professor wrote on the whiteboard to record his response. "Alright, if that were the case, then let me give you another one." Jomar received it and ate it again. This time he rated it a 9/10 as he said that he was still not full. Our professor wrote his response again, and then gave him a third one. Jomar ate it and this time, he gave a 10/10. My classmates thought that it was over, and I can see Vitto''s gluttonous face wanting to volunteer to have a piece of the chocolate cakes. I almost wanted to laugh. I knew what was going to happen next, but I did enjoy listening to the lecture and learning everything again when it comes to this subject. Our prof gave Jomar another piece to eat and he still rated it a 10/10. Then, he gave him another one, and everyone can see that Jomar was already having some difficulty swallowing. Everyone laughed seeing his expression. Our prof gave him water then asked, how he would rate the chocolate now. Jomar rated it a 5/10. Our prof smiled as he asked him to take his seat, then he started explaining, "As you saw in our practical example earlier, the utility, again, in economics, the term utility is a measure of pleasure or happiness, so I should say, the happiness Jomar derived from eating the chocolate cakes did not remain constant. This is in line with the law of diminishing marginal utility. That all else equal, as consumption increases, the marginal utility derived from each additional unit declines. In fact, if we asked Jomar to eat more of the chocolate cakes, I believe that the rating he would give to the next unit might even be a negative. Right Jomar?" "Yes, Sir." Jomar replied. Then our professor began drawing a graph based on the numbers Jomar gave and continued with the lecture. I jotted down everything he''s said and all the examples he gave. When I became a professor myself, I was not even half as good as him. Anyway, the class continued, until the bell rang without me even noticing the time. "Alright, next meeting, we will have a short quiz on what we have discussed today. Thank you and see you all on Thursday." He announced. -- "Ah! Sir Ciel is so amazing, of all our profs, I like him best." Camille who was sitting beside me expressed. "Me too!" joanie seconded. As my blockmates started conversing with each other, I felt my cellphone vibrate. I took it out of my bag and saw that there''s 1 message in my inbox. [Is your class over?] ¨C Andy I typed my reply, ''Yes, just finished. Why?'' [Just checking. Have you bought the supplies for our ES lab on Thursday?] I smiled, was he using this excuse to spend time with me? Really, buying seeds and pots together? Well, I did say that I will keep my options open. Hehe. So, I replied with ''Not yet. How about you?'' Even though the supplies have been sitting in my room since Saturday. [Not yet either. Haha. Anyway, since our schedule match and we have a 4 and a half hour break today, Lara''s asking if you want to join us in heading to the mall to hang out and buy those.] I read the message again. Ok, so maybe I have been assuming too much. ''Ok, sure.'' I replied. "Michelle, let''s go. We''re heading to the canteen to grab lunch." Camille called as my other blockmates looked at me waiting. "You guys go ahead. I''m meeting with some friends." I replied. Then suddenly, I heard someone snicker. When I turned to face who it was, I saw Angie doing an eyeroll. Huh? What was her problem? -- TBC Chapter 31 - 31: Arcadia (Michelle POV) "I wonder what kind of friends she has that she won''t even hang out with us. Anyhow, let''s go guys." Angie said. Eh? What did I ever do to her? Was there something wrong with her brain? Like, bitch, we just literally met a week ago. Though it''s been longer than that for me. Oh, was it because of the photocopying thing? Our blockmates looked at me apologetically, not really wanting a confrontation. I wanted to say something in rebuttal, but she already walked away to open the door of our classroom. Apparently, it was a good thing that I didn''t have the chance to say anything, coz behind the door was Andy who was wearing a smile. "Hi! Is Michelle Lui here?" he asked. From where I''m at, I could see Angie''s face turning red then purple. I wanted to laugh. That face slap must have hurt. Come on, which girl at this age doesn''t know Andy Peng? Angie turned to face me, and I just smiled, deep inside I wanted to smirk at her face and rub it in, but of course, I did not. As said, I wanted connections in this timeline. No need to make unnecessary enemies. Andy looked at the same direction Angie was looking at and saw me. "Hey Mich! Steven and Lara are waiting at the parking area. Let''s go?" I nodded my head. Then, being the nice girl that I was, I smiled at my blockmates. "Uh guys, thanks for inviting me, but I''ll go ahead. See you tomorrow!" -- I tried to stifle my laughter as I walked with Andy to the parking area. Ah, the look on my blockmates faces, specially that of Angie, was just too golden. I know it''s shallow, but I can''t help it. "You seem happy. Did something good happen?" Andy asked. I turned to look at him and saw that he was smiling at me with his handsome face. ''Ah¡­ so refreshingly handsome, truly deserving the title of Nation''s husband.'' I shook my head, "Nothing really, I just remembered something funny.", then not wanting to tell him what exactly happened, I changed the topic, "By the way, which mall are we heading to? I would need to call my driver." "Not sure yet as it was Lara''s suggestion, though no need to call your driver. Since it will just be the four of us, we can share a ride in Steven''s car." "Ok." So, should I consider this scenario a double date? Ugh. Stop that. Clearly, this should be labeled as hanging out with friends. -- When the two of us arrived at the parking area, the scene that welcomed us was that of Steve using his right hand to tuck Lara''s hair behind her ear. I know I said that I''m totally ok with it, but who am I fooling? It hurts. It''s like my heart was being pricked by thousands of needles while my stomach felt like it''s being twisted into knots. Could I just say that I don''t feel well and opt out of this outing? Honestly, all I want to do now was go find some corner where I can wallow up in all my sorrows. Andy cleared his throat and the two finally noticed that they have company. Steve quickly pulled his hand away, as if he has been caught doing something he was not supposed to. He turned to face me and Andy but did not say anything. He just walked to the side to enter his car. Lara was left leaning on the car, blushing with a shy smile of a girl in love clearly plastered on her face. Since Steve was already in the car, she turned to face Andy and gave him a glare. "You really have impeccable timing. Couldn''t you just have waited for a few more seconds before interrupting?" Lara complained with a low voice so that Steve won''t hear. Andy chuckled as he shook his head. Lara gave him an eyeroll, then finally noticing me she greeted, "Hi Michelle. Sorry for not going with Andy to fetch you. Anyhow, how''s your class been?" she asked as she moved to wrap her arms around mine. I wanted to untangle her hold on me, but I knew that that was being unfair. Lara has been nice to me, and although it was just these 2 days, I can feel that she was being genuine. Aside from that, she and Steve were not doing anything wrong. There''s no basis for me to blame any one of them for my feelings of heartache and jealousy. This was their timeline. I should get used to the sight of them together, stop over-reacting and just live with it. Telling myself those, I was able to recover my cool. "Class was ok. So, where are we going?" I asked as I smiled back at her. "To Arcadia, it''s the nearest mall here and we''ll get there in just 15 minutes. Now, let''s go inside the car." Lara replied as she walked to the side of the car. This was the time I noticed what kind of car Steve was driving and I can only scream in my head. A Lambhorgini Murcielago? Seriously? I mean, ok, I shouldn''t be surprised as he was after all the son of the Sy''s. But it''s just difficult to not relate him to the picture of the Steve in my head. Anyhow, I walked to follow Lara while hoping no one noticed how astonished I was. Don''t want them to think I''m strange and only want to be friends with them because of their family. Another thing which surprised me was that Lara chose to sit at the back with me rather than riding shotgun. It was very nice and considerate of her. On the way to the mall, she engaged me in a girly conversation while Andy, who was sitting in front, interjected some jokes from time to time. When we arrived, Lara chose to walk with me while the boys walked behind us. I noticed some people stealing glances at Andy but nothing excessive. Though there was one group of girls who asked to take a picture with him, and we somewhat became the cameramen. Anyway, we shopped for our materials and ate lunch together. We even went to the arcade and played games. Everything flowed smoothly between us, and it just felt comfortable like we have been long-time friends. Lara was the one who mostly led the conversations, I would answer and share inputs, Andy would also, while Steven just talked when spoken to. When the time reached 2:15, we knew that we needed to head back to school as our next class was at 3:00 pm. -- TBC Chapter 32 - 32: Then It Rained "Ok, bye Michelle, see you tomorrow!" Lara said while Steve gave me a nod of acknowledgement before entering the SEC A school building for their next class. "Mich, you sure you don''t want me to walk you to the covered courts?" Andy asked considerately. I shook my head. It was out of the way, and he might become late. It was already 2:55. "It''s ok, you go with Lara and Steven, it''s almost time for your class." Andy smiled and nodded his head, "Then, I''ll see you tomorrow!" "Ok, see you!" I replied. Then, I turned around to leave. -- As I walked to the covered courts for my next class, which was PE, I couldn''t help but think about what I saw earlier. I smiled wistfully. Although Lara was a bit bitchy when we first met, I realized that she''s a lot nicer than I gave her credit for. I can totally see why Steve fell for her the first time. I felt somewhat defeated, but I was also glad. Lara was as close to perfection as one can get, and Steve deserved nothing less. If they end up together in this timeline, then¡­ My heart felt stuffy, and I suddenly found it hard to breathe. I stopped walking to take a deep breath. What was wrong with me? I have my own life mission and Steve¡­ my Steve doesn''t exist in this timeline yet. I''m not even sure if he will. Plus, even if he does, there''s no guarantee that he will fall for me. Why did I even approach him so soon? Now, the future between us looks so bleak. I shook my head. No use crying over spilled milk. I''ve been given this chance and I should not waste it by pining over Steve with an N. Like, I have Anthony, which reminds me, where was he anyway? Then, like a scene in a movie, when I turned to look at my left, I saw him inside the covered court wearing a basketball jersey while holding a ball. He was smiling while talking to some of his PE classmates. My heart again thudded, and like an idiot, I remained standing there staring. After a minute, the one standing beside Anthony gave him a nudge. I don''t know what he said, but after that, Anthony looked at me. Oh my god. What should I do? did I just got caught staring? Ok, Michelle, play it cool. I smiled at him and waved my hand. I think my face was red as a tomato, but I rather do this than suddenly running away like some stalker who got caught. Anthony simply smiled and waved his hand back. Oh, my heart¡­. Can I just walk towards him and pull him in a kiss or something? Ok, just kidding. I don''t want him to suddenly push me away and think that I''m some weirdo fangirl. We just literally met like a week ago and I doubt he was into me. Or was he? He seems receptive. Anyway, I have to play it cool. Like I just passed by and recognized him. So, I turned away and continued to walk. Was he still looking at me? I wish! Curious, after 10 seconds, I turned to look at him again. I don''t know if I should be disappointed that his eyes did not follow me, or glad that I did not get caught. Then, the bell rang. I walked faster to the locker room to get changed. My class starts in 10 minutes. -- There was only one pair of locker area which doubles as comfort room in the covered courts. They were located inside the main court area, with a size big enough to accommodate a lot of students using it at the same time. Though of course, sometimes, one still has to get in line. My PE class ended exactly at 4:30 pm and since I wanted to catch a glimpse of Anthony again, I quickly left the table tennis area to walk to the locker room which passes through the basketball courts. Much to my dismay, the court his class used was already empty. Thinking that he might still be in the locker room, I decided to wait. Trying not to be obvious, I brought out my cellphone as if reading a text and pretended to be typing. I did that for almost 10 minutes. I just wanted to say goodbye to him. Okay, so wanting to show him my long white legs while wearing shorts might have also played a part, but that''s it. Still, even when other students exited, I did not see him. I sighed thinking that maybe, I was too late, and he already left to go home. In the end, I went inside the locker room for girls. Since I did not sweat, I did not shower and just changed my clothes again because I don''t want my papa to go on a long-winded talk later in case he gets home before me and sees me in one. Yeah, our family was conservative. Why else would have I believed that my first boyfriend should become my husband? It has been ingrained to me since I was a child. Of course, my world view has changed as I got older. I realized that there''s nothing bad in getting a number of boyfriends first before getting married. I knew some people who did not marry their first love still had a successful marriage life. Not that I did that, but you get my drift. Anyhow, after getting changed, I exited the locker room only to see that it was raining. I frowned. I did not bring an umbrella. I was about to call my driver to fetch me when suddenly, I saw Anthony exiting the men''s locker room. He was wearing a slightly fitted gray shirt and black pants. His hair, still slightly wet was slicked back making it obvious that he just showered. I swallowed as I admonished myself. ''Michelle, you can''t even talk to him straight and now you are imagining some perverted thoughts about him.'' Anthony saw me, and perhaps it was because he was alone and I was alone, that he approached me. I immediately shoved my cellphone back inside my bag. -- tbc Chapter 33 - 33: Walking Under One Umbrella Have you ever thought of how it would feel like to be stuck under the same roof with your ultimate crush while the rain is pouring outside? A situation straight out of a movie, a novel, a fairytale fantasy that we all secretly dream of. Ah¡­ and here I am experiencing it myself for the first time. The best thing about it? My crush, Anthony Ren, and I are acquainted, and he even approached me! My heart was palpitating, and I suddenly felt flushed. I wanted to scream and thank all the gods in heaven for giving me this opportunity. "Hi Michelle. Didn''t expect that you''re still here." He said, then he looked outside as he sighed. "I don''t think that the rain''s gonna stop anytime soon." ''Yeah, I hope it would never stop. Really, all I want is for this moment to last forever.'' I thought as I stared at his side profile. Ah¡­ really, the gods were so biased in creating him. If not, how could such a perfect human being like Anthony exist? I shook my head. ''Michelle, don''t waste this chance and just talk to him! But¡­ what do I say? Ugh. Whatever.'' "Uh¡­ Anthony, do you still have class?" I wanted to do an eyeroll to myself. What a lame conversation starter. He turned to face me then said, "No. Thankfully, I''m done for the day. How about you?" As our eyes met, I felt my cheeks turn heated while my nose tingled. "Me too, I''m done for the day¡­ " Anthony nodded his head, then as if remembering something, he took off his backpack and rummaged inside. He chuckled as he pulled out an umbrella. "This will come in handy today. Were you able to bring one?" he asked. I don''t know why but I suddenly had the urge to cry. Is this the end? Will he be leaving me now in this covered court? I tried to give him a smile, "No sadly¡­" Anthony smiled back, "I''m not in a rush to get home, so you can have this." He offered. ''Why are you such an angel my Anthony?'', I was about to decline but then what if he just takes my word like I meant it and leave me alone here? Ugh, to hell with it! I''ll just toughen my face''s skin! "If you don''t dislike it¡­ we can share?" I finally said. ''oh my god Michelle, just go dig a hole somewhere.'' Anthony did not think much about my suggestion and just asked, "Where''s your car parked at?" There were 3 car parking areas in school, Area 1, 2 and 3. Earlier, after Andy, Lara, Steve and I came back from Arcadia, we went and met my driver at Area 2 to get the stuff I bought inside the car. What if Anthony figures that I have a driver and didn''t call him to fetch me instead? To hell with it. "I think it should be in area 2. Uh¡­ I would have called my driver to fetch me but¡­ my cellphone has gone lowbat so¡­" "That''s inconvenient, I mean, getting your phone lowbat at this time. If you have his number memorized, you can use my phone to call him." Ok, get his cellphone number or walk with him under a single umbrella in the rain? Ugh, it''s not like I have it memorized. I shook my head. "I don''t¡­" Anthony just nodded, then said, "Ok. Then, let''s go. My car is also parked in area 2." -- The umbrella was only good for one person, so I was standing very close to him as we walked. He was holding the umbrella between us and our arms were bumping from time to time. I have never been so close to him all my life. My heart was drumming inside my chest so wildly that I was afraid he could hear it. I turned to look at him so see his facial expression, but he was just looking forward. Ok, so he''s not affected or whatever. But then, I noticed that his right shoulder was already wet and that the umbrella he was holding was leaning to my side, ensuring I won''t get too wet. He was also walking slowly to match my pace. I could not help my lips from tilting up. My 6 years of pining over him was not wasted. He was a gentleman and truly has a good heart. I wanted to admonish myself for being such a liar just so that I would have this opportunity, but I do not regret it. Suddenly, I was reminded that he died in a car crash at just 24, 6 years from now and I felt my heart clench. If I could, I would never let that happen in this timeline. Even if we do not end up together, I wish that he will live a long and happy life. "So¡­ you drive yourself to school? Do your parents have nothing against it? I mean, I don''t mean to pry." I asked. I was still nervous, but the thought that it would later be the cause of his death gave me some form of courage. "Yes. Well, my mother was against it at first, but then, even Steven and Andy do so, so in the end she relented." He explained. "I see¡­ but isn''t it easier to have a driver than driving yourself? I mean, for example when you go to school and you still feel sleepy, with a driver you can still sleep at the back of your car.", ok, my topic was kinda weird. But hey, I''m just worried about him. Anthony chuckled, "That''s also what my mom said. However, I like driving. When I was younger, I wanted to be an F1 racer, in fact even now, I still do. Not a chance of that happening though." I never thought that one day he would share his dream with me¡­ I almost wanted to weep. "That''s pretty cool, it''s dangerous, but if you just drive fast on the racetrack and not on highway roads, then it''s okay. It would be nice to see you racing one day." What? I think F1 racers are hot too. But please Anthony, don''t do that while in the highway, maybe you drove yourself to a car crash because of being a frustrated F1 driver wannabe? Anthony smiled, "Thanks. You''re actually the first person to say that. I''ll keep your words in mind. Anyway, we''re here. Where''s your car at?" -- TBC Chapter 34 - 34: Getting A Lift Well, if this isn''t embarrassing, I don''t know what is. I was sure that the car was parked in area 2, but after taking a round with Anthony, we were unable to locate my car nor my driver. Does he think that I''m a liar? Or was he annoyed at me now? I peeked at him. He looked at me in askance. I want to cry and just disappear. "I''m so sorry Anthony. I was positive that the car was parked here. Please, you can go ahead. I''ll just wait for him there in the shed." I said, as I pointed at said shed. "Ok. Let''s go to my car first so I can give you the umbrella and you can start searching the other 2 areas later." He replied. I looked at him pitifully. Although that''s not nice, I have nothing to say. Maybe he''s really pissed at me. We walked, and before he even brought out his keys to press the unlock button, I already guessed which car was his just by seeing the plate number. AR 1219. AR Anthony Ren, and 1219, his birthdate, I unconsciously interpreted as I memorized it. Years of being a stalker paying off. Anyway, the car was a gray aston-martin v8 vantage. Not that I was taking note, but well, it''s nice to know which car he''s driving. Strangely, instead of walking to the driver''s side of said car, he walked us to the car next to it. Wasn''t that car his? Did I guess wrong? Then, he brought out his key and pressed unlock. The aston-martin made an unlock sound. Oh, I did not guess wrong. Then why were we¡­ he opened the passenger side of his car. I stared at him wide-eyed. My heart started pumping like crazy and I was sure my face was all red. God, will I faint? I feel like fainting. Anthony chuckled and shook his head, "Why are you so surprised? Don''t tell me you really thought I''m just gonna leave you here on your own. Come on, I''ll give you a lift and help you search the other 2 areas. Maybe you just got them mixed up." It was raining cats and dogs, but I felt like the sun was shining high above the skies. Why was he being so sweet and kind? Does he feel the same about me as I feel about him? I''m so happy I wanted to weep. Finally gaining some of my sense back, I said a quick "Thank you." and entered his car. Anthony just smiled and nodded his head then closed the door. I covered my mouth with my two hands to stifle my scream. Did I really come back to the past? or did I die in that elevator and I''m in heaven now? I felt my phone vibrate in my bag reminding me that this is real. In mild panic, I did not bring it out, just quickly turned it off before he can come in. I tried to calm myself when Anthony entered. He closed the umbrella and placed it at the back. Then, he opened his bag to take a shirt out. Is he going to change beside me? Will I finally see his pectoral muscles? I wanted to see but I feel so embarrassed. Stupidly, I instinctively covered my whole face with my hands. "What are you doing?" I heard Anthony ask. I turned to face him my fingers spreading out so that I can peek through them. He was simply wiping himself with his shirt. I could not speak. Why was I acting like some prudish little teenage girl? I have seen naked men in the magazines and some pornographic material I watched. I dated Steve and we engaged in sexual activities before we even got married. I''m not a bloody virgin Mary! But why was I being like this!? Anthony was not even doing anything! Or maybe because I have a perverted mind that my reactions are turning to be like this? "Nothing." I squeaked. ''Michelle, you''re becoming stupider by the second.'' Anthony laughed not minding me as he shook his head. He turned on the car''s engine. -- Anthony drove around the parking area slowly and patiently. We went from area 1 to area 3, but we did not find my car. "Perhaps you should call home and ask someone to call your driver from there. Maybe he already left? You can use my phone." Anthony suggested. Thankfully, although it''s been a long time, I still have our telephone number memorized. "Yes please. Thank you." I answered. Anthony took his bag from the back seat, brought out his phone and handed it to me. The smoothness of his phone in my hand made me tremble. Was this really happening? His phone was a Motorolla flip-top which model I can''t remember anymore. I nervously opened it, afraid to see a picture of a girl. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that his wallpaper was the image of a racing car. I keyed in our telephone number, but then, I realized that I could actually get his cellphone number this way. I deleted our telephone number and keyed in my mama''s cellphone number which thankfully did not change after 13 years. I placed the phone on my ear. Ah! This exact phone was also placed on his ears many times. I stopped myself from acting all crazy. Anyway, thankfully, my mom picked up. Usually, she doesn''t pick up the phone when she doesn''t recognize the number. -- TBC Chapter 35 - 35: Ride Back Home "Hello, mama?" I asked. At first, she did not reply. "Hello, Mama? This is me, Michelle." I repeated. Finally recognizing my voice, she spoke, "Michelle? I have been trying to call you, but your phone just kept on ringing, and then suddenly I can''t reach you. I was getting worried. Where are you and what''s going on?" "Ah¡­ I''m with a friend now and my phone ran out of battery earlier." "I see¡­" "Uh¡­ Ma, I can''t seem to find Mr. Matt and we''ve been looking for him for a while now." "Yes, that''s why I have been trying to call you. About an hour and a half ago, I asked Matt to pick up the shampoo and conditioner I reserved from the salon we often visit as it''s near your university. Now, he called me to say that the car got a flat tire, so it would take a while before he can get back to fetch you." "Oh¡­ ok¡­ then I will just wait for him to get back." "I can send Dan to fetch you instead." "Ok¡­ I will wait here then, please tell him to fetch me at the Sec A school building... Thank you." "Alright." My mama replied. Then, we hanged up. I turned to face Anthony who was looking at me in askance. "My mother asked the driver to pick up something and along the way, he got a flat tire. Now, I will just wait for our other driver to come fetch me." I explained. He nodded his head as I handed his phone back. "Thank you very much for this¡­ uhm¡­ and sorry for the inconvenience." I said. "No, It''s alright. So, you will just wait here for your driver to arrive?" "Well, that''s the plan."'' I replied as I smiled at him. Anthony looked at the time which displayed 5:35. Then, he looked outside. Since it has been raining the sky was already dark. "It''s getting late. Where do you live?" Ok, did I just hit jackpot today? Like seriously????? You know Anthony, home is not the only place you can take me. Ok, never mind. "In Rishuan district¡­ uh, you don''t have to¡­" Anthony shook his head, "I can''t possibly make you wait here alone. It''s getting late and you don''t have your phone. Anyway, Rishuan district is near my place, so it''s no trouble." How could I say no to that? Plus, I never want to say no at all. Anthony, just say the words and I''m all yours. In fact, you don''t even have to say anything at all. "Then¡­ thank you in advance." I said shyly. Trying hard to keep my ass planted on my seat. I really wanted to just jump him! Stop Michelle. Just stop! "Here, you can call your mom again to tell her no need to send a driver." He reminded as he handed me his phone back. -- The drive to my house was a bit silent. Anthony was focused on driving, and I didn''t want to disturb him. Inside though, I was feeling giddy with happiness, wishing to just save this time in a bottle to immortalize it. When we reached Rishuan district, it has already stopped raining. He asked me the exact location of my house and I started giving him directions. We entered the exclusive subdivision where my house was at, until finally we arrived in front of my house. Uh, was this the part I give him a kiss for sending me home? HAHA! I WISH! Hmm¡­ should I invite him inside for dinner or something? Won''t it be impolite to just thank him and go my merry way? Ok, honestly, I just wanted to spend more time with him. However, to invite him in, my trouble was if my papa was home. Ugh, would he give me a lecture? But papa, I want boys before books! I mean, I''m done with books already. Whatever, I''m willing to risk it! Lecture be damned! "Thank you so much Anthony. Ah¡­ could I invite you to dinner? My mother would like to thank you¡­" I asked, part nervous part hopeful while praising myself for the genius of using my mom as alibi. Anthony shook his head, "It''s ok, perhaps next time. It''s getting late. Just say Hi to auntie for me." he replied. I was about to be disappointed until I heard the words next time. What? Next time? There''s a next time? When!? Let it be as soon as tomorrow! Ok, stop fooling yourself now Michelle. "Then¡­ I will go ahead. Thank you again." Anthony just nodded his head and smiled at me. I unfastened the seatbelt and opened the door to step down from the car. Then, I walked to our front gate and pressed the doorbell. While this was happening, I noticed that Anthony did not leave just yet. He even pulled down the window beside him while waiting for me to get in. What a considerate person. A real gentleman through and through. When the gate finally opened, I turned to give him a wave. Anthony waved back before closing his window and driving his car to leave. -- TBC Chapter 36 - 36: Mother-daughter Bond Once I stepped inside from our gate, my girly heart started getting hyper again. My god, did everything that happened really happened? I placed my hand on my chest and felt my cheeks starting to hurt. Ah, I''m smiling too much. But who can blame me? Trying to calm myself lest our maid think that I''ve gone crazy, I walked briskly to our house. As I entered and passed the living room, I saw my mother sitting on one of the sofas reading a magazine. "Mama, I''m home." I greeted. She stopped reading the magazine to look at me. She smiled. "It''s good you''re back. Come here." then asked, "Where''s your friend? I should give her my thanks." I walked closer to her "He already left. Ma, can I borrow your phone? I want to thank him for sending me back." "He? A boy? Is my daughter having her first suitor?" she teased. Thankfully my papa was not there. My mama was like this, she''s the opposite of my papa. Where my papa was strict and kept on saying that boys are no good. Books before boys etc. My mama was the encouraging type. She''s always too curious about how my love life was faring and would always tell me that if I like someone, I should just tell her so that she can check him out. I mean, not check him out literally, but check on him, like knowing his background, finding out if he''s a good boy or not. "Ma¡­ he''s not a suitor, we''re just friends¡­" I answered as I blushed. "Then why are you blushing? I can tell that my daughter has just found her first crush. Come on, tell mama, I won''t tell your papa, I promise." "Ma!" I exclaimed a bit exaggeratedly. My mother started laughing, as she continued teasing, "If you do not tell, I''m not going to lend my phone to you. You can just say thank you to your friend tomorrow." Hearing her laughter and seeing her acting like a teenage girl herself, I was reminded of how much she and papa changed in my original timeline. I suddenly felt my nose turn sour and tears prickled my eyes. Why was I being too emotional? My mother noticing my silence stopped and looked at me. Seeing me in tears, she asked worriedly, "Why are you crying? Mama''s just fooling around." I shook my head and gave her a smile. In the past, it was also like this, but I was too young then to realize that she just wanted to know more of what''s going on in my life. It''s not that I wanted to hide things from her, but I just felt too embarrassed to share. Not to say I have a lot to share since my love life was sorely lacking even then. But the simple things like telling her about my crush and things like that that some mother and daughter bond over especially with all the soap operas I watched. When the time came that I wanted to share about me and Steve, she was not as lively nor as excited as when I was younger. I believe that it has been the effect of her living in depression for some time. I yearned for that bond which I did not enjoy much of, so this time, I decided not to be too embarrassed and just share what I feel too. I mean, as long as she doesn''t tell papa. "It''s nothing, Ma. I''m just being sentimental. I love you." I suddenly said as I hugged her. If my mother thought I was being strange, she did not mind it. She just chuckled and hugged me back. "I love you too. So, is this you hugging me because you think you''re going to marry soon?" I laughed as I pulled back away from her, "Ma, it''s just a one-sided crush on my end. Nothing like that." "Ahah! So, you really like that boy. Now you have to tell me, who is he? Do I know? Was it that Steven boy you mentioned last time?" I shook my head while noting that she even kept in mind Steven''s name who I just mentioned casually. I wanted to say that Steven is seeing Lara but decided not to. What? Who knows if we still end up together in the future? It''s not good to give my mother that impression about him. "No¡­ not him. The boy earlier was Anthony Ren. But he was just being nice." "Impossible, my daughter is the prettiest girl in the planet how could anyone not like you? Anthony Ren¡­ that name sounds familiar." "Ah, he''s the son of Arthur Ren. Hehe¡­" I said, while thinking, ''Ma, your daughter just rode in a car with a boy alone and you''re even encouraging her.'' I wanted to shake my head, but then again, it just shows how much she trusted me. Besides, I did use the phone of said man to call her, maybe that''s why. "Oh! The Ren family. Not a bad choice. But don''t feel intimidated, even if their family is high up there, we''re not too shabby either. If your mother-in-law tries to bully you in the future, you can always come back here, we can adopt your husband instead." She said as if just because I like Anthony meant that we would get married in the future definitely. "Ma! We just met last week. It''s nothing like that yet." I said as I laughed. I know we''re just talking nonsense. My mother also laughed, then she began to ask me how everything came to be. So, I explained what happened in detail, except for the part that I pretended that my phone was lowbat. She would be angry if she knew that''s what I did. I also told her about my new friends, Lara, Steven, and Andy. Since she spends a lot of time watching teenage variety shows and the likes, she knew of Andy Peng and apparently, she even secretly crushes on him. I just came to know that detail that night. Wanting to tease her, I also told her about how Andy Peng invited me to his party. My mother started saying that Andy Peng must like me too. I was like, ''Ma, okay, I think you''re the one who wants to live the teenage love triangle dream I want to live. Really.'' Of course, I did not say that. I just laughed. My Papa called and said he would be back late, so we had dinner just the two of us. My tale continued and she listened. It was enjoyable and heartwarming, having this bond. It''s like having a best friend who I can tell everything to. I always wanted to have one, but I should have known from the start. There''s no one in this world who would love listening to my stories as much as my mother did. In the end, when we finished our bonding session, it was already 9:30 in the evening. I requested for my mother''s phone and this time she gave me a knowing look before handing it to me. I felt a little embarrassed but at least I have her blessings. Like how cool can your mom be? Anyway, I sent Anthony''s number to my number. -- TBC Chapter 37 - 37: Texting I (Third POV) Lara just got back home about 30 minutes ago from university. After changing her clothes, she decided to lie on her bed and reminisce the sweet moment between her and Steven earlier. It was not everyday that that happens between them. Continuing the could have been kiss in her imagination, she was disrupted by her cellphone ringing. She looked at the name of the caller. ANDY. Irately, she answered the phone. "You really have impeccable timing. Do you hold a grudge against me or something?" "What did I do?" Andy asked from the other line. "Ugh. Never mind. Anyway, why are you calling?" "Michelle''s not replying to my text. I''ve been waiting like, for half an hour now. So¡­ hehe." "What does that have to do with me?" "Can you like text her and see if she''ll reply?" "Why? Did you text her something strange that''s why she isn''t replying to you? What did you text her?" "I just said, ''It was raining crazy earlier. Hope you got home safe. See you tomorrow!'' I think it was short and sweet. But I think I phrased it wrong. I should have asked if she''s home already. Now, I can''t like send another one because she might think that I like her or something." "Don''t you? I don''t know why you''re going about this the round-about way. Also, your text is ok, as a friend even, she would reply to that. Maybe she''s just not that into you. Haha!" "No way. I think she''s quite receptive. Maybe she just hasn''t seen it yet, or she''s not holding her phone. Anyway, just send her a message and see if she''ll reply. I''ll send her phone number now. Let''s see if she''ll reply to you." "Grrr! Why am I even friends with you? You''re such a nokia!" (Nokia- user friendly haha! Don''t know if you guys can relate!) Andy laughed. "Ok, call me back after you send her a message." Lara opened the text from Andy and saved Michelle''s number. Gosh, it''s the first time she''s even doing this kind of stuff. Normally, scratch that. Always, it''s other people who wants to be friends with her and trying to get her number, not the other way around. She shook her head as she typed her message. Gods, the things she does in the name of friendship. After sending the text, she called Andy back after 5 minutes. "I already sent the text about 5 minutes ago. No reply yet. Was I snubbed?" Lara informed pouting. Andy chuckled happily, "I doubt. Hehe, so maybe she just hasn''t seen my message. Thanks Lara, you''re the best. When you receive a reply from her, you better call me again!" Lara did an eyeroll even when Andy can''t see it. "Fine. Bye." "Don''t worry, I will tell Steven nice things about you. I''ll even set you up on my birthday as compensation!" "You better do!" Lara replied. "Ok, bye!" -- (Michelle POV) Today was like a roller-coaster of emotions. It didn''t start that great, what with me seeing Steve with Lara, but everything else that followed was like a story out of a fairytale book. My heart was feeling full as I turned on my cellphone. I saw 2 missed calls from my mother, 1 missed call from Mr. Matt, and 3 messages. One from my mother where in it was Anthony''s number, one from Andy, and another from an unknown number. I opened the text from Andy. [It was raining crazy earlier. Hope you got home safe. See you tomorrow!] The message was received at 5:30 pm. It''s been 4 hours since then and there''s no follow up text from him. Although that was sweet of him, it doesn''t seem like he''s eagerly waiting for my reply. Oh well. Nonchalantly, I replied. ''Sorry for the late reply, just saw your text now. Yes, I''m home and I hope you are too. Thanks, see you tomorrow!'' Then I opened the one from the unknown number. [Had fun earlier with you in Arcadia! I got your number from Andy. Save mine! - Lara] I smiled. Lara was such a sweetheart. I would loathe to ruin our newfound friendship by coming in between her and Steve. Whatever happens between them will happen so it''s better to just keep my arms crossed and let them be. The message was received at 6:02 pm. Quickly, I typed my reply, ''So sorry for the late reply, just read your message now. Yeah, me too. I also had fun. Thank you for inviting me. Goodnight and see you tomorrow!'' Then I opened the message from my mom with Anthony''s number. I immediately saved his number. Then, I squealed and shook my body in excitement. Wahh!!! I got Anthony''s number! I''m so SO HAPPY! After the high, I started thinking. Now that I have it, what should I do with it? Should I send him a text? What would he think of me if I do? Ugh! Just go through with it, Michelle! At least then he would have your number too. Perhaps he would even text you of his own accord at times? If not, at least then, you can text him and pretend it''s about English. Ah! Don''t let this opportunity go! After I was done convincing myself, I took a deep breath. This is it. I started typing. Reread what I typed. Deleted it, retyped again. This continued for about 10 minutes, until I was satisfied and pressed send. I wrote, ''Good evening Anthony. Sorry for texting you this late. Ah, I got your number from my mother. I hope you don''t mind. I just really wanted to thank you for earlier. You were really a great help. Hope you''re home safe. See you tomorrow! Goodnight!'' Was it too much? Initially, I even included that he should take a warm bath, and the words sweet dreams, but then, I thought that it''s too obvious¡­ I paced my room as I waited for his reply. Finally, my phone vibrated. That was fast! -- TBC Chapter 38 - 38: Texting II (Michelle POV) I nervously unlocked my cellphone to see the message. Apparently, it was only from Andy. [It''s ok. Goodnight!] Oh, ok, I typed, ''goodnight!'' and pressed send. What? I''m keeping my options open but of course, if Andy''s just being friendly, it''s no biggie. I don''t have to go out of my way to flirt with him. Anyway, why was there no reply from Anthony yet? Do I cry now? I looked at my sent items to reread my text. Oh, good! I forgot to key in my name! Valid reason to text again! So, I typed, ''This is Michelle by the way. ^_^'' then pressed send. After 15 minutes, there''s no reply yet¡­ I wanted to cry¡­ did I get rejected? I mean, maybe he saw my text and did not think that he needs to reply? Huhuhu!!!! Why am I being like this? I shook my head. I better take a shower first. -- (3rd POV) "Hey Lara, did you get a reply from Michelle?" Andy asked after Lara answered the call. "Oh wait, haven''t checked, let me see." Lara replied as she put the call on loudspeaker as she looked through her messages. "Yeah, she did. Apologized and said that she only saw her phone now. That''s good. I would have felt offended if she didn''t reply at all. Anyway, did you get one?" "Yeah. What time did she send you, her message?" "Hmm¡­ 9:35pm." Lara said, then thinking that she should be more important to reply to than Andy, she asked, "how about you? What time did she reply to you?" Andy smiled on the other line seeing that he received the message at 9:33pm. That''s great! So Michelle thought it better to reply to him first or she chose to open his message first. He''s not telling Lara that of course. It''s good to earn brownie points for Michelle amongst his friends. "9:37pm. But maybe she just saw your message first because you texted later. So don''t tease me." Lara laughed from the other line. "Good! I should be top on her list before you! Anyway, it''s getting late, I still have swimming early tomorrow. Nyt!" "Goodnight!" Andy replied. He felt so much better now. Anyway, he texted Michelle, ''it''s ok. Goodnight!'' he wanted to include sweet dreams, but then he didn''t want to make her feel like he really likes her already. He knew he was being contradictory, but he didn''t want to make his move too early. When he received a goodnight back after a minute. He smiled contented. -- (Michelle POV) After taking a bath, I went back inside my bedroom and quickly looked at my cellphone. Absolutely nothing. Why did I even text him? Maybe now he thinks that I''m such a flirt, and he got turned off. Gods! What do I do? I would even see him tomorrow. What if he doesn''t want to sit next to me anymore? Maybe, he''s already asleep and just didn''t see my text? I should wait. I moved to dry my hair with the blower and when I was done, it was already 10:45 pm. I checked my phone again. Still nothing. Sad and depressed, like an idiot I closed the lights and lied on my bed putting my cellphone beside my pillow so that when the text arrives, I would be able to see it immediately. I don''t know if I fell asleep, because when I heard the text message alarm from my cellphone, I was quick to gain consciousness. I unlocked my phone and saw that the text message came from Anthony. My heart went doki doki and I''m afraid my face would split with the grin I was sporting. I chanted a prayer of thanks and then opened it. [Just saw your text now. It''s alright, no need to mention, but you''re welcome. Glad I was able to help. Good night and see you.] Did he fall asleep earlier, just woke up now and saw my text, then replied right away? Is it possible? Does he like me the way I like him too? Wah!!!! My girly heart! Stop that! The important thing now is, should I reply? But what if he thinks that I''m too eager? I reread his text again. Ok, so maybe he''s just being civil, nothing to note about, but still! The time of the message was more important! Ugh! Why not just reply??? Whatever! ''You''re still up? It''s a little late.'' I typed. Should I just press send? I mulled over that for a few minutes. Until I gained enough courage and hit send. After a minute or two, I received his reply. [Yeah, it is. Gotta go back to sleep. You should to. Goodnight.] Ok, so he just ended our potential conversation and it kinda made me disappointed but maybe he''s just really sleepy already. It''s almost 3am! Still, he was so nice and considerate. How should I interpret this? Though his reply ended potential conversation, it was still sweet. Well, at least to me it sounded that way. I shook my head and smiled. He still confirmed my thoughts that he replied once he saw my message and that''s good enough for now. ''Ok. Goodnight again!'' I replied. He did not reply anymore, but I was not expecting him to. In the end, I slept peacefully with a smile plastered on my face. -- TBC Chapter 39 - 39: Dream Life "Miss Michelle, please wake up." I heard Rona say while she was knocking on the door. "Yeah, I''m up¡­" I groggily replied. Then, lazily, I hugged my pillow to sleep again. Gosh, why is she disturbing me so early in the morning? My alarm hasn''t even started¡­ uh¡­ I grabbed my phone to check the time. It was already 6:30am. Eh!? I set the alarm at 5! My first class was at 7:30. I only have an hour left to shower, get dressed, and travel to the university. I quickly stood from the bed. But then, how will I blow dry my hair? How will I make myself beautiful? Like Anthony will see me today in class! I can''t look too shabby! You know what? Never mind! I am cutting (cut= not going to class) my math class. Good thing that in college, professors don''t call your parents when you don''t turn in class. Now, I have 3 and a half hours to spare before Environmental Science class. What do I do during this time? Ha! They say that one must strike while the iron is hot! So, maybe I should try bringing Anthony some soup or food or medicine as thanks for yesterday? Hihi! I can even use the alibi that it''s my mother wanting to show gratitude. Ah! Am I a genius or am I a genius? I started giggling like a maniac on my own. Should I text Anthony now? Has he had breakfast yet? I wonder what time his first class is. Well, cooking and delivering him a meal today won''t do as I don''t know his schedule and it might be a waste. But doing so on another day would be possible with my excuse. Like an idiot, I sported a grin as I started preparing myself for the day. Took a shower, applied lotion, put on some make up which looked natural, curled my hair a little, like the ones I saw in Korean dramas, wore a very cute looking sleeveless dress that reached my knees, and even wore a hairband. I looked at myself in the mirror. Wah! I''m so pretty! Will Anthony notice? In the past, I''m not very good at making myself look pretty. I mean, I am naturally good-looking, but I don''t know how to enhance my beauty, you get what I mean? I usually just go to school bare faced, wearing expensive clothes which I thought was what makes them beautiful. Oh well. Anyway, I wore a cardigan on top of my dress. Just in case my papa is downstairs and ask me to change my outfit. I''ll just take it off during English class. Hehe. I feel like a real teenager doing something bad. Then I realized that I was indeed doing something bad. I''m cutting class just so that I can make myself pretty for a boy! -- It was 8:00 am when I finished getting ready. I went downstairs and saw my parents still in the dining room. I presume that they just finished eating their breakfast. My father was holding a newspaper reading, a cup of coffee on the table in front of him, while my mother was just on her phone, I guess busy texting her friends. By the way, my father worked in our company as the president. Usually, my father goes there at 9:00 am to oversee matters. My mother on the other hand, well, think of rich Asian mom, a semi-retired kinda housewife who still has a say in the company but just does whatever she wants to do. Her routine was, socialize with her friends by going to the gym to do some Zumba, go shopping, host some galas and fundraising activities, attend those her friends host, does whatever. Then, at times, she feels like investing, she will tell my father and tralala! New resort on the way. Ah! My real idol in life. When I was studying college, my dream life afterwards was so simple. I just wanted to be like my mom! I know that getting a diploma was important, like getting good grades and all those to gain face. Then after college, go abroad for post-graduate, experience more in life, gain additional face. Come back to our country work and dabble a little in our company but nothing too stressful. Get married, preferably to Anthony, let husband do all the work and live my semi-retired housewife dreams! What? People in our social circle, specifically the girls, well, we never did work a lot. The men do the job and earn money, the wife looks after the children and the household. I don''t see anything wrong with that. But again, that kind of life was not what I lived because of what happened. Although I was thankful for the independence, and having been able to achieve something for myself, earned some money through hard work etc., but deym! I still would have preferred my dream life. I shook my head, wanting to laugh at myself. This time, I will ensure to turn that dream into a reality! I still have my bitcoin plan in my head just in case things don''t work out that great. I was shaken out of my stupor when my mother finally noticed me and called my attention. "Michelle? Why are you still here? I thought your class starts at 7:30?" she asked. "Ma, our professor gave us a free cut since she didn''t feel well. So, my class starts at 10:30 today." I replied, well, it''s just a little white lie so I don''t feel that guilty. "I see. It''s still early then. Come, have breakfast first before you leave. By the way, I like what you did with your hair." My father finally stopped reading the newspaper to look at me. He furrowed his brows, maybe noticing that there''s something different about me? Ok, time to escape lest he notices the make-up on my face. Thank goodness it looks so natural. Wahahaha! "Sorry ma, I still have to go now, my classmates and I are working on a group assignment and agreed to meet at 9am. I''ll just have snacks there. Thank you! Bye mama, bye papa! Love you! See you later!" I quickly walked away. I was even wearing a perfume! Hope they didn''t smell it! Thankfully, I saw Mr. Matt who was already waiting outside. He quickly opened the car for me, then he sat on the driver''s seat and started the car. "Mr. Matt, pass by the Tiantang drugstore first." I instructed. What? Gotta buy some ginseng or whatever tonic was best for my dear Anthony! I will just say it''s from my mom, but really! It''s from me and it can be another conversation starter! -- TBC Chapter 40 - 40: Is It A Date? (Michelle POV) I couldn''t help but snigger as I thought of how I would hand Anthony the ginseng I bought for him. I mean, it''s just a passing thought but I hope that he doesn''t think that I''m too old fashioned, well, maybe not. Besides, I''ll just say that it''s from my mother. Ah, really, it was a difficult decision to make. I was torn if I should really buy it because it''s for the older generation what with its benefit aside from building immunity, regulating blood sugar, and improving focus also includes, helping with erectile dysfunction, not that I think he has that, but well, it''s better to nurture them young. Hahahaha!!! Kidding aside, it was a little expensive as it''s wild ginseng which costed me three thousand yuan for just a dried-up root but then again, I am not Michelle of my timeline. I still am a rich nth generation heiress, and anything else would be too shabby for my dearest Anthony. As I sat at the backseat of my car, I felt my cellphone vibrating. I pulled it out of my bag and saw that Andy was calling. Eh? Why was he calling me? I pressed the answer button. "Hello?" I greeted. "Hi Mich! Where are you at now?" "Uh¡­ I''m on my way to school. Why?" "I thought your first class was at 7:30?" "It was, but I wasn''t able to wake up early, so¡­", ok, so would Andy think that I''m such a delinquent now? Oh well. Andy chuckled from the other line. "Wow Mich, didn''t expect that you''d be the type to cut classes and it''s just our 2nd week." He teased. I couldn''t help but giggle myself. "I didn''t mean to. But anyway, why were you asking?" "Well, since I''m in school today early, I was thinking of meeting up with you before our ES class." Was this it? Is this the first sign that he''s now pursuing me? Andy, I''m not ready! I haven''t confessed to Anthony yet. I would loathe to reject you when I''m not so sure if Anthony would even say yes to me! What should I say? Oh, whatever. I checked the time. 8:35am. "It''s still early, I will be arriving in about 25 minutes or so." "I see. Have you had breakfast already?" Wait, is he going to ask what I think he will be asking next? "Not yet. How about you?" "Not yet either. Anyway, since you''re still on the way to school, and our ES class isn''t starting until 10:30, would you like to have breakfast together?" Aha! Just as I thought! So, is he asking me for a date? What should I say? Ugh! Ok, I will give you the chance to spend some alone time with me. But just as friends I tell you. Just as friends!!!! "Ok, where?" "Where are you coming from?" "Rishuan district." I replied. "Ok, do you like American food?" "American is fine." "How about IHOP? There''s one on the way to our university from there." Really Andy, IHOP (restaurant) as our first date? Ok, maybe he''s really just being friendly and casual. I mean, he''s Andy Peng, and in my original timeline, even I won''t think of such restaurant as a fitting place for a date. I mean, IHOP is great, but come on! You won''t take a girl you like there when you can afford so much better! "Sure. Then, see you there!" I casually replied. Then instructed my driver to make a stop there. I am craving for some pancakes anyway. -- As it was a weekday and the time was off-peak hour, there were not a lot of people present inside IHOP. The ambiance was light and cozy. Briefly, I reassessed that it doesn''t look too shabby as a venue for a first date. I shook my head. Ah, there goes my presumptuousness again. I tried to look around to see if Andy already arrived. I did not see him. "Ma''am, table for how many?" A waitress approached me and asked. Should I say table for 2? Well, he didn''t mention anyone joining us. "Table for two." The waitress first led me to a table by the window and it did look nice, but then, I recalled that Andy was a star, so I requested to be seated elsewhere so that passers-by won''t see us directly. So, in the end, I chose to seat at a normal looking inconspicuous corner. -- TBC Chapter 41 - 41: IHOP (Third POV) "Steven, want to join me and Mich to eat breakfast?" Andy asked as he placed his phone inside his pocket. Steven mused for a moment, "No, you go ahead. I''m going to the library. I''ll just see you later in class." "You sure? You know, I don''t get why you need to study so hard. I mean, it''s not like you''re gonna use it that much in the future." "Just go." "Alright! see you later!" Steven shook his head as he watched Andy go. His friends would never understand. Unlike them, he needed to perform not just well, but excellently. Many people might envy him for being the only son of the richest man in their country, but they don''t really know what''s going on behind closed doors. -- Andy walked to his car all smiles. He''s not a novice at love, and he dated a lot of girls before. In fact, just 2 weeks ago, before classes began, he was still dating Hayley Xu, one of his co-stars in the variety show that just finished airing. Being a star and the heir to the Peng industries made it possible for him to become a chick magnet. Like, all he had to do was flirt a little, give them a wink, and well, the girls would already open their legs for him. Actually, there were even times when he doesn''t have to do anything at all. However, there was also a downside to that. He could not decipher if a girl truly liked him for who and not just what he was. His first experience to that was with Veronica Zhang. She was his first love. He thought that she truly liked him, but apparently, she was only using him as a stepping-stone to enter the entertainment industry. When she became a little more famous, she dumped him for a more famous actor, Jimmy Chou. It was an eye-opener to him and from then on, he told himself that he won''t fall for someone like that again. Not that he''s being dramatic though. He did enjoy going through different flavors like a buffet after his first disappointment. Anyway, so what does that have to do with Michelle? Michelle was the first girl after Veronica that made him feel giddy, excited, and like he''s having this innocent crush on a girl once more. Admittedly, there''s a lot of physical attraction on his part, but unlike the girls he just dates for the sake of getting under their skirt, he sees Michelle as his potential girlfriend. But then, he wasn''t up for another disappointment, so he really wants to get to know her better. Besides, no need to rush things, it was also enjoyable to be her friend first. -- When Andy arrived at IHOP, he was able to park his car immediately. He saw Michelle''s car and driver indicating that she''s already inside. He looked at the rear mirror to check his appearance. He tried to fix his hair more. Then, he brought out his aviator sunglasses. What? It looked cool. Although he wants to be Michelle''s friend first, it wouldn''t hurt to have her attracted to him too. Honestly, let''s not be hypocrites. It''s not that he''s being shallow, but love has to start somewhere, and he knew for certain that it usually starts with physical attraction. Like he himself would not give Michelle a second look if she didn''t pass his standards. Anyway, he went down his car to enter the restaurant. Upon entry, a waitress approached to welcome him. "Good morning. Table for how many, sir?" "I have a companion inside." He replied as he tried to look for Michelle. Where was she? Then, like in slow motion, he saw her waving at him. She was smiling, and not for the first time, he felt the butterflies fluttering in his stomach. Objectively, although Michelle was very pretty, she was not the most beautiful girl he has ever seen. However, when she smiles, her entire feature brightens, and when her eyes turn to crescents, she just radiates. Really, even he would think that with her smile, she can put the Mona Lisa painting to shame. Thank goodness he was wearing sunglasses, or she might have noticed how much he was awestruck by her. Trying to act normal and cool, he smiled and waved his hand back. "There she is. Thanks." He told the waitress as he walked to where Michelle was. He noted that unlike other girls he dated, Michelle chose a table where people won''t see him immediately. How considerate of her. -- (Michelle POV) I stared at the door waiting for Andy to arrive. It''s not that I''m looking forward to our impromptu date though it''s just between friends or anything¡­ I gave myself an eyeroll. Ok, so I totally am. But who can blame me? I mean, he''s Andy Peng, and not because I had a husband, or that I like Anthony very much means that I''m immune to Andy''s charm. It''s not a sin, is it? I''m still single and available now. Hehehe. Anyway, when the door opened, I saw Andy entering. WAHHHHHH!!!! He''s so handsome and cool! He''s even wearing aviator sunglasses. Really, I''m so weak with guys wearing one. Thank god I dressed up today or else I might look like his maid (Servant girl)! The waitress approached him, and I saw him looking around. Maybe he did not notice me because of my new hairdo? When he turned to my direction, I smiled and wave at him trying to look cute. What? How else should I act? He smiled and waved back. Gods! I felt like a superstar just waved at me. Oh sorry, he was indeed a superstar, the biggest star in my timeline! He walked towards the table I was at then pulled the chair to sit in front of me. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Mich. Have you taken your order?" he asked as he took off his sunglasses. Oh my goodness. My jaw almost dropped. Why does he look so sexy today!? Did taking sunglasses off have to look that sexy!? It''s almost illegal! I mean, it totally reminded me of how he did that in one of the movies he starred in. He was older then, but wow. I shook my head, both to answer him and to make myself recover from being starstruck. Andy''s just a friend. No need to act like some fangirl. "Not yet, I was waiting for you." "Oh, sorry again for arriving late, as compensation, let this meal be my treat. So, what do you want to eat?" he asked. ''YOU!!!!!!'' I screamed. Of course, let it be said that it''s just in my head. In reality that''s not what I said. Like, really, although I like Andy along with other guys, my morality isn''t skewed. I like Anthony more and I haven''t confessed to him just yet. Letting Andy treat me would label this little outing as a real date. I''m not rejecting him right away, but letting him pay for me? Won''t that make him think that I should know he''s trying to date me? I don''t know if I''m just assuming too much, but better be safe. I smiled at him and shook my head. "I just arrived earlier because this is nearer from where I''m coming at. We can split the bill." I don''t know what Andy thought of my reply. He did not insist. He just smiled, nodded his head, and said "Okay.", not even a single word of protest. UGH! Okay, so I was a little disappointed, maybe he''s just being friendly. Thank god I did not say ''you!'' or else that would have been a total disaster! -- TBC Chapter 42 - 42: Freudian Slip I (Michelle POV) As Andy and I sifted through the menu, the waitress approached us to take our orders. I ordered some pancakes, while Andy ordered sirloin steak tips and eggs. I noted his heavy breakfast and inevitably, I checked him out. Alright, for an 18-year-old turning 19 in a week or so, he''s really fit. He must be spending a lot of time in the gym. Ok, so, I admit. I''m a little perverted and I don''t know if it''s what a normal 18-year-old girl should be thinking of on her first date with a guy, not that this is a date, but uh, I matured late in life so, I''m not so sure. When I was at the age of 18, I recall that I was a prude and all I thought of were spending happy days and dates with the man I have a crush on, ehem ehem, Anthony to be precise. Like date, I like him, he likes me, we''ll go on a lovely walk on the park and tralala! We fall in love. Then we''ll get married and live happily ever after. This kind of thinking followed me until I had Steve as my boyfriend. I used to be dubbed as the ''girl of all girls'' even when I was already 26 because I can''t even handle listening to sex stories and not blush. I thought that it''s something abnormal and I felt embarrassed listening. However, when I myself experienced sex, I changed. I realized that there''s something more to relationships than that of just love. I mean, physical intimacy became important. Don''t get me wrong, although Steve, as my husband, was usually busy at work, our sex life was not bad. I mean, ok, so it left some room for improvement but when we first started going out, it was great. Anyway, let''s not talk about that. What I wanted to say was, as I looked at Andy in front of me, his pheromones oozing in waves, my thoughts were not only on his handsomeness and masculinity but also on his size and his stamina. He''s young and sexy. Off-handedly, I thought that he would bring a girl to the heights of pleasure some older women can only fantasize about. Is it hot in here or is it just me? I reached for the glass of water in front of me to take a sip. Gods. If he could read my mind, I wonder if he would still smile at me like the way he does now. Then, he asked. "What are you thinking of Mich?" He was staring at me innocently with a smile on his too handsome face and I¡­ I choked on the water I was drinking and spluttered. Ok, so that wasn''t too elegant. -- (3rd POV) Andy wanted to laugh. So, Michelle was not immune to his charms. He has been with enough girls to know that she was checking him out. When she declined his offer to pay the bill, he felt glad, but at the same time, he was also a little disheartened. Glad because by the way he phrased it, he wanted to let her know that although he asked her out, he just meant it as a friendly outing. Like he doesn''t want her to think that this was a date, but he also doesn''t want to look to shabby by not paying for the bill, so he came up with that excuse. Disheartened because although he wants to be friends first, he doesn''t want to be friend zoned! Like her rejecting his offer and even splitting the bill meant she was not even a bit interested! Like normally, girls would already feel flattered and even blush. He was almost tempted to insist, but then what if she gets turned off? In the end, he decided to play it cool. Seems like he chose correctly. Wanting to see her reaction, he tilted his head to the left, smiled, and innocently asked, "What are you thinking, Mich?" He did not expect that Michelle would blush, choke, and splutter. He could not stop himself from chuckling. She was too cute! "Sorry, are you alright?" he asked as he handed her a napkin. Michelle took it to wipe her mouth and hand. Somehow still thankful that at least the water did not come out of her nose. Recovering, she pouted and said, "Yeah. I''m ok. Don''t laugh." Andy stopped chuckling, trying to sport a serious look. Michelle pretended to glare at him. What now? then, something clicked, and they both suddenly started laughing. When they both had enough of the laughter, they looked at each other again, both smiling. "You have to admit, that was funny." Andy began. "I''m glad that I made you laugh albeit it''s at my expense." Michelle replied. "So, what were you thinking of? You were just blankly staring at me." Andy just said it out loud. Friends should be able to talk like this. -- TBC Chapter 43 - 43: Freudian Slip II (third POV) Michelle doesn''t feel as shy to him like when she''s with Anthony, so she was able to respond more casually. "Well, I was thinking that this feels so surreal. Like we''re friends now, and I still can''t believe that I''m friends with Andy Peng, the teen star. So, I was contemplating earlier if I should just do an exclusive interview and post it online!" she joked. Andy chuckled, ok so maybe he was being presumptuous to think that she was checking him out. Still, her answer was refreshing. "I didn''t know you''re a fan. Should I give you an autograph?" Michelle smiled and took out her notebook, playing along. "Please sign here. Can you also put in a dedication? Don''t know how much this will be worth in the future.", well, an arm and a leg in truth but Andy doesn''t know that now. Andy''s eyes mooned. He didn''t know that Michelle could be so humorous. "What should I write?" he asked as he took the pen and the notebook. Michelle pretended to think it over, to tease him, she said, "Ok, write this. To my number 1 fan, Michelle Lui, thank you for believing that I will become the best star in the whole world. Because of your undying faith in me, I am now inspired to strive and reach that dream. I will always be grateful to you for being my greatest supporter. Very truly yours, Andy Peng." She wanted to pat herself on the back. Ah, such a flirt. But it''s still friendly banter so perfectly ok. Hahaha! Andy wrote what she said, "Hey, that is too excessive. In the whole world? I can''t even barely call myself a second-rate star in our country now and how did you know that that''s my dream?" Michelle took back the notebook. Honestly, she just read that in one of his interviews after he already achieved said dream. "I just took a random guess, but is it really?" Andy smiled. It was his dream, but now talking to Michelle at this moment enjoying their light banter, said dream was changing slowly. Was he becoming a romantic sap? Oh well. Maybe just getting caught in the moment. Seeing that Michelle was still waiting for his answer, he answered, "I''m not too sure myself. Maybe you should ask me again after a few months. How about you? What''s your dream?" Michelle paused. 18-year-old Michelle wanted to be like her mom, not that that changed much. But it''s not like she will tell Andy that. What if he tells those words to Anthony and he be turned off? Anyway, she must have a different answer. Hmm¡­ Thinking about it, being back in this timeline, having the chance to experience everything again and change things she wanted to change, she knew that she was already living a dream. So, she answered as she smiled, "Being here, right here, right now." Andy had a lot of girls confessing to him left and right. But when he heard Michelle say those words, he was stupefied. Was this her flirting? Or did she just¡­ confess to him? For if she did, he really has to give it to her. She has style. That''s got to be the most unique confession he had to date. Should he take her up for it? Ok, maybe not yet. They just knew each other for a week. But then, he thought of what she said again and deep inside, he wanted to jump like a mad monkey. He wanted to embrace his destiny and good luck. He wanted to giggle, and after the initial surprise wore off, he did just that. Like some teenage girl, he actually giggled. "Mi¡­ Michelle¡­ " he said trying to answer her in between laughter. Michelle looked at Andy in confusion. Why was he giggling? Was her answer funny? She thought about it again. ''Oh fuck.'' She blushed and began explaining her reasons. She could just bang her head on the table. It''s ok if Andy was not Anthony''s friend, but he was. Like she enjoys flirting with him, but not this early! Also, what if he gets the wrong idea? Like would he think that she''s such a cheap girl and only wanted to be friends with him because she has a crush on him? Michelle started explaining, "I mean, I''m thankful to be here and enjoy the blessings life has given me. I have my parents, and my family is doing well. I mean, I have everything I could ever want. Then, I also have great friends like you and Lara, and¡­ you get what I mean right?" Andy stopped giggling and listened. He nodded his head and settled for a smile. "Yes, I understand." He replied. He understood that that might be the case then, but still he could not help but think that maybe what Michelle said earlier was a Freudian slip. She must really like him and was just denying it now to save face. Hehe. He knew that they need to get to know each other better first, but still, he was happy. Ah, he was so lucky to be born as Andy Peng! Michelle sighed in relief. That was stupid. Yeah, she likes Andy, but not as much as she likes Anthony! Thankfully, after a while, the waitress arrived with their food and saved Michelle from further embarrassment. -- TBC Chapter 44 - 44: Upcoming Evaluation Exams (Michelle POV) After having breakfast, Andy and I decided to head to school so that we won''t be late for class. Although I thought we would split the bill, in the end, he still paid. I tried to insist that I pay for my share, but he just shook his head, grinned, and told me that I just treat him for a meal next time. Hearing those words, I have nothing else to say anymore. Besides, next time? Hehehe¡­ Andy, you flirt! I''ll take you up on that if things don''t work out between me and Anthony. Anyway, we went out of the restaurant to get in our respective cars. He sent me to my car first before getting on his red Ferrari Maranello. His car suits his personality I must say. We were on convoy to school, so as he parked his car, I waited for him so we can walk together to our class. Ah, the smell of blooming romance. I shook my head. No, we''re just FRIENDS! When we arrived in class, I saw that Lara and Steven were already there. This time, I did not feel bad seeing them together. So, casually, I greeted the two. "Hi Lara, Hi Steven!" I greeted with a smile as I walked to my seat. Lara enthusiastically greeted me back while Steven, he just gave me a nod in response. However, I was his girlfriend for a year, his wife for three, so I was able to see the miniscule change in his expression. When he saw me, I noticed that his eyes widened by a fraction. A reaction which reminded me of the times when he sees me all dressed up in our timeline. He would have this small smile on his face then he would embrace me. He would give me a compliment and even say that he''s so lucky to have me as his wife. Ah, I missed those times and I missed Steve. I almost felt guilty for flirting with other boys. ALMOST. What? He has Lara now and they were even my friends. Anyhow, the professor arrived shortly and started the lecture. -- When the class ended, the four of us simply hanged out, talking about our subjects and the upcoming evaluation exams. Lara ever the proud girl about Steven casually mentioned that he graduated as the valedictorian in his high school and that he should give out tutorials to us. That was a surprise, but I guess it should not be. I always knew Steve was smart. We did work together first before we became lovers. Lara stared at me as if waiting for me to say something, and then it clicked. Oh, she must be pertaining to me taking the tutorial because she knew that I''m taking basic English. I would have been offended if I didn''t know that she only wanted to help me out. Then, I thought Lara was a bit na?ve. Did she trust that I won''t put some moves on Steve because I know that she likes him? Or was this a test? Either way, I don''t want to be some homewrecker, not that they were married. Also, although I conceded that I won''t get in the way of Lara and Steve''s relationship at this time, I''m also not some masochist who would willingly spend time with them being lovey-dovey and watch. I was about to say otherwise when Steve spoke himself. "Lara, I''m busy. Also, I think everyone here can cope on their own." I looked at him, that must be the longest sentence he said while in my presence at this timeline. Time passed and the bell rang signifying that it''s already 12:20. Finally! It''s almost time for my English class and I will see Anthony again. I excused myself from the 3. This time they did not accompany me as Steve and Lara were hungry and would have their lunch. Andy wanted to send me, but I declined saying that it''s out of the way. Andy did not insist and went with Lara and Steven. Ok, so this Andy is confusing. I don''t know if he really likes me or not. Maybe he''s just friendly with girls? You know, the type of guy that would make a girl think and hope that he likes her but was only being friendly in the end. Oh well. Whatever. -- When I arrived in my English class, Anthony was standing by his seat while talking to some of our classmates. I noticed that some were girls. The scene made me remember that Anthony was also quite popular with the girls. Ah, I can only sympathize with them. We were comrades in our plight of crushing on Anthony during my original timeline, but I knew that none of them would succeed in making him their campus boyfriend. Anthony stayed single until we graduated from college. I mean, not that I was 100% sure, but during my time of stalking him, and looking at his pictures, I never saw a picture of him acting sweetly with a girl. Otherwise, how could I have continued my hopeless dream of marrying him to the day he died? In this timeline though, sorry girls, but stop crowding on Anthony. In case you don''t know, he''s mine. Hehehe. I laughed evilly in my head. I walked towards them and as I pulled my seat, Anthony turned to face me. He gave me that sweet little smile and my heart took a hit. I felt like cupid just shot an arrow and it went straight to my heart. Gods, don''t act all stupid now Michelle! My classmates all saw him smile at me, and since I was a more likable person now, they also turned to face me and greeted me in turn. I smiled and greeted them all back, even mentioning all their names. What? Got to impress my Anthony by showing him that I will be a gracious wife in the future. We all talked about our subject and the upcoming evaluation exams, which reminded me. What to do? Should I pass it for this subject or not? If I do, no more Anthony time for me! -- TBC Chapter 45 - 45: Career Plan (Michelle POV) As I sat in the library staring at the study materials that I needed to review in preparation for the evaluation exams, my mind started drifting. English class was uneventful. Anthony concentrated on the lecture, and I dare not attempt to call his attention. What if he blames me when he fails the evaluation exam? So, in the end, I tried to listen too, but really, I can''t. How could I focus when he was next to me? So, like usual, I spent my time stealing glances at his oh so perfect face. Anyway, when class ended, I was unable to hand the box of ginseng to him as he needed to leave right after our class. So, I decided to just give it to him tomorrow after PE. Now, let us go back to my predicament. Should I pass the English evaluation exam? I flipped the review material in front of me. Subject, predicate, pronoun, noun, running sentence¡­ What the heck? Just looking at these, my head is already in a jumbled mess. I know English and I used it a lot after graduating, but not in these technical terms. Ugh. You know what? I don''t think Anthony would be turned off if I fail. Why? Because he will fail too. Then, will Anthony admire me if I pass? No! He would not have time to admire me because we won''t be classmates anymore! To hell with it! I''ll just flunk it. It''s not like failing the exam would be a life and death situation for me. I turned to the Math Samplex where I need to memorize formulas. Gods, I can barely recall how I passed all these subjects before. Right now, I can already feel an incoming nosebleed. Why do I have to study these again? I can''t!!!! The major subjects, I can still take it. But core subjects? I won''t even use them in the future. Geometry, Calculus and the likes. Why are students required to take these courses anyway? How could I even think of making my grades better than my blockmates? The new and improved student me!? So funny. How could I focus on these when I know they are completely bullocks and useless to me in the future? Real young students would study hard, aim for latin honors, be cumlaude, magnacumlaude, sumacumlaude, valedictorian etc! But what''s the use of those when one enters corporate world aside from giving a nice addition to one''s resume? It will help in getting one for the interview, but even then, the human resource would look at the person''s physical attributes before hiring! Sometimes, it''s even by recommendation. Then, afterwards, it''s all about your own ability of sucking up to your bosses, or by real ability which is even more rare. Gods, my mind has already been inflicted with realities that I can''t handle studying for nothing anymore. I just want to enjoy my campus life without the necessity to study too much. But I need to pass and graduate. Even if I''m not gonna use it in the future, how would I be able to show my face to people in our circle if I didn''t even finish college? Plus, how will I spend more time with my Anthony? My campus romance dream? Thinking about it, what should I do after I graduate? Do I have to work again? NO WAY! I want to live my dream of a semi-retired housewife just waiting for cash to come in and me to spend it like dirt! However, looking back, I can''t just depend on my husband to give me money, even my inheritance might not be so safe. Who knows if I can''t change what happens to our family in the future? Also, I need to have some form of achievement of my own. For if not, even my love life would be doomed to fail. Why? First, if I were to marry Anthony, ehem ehem, marry someone like Anthony in this timeline, I might become the sorry daughter-in-law in the future who her mother-in-law bullies. Like if I''m just a leech, that would happen right? Or maybe she would find a better match for her son. Second, if I were to marry Andy, cough cough, someone like Andy, people will try to look into me and might say that I don''t deserve the nation''s husband. Third, if I marry Steve again, refer to the first reason, or he might not be the son of richest man anymore and we might go back to the life we lived. No thank you. I don''t like the hypothetical situations of those I enumerated above. I still need to have my own source of income. Now since I am from the future, I can take advantage of so many things. Should I write songs from the future, plagiarize, and sell the copyright? Too much work. Build a company and produce products I know from in the future? Too much work! I can''t really think of building a company or the likes. I''m too lazy. Plus, I''m not too sure if they will become successful. Lastly, even if a company of mine becomes successful, I would never commit to it. What? You think being president of a company is fun? I just want to enjoy my life, have some campus romance, travel the world. spend money like dirt. So¡­ how do I achieve that? I grinned as a stroke of genius came over me. Why do I need to work? Why do I need to make my life difficult? I am still an nth generation rich heiress. All I need to do now is ask my parents to invest. Wait, maybe I should ask for my early inheritance so I can start investing them all myself! I will make my money work for ME! I will just ride on companies that would surely boom in the future! Hehehe. Google, Amazon, Facebook, bitcoin, Tesla! I have 13 years knowledge of whichever stocks would make it big! True that I don''t know much about stocks and other details but even dummies know these companies!!! Ah! I''m really a genius. HAHAHA!!!! I laughed like a maniac in my head. With this, my career path has been fixed. I will become a stock market player! Ooohhh my palms are itching; cash will be raining on me soon! I looked at the study materials on my table again. Ugh. I still have to study for the math evaluation exam though. I can''t afford to get kicked out of school. I''ll just pass at the bare minimum. Aish! -- TBC Chapter 46 - 46: A Billion Dollar Dream Arriving back home, I went to my room to do some research. I opened my PC to learn something about the stock market. The reason why I don''t want to buy stocks in our country was because I know that it''s being manipulated. Meanwhile Country U''s stock market was more regulated. So far, the only stock that I want to buy which was already present was Amazon. I looked at the stock price and it''s currently at 36.55 USD. I know that stock market price fluctuates a lot so better to buy it later when it takes a dip. I looked at the historical price and from 49USD last year this was already significantly lower. I shook my head. I rather buy when it''s slowly starting to increase price again coz the trend was going down. In 2019, the price per share hit 2000 USD! Not bad. But in comparison to bitcoin, it''s nothing. Imagine in 2010 bitcoin price was just about 10 cents per share, come March 2013 it will be 266 per share, but it will drop to 50 per share the next month. Then by Dec 2017 it will be 13,062 per share. It will drop again but it will keep on rising again! Just thinking of the numbers¡­ gosh! I''m losing count of all the zeroes! Even if I work all my life, I will never earn that amount of money! I''m so excited just thinking of it!!! Anyway, all these increase in value would happen when internet becomes more accessible to people. For now, I''ll just wait then buy Amazon I think by the time I graduate it should be 3x the value. Quite small increase, but it''s a blue chip, my money''s safe, and I will earn through dividends. Now, about our family''s company, currently it''s still doing well, so no need to change directions until 2010 at the very least. By then, I should give clues to my father on the changing times. "Miss Michelle, dinner''s ready." Rona called as she knocked on the door. I checked the time. It was already 7 in the evening. I did not even notice the time moving with me just thinking of my imaginary wealth! -- "Papa, what do you think of investing in the stock market?" I asked after we had dinner. My mother looked at me in askance. Well, I was never concerned about business and money before. So, the change might be a surprise for her. My father answered, "The stock market is not good. It''s not very stable. Money is better to be invested on tangible assets. Why do you ask?" "Well, I think Papa, that we must think more futuristic. Do you know that the internet is a slowly booming industry? I was always curious¡­ how much profit do we make in our company? I mean, if I put in a capital 100 yuan, how many folds would it earn? Let''s say, after 4 years, how much would it be worth?" Truth was, I was not into business much. I worked for the corporate world because I was afraid to become bankrupt like my parents! Business was like gambling. Either you turn a profit, or you lose even the money you invested. "Let''s see. I think that it would be unfair to simply think of it as putting a hundred-yuan investment. A start-up producing a remote-control car would have a higher marginal cost than we do. We produce by bulk. So, the more output we have, the lower the marginal cost for each unit produced. The quality in comparison to our competitors, also better. So, a unit let''s say for us would cost 10 yuan, while for others, it would be around 20 yuan at least. On mark up, a unit we''re selling with the cost of 10 yuan would be around 100 yuan at least. However, in terms of sales, we''re not able to sell everything every time. So, it''s also not that easy to predict. However, through the years, we are able to have a rough idea that sales also depend on the season. For example, summer, Christmas, Chinese New Year, these are high season. Anyway, if you just think of the profit with the assumption that we sell everything we produce then, your 100 yuan becomes 900 in return. If we do this cycle 24 times a year, then you will profit 21,600 yuan. Then in 4 years, it should be 86,400 yuan. But that''s not considering you reinvesting your money to expand." My father explained proudly. I did the calculations in my mind. Dang! That''s a lot. Certainly, more than my buying amazon stock plan until 2010. But that thinking has what got us become bankrupt in the first place! My father kept on expanding the company until boom. He took loans for more expansion building new factories abroad on bad timing. "Papa, I think that although that thinking is good, there are many things to consider, and you must note that not because one adds investment again, it would turn into a profit. There must be balance. That''s why we should have savings. We don''t reinvest everything on the same business." I answered. "You do have a point. However, savings in the bank has very low interest rate, so money should be reinvested. " My mother laughed. "Morris, I think our daughter is all grown up now. Michelle, why are you asking? You want to help run the business?" Gods no. I don''t want to work. Papa can handle all that. "No Ma! I''m just curious and trying to apply what I learned. But papa, I think we should invest in the stock market. I mean, I want to try investing there too." My father furrowed his brows. "Maybe after you graduate Michelle. You need to learn more from school, and have more experience¡­" I made a sad face. "but papa¡­ I really want to try¡­ Mama¡­" I appealed. My mother ever the supportive mother came to my rescue. "Morris, how about this. Remember the lot Michelle recommended you buy from your friend?" "What about it?" my father asked. "Yesterday, the Kho group announced that they will be building a mall there. The price of lot has doubled. So, how about giving our daughter the profit based on the increase in value we made from that lot?" My eyes widened. So fast!? So that''s why the area boomed. Hehehe¡­. "Janet, not because the price of land doubled means that it''s already a profit. It''s only a profit once we sell it. Don''t keep counting eggs in the basket that haven''t even hatched yet." I looked pleadingly at my mom. My mother smiled at me. "Michelle, you know I always support you. How about this? I will give you 1 million yuan and you play with that, okay?" 1 million yuan? That''s still more than a hundred thousand dollars! I calculated in my head. That will do as my initial investment. After 4 years that would be 300,000 usd at least if I invest in Amazon and come 2010 I sell and will invest it all in bitcoin! Ha! This father of mine! I will show him once my 300,000 usd becomes 7 billion dollars in 2013! He will come crying to me once his business goes down! Hahahaha! Ok. That was an evil thought for a daughter to her father. "Thank you, Mama! Papa, you just wait. In 7 years, I will make those 1 million yuan into 50 billion!" My father shook his head. "Janet, you spoil our daughter too much. I''m sure that money would just go down the drain." My mother just winked at me. Ah, my mama is so awesome. I will gift her a billion dollars once my bitcoin billion dollars dream comes true. Then, she can forever lord it to my papa. MWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! -- TBC Chapter 47 - 47: You Make Me Feel Like Dancing Back in my room, I looked at my cellphone. No text, no nothing. Okay, so what gave me the expectation that Anthony, or at least Andy, will send me a text message? Ugh. I gave myself an eyeroll. Anyway, with my money problem and career problem out of the way, I can now focus on my campus love life again. Hmmm¡­ should I text Anthony? Like we will never get to have a relationship if I don''t make some moves. I mean I didn''t do anything in my original timeline and that''s the outcome so how could something happen if I proceed to do the same now? Should I just wait for the apple to fall down from the skies? I opened my inbox where I saved Anthony''s messages. Ok, so like there''s only 2 from him now but surely later I will need to delete other text messages in my inbox so that I can save his until the new phone models come in. What? I enjoy rereading our exchange of text messages. It makes me feel so giddy with the thought that he might like me too. Then, if he becomes my boyfriend, I will write him a story of how everything between us started as my first anniversary gift to him! HAHAHA!!! How sentimental is that!? Then he will love me more. Ok. Stop Michelle. Your mind is acting like a real teenager again worse than all the Korean dramas you ever watched. Anyway, I clicked reply and a new text message prompt appeared. What do I say? Ah! I must start making my moves early. Hehehe I still have my feeling indebted to him excuse. Why waste it with just giving him ginseng!? It''s time to go full power mode without being obvious! What''s the saying again? Oh yeah. The way to a man''s heart is through his stomach. Let''s go with that then! Ok gotta type! Crazy heart stop being nervous!!! [Good evening Anthony¡­ I hope you don''t mind me asking, uh¡­ what time is your first breaktime tomorrow?] Ok, message sent. I''m gonna have a heart attack with the waiting for his reply. Can''t we just have the messenger, viber etc function so I will know if he''s seen my message already!? Or better yet, so I would know if he''s typing his reply!? WAHHHHH!!!!! I hate this old school style! Then my phone vibrated. I quickly unlocked to check. He replied! He replied so fast! [I''m free from 9:00- 10:30. Why?] Oh great. Why does it have to happen when I have class!? Why oh why was fate doing this to me!? Oh well, I''m just gonna skip class this one time. Besides, it''s basic economics. I can pass the exams even if I don''t listen to the lectures. Hehehe. [Uhm¡­ well, I hope you won''t dislike or misinterpret. But my mother insists that we show our gratitude for yesterday, when you sent me back home. Earlier, I forgot to hand you what she asked me to give you during class. So now, she felt more embarrassed since a day has already passed. So¡­ uh, she wants me to send you a meal too¡­ would that be alright?] Ok, whatever excuse I can come up with. Thanks Ma, you''re the best. I can now be a script writer with this story I''m coming up with. I waited and waited. His reply took longer to arrive, maybe he''s also carefully constructing his reply? Ah. Here it is! [It would be an honor to receive a meal auntie personally prepared, but won''t that be too troublesome for her and for you?] Anthony¡­ why are you so nice and wonderful and did I mention wonderful? It''s like you literally came out of a romance novel. I''m on cloud 9!!!! But!!! The meal is something I will cook. Well, actually, this is better, if he doesn''t like it, then he won''t know it''s from me. If he likes it, then I can just let him know that it''s from me later! We can even get to share a meal together¡­ like a DATE!!! Can I do this? Well, I think I''m so courageous to text him coz I don''t see his face! [Not at all. My mother usually cooks our breakfast in the morning. So, she''ll just have to add one more serving for you. She would be very happy to know that you will receive it. While me, my 1st class is from 9-10:30 but we have free cut tomorrow, so it''s not trouble at all.] His reply came in a minute. [Alright. Where should I meet you and what time?] Ah!!!! Did I mention that I took cooking classes before when I was crushing on Anthony real hard? Again, my dream was to become his semi-retired housewife, and cooking him a meal and him liking the food was one of my fantasies! It''s about to become a reality! I want to cry! I''m so happy! [The cafeteria at 9:00 am would be good. ^^] oh my god. This is it! [ok. See you tomorrow!] I pinched myself. This was really happening. I squealed as I ran to my bed. You know like what Julia Roberts did when Richard Gere left the hotel and agreed to give her 3000usd!? I did a reenactment. I was so giddy with excitement. I hugged my pillow and rolled around the bed. Belatedly I realized I was not able to reply. I immediately started typing. [Yes, see you then. Thank you! And good night!] Another reply came. [Goodnight!] ''You make me feel like dancing¡­'' I started singing while shaking my body on the bed. hahahaha! I forgot the next part of the lyrics but whatever! I''m so happy! After my joy subsided a little, I started drafting the menu. ''what should I prepare for tomorrow? Gods! I should have asked for his preference! What if he has allergy?'' I shook my head. I did not notice the time as I wrote what to cook. It couldn''t be that simple. When will I get the chance again? In the end, when I looked at what I came up with, it felt like I will be attending a Chinese wedding! Ugh. I crumpled the paper. Apparently, preparing the menu was more difficult then asking Anthony to receive it himself! -- TBC Chapter 48 - 48: Never Had A Dream Come True It was 8:40 when I arrived in the canteen. I was carrying two insulated lunch bags, containing bento like stackable boxes. Why 2? Well, I can''t honestly just give him one lunchbox for his breakfast, right? I mean, fine, so I have over prepared and¡­ come on! I''m not gonna let this once in a lifetime opportunity go to waste! I''m not just handing him food and say bye bye! I''m gonna make this a DATE! Not that he would think it is, but really, him and me sitting together, sharing this picnic like food I painstakingly prepared. What else would you call that!? HAHAHA! Anyway, looking around, not a lot of students were present and many tables were still left vacant. Ha! Time to find a table with strategic location. The canteen has long tables, and some were good for four. No two-seater table, but it''s ok.?? First, I chose a table in the middle of the canteen, ugh, doesn''t feel that comfy and it''s stuffy. Change location. I sat somewhere near the fan, ugh, my hair will be flying around. Not a good idea. Then, I saw the table near the window. I proceeded to that table and took a seat. Oh, here is not bad. Although behind me was the booth selling school materials, not a lot of students will be buying stuff this early, plus once Anthony enters, I will see him immediately! The saleslady was also playing the radio which can serve as background music. I just hope that the commercial will stop playing soon and a love song would play later. Hehehe¡­ Ok, here is good. I looked at my watch, 8:48. My gawd, his class will be dismissed soon, and he would be coming over. My heart started beating fast. What to do!? Oh yeah, set up the table! I opened the insulated bags and placed the stacks of bento looking lunch boxes on the table. I even brought thermos for the soup. Will he think that this was too much? Never mind. I''ll just say it''s my mom! Actually, earlier that morning, I woke up at 4:00 am just so that I can prepare all these. I had to check what''s in the fridge, and have the maid buy some fresh ingredients from the market. As for me cooking, fine, I made the maids help me, but I still took lead. It''s not that easy to prepare 8 different dishes! Anyway, I made a lot so that my parents can also have them later, I was a very filial child. Ugh, ok, so the reason was not so pure. I also wanted to ask them later if the food was good. The bell rang it''s now 8:50. Gods! He''ll be coming here soon! I brushed my hair with my hand. After preparing the food and placing them lovingly in those containers, I showered and took a long time in the vanity styling my hair, putting some light make up, then choosing my attire (a very nice looking floral dress that reached my knees) to ensure that today I was looking perfect. It was our first date, at least in my dictionary, and hopefully he remembers this day with an image of me so beautiful that he would think that I was his white moonlight. Ehem ehem, People, not because I''m 31 means that I''m long lost to fantasy romance alright! I have dreamed for this moment for a long long time! Students were entering and exiting the canteen this time, and I kept on checking if the one entering was Anthony. I looked at my watch, 8:53. Vaguely, I heard the poor-quality radio started playing a song. Finally, the commercial was over. ''Everybody''s got something, they had to leave behind, one regret from yesterday, that just seems to grow with time¡­ there''s no use looking back, or wondering, how it could be now or might have been, all this I know but still I can''t find ways to let you go¡­'' I wanted to scream, the song that started playing was S cub 7''s Never had a dream come true. It was one of the most popular songs when I just enterer junior high school. And listening to the lyrics now¡­ gods. Then suddenly, I saw Anthony enter the canteen while the song reached the chorus, ''I never had a dream come true, Til the day that I found you, Even though I pretend that I moved on, you''ll always be my baby, I never found the words to say, you''re the one I think about each day, and I know no matter where life take me to, a part of me will always be with you¡­'' He was looking around but did not see me right away. I saw him take out his cellphone and started typing. My phone vibrated, but before I can open it, he turned around, and our eyes met. He smiled at me and oh my god, I think my heart just exploded. He walked towards me, and the way I saw it, it was like he was moving in slow motion. I think I just stopped breathing and I felt my face go flush again. When he was in front of me, he said something, but I think my brain has short circuited. Belatedly I realized that I was acting like my real 18-year-old self, where just the sight of Anthony looking my way would make me all red and unable to breathe properly. I shook my head to wake myself up from my stupor. What was it he said again? Gods, what was I doing? I quickly stood up from my seat that I hit leg on the table causing everything on top to shake and wobble. I winced but dared not utter anything embarrassing like screaming ouch! "Are you alright?" he asked his brows furrowing with what I hope was concern, as he continued to stand by the table''s side. "I- I am okay¡­" I answered. I wanted to hit my head for stuttering like a complete idiot. -- TBC Chapter 49 - 49: Breakfast At The Canteen I (Michelle POV) Anthony nodded his head and then looked at the table. He furrowed his brows a little, and I wondered what was running in his head. Oh god, did he understand what I''m doing? Will he be rejecting my advances? No! No way! "Uh¡­ I''m sorry¡­ I know this is a bit¡­ I hope it''s ah¡­ please, sit down¡­." I said trying to explain. Gods. I wanted to bang my head somewhere. Did I even make sense? Anthony chuckled, perhaps understanding my predicament. "No, it''s alright. I should be the one thanking auntie for preparing a lot. I just thought that it must have been troublesome for you to carry all these here. Let''s sit?" Please just take my soul. Holy mother, even his laughter at my expense was like the sounds of an angel to my ears. Not wanting to sound as idiotic as I did earlier, I just nodded my head and sat down. Anthony pulled the chair in front of him then sat down only after I did. Hallelujah, amen, he''s the most gentlemanly guy I have ever had the chance of encountering. I chanced to glance at him when I felt like the warmth on my cheeks have receded. (Third POV) Anthony looked at the number of bento filled with food laid on the table. Briefly he wondered how he could finish them all. He did not want to make Michelle''s mom feel bad as he knew that she was just being polite. His mother was like this too. He would ask him to give his friends some snacks or something when they were younger. He looked at Michelle wondering if she could help him. He saw that she was blushing again. He has to admit, she was very pleasing to the eyes. Andy sure has taste. The only problem was that she was just so shy. How would she ever survive the paparazzi following her around when she becomes Andy''s girl? Oh well. He prays her good luck. Anyhow, he could totally relate with her being all embarrassed now. He himself would be mortified if his mom were to ask him to do something like this now. They were already in college, not in elementary. He waited awhile for her embarrassment to subside. When she finally looked at him, he smiled at her. "Have you had your breakfast already?" he asked. Michelle turned red in the ears again. Was he really asking her that? Was he showing some initiative? "Ah¡­ no, not yet. My mother wanted the food to be warm¡­" Whatever excuse she can come up with. Anthony''s eyes turned into crescents. "Then, please, join me." he invited. Then, he looked at the boxes. Confused, he asked, "uh, which one is mine?" Michelle felt like this was the best day of her life ever. "Ah¡­ sorry, let me¡­" she said. Not knowing how to explain, she just proceeded with her actions. She opened the container for his rice and handed him a pair of chopsticks. She opened all the bento boxes one by one, followed by the thermos. She brought out a bowl and poured the soup for him. She even had a soup spoon prepared. She smiled at him as she handed it over. Gods, she could only hope that he was able to see what an ideal wife she was. Hehehe¡­ "Thank you." Anthony said as he received everything gratefully. He was quite surprised though, when he does it, he just throws the food to his friends. Maybe, this was the difference between boys and girls? Nah, Lara was nothing like this. Or maybe because she grew up with the boys? Oh well. Andy''s mom would definitely like and approve of Michelle. She did always complain that all of Andy''s girlfriends were no good. As far as he can see, Michelle was a good girl, nothing like Andy''s exes. Michelle was on cloud nine thinking that perhaps there''s a possibility of him liking her too. She took out other own bento box and opened it. She did place some viands inside just in case. What if he thinks that she intended for them to share? Anyhow, she brought out her chopsticks and when she was about to start eating, she was surprised that a pair of chopsticks placed one slice of beef on top of her rice. Anthony saw her open her box and saw some viands inside. Not knowing how to tell her to help him with all the food, he picked up one slice of beef and placed it on top of her rice. Michelle looked up and saw Anthony smiling. She did not know if she could still blush a shade darker because she has been doing that since he arrived. Anthony saw her astonishment. He chuckled a bit awkwardly. "Please have some of these too. I can''t finish them all." ''Is this really happening?'' Michelle had to ask herself. She was almost tempted to pinch herself awake. "Okay¡­ T-thank you." She finally managed. Anthony just smiled, and with that, he began picking some food and eating. Michelle wondered if he realized that he was using his chopsticks which went to his mouth and picking the food like she was, and they were sharing some saliva like¡­ like¡­ like a fucking indirect kiss! She wanted to throttle herself with her line of thinking. Really, what was she? Elementary!? But, gods, she was going to keep the chopsticks he used, and well, of course she will wash it, but that will be her permanent chopsticks from that day forward. In the end, they could not finish everything. Anthony asked her to thank and send his apologies to her mother. The food was great, but there''s just too much, he said. Oh, and he even offered to take the utensils home, wash them and return them tomorrow. Michelle of course said no need as the maid at home can wash it and added that her mother would be happy that he liked it. Anthony just smiled and nodded his head. Afterwards, Michelle started placing the lids of the bento back and Anthony helped her. -- TBC Chapter 50 - 50: Breakfast At The Canteen II (Michelle POV) Gods, does Anthony see me that way too? Like, if he didn''t, then why did he serve me some food too? Wah! Stop, stop! Maybe he''s just being nice? Well, whatever it is, I have a chance! I am totally positive that he must have fallen for my charm! Wah!!!! I knew it! If I tried the first time, then maybe we would have¡­ ugh, no, it''s better that we didn''t. because if we did, then I don''t think I would have been able to handle his death. Anyhow, I briefly looked at my watch. Ah, 9:55, we still have a few minutes together! What do I do? What do I say? Oh yeah! The ginseng! I opened my bag and brought out the box. I looked at him who looked like he was having a hard time to breathe because of being too full. Well, he did eat a lot. "Uhm¡­ Anthony, before I forget¡­ this is from my mother¡­" I said as I handed him the box of ginseng. "She didn''t have too. I mean, the food was enough. Now, I feel embarrassed." Anthony replied as he received the box. I just shook my head. "No, no, it''s alright. I mean, it''s nothing much." (Third POV) Anthony felt that he should do something for her somehow in exchange. He wondered what. Then, he chuckled "Ok¡­ by the way, are you attending Andy''s birthday next week?" ''Wait, why is he asking that? Would he ask me to be his date? Wahhh I''m not ready!!!! Oh! Who am I kidding? I am more than ready!'' Michelle thought, but of course, she did not say that. "Yes¡­ how about you?" she replied. "Yes, I''m attending too. Have you gotten him a gift already?" ''Why? Will you shop one with me this weekend!? Sure sure! I''m all up for that!'' she thought. "Ah¡­ not yet¡­ I was thinking of getting one this weekend¡­ but¡­ I''m a bit troubled as I don''t know what to get him¡­" she answered, while in her mind, she was already chanting, ''come on, please please bite the bait. Ask me out, ask me out!!!'' Anthony grinned. Well, at least this way he could give her some pointers and they can call it quits. "Hmmm, as one of his closest friends, I should say that Andy is quite easy to please. I mean, he likes almost everything. But since he''s able to buy many things, he would appreciate a gift with more sentimentality. Something personalized would be good." Michelle did not know if she should frown. Uh, personalized? She knew that already, but she wants to spend time with Anthony! Then again, the weekend was the week before their evaluation exams, what if he blames her when he fails their English exam? "Ah¡­ thank you very much for that¡­" she replied as she smiled at him gratefully. So¡­ what now? Can she now ask what type of girl he likes? She shook her head. No way. "So¡­ I am not very familiar with¡­ with how Andy''s birthday party goes¡­ what should I be prepared for?" she asked. Anthony frowned remembering last year. Really, was Michelle ready to attend something like that? She''s so shy. What if she gets a culture shock? The answer was quite simple really, booze, partying, girls on skimpy outfits, dancing, well, normal party. He felt a bit awkward telling her those. "Well, Andy''s parties are usually full of surprises. As what to be prepared for¡­ since this year would be on a yacht, perhaps a swimming attire and an evening dress?" he tried. "I see¡­ uh¡­ have you tried studying for the evaluation exams?" Michelle shifted the topic. Argh. Her question was stupid. Like it''s a friggin party obviously. "A little. How about you?" Anthony replied. Well, not really, he''s not a big fan of studying too much. He prefers going for some extracurricular activities. "Just a little too." She replied as she smiled at him. Well, at least now, it seems like they did have something in common. Anthony chuckled, well, he did catch her not listening in class. "We should." He suggested jokingly. Michelle felt it funny. "Definitely." She answered. Wait, should they study together!? This is it! her chance! She took a deep breath. Then, she looked at him pleadingly. Here goes! "Uh¡­ will you¡­ help me?" Anthony blushed. How could he help her? He sucked himself! He was no genius. ''Did he really blush!? Gosh! He must like me too!'' Michelle thought wanting to celebrate. "It would be fine, but I''m not so good myself¡­ perhaps you should ask Andy?" he tried. ''Ugh¡­ ouch!!!! Did I just get¡­ rejected? No, what he said makes sense. Both of us are taking basic English while Andy is taking Regular English. Don''t lose hope!'' Anthony thought that Michelle was too shy to ask Andy herself. Honestly, Andy likes her not that he''s telling her anytime soon. Come to think of it, it would be a good idea as he would be doing them both a favor. Honestly, which girl did not like Andy when he started courting them? Andy would thank him too. Two birds in one stone. "If you like, I can ask him for you?" he offered. ''How could there be an angel as nice as Anthony in this world?'' Michelle thought, thinking that he was so nice to her. However, she can''t let him ask Andy for her, she like told the group that she has private tutors at home! "No¡­ no¡­ it''s okay¡­ I mean, he should be busy with his own studies¡­" "Nah¡­ Andy would love to help. I mean, we''re taking the same exam and¡­" Michelle wanted to bury herself somewhere. "Please, just¡­ just no¡­" her voice a bit panicky. Well, she doesn''t want to be pegged as a liar. Anthony looked at her and felt like he was bullying her if he were to insist. Maybe she''s too shy as she likes Andy too? He smiled as he shook his head. Girls. "Okay, I''m sorry for insisting, I was only trying to be helpful. I hope you don''t mind." He explained. "No, it''s alright¡­ thank you." She answered, feeling a bit disappointed while hoping that Anthony did not think that she overacted. Anthony only smiled and nodded his head. Then, the bell rang, signifying that it''s 10:20. Anthony would need to leave for his next class. "And that''s my cue. I have to go, my next class is at bellarmine. Quite a long walk. Are you heading anywhere? If it''s on the way, maybe I can walk you there?" Michelle looked up at Anthony who was still staring at her. Her heart again beating a mile per second. Why was he so nice and gentlemanly to her!? Wait, where will he pass through before reaching his class? "The library¡­ I''m heading to the library." she answered. "Great! let''s go." Anthony said as he stood from his seat. Then, he picked up the insulated lunch bags to carry them himself. "I can carry them¡­" she shyly protested, though deep inside her girly heart was all over the place. "No, no. I''ll just hand them back to you later after PE. Our dismissal is both at 4:30 right?" he asked. ''God, thank you for this opportunity, you can now take my soul.'' Michelle thought as she nodded her head. -- TBC Chapter 51 - 51: We’re Friends Now, Aren’t We? The walk to the library with Anthony was very pleasant. Though he has his next class at bellarmine, he did not rush. Rather, he matched his footsteps with mine. When it was time to say goodbye, he smiled his little smile that makes me swoon as he said, ''see you later''. Ah, I must really be in paradise. Anyhow, I entered the library, climbed to the second floor, took a seat and opened my notebook. Not really in the mood to study, I started doodling Anthony''s name stupidly, and like a teenage girl, I even wrote, my name with his surname. Michelle Ren. Wow, it really has a nice ring to it. haha! When it was 11:30, I decided it was time to get my other stuff from the car, particularly, the pot, soil, and seed for my ES lab class. -- ES lab class went well. Andy, Lara, and Steven were with me, and we learned how to, well, grow a plant. It was a stupid requirement, and we would need to take care of that plant for the whole semester. Water it, record its growth weekly, ensure that it lives. I did it before for the same subject, but that was years ago. I know that it''s a good thing to learn, to save the planet whatever, but I just never had the affinity nor the interest in growing plants. Sorry mother nature. After said class, it was time for PE for me, while for them it''s English. We walked to our respective classes and separated at SEC A. Andy and Lara were both friendly to me, while Steven, well, let''s just say that he''s passive. Don''t know whatever was running in his head. Oh well. Alone, I walked to the covered courts. I chanced to look to my left where I knew Anthony was taking his PE. He was not yet there. I shook my head and went to the changing area. I will see him again, plenty. When I went out of the changing room, with my correct assumption, he was already with his classmates, and they were in line while their PE instructor called what I assume must be their attendance. His classmate saw me looking and he nudged Anthony. It was the same guy from last time. Anthony looked my way and smiled. Ah! Bliss! I smiled back and even waved. Should I just confess my love for him later? Then what? Walk in the park, dates, sweet sweet love, then¡­ hmmm¡­ maybe start engaging in premarital relations? Argh! Michelle, stop that. But I can''t help myself. He was not just handsome! He was also HOT! Ok, maybe not as hot as Andy''s sexiness, but he''s not far behind at all! Ah, where''s my pure mind and heart? Fine I admit. It''s not so pure, or should I say, it has been completely corrupted since the day I gave myself to Steve? Gosh, when was the last time we had sex again? I can''t remember. When we started engaging in sexual relations, it was like I was suddenly enlightened. I liked it a lot. We had our adventures, then when we got married, the 1st year was like the honeymoon period. We were very active. On the second year of marriage, still good, but not as frequent. Come the 3rd year, of marriage¡­ let''s just say that Steve and I, we became busier with our lives and so many things were needed to be done. Perhaps, our libido was lower because we were already in our 30''s or maybe because of the knowledge we can do it anytime and already did it many times. I don''t know. It''s not like there was a need for me to write frustrated housewives 101. Oh, I''m not a housewife, but you get my drift. Anyway, I didn''t notice it earlier perhaps because of my excitement and elation given the situation I am in, but as the days went by, I started to realize that¡­ well¡­ I am a hormonal teenager. Like literally. Real 18-year-old me, innocent to the world, obviously, no urges. 31-year-old me, inside my 18-yer-old body looking at the hot guys I have crush on¡­ what do you think? I shook my head as I continued walking. Talk about uncomfortable. The spot between my legs has accumulated moisture. -- After PE, I went to the other side of the court and did not see Anthony. I guess he must be taking a shower. I went inside the female''s locker room and took one myself. Gods, my dirty mind! I think I need to get some benediction from a priest and be blessed with holy water. Oh. Holy water. Haha! I laughed in my head. While taking a shower I thought of the possibilities. Was Anthony a virgin? He''s just 18, but boys¡­ I don''t know. I guess at that age, they should be more perverted than girls are. I think Andy should not be one anymore given his notoriety with the girls. But Anthony? Ugh! When I was with Steve, he was no virgin. I''m quite positive that he gave it to Lara. Gods, why am I thinking about this again? I closed the shower and went out of the shower cubicle. Some of the other girls were also out with their towel wrapped around their body. I took a hairdryer to dry my hair as I took out my cellphone. Did Anthony text me? Was he waiting for me outside? I unlocked my phone to see no text message. With my hair now dried, I got dressed. Sprayed from floral perfume, applied some lip tint, and voila! A work of art, that''s what I am! Haha! Not that I''m narcissistic, but really, I''m very pretty! I stepped out of the locker room and looked around. True to my expectations, Anthony was waiting for ME!!! I can''t! I can''t! I can''t! I wanted to shake my body and just giggle like crazy! My heart was going bonkers, but externally, I was just blushing and trying hard not to make obvious how excited I was! Anthony approached with a smile. He was wearing a plain white shirt and comfortable looking jogging pants. He was tall, white, and handsome. His body, gorgeous. Not bulky, not too slim, just right. Gods, I really can''t! "Are you okay?" Anthony asked in concern when he was finally in front of me. Ok, so maybe all my thoughts were just that, my thoughts. As usual, I was again struck speechless in front of him and all red. Ugh. One day, I''m totally owning it. Owning him. I smiled at him as I nodded my head, not really trusting my voice. "So, where''s your car parked at? I''ll send you there." He said, lifting the two lunch bags with him. Did he set this up? Did he carry my lunch bags earlier with this purpose? Ah! If you like me, Anthony, all you have to do is say the words and I''m, all yours!!! "My car is parked at area 2¡­" I said, trying to sound normal. "Are you sure?" he asked teasingly, as if a reminder of what happened last time. I was almost tempted to say, ''I don''t know. Maybe he already left¡­ so, can you send me home again? Doesn''t matter what time we arrive.'' But of course, that did not come out of my mouth. Instead, all I did was blush and nod my head. Anthony chuckled. "Sorry about that, but no need to be embarrassed. You''re always so shy, that I feel guilty teasing you. We''re friends now, aren''t we?" ''Friends? What friends? I want to be more than friends, you silly! Unless¡­ was he flirting with me?'' "Ah¡­ yes, of course." I replied, then I bit my lip. Would he understand what this biting the lip means? "That''s good. Come on, let''s go." He said. Oh, ok, apparently, he did not understand what it meant. I guess stupid movies do not happen in real life. I mean, I was hoping he would touch my face and you know, do whatever male leads do in movies and in novels. However, instead, he just said, let''s go. Outwardly, I just nodded my head and started walking. Anthony, although more long legged than I am, just fell in step with me. Ah. So considerate and kind. Wait. Were all boys like this to girls? I can''t remember anyone treating me this way. I mean, there were some who tried but I was such a girl with a bad case of princess complex. So, I don''t think so? Then¡­ does this mean¡­ was he¡­ already trying to court me? I mean, how does this go anyway? Do guys say, can I court you? Or do they just do it this way and let you feel they''re interested then suddenly, when they are confident enough, they will confess and ask for your permission? I mean, in this timeline, we literally only met last week. I can even count the number of times we have seen each other with my fingers! So¡­ was this the beginning? I grinned. When we reached the parking lot, we walked to my car. Mr. Matt was quick and asked for the lunch bags. Anthony handed it to him. He was so nice, he even thanked Mr. Matt and smiled at him. Then, he turned to look at me. "Please extend my thanks to auntie again, alright? I''ll go ahead." I smiled at him widely. Gaining some confidence. "Ok, thank you for sending me here too. Take care and see you tomorrow." Anthony smiled again, "You too. See you then." he said before turning around to leave. -- TBC Chapter 52 - 52: Video Call (Michelle POV) It was Sunday, and I was feeling bored. After Anthony sent me to my car on Thursday, contrary to my expectations of blooming romance, nothing special happened. I waited and waited for his text message, but he never texted that night. Then, during our class in English, albeit he smiled at me and was acting friendly, that was it. Did I read him wrong? I shook my head. Maybe it''s just our schedule or maybe I''m just wanting to propel things to move forward so soon. I mean, I have been waiting for the moment we get our first kiss ever since, ugh¡­ ok, so maybe I should not expect it to move that quickly because unlike me, who has been stalking him for years, Anthony has only known me for less than 2 weeks. Anyhow, I should be studying for the evaluation exams scheduled on Thursday and Friday respectively, but I was not in the mood. Since I decided to invest my money and future on stocks, I just thought that these stuff about school were all secondary to my love life. I shook my head. It''s time to open my Personal Computer and check the stocks prices today. I looked at the prices and saw that today, AMAZON was priced at 37 usd. Last week was at 36. Ugh. I should have bought last week and sold it today! ''Okay, stop that thinking. Michelle, you''re in this for the long run, so don''t think of the short-term income. Stock prices are always moving up and down. Besides, it''s still no good to buy just yet because as you know, it would fall to 20+ usd sometime this year.'' I told myself then nodded. Curiously, I looked at the Yahoo Messenger App on my desktop. Ahah! I haven''t used this one in ages. I mean, it''s usually where we hold our group meetings in when I was in college. There was no facebook chatgroup then, but there was yahoo chat group. Then, I looked at my webcam. Hmm¡­ that got me wondering. I mean, I was also thinking what to do with my life after I make it big. Like I wanted to travel the world enjoy everything, but won''t that be too boring? Also, what if suddenly my stock market price prediction doesn''t come true? I can''t possibly lay all my eggs in one basket. I typed the word youtube in the search icon. Oh! It already exists! I mean, this is awesome. Maybe I could become a vlogger? It''s not that I assume I would surely become someone influential, but who knows? It''s not like being an actor/ actress where one has to be on set and have a boss. Vloggers don''t have a boss. Well, maybe it would depend, but I can do it and gain many followers because not a lot of people are doing it just yet! But what would be my content? I thought of the possibilities. I like to travel, would that do? Ugh, never mind. It''s too much work for me for now. I''ll just think about it in the future, say after a year? I''m not really interested with that for now. I closed the browser to see my desktop again. I looked at the Yahoo messenger icon again and grinned. Ah, this would be a perfect conversation started. I opened the app and logged in using my yahoo email address which I still used 13 years after as my personal email. Then I brought out my cellphone. No text messages. Well, I guess Anthony''s just shy? Don''t know. Whatever, time to make some move. ''Hi Anthony, sorry to disturb you on a weekend, I hope you don''t mind, but I need your help.'' Ok, whatever. We''re friends, right? Friends text and they chat in YM too! I waited for about 10 minutes before I received a reply. [Hi Michelle. Sure, what''s up?] I started squealing. Oh my, this is it! ''Do you use yahoo messenger?'' [Yes, why?] I just wanted to reply, can I add you so we can chat, and you know turn on our webcam because I miss you already but of course that''s not what I wrote. I mean, I have no desire to get rejected to soon, and I don''t want him to think me as a weirdo. ''Ah¡­ I hope you don''t take this the wrong way, but, if possible, can we have a video call?'' ok, think Michelle, think. What excuse should you give when he agrees? Ahhhhh!!!! [Ok, what''s your email username? Let me add you up, good thing, I''m online now.] Shocks! He must really like me!!! ''Thank you so much! My username is Michelle358'' I turned on my webcam to see how I look like with it. Ah, not bad! Good thing I already took a shower earlier. Still, I brushed my hair again and practiced smiling. After a few seconds, a chat box initiated by Anthony1219 popped up on my desktop. It also had a friend request which I immediately accepted. Ah, this is bliss. [Hi Michelle, this is me. Why do you need me for a video call?] he chatted. I looked around my room, ok it''s neat. I''m feeling a bit shy, but I guess not being in his presence helps a lot. I could not imagine myself being this confident in front of him. ''Hello Anthony, sorry, I just really wanted to test it, also I wanted to ask your opinion about my gift to Andy. If it is alright, can I call now?'' I replied. Gods, that''s the only excuse I could come up with. Instead of me calling, I saw that Anthony has already invited me to a video chat! Oh my god! Was he only waiting for me to take some initiative? Nervously I clicked answer. I saw his face immediately, his background, what I assume must be his bedroom. I wanted to scream!!!!! I finally see his friggin room! Well, not seeing that much but still!!!!! "Hello? Mic test. Can you hear me?" He said through the other line, and I can see his super handsome face staring at the webcam. He was wearing a headset and he was just so pleasant to the eyes! I know I initiated this but now, I feel like an idiot. I took a deep breath first. Ok, before I wear my headset, let me show him my prettiness first. With that, I turned on my webcam. "Hi there Michelle!" he said as he waved his hand. He was smiling, the internet was not that fast so the image can be a little choppy and when he moves, but it''s perfectly ok. I looked at my webcam to smile and wave at him too. Then, I picked up my headset. "Hello, can you hear me?" I asked a bit shyly. Why? Why am I back to this stupidity of mine? I can chat and text a bit more confident but when he can see my face and I, his, I''m again back to my shell. "Crystal. So, where''s your gift?" he asked a but excited. I bit my lip. Did he not understand that I called because I wanted to see him and really thought that it''s for the gift? Or was it that he''s also using that excuse? Oh well! I''m just so happy right now! "Ah, wait let me show you." I said as I took off the headset. I was wearing some shorts and shirt, a bit cute and sexy I think, does he think so too? Oh well, I walked to the vanity to pick the scarf, which was my gift, up, before going back to my seat in front of the desktop. Ah! Was he looking at me while going around my room? Gosh, I''m such a pervert. Anthony, please dream of me tonight like I dream of you! I wore the headset again as I looked at his face displayed in the webcam. It was like he was concentrating at something in his computer screen. Was he concentrating at looking at me? But then, it seemed like he didn''t notice me back on my seat. "Anthony?" I called. "Oh yes, sorry. So where is it?" he asked again. I opened the scarf and showed him. Actually, the scarf was something I just bought out of a whim from Burberry. The reason why I chose it was because I saw Andy wear something very similar twice in his interviews in my timeline. Which meant he must have like the design quite well. Anyhow, I personally embroidered his name on it and the words, happy 19th birthday! "I know you said that a personalized gift would be better, but I wanted to gift him something useful, but I didn''t have enough time. So, I just bought this one and embroidered his name on it. But I worry if he already has a scarf of the same or similar design¡­" I explained. Well, what? That''s the best I can come up with. "No, I think that one is pretty good. Plus, his favorite color is purple, so I think it matches his personality quite well. The embroidery too, is a nice touch." He answered. I smiled, "You really think so?" I asked trying to prolong our conversation. "Yes, definitely. Anyhow, Michelle, would it be alright for me to go? I need to do something important¡­" Anthony said. What can I say in response? "Oh¡­ ok sure¡­ thank you very much!" I said as I smiled. I was hoping we can talk more, but this was enough for now. At least I saw him today and I now have his YM account! Hahaha!!! "Ok, see you tomorrow then!" he said as he smiled before ending the call. -- TBC Chapter 53 - 53: Andy’s Girl (Third POV) [Anthony! What were you doing? You totally sold us out!] Vince, one of Anthony''s teammates while playing World of Warcraft complained after they lost the game. [Yeah Anthony, how could you have messed up so bad? Did your pc lagged or something!? Geo would totally not let us live this up.] Jeff complained. [Sorry, sorry guys, something came up, I mean, I had to reply and help a friend out.] Anthony explained. [Someone actually managed to get your attention off the screen while playing a game? What kind of friend is that? Don''t tell me that it''s a girlfriend.] Jeff [No, just a friend that is a girl.] Anthony [Lara? Aren''t you over her yet? She rejected you for Steven just in case you forgot.] Vince [I never courted Lara, so it doesn''t count as a rejection.] Anthony [Yeah, sure you didn''t. You just always pour water in her glass, place food on her plate, open the door for her, give her the best gifts on all special occasions, and oh yeah, you''re always at her beck and call. HAHAHA!] Jeff [To top it off, when you told her that Steven wasn''t worth it, she just told you that he is. Hahaha! Totally not a rejection wahahahaa!!!!!] Vincent [Hey. Stop that. Fine, I did like her, but it was mostly my mom, she''s the one who always asks me to send Lara those in special occasions and said that she will be her daughter-in-law. Besides, who amongst us did not have a crush on her then?] Anthony [Definitely not me! Too bossy for my taste!] Vincent [See? I told you he has the delusion of thinking Lara perfect! I also never had a crush on her! It''s just you who think all the male has a crush on her and afraid she be stolen from you!] Jeff [eyeroll] Anthony [So, who''s the girl? Give us a name! Is she from the same circle?] Vince [Ugh. As I said, there''s nothing for you guys to know. Just a friend from school.] Anthony [Then why don''t you just mention a name? Why the secrecy?] Jeff [Yeah besides, why would you need to reply to her first before finishing the game? I don''t believe you.] Vince [Because she''s Andy''s girl, ok? Stop asking already.] Anthony [Hayley Xu? Pretty damn hot! And here I was waiting for Andy to break up with her. Got to have a taste!] Jeff [I''m so proud of you Anthony, have you finally ascended?] Vince [Hahaha! Anthony losing his V-card, did you ask permission from your Mama? Haha!] Jeff [Hey, that''s not a nice thing to say. I''m not a mama''s boy, I just so happen to be an obedient son. Anyhow, no! I have taste.] Anthony [Yeah, Hayley Xu will never pass the standards of Mama-dear.] Jeff [If you keep teasing me with your nonsense, I''m just gonna log-off.] Anthony [Ok, I''m stopping, so who''s the new girl? I mean, she''s got to be something if Andy got you to be nice to her, unless of course, you plan on snitching her first! Hahaha!] Jeff [Hey! If it''s Andy''s new girl then she be attending his party next week, right? I''ll see her then! I''m so dying of curiosity. Andy always has the best girl in the room on his arm it''s almost unfair! So, what is she like? Can you give me her number? Are they together already? Oh wait, why was she asking your help instead of Andy? Don''t tell me, she likes you instead!? If she likes you instead of Andy, I might say she actually has a brain for once. You know Andy, only dating braindead hot girls hahaha!] Vince [Ugh. So many questions. The only thing I can answer is no, they''re not yet together, but she likes him so it''s only a matter of time. She chatted me to show me her gift for Andy.] Anthony [Oh, well then, her name? Let me search her up in Friendster or Multiply. Maybe she has an account.] Jeff [I can''t really tell you guys her name, that would be rude.] Anthony [Huh!? What bullshit is that? Come on just say, we will know next week anyway.] Vince [If you don''t tell, I''m gonna tell your mother that Lara rejected you!] Jeff [Hey! I''m gonna ban you from my house from now on!] Anthony [Come on, just spill! Last chance, I''m gonna call Andy and ask! You bugger. I''m also gonna tell that his girl is chatting you instead of him!] Vince [No!!!! Fine fine! I''ll tell. It''s just that the gift is a surprise for Andy. Her name''s Michelle Lui.] Anthony [Huh!? Michelle Lui!? Are we talking about the same Michelle Lui? Daughter of RC motors? I don''t believe it! How could she like Andy? I know Andy tried hovering around her in some of the parties, but she never paid him any attention.] Jeff [That''s just not possible. Lui''s girl is a total iceberg. She''s very pretty I admit, but I think she has the most annoying princess complex like ever! She''s not even part of the exclusive 8! And you''re telling me she likes Andy and chatting you up? I would say she''s trying to social climb.] Vince [Hey, do I sense bitterness there? I saw her at some parties, and she just kept to herself. I don''t think she''s a social climber.] Jeff [Yeah, Michelle is a really nice girl, she''s not like what you''re saying Vince. Also, she''s not an iceberg, just very shy. Even just the littlest of things would make her blush. I just hope that Andy won''t break her heart.] Anthony [Well, I did try to talk to her once, but she just ignored me. I should''ve just told her I''m Vincent Kho! Oh well, girls are all the same. It doesn''t matter if you guys agree with me or not. I mean who wouldn''t be tempted to marry one of the exclusive 8?] Vince [Hey, you''re just saying that because you don''t know her yet. But we''re all entitled to our own opinions, so I''ll let that one go.] Anthony [You defending the girl who''s not even your girl!? Anthony, do you like her?] Jeff [Not like that, I just like her as a friend. You know I''m not up for some romance. I like my single life as it is.] Anthony [I recall you liking Lara enough to contemplate having her as your girlfriend before. Wait was it girlfriend or wife?] Jeff [That''s why you never had a girlfriend! Even Steven that iceberg got one before you did! How pitiful is your prick? You ashamed to show it to some girl? Coz I think the only females who ever saw that were your mom and your nanny! Oh wait, maybe add Mary Palmers too! Hahaha!] Vince [Never mind. It''s senseless talking to you guys. GTG!] Anthony [Ok, see you on Saturday! Ugh. Wish we all went to same university! Huhu! My parents still blame me for not passing the entrance there at University A. Now, I''m stuck here in University D!] Jeff [Pal, at least we''re both here. I have no idea how Anthony passed; his grades were worse than ours.] Vince [hey! I did study for the entrance exam. Anyhow, bye!] Anthony [bye!] Vince, Jeff -- Anthony sighed as he shut off the computer. Earlier, when he read Michelle''s text, at first, he decided to ignore it. Like he can reply to her after the game. But then while playing his mind was off, like the thought that she might be waiting was weighing on his conscience. So, he replied. When she asked him for a video chat, despite him still playing, he just thought that why not? His teammates can wait for just 5 minutes it''s just a game. So, he opened YM and added her. When he finally saw her smiling at him, he felt that she''s really pretty. Like there''s a permanent blush on her cheeks. However, when she told him that only wanted to show him her gift for Andy, he felt a bit disappointed. Anyhow, while she was getting the gift, he went back to see the game only to see that their group has been totally destroyed. Ugh. His friends are going to blame him. So, when she was back, he only glanced at the gift and had to talk to his friends. Besides, anything she gives Andy, he was sure Andy would like. Oh well, it''s not like he likes her that way, at least he thinks he doesn''t. Like they only met for less than 2 weeks, how could he like her that way already? Not knowing what to think of it anymore, he brought out his school materials. He was never the smartest in the group, so for him, he needed to give double the effort just to pass the exams. It doesn''t really bother him that much though. He knew that for him, studying and aiming for the highest grade was a bit pointless. What was more important was that he learn the basics. As his parents told him, just graduating was enough. Even if all his grades were 75, it''s perfectly okay. -- TBC Chapter 54 - 54: Evaluation Exam Week (Michelle POV) As the days of the evaluation exam draw nearer, I felt the pressure in the overall school atmosphere become thick. Students, particularly freshies like me were all busy cramming and reviewing every knowledge that they can. The library and the tianhao building were always full, and even on the vast open school grounds, I saw students in groups having their books out. Given this, I felt like I was the only lazy student around. So, in the end, I gave in to peer pressure and decided to study like some good student again. On Monday, during my first class, Math 11, our professor gave us a mock exam where I actually did pretty ok, getting a grade of 78. After that, it was ES class where I again saw Steven, Lara, and Andy. The past few days, nothing notable happened between us. We''re fast friends, and we eat lunch, talk about some of our subjects, become normal friends that only hang-out during break times when we have the same subject. Anyhow, we will be hanging out during Andy''s birthday and the evaluation exams are coming so it''s very much understandable. We''re students we go to school and go home. Duh? Come English period, I was again seated next to Anthony, and I don''t know why but I always feel so hyper conscious around him. The moment of confidence last time, gone. I recalled us video chatting yesterday, but he did not mention it. Anyhow, it was a hi- hello- goodbye given our class schedule. On Tuesday, my 4 ? hour break, was spent with me hanging out with some of my blockmates. They were all pretty nice to me, don''t know if because I have been nice to them, or because they all saw that I''m friends with Andy? Ok, maybe more on because I''m friends with Andy based on how the girls were all asking about him. I just gave them smiles, being mysterious. What? I can''t really reveal too much about him, even though I know a lot from social media in the future. Like first, it might not apply to now, and second, what if he hears about it and think that I''m a stalker? No thank you. Anyway, we had a group project which was announced last week when I was absent. Thankfully, my blockmates saved me and I became groupmates with Marts, Vitto, Camille, and Joanie. They were people that were pretty ok with me in our block, so I was fine with it. Oh, they were so amazed with my knowledge when we discussed about choosing a topic for our paper. Hah! Economics was my forte! They''re actually lucky to pick me! Then came PE, when I looked at the covered courts, I did not see Anthony. It seems like their class had a free cut as the court was empty. Oh well. Too bad. On Wednesday, my classmates, and other freshies were in a frenzy. Like a state of panic, I understood all too well. I did not of course let the pressure get into my system. Like, what for? -- On Thursday, the departmental evaluation exam would finally be held. The schedules and room assignments were all posted outside the department of each respective subject that morning. After Economics class, me and my blockmates all went to see our schedules and room assignment. I saw that my English exam would be at 4:30-6:00 pm, at Sec A, later, while my Math exam would be tomorrow 4:30-6:00pm also at Kostka. Then, come 12, I went to my ES lab class. Andy and Lara greeted me, while Steven as usual, just gave me a nod of acknowledgement. Although he''s not my husband in this timeline, I still hold fondness for him. There were days when I would feel like he''s looking at me like the way Steve did in the past, but then again, it might just be my imagination and wishful thinking. Besides, with Lara who''s also my good friend now, I can''t possibly think of anything with him. Good thing they''re not huge on PDA. I don''t even see them holding hands. Like it''s super rare. Sometimes, it gives the illusion that there''s nothing between them but friendship. Andy, I don''t know what''s up with him. I feel like he likes me, but he''s not pursuing me. I don''t know. Whatever was up with him, he''s giving mixed signals. Anyway, I decided not to mind it, I have Anthony to think of. Lara, she''s acting like we have been best friends since forever every time we''re together. After our lab class, I didn''t have PE as we have been given a free cut. So, the four of us all went to SOM mall and sat around a table. Each of us brought out our own notes and there was silence amongst us. When the time reached 4:15, we talked about where each of our exams would be held. Funnily, me and Steven would be taking it in the same building just different classrooms while Lara and Andy would take it in different buildings. Thus, at 4:20, we separated ways while me and Steven walked together to SEC A. I don''t know why, but suddenly, I felt nostalgic again. My heart was beating fast, and from time to time, I would try to catch a glimpse of Steven''s side profile. He was different but the same. The way he walked straight and tall, when he''s all serious, really, he looked like a handsome CEO, well, the young version at least. I shook my head. No, Michelle, he''s not your Steve and whatever imaginary feelings you have for him is just a projection of your feelings to your Steve. When we reached the SEC A building, although he was assigned in room 202 and I at 107, he deigned to walk me to my room. I was pretty surprised, but just let him. When we were in front of room 107, he paused and I said, "thank you, and good luck on your exam!" as I smiled at him. He paused for a second, I''m not sure why, before he gave me a little nod, his lips were ever slightly tilted upwards and he said, "Thanks, same to you." Before walking off. As he left, a smile was plastered to my lips, and I felt warm in my heart. I guess old habits die hard. -- I looked at the seating arrangement plastered on the whiteboard before taking my seat. I did not recognize anyone in the room. Wow, we''ve been shuffled pretty good. After a few minutes, the examiner assigned to our class entered the room. He looked like a very strict man and while we were taking the exam, he always looked at us with suspicious eyes. Looking at the questions, I saw that it was not that difficult, but of course, I wanted to fail this stupid exam. If I pass, then no more Anthony time for me. So, I just answered in a way that I would get a 70 at least but still not get a grade over 75. The reason I wanted to get a grade as near to 75 as possible was because this would be considered as our 1st major exam in class. At 5:30pm, I submitted my paper early and decided to go home. I was not in the mood to talk about the exam to anyone. Like, who cares? Ehem, ok, when I was a real freshie, I do, but now, I don''t. -- On Friday, it was the last day of exams. We were given a free cut for our Math class because of the exam later. I went on my day as usual. In ES class, Andy reminded me of his birthday party tomorrow. He was a bit hesitant, but then he asked me if I have an aversion to seeing people partying. To which I just said no. I did not tell him that I have never been to one, but hey, I have seen them in the movies, celebrity style in news, and I did enter a bar with Steve once. What does he think of me? Born yesterday? Well, I was kinda like that before but not the me now! I''m so ready to partyyy!!!! I''m so excited to go home and finalize what I have packed for his party. I mean, it would be an overnight on a luxury yacht and I''m just excited about it. After class we went for lunch in the canteen where lots of students were in groups cramming for the exam later. The four of us looked at each other, and when it was time for me to leave, we all wished each other luck. Arriving in class, I saw that Anthony was already there. He smiled at me but did not talk about the English exam yesterday. I bet he did not feel like he will pass, well, I know he won''t, so I also did not mention it. Am I evil? I actually feel very good that he''s going to fail because we will still remain as classmates for the whole sem. Really, if he passes the exam, I will totally bawl like crazy, because that would mean I failed for nothing! When class was over, he left to go to his class. I was left alone and went to the library to review for the exam later. I know I said I won''t but what do I do with this free time if not at least study? Time moved quickly, and at the end of the day, after taking the exam, I felt like a winner. What? I felt like I did better this time than when I first took it and I even did not spare the same effort! -- TBC Chapter 55 - 55: Port Of Peng Corporation (Michelle POV) When I arrived home after the exam, I quickly went to my bedroom. I wanted to recheck what I packed for Andy''s birthday party! Anyhow, when I opened the invitation last time, there was a separate sheet which has the specific schedule of events / itinerary for Andy''s birthday. I was actually amazed with how organized it was. Anyhow, I quickly reread it again just in case I missed something. Itinerary/ Schedule of events: 1:00 pm: Must be in Port of Peng corporation gate 2 1:05 pm: Start embarking Aurora 1:30 pm: Depart From the port 3:00 pm: Pool party on the deck 6:00 pm barbeque party 10:00 pm onwards: Time to really partyyyyy 12:00 nn: Lunch buffet Free time on ship/ activities: Kayaking, Jetski, and other amenities. 5:00 pm: Arrive back to Port of Peng corporation Ok, and that''s it. Pretty cool actually. So based on this, I had to pack at least 4 or 5 sets of clothes. I need a swimsuit, a party dress, a pajama, and about 2 casual attires. Ugh! I have never been so stressed about packing my bag for just an overnight excursion! I started choosing clothes from my walk in closet, when I have the 5, I went back and placed them on the bed. Are these enough? Ugh. I don''t want to place them in a backpack as I''m not fond of carrying heavy stuff if I add towel or something. Hmm¡­ would it be alright if I were to bring a trolley as a travelling bag? Would that seem too much? I feel so embarrassed thinking about it! Maybe I should just ask and call Lara. I looked at the time, it''s 7:10 pm. Might she be having her dinner now? Oh well, just send her a text first. ''Hi Lara! Sorry to disturb you, but I''m having a hard time packing for tomorrow. Would it be alright for me to call?'' After a few minutes, my phone started ringing. Lara was calling herself. Ah, she''s so nice. "Hey Michelle! What''s up? You started packing for tomorrow?" Lara said. "Thanks for calling Lara, actually, I''m having a hard time. I mean, I''m packing now but I''m not sure if I''m bringing too much." "Oh, don''t stress about it, I mean all the girls usually bring a kazillion of clothes for the party. Haha! Hey, do you have ym? Maybe we can have a video call, show me what you''re packing!" "Oh, ok, please text me you account so I can add you up!" "Ok, sure. Bye!" Then she hanged up, after a few seconds I received her text, [laraC_SS143''] After I read her username, I couldn''t help but shake my head. I mean, I can totally translate that. Anyway, I opened my PC and clicked YM icon. I added her and she chatted [invite me to view your webcam!] So demanding, I had to laugh. Lara is so cute! [ok!] Then, I invited her to view my webcam. She also invited to view hers. Both our faces popped on the screen and I put on my headset. "Michelle!!!! Show me what you packed so far! Oh wait! Let me show you mine first! I''m so excited." She announced as she stood from her sit to place her big trolley bag on her bed. My eyes went wide, when she opened it. It was full! I mean, that trolley luggage must have 25 kilos capacity and so the number of clothing inside must be a LOT. Lara started showing me what''s in her bag through the screen. It was actually useful for me to see. Like I almost forgot to think of footwear! Anyhow, she had 4 swimsuits, and they were all very sexy, 3 super revealing party dresses but well considering the swimsuit then any dress would be kinda ok, some sexy pajama, which I have no idea who she can show to, 4 casual comfy beach looking attires, and 3 casual dresses. Then, she has 3 pairs of heels matching her dresses, a pair of slippers, and 1 sandal. She also brought a towel, but she said no need really if not picky with toiletries as it would be provided in the yacht. After showing me everything, she wore her headset again and asked, "What do you think?" "Wow, if you didn''t show me yours, I would be a lost cause. I mean, I was thinking of just bringing the minimum. Thanks a lot. Now on the attires you chose, they are very pretty." "No biggie! Have you started packing yours?" "I selected some of the clothes I would be bringing but I haven''t placed them in my bag yet." "Oh! Show me! Show me!" "Ok." I answered as I took off my headset to go to my bed. I started showing her what I selected. 1 piece swimsuit with striped prints, normal looking and cute, nothing as revealing as Lara''s but I think it''s ok. 2 of my newly bought dresses last weekend which I thought were good for partying after I researched on the net. I mean, I never partied before in this timeline so I''m playing it safe. I think they''re acceptable. A pair of normal pajamas, I mean who will I show it to? I did not think of buying a new set last weekend. 1 casual dress that was pretty neat. I went back to put my head set on. "Do you think they''re ok?" Lara laughed, "If you''re comfortable with them, then of course they are. But I think you should bring more, just in case of emergencies you know?" I nodded my head. "Yes, indeed. Thank you, Lara! You''re great help." "Sure! You''re welcome. Anyhow, I''m going to have dinner now. See you tomorrow!" "Thanks again, see you!" Then, she turned off her webcam, and so did I. I looked at my clothes again. Maybe it''s only Lara? Like I still think my clothes are ok. I shook my head and continued packing. This time, I added more dresses. They were all nice and cute. Maybe Anthony likes more conservative girls? UGH! It''s just one day, we will be seeing each other a lot in the future! -- At 10:00 am, I was up and awake. Excited for the 2-day trip. Who wouldn''t be? Anyway, I ate brunch before taking a bath. After, I got Rona to fix my hair in a nice half fishtail plait. What? might as well get it done prettily before dipping in the pool. I did not want to look cool. I think with Andy''s personality, I should go for shy and sweet. So, I selected a sleeveless sundress, of course I wore a shawl first just in case my father sees me before I leave. Should I wear sunglasses? Which one would look best on me? In the end I settled for my dior sunglasses with design crafted from gold-tone metal as well as acetate and style with pink lenses. I smiled at myself on the mirror. I just wish Anthony will notice me! If not, well, at least Andy! Haha! At 11:45 am, I was ready to leave the house, Port of Peng corporation was only 40 minutes away from our house. I don''t want to arrive early as not to seem too eager, but I also don''t want to be late. My mother was downstairs with my father about to have lunch. "Ma, Pa, I will go ahead! See you tomorrow!" I announced. "Ok, take care!" My mother said. My father looked at my attire, finding it acceptable, he nodded his head and let me be on my way. While inside my car with Mr. Matt driving, I received a text. Opening it, it was from Andy. [Where are you at now? Don''t be late! See you later!] I smiled and replied, [yep! I''m on the way to the port now. Thanks, and see you!] [ok!] I did not reply anymore, maybe he''s sending a text blast to everyone now. It''s his party so of course he wouldn''t want people not to show up. -- At 12:30 pm, my car was in line to enter the port. The whole place has been closed for operation that day like it''s some holiday, and only guests with the invitation card were allowed entry. There was a line of cars to get in, but it moved pretty quickly. When it was our turn, I just showed the card and the security let us in. The parking area had many luxurious cars, some nanny vans too. I saw people walking towards the gate 2, some tall girls in skimpy outfit, who I have no doubt must be models, then there were also some budding actors and actresses I kinda think looked familiar. Anyhow, I went down the car and Mr. Matt brought down my trolley. I followed where the people were going and saw some placards where on it were an arrow and the words gate 2. Finally, I reached my destination and saw the people waiting inside. -- TBC Chapter 56 - 56: Andy’s Aurora (Michelle POV) As I entered the designated area, I saw about a hundred people already present. I recognized some faces of budding actors and actresses, models, and some people from the circle. Mostly, I surmise the age between 18-20. Anyhow, I did not know anyone on a personal level around, so I didn''t know who to interact with. Thankfully, before I could feel out of place, I heard someone calling my name. "Michelle! Here, here!" I heard Lara call. When I turned to see her, she was standing and waving her hand at me. She was with Anthony, and some people I did not recognize. Conscious of seeing Anthony, I smiled shyly and walked towards them. When I reached them, I greeted, "Hello Lara, Anthony." Anthony smiled at me, "Hi Michelle." He greeted, and I think my heart just went, gaga. But knowing where I''m at and the company, I tried not to show it. Meanwhile, Lara started introducing me to everyone present. There were 5 of them together, Lara, Anthony, a girl and 2 other guys. I think they look somewhat familiar, but not so sure where I saw them. "Guys, this is Michelle Lui our friend from University. Michelle, these are Vincent Kho, Jeffry Lee, and Kate Tan. They''re all from university D." I took note of their surnames and from there, I immediately realized that these people were from their exclusive group. I know it''s a little stupid, but I could not help but be conscious being the only one not part of their circle. I smiled at the three and said, "Nice to meet you." The girl, Kate, looked me up and down. I don''t know what to think of her, it was a little rude what she did, like she was measuring me up. Then again, she''s just an 18-year-old girl who can be a little prejudiced. Don''t know. Maybe she''s jealous because I''m prettier than her? Haha! Really Michelle, how vain. Oh well. Anyhow, since it was Lara who introduced me, she shook my hand and said, "nice to meet you too." On the other hand, the two boys were a bit more friendly. "Hi Michelle, I have seen you around in some events but never had the chance to talk to you. Like Lara said, I''m Jeffry but you can call me Jeff." Hmm, not bad looking, tall, but not as good looking as my Anthony. Seems pretty ok. I smiled and nodded my head. "Nice to meet you." Then, the next one, well, he looked a bit haughty, then again, when part of the exclusive group, it can''t be helped. He took my hand and instead of a handshake he kissed the back of it. "You can call me Vince, mademoiselle." He said as he gave me a wink. Ok, now that is what one should call a big flirt! I did not know how to react. Anthony was there! If he''s not, maybe I could flirt back or not. Not sure. Thankfully, Lara slapped Vince''s hand the one that was holding mine while I just blushed. "Don''t listen to this idiot Michelle. He''s the biggest flirt in the circle and bangs everything wearing a skirt." Lara warned. Vince started laughing and so did Jeff. Anthony, he just smiled and shook his head, while Kate, just gave an eyeroll. "That''s not a nice thing to say about me Lara. Don''t listen to her, Michelle, I''m a really nice guy. So, can I have your cellphone number?" Ok, never mind this flirtatious guy. Though he did look handsome and tall like a model. I guess he''s just messing around. I just smiled at him but not taking his words seriously. "Stop that Vince, Michelle don''t mind his antics." Anthony said as he smiled at me. Gods, was he being protective of me? Ok, I listen to you, my love! "Where''s Steven by the way?" Jeff asked. "Speak of the devil." said Vince. I looked up and saw Steven walking towards our direction. I felt my heart beating fast again, ah, my hubby was such a hot stuff. Reminded me of the first time we met that I was mesmerized by him. ''Ok, stop Michelle. He''s not yours and might never be in this lifetime. Let it go.'' I told myself as I saw Lara meeting him halfway and hugging his arm. I have to admit, they did make a lovely pair. Him, cold-looking handsome bad boy, Lara, pretty and warm good girl. Never mind, I have my Anthony here. Hihi! The two approached us, and everyone greeted Steven, while he only nodded in acknowledgement. Our eyes met for a second, and I swear he looked at me a second longer. Then again, maybe he thought it weird that I''m hanging around in their circle when they were all part of the exclusive 8, which I am not. While waiting, I noticed that people were looking at our direction from time to time. Well, maybe because they kinda figured that the people around me were who they were? Probably. Although Lara was busy with Steven, the guys were all cool and did not let me feel out of place. After a few more minutes, I heard an announcement from the speaker telling everyone to exit the gate as we will be embarking the ship soon. I checked the time, 12:57 pm. Anyhow, everyone exited the gate and I saw a big mega luxury yacht make way to where we were. As it drew nearer, I saw Andy standing at the top of the ship waving his hand like a super star. He looked really funny. Well, I guess for the teenagers with me, he looked really cool. How could he not? He''s a very handsome guy, famous actor, son of the Peng corporation, and also the leading star of this luxurious party! "Hey guys!" I heard him say from the speakers. The people started shouting "Hi Andy!!!! Woohoo! This will be awesome!" and others. "There he goes again with his grand entrance!" I heard Jeff say amidst the loud cheers of the people surrounding us. He was laughing though, and I could feel the overall good and excited mood from everyone. Then, I heard Andy''s voice who was laughing through the speaker, speaking again, "I''m glad that you all can make it! So, are you ready to get this party started?" "Hell yeah!!!!" people exclaimed as the ship was only a few meters away. Andy laughed, "Alright! Then, come aboard Aurora. I''ll see you all inside!" he announced as the ship docked. Suddenly, a song started blaring from the speakers: "Let''s get it started in here... And the bass keeps runnin'' runnin'', and runnin'' runnin'', and runnin'' runnin'', and runnin'' runnin'', And runnin'' runnin'', and runnin'' runnin'', and runnin'' runnin'', and runnin'' runnin'', and... In this context, there''s no disrespect, so, when I bust my rhyme, you break your necks. We got five minutes for us to disconnect, from all intellect collect the rhythm effect. So lose an inhibition, follow your intuition, free your inner soul and break away from tradition. Cause when we beat out, girl it''s pulling without. You wouldn''t believe how we wow shit out. Burn it till it''s burned out. Turn it till it''s turned out. Act up from north, west, east, south. [Chorus:] Everybody (yeah), everybody (yeah), let''s get into it (yeah), get stupid (c''mon) Get it started (c''mon), get it started (yeah), get it started! Let''s get it started (ha), let''s get it started in here. Let''s get it started (ha), let''s get it started in here. Let''s get it started (ha), let''s get it started in here. Let''s get it started (ha), let''s get it started in here. Yeah. Lose control, of body and soul. Don''t move too fast, people, just take it slow. Don''t get ahead, just jump into it. You all hear about it, the Peas''ll do it. Get started, get stupid." I recognized it as Let''s get this party started by black eyed peas, and it was just amazing. Everyone was so excited and some of the teens started dancing or nodding to the beat of the song. Lara laughed and turned to look at me who was a bit wide eyed. What? Honestly, it was amazing and it''s just us gonna start boarding the ship. To my surprise, she left Steven''s side to be with me. "Let''s go in together." I smiled at her gratefully as I nodded my head. When the gangway, (the walkway/ bridge connecting the vessel to land) was set, the crew members all uniformed in sailor outfits stood on both sides and bowed to all of us. "Welcome to Aurora!" they all announced. With that, everyone fell in line, showing their ID and invite. There were 4 receptionists all very friendly and respectful. When they were done checking, a crew member would assist the guest and lead them to what I assume would be their lodging. As it reached our turn, Lara went first before I did. I noticed that she didn''t leave just yet with the crew member and waited for me. After I''m done, the crew member collected my trolley while Lara hugged my arm then grinned at me. "Andy told me that our rooms would be on the same floor. So, we''ll kinda be neighbors during our stay here!" I smiled, really, they were so nice to me, going out of their way to make me feel welcomed. "That''s really nice to know." I replied. Anyhow, we followed the crew members who each led us to our respective room on the upper floor using an elevator. Lara''s room was at 302 while mine was at 308 so we went our separate ways when she went inside her room. -- TBC Chapter 57 - 57: Pool Party I (Michelle POV) As I entered the cabin assigned to me, I could not help but appreciate its interiors. Given that this is a yacht, and this is just one of the guestrooms, the size was large enough. The theme was neutral and high gloss white colored panelling run throughout the cabin. It has a balcony and serviced by a dedicated ensuite, which take note had a bathtub right beside the floor to ceiling window giving a full view of the sea outside. Anyhow, there was a walk-in closet, and I placed my trolley on the luggage rack. I opened my bag and started unpacking, hanging my clothes and placing my footwear on the shelves. Yeah, it''s just 2 days and I''m just sleeping here for 1 night, but at least this way I won''t have to open and close my luggage over and over, while at the same time, my dresses won''t get too crumpled. I checked the time, it was already 2:30. Wow, time flies so fast. I looked at my swimming attire in the closet. I brought 2. Maybe I should already get changed as the pool party was at 3pm. My swimsuits were both with skirts. I mean they were already short as is and I think they were already sexy. I could have bought something else but thought that they might be too revealing for a teenage party. Fine, I did not choose to buy a two-piece because I feel my tummy is not that good to be revealed. It''s flat and tiny but when I sit there are some belly fats. I was a lazy girl, and I never went to the gym. I don''t do sit ups, I was just naturally gifted with a slim body, but of course, no abs as that one needs effort to have. Anyhow I chose to wear the pale pink one with frills. It was not too revealing but really cute. Matching with my pale skin, I think I looked pretty as a princess! Thankfully, I was gifted with 34C breasts, 26 waistline and matching 34 for my hips. I gave a twirl and thought that I did look sexy enough. After a while, I heard the telephone in the room ringing. Cool, it even has this service. "Hello?" I answered. "Hi Michelle! This is Lara, have you changed to your swimming attire? Me and Kate are heading to the pool party. Let''s go there together." "Hello Lara. Yes, I''m done. And sure, thanks for inviting me." "Yeah, no problem. Just press the doorbell when you''re outside so we can go out too." "Ok, thanks!" After that, she hanged up, I then went to the ensuite to wrap myself in a robe. -- Finally reaching room 302, I pressed the doorbell. After a few seconds, Lara opened the door. She was also wearing a robe and so was Kate. "Okay, let''s go!" she announced and the three of us walked to the elevator. She pressed 6 which was the top floor of the yacht. When the elevator doors opened, the first thing I noticed was the blaring music. Some music from 2006 was playing as background, and obviously, it was a party. The three of us smiled at each other and stepped out of the elevator. Full of confidence and excitement. Then, we walked out to the deck. Once outside, I suddenly felt like my pretty swimsuit would look out of place once I take off my robe. Gods. The girls Andy invited were mostly budding actresses and models. They were all wearing two-piece swimsuits, and they were very fit with abs. Tanned, long legged, sexy, and beautiful. Uhm¡­ I suddenly felt like I should return to my room and re evaluate my life plans. Was this what Anthony and Andy always saw? I mean, how could they notice me with these people as competition??? I was very pretty I knew but come on! Now I felt stupid. What attracting Anthony with my skin? What wearing shorts in the past? What Andy liking me? huhuhu! I should just bury myself somewhere. I looked at Lara and Kate. I saw that Kate was frowning too. Was it not just me? Can she also feel the pressure? The three of us looked at each other. Don''t know if the message were transmitting amongst us. Kate was first to speak. "Last year was not like this. Andy is too much!" she complained. Lara laughed a bit awkwardly, "Girls, we got this. Have confidence." She said as she walked forward. Kate and I looked at each other, I smiled at her, and she sighed. We followed Lara''s footsteps. Reaching the pool bar, the three of us chose to sit under one poolside umbrella with a round table good for 5. Then, Lara disrobed revealing her two-piece clad body. She was slim and fit. Although her breasts were at most B-cup, her body was well proportioned and well, she even had some abs! Plus, her skin was pale and white! Really! I am so envious! Kate also, though a bit discontent, disrobed. I saw that she was wearing a one-shoulder one-piece swimsuit. She looked pretty nice in it and the dark color complimented her pale skin. She was not that tall, but she was slim and fit. The two looked at me, and I felt a bit shy suddenly. Oh well, what to do? It''s not like I can return to my room and change coz the other one I brought was only similar. I disrobed and felt that I was a nun in this pool party. "don''t laugh. I feel like I''m some sort of a nun now." I announced. Lara and Kate both guffawed. -- "Hey, there''s the boys." Kate said as she waved at Anthony, Jeff, Steven, and Vince. I looked at them walking towards us and I felt like I should start covering my eyes. They were all shirtless and my, did all of them work out? I mean, they were all quite muscular. "Hey there ladies!" Vince said sounding suave while wiggling his brows. "Eeew Vince, stop that. Go try that with those brainless twits Andy invited." Kate said as she indicated at the girls lounging on the pool side. Vince laughed then looked at me. I think he was disappointed with what he saw and just said, "Ok girls, bye bye. Time to meet some real ladies." He said as he pulled Jeff, who smiled apologetically to us, along. "Anthony, aren''t you coming along?" Vince asked. Then, as an afterthought he said, "No offence Steven, I won''t invite you with Larazilla around." He said as he laughed. Anthony shook his head as he pulled the empty chair beside me. Gods¡­ was he preferring to stay with me instead? Was he not as superficial as those two? Ah!!! I can''t take this! "I will wait here till Andy comes out to start this fiasco." Anthony announced as he chuckled. Ok, so Steven was there sitting beside Lara shirtless, I did see him shirtless many times as my husband so I was almost immune to him, but Anthony¡­ he was sitting beside me shirtless too and I can feel my ears get heated. I have no doubt that I already turned red like a lobster. "Are you okay? You''re all red." Anthony said as he looked at me. Was he¡­ flirting with me!? Was this the part that I should tell him to apply sunscreen on me!? "Ah yes I''m ok, I''m just not used to the afternoon sun." "Oh, I see." He replied then looked at Kate. "I haven''t got the chance to ask earlier, but how have you been?" he asked. Okay, so it''s not as I imagined. Ugh. "Been ok. Mom still not very happy with me in university D, but she''ll live. How about you?" Kate asked back. "I''m doing fine. Just finished evaluation exams yesterday." Before they can continue talking, the music stopped, and everyone stopped what they were doing to look at the stage that was set up where the MC started to take over. He asked all of us to stand up and gather around the spot near the pool. As there were about a hundred or so people, not everyone can fit there so some were standing by the pool''s side. Me, Anthony, Lara, Steven, and Kate all stood by the side of the pool. Ah¡­ Anthony¡­ his pale skin and muscled torso, I can imagine snuggling closer to him. Ok, stop. Stop daydreaming! Anyhow, don''t know what else the MC said, I just remembered the part when he said, "Now, let us welcome the host and the star of this party, Andy Peng!" Then music started playing, and the song was "Sexy back" by Justin Timberlake. "I''m bringing sexy back Them other boys don''t know how to act I think it''s special, what''s behind your back? So turn around and I''ll pick up the slack. Dirty babe You see these shackles Baby I''m your slave I''ll let you whip me if I misbehave It''s just that no one makes me feel this way" Andy went out of the double doors going to the deck, which was closed earlier. He was dancing and swagging and striking poses that was just so funny while just wearing board shorts. His skin was very lightly tanned but man! Look at those abs! Those muscles. AHHHH!!!! Despite the weirdness, I wanted to cheer with the girls all shouting his name! Of course, conscious of Anthony beside me, I did not do that. I just¡­ well, I did nothing but stare! -- TBC Chapter 58 - 58: Pool Party II After the first chorus of the song ended, Andy already reached the middle area surrounded by people he invited. Then, the MC announced exaggeratedly, "Alright! Let''s give another warm welcome to our fabulous, awesome, and definitely handsome celebrant! Andy Peng!" Then everyone broke to a large cheer. I don''t know who popped the bottles of champagne but there were two suddenly raining and another lively song began to play. Andy smiled towards my direction even giving me a mock salute, ok, maybe not to me but just my general direction because I was with his closer friends. Anyhow, before I could raise my hand to wave back at him, Vince and Jeff, both picked him up. Jeff held his upper body through his underarms while Vince held him by the ankles, then they counted one to three before throwing him to the pool! I could not help but laugh along with everyone else as I gave the party scene another once over. The pool party has an overall happy vibe. There were tiki torches for design, some oversized summer inflatables were in the pool, a sunscreen station, then there were waiters walking about serving canapes and drinks. To top it all, well, there''s a lot of sexy and beautiful people to look at. I have to admit, despite my insecurity with the feeling that I was the fish in the aquarium who just got thrown into the ocean to see the other fishes, the party was great. Anyhow, I saw that the guests were already partying, swimming in the pool, some walking around holding some drinks, while me¡­ Well, I don''t know what to do? I turned to look at my companions, I did not notice it but now, there were two additional girls with us who I have no idea were. But based on their physique, I am positive that they were either models or budding actresses. The two girls were flunking both Steven and Anthony, and well, in my heart, I wanted to engage in a cat fight and just say, ''Get out of here bitches!!!!'' but of course, what to do? It''s not like I have the right. Thankfully, Lara was there, and she raised her eyebrow to girl #1 who was trying to vie for Steven''s attention. "Do you mind? Can''t you see that this guy is with me?" Lara began. The girl looked Lara up and down, before turning to Steven again only to say, "Handsome, if you ever get tired with little missy here later, you know where to find me." She said as she gave Steven a wink. Steven did not even blink from start to finish. Ah, I almost feel proud of my future hubby. Oh well. On the other hand, the girl who was chatting Anthony up, well Anthony was nice enough to answer her questions. Ok, I know that we''re not in a relationship or anything, so I have no right to complain. Good thing that girl #2 came with girl #1, so after getting shooed by Lara, girl #1 took her friend to leave with her. Ah, I''m so glad I''m friends with Lara. Anyway, after a while, I saw Andy walking to our direction. Water was tricking his hot body, and he even brushed his hair up, GODS!!!!! I think my jaw is gonna touch the ground sometime soon. Real soon! I can''t! I mean, which girl would not feel this way seeing Andy Peng all hot and wet? "Hey guys! Having fun so far?" Andy greeted and asked us who were standing together. Vince and Jeff were quick to flunk both his sides. Ok, sorry these two, they were also walking with Andy, but I think they got a bit overshadowed. "Great party so far. Man, the girls are hawt! By the way, where''s Hayley?" Vince asked. "You''re so late with the news Vince, Andy already broke up with her long time ago." Lara answered. "Oh, I didn''t know you keep tabs on Andy''s relationship status. Careful, Steven there might start becoming jealous!" Vince teased. Then, I don''t know what but suddenly, Andy was looking and smiling at me. at ME! uhm, is this for real? Sorry, I already lost some confidence after seeing the girls he hangs out with, so maybe he''s staring because I''m the only one looking out of place with my swimsuit. "You okay so far Mich?" he asked. "Yes, the party and everything is great so far. Thank you for inviting me." I answered as I gave him a sincere smile. I don''t know if it''s just me, but Andy''s cheeks turned pinkish. He was about to say something when people started cheering with the change of music. We all turned to look at what''s up. Then, we saw that there were a group of super-hot girls clad in two-piece swimsuits on the floor striking a pose. All the people made space for them and us so that we can see them clearly. The girl in the middle, I recognized her as young Elizabeth Cheng, the longest on and off girlfriend of Andy Peng in the future. Yeah, they will be in a complicated relationship for a long time, I guess. If Andy Peng was nation''s husband, she was nation''s white moonlight. Then, the song, ''Don''t cha'' by pussycat dolls started playing. Elizabeth and 4 other girls started dancing and everyone began cheering. It was so sensual and gods! I want to cover my eyes! These teenage girls were like in a burlesque club! Then, when the song reached the part where the lyrics go, "I know you like me (I know you like me) I know you do (I know you do) That''s why whenever I come around She''s all over you And I know you want it (I know you want it) It''s easy to see (it''s easy to see) And in the back of your mind I know You should be on with me" They all went towards our direction and each of them went to one of the guys, Jeff, Vince, Steven, and Anthony! They started dancing in front of them and when the part went, "Don''t cha wish your girlfriend was hot like me? Don''t cha wish your girlfriend was a freak like me? Don''t cha? Don''t cha? Don''t cha wish your girlfriend was raw like me? Don''t cha wish your girlfriend was fun like me? Don''t cha? Don''t cha?" The girls started grinding their bodies on the boys! I could see Lara''s eyes widening and just a little more smoke would be coming out of her nose and ears. Then, Kate was giving them a disgusted look, Jeff and Vince seemed like they were having the time of their lives, Steven, he was not moving, just furrowing his brows, Anthony was blushing, and Andy was well, he was laughing awkwardly. I guess, everyone let the girls be so as not to cause a scene, coz I totally know that if it''s up to Lara, she would be pulling someone''s hair out. Oh shit! Shit just got real! Lara bumped the girl who was dancing in front of Steven only to dance with him herself! I wish I have the confidence to do the same. I mean, ok, none of them were my boyfriend, so let me just go back to my room and again re-evaluate my life plans. Thankfully, the song finally ended, and the girls with Elizabeth, well they stopped dancing only to chat up with the boys. Anthony did not seem interested in chatting up the girl who danced in front of him, but she still went on and on. Ok, I guess if I want to really get him, I need to step up my game. I mean, there are tons of girls here who''s showing him their motives and flirting with him! How could I stay and be like this stupid lobster? I need to show him my interest soon! Jeff and Vince were chatting up with the girls who danced with them, Lara was with Steven, Andy was being occupied by Elizabeth which left me and Kate the only two people without partners. Kate looked at me, and I looked at her. She grabbed my arm to leave the group and I think our friendship just levelled up. We went to the bar area. "Ugh, I think this is horrible. Andy invited all these hot girls, what do the two of us do now? I feel like some horrible case of wallflower!" Kate complained. We have the same thing in mind. I never thought I would say these words with my own vanity, but all I could say was, "It''s not the outside but the inside that matters¡­." We looked at each other again and we started laughing. "I think for your case it''s only a wrong choice of wardrobe. Don''t know for myself. Anyhow, let''s get some drinks." Kate said. I nodded my head. Kate talked to the bartender and while waiting for our drinks, suddenly, I noticed two guys walking to our direction. One of them looked familiar. Wait, was that Louis Go? Really? Louis Go? He will also be a famous actor in the future, and was he approaching me and Kate with another model looking guy? "Hi beautiful ladies, I hope you don''t mind us introducing ourselves." The model looking guy began. Oh shit! This was really happening! Kate gave them a once over, seemingly satisfied with their looks, she gave them a smile. "No, we don''t mind. Go on, introduce yourselves." Ok, so, I don''t know if Kate was being sarcastic, or she really meant that. She was smiling and looking friendly, but her words sounded a bit weird? The guy just took her words on face value, so I guess it was ok. -- TBC Chapter 59 - 59: Pool Party III (Michelle POV) "I''m Harley Choi, and this is Louis Go. How about you two? Would you please honor us with your names?" The model looking guy said as he smiled, his eyes lingering on Kate. Kate smiled back at him and made eye contact, "I''m Kate Tan." She said as she offered her hand. The guy took her hand and even kissed the back of it. Kate giggled like, well a girl. She was all serious earlier but now I have to say that she''s a natural. Anyhow, after that, the two excused themselves leaving me and Louis Go to look at their behinds. Way to go Kate, thanks a lot. I turned to look at Louis who also looked at me. He smiled as he shook his head. "Please excuse my friend. I think he''s smitten with your companion. Anyway, again, I''m Louis Go." He introduced as he offered me his hand for a handshake. I could not help but blush as I smiled back at him while taking his offered hand. What? How could I not? He''s just like best actor of the year in my time. I mean, he may not be ''Prince Peng'' but he''s like the closest 2nd. In my time, people would be pushing each other just to catch a glimpse of his smile! And here he was, flirting with ME! I mean, he was flirting with me, right? Coz guess what? My confidence just totally took a hit earlier. "I''m Michelle Lui." I responded. Louis'' eyes turned into crescents, "Michelle, your name fits you very nicely. So¡­ is this the first time you''re attending Andy''s party?" "Yes, it is. How about you?" "It''s my 2nd, so how are you finding it so far?" "I think it''s great." I replied. Ok¡­ so how does this thing go now!? Gods! This is the first time a guy actually openly approached me to flirt! I mean there were some in the past I guess but I never paid attention till now! Louis nodded his head, "That''s good. So, I was wondering if later¡­" Then, we heard a whistle blow and the MC started speaking, "Now, to make this party more fun, let''s start with our pool games! To begin, let me request for volunteers to come forward in pairs, must be a boy and a girl, to join our first game." Louis grinned at me and offered his hand, "Want to join in the fun?" Well, why not? I smiled and was about to place my hand in his when suddenly, someone snatched my hand. -- (Third POV) Andy laughed as Elizabeth flirted with him. Ok, he has to admit, she did catch his interest. Frankly, Elizabeth was easily the hottest girl in his guestlist, and he didn''t know that she had it in her to dance like that. She has always portrayed the wholesome and innocent image on screen and in their sets, so he never expected her to do what she did for him. Like, yeah, he did like Michelle, but he''s still a hormonal teenage boy! Elizabeth seeing Andy''s reactions felt elated. She has always liked him, but he was with Hayley, now that they broke up and Hayley was uninvited, she knew it was her chance. So, she took it. Anyhow, thinking that Andy would get tired of her if she kept on flirting, she decided to get the last word. Quit while she''s still ahead and leave him wanting for more. Tracing his naked chest with her index finger, she said, "I''ll see you later in the party." Then, winked as she called "girls" who followed her lead and together, they all walked away. "Whoo! That was definitely hot! You lucky lucky birthday boy! Elizabeth Cheng, really? And here I thought you''re liking the Lui girl. I suppose, you''re making the right choice Pengpeng!" Vince said as he slung his arm on Andy''s shoulder. "Excuse me? That skank is not even fit to compare to Michelle." Lara defended. Vince turned to look at Lara, "Oh, you''re still here?" Lara stomped on his foot. Vince laughed, "Steven, please put a leash on this monster, I''m afraid only you can put some semblance of control over her!" "don''t mind him." Steven finally said to Lara. Lara sticked her tongue out to show Vince. "By the way, where''s Kate and Michelle?" Anthony asked, noticing that the two were missing. The 6 of them looked around without moving from their position trying to spot the two. The first person they spotted was Kate, already flirting with some macho dude. "Seriously, that guy later would be sorry for trying to flirt with Kate, he has no idea what kind of a dominatrix he''s playing with." Jeff commented. "Jealous Jeffry? I thought you and Kate were over since last year?" Vince teased. "Why would I be? I''m glad we broke it off, I mean we did part on good terms." Jeff said. "Who''s that guy?" Steven asked when he saw Michelle smiling and blushing as she talked with a guy. He doesn''t have any idea why but seeing her do that, it felt unpleasant. Maybe because he already thought Michelle as part of their group, so he felt a bit protective of her. Everyone followed where Steven was looking at only to see Michelle, smiling and blushing while talking to this dude. She seems to be having fun herself. "Whoah, I did not notice earlier, but Michelle is actually pretty hot." Vince exclaimed. He knew she was very pretty but that''s it. Earlier when he saw her, she was sitting with the girls and wearing a not so flattering swimsuit fit for 15 to 16-year-old girls. But now he can see her standing from afar, he was given the opportunity to appreciate her figure. Unlike the models and actresses around, she seemed really soft. Not the fat sort of soft but the one which screams femineity. She has rosy-white blemish free skin, and a full figure with bigger than average boobs and hips considering her Asian descent. Not as hot as Elizabeth, but charming in a classic sort of way. Anthony felt worried. He knew Michelle was a shy girl, so it did not pass his thought that perhaps she was flirting with the guy. He was only afraid of the possibility that the guy might be taking advantage of her. Jeff, well, he just thought that Michelle was doing good on her own. Andy, well, he''s having mixed feelings. On one hand, he felt jealous because he liked Michelle, but on the other, he knew he had no right as he was not even her suitor, much more, boyfriend. Also, he did let Elizabeth flirt with him with her standing at the side. To act like some jealous boyfriend would also be unbecoming of him. Anyhow, recalling Steven''s question, he answered, "that''s Louis Go. A fellow actor." Lara grinned, thinking, ''great going Michelle!'' Then, she looked at Andy''s expression, as if to tease she said, "I guess Michelle is doing great by herself too. Well, she''s really pretty and hot, how can a guy not hit on her? If I were a guy, she''ll totally be my type! Plus, the guy is totally hot. Not bad at all." Andy''s mood soured. What does he do in this situation? Well, the decision was made for him with the announcement of the MC. He knew exactly the games for the pool party and the first one was the chicken fight, also known as the shoulder wars. No way was he letting Michelle be paired up with some guy for that game. Thus, he started to walk towards the two''s direction, the rest of the gang followed. -- Michelle was about to place her hand on Louis'' outstretched one when suddenly, someone grabbed her hand. She turned to see who it was and saw Andy smiling at her. "Sorry Louis, Michelle will be joining us for the next game. You know the rules, attendees can only join 1 game so as the give chance to others." Andy said in a friendly manner. Louis furrowed his brows but did not pursue the matter. Although he was a bit annoyed, it was Andy''s party and Michelle his friend. They can continue it later. "that''s cool with me Andy. Anyhow, I''ll just find another partner then. Great party by the way. See you later, Michelle." Michelle smiled at Louis apologetically. "Ok, see you later." She replied. Then, she looked at Andy wondering what''s up with him. Was he jealous? No, not possible. He seemed to like that girl, Elizabeth. She was after all his would be on-off girlfriend for a long time later. Maybe he''s just concerned because Louis might be a playboy? But she did want to flirt though? Like she knows what''s she''s doing people. But then, she did give the impression of being an innocent girl somewhat. Behind Andy, she saw Lara who was grinning at her. Lara winked and gave her two thumbs up. She smiled back, well, she did get a guy to flirt with her this early in the party. Haha, she can totally tell her about it later though nothing really happened. Then, she saw Steven, who was as usual, looking nonchalant. Then there''s Vince and Jeff, and finally there''s Anthony. Anthony. She turned red. Fuck, did he see her flirting with another guy? Ahehehe¡­ she''s not sinning though. Again, she''s single and available. Ugh, you know what? never mind. It''s not like she''s really interested in Louis. She just felt flattered and somewhat wanted to flirt too. Like come on, she also wants to live the teenage dream! "So¡­ which game are we joining?" Michelle finally asked Andy. Andy just smiled at her and said, "tug of war." -- TBC Chapter 60 - 60: Pool Party IV (Michelle POV) After listening to the words tug of war, I felt a bit disappointed. But then, it was also a good game to play, you know, what with, bonding with the group, like ''hi! We''re friends, awesome, great going.'' Ugh. Fine. I will now stop my stupid assumption that Andy might like me as a potential girlfriend and would say that he truly was only being friendly to me. Whatever. Let me stand next to Anthony during the game, maybe I can pretend to stumble so that I can feel his body close to mine. His muscled white torso was truly a sight for sore eyes too! Recovering, I heard people cheering, and I saw that the game was going to begin. I don''t know if it was me who took my hand from Andy or it was Andy who let go, but, oh well, I didn''t delve on that any longer. We all went by the pool''s side. I saw that there were 6 teams on the water comprised of pairs, a girl and a boy where the girl was sitting on the boy''s shoulders. Wah! The game was ''shoulder wars!'' and I was a little annoyed I did not get to play. I mean, I wanted to try it out, I think it''s better than tug of war. Anyhow, we saw Kate was joining with the guy Harley, and she seems to be really having fun. Great going for her! Why did the pool bar have to be nearer to the group''s location? Andy should have recruited Kate instead of me. I tried not to frown and just cheered for Kate. I have to say, she was really competitive and at the end, she and Harley won. Aish! Let me be positive about it and be thankful that I did not embarrass myself by joining. Now, the MC started announcing that for the next game, they need 10 volunteers per team and this time, Andy volunteered and made all of us join, except, Kate who can''t join anymore because she already participated in the first game. Anyway with 7 of us, the other members who became part of our team were random. Andy knew them of course and introduced them to us. By the way, they were all girls to even out the number. As we were taking our position in line, I tried to stand in front of Anthony, so I can like, pretend to hug him when we win out of elation. But of course, that did not happen as a more forward girl came to stand behind me and tried to talk to Anthony before the game began. Bitch must be having the same thought as me. GRRRR. Never mind this is just a pool game and I will still have my chance later at night. So, with that, we started playing tug of war, and I pulled the rope along with my teammates. I guess the guys were really competitive what with wanting to prove their macho-ness so we won. I turned around to look and true to my expectation, random girl hugged MY Anthony. Aish! I looked forward again only to see that Andy who was standing in front of me has already turned around to look at us his teammates. Our eyes met, and I smiled at him showing him my thumbs up. He smiled back and winked at me. I no longer had the need to interpret it other than him being playful. -- After the tug of war, there were still other pool games that followed. We all gathered around the pool to watch and just have fun. Andy was busy as he was the host of the party, while Anthony hanged out with the boys. I was left with Lara, and we had fun even though it''s just us. Her, making silly comments about people in the party, while me, enjoying the ambiance. When it was sunset, I started to smell some barbecue being cooked. The snacks on the buffet table were getting replaced by cooked barbecued lobster, king crab legs, some meat, etc. Ah, I realized that it was set up that way for us to just get food and continue the fun. Feeling hungry, I asked Lara if we can have dinner now. She nodded her head, and we started to get some food along with some others. At this part, I was thankful that I wore this swimsuit coz unlike the other girls who can''t eat some food, afraid that even a little might make their exposed belly larger, I didn''t have to think about that. Not that I ate a lot, but I was hungry, and the food smelled great. After having dinner, Lara decided that it''s time to go back to our respective rooms. She invited me and Kate to go back with her, to which we agreed. We three said ''bye and see you later'' to the boys and left the pool area. As we exited the elevator to our floor, Lara suggested that we prepare for the party later together. Excited with some girl bonding, me and Kate enthusiastically agreed. Checking the time we saw that it''s 6:45 pm, we decided to meet in Lara''s room at 9:00 pm. With that, we went our separate ways to get back to our room and rest for a while. -- When it was 9pm, I rang the doorbell in Lara''s room. She opened the door and pulled me in. Inside, Kate was already there. Clothes were haphazardly thrown on the bed, and the atmosphere was like we''re going for some battle. "Uh, what''s up?" I asked, a bit confused. "UGH!!! I can''t believe those girls earlier!" Lara exclaimed. "Did you see how they kept looking down on us? I mean, I''m so annoyed! They think they''re so much hotter than we are and ugh! Also, that girl earlier, what did she mean by calling me little missy!?" she complained. "Lara, calm down. What are you trying to say anyway?" Kate said. "Hmpft. You two had a bad case of choosing your wardrobe, especially you Michelle. So tonight, we have to show them who''s boss here." Kate gave an exasperated sigh, "Usually, I would agree with you, but now, what are we to do? They are indeed sexier than we are. Anyhow, just stop with that nonsense now and let''s just prepare for the night and get some hot boys. I mean, I already have a date for the night." she announced. I looked at her, excitedly and asked, "Harley?" Kate gave an eyeroll, "Him? No, no, I have a better prospect now. James Fu asked me to be his date." I tried to recall if I know a James Fu from the future, but I came out with a blank. Looking at my slightly shocked face, Lara laughed, "Kate, don''t shock Michelle here too much with your conquests. Michelle, you need to level up. I mean, you need to understand that everyone here is planning to hook up, like especially later. By the way, I saw Louis Go going gooey eyes for you. What do you think of him?" she asked, while thinking, ''Andy should have a taste of his own medicine. Like, Michelle is such a nice girl and I genuinely like her. Now, Andy did say that he likes Michelle, not that Michelle knew. But anyway, he was acting all flirty with Elizabeth earlier. He should know that Michelle wasn''t like all those girls who always throw themselves at him.'' "Uhm¡­ I do understand that much. Actually, earlier, if you guys did not come along, then I would have already joined that game with Louis. I think he''s hot." I said honestly. Lara laughed, delighted with my words. "HA! That''s good to know! I always thought you were a virginal Mother Mary. I mean, uh, sorry you just gave off that vibe. I guess, glad to know I was wrong hehe¡­" I shook my head as I smiled, "It''s okay. I just feel a little shy, but really, I''m a normal teenager too." What? I guess these teenagers have the same thought as my 31-year-old self. Or was it that my brain was like a hormonal teenager too? Oh well. Whichever the case, I need to be more honest with the girls. Lara grinned, "So, tell me honestly, do you like any of the guys with us? Me and Kate here won''t take it against you." Kate also smiled and nodded her head, I guess, I passed her scrutiny and now we''re real friends too. I blushed but then I thought that for this, I need the girls'' help, at least somewhat. Besides, seems like none of them liked the same guy I did, so it''s ok to be honest. "I¡­ I like Anthony." There was a moment of silence. When I looked up, I saw Lara and Kate looking at each other as if shocked. Then, the two started laughing. I looked at them confused, "Why is it so funny?" The two shook their head, then Lara said, "nothing! Nothing! We just thought that if you were to like anyone in the group, it would be Andy!" "Oh, ok. I do like Andy too to be honest, but I guess I like Anthony more?" I announced. Kate giggled, "Well, that''s the way to go. I mean, can''t cast all eggs in one basket! Unlike Lara here." she announced as if proud of me. Lara pouted, "What''s wrong with me liking only Steven? I''m a stick to one kind of girl I tell you. Besides, he''s¡­" "Ok Lara, stop, I don''t want to hear your delusions about that ice pop." Kate said as she raised her hand to give her the stop sign. Lara turned red in indignation, I laughed. Ah, it''s fun with the girls. I never had something like this before, but now that I do, I guess, friendship aside from love life was also a good thing. -- TBC Chapter 61 - 61: Dress Up (Michelle POV) "Ok, so let''s see what each of us got. Kate, you go first." Lara instructed. Kate brought out her 3 dresses to show us. "I think these are ok. Though I think it''s not a matter of clothes for me, those girls use their faces and body for a living, so their beauty regime should be beyond me." "Ugh, Kate, don''t be such a pessimist. Besides, though they may seem sexier than us, we have a weapon against them." Lara announced. "What? Our trust funds?" Kate responded sarcastically. I could not help myself from laughing. Gods, that was a good one. "No! I mean we''re pretty and sexy too. No need to be intimidated, plus we have brains! We can keep conversations going unlike those brainless twits!" Lara answered. "Ok, fine, conversations work especially when you got the guy''s tongue down your throat." Lara raised her eyebrow at Kate. Kate gave her an eyeroll. Lara sighed, "Ok, how about you Michelle?" I showed them the dresses I brought. "These are ok right?" "You need to show more skin." Kate commented truthfully. I looked at the dresses again, actually, they already show a lot of skin. The skirts end mid-thigh, they were sleeveless, and one was even backless. How much skin was still needed? Then again, remembering everyone in the pool party¡­ "Thank god I brought a lot of extras, how about this one Michelle? You and I are about the same size. I think this would fit you. Don''t worry, all these clothes here are brand new, never worn them in any of the parties I''ve attended." Lara offered. I felt embarrassed. I mean, how could I borrow her dress? "it''s ok Lara, I mean, that''s so nice of you but I feel embarrassed to borrow one from you¡­" "Huh? Don''t be. Besides, if you feel embarrassed, think of it this way. I''m also doing this for me. I want us to trample those bitches. So, you''re actually doing me a favor by wearing this instead of those you brought." Lara explained with a grin. "Yeah Michelle, besides, it''s not like Lara can wear that dress like ever. Her juggers are not big enough, unlike yours." Kate said as she suddenly grabbed my boobs. "Ah!!!!" I screamed in shock. I''m no prude anymore but I never imagined Kate would do that! "Kate! My boobs are not that small. I''m still cup B in case you don''t remember." Lara defended herself. Kate laughed, ignoring Lara, she addressed me, "No offense Michelle, but I have to ask, are you averse to other people touching you? Coz you know, later when we party, a lot of touching might happen. Unless you prefer to sit in the corner and just watch." Lara also looked at me, "Oh yeah, I forgot to ask you about that. Uh, is this your first-time partying?" Technically, yes. I did go to a club once with Steve, but I think it should be quite different to what we''ll be attending later. I sighed, "Yes, this would be my first time. I''m not really sure what to expect. I did do some research on the internet though." "So, what did you learn? I mean what are you expecting?" Kate asked curious. "There would be lots of alcohol, dancing to music, flirting with members of the opposite sex, play games, some might smoke weed or cannibus, gossip, make out?" I enumerated. "And you''re ok with all those?" Kate asked again. "There won''t be drugs, right?" I asked to make sure. I''m ok with all those but of course I also have some apprehension. Like what if I get drugged? I read about that too on the internet. "Nah, no drugs, this party is safe. It''s a time to unwind for everyone. All of the people in Andy''s guestlist are clean. There might be some annoying people, but you know that you''re safe. Nothing that you don''t want to happen will happen. You know what I mean?" Kate said seriously. I nodded my head, that''s good to know. "Oh yeah, and some people might end up in a room together." Kate continued. "Hey, don''t scare Michelle too much Kate. I mean, not all ends up having some casual sex here." Lara interjected. "You''re the one who said the words, not me." Kate pointed out. Lara shook her head, "Anyway, what happens in this party, stays in this party, that''s the general rule. Just have fun and dance the night away." "Ok, I''m ready for those." I answered. Gods, why do I feel like these teenage girls have experienced more to life than I ever did? "that''s the spirit! Now, let''s start with our preparations. Hmm¡­ perhaps let''s apply some face masks first." Thus, began our more than one and a half hour long preparations. -- "Aren''t we late already?" I asked as Lara helped me with my mascara. "Nah, people arrive at 11. Even then, the real party begins after midnight, when people are done singing Andy happy birthday. It usually lasts until 3am or something. Depends, some leaves to get a room. Some continue drinking and playing games." Kate answered. "And there! A piece of art." Lara announced. I looked at my face, "Lara, you know, if you''re not super rich already, I think you can totally make a living out of doing people''s make-up." I praised. Lara grinned, "I only do this for my friends. Unless of course you pay me a million dollars, then I might consider." Kate laughed, "My turn!" -- After we''re done with our hair and make-up, it was time to get dressed. Lara was first to enter the ensuite to dress up. When she came out, she was wearing a little black dress that wrapped her body to a tee. It has an open portion from her chest to her belly button and was connected by thin straps. On the side, it was also the same. Then, the skirt was so short that if she were to bend, her underwear will show. "You look smoking hot Lara. Steven won''t know what hit him." Kate commented. Well, I was a little surprised that girls dress up this way but considering that almost everyone was clad in two-piece bikinis earlier, the clubbing dress now seems a little tame in comparison. "Yes, that''s really hot." I agreed. The black dress contrasted with her white skin perfectly. "Ok, me next." Kate announced as she collected her red dress. She entered the ensuite and when she came out, I could not help but take another look. Her dress has a deep V neck, a side splits, open back with crossover thin ties. She would surely turn heads. "Wow." Was all I could say. Kate may not be the prettiest girl around, but as I observed, she was confident in her own skin and that by itself was very sexy for a girl. She also has this appeal to her. I can''t explain it well, but there''s just something about her that draws a person in. Lara gave her two thumbs up. "You rock." Kate giggled. "Ok, Michelle, your turn." Lara handed me a silver-colored dress of hers which looked like what Paris Hilton wore for her 21st birthday. ''Uhm¡­ can I really pull this off? Anyhow, just try it on. If it doesn''t look nice, just get changed again.'' I told myself. Entering the ensuite, I removed the robe I was wearing and put on the silicone nipple cover before wearing the dress. I felt conscious as I looked in the mirror. I have never worn anything like this in public before. But I have to admit, I looked super sexy in it. I smiled at myself in the mirror. Exiting the ensuite, Kate was the first to react. She whistled. "Michelle, you better enter the party 5 minutes after me. I don''t want to become a wall flower next to you." Lara also nodded, "I didn''t think it would fit you that wonderfully. Gosh, now I feel conscious of myself! But I have to say, with that, I think you can trample Elizabeth Cheng down." She said as she gave me two thumbs up. I blushed, feeling a little embarrassed with their praises. "I think you two look very nice yourselves." Kate chuckled, "No need to act all shy, really, I have to admit, you look best. Your juggers are big enough so that the dress you''re wearing won''t have a disfunction like when Paris Hilton wore something similar. Haha! Anyway, Anthony, Andy, well those two, whoever, I bet they would be drooling when they see you later." "Yeah, if my Steven were like any normal guy, I won''t even let you stand within 2 meters from him." Lara echoed. "Oh ho! So, now, you''re admitting that your lover boy is weird?" Kate teased. "He''s not weird! Just that he doesn''t care much about the outside. Hmpft!" Lara defended. Kate laughed with Lara turning red. I smiled a bit wistfully. Steve was my husband in my timeline, so there were still times that I feel a bit awkward about them. But then, I could not get myself to be jealous of Lara. She was kind, honest to a fault, and just really nice. If it were any other girl, I would not stand aside that easily, but since it''s her, then it''s ok. I shook my head. What am I even thinking? "Anyway, what time is it?" Kate asked. I looked at the clock by the nightstand. "It''s 11:15 pm." I announced. "Alright, you guys ready to party?" Lara asked. The three of us looked at each other and grinned. -- TBC Chapter 62 - 62: Birthday Party I (Michelle POV) When we were in Lara''s room, I thought that Kate was only kidding when she said I should enter the party 5 minutes after her. Now, waiting in the confines of the women''s comfort room next to the room where the party would be held, I can only chuckle for apparently, she was serious. I didn''t know what to say really, but well, I just played along. Looking at the time, it has been 5 minutes since she and Lara left me here after we exited the elevator. Hmm¡­ it''s time to enter the party. Before leaving, I looked at myself in the mirror once more. Ah, I have to admit, Lara did a fine job on my make-up, plus the dress, I have never seen myself so fetching my whole life, and yes, that includes me from my original timeline. Though I did look a little too slutty to be honest. I have never imagined myself wearing anything like this in public ever. Ok, so maybe I did, but never have I dreamed of actually doing it! I shook my head. No backing out now! Life has given me a second chance of trying things I never got to do, so I should take this opportunity with open arms. Finished giving myself a pep-talk, I exited the comfort room. When I reached the double doors leading to the party venue, the security personnel professionally did not look below my face. He just smiled and opened the door for me. -- (Third POV) After leaving Michelle in the comfort room, Lara and Kate entered the venue and looked around. The time was 11:25pm and almost everyone that should be there were already there. The ambiance in the room was like that of a nightclub. Generally dark, but there were neon lights moving about in tune with the beat of the bass. Some of the furniture also featured led lights, so it was easy to see the people inside just right. Music was already playing but people were not getting on the dancefloor just yet. They were either sitting or standing around some of the tables with their friends. Some were talking, some drinking, some were checking out the other people in the room looking for their prospects, and some, well, they began to flirt early. In any case, they all knew that the party really begins once the birthday boy makes his appearance. Anyhow, Lara and Kate were quick to spot the boys. "You sure we should not go back and make Michelle enter with us?" Lara asked speaking closely to Kate''s ear. She still felt bad for leaving her in the comfort room. Kate shook her head, "You do know that I did not really ask to leave her there because I think she looks better than us, right? Though I have to admit that she really does." Lara furrowed her brows. "Then what for?" Kate gave her an eyeroll. "I just want to see the guys'' reaction when they see her. Anyway, let''s go join them first." "don''t you have a date?" "He can wait." Kate replied as she saw Jeff waving them over. "Come on, let''s go." she said as she started to walk towards the guys'' table. -- Anthony, Steven, Jeff and Vince were sitting around a certain VIP looking table from a night club. Thankfully, there were still no girls joining them as it''s not that time of the night just yet. Not that Steven or Anthony were looking forward to that part, but Jeff and Vince surely did. Anyway, aside from that, they have to save seats for the girls. "Damn, Elizabeth Cheng is SOOOO hot. I can''t believe she digs Andy too." Jeff exclaimed after he took a shot from the shot glass as he continued to check Elizabeth out. "Yeah, that she is. When he sees Elizabeth, I''m sure that the Lui girl would be the furthest thing in his mind and well, he would change gears to that sizzling hotness. Anyway, I guess that''s good news for someone here." Vince teased as he wiggled his brows at Anthony. Anthony furrowed his brows, "what do you mean?" Vince laughed. "What? I mean, don''t you even notice? She kept looking at you all red, and she would blush when you''re nearby. I bet my money she likes you instead of Andy! Anthony, this I tell you, if you try the slightest, you will be ascending out of your monkhood before dawn and finally be enlightened as soon as daybreak. The sweetest thing is that I think your Michelle is still a virgin!" Steven furrowed his brows. He does not understand why, but hearing Vince say those words about Michelle did not sit right with him. However, he did not say anything. Anthony seeing Steven furrow his brows felt conscious. Like, the case with Lara was not so long ago and maybe he might be thinking that he''s trying to steal Andy''s girl? "Hey, don''t speak like that. Michelle is a friend and besides, it''s rude to say those behind her back." "You''re such a bore Anthony. If you''re not interested, then maybe I should just try my luck later. Wouldn''t mind popping that cherry!" Vince announced. Anthony frowned not liking Vince''s words. Michelle wouldn''t fall for Vince''s antics if Andy decides to ignore her later, right? But what if she does? "Hey Steven, has your spit turned stale yet? Haven''t heard you speaking since earlier. Anyhow, what do you think?" Vince said seeing Steven just furrowing his brows. Steven looked up to face Vince whose presence he suddenly found aggravating. "Think about what?" he asked. "About me and Michelle. What do you think of the chances of me and her walking out of this room together later?" Vince asked. Steven did not understand the sudden surge of unpleasantness with the thought. Anyhow, he shook his head as he chunked it to Vince being a notorious playboy and Michelle being a friend now. "I doubt. But you can keep dreaming." He answered finally. Jeff could not help himself from laughing. "I have to agree with Steven, with Andy and Anthony to compare you with, fat chance!" Vince scowled. "That''s not funny." "Oh, there''s Lara and Kate. Just about time, it''s getting late." Jeff announced when he saw the girls. He waved at them to let them know their location. The guys all turned to look, and as they arrived, they started greeting them. Lara made way to sit beside Steven, while Kate chose to sit at the side so it would be easy to leave when she has to. Jeff asked them if they want anything to drink, to which they said later. Anyway, once settled, Vince started to talk to them. "Hey, Lara, Kate, where''s Michelle? Don''t tell me you two decided to ditch her." Vince asked. "Why would we do that? Why are you asking anyway?" Kate asked in return. "Just curious." Vince replied. Kate looked at Jeff, Jeff answered, "Well, Vince here is interested with our new friend and has been wondering about her since earlier." "You? Though I understand the interest, let me be frank, I don''t think she''ll ever be interested in you." Kate said tactlessly. Well, tactful has never been her style. Lara giggled, feeling that she just got back at Vince for the times he teased her earlier. Then, wanting to add salt to injury, she added, "Yeah, Michelle is too good for you so you can drop your delusions of getting under her skirt." Vince, being defensive scowled and said, "why are you making a big deal out of me trying to look for her? I was just wondering if she managed to make another fashion disaster of herself." Kate and Lara both frowned at his words. Jeff could already imagine them boiling Vince. Can''t blame them though. Sometimes, he too can''t believe that Vince could be so petty as to exchange words with the girls. Aish. Thankfully, before World War 3 began, he caught sight of Michelle. His first thought was ''Woah! Is that really her? She looks so fuckin hot!'' Anyway, since he''s not really into her his thought just ended there. Recovering as he saw her looking around the room, he raised his hand to wave at her while smiling. Seeing Jeff waving, everyone around the table who was focused on the ensuing cat fight, if you want to call it that, looked at the direction where Jeff was looking at. Vince''s eyes widened so much that one would think that they were about to pop. Anthony gulped. His adam''s apple bobbing as he did so. Steven blinked. All this Kate took note of. Well, Steven''s reaction was a bit anti-climatic, but considering he blinked, that would mean that Michelle really looked great. She was so not telling Lara that. Anyhow, it was not just them, but also a lot of other people turned to look. It was only natural as considering Michelle''s timing, like Cinderella style of late, she was bound to catch some attention. However, what one can take note of was the amount of people who continued to stare. Anyhow, that was not of concern to Michelle as she started walking towards her friends'' table. -- TBC AN: Hello, here is new chapter. hope you like it! Ah, party party is nice. Chapter 63 - 63: Birthday Party II (Michelle POV) Arriving inside the venue, I noticed that the scene seems pretty tame. Maybe Kate and Lara were only kidding me? It felt like prom. I don''t know. Anyhow, I noticed some people looking at me. At first, I felt conscious, but then, I realized that all the girls seem to be wearing similar outfits, not in a way that the dresses look similar, but rather they all leave nothing much to the imagination, except of course, that it encourages the imagination of the opposite gender to drift somewhere else, like what happens when the dress has been taken off. Ugh. So, they might be staring because I was perhaps the last person to arrive before the birthday boy that is. I already kinda stopped my delusions of being the prettiest girl around. Thank you very much. I looked around the room to find the group and saw Jeff waving at me. I waved back at him and smiled, then the rest of the group all looked at my direction. Anyway, I just started to walk to join them. "You''re looking damn fine Michelle. You should save me a dance later!" Vince said in greeting. I could not help but feel a bit embarrassed. I knew I looked fine, but well, to get that compliment from a guy I just met for less than 24 hours¡­ Lara gave an eyeroll. "Look who''s talking. Michelle, ignore that maggot. Come, sit here!" she invited as she patted the seat next to her, which I noted was between her and Anthony. Ah, very nice. "Thank you." I replied as I smiled. I took the seat, then I looked at the other occupants of the table. Kate winked at me, perhaps knowing that I liked the position of the seat I was given. Lara, she was looking at Vince as if trying to pick a fight with him. Vince was also looking at Lara like he''s totally annoyed with her. Honestly, if I didn''t know any better, I would say that with these two, sparks can actually fly. I''ll just keep that detail to myself though. I don''t know Vince enough to judge if he''s a good character. Steven, our eyes met for a moment, and I don''t know if it''s just my imagination but for a second, I thought I recognized that look in his eyes. The one that says we''re going to get some action. Ok, maybe really just my imagination coz the next moment he touched Lara''s hand as he whispered something on her ear. Don''t know what, but Lara stopped her staring contest with Vince and was happy to talk with Steven. Ok, I''m ok with that. Like I''m happy for Lara and Him. Lara is such a sweet girl and Steven¡­ oh well, I don''t want to think about him. Jeff, he was busy looking around the room. Anthony, as I looked at him, he also looked at me. We were sitting next to each other so I can totally see his every expression. Ever the gentleman, he did not look below my face as he smiled at me. "Hi Michelle." Gods. Don''t blush. Don''t blush. Don''t blush. Don''t blush!!!!!! Too late, I felt my ears turn hot and I have no doubts that that''s not the only part of me which turned red. Thankfully, he kept his eyes on my face, still covered with some foundation so maybe he did not notice? "Hello, Anthony." I replied breathily. Anthony seemed like he was about to say something, but then, a waiter approached our table asking if we wanted some drinks. Kate was first to state her order which was a bloody Mary, then Lara followed with an Aperol Spritz, the guys some dry martini and negroni, while I ordered a Daiquiri. Kate looked at me as if surprised to know that I even knew what to order without looking at the menu. I smiled at her. She nodded her head, perhaps chunking it to me doing my research. Anyhow, after that, we heard a loud voice over the speaker. We all turned to the stage where a DJ mix set up was and a guy who was the same MC earlier was now standing. The once dark stage has been brightened by its background which I now figured was a large LCD screen. Even the table used by the DJ mix also apparently has an attached LCD screen. Anyhow, the LCD screen at the back was now showcasing a digital clock, while the other was flashing a text written ''Andy''s 19th birthday''. Neon lights stopped moving for a moment as the MC started to speak. "Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome to our celebration for Andy''s birthday this evening. Now, if you look at the screen behind me, the time is 11:49, about 6 minutes before our main star would make his appearance. So, as we wait to welcome him, I would first like to introduce you to our DJ for tonight, DJ Khalif. Let''s give him a warm welcome." The people started cheering, while DJ Khalif who looked like a hip-hopper gave a somewhat hip-hop hand sign while saying ''yo.'' "Alright! So, while waiting for the time, how about we get this party started?" the MC asked in a lively voice. The crowd started screaming "Yeah!!!" The MC smiled, and in a booming voice, he exclaimed, "DJ, hit it!" Then, DJ Khalif who has taken position in front of the DJ mix began his work and suddenly, louder and more lively music mix started playing. The neon lights started moving again, and the vibration from the bass began to sip in, even to me. I noticed some people from other tables pulling their friends to join in the dance floor and begin to dance. Ok, so what do I do now? I took a glance at Anthony and saw that he was facing the dance floor. Should I ask him to dance with me? Is it too early? Before I could decide, the waiter came back with our orders. I received mine and started taking sips. I think I need some liquid courage. Oh, it actually tasted good. Wonder how the others would taste like? When I was younger, it has been ingrained to me that people who drinks alcohol were bad. So, I kinda looked down on them while I never tried. Then when my family went bankrupt, I was too busy with striving for a living. So, it was only when I''m older that I became more curious, I wanted to try clubbing, getting drunk, all of those, but then, I realized that I might already be considered an auntie by those in the club. Like they were mostly college students or 24 at the oldest? I''m not so sure. But I was already 27! Anyhow, the only alcoholic beverages I tried were the bottled ones that doesn''t taste so great so I can merely take a sip. Meanwhile, Steve let me fulfill my fantasy by taking me to a club once before, but then he wouldn''t even let me touch anything with alcohol. Ah, such a loser life when I look back. I looked at Lara who was happily drinking her Spritz, well, doesn''t look like Steven has a problem with that. Tonight, I have so many missions. I want to dance with Anthony, if not at least dance with someone. I want to get drunk, not too early though. I also want to try an intimate dance with uhm¡­ Anthony preferably, if not, someone handsome. Whatever. I just want to have the whole clubbin'' experience!!! After finishing my drink, I placed it down. Just in time for the first song to end. Then, suddenly, the MC started addressing everyone again, "and now, let us welcome, the birthday boy, Andy Peng!" The whole room turned dark, then, the music ''Temperature'' by Sean Paul started to play. "The gal dem Schillaci, Sean da Paul So me give it to, so me give to, so me give it to, to all girls Five million and forty naughty shorty Baby girl, all my girls, all my girls, Sean da Paul say Well woman the way the time cold, I wanna be keepin'' you warm I got the right temperature fi shelter you from the storm Oh Lord, gyal I got the right tactics to turn you on, and girl I Wanna be the Papa, you can be the Mom, oh oh!" As the music began playing, the spotlight was directed to Andy who just entered the room, gods, he was again hot as hell, and he began dancing to the beat of the song. The people on the dancefloor made way for him. As he climbed the stage, I noticed that the screen already changed to a live footage video. Anyway, the music stopped playing and the MC again spoke. "Alright! People, give some noise to our birthday boy!" Everyone started cheering, and I noticed the people in my group standing, so I followed to stand. The MC asked Andy to give a message to the people who are here tonight and passed him the mic. Andy took it and simply said, "Thank you everyone for attending this party of mine. Your presence is highly appreciated." Then handed the mic back. The people started cheering again and then, a group of ladies, all sexy and dressed in bunny suits came in. They were carrying a birthday cake and went to climb the stage where Andy was. With this scene, the MC asked everyone to sing the birthday boy a birthday song. Very so out of place of the nightclub looking scene, everyone started singing, "Happy birthday to you" When it was done, the digital clock which was transferred to the smaller screen on the DJ mix hit 12:00am, and everyone yelled happy birthday. Andy blew the candles on the cake then, some indoor pyrotechnic special effect with colored smoke happened, poppers blew, and silver and gold confetti rained. It was awesome. -- TBC Chapter 64 - 64: Birthday Party III (Third POV) Now, that awesome display was only the beginning of the real party. Everyone began cheering while the song ''temperature'' continued to play from where it left off. The neon lights were turned on and began moving again and there was fog like smoke system also working. As Andy went down the stage. Everyone began cheering and egging him to dance. ''Temperature'' was one of the songs he and some of his mates in the variety show he starred in last time danced. So, the choreography was still fresh in their minds. Giving the audience a show, the guys bumped fists and then Andy was standing in the middle of the dancefloor with 3 other friends of his. Then, they began dancing using some sexy moves and swaying their hips. The crowd went wild. It was crazy, funny, and hot at the same time. Meanwhile, Michelle and the group all watched, laughed, their head bobbing along with the beat, letting the music enter their system. During that time, waiters started walking around the room carrying cocktail drinks for the toasting. Michelle and her group all took one. When the song reached to the part when there''s no more lyrics, just the melody and beat, Andy and his mates stopped dancing. The crowd cheered while they high fived each other. Then the MC began to speak again, "Alright! Now, before I leave you all with the dancing tonight, I think it''s only right that we make a toast for our celebrant. But before that¡­ we should have him drink first, correct?" After he said that, the same group of ladies wearing the bunny suits walked to the dance floor carrying a bottle of whisky. Andy laughed knowing what''s coming next. The crowd cheered, "drink! Drink! Drink! Drink!" Andy bent his knees a little as he leaned his head backward and opened his mouth. Then, the lady carrying the bottle started pouring the content to Andy''s mouth while he chugged it down. When he stopped everyone cheered again while Andy wiped his mouth as he laughed. The MC spoke again saying, "Alright!!! Now everyone, bottoms up!!! cheers!!!!" then he raised his own glass to drink. Everyone else followed. -- The party''s going great and everyone even at just the beginning were already having a blast. Even a novice like Michelle, with some alcohol, happy atmosphere, great overall party vibe, was letting loose. Now the first dance of the birthday boy was out of the way, the next song in the mix began to play. Vince looked at Michelle, wondering if he should ask her to dance now. However, looking at Lara and Kate still around, well, maybe later. He doesn''t want to ruin his night with those two guarding Michelle from him like hounds. Then, he looked at Anthony. The fool was still looking at the dancefloor like one of the, if not THE hottest chick in the room was not sitting beside him and going gooey eyes for him. He wanted to shake his head, as always, ever the idiot. Sometimes, he thinks that Anthony''s asexual. Hundreds of girls line up for him (though not as exaggerated as Andy''s but still), yes, he entertains and even dances with them, yes, he looks and appreciates, but he doesn''t touch them on his own. As if his virginity was something sacred. You get what he means? Michelle looked at Anthony''s back. Ok, she must get the courage to ask him to dance now. She took a deep breath to ready herself. It''s now or now! She tapped Anthony''s shoulder. Anthony felt Michelle tap him. Well, he knew it must be Michelle as she''s sitting next to him. What could it be she wants? Maybe she wants him to move a little so she can see the dancefloor where Andy was? Honestly, he doesn''t really want to face her as it was getting painfully difficult to talk to her with a straight and friendly face. When she entered the room, he did check her out. He even had a boner, but how could he let her know? First, she likes Andy. Second, she''s so painfully shy, what would she think of him then? Third, Andy likes her, and he doesn''t want to ruin his friendship with Andy because he wants to bang his crush. Fourth, he didn''t like Michelle that way, yes he wants to bang her but not enter a relationship with her. Like he just knew her for about 2 weeks? And lastly, again because he was not interested in having a relationship that instance. He liked his single life, thank you very much. Michelle doesn''t seem like the kind of girl who would have sex with no strings attached. Also, he doesn''t want to make things awkward between them as he would still see her almost everyday in school. So there. Anthony moved sideways so Michelle will have better view of the dancefloor. Michelle thought that maybe he thought she was asking him to move so she tapped his back again. She had no idea that the people in the group were watching them. Anthony finally turned to face her with a smile. "Yes?" Michelle smiled, her cheeks pink, really, liquid courage was something. Anyhow she began, "Anthony, would it be ok if¡­" Ok, she was not able to finish as Kate called her, "hey Michelle, Lara, wanna join the dance floor?" Kate who saw Michelle attempting finally took pity on her. She did not think that Anthony did not want to dance or was rejecting her, but rather, she just thought that Michelle''s way of asking was stupid. Like, which girl asks the guy to dance with her straight out? In her dictionary, if you want a guy to dance with you, you make him dance with you without you saying the words. Lara laughed and nodded her head. "Alright!" she was itching to dance. Steven was not the type to dance until the dancefloor turns to have lesser people. Michelle also turned to look at Kate. She smiled thinking it would also be great to dance with the girls. Alright she can leave dancing with Anthony for later. "Sure thing" This way the three girls left the table while the 4 guys remained sitting. Vince and Jeff both looked at Anthony like he was an idiot with two heads. Really, a fool. Then again, the night was still young. Anyhow, normally, the two would have already said their adieu and see you later to the group for their mission to find some hot chicks they can vulture on. But curious to see the girls dance, particularly Michelle who was a new face, they remained seated. Besides, they can wait for girls to approach them instead. -- Before the girls could enter the dancefloor, Kate stopped. "Michelle, I totally saw what you were trying to do earlier, and let me give you a friendly advice so don''t take offence, alright?" Kate began. Michelle blushed and nodded her head. She can''t believe she''s receiving advice from a girl who should be 13 years her junior. Then again, she was still inexperienced with this stuff, so better listen. "When you''re in a party, you don''t ask a guy to dance with you. It''s either they ask you, or they approach you and you decide if you let them dance with you. You understand?" Kate explained. Michelle felt embarrassed. She did feel grateful though. So, she just smiled and nodded "Understood. Thank you, Kate." She replied. Well, Kate did have a point. But how could she ever get Anthony to ask her? "Kate, that''s too much. Like all the girls here are doing that, Michelle is not doing anything wrong¡­" Lara defended. Kate shook her head, "that''s the difference between us and them. Besides, Michelle is this hot. Why does she need to ask? If I leave her there in the middle of the dancefloor, you guess how many guys would line up to dance with her?" Lara smiled a bit awkwardly, well, how about her asking Steven? "Don''t make that face Lara, Steven is just a special case. That you were even able to make him dance with you is already a miracle by itself. But Anthony is a normal guy, he dances with those girls." Michelle tried to comfort Lara too. "Yes, Kate is right." Lara smiled at Michelle, ah, the two looked like some sisters who just got bullied by their stepmother. Kate sighed. "Ugh¡­ girls, why do I feel like some antagonistic character here now?" Michelle laughed, "Of course not Kate. Thank you really. I was just wondering how I can get Anthony to dance with me without asking him at all?" Kate gave her an eyeroll. "You have 2 and a half hours to do figure that one out. Don''t disappoint me. Now, stop with the boys. Let''s have fun first before I leave you two for my date." With that, the girls all began laughing again. Then, they entered the dancefloor. -- Andy who remembered that he should go see his friends exited the dancefloor to join them. He passed by some tables first accepting greetings. When he reached them, Jeff was first to greet him. "Hey birthday boy! Great party going!" Jeff teasingly greeted, while the others also greeted him happy birthday again. Giving some compliments. Andy chuckled, "thanks guys. Anyhow, where are the girls? I haven''t seen them just yet." "Oh, won''t you be pleased to see them." Vince said laughingly. Andy smiled as he tilted his head amused, "What do you mean?" Vince was about to explain when suddenly loud cheering began from the dance floor. Curious, the 5 of them all turned to look. -- TBC Chapter 65 - 65: Birthday Party IV (Michelle POV) Just one minute upon entering the dancefloor, Lara, Kate and I were already having a blast. We were facing each other, shaking our hips left and right in time to the beat of the music. Then, in turns we would each show some exaggerated dance moves we know. "Michelle, I did not expect it, but girl, you can dance!" Kate praised after my turn while Lara took over. I brimmed with the praise. Honestly, I have looked forward to this party so much that I have watched a lot of dancing tutorials before coming here and practiced in front of the mirror. Good that I am able to put them into use now. Everything was going well, when suddenly, the music changed. It should not matter as the mix of sounds were still playing, but then, it was off putting when one''s so much into the beat then suddenly it''s different. You get what I mean? Anyhow, the three of us looked at each other all curious when suddenly, the new song started with "uh, dirrty (dirrty) Filthy (filthy)" "Wah!!!!! Christina Aguilera''s Dirrty!!!! This is my song!!!!" Lara screamed excitedly. Then, she pulled me and Kate to the middle of the dance floor which suddenly had some of space. I recalled earlier that we can not even penetrate to the middle as the dancefloor was packed. Anyhow, since Lara began dancing, me and Kate just followed. Lara had her eyes closed, feeling the song too much. On the other hand, Kate and I looked at each other, slowly becoming aware of the strangeness of our surrounding. I stopped dancing then looked around. I noticed that the crowd was slowly leaving the middle of the dancefloor empty. Eh? Why were they moving away? I wondered. That''s when I saw that from the stage where the DJ mix was, people made way for a group of girls headed by Elizabeth Cheng walking with some attitude to the middle of the dancefloor. Kate and I looked at each other then at Lara who was still dancing. "Lara?" I called over the blaring music. Kate who also stopped dancing shook her head and sighed. Then, she tried to pull on Lara''s arm. "Lara, let''s go." She said. Lara who was still dancing opened her eyes to complain, "What!? I''m still enjoying my song." Then slowly, she stopped dancing when she noticed the lack of people around us. "What''s going on?" she asked. "That''s what." Kate indicated as she looked at the group of girls standing a few feet from us like some mean girls from a chick flick movie, staring us down like we were pests not knowing to vacate the space when the protagonists arrive. The five of them then walked towards us, Elizabeth, their de facto leader I guess, at the middle. -- (Third POV) "Hi girls, sorry, but could we kindly request your cooperation in uh¡­ giving us some space for a chance to perform for the birthday boy? I mean it would only be for about 2 minutes." Elizabeth said in a seemingly polite manner. Since most of the people invited in this party were from the entertainment industry, many knew who Elizabeth was and they mostly sided with her. At least those who wanted to see her perform. Lara looked them up and down. Elizabeth was wearing a mini wrap top like bra and skirt which showed her middle rift while the girls with her were also wearing very sexy outfits. Lara smirked feeling that she and the girls were fighting on equal grounds tonight with their outfits. Anyhow, why should she and her friends leave the dance floor because they said so? Who are these lowly actresses/ models peasants wannabes anyway? She was Lara Chua from the exclusive 8. How dare they even attempt to make her leave? Especially so that the music playing was her song. Thus, with a bitch face attitude she said, "Why should we be the ones giving you space? How about this? If you want to do whatever you want to do, go find your own dancefloor. I want to dance, I''m not leaving." ''Woohoo! Burn!!!'' Kate and Michelle thought as they wanted to cheer. Both thinking that the face slap has got to hurt. It''s not that they dislike Elizabeth or anything personal. They don''t really care about her, but Lara''s their friend, so they were on her side. Elizabeth''s face turned red. She wanted to tear Lara''s face off, but she still has to keep her polite and kind mask on. Thankfully, one of her friends in the circle moved to defend her. "Hey, Elizabeth have asked so nicely, why should you be such a bitch about it?" the girl complained. Kate not liking the word spoke up, "Who are you calling a bitch? You want your career to end and never see the light of day again?" The girl shut up realizing who they were talking to. In stalemate, the girls stared at each other. None leaving the dance floor. Then, out of nowhere, the crowd surrounding the girls cheered. "Dance off! Dance off! Dance off!" The girl beside Elizabeth smiled sarcastically, "How about this? Since we both want the dance floor, we can do as the crowd suggested." She dared. Elizabeth then said, "but Riza, they can''t probably compete with us¡­ our dance has been choreographed and¡­" she dissuaded as she looked at Lara pleadingly. Lara felt that look more irritating. Still, she must take into consideration what the Kate and Michelle think. She turned to look at them. "What do you say girls?" Kate was all fire, "Fine with me." Michelle wanted to facepalm, but this is for friendship. "Sure." Lara felt the confidence booster from the girls, so she faced their opponents, ok she just labelled them that for tonight. "You know what? Dance off with you bitches? Sure, but don''t cry when you suddenly realize that your special effects stunt in TV don''t work here." she said with a supper bitchy attitude. -- TBC Chapter 66 - 66: Birthday Party V (Third POV) Elizabeth and her group all looked at each other and smirked. Thinking that these rich brats were some easy pickings. Anyhow, the two groups moved to both ends where other people were standing to vacate the middle. Lara started addressing the girls, "Ok, Kate, Michelle, you two know how to dance the song? You must have watched the music video on MTV, right?" Kata laughed, "Not really, but I can be your back up dancer Lara." Michelle also smiled a bit awkwardly, "uh, I watched it, but same case¡­" Lara shook her head, "It doesn''t matter. Just watch me and try to follow, okay?" Kate and Michelle both nodded their head like girls on a mission. Anyway, don''t know who requested it, but suddenly, the DJ put the song ''Dirrty'' on rewind. When it began playing, the girls from both sides walked to the middle with so much sass. Then, they stopped to look at each other one more time. As if sizing up one another. "You sure you girls want some of this?" Riza the girl beside Elizabeth dared again. Lara scoffed, "Bring it on." Elizabeth''s group looked at each other smirking, then they started the first moves as the song started playing, "If you ain''t dirrty You ain''t here to party (woo!) Ladies (move) Gentlemen (move) Somebody ring the alarm A fire on the roof Ring the alarm (and I''m throwin'' elbows) Ring the alarm (and I''m throwin'' elbows) Ring the alarm (and I''m throwin'' elbows) Ring the alarm (and I''m throwin'' elbows) Ring the alarm (and I''m throwin'' elbows) Ring the alarm (and I''m throwin'' elbows) Ring the alarm (and I''m throwin'' elbows) Where my dawgs at? (Uh, let me loose)" Oh, I''m overdue Give me some room I''m coming through Paid my dues In the mood Me and my girls gonna shake the room DJ''s spinning (show your hands) Let''s get dirrty (that''s my jam) I need that, uh, to get me off Sweat until my clothes come off" That part took about 40 seconds. Their moves were very synchronized. Their hips and arms moving together as they walked together. Nothing too excessive yet, except for the part where they kicked air which had their legs straight up like in a split all showing their knickers. Lara did not have time to look at Kate and Michelle as it was then their turn. Seeing their opponents'' moves earlier, she felt that they can totally do this. Thus, she confidently started dancing herself. "Temperature''s up (can you feel it) About to erupt Gonna get my girls Get your boys Gonna make some noise Gonna get rowdy Gonna get a little unruly Get it fired up in a hurry Wanna get dirrty It''s about time that I came to start the party Sweat dripping over my body Dancing, gettin'' just a little naughty Wanna get dirrty It''s about time for my arrival" Lara took lead, while Michelle and Kate followed. Kate and Michelle don''t really know if they were doing ok. but the crowds seemed to love it, so maybe they were doing great. So, they kept on dancing. Anyway, seeing Lara doing great, they felt that they were too. For about 40 seconds, they continued following Lara''s movements. Doing a lot of acrobatic like dance steps which were getting difficult to follow but enjoyable. Then, for the final move, Lara copied Christina Aguilera squatting with her legs opening and closing about 3 times, not minding that her knickers were also showing. The two at the back also did the same. Which caused the crowd to cheer more wildly. When they were done with that, they stood up again and high fived each other. But, the dance battle was still not over. It was again their opponent''s turn. "Ah, heat is up So ladies, fellas Drop your cups Body''s packed Front to back Now move your ass I like that Tight hip huggers (low for sure) Shake a little somethin'' (on the floor) I need that, uh, to get me off Sweat until my clothes come off Let''s get open, cause a commotion We''re still going, eight in the morning There''s no stopping, we keep it popping Hard rocking, everyone''s talking Give all you''ve got (give it to me) Just hit the spot Gonna get my girls Get your boys Gonna make some noise Gonna get rowdy Gonna get a little unruly Get it fired up in a hurry Wanna get dirrty It''s about time that I came to start the party" This time, Elizabeth''s group were more serious. Like acrobats in a freak show, their moves became exaggerated, down to the floor, even on their knees, bending over, splitting, and all those complicated movements which caused the crowd''s eyes to widen as they began cheering louder. Michelle, Lara, and Kate can only look at each other. Lara pursed her lips in annoyance. Michelle and Kate laughed. "It''s ok Lara, we all had fun." Kate said. Michelle followed, "Yes, you were great Lara, you''re already the winner in our hearts." Lara sulked but what to do? Those freaks were like monkeys in a freak show. She and her friends can''t possibly do summersaults just to defeat them, not that it''s about wardrobe malfunction but because they don''t have that kind of talent! Well, they could but they did not prepare ahead of time. At least that''s what Lara told herself to make herself feel better. "It''s ok thanks for the support. Ugh. Anyhow, they look like freaking muscled gymnasts doing acrobats anyway, where''s the sexiness and class in that? In sexiness and beauty, I totally think we won." Kate laughed again, "that''s the spirit!" Anyway, when it was their turn, they no longer danced. The group of girls on the other side high fived each other knowing that they won. The music did not stop playing but another character entered the scene. With some of his mates clapping his shoulders, Andy was directed to the middle of the dance floor. They asked him to be the impromptu judge of the dance off as he was the celebrant. -- TBC Chapter 67 - 67: Birthday Party VI (Third POV) When the girls left to dance, the guys on the table, particularly Vince and Jeff looked at Anthony like he was some alien from mars. "Anthony, are you asexual or something?" Jeff asked. Anthony furrowed his brows, "What are you getting at?" Vince tsked as he shook his head, "Jeff, let him be. It''s his lost, besides, that way, I get a shot." He said as he wiggled his brows. Jeff chuckled, "You got a point there. It''s fair play tonight. Gods, that chick Michelle, her waist was so tiny and her tits and hips¡­" he whistled as he gestured an hour-glass body shape with his hands. "You got that right. I bet even Steven here found her attractive tonight. What say you, Steven?" Vince teased. Steven chose to ignore them. Loathe as he was to admit it, it was true. He does not understand why. He has seen many beautiful and sexy girls, but¡­ okay he can no longer deny it. He was attracted to Michelle. Still, he has Lara. Though their relationship was only labeled as Mutual Understanding, he would never try to pursue another girl with them together, and especially that Michelle was already her good friend. Besides, what was attraction in comparison to almost 18 years of friendship and companionship? He may not say it, but he cares about Lara a lot. Vince laughed, "See? He did not even deny it. Anyhow, Jeff, have the girls entered the dancefloor?" "Would you look at that? If Lara and Kate weren''t there, I would dance with her myself!" Jeff announced watching Michelle dance. "Not bad. Hey, I got first dibs man, so stand back." Vince said. Jeff just laughed and continued watching. Anthony ever the dense person only thought that they got it wrong. How could Michelle like him? She was only shy and¡­ his eyes widened as he saw her dancing. He had no idea that Michelle can dance. She was only swaying her body side to side, then moving her arms in circular motions, but she was so graceful and¡­ "Hey birthday boy! Great party going!" Jeff greeted as Andy came to their view. Anthony turned to look at Andy. For a brief second, he wondered if Andy saw him checking Michelle out. It''s not that he feared Andy would take offence, but well, there''s this bro code where when your friend announces that he likes a certain girl, you better not try to snitch said girl. Anyhow, he also greeted him. Then, Andy started looking for the girls. Vince answered, but before he can point where they were at, loud cheering came from the dance floor. The five boys curiously looked and saw that people have moved away from the center and were all standing at the sides. They started chanting, "Dance off, Dance off, Dance off!" "Whoo! Is that part of the script Andy? Feels like we''re in a chick flick movie." Vince said as he laughed. Andy shook his head, "No, don''t know what''s going on. Let''s go see." The boys nodded their head, Jeff seeing Steven about to sit clapped his shoulder, "Come on, come along you kill joy." Steven sighed and walked with them. It was lame sitting alone anyway. -- Seeing Andy and his friends coming over the people on the dancefloor made way for them. Soon, the five were standing on the front row at the side where they have full view of the two group of girls already talking each other down. "Somebody should stop them." Steven was first to say. "Indeed." Anthony seconded. Vince laughed. "What for? this would be fun." Jeff was grinning, agreeing with Vince. Andy, well, to be honest, he was too mesmerized by Michelle to have his brain function properly. She was wearing that small dress which he can totally imagine getting his hands under, lots of her white and rosy skin was showing, and damn. He can only hope that his erection was not showing. Anyway, the music began playing and the girls started to move to face each other in the middle. They could not hear what they were saying because of the loud music, but Lara''s voice was resounding when she yelled "Bring it on!" Vince looked at Steven who winced as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "You okay there?" he asked while grinning. Steven can only take a deep breath. Lara would really be the death of him. She just loves stirring up trouble. Vince laughed. in truth, he rather enjoyed Lara causing a commotion and making a fool out of herself. Anyhow, the girls led by Elizabeth began dancing, and weren''t they hot? Ah, really hot. The way their body moves, were also in synchrony. It was not bad at all. Many would be dreaming of them tonight, oops, they might even be with them tonight! That''s the general thought of the audience. After Elizabeth''s group, it was Lara, Kate and Michelle''s turn. Andy and their group of course cheered. The three began dancing. Lara as the lead was good, her movements were precise, moving in a way showing her skills. Kate and Michelle¡­ well, the two tried to copy Lara''s movements. In terms of synchronization, it was a massacre. However, their moves were not bad. Kate knew how to dance and her body moving with the beat did not make it seem like their group dance was in a mess. Jeff wondered again why they broke up. Then, there was Michelle. Honestly, even if she were just to stand there like an extra, swaying her hips, laughing, and enjoying herself, the audience, well, the male audience, would still love it. Now, add that she''s trying to copy Lara''s movements, of course the male audience loved it more. Her dance was gracefully seductive, her movements soft and smooth like water, very very feminine. Nothing like the acrobatic show the other girls were showing. Then she was smiling which added an extra allure. At least, that''s what Andy and Anthony thought. Steven saw also, but he was too busy worrying over Lara hoping she doesn''t make a fool of herself. When Lara finished dancing, he breathed a sigh of relief. That was until she squatted and open closed her legs showing her knickers! -- TBC Chapter 68 - 68: Birthday Party VII The crowds continued to cheer, at least the boys cheered louder. The girls were freaking hot. Especially Michelle. Does it matter if their moves were not matching each other? Hot girls dancing was all they wanted to see anyway. Then, it was Elizabeth''s group turn again. This time, they totally slain the girls. Their moves were showcasing their flexibility, as if the purpose was to make one imagine the bed scene with how flexible their bodies were. It made the crowd go wild. Not that Andy and the gang cared, their focus were on their friends. At least excluding Vince. When the show was over, Andy''s mates from showbiz began to approach him and then, they clapped his shoulders pushing him to the center to be the judge. -- The 8 girls on the dancefloor all looked at him. Some security personnel in the room were quick on their feet to hand Andy a mic. The DJ also lowered the music volume. Andy who was holding the mic looked at the girls. He began on the left where his friends were. Lara widened her eyes at him as she pursed her lips, as if daring him to not call them the winner. Kate was also doing the same. Not that it mattered to him because his focus was on Michelle. Finally, their eyes met for the first time that night. Michelle looked at Andy who walked in as the judge. When their eyes met, as she was not as close to him as the girls, she just smiled at him as she mouthed happy birthday. Andy seeing her do so, smiled back. Gods, she was so beautiful when she smiles. Was what he thought. But then, knowing where he was, he forcefully tore his eyes away from her to look at the right side where Elizabeth''s group were. Elizabeth saw how Andy looked at the girl she did not even remember the name of. She admits that she did look hot, but she knew she was better. Alright, maybe the other girl has bigger boobs and ass, but she was not as fit as her. Her arms didn''t even look like it has a tiny bit of muscle in them. Did Andy like those kinds of girls? No. From what she knew his track record were super fit girls, runway models and the like. Besides, she was sure the girl must have some flabs. She didn''t look like she worked out. Anyway, Elizabeth met Andy''s eyes, and she tried to look at him shyly and innocently. Smiling that small little smile her fans die seeing. Andy, well, to be honest, he also thinks Elizabeth was hot. Plus, her smile for him looked like she was worshipping him and was telling him that he would definitely get laid tonight. No, he likes Michelle, and would not be tempted to take Elizabeth''s offer. He would go through tonight as he planned when he invited her. That was to have a good time with her on the party, not all innocent but nothing excessive as he was still just wanting to get to know her. Ugh¡­ but, it was his birthday. He also wanted to get laid. If it were other girls he won''t be tempted, but it''s Elizabeth Cheng. Still a virginal actress he was sure and she''s offering, no, chasing him so that he would pop her cherry tonight. How can he not be tempted? What was he thinking about anyway? He and Michelle were not in a relationship. Technically there was nothing between them but friendship. Did she like him? Well, he thought so. Ugh, just let the girls decide for themselves! He finally spoke, "Whoo! It''s so difficult to judge which group won the dance off. Both were soooo good. Wouldn''t everyone agree?" "Yeah!!!!" everyone cheered. Honestly, the guys don''t mind whoever wins, they have been entertained enough, while the girls¡­ many also hate Elizabeth''s group. So, they were mostly being neutral. "Anyhow, I don''t know what started this dance off, but what I do know is that when there''s one, there must be a prize. Now girls, because you''re both great, I say that this is a tie, and you all are winners. So, let me ask, what prize do you girls want?" Since Lara was the leader of the group, the personnel went to hand her the mic. Lara scoffed as she glared at Andy, she totally knows what''s running in his stupid heads, yeah, the one above and the one below. "you''re so totally gonna regret this!" she said as she threw the mic on the personnel who caught it quickly. "Let''s go girls." she announced. Kate glared and made a face at Andy. Michelle just smiled apologetically. Honestly, what does she do? Tie was the best outcome coz it was obvious they lost. Andy suddenly felt guilty and regretted his words. Like he realized that Elizabeth was not worth it. Michelle, come back! He wanted to say. He was about to cancel everything, but Elizabeth did not wait for the mic to be handed to her. Elizabeth knew that Andy was about to change his mind. She''s so not letting that happen. Thus, what does she do? She jumped at him and wrapped her legs around his body. Then, she dived right in for a passionate kiss. Andy staggered but recovered his footsteps. He could do nothing anymore as he placed his hands on her derriere, her apex spot on rubbing on his groin, her arms around his neck, and tongue already down his throat. The crowd all cheered like crazy. After that display, Andy put Elizabeth down. "Ok, that''s enough for tonight." He whispered to her ear as not to shame her in front of everyone. Elizabeth shook her head as she smiled that little smile at him, "you said we get to choose the prize, that''s just me celebrating the win. Come on. I think you would love the prize I will be asking for." She said suggestively as she pulled on his hand. Everyone''s eyes followed as Elizabeth dragged Andy out of the room. Safe to say they all know what will come after. Well, where else would that display lead to? -- TBC Chapter 69 - 69: Birthday Party VIII (Third POV) Lara was pouting like a sore loser. When Andy was announced as judge, she felt ecstatic. Like, she was expecting him to pick them as winners to help them put those girls in their place. What? Although Elizabeth''s group did those acrobatic moves, she and Kate were his friends since forever, plus he even said he likes Michelle a lot! However, the traitor announced that it was a fucking tie. What tie? She was sure that the wanker was thinking with his other head. Anyhow, on their way back to the table, the girls saw Steven and company. Lara pulled on Steven''s hand to drag him back to their seat. Jeff followed as he tried to tell Kate how she rocked. Anthony smiled at Michelle apologetically. Not because their group lost but because of what Andy did. Like she must be broken hearted now. Michelle, well, if she can read Anthony''s mind, she would tell him that she doesn''t really care what Andy do. However, she could not. So, she interpreted his apologetic smile as for them not winning. Remembering how she moved back then, she shyly smiled back at him. Trying to flirt and acting embarrassed at the same time. -- "Stop pouting." Steven said as he gave Lara a glass of water. It''s not good if she keeps drinking alcoholic beverage. Though she only had 2 glasses so far. Yes, he does keep count. Lara pushed the glass of water away and opted for the spritz. "How could Andy do that!? That imbecile! Steven, you do think we were better, right?" Steven nodded his head slightly. Vincent laughed, "Shiz Larazilla! You''re such a sore loser. I mean, you did see how those girls moved. Besides, if I were in Andy''s shoes¡­" Lara acted like she would throw the glass at Vince, Vince continued to laugh and acted like he was going to dodge, while Steven held Lara''s arm to stop her. Kate gave an eyeroll with how they were acting. "Lara, stop moping. We had our fun, besides, the night''s still young. Don''t let what happened get into you." The she looked at Vince, "and you, if you have nothing nice to say, just shut up. What are you still doing here anyway?" Vince only grinned. Why else? Aside from teasing Lara, he wanted to dance with Michelle. But he has to get Lara and Kate out of the picture. If not, well, his attempt would not end well. "I wanted to console you two, we are friends after all. Hehe¡­" then he looked at Michelle. Michelle was shyly sneaking glances at Anthony as she took sips from the glass of aperol spritz. Now she gets why Lara likes it so much. Amongst the 3 she had so far, this one was the best. Now, how does she get to dance with Anthony? Anthony on the other hand drank his vodka martini totally unaware that Michelle was eyeing him. He felt bad for Michelle. Such a nice girl and Andy¡­ he said he likes her, but tsk tsk. Poor Michelle. She was even looking forward to this party, he recalled her asking about it when they had breakfast, plus she even prepared her gift for Andy lovingly. Vince felt that the sight playing before him was annoying enough. He just totally lost interest. Besides, how can he flirt with the girl who was obviously pining over his friend? Such a downer. He looked at Jeff, and Jeff also looked at him. Ah, their friendship was close enough that they can have a mental telepathy. Anyway, Lara feeling stuffy pulled on Steven''s hand. "Let''s dance." She demanded. Steven who felt bad for her nodded his head and stood up so that they can walk to the dance floor. Michelle briefly followed the two with her eyes. Strangely, she did not feel any form of jealousy anymore. She just hoped that Lara and Steven would be happy. It doesn''t matter what the future holds for them. What was important was that right now, they were with the person they choose to be with. Kate saw her date looking at her but she ignored him. He can wait. Anyway, seeing Michelle who kept looking at Anthony, she decided to give her a reminder and some piece of advice. "Michelle, can you accompany me to the restroom?" she asked. Michelle who was still pondering on how to ask Anthony to dance with her without saying the words smiled and nodded her head. -- Now, there were only Vincent, Jeff, and Anthony left on their table. Jeff and Vince were about leave too, when suddenly, a group of girls came over their table to join them. It was Elizabeth''s gang, this time with Elizabeth absent, Riza was the one leading them. "Hi boys¡­ we see that you lack some company. Would you mind if we join you?" Riza said as she smiled at the boys. Vince and Jeff looked at each other and their lips tilted up in a predatory smile. "Of course not, come make yourselves comfortable, ladies." They replied. Anthony on the other hand, was still looking at his glass, not really knowing nor minding what was happening, he still felt bad for Michelle. Anyhow, the girls were no strangers to the boys as they also flirted at the pool party earlier, so each already had a target in mind. The two girls each took a seat beside Jeff and Vince, the other one not seeing Steven decided to leave and find herself another guy. Riza, well, she''s the one who flirted with Anthony earlier. In truth, Riza has been crushing on Anthony since last year. She first met him at Andy''s 18th birthday, and she even got to dance with him. Though it was a pity that he does not remember. When they talked earlier, he did not even recognize her. Riza took the seat Michelle emptied. Then she touched the rim of the glass Anthony''s been looking at. "Hey there." She began. Anthony looked beside him somewhat confused. Seeing a girl, he recognized her as the one who flirted with him earlier. "Remember me?" she asked. -- TBC Chapter 70 - 70: Birthday Party IX Anthony has always been polite, so he answered, "Ah, yes, from the pool party earlier." Riza was thrilled to know that he remembered her. "Really? Then, what''s my name again?" she asked seductively trying to flirt. Anthony furrowed his brows. What was her name again? Riza immediately understood that he forgot. Ugh. Anyway, it does not matter, she will make him remember and make him call it over and over later. Last time, she was a bit stupid. After dancing with him, she waited for him to make the next move. Well, it ended with him leaving and just saying that he enjoyed the dance. Riza pouted her luscious lips, "How could you forget so easily?" she said in a spoilt voice. Anthony smiled apologetically. "Sorry, but¡­" Riza leaned forward showing him her cleavage, as she grabbed his hand, "Alright, I will forgive you, on the condition that you must dance with me." Anthony who already gave her a once over earlier did not do so a second time. The guys all think that he''s a monk and asexual, but really, he''s not. It''s just that he has his own standards. Honestly, he was a normal teenager, when he sees a really hot girl, he gets a boner. However, problem was, when they start talking and flirting with him, he gets turned off. In truth, he wants to experience having sex too. But it''s not a matter of him wanting, but a matter of his body not reacting because he has already been turned off. Not to say that he has any problem about his, you know. There were also girls who he wanted to bang, but problem was, they were either already taken, or were virginal female friends (friend as there''s only Michelle he can think of in that list now). Why not? The already taken, for obvious reasons. How about the other? Well, aside from the possibility of ruining friendship, and having a conscience because a girl''s first should be with a special someone who cares about her instead of someone just wanting to bang her, it''s also because as said, he doesn''t want to be tied in a relationship just yet. He wants to have sex but only if there''s no strings attached. Thus, to date, he has not successfully engaged in the act. Now, why does he dance and entertain the girls in these kinds of parties who flirts with him? Again, he''s a normal teenage boy who wants to have sex and he knew that having sex in a party is just a hook up, perfect for what he''s looking for. Also, well, to be honest, there''s some peer pressure involved. Like if he doesn''t at least dance and flirt with some, his friends might already label him as bending the other way. Which he was sure he was not. When he masturbates, he thinks of pussies, not dicks. Thank you very much. Anthony looked at Jeff and Vince who seems to be having a good time. They also looked at him wiggling their brows. Ugh. Just get this over with and dance with the girl. He does feel a bit guilty for not even remembering her name anyway. "Ok." -- Michelle heard the flush, and Kate walked out of the cubicle. She washed her hands and then looked at her. "So, have you thought of how to get him to dance with you?" Kate asked. Michelle sighed, "I had ideas, but he wouldn''t even look at me. Did he get turned off with the me dancing earlier?" she asked out loud. She worried that Anthony does not like that kind of girl. Kate giggled. "I doubt." "Really? You''re not just saying that to make me feel better?" "Of course. Have confidence girl. Besides, if you saw how he looked at you when you entered the room, you would understand what I mean. Anyway, if I were you, I''ll just dance the night away. Who knows? If he sees you enjoying just by yourself on the dance floor, perhaps he will man up to dance with you. Then again, thinking of how dense he is, maybe you should give him the eye and maybe make him a bit jealous? Anyhow, don''t ruin your night. We don''t get to do this every day, but you do see him in school almost every day right?" Kate said. Michelle chuckled. Really, Kate was like an older sister when she''s younger than her. "Thank you, Kate. I''m glad to have met you and that we''re friends now." "Friends?" Michelle blushed. Were they not? Kate laughed. "Well, not till we seal it by exchanging numbers! Hahaha! You''re so fun to tease! Anyway, let''s head back." Michelle being more confident tickled Kate. "You!!!!" Kate laughed as she opened the door to head back inside. -- (Michelle POV) When Kate and I headed back inside, I saw that Anthony, Jeff, and Vince already have company at our table. Of course, I was incensed. How dare that girl take my seat and sit beside my Anthony? Kate looked at me and shook her head. "Remember what I told you. Besides, Anthony''s not into that girl. I can tell you for sure. Look at his gestures. He''s being polite but aloof." I looked at him again, Kate''s right. "How did you figure that out?" Kate giggled, "Comes with experience." "Did you and Anthony?" I asked a bit guiltily. "Gods no!" Kate exclaimed, then she laughed. "Anyway, come on. Let me show you how it''s done. I''m betting that you have no idea how to play this game." -- Before Kate and I can enter the dancefloor, I saw the girl, I now recalled her name was Riza one of the girls with Elizabeth earlier, dragging Anthony to do the same. Although Anthony did not seem enthusiastic, he did not reject her either. He just walked slowly. Gods, I feel the fire burning inside me. I am feeling jealous. Ugh. I knew I have no right to be, but I still felt that way. I mean, I have been loving Anthony one-sidedly for God knows how long. Kate laughed, "Stop looking like that. After the dance ends, he will walk back to the table and ignore that girl. He might not even remember her name. Anyway, for your lesson from me, this is what we will do. Before we start dancing, we should zero in on our targets¡­ hmm, see that guy there? After this song, he would be joining me for a dance. Do you believe me?" I looked at the guy who was dancing sensually with another girl. For real? I looked at her flabbergasted. "Don''t look at me like that. I''m not trying to steal him from that girl. Besides, they might just be hooking up. Almost everyone here is." "I don''t mean that, just that it''s unbelievable." Kate laughed, "Believe me, anything is possible. Now, you pick your target. As this is practice, find someone other than Anthony." I looked around the room, I don''t see anyone I find attractive for myself at first until I saw Louis Go. He was standing by a table, a girl chatting him up. "Him? Hmmm not bad. You two talked earlier, right? Too easy, but since it''s your first then let''s go with that." Kate said. I nodded my head. "Alright. Now we''re ready. Come, let''s get this started." -- TBC Chapter 71 - 71: Birthday Party X (Michelle POV) As Kate and I stepped into the dance floor, she positioned us so we both would have a somewhat clear view of our targets and that I would be facing away from Anthony. As she said, so as not to distract me. Then, to my surprise, she started dancing with me, not like the group dance we had earlier with Lara, but much more sensual. Intimate even. It shocked me that Kate has no problem dancing with me like this. If I didn''t know that her orientation was straight, I would think that she bends that way! Not that I have a problem if she does, I mean her being a lesbian if she were which she was not, but it''s just so new to me. Seeing my reaction, perhaps Kate found it funny, she whispered as she continued to dance with me. "Michelle, relax. Don''t be too stiff. If you can''t dance with me like this, what more a stranger." I bit my lip as I nodded my head. I took a deep breath and tried to get the rhythm of the music. After a while, I was dancing with her, our bodies were literally touching, and rubbing. "Now, look at your target. Is he still chatting with that girl?" I took a glance at where he''s at and saw that although he was with the girl, his eyes were elsewhere, scanning the room. "Yes, but he''s scanning the room." "Good, keep looking at him from time to time. Once he looks at our direction, he would definitely see you. When he does, maintain eye contact." She said slowly through the blaring music. "Alright¡­" I answered as I did as she told. While doing so, Kate took a step away from me and continued dancing. Curiously, I looked at what she was doing. Noticing, she smiled at me and mouthed, ''Watch me''. Then, she looked at the guy who was her target. Since the guy was positioned on the side, I can also see him. After just 5 seconds, I noticed that he was already looking at Kate. Kate danced as she held his gaze, not even flinching as the guy''s eyes roamed around her body. The guy was dancing with the girl he was with, but as I looked at him and Kate, the way they were looking at each other, it felt like they were dancing with each other instead. Kate did not just stare. She would glance down briefly before raising her eyes again to make eye contact. Then, she tilted her lips upward by a little. She was so bold, and I was wowed by her sheer confidence. I had to admit. It was very sexy. Her doing all those only took 15 seconds. Then, she glanced back at me. She took a step closer again and whispered, "That''s how you begin flirting. Once you caught his interest, even though you already broke eye contact, he would continue to stare. During that time, you show him what you want through body language. I can''t explain it, but by the time the song changes, he would ask you for a dance, or sometimes, he would start dancing with you as you move. Now, from there, how far you would like it to go, that would depend on you. You''re the one to decide when to hit the brakes." I whispered ok just in time for the moment my eyes met with Louis. At first, I didn''t know what to do. But remembering what Kate did, I glanced downwards to get back my composure. Kate noticed but did not say anything. She just guided my body to continue moving. Anyway, I chanced to look at him again. He was looking at me, but then turned away. Then, I saw his lips tilting upwards. Gods, did he think I was funny and understood quickly what I was doing? "He looked away." I told Kate. Kate shook her head. "Try again." I kept looking at Louis, but he did not look at me again. Gods, did I fail on my first attempt? Well, it''s not like I''m into him, but still, my pride. Anyway, the song continued playing but he didn''t look at me again. When the song ended and no lyrics was playing, I saw the guy Kate was looking at earlier, saying something to the girl he was dancing with then her leaving the dancefloor. "Your target is coming over. Do I leave now?" I asked. "How about yours?" she asked. I looked at where Louis was at again. Where was he? "I don''t see him. I think I failed." Kate raised both her eyebrows, before she can say anything, her target came over, grabbed her hand then twirled her so that her body would land on his. Her back leaning on his front. Kate laughed as the guy wrapped his arms around her. "You''re really such a tease Kate." The guy said. My eyes widened. Kate giggled. "Michelle, this is James. James, Michelle." Ok, did Kate just dupe me? Shaking my head, I smiled back at James, and we shook hands. "You had great moves earlier. Anyhow, mind if I steal my date?" James said. What can I say? I sighed. Then, nodded my head and smiled. Kate hit James''s arm, "Wait a little, okay? I need to say something to Michelle." she said. Then she leaned over to whisper, "I was not just messing with you. Though it''s only effective for hot and super pretty girls like yourself. Hehe. Now, remember, you hold the brakes. Enjoy the night!" she said as she pushed me a little. I took two steps back to gain balance but don''t know if it''s me being tipsy or something but I almost tumbled. Luckily, two hands held my shoulders in place. "Careful." I heard the person who caught me whisper in a low baritone voice. Vaguely, I recognized the voice, and when I turned to face him, true to my expectations, it was Louis standing before me. "Oh, sorry about that. My friend, she¡­" I explained as I turned around to look for Kate, who has now apparently gone MIA (Missing in action). Great. -- TBC Chapter 72 - 72: Birthday Party XI (Michelle POV) Louis chuckled. "So, we meet again. Anyway, shall we dance?" he asked as the new song started playing. I looked at him again. Ok, so he was really handsome and looked harmless like a gentleman. I was hoping to dance with Anthony first, but I did choose him earlier. I also doubt that he would have approached if I didn''t do what Kate made me do, though I did not do much. Anyhow, I also wanted to enjoy the night and the experience. Besides, looking over Louis'' shoulder, I saw that Anthony was still dancing with that Riza. Oh well, I''ll just think of how to get him later. For now, l will just take Louis'' outstretched hand. "Okay." I said as I took his hand and smiled back at him. Louis'' eyes mooned, then, suddenly, he pulled me closer, our chests almost touched if not for me landing my hand on top of his chest. Then he said, "There''s so little space, we need to dance closer. Hope you don''t mind." I noticed that more people did join the dance floor, so I just nodded my head. Besides, I did want to experience this for once. -- (Third POV) Lara frowned as she saw the additional company in their table. There was Vince and Jeff plus the girls from Elizabeth''s group. How could she be pleased? Anyway, she still took her seat, Steven beside her. Then, she asked. "Where''s Michelle, Kate and Anthony?" Jeff who was not so into the girl who''s flirting with him, chose to answer. "Kate and Michelle went to the restroom, don''t know why they''re not back yet. Anthony''s dancing with that girl, what''s her name again?" "Riza." The girl beside him supplemented as she looked Lara up and down. "What are you looking at? How about this? Scram!" she said unmerciful. The girl went wide eyed and looked at Jeff. Jeff gave an not so apologetic smile. "You heard our boss. Bye." He said. The girl stood up in indignation and grabbed the girl who was flirting with Vince. "Let''s go." She said. The girl tried not to go, but then, Vince waved her goodbye. Honestly, Vince already gave her 10 minutes of his time tonight, but her trying to act virginal suddenly when she obviously was not, was getting on his nerves. Ah, Lara can really be useful at times. Anyway, just in time, Anthony and Riza went back to the table. Riza saw that her friends already left, and that bossy girl Lara was back. Lara seeing Riza was not pleased. She disliked her a lot, plus seeing her hugging Anthony''s arm was annoying. She already marked Anthony as Michelle''s partner for the night, and hopefully, the coming days, so Andy will be sorry. Besides, Michelle said so herself, she liked Anthony. Riza tried to act friendly, but Lara wasn''t one to give face at all when she disliked a person. "What are you doing here? Who said you can sit with us?" Lara began. Riza smiled, "I''m with Anthony so¡­" she said as she looked at Anthony. Anthony, well, he also wanted to get rid of her, but was too kind to tell her straight on. Besides, through experience even when he does, they usually don''t listen anyway. So, he usually let Lara handle this kind of situation. Actually, everyone in the group does. "I don''t care. Scram." She said. Riza did not want to embarrass herself further, plus she can''t go against Lara. She knew that their group was the exclusive 8, so she can''t piss her off too much. She wanted to say, sore loser, but did not want to turn Anthony off. So, she looked at him and said, "Will you accompany me?" Anthony shook his head. "Sorry, I need to stay with my friends. Anyhow, please do enjoy the rest of the night." He told her with an apologetic smile. He may be nice, but he knows when enough is enough. When Riza left, Vince whistled, "Anthony, as always, you''re the cruelest amongst us." Anthony furrowed his brows, since when did he become cruel? Vince sighed. Anthony was too dense to understand that turning a girl down nicely is just making her think she still has a chance. Oh well, what to do? that''s why he''s a monk. Not touching girls, being nice, and rejecting them softly while at the same time making them think that they have a chance. "Michelle and Kate are not back yet?" Anthony asked. He did feel a bit worried about Michelle. She''s broken hearted, and he noted that she drank 3 glasses earlier. "Oh! Finally aware of that hot stuff? She''s been going gooey eyes for you all night and you haven''t even danced with her." Vince teased. Anthony shook his head, thinking that Vince was spouting nonsense. Jeff looked around the room and saw that Kate was already with that dude, James as he recalled bitterly, dancing without care in the world. Fine, he may have said that he was over her due to their break-up, but deep inside, there were times when he still missed her. "There''s Kate." He announced. The rest of the group looked. Used to Kate flirting and knowing that she knew what she was doing, they searched the room for Michelle. "Talk about good girl gone bad. Already regretting, Anthony?" Vince teased. Anthony looked and his jaw almost dropped to the ground. Was that Michelle? What was she doing? Rather, what was she letting that dude do? Does she even know what he''s doing? No way. Maybe she was drunk? Alcohol and broken heartedness may have that effect on a person. No, he must talk some sense into her before she regrets. Steven saw and could not understand why he felt some tugging in his heart. Outwardly though, he just furrowed his brows. Lara grinned, "Well, I guess my friend is also having a good time tonight!" she announced. Well, Andy''s so gonna regret. She knew that she already pit Anthony and Michelle together, but honestly, knowing Anthony who''s as dense as a rock¡­ Michelle was better off enjoying herself instead. Jeff and Vince also agreed, not minding. Well, it''s a party, so people parteee! However, beyond their expectations, Anthony stood up from his seat. -- TBC Chapter 73 - 73: Birthday Party XII (Michelle POV) After Louis pulled me to stand closer to him, he placed his hands on my hips, then he split my legs by stepping in between them so that we''re not directly on top of each other''s toes. He bridged the gap between us, so that we''re standing really close. He placed his hands on my hips then, he started the body roll movement while swaying us from side to side. If I haven''t experienced this while dancing with Kate earlier, I would be panicking just about now. Luckily, I did, so I thought that this was really normal. Besides, I did read in Wikipedia ''how to dance with a guy in a nightclub'' before coming here. So, I kinda knew what to expect. Anyhow, I followed his movements so that our body won''t touch. Louis smiled. Then, he moved his hands upwards and placed them just underneath my shoulder blades, pulling me even closer to him. Our chest just a centimeter apart. I gasped. This is really happening! It''s like the personification of everything I read about and it''s pretty cool. Haha! Ok, don''t know what''s running in his head though. Maybe he''s being a horny teenager thinking he''s gonna get lucky tonight? So funny. Anyhow, I have to say that Louis was a pro in this kind of thing. Like if I were to evaluate him based on my research, he would have a score of at least 9/10. Did he read them before coming here? Or was it something that came with experience? After a while, he turned me around, so that my naked back was leaning on his chest, then, he pulled my hips back and I felt his groin touching my ass! Ok, should I feel proud now that this super popular actor in the future got a hard on because of me? Then, like a pro, he took my hand, pulled it up and made me place it on the back of his head as he continued to sway us from side to side. Ok, this would be a nice move to implement later on Anthony. ''Hihi! Thanks for teaching me more Louis.'' I thanked him in my head as we continued to move. After a while, his hands moved to the sides of my waist, his bare hands touching my bare skin there, caused a tickling sensation which cause me to giggle. I was ticklish there. Louis whispered on my ear, "This tickles?" "Yes!" I answered while laughing. Then, he moved his hands so that he''s now touching my tummy under my dress. Uhm¡­ ok, was this really going to get perverted? Though I have to really award him a medal. He''s really a pro at this. His hands crept upwards, moving to my ribs, then reaching at the underside of my boobs. Ok, I think this is where I should pull the brakes. Sorry Louis, my body is reserved for Anthony. I put my hand down from his head and pulled away a little. Louis as a pro, got his hands out of my dress, understanding quite well that I wanted it to stop. Oh, such a nice dude. Not bad. Anyway, I turned to face him and smiled, "Thanks for dancing with me tonight." Louis smiled back, then, he leaned forward so he can make me hear his words through the blaring music, "Anytime. Anyhow, should I send you back to your seat?" I was about to answer when I saw Anthony his eyebrows furrowed walking to¡­ wait¡­ was he walking to our direction!? Did he see me dancing with Louis and by some miracle got jealous!? Does this mean he really likes me too!? Wah!!!! Before I knew it, he was already standing before us, so I smiled at him then looked back to Louis. "No, no need. My friend is now here to claim his dance." I answered. -- (Third POV) When Anthony saw the guy Michelle was dancing with use his hands to get under her dress, he felt his worry hit the roof. Like, what if Michelle was drunk and the guy was taking advantage of her? Honestly, it did not even pass his thoughts that Michelle must be like a normal girl dancing the night away with some dude. She did not strike him as someone like that. So, beyond his reasonable thoughts, he stood from his seat to stop whatever madness was going on. "Hey Anthony! What are you¡­" Jeff began. "I think Michelle is drunk. Please excuse me for a sec." he announced before walking away. The four watched him go, then they looked at each other wide eyed. Well, save for Steven who seemed relaxed and not shocked. "Am I the only one here who thinks that Michelle isn''t drunk as he said?" Jeff asked. Vince laughed, "No Jeff, but whatever works! I mean, think about it, Anthony might get lucky tonight!" Lara''s thought was running in a different direction, but she was grinning from ear to ear. Maybe Anthony was not as dense as he seems. Could it be that he likes Michelle too? Steven did not look deeper into it and just felt his worry ebb away. Anthony was doing the right thing, he also thought that Michelle might be drunk. In summary, in their table, 3 guys only took Anthony''s words at face value, while Lara interpreted it as Anthony liking Michelle. Ah really, how the mind of boys and girls work are different. Anyhow, they followed him with their eyes. Curious what Anthony would do. -- When Anthony was about to reach the two, he saw Michelle pull away from the guy and the two stopped dancing. Thus, he too halted his footsteps. Briefly, he realized that the ongoing song just ended and a new one would be coming up. Uh¡­ does that mean that the two already ended their dance together? But then, he saw the guy lean forward to whisper something on Michelle''s ear. Was he going to ask her to leave with him already? He saw his friends do that so many times. He furrowed his brows. He has to stop this and take Michelle back to her seat. When Anthony reached the two, Michelle pulled away from the guy again, then she looked at him and smiled. The guy she was with also turned to face him. Upon closer inspection, the guy seemed familiar. Then, he realized that it was the guy who was talking with her at the pool earlier. Then, it came to him that perhaps Michelle wanted to dance with the guy in the first place? Uh¡­ ok. What was he doing there again? It seemed like he was not needed. Should he just go back to his seat now? Anthony felt awkward, he was just about to apologize when Michelle announced, "No, no need. My next partner is now here to claim his dance." Louis was not a soil sport. Understanding the rules of the party quite well, he nodded and smiled at Michelle, then said, "till next time" before leaving. Anthony on the other hand, internalized Michelle''s words. Did she say those words to drive away the guy? Or was it she really thought that he was there to dance with her? Either way, he must get her back to their group. He was about to say something but when he looked at Michelle, she was smiling while looking at him expectantly. He swallowed. What does he do now? Michelle thought that Anthony must also be feeling awkward. He did storm there like some jealous lover, well at least that''s what she assumed he did. Anyway, it should be her turn now to show some initiative. That he went to the dance floor to where she was already counts as her, not asking him to dance with herself, right? Anyway, she was still feeling courageous. Don''t know if it came from the drinks she drank, but she knew she was not drunk. She did feel enough sobriety to know what she wanted. The next song started playing and before Anthony could say anything or think further, Michelle already used her right foot to step in between his legs, bridging the gap between them. She took his hands and placed them on her hips. Michelle just thought that she should apply what she learned from louis to Anthony. Anyhow, hearing the music playing, she tried to match the rhythm of her moves to the music. Unlike earlier when the song was fast paced, this time it was a bit slower. "Yeah Uh-huh So seductive I''ll take you to the candy shop I''ll let you lick the lollipop Go ''head girl don''t you stop Keep going ''til you hit the spot, whoa I''ll take you to the candy shop (yeah) Boy, one taste of what I got (uh-huh) I''ll have you spending all you got (come on) Keep going ''til you hit the spot, whoa" Anthony, well, he was a fairly reasonable chap, but let''s face it. He was also a hormonal teenager. With the girl he knew he wanted to bang the first moment he saw her enter the room doing what she was doing, what was he to do? Besides, the way she moved earlier and the way she''s moving now, also indicated that perhaps she already did this before. So, it was safe to assume that she perfectly understood what she was doing. In the end, all his common sense went mush, well not really, but his mind centered on one thing. That was, tonight, this was it. A hook up. SEX. ONE NIGHT STAND NO STRINGS ATTACHED. Yes, that''s all he could think of. If he was even thinking at all. Anyway, Hopefully, he can impress her enough for this to lead to where he hopes it would end. -- TBC Chapter 74 - 74: Birthday Party XIII (Third POV) With that, Anthony''s body went auto-pilot. Perhaps, it was instinct, or maybe it was all his practice with other ladies working, or after watching his friends do it many times, he suddenly knew what to do. Anyway, getting in tune with the rhythm, he let his body move with the beat. "You could have it your way, how do you want it? You gon'' back that thing up, or should I push up on it? Temperature rising, okay, let''s go to the next level Dance floor jam-packed, hot as a tea kettle I break it down for you now, baby it''s simple If you be a nympho, I''ll be a nympho In the hotel, or in the back of the rental On the beach or in the park, it''s whatever you into" The dance began quite gentle at first, just them moving, guiding each other to keep their movements in sync. But swiftly, as they both got used to it, their bodies moved to become more and more lustful. Michelle, well, all she could think of was that Anthony''s bulging erection was brushing her legs. Thus, being a full fledge woman who led a sexually active life before going back to her 18-year-old hormonal teenage body, dancing with the man who she has fantasized for more than a decade, what else could she be thinking of? She was so horny that her brain has turned to a puddle of goo. Anyhow, wanting to have closer contact with Anthony, she spun around and pressed herself to his engorged manhood. With this new position, all Anthony''s brain was screaming was, ''Fuck, this feels so good.''. Wanting more contact, he first used his hand to go up and down Michelle''s thighs. Then he pulled her closer, positioning his tented-out crotch between her butt cheeks. Then, he began moving his hips in circular motion, effectively grinding himself on her ass. After that, he began sliding his hands around more, exploring the exquisite softness of her hot skin. Her dress did very little to stop him not that she had any intention to. Michelle did not try discouraging him at all. In fact, she encouraged him to do more. She lifted her hand to touch Anthony''s face and started moving her hips in sync with his. Anthony, learning from what he saw earlier, used his hands to get under her dress, crawling them upwards. Since she was not wearing a bra, it was easy for him to cup one of her big boobs. His fingers pressed into the softness as he squeezed. His thumb reached her nipple but discovered that it was clad with a nipple cover. Anyhow, he pulled his hands out to turn her around so that she was facing him. "Got the magic stick, I''m the love doctor I ain''t finished teaching you ''bout how sprung I got ya Wanna show me how you work it baby? No problem, get on top Then get your bounce around, like a little rider I''m seasoned vet when it come to this shit After you work up a sweat you can play with this stick I''m trying to explain, baby, the best way I can I melt in your mouth girl, not in your hands, ha-ha" Michelle felt his hands all over her body. Even when he groped her, she didn''t mind at all. In fact, she liked it all the more. Thus, as he touched her, she only responded by grinding against his hard bulge more intensely. She felt her pussy blaze with fire and wetness, overpowering her senses and only helping her pleasure overshadow her reason. When Anthony turned her around, she wrapped her hands around his shoulders while he positioned himself so one of his legs was in between hers. He continued to do the sway/ grind, his hands moving ever so slowly to her butt. As there was no protest, he greedily groped her ass with both his hands as he pressed her groin to his. "Girl what we do, what we do And where we do, and where we do The things we do, things we do Are just between me and you, yeah, oh yeah Give it to me baby, nice and slow Climb on the top, ride like you in a rodeo You ain''t never heard a sound like this before ''Cause I ain''t never put it down like this" Michelle pressed herself closer to him. As he pulled her lower body closer, she pushed her upper body to his so that her chest as squeezed on his body. Eventually, she looked up and don''t know who started it, but as their eyes met, so did their lips. The two continued swaying as they started their make out session. Their tongues soon began wrestling and dancing against each other. "I touch the right spot at the right time Lights on, or lights off, she like it from behind So seductive you should see the way she whine Her hips in slow mo'' on the floor when we grind Long as she ain''t stopping, homie I ain''t stopping Dripping wet with sweat, man it''s on and popping All my champagne campaign, bottle after bottle, it''s on And we gon'' sip ''til every bubble in every bottle is gone" It lasted for a few seconds, intense grinding and dry humping against each other, included. After a while, they both stopped moving all together and simply stood in the middle of the room making out while people were dancing around them. Some people noticing the two not moving with the music and already making out in the middle commented with "Get a room!!!" and "Oooh!", not that any of those registered between the two. Anyhow, what they were doing became not nearly enough for both of them. "You have your room key with you?" Anthony asked as he broke the kiss. At least he had enough sense to know that making a girl leave a man''s room in the morning after was awkward. Michelle reflexively moaned as her pussy shocked her insides with a wave of pleasure and arousal. "The door''s unlocked." she answered. -- Meanwhile, the 4 people remaining in the table all had their eyes wide. Jeff looked at Vince, "How many glasses did Anthony have?" Vince looked at the table and counted. "Five?" "Do you think he''s drunk?" "Maybe tipsy but not enough to be totally inebriated?" Vince answered. "Does anyone here think that someone should stop them?" Jeff asked for the sake of asking. "Eh? What for? Anthony might get really LUCKY tonight and Michelle, she''s been staring starry eyes at him since we entered the ship. Besides, this is a party." Vince announced. "I''ll kill whoever attempts to do so." Lara answered. Ah! Andy was so going to regret, and Michelle will have her happily ever after with Anthony. What else could be more perfect? Vince and Lara looked at each other, for once, being of the same mind. On the other hand, Steven, he almost instinctively stood up from his seat. He could not understand but he felt that what was happening was wrong. Thankfully, his years of learning composure enabled him not to do that. Plus, he does not want Lara to misinterpret. Thus, he was able to remain firmly seated. -- Anthony and Michelle walked out of the room hand in hand. Then, they rode the elevator. Inside, Michelle pressed the number 3 button. After that, Anthony pulled her towards himself, and another make out session ensued. Anthony pushed her to one side, caressing her legs, raising one as he stood between them. His groin rubbing against her heat. For better impact, Michelle placed her arms on his shoulders, then, she hoisted herself so that she can also wrap her other leg around his waist. Anthony understanding instinctively, grabbed both her ass cheeks lifting her up as he grinded into her. Both could not get enough of each other. Really, they were both so horny to think straight, just wanting to already be connected as one. The elevator made a ding sound indicating that they already reached the floor. "Your room number?" Anthony asked between kisses. Michelle replied, "308" breathily. Anthony pulled back from their kiss but did not put Michelle down as he strode forward. His visits to the gym paying off. Michelle doesn''t know how she kept clinging on Anthony as he walked, but as he was carrying her, she decided that it was a bright idea to kiss, lick, and nibble his ear. Reaching her room, Anthony placed her down on the floor to open the door. Thankfully, it was really unlocked. Michelle was standing between Anthony and the door. Hearing it open, she pulled him for another searing kiss. Anthony kissed her just as passionately. Their tongues pushing and nuzzling each other in some sort of crazy dance. He guided their bodies to move inside the room. Once inside, he pulled away from her to lock the door. Finally, they were inside her bedroom. -- TBC Chapter 75 - 75: Room 308 I WARNING: MATURE CONTENT (Third POV) When Anthony turned back, he pulled Michelle closer again to kiss her lips. Although a real novice when it comes to physical relations with the opposite sex, he watched enough porn and dreamed of this moment too many times to know what to do. While kissing her, his right hand journeyed from her butt cheek to her legs, creeping from the hem of her short dress to the space between her thighs. Then, finally, he reached her center. Touching and feeling her underwear already soaked. First, he traced the outline of her pussy, then, ever so slyly, his fingers pushed it sideways so that he can start rubbing her clit directly. Michelle moaned as she felt his finger rubbing her clit. Instinctively, she responded by exploring him with her right hand until like a magnet, it finally found the bulge on his pants. She started groping his erection, rubbing it up and down. Anthony felt a rumble in his throat, and he groaned with pleasure from everything that was happening. It was a sensory overload. He tried to enter his finger in her pussy, but Michelle suddenly broke their kiss. Michelle hearing Anthony groan was even more turned on. Thus, emboldened, she moved herself to a sitting position and reached for the zipper of his pants. She quickly undid his jeans and pulled them down to the floor along with his boxers. Finally, she saw Anthony''s cock in all its 9-inch glory. Anthony looked down and saw that her lips were level with his cock. Gods, was he really getting a blowjob? Just the thought excited him so much that his cock twitched and pre-cum came out. Michelle cautiously lifted a hand and touched the tip of his cock. She run one finger up and down the length of it before grasping its base. Then, seeing the precum from the tip, she gently touched the tip of her tongue to the head, licking to taste before making soft swirls over his glans. Hearing him groaning and start buckling his hips, she finally took the head into her mouth. Anthony seeing her do what she''s doing excited him more than ever. Not only that, being inside her mouth was nothing like he ever felt before. The pleasure of her warm and wet cavern sucking him, it was incomparable to any masturbation he ever did with his hand. Not being able to help himself, he pushed his hands deep into her hair and began urging her to take more of him. Thrusting himself deep into her mouth, the head of his cock smacked the back of her throat causing her to gag. Michelle gagged but did not pull back entirely. She wanted to give him more pleasure, so she continued her ministrations. Only this time, she held his cock with two hands so that even if he thrusts, it won''t make her choke. Anthony also pulled back but then, not being able to help himself, he thrust it right back in over and over again. His pleasure continued to build up and not being able to help himself, he moaned deeply, and exploded into her mouth. Michelle let his cum flow down her throat, swallowing to the last drop and even licking him dry. Anthony would have felt embarrassed for how quickly he finished if not for his cock hardening again in under 5 seconds. Anyhow, he pulled her up to a standing position, kissed her feverishly, while at the same time, his hands found the hem of her dress. He broke their kiss as he pulled the dress up to get her out of it. Then, he hoisted her up. Michelle wrapped her legs around his waist, while he carried her to the bed. Reaching the bed, he laid her down as he crawled on top of her. He continued kissing her, as he pulled on the nipple covers. Meanwhile, Michelle tried to unbutton his polo to get it off of him. Anthony feeling her do that, broke away from her to stand up and remove his top. While doing so, he drank the image that Michelle presented. She was lying on the bed, completely naked except for her panties. Her rosy white and even colored skin, her pink and perky nipples on top of her large, exposed breast, she was more beautiful than any girl he has ever seen, and hotter than any woman from any porn he ever watched. With that knowledge, he grew more excited. His saliva pooling his mouth making him need to swallow. With his top out of the way, he crawled back on top of her, their bare skin touching. Not knowing where to start as he wanted to swallow her whole if he can, he just went for reenacting what he learned from all the porn materials he watched. He began by kissing her lips again, and then, licking his way downwards. When he reached her tits, his mouth watered again. Then, like a man who has first seen his first set of titties, which he literally was (save for maybe his mom but he''s a baby then so that''s not counted), his mouth immediately attached itself to them. Holding each with his two hands. He groped and squeezed while he licked, suckled, and even nibbled each on turn. Michelle could only moan out loud as he did those to her sensitive buds. He was so enthusiastic, and she can do nothing but receive everything he was giving her. After giving her boobs enough attention as they deserved, he moved down, licking her stomach, finding the taste of her skin too delicious, he suckled all over her skin with much enthusiasm. Then, when he reached her center, he opened her legs to get himself between them. Seeing the lacy material covering her, drenched, he decided that it was a bright idea to tear it apart. Thankfully, the material was thin enough and he was not put into shame by doing so but failing. -- TBC Chapter 76 - 76: Room 308 II WARNING: MATURE CONTENT (Third POV) Now, he could see her pink, bald, and wet pussy. All he could think of was that it was beautiful. Wanting to see more, he opened her legs wider then, he moved their bodies so that his shoulders were under her legs. This way, he was presented with an unobstructed view of her glistening vagina in its entirety directed to his face. His mouth watered again and before he knew it, he was already smothering himself with her pussy. Michelle did not only moan but started buckling, "Ah!!!! Anthony!!! Ah!!!" she yelled. How could she not? He was eating her with so much gusto and it was¡­ it was¡­ she let out another "Ah!!!" again. Her hands can only reach for a pillow behind her and squeeze them for dear life. Gods, he was too enthusiastic in eating her. Not the type where he would run his tongue to tease, but rather, he entered his tongue to her folds, while his mouth started sucking her clit. Then, his tongue started moving, exploring every crevice of her pussy. Anthony has never eaten a pussy before, but he thought that Michelle''s was lovely. When he got a taste, it was sweet and tangy and strangely, he loved the taste a lot. When he heard her screaming his name, he felt some manly gratification, and when she moaned another ''AH!'', started buckling and a gush of fluid flowed, he just knew she reached an orgasm. His dick twitched; it was time. He raised himself to look at her again. She was panting, flushed from her orgasm, her entire body pink and wasn''t she a sight to behold? Anthony, eager and wanting to see his dick entering her pussy, placed the behind of her knees at the crook of his elbows. Then, he grasped his manhood and directed it to her wet and wanting pussy. Michelle was panting, but she was so ready for this. There was no question of are you sure of anything like that as both were too far gone to even think about that. Then, Anthony pushed inside her slowly, watching his dick disappear from his line-of-sight inch by inch. It felt so good, and he wanted to savor every single inch that her pussy swallows. A few inches in, he felt something blocking his path. Not really knowing what it was, he just pushed harder and plop! "Ah!!!" Michelle cried then tears began running from her eyes. Anthony halted but did not pull out of her. A second of sobriety hit the two of them as their widened eyes met. However, it did not last long. They were too far gone to delve on that matter. Still, Anthony leaned forward to kiss her again, then, he pushed forward till her pussy had swallowed his dick to the hilt. His thoughts were all on how good it felt to be sheathed inside her. It was so tight, wet, warm, and it was nothing like anything he has ever known. Thankfully, he climaxed earlier when she gave him a blowjob, if not, he would probably cum just about after 3 thrusts. As it was, he began thrusting, and Michelle also started to feel immense pleasure. After a while, he began pounding her with a furious drive of lust. Faster and faster, deeper and deeper. He could feel the pleasure as it began to build and fill up his cock. He could tell from the look in her eyes that the pleasure was also building deep within her. Then, her eyes rolled back, and her body buckled turning another shade of pink. "Ah!!!!" she screamed. Although it didn''t take long, Anthony''s size stretching her, moving all that way inside, made her cum all over his dick. Anthony also could not hold it in, he shot his warm, hot load of cum within her. "Fuck, Michelle." He groaned out loud. Let it be known that all that only lasted for 3 minutes. No biggie, the night was not yet over. Anthony pulled out of Michelle only to see his dick stained with blood while his cum and her virginal blood oozed out of her pussy. Her pussy which was pink at first has now turned red. Anyhow, the sight only made his dick go hard again. He looked at Michelle, she was panting, her body all in a shade of pink he decided he loved seeing very much, her breasts with the reddened buds going up and down as she tried to catch her breath. Would it be alright to go for another round? Was all he thought of. Thinking that maybe getting her turned on would work, he started kissing her again, moving his mouth to her ears, to her neck to her breasts which caused her to moan, her nipples were sensitive. Then, he turned her body around so her back was facing him. He started kissing her back, which caused her to moan and shudder in pleasure. Then, he guided her body so she would be on all fours. Michelle felt so powerless what with reaching orgasm twice. As she tried to catch her breath, she felt Anthony start kissing her body all over, wanting for more. She also wanted more but her legs felt so weak. Like jelly. Still, as he turned her body around and guided her on all fours, she complied and got into position. Anthony did not know that he has tremendous power as to continue having sex after reaching climax twice in a row. He was also feeling weak somehow, but he just wanted to continue. So, in a frenzy, he entered her from behind and started thrusting again. Thus, another round ensued. Anthony did not cum early this time, while Michelle gaining some of her strength back began exploring different positions with him. After about 20 minutes of hot and continuous pounding and exploration, Anthony let out a guttural groan and shoot his last drop of semen inside Michelle before collapsing on the bed. He was already unconscious before his head even hit the pillow. On the other hand, Michelle who already reached climax before him about 3 minutes ago has already lost consciousness before him. -- TBC Chapter 77 - 77: Morning After I (Third POV) *Kring!!!!! Kringggg!!!! Krrrringggg!!!! "Ugh!!!" Anthony groaned, gods, he was still having a sweet sweet dream. That he just had the most amazing night ever. Ah, thankfully his alarm clock stopped ringing on its own. Let him go back to dreamland, maybe there would be round 4. He snuggled his pillow closer. Then, he squeezed the softness he''s been hugging which he thought was his pillow. Ah, he has a woody again. He started thrusting. "uhmm¡­." Michelle moaned. Ah¡­ was she was still dreaming and¡­ wait, why does it feel so real? Someone was squeezing her boobs and rubbing something behind her? Also, why does she feel a bit sore down there? She opened her eyes. ''huh?'' where was that sound coming from? Anthony thought. He too opened his eyes. Michelle turned over and met Anthony''s eyes. Her eyes widened; his eyes widened. Then, everything that happened the night before started flashing back in their minds with the colorful hues of both their drunkenness. Well, they were not necessarily drunk to have no sense of thought whatsoever, but it was the level of drunk where they knew exactly what they were doing but just don''t care. How else could they both describe it? Anyhow, the moment of silence and awkwardness was suddenly interrupted by the phone which started ringing again with a vengeance, demanding someone to answer it immediately. In both their panic and surprise, the two scrambled off the bed. Michelle pulled the blanket to her side so that she can cover her body. On the other hand, Anthony bent to hide himself on the other side of the bed, so she won''t see his quickly hardening cock which was dying for round 4. The telephone in the room continued ringing, while a cellphone''s ringtone, a standard motorolla tune resounded in the room. Both realized that it was Anthony''s phone. Michelle and Anthony''s eyes met again. "uh¡­ we should¡­" Michelle was the first to say her voice hoarse with the dryness of her throat. Anthony not really trusting his own voice, nodded his head like an idiot. Michelle quickly walked to answer the phone, the blanket moving from the bed as she pulled it with her. Anthony noted the red stains on the bed for a second, but his mind was still in panic mode. With the help of his cellphone still ringing, he was quick to find his pants which was by the door. On the way, he saw his discarded polo and picked it up. Michelle picked up the phone the same time Anthony''s phone stopped ringing. "Hello?" she greeted. "Good morning, I mean good afternoon to you Michelle! It''s already 1pm and I haven''t seen you in the buffet area earlier. Have you had lunch yet?" Lara''s excited voice sounded from the other line. While Lara was speaking, Michelle turned to look at Anthony who was getting dressed. Michelle cleared her throat before answering, "No¡­ not yet¡­" "Oh! Ok. Anyhow, me and Kate took the liberty of getting some food for you. We''ll be waiting for you in my cabin, in¡­ will 30 minutes do? coz Andy''s inviting the group to the owner''s cabin at 2." Lara asked. "Alright. Will do. Thank you!" Michelle answered as she put down the phone. At the same time, Anthony''s ringtone started again. Anthony pulled his phone out of his jeans and saw Jeff''s name flashing on the screen. He flipped his phone open. "What''s up ma boy, or should I say ma man now?" Vince''s booming voice greeted causing Anthony to slightly panic. He wondered if Michelle heard. There was a sound of pulling and pushing from the other line and then Jeff''s voice was heard, "Anthony, don''t mind this fucker. Anyhow, Andy''s inviting the group to Aurora''s owner''s cabin at 2:00 but wants the boys to get there earlier if possible." "Ah¡­ ok." Anthony answered. "Alright! See ya later!" Jeff said as he ended the call. Michelle and Anthony looked at each other again. Another moment of pure awkwardness. Anthony began speaking, "Ah¡­ I have to go. Andy''s inviting¡­" Michelle nodded her head as her skin flushed red, anything from saving themselves from the embarrassment of talking about what they just committed. She knew that it was what it was. A hook up. A one-night stand. What was there to talk about? Anthony noted Michelle turning pink and was reminded of her image last night as he banged her. Fuck. She was still so hot and all he wanted to do was do it again. He shook his head. It was hook up. Still, he took her v-card and even came inside her. Fuck! That just gave him the reminder that he totally forgot to wear a condom! "Ah¡­ sorry about¡­" Michelle shook her head, though she was not sure about what he was referring to, it was safe to assume that it''s about their activities. Well, she did it willingly, and the only thing he must be probably sorry for should be that. "No, no, it''s ok. I know what we did and what to do." Anthony nodded his head, "Oh.. ok¡­ then¡­ ah¡­ I''ll go ahead." "ah¡­ ok." She replied as she tried to smile. Finally, Anthony exited the door. -- (Michelle''s POV) What have I done!!!!!??? I was thinking of fucking college campus romance not a college night party one-night stand hook-up with the guy I have been crushing over for YEARS!!! Ok, so maybe also fantasizing over. But shit! What must Anthony be thinking of me now!? Would he think that I''m such an easy girl? Ok, Michelle calm down. Breathe in, breath out. Analyze what happened clearly. Ok, so, Anthony walked to me and Louis dancing, and shit. I started dancing in front of him to seduce him like I always dreamed of, then¡­ one thing led to another¡­ oh, and I have to say that Anthony''s was really big. Ouch. I can still feel the soreness between my legs! Then¡­ What have I done? But ok, so I admit, I liked it very much and actually have been looking forward to that very much. Still! I''m not that dumb not to know that people need to cultivate feelings for each other for a friggin relationship which of course what I want with him. How could Anthony have real romantic feelings for the me who he only met literally less than 3 weeks ago!? Ah!!!! just shoot me now. I''ll just hope that Anthony was given a good first experience with me, and hopefully, we can cultivate some feelings for each other later. I mean, if he doesn''t think that I''m such a slut and if I still have face to show him. Gods! I can''t even string complete sentences in front of him and I just jumped him!!!! Never in my life have I imagined myself in this situation. What should I do now??? Huhuhu! Wait, Kate and Lara are still waiting for me in Lara''s room. Gotta start moving. Shit shit shit!!!! Anyhow, I limped my way to the bathroom and started running hot water on the tub. Gods, Anthony really did the virginal 18-year-old me good. He swallowed me whole and¡­ Ah, well, at least if our romance does not grow and bloom to become something more, I have this as souvenir! Wahhh!!! Who am I kidding with all my dramatic antics!? This¡­ THIS!!!! Well, it''s like a success party for me! I finally did it! I did it with Anthony in this lifetime! Wahhhh!!!! I loved him so much for years and ahhhhhhhhhhhh I just want to revel in this euphoric feeling of finally achieving one of my lifelong dreams! Ok, so maybe there''s no love, but say what!? Maybe¡­ just maybe I can convince him otherwise! Like at the very least giving him my 18-year-old body''s virginity can count for something right? Not that I am wishing to use what happened to us as an excuse to guilt trip him to jump in a relationship with me. That''s what a stupid 18-year-old teenage girl would do! Not to say that I''m not dreaming of it. Ah! Will there be a next time? I wish! Seeing the bathtub ? full, I tested it with my hand. Ah just right. I went inside the tub, and I felt my body relax. Ah¡­ this is bliss. I leaned my head back at the edge of the tub while looking at the sea through the floor to ceiling window. I started replaying everything in my head. Ah! I''m sure it should be Anthony''s first time. He was too eager! Hehehe! I took it! I took his v-card!!!! I made him mine. My own. Wahahah. I actually owned him. Hahahaha!!! Sorry, I can''t help it. I can''t help myself. I shook my head. I''m gonna go crazy happy over this. I grinned and giggled like a mad idiot. Feeling my body more relaxed and not as sore anymore, I went to the shower to wash my body again. Ah, we even forgot to use protection, which was also cool, since it was his first, and also mine, we won''t have to worry about any sexually transmitted disease. Plus, I felt his skin, not some plastic rubber. Then, he even exploded inside me! If I were a normal teenage girl, this should be the part where I start to panic. But I''m so much smarter thank God. Contraception is key for unwanted teenage pregnancy. Aish! It''s still sore down there. If not, well¡­ I have enough inspiration to, you know, get myself off. Haha! -- TBC Chapter 78 - 78: Morning After II (Michelle POV) Anyhow, after taking a shower, I started blow drying my hair. Looking at myself in the mirror, I noticed the hickeys all over my waist and chest area. Shucks. Anthony was too much. Ok, not gonna lie, I also love seeing them. Like, it makes me feel like I was so hot! It''s not that he thought I was beautiful only because he was drunk right? He must feel attraction to me to want to have sex with me too, right? Attraction. That knowledge got me all giddy again. Ah! he should have definitely found me attractive! More so than the girls who kept flirting with him! Ha! Take that, bitches! Ugh! Has my brain really warped to a hormonal teenage girl''s? What am I even telling myself? I looked at my clothes in the closet. I also need to pack up. I''m not up for any activity other than chatting up with the girls. My pussy and my body were still a bit sore, so I don''t want to overexert myself. Checking my clothes, I realized that my dresses would not do as the neckline would make it possible for people to see some of the hickeys. Too bad. In the end, I chose to wear a round neck slightly fitted shirt and a short but decent looking skirt which I put on my luggage on last minute. Don''t know if it''s just me, but my skin looks extra radiant today. Oh, I actually look hot without showing too much skin! At least I think so. I guess the knowledge of Anthony finding me attractive gave me another confidence booster. I gave myself another once over. Today, I did not put on make-up. My skin looked excellent without any! Later, I have to show my bare but already very pretty face to Anthony so that he won''t think I got him fooled because of make-up last night! Excellent! Looking at the time, it was already 1:45. Shucks! That took a lot of time. I''m already late with my meeting with the girls. I started moving much more quickly. -- (Third POV) Anthony walked back to his room somewhat in a daze. Honestly, his brain was empty except for reminiscing the experience last night and the thought of wanting to experience it again. Anyway, reaching his cabin, he walked inside and removed his clothes. Seeing his hard wood, he noticed some dried blood on it. Which again reminded him of how excitable he was last night. Honestly, what''s up with Michelle? She looked like she knew what she was doing, she even gave him a blowjob so he assumed that she must have had practice. But lo and behold, she was as pure as a real maiden, and well, he took that maiden head. He felt a bit guilty about it as it was only a hook up, like he stole her right to give it to someone she loves in the future or something. Ok, fuck that shit he always tell himself. To be honest, the guilt was so miniscule because the thought he took it did stroke his manly pride and it gave him a lot of pleasure. Arhg. Besides, Michelle did it with him willingly right? It''s not that he took advantage or anything? She did say earlier that it''s ok. Andy, well, he did leave with that Eli something girl last night so he''s not guilty for taking Michelle from him at all. But¡­ Michelle¡­ ugh! Does she still like Andy? Shit. What if she was only depressed and had sex with him because of that? He doesn''t understand why but the thought of Michelle liking Andy started to claw in his chest. It felt stuffy and suffocating. He shook his head again. Why should he care? It''s not like he liked Michelle that way, they just met literally less than 3 weeks ago, and besides, he was not looking for a relationship. He doesn''t even want to be in one. Oh well, must be his libido then. As he entered the shower, his imagination went back to last night again. Michelle''s face, her body turning pink, the way she moaned and screamed his name¡­ Ok, he just reached another orgasm. How was he going to face her every day from now on? Perhaps¡­ was his performance last night good enough for her to consider doing it with him again in the future? Shit. Did he really think of that? Ugh. Anthony, it''s a hook up. A one-night stand. Maybe an equal exchange of pleasure between you two. Perhaps, she won''t even want to mention it like some dirty little secret! Besides, what are the chances that she''ll be up for some kind of friends with benefits arrangement with you? -- "Should we call Michelle again? It''s already 1:45pm" Lara asked as she looked at the time. Kate shook her head, "Give her some time. Besides we can join the boys a little late." "Oh yeah. Anyhow, why did we have to call them again? I mean Michelle and Anthony. I still think that we should have given them more time together. Bask in each other''s presence the morning after, then maybe they can live happily ever after?" Kate gave Lara an eyeroll. "It''s a hook up Lara. We just saved the two from the awkwardness of that morning after. Stop with your silliness." Lara harrumphed. Ok, she totally gets that. Maybe she''s just too worked up on rubbing what happened between Anthony and Michelle to Andy''s face, so she wanted them to work out immediately. "Fine. Anyhow, what about you and Jeff? I think he''s still not over you. I mean just one call and he''s already doing your bidding! How do you do it?" Kate snickered, "He''s just cooperating for Anthony''s sake, Lara. Don''t give too much meaning behind it." Lara sighed. "Is the engagement negotiation between your families still on-going? What will happen once it''s settled? Would you two marry?" Kate shrugged, "Well, who knows? Maybe? I don''t think much about it. So, you should not too." Then, the doorbell rang. "I think that should be Michelle." Lara just nodded her head. Kate is all mature but sometimes, she doesn''t really know what''s running in her head. Oh well, knowing Kate, she can handle everything on her own. She''s really cool like that. Anyhow, Lara stood from the bed to open the door. -- As Andy exited his bedroom in the owner''s cabin of his ship, he saw that Jeff, Vince, and Steven were already inside. The three were playing billiards, while his personal butler was overseeing the staff arranging a snack bar for his little get together in the living room area. "Hey there birthday boy!!! Took you long enough. So¡­" Vince greeted as he wiggled his brows while pointing to his room. Andy furrowed his brows, what was Vince getting at? Vince gave an eyeroll, then in a voice akin to a whisper he said, "Is she still inside your room?" Andy shook his head. "Nah." Vince a bit surprised widened his eyes, "Was it bad?" he asked, normally Andy would take a girl and they be staying the night. The next day and the week after she''ll be his girlfriend, if she''s good, she''ll last for 2 weeks even. Andy ignored the question and changed the topic, "so, how was the party last night?" Looking at Steven first. He was curious what happened after he left, especially about Michelle, and hopes that Steven understood what he was asking about. Steven just shrugged, "It was okay." Ok, so maybe asking Steven was pointless, Andy thought. Jeff grinned, "It was pretty cool with all the hot girls you invited man." He said as he bumped fist with Andy. "Haha! You should ask Anthony that question, I think he''s the one who best enjoyed this party of yours! Hahaha!" Vince said as he laughed and snorted. Andy chuckled, did something good happen to Anthony? "Really? Where is he by the way?" Jeff was about to answer when they heard the doorbell ringing. The butler walked to the door and peeped through the peephole and recognized Anthony, so he opened the door. "Speak of the devil, and he shall appear." Jeff said with a smile. Vince was more enthusiastic and excited to see Anthony. He quickly dropped his cue stick (the pool stick in billiards) to approach and slung his arm on Anthony''s shoulders. What? He has every reason to believe that his good friend has just reached enlightenment just like he predicted the night before. "Anthony ma man!!!! I have to congratulate you for finally ascending and reaching enlightenment! Damn! You have loads to tell us!!!!" he exclaimed. Anthony shrugged Vince''s arm from his shoulders, "what are you talking about? There''s nothing to tell." he said as they walked to join Andy, Jeff, and Steven in the pool (billiard table) area. "Andy, do you have some champagne around? We definitely have to pop one here for Anthony!" Jeff jokingly suggested as he laughed. Anthony denied but he was trying hard not to smile, "Hey, nothing like that happened!" Vince laughed, "you still denying? Man, when you two left the room¡­ Whoo! Aside from that, just look at you! Your pheromones are oozing in waves like a real man now. Haha! And that silly smile and you''re even blushing. Hahaha! Everyone here can obviously tell!" Andy chuckled, well, at least someone had a good night. "Well, Anthony finally giving in to the pleasures of the flesh on my birthday? I didn''t see that one coming. Anyhow, who''s the girl? She definitely deserves an award!" -- TBC Chapter 79 - 79: Morning After III (Michelle POV) After giving myself another once over, I decided to leave my cabin. Anyhow, I think we will be given time to pack up later. I checked the time, it was 1:50pm. Hope the girls don''t mind. Still feeling some soreness between my legs, I walked slowly to Lara''s cabin and rang the doorbell. After a few seconds, Lara opened the door with a wide grin. "Finally! Come on in!" Lara said as she looped our arms together. Kate who was inside, greeted me with a smile. I smiled back. "Sit down, have something to eat first." Lara instructed still grinning. Ok¡­ so what''s up with this welcome? Oh well. I saw a nicely wrapped sandwich, some mix of fruits, and 2 bottles of water on the table. Feeling hungry, I did as was told. While eating, Lara kept looking at me, as if me eating was the most interesting thing in the world, while Kate was pretending to be nonchalant as she waited for me to finish. When I was done, Kate pushed a still on the metallic plastic casing piece of round tablet. Ah, She''s so sweet and considerate. Thinking that it was for a hangover I said, "thanks Kate. I''m feeling okay though, no hangover." I answered while I picked a piece of grape to pop in my mouth. Kata raised her eyebrow, "That is not for a hangover." I coughed. I think I just swallowed the grape whole. Lara laughed and started hitting my back. Ok¡­ now I understand why they were looking at me the way they did earlier. "Does everyone know?" I asked. "Given what you two did on the dance floor and leaving right after, what do you think?" Kate replied. I groaned as I covered my eyes with my palm. Gods. Way to go Michelle. Claiming your man for the everyone to see, only that you have successfully branded your forehead with the word SLUT. Anyhow, I took the pill and tried to open it. Kate snorted, "Hey, I''m just kidding, not everyone knows definitely, but now that you received that and have no qualms on taking it, then we now definitely know for sure! Hahaha! Wait, don''t drink that yet. Drink if later when you get home." Well, what can I say? All I can do is give a wry smile, "ok¡­ thank you for this." Lara sat on the chair beside me, grinning, "So¡­ How was it?" Ok, this feels kind of awkward to discuss with the girls, then again, maybe they know what to do with my situation? "Uh¡­ the sex, it was great. But¡­" "But?" Lara echoed. I sighed. After all my happy thoughts and celebratory mood earlier, the situation finally dawned on me. "I just...I like Anthony a lot, and to be honest, I want more with him than just a hook up." There I said it. Lara giggled, "Well, I think it can lead to something more than just a hook up. He did storm to you and that Louis guy dancing because I believe he was jealous." My eyes widened. Really!? Was it not just my assumption? "What made you say that?" Kate tsked. "Lara, how do you know that for sure? Don''t raise Michelle''s hopes up. If you''re wrong, that''s just disaster in the making." Lara gave Kate an eyeroll. "You weren''t there when Anthony stood up from the table and like a knight in the shining armor¡­" "What were his words exactly again? If I recall correctly, was it, I think she''s drunk?" Kate asked. "How do you know that? Did Jeff tell you?" Lara asked wide eyed. Ok, that''s a cold douse of water. So, he approached me thinking I was drunk and¡­ wahhhh!!!! I want to cry!!!! Now it was Kate''s turn to give Lara an eyeroll. "Just answer the question." "Fine, he did say at first that he thinks Michelle was drunk. But!!! Michelle, listen to me. I never have even seen Anthony kiss a girl at a party before. He would never just walk to you arbitrarily if he didn''t care!" Lara defended. "Lara, has it ever come to that silly head of yours that he only did that because they''re friends? While the kissing part and whatever happened was because Anthony was well, a normal hormonal teenager?" "doesn''t change the fact that he should be attracted to her!" Lara exclaimed. "Which guy won''t be attracted to her?" Kate rebutted. While the two of them were arguing over that, I can only react by covering my face with my two hands. All I could think of was, shit!!!!!!! After a while, maybe the two noticed me. So, they stopped arguing and looked at me. "Hey Michelle, are you¡­ regretting what happened?" Kate asked concerned. I shook my head as I took my hands away from my face. "No, it''s not that¡­ I don''t regret having sex with him. In fact, I also wanted it to happen." "Then what''s the problem?" "I just¡­ I just like Anthony a lot and I don''t know how to approach him after this. I''m worried. What does he think of me now?" Kate and Lara stopped arguing and looked at each other laughing. Perhaps finally reaching a conclusion they both agree on. "Well, that should be the least of your worry. Lara does have a point. He should be attracted to you and just so you know, I think you should be Anthony''s first." Kate said. "What think? She definitely was Anthony''s first." Lara interjected. I giggled, "My experience tells me that you two aren''t wrong." The three of us started laughing. Gods, I feel so evil disclosing that. "Wait, so was it terrible?" Lara asked. "No! Not like that! It was fantastic actually!" I defended. "I would say otherwise. But based on the fact that you still like him and want to be with him in the future, then I will reluctantly agree that he must not be bad at all." Kate commented. We laughed again. "Anyhow, let''s go back to your problem. By the way, just to be sure, was Anthony your first?" Kate asked. Not really, but technically, one could say that. I nodded my head. "He was!? I thought with the way you danced with Louis and then him that¡­ I''m so sorry Michelle! I should have stopped¡­ now I feel guilty." Lara said. I shook my head, "No, it''s alright. I would have wanted to give it to him anyway. Besides, I also took his!" I replied with a proud smile. Lara recovered quickly then said, "Great! Then, congratulations girl! I feel proud of you!" Kate scoffed. "I would have wanted to feel proud for you too, but I don''t know what''s the value of his. On the other hand, Anthony, that lucky lucky boy! Michelle, I say you don''t need to worry about anything at all." "What do you mean?" I asked. "It''s like this, although I think Anthony, knowing him, would never think lowly of you despite what happened, you never know with boys. However, with your maidenhead as proof, believe me, he would always remember you in a positive light." Kate explained. "So, you''re admitting it now, eh??" Lara grinned. Kate shook her head. "I''m not saying that Anthony have feelings for Michelle already. However, I believe that what happened might not necessarily be a bad thing considering that Michelle wants to pursue a romantic relationship with Anthony." "you''re such a kill joy Kate. Michelle, how about just dragging Anthony and tell him to take responsibility?" Lara suggested with bright eyes. "Well¡­ I don''t want to force him to jump in a relationship with me if my feelings are one-sided. Though I must admit that that idea is really tempting." I replied with a grin. Kate sighed, "Lara, you and your crazy ideas. If I didn''t know better, I would say that this is the strategy you''re implementing with Steven." "Hey! We haven''t even reached that level of intimacy yet!" Lara complained. Oh, that knowledge was a surprise. I thought they¡­ ugh. Sorry Steve. "That''s why I said if I didn''t know better. Anyhow, going back to Michelle. Girl, have you thought of what your next steps would be?" Kate asked. Lara also looked at me, excited to know. "I am not really decided yet¡­ I was wondering, should I ask him out on a date?" I tried. "That seems like a good idea!" Lara said. Kate shook her head. "Nope. That''s a terrible idea. I mean, you already threw the ball in his court by doing the deed with him. Why must he keep on being lucky? So, you listen to me. If my hunch is correct, since it was Anthony''s first, all he must be thinking of now should be, first, how good it was and, second, when he would get lucky again. Unless, of course, if the experience wasn''t too pleasant." "I think it was pleasant enough¡­ I mean, I did give him a blowjob first." I suddenly supplemented information. Lara turned red. "What!? He must be over the moon now! That lucky shit!" Kate exclaimed. -- TBC Chapter 80 - 80: Morning After IV (Third POV) Michelle blushed. "Ok, continue with what you''re saying, Kate." Kate laughed, "Ok, so here goes. The best thing for you to do right now is to act like nothing happened." "Wait, what? I mean, I''m not sure if that would do. What if that doesn''t work out? Like You know how dense Anthony is." Lara said. Kate frowned, "you do have a point there. Then how about this? If acting like nothing happened doesn''t work after a while, then we can proceed with plan B. Which would be, try showing him what he''s missing. I mean, if it were me, that''s what I''ll do. Give a smile here and there, flirt with another guy perhaps, then maybe he''ll get jealous and start acting up." "That sounds neat, but what if he thinks I do it with any other guy?" Michelle asked not really convinced. "That''s the point. He knows that he''s the only man who you ever did it with, so he would go all possessive. I mean it''s men''s nature to be that way. If he doesn''t even after that, then maybe he''s just not that into you, and it''s not worth it. Simple as that." Kate answered. "Ok¡­" Michelle answered uneasily. She agrees that Kate has a point. Though she doubts if she would be able to give up on Anthony just like that. If ever it doesn''t work out. "Though I rarely agree on that kind of style, since Kate has more experience than me in this area, I would say why not give it a try? If it doesn''t work out, maybe we can try another one in the future. I''m an avid believer of try and try until you succeed!" Lara commented. Kate gave an eyeroll. "Anything other than what I suggested screams of desperation, Lara. Are you desperate Michelle?" Michelle tried to smile, well, to be honest, she was kinda desperate. Kate sighed. "You two are birds of the same feather. Ugh. Never mind. Trust me, this will work out. Anyway, it''s already 2:20. We should go join the boys. Remember girls, when we join them, act like nothing happened, ok? Especially you Lara. Your mouth is an endless blabber." Lara giggled. Ok, she was guilty as charged. Although she wants to rub it on Andy''s face, what better revenge was there for him to be all mooney over Michelle but she ''s actually crushing on Anthony? Ah, she''s such a sadistic girl. Then again, Andy was wrong by sleeping with that skank Elizabeth. What liking Michelle? He was just wanting to get under her skirt while chasing other girls'' skirt! Tsk tsk! -- "Na ah Andy! You know the rules! Whatever happens in the party stays in the party! So that''s for us to know, and for you to¡­ well, find out if you can!" Vince teased as he laughed. Andy chuckled, "Can''t we bend the rules now? I''m also pretty happy for Anthony here." "Your fault for leaving too early!" Jeff backed up. Anthony sighed, "Nothing like that happened. So, stop it. The girls will be joining us later and I don''t want you to give her that funny look you guys give to your conquests." "Wait, what? It''s one of the girls? Kate?" Andy asked in surprise. Then he turned to Jeff. Jeff just made the face like, what the fuck are you talking about? Andy shook his head, impossible. Then he turned to look at Steven. Anthony did like Lara. Steven was obviously in a bad mood since earlier. Could it be? Steven scowled at Andy. What stupid shit could he be thinking of? "Anthony left with Michelle last night just so we''re clear." "What!?" Andy asked unbelievably. "But Anthony, you know I like her." Vince chuckled recalling Anthony saying in their chat that Michelle was Andy''s girl, the wanker must be thinking that Anthony, one upped him. "Andy, stop making that stupid face, you did leave Michelle in the venue last night. It was fair play. If not Anthony, could have been any other guy. Even me!" Anthony frowned but still calmly explained. "Michelle isn''t that kind of girl Vince, and Andy, you did leave with that El something girl last night, so even if I left with Michelle, and something happened, it''s none of your business." Well, if Michelle left with Anthony, then maybe nothing really happened. Also, even if something did, at most it''s just a hook-up, it''s not like he''s a chauvinist given his occupation. "Fine. You know what, I don''t mind. I still like her." Andy announced as he gave a confident grin. "Yeah, like her enough to get under another girl''s skirt in front of her." Anthony answered instinctively. "That was a mistake. It''s not going to happen again. Besides, nothing happened between me and Elizabeth Cheng." Andy defended himself. "Also, what''s it to you? Do you like Michelle too?" Anthony asked himself, does he like her that way? Well, he definitely knew that he wants to bang her, but like as in like? Don''t know about that. Still, she deserves better than Andy. Anthony shook his head, "I just think that Michelle is a nice girl, and that she deserves better than you and your playboy ways." Andy raised his brow, "That''s for Michelle to decide." That got Anthony to shut up. Ok, maybe Michelle might still like Andy. Much as he was loathe to think of it, he''s not going to destroy what she wants for his selfishness just because he wanted to bang her again. Right? But still, she should see Andy''s real colors! "Hey Anthony, Andy here just announced that he''s going to chase or pursue your girl, you have nothing to say in rebuttal?" Vince tried. "Michelle''s not my girl." Anthony answered. Yes, they hooked up, but that''s it. He''s not ready for a relationship, and he doubts that Michelle likes him that way. Ugh. "Who said I''m going to chase or pursue her?" Andy asked. Well, have to save some face if she doesn''t like him anymore. He''ll never hear the end of it if Michelle rejects him! Jeff and Vince stared at each other. Then, they shook their head. Anthony ever the guy with the densest head, and Andy ever the overconfident dude who has the delusion that he''s the best guy in the planet and that all girls would fall at his feet. What more can one expect? -- (Michelle POV) "Is it too late to back out now? Like uhm, can you just tell everyone the excuse that I have a stomachache or something? I don''t think I''m ready to face them." I confessed as Kate, Lara, and I exited the elevator on the 4th floor. I know it''s cowardly, but I was feeling nervous on seeing Anthony again. Plus, the other guys were also there. What do they all think of me? I mean, I know it''s a bit silly, but I can''t help it. They all saw what happened. Kate and Lara stopped walking to turn and face me. "Hey, don''t tell me you''re thinking of the boys judging you?" Kate asked. I sighed. "Yes, there''s that. I mean, I''m already thankful that you and Lara don''t, but I can''t expect them not to do so." Lara giggled. "Don''t think that way, Michelle. Everyone is cool. No one''s going to judge you. Also, knowing Anthony, he would deny that something happened between you two, so don''t feel worried nor embarrassed." "Lara''s right. And even so, almost everyone in the group has done more shameful things. Believe me, a hook up is nothing. So, chin up girl!" I felt so touched. Lara we''ve just been friends for less than 3 weeks, Kate, we just met yesterday, but they were already treating me with such sincerity. "Thank you both so much¡­" Kate smiled, "Well, as you said, we''re friends now. So, you don''t have to thank us for something we should be doing. Friends don''t judge. Unless don''t tell me, you''re actually judging me behind my back?" she continued exaggeratedly. I laughed, "Of course not Kate. You''re such an awesome person, I don''t think I ever met anyone more awesome." "Hey! How about me!?" Lara asked. "You''re the sweetest and most sincere Lara, and you''re very awesome too!" I answered. Truly, I felt so lucky. Its not that I didn''t have friends in my timeline. However, it''s just so different. Lara grinned. "you''re not half bad Michelle. You''re the most sentimental I should say! Hahaha!!! I have never been thanked for being a friend before. I think you''re the sweetest one instead!" "Lara''s right. Now Michelle, let''s go. By the way, stop dragging your feet on the ground." Kate said with a smile. I blushed. "It''s not that I''m doing it intentionally¡­." I answered truthfully. Gods, I can''t remember it being this way when I had sex the first time with Steve. Then again, I was 27. Kate raised her two eyebrows. Then, she furrowed them. "That''s why I don''t like virgin boys, they are too rough and excited. Not really knowing what to do, they even finish too early!" "Should I put Steven on training? Never mind, I would never allow him to do that with any other girl!" Lara mumbled. Kate laughed, "you two can experiment slowly. Haha!" I laughed along awkwardly. Steve was really good when we did it, maybe him and Lara did a lot of experimentation indeed? On the other hand, should I tell them that with Anthony, that''s not the case? It''s just that he was so big, though yeah, he was also a bit rough and too excited. Not that I didn''t like it. Oh well, that''s exclusive info for me! Sorry Anthony, I''ll just let them think that way. -- TBC Chapter 81 - 81: Morning After V (Third POV) *Dingdong Hearing the doorbell, distinguishable from the mix of music playing in the background, the boys who were playing billiards shifted their attention from the game to the door. Andy who had the butler and the staff leave earlier walked to open the door. He has been looking forward to seeing Michelle again. Honestly, last night was a horrible mistake. When he and Elizabeth got in his cabin, she was eagerly kissing him and trying to get his clothes off, but just recalling what he did in front of Michelle got his libido drowned out. So, he told Elizabeth to stop and pulled away from her. Then, he apologized and told her that he didn''t want that kind of relationship with her and whatever shit he could come up with so he can get rid of her and not hurt her feelings too much. His style when dumping a girl was ghosting (suddenly disappearing), not shaming directly. Anyhow, when he asked Elizabeth to leave so he can go back to the venue, she got into a weeping fiasco. She begged him not to go as she would be a laughingstock to everyone. Thinking about it, he felt bad for her, after all that she has done, this was the result. She did not even get laid when she so gifted herself to him. So, with some conscience he holed up in his room and just asked her to leave. That time, Michelle leaving with some guy did not even pass his thoughts. When Steven mentioned Michelle left with Anthony earlier, he did not know what to feel. He was a little disappointed, but he also knew that he had no right to be. Again, they were not in a relationship and although they did flirt and he believed she likes him, they had no claim to each other. He also sent mixed signals, so he has no one to blame but himself. Now, strangely, despite the knowledge, his feelings for her did not change. He still liked her. Maybe because she was faultless to begin with, or maybe because he thinks that Anthony was telling the truth. Again, it does not matter. He was not a chauvinist as that would be hypocritical of him. Anyhow, he said that he was not pursuing her still, because first, with what she saw last night, she would only think him fickle if he does so now. Second, chances of getting rejected was at all-time high. Third, he still rather enjoys his lifestyle. Last, they were still young. Relationships come and go. Thus, he doesn''t feel the need to rush. -- (Michelle POV) After our conversation, we walked to the door of the owner''s cabin and Lara pressed the doorbell. My heart was thundering in my chest as we waited. Gods, it has only been an hour and a half since I woke up with Anthony naked beside me, now we''re meeting again. "Relax¡­" Kate reminded me as she gave me a smile. "Thanks." I replied smiling back. When the door opened, it was Andy''s bright smile that welcomed us. "Hello ladies, please, come in!" He said as he stepped to the side to let us in. When Andy did so, I was able to see the interior of the cabin. It was very luxurious and modern. Just like a presidential suite in a hotel. The floor to ceiling windows provided ample lighting to the spacious room and it even has a billiard table. Then, I saw him. The sunlight filtering inside the cabin was like a spotlight on Anthony and he was almost luminous. He was so handsome and perfect and¡­ gods, he was mine just a few hours back. My heart started beating fast like crazy again, and then as if feeling my gaze on him, he stopped talking to Vince to face our direction. I quickly averted my gaze to look at Andy instead. I can feel my ears turn heated and I knew I was blushing. Ugh Michelle, you two just had sex and now you''re back to square 1. -- (Third POV) Lara who was not totally over about what happened the night before, what with Andy announcing a tie between Elizabeth''s group and theirs, gave Andy an eyeroll then grunted in greeting. Andy just chuckled, "Hey don''t be like that, it''s my birthday." Lara harrumphed. But then, she recalled what happened between Michelle and Anthony. She tried not to smirk. Ok, she''ll consider them quits. "Fine. Happy birthday, hope you had a blast last night." the words ''coz someone totally did'' was at the tip of her tongue, truly, she wanted to rub it on his face, but ok, she can''t do that. Andy smiled thinking that all''s cool between them again. He wanted to explain that nothing happened between him and Elizabeth, and that he regretted last night so that Michelle would hear, but since no one spoke about it, mentioning it would be weird. Then he looked at Kate who seemed to have already moved on from what happened at the party. "Don''t mind Lara. You know how she is. Happy birthday." Kate greeted. "Thanks." Andy replied. Then finally, he looked at Michelle. Their eyes met, and he could see that she was blushing. He could not help but interpret it as her reacting to his presence. His heart suddenly felt full, and his smile reached his eyes. "Hi Mich, did you have fun last night?" he asked. Michelle felt more embarrassed with the question thinking that maybe Andy knew and saw her looking at Anthony earlier. Still, not wanting to be rude, she smiled at him and nodded her head. "Yes. Thank you for inviting me and happy birthday again." She replied. -- Vince seeing Andy walk away quickly turned to look at the guys again. He first addressed Steven. "Steven, you''re so silent most of the time, but the only time you need to remain doing so, you go ahead and be a squealer. I think Lara is rubbing off you too much." Vince said. Steven ignored him. He also could not understand why he had to say it earlier. Anyway, Vince turned his attention to Anthony. Grinning from ear to ear, he asked, "You do know that Jeff and I called your room before calling your cellphone, right?" Anthony tried to keep his composure so as not to reveal anything. "Stop snooping. How many times do I have to tell you that nothing happened?" Vince gave him a raised eyebrow, as if saying stop messing with me. "Let Anthony be, Vince. The girls are here. Don''t let them hear you." Jeff warned. "Fine." Vince replied as he looked at Anthony and wiggled his brows. Anthony ignored Vince''s teasing, as he reminded himself to act casual. Then he turned towards the door where the girls who just entered the room were talking with Andy. His eyes unconsciously drifted to find Michelle first. Seeing her, the first thing he noticed was that she was blushing to her ears, without meaning to, his brain automatically registered her look when she reached climax. She would be all pink and he knew that her blush would not just be on her face. He swallowed. He should not think of that when he looks at her. Anyway, upon further inspection, he saw that she was looking at Andy, blushing and smiling like a picture of a girl in love. He looked away finding the view unpleasant. He already knew that she liked Andy even before last night happened. Besides, what does it matter to him? He and Michelle only engaged in a hook up. He doesn''t even like her that way. At least that''s what he told himself. -- (Michelle POV) Andy started talking to me like he normally does, and I felt my embarrassment subside. It seems like he was not making fun of me. Also, I recalled that he left early last night with that girl Elizabeth, so maybe he doesn''t even have any idea what happened. When we finished greeting each other, Andy led us to the living room area where there was a buffet table set up with some snacks. The rest of the boys who were playing billiards earlier also came to join us. Vince and Jeff greeted me in a normal manner. Then they started getting some snacks before sitting on one of the couches. Steven nodded in acknowledgement when our eyes met. Lara was already glued to him. Ok, so maybe they don''t know? Or maybe they just don''t judge. I was about to breathe a sigh of relief when I saw Anthony approaching. Gods, what do I do? Act normal, act normal, act normal. I chanted in my head. Finally, our eyes met. Anthony smiled at me, as if nothing happened between us at all. I don''t know if I should rejoice or cry! Was he unaffected? Coz me, I can hardly breathe in his presence. How do I even act normal? This was my normal! You know being a complete idiot in front of him! "Hi Michelle." He greeted me like he normally does. If I didn''t know better and if not for the soreness between my legs, I would think that everything that happened were just from all my daydreaming and imagination! "H-hello." I greeted back with a blush and a stutter. I wanted to mentally kick myself. What was wrong with me!? I was about to say something more, but then he already left and got himself some snacks. I wanted to die in mortification. So much for our assumption that Anthony should only be thinking of two things! He was too normal, and I just wanted to bury myself somewhere! -- TBC Chapter 82 - 82: Morning After VI (Third POV) Anthony quickly moved to escape from Michelle''s line of sight as soon as he saw her blush. He knew she was only reacting that way because of what happened, but he couldn''t help but think of something else. Like, how much he wanted to pull her out of the room and just you now, put into action what he thought of while he was masturbating in the shower. Gods, when has he turned into a pervert? Hopefully she won''t take offense that he left her there. Then again, maybe she was even thankful, it did seem like she was feeling awkward. He moved to get some snacks while his pants felt a bit tight. He could only pray that no one noticed his hard on. He distracted himself by focusing his attention on the food selection. Good thing that by the time he was done taking snacks, he already turned flaccid. Walking to find a seat, he saw that his friends were already mostly seated, save for Andy, Michelle, and himself. The seating was arranged in a square shape. There was a three-seater recliner in the middle, then, a two-seater on the right side, and 2 solo recliners on the left. At the front was a seat reserved for Andy, on its right was a table where he noticed the pile of wrapped gifts. Andy always like doing this. When they were younger, he would insist on unwrapping his birthday presents with them just so to ensure that they give him a good present. Now that they''re older, he still does it for fun. Anyway, Jeff and Vince already occupied the solo recliners, their drinks placed on the cup holders and their plates on the side tables. Lara and Steven occupied the two-seater, their food and drinks on the makeshift-table in middle of the recliner with cupholders, while Kate was seated at the end of the three-seater, leaving only 2 seats for him and Michelle. They will be seating beside each other. He tried not to sigh. He didn''t really think that their friends were being intentional with the set up. It just made sense that everyone would be seated that way. As he took his seat on the other end, Vince gave him a knowing smile and his eyebrows went up and down. He chose to ignore him. Thinking about it, seating beside Michelle with the cupholders and makeshift table in between them was better than having to look at her constantly. That way, he won''t have to see her blush and accidentally announce to the world how he wanted to bang her again by his obvious tent. -- "Ugh Andy, this practice is getting old. What are you? 5?" Vince said as Andy took his seat and started sifting through the gifts. Andy chuckled, "I guess I should open your gift first, Vince." He announced as he pulled out a medium rectangular box from the 7 unwrapped gifts on the table. "Suit yourself." Vince replied with a smirk. Andy shook his head as he opened the gift, before he could reveal it for everyone to see, he closed the wrapper again. "Seriously?" Vince guffawed seeing Andy''s shocked expression, "Just in case you know, you get tired with girls and want to swing the other way. Hahahahaha!!!" he joked, well, he can''t think of any funnier gift to give, so he bought him a dildo. Andy being a sport only answered with, "Or I can use it for some adventure. Thanks Vince." "you''re two are so disgusting." Lara said. Vince and Andy only grinned. The rest of the group laughed, all getting what the gift should be. "Whose should I open next?" Andy asked out loud. Everyone was just smiling and chilling together. Andy chose to open Jeff''s next and saw that inside was an external drive. Jeff wiggled his brows and said, "that''s 1 terabyte worth of reference materials. Use it well." Kate did an eyeroll. Knowing quite well what should be inside. Andy laughed, "Thanks man." Not that he needs it, but well, he does watch some porn from time to time. He continued opening the gifts leaving Michelle''s for last. -- (Michelle POV) After Anthony left me standing earlier, I had enough sense to start moving and act normal. From the buffet area, I just got myself a glass of juice since I was still feeling full given what I ate in Lara''s room. Anyhow, reaching the sitting area, I saw that only the space in between Anthony and Kate was empty. Having no choice, and of course, secretly liking the arrangement, I sat there. At first, I felt conscious of Anthony''s presence. However, since he and everyone else were acting like nothing happened between us, I too started to feel normal. I tried not to sigh in disappointment. Then again, how else should we be acting during this time? It''s Andy''s birthday get together. Not the venue for my one-sided pursuit for Anthony''s love. Anyhow, I continued to watch Andy unwrapping the gifts joyfully like a child who just received his Christmas gifts. The rest of the group were also enjoying, throwing jokes at each other. Finally, after opening the gifts from his closer friends, Andy picked up the gift I gave him. It was now my turn to be the center of attention. He smiled at me, as he carefully unwrapped it. "Wow Michelle, this scarf is really to my taste." He said as he unfolded the scarf. Then, when he saw the embroidery, he asked, "Did you embroider this yourself?" I smiled and nodded my head, "I hope you like it." "Are you kidding? I love it!" he replied as he playfully wrapped the scarf on his neck. "That''s sweet of you Michelle. To embroider something for Andy." Kate mentioned. I instantly realized that she''s saying that for Anthony to hear. Ok, how to do I respond to that? Ugh, never mind. I just smiled and nodded my head. -- (Third POV) When the opening of gifts was done, everyone started talking about school, and other matters of interest. Michelle just listened and did not try to say much. She would only speak when spoken to and smile like a wallflower. Though of course, unknown to her, with her smiling, she''s already monopolizing the attention of Andy. Andy observed Michelle during that time. He smiled thinking that she blends quite well with his friends. He already knew that from school, but seeing that even Kate likes her, he felt proud. It''s not that he''s assessing her performance, but as he was seriously considering her as a future girlfriend who he would introduce to his family and everyone else, it''s a very big plus factor that she was dexterous. Seeing Michelle smiling as Vince continued telling some tale which entertained the rest of the group, Andy felt that he should garner her attention. Out of nowhere, he addressed her. "Hey Mich, care to play a game of billiards with me?" Andy asked. Michelle and the rest of the group all looked at Andy. His topic just sprouted out of nowhere. Michelle shook her head, she never played billiard all her life. "Sorry, I don''t know how¡­" she answered honestly. What? It''s not like she has ever been interested playing it before. Andy''s smile became broader. "I''ll teach you." He said as he stood from his seat. "Come on." Michelle was surprised. What''s up with him asking her? Was he flirting with her again? Ok, she knew that Andy''s a flirt, but also knew that he was just being friendly. Like, honestly, she no longer thinks that he likes her that way with all the hot girls he''s surrounded with. Maybe he saw that she was not able to relate to some topics and did not say much? How considerate of him. Anyhow, seeing no problem with him asking her and finding his enthusiasm funny, she smiled and answered with an "Ok.", then she turned to Kate and Lara to invite them to join thinking that it would be more fun with the girls too. Andy''s brow twitched. He wanted a one on one with Michelle. Lara seeing Andy''s expression grinned. "Of course! I haven''t played in a while." She said as she grabbed Steven''s hand to pull him along. Kate shook her head, "It''s ok, I''ll stay here." What? she doesn''t want to be a 5th wheel. Besides, she also wanted to hear what the 3 idiots staying here would be talking about. With that, in pairs, the four made their way to where the billiard table was located. -- "Whoo! I have to give it to Andy, he really knows how to pull a girl in. Ah¡­ what a pity. Although Anthony my man here already got close enough with the hot chick Michelle last night, she''s still falling for Andy''s little tricks!" Vince announced as he chuckled. "Hey Anthony, don''t you feel a least bit jealous?" he asked. Kate who already brought out her cellphone while secretly observing Anthony''s reaction was glad for once about Vince''s ever prying mouth. -- TBC Chapter 83 - 83: Eight Ball I (Third POV) As Andy and Michelle walked side by side, Anthony could not help but follow them with his eyes. The seat he was sitting on was facing directly to the billiards table, so he has a clear view to whatever it was they were doing. Seeing Andy standing a bit too close to Michelle and Michelle smiling and nodding to whatever it was Andy was saying, Anthony felt strangely annoyed. He decided that perhaps it was because he knew that Andy was only being his flirtatious playboy self while Michelle was being too gullible because she liked him. It was truly unfortunate that she was falling to his ploy like a fish biting the god damn bait. He took a deep breath, tore his eyes away and drank some water. Then, he heard Vince ask him if he was not a bit least jealous. For a moment, he considered the question. Was he being jealous that''s why he felt a bit irritated? Nah. Why would he be? He''s just feeling some concern for Michelle as he doesn''t want her to be another notch on Andy''s bed. Also, he''s already getting quite annoyed with Vince''s teasing. That''s all. Anthony tried to smile as he shook his head, "Vince, Michelle and I are just friends. I don''t know where you''re getting the idea that there''s more to us, but I suggest you stop." Vince made a face, his lips both tilted down, his left brow raised as he said "Oh." Meanwhile, Jeff who was observing Kate fiddling with her cellphone her lips tilted up felt quite unhappy. He knew they were over since last year and he''s also had his fair share of flings, but¡­ ugh. Anyhow, as projection he said, "Vince, how could Anthony be jealous? What happened between them was just a one-time thing." Anthony tired of repeatedly denying what happened just shook his head and turned away from the two. It''s not like they will believe him anyway. Even he himself if he were a third person would not believe him. Vince wanting to bait and irritate Anthony just because said, "Well, I guess it should be just that. Anthony here most probably needs more practice to impress a girl." Anthony scowled. Still, he decided against biting that stupid bait Vince laid out. -- (Michelle POV) Reaching the billiards table, Andy suggested that since there were 4 of us, we should play in teams. Lara and Steven vs him and me. I tried to protest, what with me being completely clueless how the game goes, but Andy just shook his head and said, ''trust me.'' Lara gave an eyeroll hearing Andy''s words. Still, she accepted the challenge and even suggested that losers have to crawl under the table at the end of the game. Andy agreed and told me not to worry as Lara was only big with words. She''s also just a beginner. Aside from that he and steven were also just amateurs. He encourage that perhaps I even have some hidden talent to help him win. I smiled and nodded my head. Besides, the consequence wasn''t that difficult. Steven started arranging the balls in the triangular rack while Andy began explaining to me how we''re going to play. He said that the game we''re playing was called eight ball. Eight Ball was a call shot game played with a cue ball and fifteen object balls, numbered 1 through 15. One player must pocket balls of the group numbered 1 through 7 (solid colors), while the other player has 9 thru 15 (stripes). Each player must pocket all the balls from his group regardless of sequencing before attempting to pocket the 8-ball. The group which pockets the 8-ball first wins. Now, as we''re playing in teams, we would take turns in playing. Andy and Steven took a ball each and placed it somewhere on the billiard table and both of them hit each with their cue stick. I don''t know how it worked but it was decided that our team would go for the break, which was the first shot for the game. Steven placed the ball he used back on the triangular rack before taking the rack off, leaving the fifteen balls in a triangular shape while Andy placed the white cue ball somewhere behind a certain dot. Before taking the first shot, he smiled at me and winked. Then, he hit the ball. The balls scattered and out of the 15, the ball number 6 fell in one of the 6 pockets. "Alright! So Mich, our team will be hitting the solids from this point on." I smiled and nodded my head in understanding. I observed how Andy positioned himself to take the next shot as he also explained to me that I should not hit the ball with stripes with the white ball first because that would be a foul. If a foul were to be committed, the opponent who would have his turn after him would have the chance to place the white ball anywhere making it easier for him/ her to pocket his group of balls. I saw that the white ball was surrounded with stripes and wondered how Andy would hit a solid-colored ball without hitting the stiped ones with the arrangement. Andy hit the white ball with his stick at the bottom and the ball jumped and hit a solid-colored ball behind the striped one. I clapped a bit amazed and because we were teammates. He smiled, approached me, and gave me a high five. Then, it was Steven''s turn. As he positioned himself to take a shot, I saw his eyes narrow at the ball in concentration, he hit the striped ball with the white one (cue ball) and it went in. His lips tilted up ever so slightly. Suddenly, my heart started drumming in my chest. He was still handsome as ever and that slight smile reminded me of the time when I first went out on a date with him. For a moment, I was entranced. Thankfully, I heard Lara started cheering loudly for him, and I was able to shake myself out of it. The spell was broken. I slightly reprimanded myself for falling into the feelings of nostalgia. Anyhow, Steven continued to take the next shot, and another striped ball was pocketed. "That''s two down!" Lara cheered. When he was concentrating to make the next shot, Lara shouted, "Come on babe! You can do it!" I think Steven''s concentration was broken and his cue stick went up and only hit the white ball slightly not moving much. Andy laughed, "Lara, don''t overdo it, look what happened. Haha! Come on Mich, it''s now your turn. Since Steven did not hit a striped ball, he has committed a foul so you can place the white ball anywhere." He explained as he took the white ball. "Now, which do you think would be the easiest to pocket?" I looked at the balls on the table and saw that the ball number 2 was at the edge of the pocket and just a little push from the white ball would make it fall. Andy followed my eyes and smiled broadly in approval. "Number 2 it is. Here, let me help you place it on a good spot." Andy said as he placed the white ball a few inches away from ball number 2. I felt some adrenaline in my system, this is pretty exciting now that it''s my turn. I tried to imitate how Andy and Steven did it. I held the cue stick with my right hand while I placed my left hand on the table to provide support. I bent over and pushed the cue stick. UGH!!!! Ok, so it was more difficult than I thought! I could not balance the stick and in my attempt, it went sideways hitting nothing! Hearing Lara started laughing, I blushed in embarrassment. Was that a foul? I stood straight again and smiled awkwardly. "don''t worry Mich, you did not hit any of the ball yet so there''s no foul and you can try again. Mind if I help you?" he asked. Welcoming some form of tutelage, I nodded my head. Andy smiled then approached me. He held my left hand to teach me how I should position it, and, ok, if I were still the presumptuous me of 2 days ago before entering the ship, I would think he was doing this because he liked me. But because my eyes have already been opened to the reality that this super star was in no way liking me that way, I did not think much of it. That did not mean though that I was totally unaffected by what he was doing. Like he was standing so close, holding my hand and giving instructions. It was a little intimate and it''s not like I was totally immune to his charms. Come on, if you were in my position, the nation''s husband doing this service to you, well, would you not feel your heartbeat accelerating and feel yourself turning warm all over? I''m not putting any meaning behind his action, but my body response was automatic. Anyway, I did not put much thought to it anymore. "Ok, now, you try it again." Andy instructed. I nodded and took position to take a shot again. I placed my left hand on the table and leaned my body forward. I held the handle of the long cue stick on my right hand, while the other end of the stick I placed on top of my left again. The stick was shaky with my handling as I was still not used to it as a beginner. Oh well. I was still concentrating when suddenly, I felt Andy''s body covering mine from behind. He held my right hand and my left as he whispered in my ear, "you do it like this." -- TBC Chapter 84 - 84: Eight Ball II (Third POV) Since Anthony, Vince, and Jeff had nothing to do while sitting at the living area, they started talking about computer games. Meanwhile, Kate who was just sitting there pretending to be fiddling with her phone became bored. Thankfully, just when she decided to leave the room for a last-minute rendezvous, things got a bit more interesting. Vince who hasn''t moved on from Anthony losing his v-card to Michelle and was still under the impression that Anthony must like her somewhat shifted their topic and attention to Andy. "Man, Andy''s really having a blast on his birthday. Just after banging that Elizabeth, now, he''s employing all his flirtatious tactics on Michelle." Vince said as he pointed at Andy grasping Michelle''s hand with the pretext of teaching her how to hold the cue stick right. Anthony who was able to distract himself from looking at and thinking of Michelle just a few minutes back had to look at her again. Seeing her blush as Andy held her hand, he felt a bit stuffy. Jeff eyed Vince as Vince also looked at him. "Move on man. Even if Andy flirts with her, it''s none of our business." Well, he knew what Vince was getting at. Michelle was the first girl Anthony has ever been with, so Vince thinks that Anthony must like her. There should be no problem with that, except that he learned through experience that after hooking up with someone, especially when it''s your first time, it might lead to you developing some feelings of fondness for that person, which at the end of the day, you would realize were not genuine. Vince understood what Jeff was implying but seeing Andy do his moves just amazes him. Imagine, he just took Elizabeth Cheng, one of the most beautiful and sexiest teen star of their age, to his room and pop her cherry the night before, and now, he''s already getting away with flirting and lightly touching hot babe Michelle who he thought likes Anthony. Yeah, and he got her blushing and smiling at him like he''s doing absolutely nothing wrong. If it were him doing those moves, he could already envision the girl slapping his face! Anyhow, the three boys continued to observe Michelle and Andy. After a while, Michelle took position again, then suddenly, Andy covered her body with his own as he guided her how to use the cue stick. Vince whistled "And would you look at that! Shit! If not because we''ll be disembarking after an hour or so, I bet my money that Andy''s gonna score." Anthony whose face has already turned sour had no idea that he already got on his feet. Jeff who was the only person who was sane in their group quickly grasped Anthony''s wrist. "What are you doing?" he asked. Anthony realized what he was doing and to save face, he just replied saying, "I think I should hand Michelle a cue stick with a bridge head." Jeff shook his head, "Sit down man. Why do you even want to bother?" he asked. Before Anthony could answer, Vince chuckled and said, "Because I think that Anthony here is being jealous and wants Michelle all to himself!" Anthony looked at the two, "It''s not that. I just feel that Andy''s up to no good and Michelle has to get her guards up." Jeff tsked as he shook his head. Vince made a face that says, you believe that shit you''re saying? Kate, well, she was not included in their stupid conversation, but she couldn''t help but smirk. Anyhow, Anthony faced forward again and saw that Andy already moved away from Michelle and Steven handed her a cue stick with a bridge head for her next shot. Not having an excuse to go there anymore, he sat down. Well, what was he going to do there? Make a scene? "Man, you''re always wanting to be knight in the shining armor for Michelle, but I bet she can handle herself just fine. Unless¡­ wait, do you like her? I mean, are you romantically interested in her?" Vince asked Anthony. Anthony hearing Vince''s observation and question for a moment had to think. Yes, he liked her enough and he worried about her, but romantically? He shook his head. "No, as I said I just worry because you know how Andy is." Not to mention that Michelle totally likes Andy so she''s more susceptible in getting hurt. Vince was about to say something when Jeff stopped him by speaking first. "It''s good that you know that. I thought you''re already mixing things up. People frequently confuse the feelings of fondness which arises from a hook up as genuine feelings for the other person when in fact they''re not. Don''t fall into that shit hole man. Been there, done that. It''s a pile of shitty rubbish." Jeff said as an advice as he looked at Kate. Kate who just signaled Michelle and was full of good vibes with Anthony''s reactions earlier suddenly had her mood plummet. She knew where Jeff was pulling that shit from. The two of them started dating from them hooking up in the past and well, to be honest, she did like Jeff even before it happened, but of course, she would never admit that. Anyway, she placed her cellphone back to her purse then looked at the three. Not being in the mood to stay around, she said, "I''ll be going ahead to pack up." She announced. Anthony being clueless that the advice Jeff said was not only for him to hear, just said, "alright, see you later Kate." Kate gave him a tight smile as she walked towards the pool area to say bye to Andy and the girls. While doing so, she thought that although Jeff''s words made sense, how could feelings develop without dating the person first? It may start as just a hook up, but who''s to say that it couldn''t grow to be something more? Like, even when one likes a person, it''s just superficial at first. It''s not like you already know the person fully. Love is a work in progress, she believes. -- Andy held Michelle''s hand, shaping it as he explained how she should use it to support the cue stick. While doing so, he could not help but note its softness. Ah, it''s not that he was a pervert, but he did like her, so he wanted to be near her. Also, he wanted to know if she''s still receptive to him. He did leave with another girl last night and add the fact that he''s not sure if she really hooked up with Anthony, he needed some form of validation, while at the same time, make her understand that he''s a man. Seeing her blush and listening to his words without pointing out that he''s obviously flirting gave him some form of reassurance. Still, he was not sure if she''s taking it as him just being friendly or more. Anyway, he took a step back and told her to apply what he taught her next. Seeing her lean forward again, he took the time to appreciate her visage. He was standing just next to her this time, and with her position, her shirt hiked a little exposing some of her white and tender skin with¡­ was that a hickey? His eyes narrowed, and a bout of possessiveness took over. If she wants it, all she had to do was ask. Seeing her struggling with the cue stick, he decided to make a move. He covered her body with his, touched both her hands and whispered to her ear, "you do it like this." Then he guided her right hand to push the stick a little. The cue ball rolled and hit the number 2 ball and it fell to the pocket. While he was doing so, he noted the smell of her hair, her face as smooth as a fresh peeled egg, her body, and yes. He felt his pant tighten. Thankfully, their bodies were not overlapping, or she would feel his tent and might take offence. He realized what he was doing and straightened himself. Smiling in a friendly manner, as if what he did was not him making a move on her, he asked, "Now you get it?" Michelle felt a bit uncomfortable with what Andy did, but seeing that he was just casual about it, she chunked it off to him, just being his usual flirtatious self. Aside from that, the moment has already come to pass. With that, she just gave him a close-lipped smile to show that she was not too happy with what he did. Then, she nodded her head, "Yes, thank you." Andy could understand the meaning behind Michelle''s expression, so he gave her an apologetic look. He did not take it as a rejection though. In fact, her reprimanding look gave him a positive feeling. That she''s not like all the other girls he flirted with. She was receptive to him, but she doesn''t like him being touchy feely. Maybe what he saw was not a hickey but just a small bruise? Meanwhile, the two people from the other team, Lara and Steven, have their own thoughts on what they saw. Lara, well¡­ her eyes widened when she saw Andy do what he did. Like uhm, ok, she has to admit. It was hot. She should ask Steven to do that with her when it''s her turn. She was about to do so when she saw him getting the cue stick with a bridge head. Shoot, did he read her mind? -- TBC Chapter 85 - 85: Eight Ball III (Third POV) Steven frowned in distaste. Then, he grabbed the cue stick with a bridge head from the rack. "If you can''t balance the cue stick with your hand, you should use this." Steven told Michelle in an even voice. Andy and Lara looked at Steven in surprise. Thinking that he was warming up to Michelle. Their lips tilted up. Steven rarely initiates conversation with other people save for really close friends. Michelle received the stick with a grateful smile and thanked Steven. She did not place any special meaning behind his action. Steven nodded his head and moved to stand next to Lara. Michelle took her turn followed by Lara. While they were at it, Steven tried to reflect on himself. Again, he was baffled by his own initiative and the effect that Michelle has on him. Last night was akin to a nightmare for him. When he got back to his room, all he could think about was Michelle making out with Anthony, and doing God knows what after they left the party venue. He regretted not stopping them, but then, he had to ask himself, why should he? In the end, he was able to convince himself that he only felt that way because the two might be too drunk to make right decisions and they might start regretting the morning after. Next, he thought of what he felt when the scene of Andy making the moves on her played before him. He tried to deliberate whether it was the sight of Andy being near her that irritated him, or just Andy in general with his playboy ways. His body moved instinctively. Thankfully, he had enough sense not to pull Andy away from her. Then, last, when he handed her the stick, as she looked at him and smiled, his heartbeat accelerated and felt full. Did he like her? But how could he? Yes, he admits that he is attracted to her, but attraction is just that. Logically speaking, he does not know her that much, and so, he could not have any emotional ties with her to feel the way he does. It is truly confusing him. He heard Lara laughing and he looked at her who was in a celebratory mood after successfully pocketing a striped ball. Like always she was unrestrained in her joys, and he could not help his lips from tilting upwards. No, what he feels for Michelle was just something momentary. Lara was the person who has been with him the longest, the one who knew him best and vice versa. The person who he could envision a future with. Yes, he knew they were young, but he has always been a serious type of person. Anyhow, he still acknowledged the fact that he was attracted to Michelle, if he were not careful, he might grow some real feelings for her and if he leaves it as is, it might fester and lead to no good. Thus, he vowed to limit his interaction with her, well not that there''s much, but just, more than he already does. -- (Michelle POV) After Steven handed me the stick, I walked around the pool table to position myself nearer the cue ball and decipher which ball to hit next. While doing so, I chanced a glance at Anthony''s direction. I was feeling a bit conscious because of what Andy did. What if Anthony misunderstands? I saw that Anthony was just busy chatting with Vince and Jeff. Ugh! Ok, it''s not that I was expecting his eyes to bleed out of jealousy but¡­ my eyes passed Kate and she was looking at me. Ok, girl spy! She winked at me and even inconspicuously gave me a thumbs up with her left hand! My eyes mooned as I tried not to grin like an idiot. Was Anthony only pretending not to look when he has been looking all the while in my direction earlier? Kate would definitely not give me that signal if Anthony had no reaction. Ah! Perhaps Andy''s flirtatious self was kinda useful? Haha! Anyway, using the cue stick with a bridge head, it was easier for me to hit the ball. Nice of Steven to give me one by the way. He''s stuck up but he still has a good heart. I hope him all the best. Let me light some incense for Steve of my timeline, I''m quite positive that what happened last night just killed the possibilities between me and Steven of this timeline. Honestly, now that I think about it, I don''t know how to feel. The ball I hit did not enter the pocket and Lara took her turn. As she did so, Kate approached and told us that she''ll be going ahead. Andy smiled and thanked her for the gift and joining his party, while I volunteered to accompany her back to her room. Kate declined, just saying I continue with the game. After Kate left, we continued with the game while I would sneak glances at Anthony''s direction from time to time. Though he seemed engrossed with his conversation with Vince and Jeff, I did catch him looking at me once. Of course, I quickly looked away as if I didn''t see. Steven took a shot and pocketed the number 13 ball leaving only the number 8 and number 5 ball on the table in addition to the cue ball. It was still Steven''s turn. Shit. Were me and Andy going to lose? Truthfully, I was not up to crawling under the billiards table. But seeing how Steven played since earlier, what were the chances that he will miss? I took a step back to measure the headroom. Ugh. I can already visualize myself needing to crawl like a worm. "Nice one Steven! Haha! Prepare to lose Andy! Sorry Michelle, but you too! Hahaha!!!" Lara cheered and taunted. Andy gave me a wry smile. I gave him a mock glare in return. While this was happening, I did not notice that Anthony, Vince, and Jeff already joined us. "What''s at stake for Lara to be cheering like a harpy?" Vince asked. "Harpy your face, Vince!" Lara exclaimed annoyed at Vince. Vince made a face at her, trying to annoy her more. It was really childish but funny and I could tell that Lara was also enjoying the light banter. "Loser''s gonna crawl under the table!" Andy answered. Then, seeing that Steven has taken position to take the next shot, he started chanting, "Miss! Miss! Miss! Miss!" I wanted to laugh, but I was so conscious of Anthony being there. Will he be turned off if I started acting like a child myself? Steven glared at Andy as he straightened himself. He took the blue hexagon chalk and used it on the tip of his cue stick. Before taking position again. Andy chuckled, then to my surprise, he grabbed my hand and pull me towards him so that we were standing side by side. I pulled my hand from his hold the same time he let go. "It will work better if we do this together. Now chant with me. Miss! Miss! Miss! Miss!" he said enthusiastically. Ok, I couldn''t stop myself anymore. I giggled and not wanting to be a complete killjoy while secretly wanting to do what he was doing too, I chanted, "Miss! Miss! Miss! Miss!" Lara''s eyes narrowed, "Not you too Michelle!!!! Go Steven! You can do it! Go! Go! Go!" She cheered again. Steven furrowed his brows then, he hit the cue ball and let out a smirk. The cue ball hit the number eight and as if in slow motion, I saw the black ball roll towards the pocket to where Anthony was standing. It was a done deal. At least that was what I thought until Anthony used his hand to stop the ball from entering the pocket with his own hand! OH MY GOD!!!!! DID HE DO THAT FOR ME!!!!???!!!??? -- (Third POV) Anthony frowned when he heard the consequence. He did not like the idea of Michelle crawling under the table. He recalled reading on the internet how a girl would be sore after having sex the first time. He noticed Michelle walking slowly and it was in line with what he read so he didn''t want her to crawl. Well, of course, the knowledge of Andy crawling just behind her while most probably peeking under her skirt also played a part. He has seen him do it before, he would even playfully pull on the girl''s ankle. He did not want him to employ it on Michelle. He was just standing at the edge of the billiard table, looking at the balls, when from the corner of his eyes, he noticed Andy pull Michelle and told her to chant with him. She followed his instructions and started chanting like a child herself. If he wasn''t feeling annoyed, err, concerned, with her being head over heels for Andy, who he just knew would never change his ways as a playboy and that she deserves someone better, he might think that even her chanting was cute. Anthony shifted his attention to the table and watched Steven position himself. Thinking about it, Steven''s team has an unfair advantage. Steven was better than Andy in playing billiards, while Michelle was a complete beginner. If she was partnered with him instead, then it would have been fair. Amongst his friends, he''s the best player. In fact, he could be considered as a pro. Not that it''s an important detail, but just saying. Then, Steven hit the ball. He was just standing there, and the trajectory of the 8 ball was quite fast. He no longer had time to think, and his hand just instinctively caught the ball to block it from falling to the pocket. Everyone looked at him with wide eyes. -- TBC Chapter 86 - 86: Eight Ball IV (Third POV) Seeing everyone looking at him in wonder, Anthony chuckled. "It''s Andy''s birthday, I''m just helping him make his wish come true." He explained, while deep inside he wanted nothing more but to facepalm. Great. He just made a spectacle of himself. Steven furrowed his brows, did not say anything and just let the matter go. What was he to say? Lara who honestly thought that what happened was just like a scene out of a movie with a love triangle wanted to giggle. Just as she suspected, Anthony likes Michelle! Jeff, well, he could only think that Anthony just ate everything he said earlier. Vince guffawed, thinking that Anthony was trying to impress Michelle with Andy around. "Nice one!" He said as he showed him two thumbs up.. Of course, the only person who kinda bought his excuse was Michelle who did not know him as much as the other 5 people in the room did. However, she could not stop herself from feeling like a damsel in distress who was just saved by her knight in a shining armor. Gods, Anthony looked so cool, and he was so handsome and all the positive adjectives she could think of. She can only stare at him in awe and amazement. Blushing with a little foolish expression on her face screaming just how much she''s crushing on Anthony. Andy could only think ''you''ve got to be shitting me.'' though him and Anthony have always been close, he would never go out of his way to do something like that. He decided to play along rather than call him out for it immediately. "Thanks, Anthony. Never knew you loved me that much." He said but his eyes were saying another thing. Anthony saw everyone''s expression and could already imagine what his friends were thinking. They must be assuming that he did it for Michelle, which he admits was true. Michelle though¡­ she was looking at him in amazement. Might be because she thought he did Andy a favor. Anyhow, he can only act nonchalant and smile back at Andy. "Of course." He replied. Jeff who can sense some tension building decided to speak, "Ok guys, game over. Look at the time, it''s already 4:30 pm. Andy, me and these two just came over to say that we''ll be heading back to our respective cabins to pack up." Everyone else also looked at the time and true to Jeff''s words, it was indeed already 4:30. "Yeah, we should all do that." Lara interjected. Andy nodded in understanding, "Alright. Then, I won''t hold you up. Thanks for attending and hope you all had a great time." With that, the 6 each gave their greetings and thanks before leaving the owner''s cabin in a group. When the 6 left, Andy let out a sigh. He does not know what to feel about Anthony liking Michelle too. He can''t blame him though, it''s only normal for him to like her because how could anyone not? Oh well, too bad for Anthony though, he''s bound to be rejected twice in a row. For as he sees it, Michelle seems to be smitten with himself. He could still recall the look on her face when he held her hand as he taught her how to position it. Anyhow, he stopped thinking about it as he too can''t dally too much or else his mom would grill him. He had to prepare for the birthday dinner at home with his parents and extended family members. -- Since the owner''s cabin was at the 4th floor, Lara and Michelle were the first to get off the elevator on the 3rd floor. The boys'' cabins were on the 2nd floor. When the two left, Vince finally let out the words that''s been itching on his tongue since earlier. "Anthony! You smart shit! I never thought you had it in you! That was one friggin nice move to pull to impress a girl! I salute you!" Vince exclaimed as he laughed and slung his arm across Anthony''s shoulders. Anthony tried to get Vince''s arm off his shoulders, "What are you talking about?" he asked as they stepped out of the elevator. "What I''m talking about? You sly fox! Don''t deny it anymore! I can totally see through you! Ah¡­ really, what a man would do for another night of passion!" Vince said as he chuckled. "Hey, it''s nothing like that. It''s not what you think!" Anthony denied. Vince laughed, "then, why else did you do it? Unless¡­ don''t tell me, you''re actually romantically interested in her?" "It''s nothing like that. You know how much of a predator Andy is, I''m just¡­" Anthony defended. "Just what? Playing knight in the shining armor again? Haha! Ok, whatever Anthony. You can keep telling yourself that." Vince replied. "I think you guys should stop it. Steven here seems pissed." Jeff said jokingly. He noticed that since Anthony stopped the ball, Steven has been silent with a scowl on his face. Everyone just took it as him being annoyed with Anthony stopping his win. "Oh yeah, sorry for that Steven." Anthony apologized. "Hey Steven???? Steven!?!?!?" Vince called when Steven did not respond to them. Then, he clapped his shoulder. Steven who has a scowl on his face did not even notice his friends calling him. He was too absorbed recalling the look on Michelle''s face as she looked at Anthony in awe. If he thought that her looking at Andy blushing was already irritating enough, the look she gave Anthony was just¡­ "What?" he asked when he felt someone clap his shoulder. "Chill, man, don''t be such a soil sport. It''s just a game. Think of the bright side, you helped Anthony here to impress his lady love for a round 2!" Vince joked. "Hey, how many times do I have to tell you that¡­" Anthony reacted. Steven did not reply, seeing that he was already in front of his cabin, he chose to enter it and slam the door to their faces. "What''s got his panties in a twist?" Vince asked. Jeff shrugged. Steven was hard to understand at times. He was an okay fellow but has some emo tendencies. "Maybe it''s that time of the month for him. Then again, you know Steven, he''s always been kinda competitive." Anthony did not comment. Honestly, what was there to comment on? He already apologized. -- TBC Chapter 87 - 87: Girl Talk (Michelle POV) "Then Anthony suddenly stopped the ball with his bare hand so that Michelle won''t have to crawl under the table! Gosh! I personally think that he really likes Michelle here. What do you think Kate?" Lara regaled, exaggeratedly summarizing what happened in the owner''s cabin after she left. Kate looked at me. "What did Anthony say?" she asked. If I were to listen to Lara''s story I would 100% believe that Anthony likes me too! But I was there¡­ "He said that he did it for Andy." I admitted. "And you believe him? I''ve known Anthony for 18 years; he has never done anything like that for Andy ever! I guarantee he did it for you!" Lara contradicted. I blushed. Honestly, I also want to believe what I am hearing now. "I think we need more context to this than just the hook up and the instance in the owner''s cabin. Michelle, have you and Anthony interacted before what happened yesterday?" Kate asked. Wow, Kate''s really good at this. Like a love guru. Looking back, though it''s just been less than 3 weeks, I had a lot of memories with Anthony already! "Well¡­ ok, so we''re classmates and seatmates in English. One time, when our prof caught me not listening, he provided me with the correct answer through a piece of paper. He also walked me to my class once. Then, uh we have the same dismissal time from PE. So, one time, when it rained, he lent me an umbrella, but I insisted we share it instead. He helped me look for my car and driver, and when we didn''t find him, he lent me his phone to call my house, then seeing that it''s dark already, instead of making me wait for my driver, he sent me home. Then, there''s also this time when I brought him breakfast in school, and he placed a viand on my meal. And¡­" well, there''s more like me getting his number from my mom''s phone and having his YM ID and we video called one time. OMG!!!!!! "Do you think¡­ does he¡­ really like me too!?" The more I say, the more convinced I am myself! I tried not to scream like a banshee! My girly heart!!!!! Kate nodded her head. "Everything you just said are in line with Anthony''s character. He has always been the gentleman of the group. It''s a little tricky as normally, a guy would only do those for the girl he likes. Still, Anthony sending you home and agreeing to have¡­ what? you made him breakfast? And he agreed to have it with you?" "Uh¡­ well¡­ kinda, I mean¡­ ok, I''ll just say it. I used my mom as an excuse and told him that she insisted to cook for him and I''m the delivery girl? But I prepared it all myself. I mean¡­ I got his number from my mom''s cellphone because, remember? I used his phone to call her?" I explained. Kate had her mouth slightly ajar. Recovering, she said, "Lara, are you taking notes? I think you really should. Michelle here is a pro." Lara was also staring at me wide eyed. "Michelle, I had no idea. How come you never told me about this? I''m actually pretty amazed. I feel bad for Andy now." I smiled shyly. "I didn''t have the guts to tell before¡­" I explained, then asked, "Andy? What''s he got to do with this?" Lara shook her head then grinned, "Nothing. Anyway, you already know that I suspect Anthony likes you. Kate, what can you say?" "Well, I think there''s potential. I''m not sure what he thinks but there has to be something there. I mean, Anthony would never go out of his way for just some girl of mutual acquaintance. Everything seems to be moving in a fairytale kind of way between you two until the tension suddenly exploded on the dance floor. Although I don''t want to get your hopes up too much, it''s undeniable that there''s a chance that your feelings might be reciprocated." Kate said sharing her thoughts. "Now the question is, what do you want to do about it?" "What else does Michelle want? Obviously, getting Anthony to be her boyfriend!" Lara answered for me. "Right Michelle? Hehehe! Don''t worry, I''m on your side. I like you for Anthony too!" Like idiots, me and Lara interlaced our two hands and shook it like the girls that we were. "Thank you, Lara! I hope it works out!" Kate cleared her throat. "Ok, so how do you plan on achieving that?" "Waiting and getting him jealous seems effective." Lara answered excitedly like she was answering for recitation. "But what if he misunderstands?" I asked. Kate shook her head, these two¡­ "didn''t you guys even think of the term dating first?" "Dating? Who goes with dating? That''s just an excuse for a polygamous guy that doesn''t want to go exclusive!" Lara pointed out. Kate facepalmed. "Lara, Michelle have only ever known Anthony for 3 weeks and vice versa. Don''t they have to get to know each other better first before jumping to a more committed relationship? Unless of course this is just something casual. There''s the label but nothing deep, only superficial. I don''t see any problem with that, we''re still young, so that can work too." I swallowed. Kate was correct. "But¡­ how could I get him to date me?" Kate hummed. "Hmm¡­ actually, Michelle, there are two ways you can go about this. You can wait for Anthony to make the move while you continue to act normal around him, or you can continue cultivating good feelings between you two by taking the initiative. In either approach, there are both pros and cons. Do you want to strike while the iron is hot? Or do you want to let it cool a little so you both are thinking straight?" "If you were me, what would you do?" I asked. "If I were you¡­ well, to be honest, I would not go for a serious committed relationship right away. Falling in love happens eventually, but now, I think everything should be superficial. Rome wasn''t built in one night, you know. Also, guys our age¡­ ugh, all they think about is getting under a girl''s skirt. It''s all the same¡­" Kate replied. "Not my Steven though!" Lara interjected. Kate did an eyeroll, "yeah, your Steven is really a special case." I tried not to giggle. Lara was mistaken on that one, then again, maybe he''s just a late bloomer. "Anthony also¡­" Lara tried to add. Kate raised her brow, "Last night proved otherwise Lara. Anyhow, Michelle, it''s up to you which approach you want to take. We can''t decide for you. But again, if it were me in your shoes, I would wait and see what Anthony will do first. Now, moving away from that topic, on Saturday, 2 weeks from now, my parents will be holding a charity event. I''m not sure if your family is invited, but no matter, I''ll send you an invite." I tried to recall if we were ever invited to that specific charity gala in the past. I can''t remember but maybe not. Kate''s family never had any business transactions with ours. Anyhow, I nodded my head and smiled. -- TBC Chapter 88 - 88: Home Sweet Home (Michelle POV) Shortly after Kate and I exchanged numbers, the captain of the ship announced that Aurora has just docked at Port of Peng corporation, and that passengers will be allowed to disembark in 5 minutes. We waited for about 15 minutes to let the crowd thin before we exited Lara''s cabin. Another 5 minutes after that, me and the girls were already on the gangway. While walking, I saw Steven, Vince, Jeff, and Anthony standing together at the side, most probably waiting for us. My eyes of course zeroed in on Anthony who has his back facing us. Gosh, even from behind he looks perfect to me! Lara nudged me with her elbow and said, "Anthony might melt!" "You!!!!" I exclaimed in mock anger as I tried to tickle her waist. Lara laughed then ran towards the boys pulling her luggage along. As she got near them, Anthony turned around, he smiled at her, then he looked at my and Kate''s direction. My symptoms again attacked me, and I forgot how to breathe. Anthony must be Gods greatest gift to this planet! Really, I might just explode with how much attraction I''m feeling for him. "You really have it bad. Worse than Lara to Steven." Kate said as she pulled my arm to make me continue walking. When we reached the boys, Jeff informed us that Andy already went ahead as his parents were throwing him a birthday dinner with their extended family. Then, he asked us how we will be going home. Kate and I both informed then that our drivers were already outside waiting, while Lara said that Steven''s sending her home. With that, the 7 of us exited gate 2. Outside, there were already lesser cars as many have already left. Kate''s car was first to arrive and before Kate could reach to open the door, Jeff already opened it for her. Kate just scoffed and entered her car, waving me and Lara goodbye. Vince laughed at Jeff, but Jeff just ignored him. When my car arrived next, to my surprise, Anthony opened the door for me. THIS IS BLISS IF I''M DREAMING NOW, PLEASE DON''T EVER WAKE ME UP!!!!! Was all I can think about. Anyway, I mumbled, "thank you." And entered my car as I waved them all goodbye. -- (Third POV) "Smooth." Vince commented as he wiggled his brows at Anthony after Michelle''s car left. "Stop it." Anthony said as he playfully jabbed Vince''s shoulder. Vince laughed good naturedly. "Only when you tell me the juicy details! Anyhow, my car''s parked over there. I''ll go ahead. Guys, see you when I see you!" he announced, saying his goodbye, but not forgetting to add, "By the way, Lara, stop clinging on Steven like a koala, aight?" then he ran for it. Lara''s face was red in anger. She wanted to give chase, but Steven held her arm to stop her. "Don''t mind him. Let''s go." Steven said. Lara pouted. "I swear, I''m gonna have my revenge on that scoundrel one of these days! Anyway, Jeff, Tonton, we''ll go ahead. Bye!" Jeff nodded his head. "Ok, take care you two." Anthony waved, "Take care!" -- "Steven, do you think Tonton likes Michelle?" Lara asked. Honestly, she wanted to ask Anthony directly herself, but felt it awkward to do so. She did, after all, indirectly rejected him in the past. "Why are you asking?" Steven responded as he drove the car. "Well, I just think that they''re a good match. Hehe¡­" Lara answered. "You should tell Andy that." "Andy? Hmpft! Michelle is too good for him. Besides, she doesn''t like him that way at all. Haha! I can''t wait for the day he realizes just that! Anyhow, you haven''t answered my question yet." Steven smirked hearing that Michelle doesn''t like Andy that way, but then recalling that it must be because she likes Anthony instead, he frowned. He shook his head, what the hell was he thinking? "Whether or not Anthony likes her, it''s none of our business. Don''t meddle. You will only do more harm than good. Now, let''s stop talking about them." Steven said. He knew that Lara''s wanting to play matchmaker, but he has to stop her. It''s not that he has any agenda, rather, he''s just stating the truth. Then, on not wanting to talk about them, well, he doesn''t want to think of Michelle. Talking about her was counterproductive to his desire to eradicate the unknown origin of his attraction to her which was highly unwelcomed. Lara sighed. She understood Steven''s point but¡­ "It''s just that I like Michelle, she''s a great girl. It will be Tonton''s loss if he doesn''t seize the chance. But okay. I won''t meddle and won''t mention it anymore." She replied. Well, just giving advice to Michelle and cheering her on was not meddling right? -- (Michelle POV) When I arrived home, it was just in time for dinner. My Mama and Papa asked me to join them as they asked me how the party was. Although feeling tired and sore, I joined them and started telling them about it. Of course, I omitted some parts, like the partying, and me drinking alcohol. Honestly, it was the best party I have ever been in all my life, so I was excited to tell them all about it. "So, it was just amazing. But I think the best thing from the party was that I also made a new friend, her name is Kate Tan. Mama, Papa, she mentioned that her family will be hosting a charity gala 2 weeks from now and would like to invite me. Can I go?" My papa sighed. "Michelle, though you told us that you want to build connections, I don''t want you to think that only those from the exclusive 8 are worthy. You should not measure a person''s worthiness as a friend based on their family''s net worth. You also have no need to impress them or anything like that. Our family is doing quite well too." Oops. Did I make the impression that I only befriend those from the exclusive 8? Or did my papa think that I was being some trying hard sidekick? -- TBC Chapter 89 - 89: Don’t Misinterpret (Michelle POV) My mama frowned. "Morris, our daughter is not like that. It was them who invited her first and besides, you should be happy for her as she''s now gaining more friends. Right Michelle?" "Yes. Ma, Pa, you know me. I don''t judge people that way¡­ it was Lara who introduced me to Kate. It just so happened that we jived. Also, I''m not being bullied or am trying hard to impress them. Kate and Lara are both good to me and we treat each other like sisters." I explained. With that, my papa just nodded his head convinced by my explanation. -- After dinner, I''m finally able to head to my room. I checked my phone to see if anyone sent me a text. The screen showed me that there were 2 unread text messages. My heart and imagination suddenly went overdrive! Did Anthony text me!? I unlocked my cellphone. Ok, so I guess, Anthony did not. Still, I was happy to see Kate and Andy sent me a text each. I opened the one from Kate first. [Just got back home. Don''t forget to drink the tablet I gave you. Anyhow, I''m so tired, so I will check with my mom''s secretary within the week regarding the gala, I will send the invitation through Lara.] The message was received at 6:15 pm. I looked at the time, it was already 7:30pm. I typed my reply, ''Sorry for the late reply! Just finished dinner with my parents. Thank you for the reminder. I also already told them about the gala, and they agreed for me to attend. Hehe. If I''m there I will give you a massage to ease tiredness. Haha! Rest well!'' Then I opened the one from Andy. [Have you arrived home? Sorry I had to leave early and did not get to say goodbye to you. My mom would grill me if I didn''t get home on time.] It was received at 6:02 pm. Oh well, maybe Andy sends this to all his friends. I replied. ''Sorry, late reply. Yes, I got back a while back but only saw your text now. Had dinner with my parents. Please, no need to worry about it, I understand completely. Also, Jeff told us about why you needed to leave early. I hope you enjoy your birthday dinner. So, did you get home on time?'' then press sent. In a minute, I received a reply. I thought it should be from Kate, but it was from Andy instead. [Yes, thankfully. Hmm¡­ since you''re hoping me to enjoy my birthday dinner, how about you accompany me?] Ehh??? What is he talking about? Was Andy drunk texting? Then I received another text. [Just kidding. I''m just so bored with this dinner already.] I shook my head and smiled. Andy''s such a joker. ''^_^ If you''re bored, I can accompany you through texting some other time, but right now, you should show some appreciation for your family''s effort for your birthday. Stop texting!'' After a minute, I received a text, this time it came from Kate. [Haha! Massage is tempting. Maybe next time. Thanks, and see you soon.] I replied ''^_^ Okies. See you soon.'' Then, another came from Andy. [Okay, I will listen to you. If they ask why I suddenly become attentive, I will mention that it''s because of you giving me good advice. One day, it they want to meet you, you must give me face.] Aish, Andy''s texts are so ambiguous and easy to misinterpret as him flirting. Thank goodness I know better and that they were only friendly messages. Anyhow, I just replied, ''of course. Now don''t reply anymore.'' [ok haha!] he still replied. I smiled but did not reply anymore. -- (Third POV) Andy smiled as he read through the text message exchange between him and Michelle. She''s really different from the other girls. "What are you smiling about?" his mother asked as she saw him happily fiddling with his phone. Her son must be texting with his endless list of girlfriends again. Ah, he''s really giving her a headache. Why can''t be just date nicer girls? Andy pocketed his phone. Then he looked at his mother. "I''m just happy about this birthday dinner you prepared for me. Thank you, Ma." he replied. "Ah, Andy''s finally learning to be more appreciative. He''s really a big boy now." One of his aunties said. By the way, before Andy''s generation, the Peng family, was pretty huge. Each generation would produce more offspring than the one before, so the one child policy of their generation was akin to a nightmare to them. They were a family that can afford and want to raise more but can''t. Then, his grandmother from the father side said, "Andy ah, you should continue being like this in the future." "Of course, grandma, also, thank you for coming to my birthday. It means a lot to me that you''re here today." Andy replied. His grandmother''s eyes mooned, and she clapped her hands three times in happiness. Andy''s parents looked at him like he grew another head. Then, they looked at each other. Finally, his mother couldn''t help herself anymore. "Alright Andy, you can bring this girl home and introduce her to us. Mama and Papa will treat her well. You can marry and have babies early too if you want. I know you only turned 19, but mama and papa can support them. The government allows for 2 now. We are still young and¡­" Andy chuckeld. "Ma, she''s not my girlfriend yet." "You''re the son of Peng corporation, tell her you will inherit this billion-dollar corporation and¡­" Andy''s father proclaimed. "As I thought! You being an actor only attracts bad girls, can''t get a good girl to be your girlfriend!" His mother complained. Then, everyone sitting around the two long tables, started expressing their opinions. Andy winced. Ah, if Michelle really comes to meet his family, he wonders how she will fare with all 48 of them interrogating her. His immediate family was just the three of them, his mom, dad, and him. However, Peng family as a whole was closely knitted that all of them even live in the same compound. Ok, that''s thinking too much ahead. Still, he smiled. She did agree to meet his family one day. -- TBC Chapter 90 - 90: Should I Text Him First!? I (Michelle POV) After texting with Andy, I started thinking about Anthony again. Kate was right, I''m the one who should decide what to do moving forward. For god''s sake, a real 18-year-old girl has a better thought process than me! I unlocked my phone again. Should I text him? Wait, earlier he opened the door for me, does that mean that he''s already showing some initiative and I should be the one to take the next step? He caught the ball for me though he says otherwise, and he also opened the door of my car for me, smiled at me, while I did nothing. What if he misinterprets and start thinking that I''m not interested that''s why he isn''t texting me? Should I ask Kate what to do? Or maybe Lara? But they must be resting and tired. Ok, let me search some advice from the internet.. I opened my PC and started browsing the web. Ah, thank goodness I''m so smart now. In the past, I wouldn''t even think of consulting the internet for these kinds of questions in my head. So¡­ first question. ''Is it possible to have a meaningful relationship with the person you hooked up with?'' The page loaded and a lot of answers appeared through thought catalogs and others. I read through a lot, and to summarize everything, the answer was ''Rewarding relationships are possible for those who delay sex, but it''s also possible for true love to emerge from becoming sexually involved first then build a relationship after.'' I like that answer very very much. Next question. ''Should I text a guy after hooking up?'' The page loaded again, and I looked through the popular answers. ''Yes. Don''t overthink about it. If you''ve had an amazing time with the person, it makes sense to send them a text. Share your feelings with them and tell them you want to hang out with them again. However, you might want to send the post hook up text after a day or two; not after a week or the same night. Wait, so I can''t wait any longer? If I text him tomorrow night instead, would that be weirder? I mean we would see each other in class, and it would just be the two of us. But honestly, I can''t even talk to him in person without babbling like an idiot! Ok, I''ll just text him. Next question. ''What do I text to a guy post hook up?'' Another bunch of answers came up. I opened the first link and it enumerated the lines I can text him. 1. Mind blowing. 2. That was epic 3. Let''s do that again 4. For some reasons I can''t stop thinking about you naked 5. I had fun last night. Would love to see you again. 6. Round 2? 7. I can''t stop thinking about you naked. 8. Care for seconds? 9. So, about last night¡­ I vote for doing it again! 10. You''re great in bed. Just saying. What the??? I laughed like crazy imagining myself texting all those bunch of words to Anthony. Well¡­ to be honest I actually vote for round 2!!!! Oh my god. What has he done to me? Honestly, it was truly amazing! But¡­ I want a relationship with him too, also what if he gets turned off!?!?!? Let me read another one. I pressed the back button and clicked another link. ''30 things to txt a guy after hooking up (the complete guide)'' This sounds interesting. ''It''s the day after you''ve done the deed with a guy. You can''t quite get him out of your head. You''ve got your phone, a device that lets you communicate anything you want to anyone in the world, and yet you just can''t think of what to say.'' Oh, this sounds just about right! Continue! ''Drafts are quickly getting typed out, stared at, and then deleted by you. None of them seem quite right, and you''re starting to panic just a tiny bit.'' I haven''t got to that part, but I can imagine! ''Relax. Take a breath, because we''ve got your back. We''ve done that and we''ll dish the details to you. But before that, determine what you''re looking for first.'' EXACTLY!!!!! THIS ARTICLE IS SO WORTH IT!!!!! ''There are three main outcomes you can get from this. A relationship. Some more casual hookup fun. Nothing more.'' Of course, I''m looking for a relationship with him. I continued reading. ''The approach you take when you''ve got romance in mind will be quite different from the one you''d take when all you want is some more sexy fun. In many ways, it means you need to be more careful. You want to get a little deeper than just talking sex, but you also don''t want to get too deep at the risk of seeming clingy. Keep it light, fun, and flirty. Although a little hotter texting is fine, try not to focus only on the sexual aspects, because you also want to build an emotional connection with him.'' I breezed through the rest and went straight to what I want to know about. What to text him exactly! ''Want a repeat performance? Get straight to the point and ask him for another round. When you''re feeling confident because you rocked his world and he definitely rocked yours, don''t need to hold back. There''s nothing quite like a confident and bold woman making the next move. Just ask him for more and watch him hurry to satisfy you¡­ again and again.'' HAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! I WISH! I imagined that happening, Anthony smiling and knocking on my door saying, I''m here at your command my Chelle¡­ Wow, that''s a cool nickname for me. Anthony should call me that. My Chelle! Hahahahaa! Ok dirty mind. I know I can''t text him that way. Move to next option. ''Tease him a little bit. Okay, maybe you''re not feeling super confident, or you''re not sure where his mind is at. But there''s one thing you do know; that you want to do it again. There is a way to check if the feeling is mutual while hyping him up at the same time. How? Shoot him texts that tease him just a bit without coming right out and saying it. He''ll be tantalized by the possibilities. If there was any uncertainty, you''ll know for sure when he takes the bait. Examples: I can''t stop thinking about what you did last night. It''s giving me all kinds of crazy ideas. I''ve been daydreaming about you all day.'' I cringed. Uhm¡­ what''s the difference between that and not holding back!? Anyway, I continued reading. -- TBC Chapter 91 - 91: Should I Text Him First!? II ''Wait and see if he texts you first. If you''re feeling really uncertain, there''s an easy, low-risk strategy; you can just wait for him to text first. There are advantages and disadvantages to this option. The good; it keeps you from overwhelming him, makes you look cool, and could convince him he needs to chase you. Now here''s the bad; he might assume that you''re not interested., and not text you first. If this route sounds appealing to you, anyway, and you''re worried you might not hear from him again, we suggest waiting for a day or two, and then take the initiative by texting him if he hasn''t reached out to you.'' Uhm¡­ I checked my phone again. It was already 9 in the evening. No text yet. HUHU.. I think I should strike while the iron is hot! Tonight, is time for me to make a decision. I mean, if I wait for another day or two¡­ maybe Anthony would think I''m not interested. I can''t make him suffer. He already showed me that he likes me right!? If he''s not interested, he won''t do what he did all day!!!!! Next option. ''Send him something light and flirty. Want to build a relationship with him post hook-up, but don''t want to come across as desperate? This is probably your best options. Send him a text that''s light hearted with just a hint of flirty. Don''t make it overly sexual, which shows him the physical isn''t all you''re interested in. Of course, this could work if you''re looking for more hookups, too. There isn''t any reason you couldn''t have conversations with someone you''re hooking up with, but it does have the potential to send the wrong message. Example: Just wanted to let you know I had an amazing time with you. I can''t get your handsome face out of my mind.'' Uh... That''s exactly what I''m feeling but¡­ let me read more first. ''Compliment him on his technique (or anything else related to the hookup)'' Ok, this one is definitely just for casual sex, not what I want. Next. ''If you felt a real connection, tell him. Anyone telling you to be open about your feelings will probably make you roll your eyes. You''ve likely heard it before. But one of the most important things in any relationship (especially romantic ones!) is communication. So if you felt sparks like crazy, believe us when we say you should tell him. However, don''t go over the top. This isn''t the time to confess love to him, try to tone it down while getting your feelings across. Examples: I haven''t been able to get you out of my head all day. I''m surprised at how much I''ve been missing you. So, were those fireworks between us last night, or just my neighbors lighting up some next door again?'' Isn''t these texts same as already confessing!? No, I can''t do that. NEXT! ''Send him a selfie. You know what they say, ''a picture is worth a thousand words''. Imagine just how much a selfie can get across. The options are limitless here. Examples: A sultry picture of your in your lingerie or a selfie of you and your pet or your smiling face.'' I imagined myself sending Anthony just that and¡­ ok, never mind. Next. ''Casually check up on him. If you''re not sure which approach to take but you don''t want to wait for him to text first, this is the choice for you. Send him a casual check up message, and it has the benefit of keeping you from looking clingy. His response will give you clues on how to go from there.'' That seems workable. Ok, there are still some more!? Gosh, I can''t believe they have so many advice available. Let me see. ''Make plans for a date. What if you really felt the chemistry, and you know he did, too? Well, then there''s no reason you shouldn''t take the first step. Even if he''s developing feelings for you, he won''t always take the initiative because he might be nervous, too. So if he''s indicated clearly enough to you that he REALLY likes you and the feeling is mutual, GO FOR IT! Start making plans for a date with him. In the event he''s too nervous to take the leap first, you''ll be lifting a huge weight off his shoulders and really impressing him. Examples: Want to go see this new movie with me this weekend? I''ve been dying to try this new restaurant. Wanna come with me? I have two tickets to the show this weekend, and the second one has your name on it.'' OH MY GAWD. YES YES YES!!!!! I mean, he did show that he likes me many times! Why am I being so stupid!? I can do this! I can do this! I can DO THISSSSS!!!!! I stopped reading the article and decided that I will just text him! Now, I can just combine everything I learned and see how it goes. I unlocked the screen of my cellphone. I won''t get rejected if I just casually text him first right? Oh well. Here goes nothing. ''Good evening, Anthony. Were you able to get home safely? Thanks for¡­'' FUCK. Thanks for the mind-blowing sex session we had last night. Mind going for round 2? Of course, that will be after we have our date, I mean we already had a date before in the canteen so it''s not like it would be the first¡­ so, is next weekend fine? Sure. Yes! See you. I shook my head from my imaginary texting. I wish I can just text him those but! I don''t want to be rejected! Also, what if he only goes to have sex with me? Wait, I should research on that too. Then again, I already know that relationships are possible after hook ups. I''ll just have to build our relationship during this time! We already like each other anyway! I edited my text. ''Good evening, Anthony. Were you able to get home safely?'' Before I could change my mind, I hit send. -- TBC Chapter 92 - 92: Should I Text Him First!? III (Third POV) Anthony was drying his hair when he heard his cellphone making a ding sound indicating that he received a text. He walked to pick it up and flip it open. To his surprise, he received a text message from Michelle. He blushed guiltily. She was just starring in his masturbation session while taking a shower just a few minutes back. Ok, so maybe he doesn''t like her that way, but he certainly wants to do that with her again! Why could she be texting him? Was she going to blame him for what they did? Did he ruin her dream of giving it to Andy instead? He bit his lip. Gods, just the thought of that makes him want to¡­ never mind. He opened the text message. [Good evening, Anthony. Were you able to get home safely?] Oh¡­ apparently she''s just curious about that.. Wait, did she send this message because she wants to have that conversation? He sighed. Earlier, he decided to just act the way he usually does around her and just be nicer. He doesn''t want to make things awkward between them, and he does truly care about her as a friend. [Hello Michelle. Yes, I got home ok. Thanks for asking. How about you?] Then he pressed send. Ok, that sounded stupid. Definitely she''s home already that''s why she''s asking or something, but it''s not like it would be polite if he doesn''t ask her that back. -- Michelle was surprised to see that Anthony replied to her immediately. Was he holding his cellphone all the while too? Was he thinking of texting her earlier but was just second guessing himself because he was unsure of what she felt about him!? She was so happy imagining that she made the right choice. She opened the message. [Hello Michelle. Yes, I got home ok earlier. Thanks for asking. How about you?] She analyzed the message over and over. Obviously, he should know that she''s home now, but still asked. Was he being nervous that not knowing what to ask he asked a stupid question because he wanted to prolong their potential conversation!? Her girly presumptuous mind and heart couldn''t take the toki-doki heart pounding feeling! She giggled like an idiot. More confident, because he couldn''t see her, she started typing again. -- Anthony received the text and opened it. [Yes, I got home earlier too. So, I was wondering¡­ do you have time this coming Saturday?] Shit. Was she looking for a good time to talk to him about what happened? Should he give an excuse so that he won''t have to face her? Then again, it''s not like they could just completely not talk about it. They were friends, not that close but still friends. -- Michelle nervously bit her lip. That was really forward of her, but well, she didn''t mention what it would be for. There was nothing bad about that right? She waited for 5 minutes before Anthony''s reply arrived. She took a deep breath, her hand shaking as she squinted first before opening the text. Then, like an idiot, she slowly opened one eye, as if peeking just to read it. [Yes, I have time on Saturday. Do you have something in mind?] ''AH!!!!!!! I wanna scream and shout and let it all out! And scream and shout and let it out. We sayin'', oh we oh, we oh, we oh, We sayin oh, we oh, we oh, we oh!!!!!!!'' Michelle screamed, sang, and started dancing while laughing. She can''t even remember if the lyrics were correct or if the song, she''s singing has already been released in 2006, but oh well, no one can hear her anyway. Ok, time to key in her reply. -- [Would it be alright for us to meet at Daman mall? What time is most convenient to you?] Anthony read and thought that Daman mall was a good place to meet. It was not a mall frequented by his family and friends, but it''s also not too crowded as it still caters to the upper class. It was an hour away from his home and just about 30 minutes from Michelle''s. Anyway, he knew a good private restaurant there. He thinks Michelle would like it and would be more comfortable to talk to him there. -- [Yes, if you like we can meet during lunch time. I know a good restaurant there.] ''Lunch!? He wants to meet me that early? Was it so we can spend more time together!? He''s even recommending a restaurant!!!! It''s a date!'' Michelle thought as she smiled from ear to ear. Then, she thought, if he''s treating her to lunch, she should treat him to something too in return. Ok, whatever excuse she can come up with to prolong their time together. Hihi! What do people this age do when dating anyway? Oh! They should watch a movie! Which movie would be showing then? She opened a window in her PC and checked the net. Cool! Should she book the corniest romcom she could find? What if Anthony dislikes it? Pirates of the Caribbean? Well, it was good and maybe Anthony would like it? Wait. Before she decides, she must ask if he needs to be somewhere, like what if he chose to meet early because he needs to be somewhere later!? -- [Ok. Uhm¡­ Anthony, after our lunch, would you need to leave right away?] Anthony wondered why she was asking that. Then thought maybe lunch time was too early or it wasn''t convenient. He could adjust accordingly. -- [No, I''m free the whole day. If lunch time is inconvenient, I can adjust. What time do you prefer?] Michelle was screaming again, she was happy like crazy. She ran to her bed, hugged a pillow and started rolling herself. Anthony must REALLY REALLY like her. He was even willing to change schedule to accommodate her, and he definitely chose an earlier time to spend more time with her. Ah!!!!! Wasn''t she the luckiest girl on earth!?!?!?!? -- TBC Chapter 93 - 93: Should I Text Him First IV (Third POV) Anyhow, after recovering from the onslaught of blissfulness, she sat upright realizing she haven''t replied to him yet. Should she tell him about the movie plan??? Hmmm¡­ wait, that should be her surprise for him! Then, she looked at the time, it was already 10 pm. How come time flies so fast!? -- [No, it''s not that. Lunch would be great! So¡­ are you going to bed now?] Anthony can only smile awkwardly as he read her text. Don''t know since when his mind became just like that of a pervert, but all he could think of replying to her was, ''would you like to join me?'' He chided himself with how naughty his imagination was.. Unless¡­ ok, what were the chances that Michelle was also thinking of him that way? -- [Yes, now that you mentioned it, it''s getting late. I will go to bed now. You should too.] Michelle can only smile reading his text. Was it just her or was he just so polite and nice and sweet? [Ok. Good night and see you tomorrow!] she replied, trying hard not to expect a reply but secretly hoping that he would. [Good night and see you.] he replied. Seeing his reply, Michelle was on cloud 9. Thinking that she needed some beauty sleep she decided to close the lights. She set her cellphone''s alarm at 5am before placing it on the nightstand as she usually does. -- (Michelle POV) As soon as my cellphone made a sound, I was already wide awake. I was so excited for the day! I showered and was done by 5:30, then, I spent the next hour to beautify myself. Today, I straightened my hair with a hair iron, and wore a dress reaching two inches above my knees. Although I will only be seeing Anthony for an hour, we will be sitting beside each other and¡­ hihi! Can I like, touch his leg or he touch mine climbing higher while we''re listening to the lecture? Thinking about it, our conference like classroom was perfect for that! AHHHHH This is crazy. My imagination was in overdrive. Okay, no Michelle, that''s too naughty. You should at least wait until after the first date, don''t want to frighten him. He''s just 18! I smiled and bit my lip. Everything that was happening was so fantastical. I mean, did I really go back to the past, or was it that I already died and was living in my fantasy? I was shook out of my reverie when my cellphone suddenly rang. Eh? Who could be calling me this early in the morning? Don''t tell me¡­ it''s Anthony!? I checked my cellphone only to see that Andy was calling. Why was he calling me so early? I answered my phone. "Hello?" "Good morning¡­" I heard Andy''s husky voice from the other line. Seems like he just woke up. "Good morning, Andy. Uh, did you call the wrong person?" I asked. It took a few seconds before Andy spoke again, "no, I just checked my screen and saw your name, so I''m calling correctly Mich." He said, this time his voice was more alive. "Ah, ok. Why did you call?" Andy chuckled from the other line, his voice was very pleasant to the ears, and would most probably drive any girl wild. Not that I was still interested. I mean, Andy''s a star, the nation''s husband. Any girl would feel some attraction to him. Like a crush for an idol but that''s it. True that he''s super hot and all that, but he''s not really the type you would seriously consider for a relationship. Oh well, what am I even thinking? It''s not like I should or would ever be concerned about that. "Just checking if you''re already up. Your first class is at 7:30 right?" I furrowed my brows, yeah it was, but what''s that got to do with him? Strange. "Yes, so?" "So¡­ I recalled last time that you cut class because you weren''t able to wake up, so here I am being your alarm clock." He explained. I laughed, ''ah! Andy, you flirt! If I didn''t know better, I would think that you''re trying to court me!'' I wanted to say those words out loud but felt like there''s no need. Besides, what if he thinks that I''m hitting on him when it''s Anthony that I like, obviously. Everyone knew what happened the other night, so Andy must also know. Oh well. No reason for me to flirt back but then again, what if he''s just being a concerned friend? Like duh. Friends also treat each other this way. "I can''t believe you still remember that! Don''t think that I''m a slacker, alright? Still, thanks for reminding me. Anyhow, I''m not yet done preparing myself, so I have to go. B¡­" before I can get the word bye out, Andy exclaimed the word "Wait!" "Yes?" What could it be that he wanted to say? "I wanted to ask for a favor. Your dismissal is at 1:30 later, right?" "Yes, so, what can I do for you?" "You see, I really liked the gift you gave me, so I was wanting to buy some clothes to match it. I was thinking of wearing it for my interview this coming Saturday. So¡­ since I think you have great taste, better than my professional stylist, if it''s alright with you, would you please accompany to go shopping later?" Was he for real? Then again, the scarf I bought was something very similar to the one he wore in the past so he must really like it. Anyway, we''re friends, he''s not that popular yet, and it''s not like I can''t do him this favor. "Ok, but I need to be home before dinner." "Great! By the way, where do you live?" Huh? Why was he asking me that? "In Rishuan district. Why?" "That''s convenient. It''s on the way from my place to school. I can fetch you and maybe we can go to school together, it would be easier later coz we might need to mall hop." "No, it''s okay. I have my own driver." I told him. "Alright. Thank you in advance for this Mich, and see you later in class!" "Okay, see you!" Then, we hanged the phone. After the call, I looked at the time. It was already 6:40. Ah! I quickly moved, got my bag and went downstairs. I drank 2 glasses of water before leaving the house. -- TBC Chapter 94 - 94: Evaluation Exam Results I (Michelle POV) Inside my car, I looked at my phone again. Should I text Anthony a good morning message? Like there''s nothing bad about it right? Friends greet each other good morning. Maybe he would even like it! With some newfound confidence, I unlocked my phone and opened write a new message. Wait, how should I greet him? Should I write, ''good morning my love?'' Or ''I wish it''s your face I see when I wake up in the morning?'' Hahaha!!!! Ok, serious now. Oh! I can just send him a quote! Why haven''t I thought of that earlier!? It''s the ''in'' thing this timeline!!!!! I looked at old messages in my phone only to see that I have no message like that saved, or anything more appropriate. Ok, never mind. [Good morning, Anthony! Hope that today will be a great day for you! See you in class!] Then, I pressed send. Until I arrived at school, no reply came. Ugh, maybe he''s still asleep. Anyhow, my first class was Math 11, taking my seat, I heard my blockmates talking about the evaluation exam. "I''m so nervous. Will our prof give back our exam results today?" I heard Janina say. "Me too. I hope I did well. I don''t want to go to Math 10! Imagine, a semester taking a basic subject before being able to take this class so that you can move to Math 19! Would that cause a delay in our studies?" Joanie replied. Hearing their concerns, I could not help but think of the simple mindedness of life as a student. When I was at their age, I also thought about grades all the time. Failing, getting delayed from graduating, or worse, getting expelled because of not meeting the quota were my main concerns. I must confess there was also getting a boyfriend, Anthony Ren preferably. I smiled thinking of Anthony. Ah, I like him so much and later we will see each other! "Michelle, you look so relaxed, seems like you did well in this exam." Camille commented. I shook my head, "Not really, it''s just that I think that worrying won''t change the results." Angie scoffed. Then, she said loudly to Janina. "Some people don''t come to school to study but to get a boyfriend. Don''t know how they were qualified to enroll in this university. Then again, perhaps it''s through connections, OR maybe they did something unimaginable like using their body?" Then she laughed as she looked at me. Huh? Was she referring to me? What''s this bitch''s problem? I was just sitting here minding my own business. Was she jealous that I''m better looking? Ah, these kids. I should not stoop to their level. It was, after all, kinda true that I am here looking for a boyfriend, Anthony hahaha! Anyway, I chose to ignore her taunt. If it were the me of the past, I would have been offended as to confront her. Now, it just seemed stupid to me. So, I just sat quietly while the rest of the people in the room looked at Angie then at me. "Some people are just jealous that they don''t know what they''re saying. How shameless." Camille suddenly said out loud. Wait, was she angry and trying to kinda defend me? Did I look pitiful like I was bullied instead? But really, no need to make an enemy so early in college. "Oh, there are also people who come to school trying to win favor from those who came from better families. Like those scholars from somewhere out there." Angie said while giggling with her friends. Camille turned red. I looked at her, and I was reminded that she came to school as a scholar. Angie was a bit much. How did she end up as a politician''s wife in the future? Then again, being one also needed this kind of attitude somewhat. Ugh. Should I say anything? But I don''t really know what to say. This is all too childish for me now. Thankfully, before any word could continue to be exchanged, our professor came in. "Good morning, everyone. Today, I have your exam results here with me. Note that the first 4 people who will receive their paper got the highest grades while the rest are not arranged." Everyone looked at her in expectation. I also felt a bit nervous. I can''t remember the score I got in the past, but I knew I passed. I may not be that good with other subjects, but Math and Economics were my strengths. "With a perfect score, please receive your paper, Ms. Camille Chen." Camille stood from her sit beside me and received her paper. In the midst of my classmates clapping their hands for her, I heard Angie''s voice saying, nerd. What a child. "Second place, with a score of 97, let me call on Mr. Jack Huang." My classmates clapped again, and I saw someone from another block receive his paper. "Third place was a tie. With a score of 94, Mr. James Po, and Ms. Michelle Lui, please receive your papers." My eyes widened. Did I hear that right? I got third place! I stood from my seat as my classmates gave a thunderous applause. After collecting my paper from our prof, I turned back to go back to my seat. It was not really my intention¡­ ok, so it was, but who could help themselves? I looked at Angie and our eyes met. She was red on the face, and I chose to smile at her sweetly. Ah, take that you bitch! Hahahaha! Anyway, our prof continued giving back the exam results. After, she made some announcements. She informed that the students who got a score lower than 60 would need to move to Math 10, their new section and class schedule will be emailed to them later. Meanwhile, those who got scores of 60 above will remain in this class and lecture would proceed as normal next meeting. Then, she dismissed us early. -- Since I was friends with my blockmates, we all went to the canteen to hang out after class. Though Angie was a complete bitch to me and Camille, I did not delve on that matter and acted like nothing''s wrong between us. They too did the same. At this point, perhaps, I should label us as frenemies. Not that I care that much. I have my mind elsewhere. My blockmates started discussing the exam results, and just like in the previous timeline, only Dave got a score lower than 60 and would have to move to Math 10. Then, they brought out Uno cards and jenga blocks to play with. As Camille invited me to play jenga, I brought out my cellphone to see if Anthony has replied to my text. It was 8:30, and maybe he already woke up. Sadly, there was none. I smiled at Camille and accepted her invite rather than waiting and doing nothing. Time moved fast as we were having some fun. Soon, the 10:20 bell rang, and it was time for my next class. I told my blockmates that I''ll go ahead and left for my environmental science class. While doing so, I brought out my cellphone to check if Anthony replied to my text. No reply. I wanted to cry. Was he turned off by me texting him so early in the morning? Did he think I was too clingy? Huhu! What about our date on Saturday? I should have not texted him! As I lamented and told myself how stupid I was while walking, my cellphone which I was still holding suddenly vibrated. Since I was already all depressed and lost hope, I looked at the screen without much expectation. I unlocked my cellphone, then to my utter delight, the text came from Anthony! I excitedly opened the message to read his text. I stopped walking and grinned like an idiot. [Good morning. Same to you and see you in class.] It was so simple, but that he replied already made me so happy! Should I share the good news!? Wait, did he pass his evaluation exam for Math? Argh. Just reply! [Thank you. ^_^ Did you have breakfast already?] Ah!!!! Michelle! What are you? His girlfriend? [Yes. How about you?] He just asked me back if I had breakfast already! Gosh, does he also take me as his girlfriend? I think I''m going crazy with my own presumptuousness. But I''m so happy! I can''t help it. Should I tell him I only eat twice a day to maintain my figure? I hate exercise so I just eat less. But what if he thinks that I''m conceited? Never mind. Water was my breakfast, so I already did. [Yes, uh¡­ have you already arrived in school?] [Not yet, I''m still at home. You?] Eh? So¡­ did he just wake up and my text was the first thing he read, and he immediately replied to it??? Ah! he''s so sweet! Wait, that''s too good to be true. I should check. [I''m already in school, my first class was at 7:30. You''re so lucky to still be at home. Don''t you have class in the morning?] [I see. No, our class is my first class on Mondays. Anyhow, I should get moving. See you.] I read the txt again and again with a smile on my face reaching my ears. Then, the bell rang. Shit. I''m already late for class. But! I still have to reply! [Ok, take care and see you too.] I typed, trying hard to stop myself from including the <3 at the end of the message. -- TBC Chapter 95 - 95: Evaluation Exam Results II (Third POV) When Michelle entered the classroom for their Environment Science class, the professor just finished calling attendance. He looked at her and she smiled at him. He pulled out her index card and she assumed that he must have marked her late. Walking to her seat, she saw Lara who waved at her enthusiastically, Steven who seemed to be in a bad mood as always, and Andy who was smiling at her like the heartthrob that he was. She smiled back at them. Andy who noted that Michelle obviously made the effort to look nice today couldn''t help but assume that she did it for their date later. His heart was happy and doing summersaults. As Michelle took her seat, he placed his elbow on her table then leaned sideways so she can hear his voice which was lowered, "you''re late. Told you I should have picked you up from your house." Michelle blushed with the remark and Andy''s proximity.. She can smell his perfume and their shoulders were touching. She noted that the superstar has no sense of personal space. Not that she thinks he''s doing it deliberately with some romantic thought about her. If she were any other girl, she would think he was hitting on her. Well, fine, last week, she assumed he did, now she just knew he was only being friendly. Not that she wants him to have that thought about her any longer. Her heart was already set on Anthony. Anyhow, thinking that that''s just how their friendship worked, like flirting with each other without giving any special meaning to it, she just answered, "Just for this class. I was on time for my 7:30 class. Thanks for calling me earlier by the way." Andy chuckled, "Anytime. So, which mall do you think we should visit later?" "Daman mall?" Michelle asked. She selected Daman mall so she can look around before having her date with Anthony there on Saturday. She wanted to familiarize herself to the place somewhat, and maybe buy advance tickets for the movie on Saturday. Andy nodded his head, "Ok, Daman mall it is." "By the way, who''s joining us?" she asked, thinking the more the merrier. "Just you and me. Lara and Steven have something to do after class so they can''t join us." Andy excused. Actually, he just did not invite them. Thankfully, after this class they have a meeting with their groupmate for their class project for another subject, so Michelle won''t get to ask. Michelle nodded her head not thinking much about it. "Then I''ll just meet you in the mall later." She said as she started taking notes while their professor continued with the lecture. -- (Michelle POV) After our Environmental science class, Lara, Steven, and Andy had to meet with their blockmates for their group project. With that, I decided to leave and have my lunch. By noon I was done, and so, I went to the restroom to brush my teeth and check my appearance. Ok, I still look great, but I have to use oil control on my face coz it became a little oily. Then, I took out a bottle of perfume from my bag and sprayed it on myself. What? I don''t think I smell that great after eating in the canteen! I''m so nervous and excited to see Anthony. I checked my watch. It''s 12:15 pm. Ok, so it''s time to walk to my English class. As I got nearer, I immediately noticed Anthony even when he was facing the other direction. Yes, I was such a stalker that I can recognize even just his behind. Anyhow, a girl from our class was talking to him. Walking closer, I recognized the girl as Loraine. She was taller than me by 2 inches, had a nice built and quite pretty too. I noticed that she was smiling as she talked to him and¡­ ok, she''s totally flirting! I knew it was irrational because even in the past, Anthony did not have a girlfriend, well, I thought he didn''t but I''m not too sure now! I mean, maybe he did, and I just didn''t know! For example, I never thought that he attends, ugh!!! I mean, participates in parties and could even dance like the way he did with me! Also, so many girls always hit on him, and he just lets them! Thinking about it what if I''m not the only one!!?? I know that I''m his first, but now that he has been enlightened¡­ would it be possible for him to look for it with other girls!? NO!!!!!! Ok, I know he''s not my boyfriend yet and I don''t want to appear clingy, but Anthony''s mine! Gods! I just realized that at this age, love is like a battlefield. It''s not like the mature dating where people would somewhat keep distance, these people were hormonal teenagers! I need to stake my claim on my man!!! He likes me and I like him. It''s as good as we''re already dating! If he allows other girls to cling to him, what more me!? With that stupid line of reasoning, I walked fast and suddenly wrapped my two arms around his left arm. -- (Third POV) Anthony was surprised when he felt someone wrap their arms around his. With wide eyes, he looked at who it was. "Michelle?" he asked. Michelle who suddenly realized that she did turned red with some embarrassment. However, she did not remove her claws on him. Instead, she tried to look him in the eye as she smiled at him. "Hello." Anthony seeing her blush and smiling at him also turned pink. Her boobs were pressing on his arm and the look on her face reminded him of what happened the other night. He felt all his blood rush to his heads. Yes, the one above and the one below. Shit. He has to go to the restroom. "Hi Loraine. What were you and Anthony talking about?" Michelle asked, her face obviously screaming that Anthony was hers but her voice was sweet and she spoke slowly. Loraine seeing the development frowned. Did Anthony already have a girlfriend? She did not get to ask him about it just yet. However, seeing that he''s letting Michelle wrap her arms around his and stand so close, what was there to say? They also sat beside each other in class. Fine, she will concede now, but Michelle hasn''t seen the last of her. Anthony did not reject her advances so maybe she still has a chance so long as Michelle wasn''t in the picture. "Oh, we were just talking about the evaluation exam. Our prof would be giving it back later." Loraine explained. Michelle bit her lip. Shit. That was already for later. Ah¡­ would Anthony console her because she failed? She should show him a sad face, though deep inside she knew she would be very festive because they would still be classmates for the whole sem! "I see¡­" Anthony who was feeling uncomfortable had to speak, "Michelle, please excuse me. I''ll just go to the restroom." Michelle felt her heart pounding just thinking that Anthony was so polite and considerate that he even had to ask for her permission for something so simple. "O-okay." She stuttered. Anthony whose arm was still held by Michelle had to clear his throat. Michelle realizing that she was still hugging his arm blushed, then let go. "Sorry." Not so sorry. Anthony just said, "It''s alright." before walking to the men''s restroom. -- Anthony locked himself inside the cubicle. Then he looked at his tent. He wanted to curse. What was wrong with him? What was wrong with Michelle too? Why did she suddenly wrap her arms around him like that? Then he remembered that Lara does that, Kate, and more so Jasmine (from the Yu family will meet her later) in the past. Ok, so what she did was only normal for friends. Nothing more. It''s his problem that his body was reacting that way. However, wasn''t this too exaggerated? He never had this reaction to Lara even when he liked her. Then again, he never had sex in the past. Ok, maybe it was because he always associates Michelle''s blushing face to that experience 2 nights ago, it was his first and it''s only natural that he reacts that way. He was a guy, biologically, he would react to her. Anyway his problem now was his hard on. He can''t possibly masturbate in the restroom before his English class, right? He took a deep breath. Think of ugly thoughts. Maybe Michelle wants to do it again with him that''s why she hugged his arm and¡­ it''s not helping! Ok, Michelle likes Andy so what were the chances that she was after that with him? She likes Andy and¡­ he frowned. How could she like Andy? What does she see in him anyway? Before he knew it, he already turned flaccid, but his mood has also turned sour. Thankfully, or sadly depends on how one sees it, before he could further analyze things with his confused brain, the bell rang. -- TBC Chapter 96 - 96: Evaluation Exam Result III (Michelle POV) "Good afternoon, everyone. Here with me are the results of your evaluation exam. As I call your name, please come forward to receive your paper." Our professor announced as she stood in front of our class. My classmates all became silent, and I knew that everyone was nervous of the results. In truth, even I was nervous. This was the deciding factor if Anthony and I would still be classmates for the rest of the semester. our professor started calling names until finally she called "Mr. Anthony Ren." I sneaked a glance at Anthony who just stood up from his seat. He seems a bit nonchalant, and I think I was more nervous about his grade than he was.. Should I say something to him? Before I could decide, he already walked to the front to receive his paper. When Anthony sat back down, and our eyes met. Perhaps understanding my curious gaze, he showed me his paper which was marked 60 and made a face where his lips were tilted down but his eyes were smiling. I wanted to sympathize, but truth was, I couldn''t be happier. Anyhow I mimicked his expression not knowing what to say. Then, after 2 more people our professor called my name, and I went to receive my paper. I looked at it and my score of 74 glared at me. hehehe¡­ Perfect. I walked back to my seat and sat down. "How was it?" Anthony asked. Then, I showed him my paper. Aren''t you happy that we will still be classmates for the rest fo the semester!? Fantastic! "Oof. Just a point away. That''s gotta hurt." he said as if he was feeling very bad for me. I shook my head as I gave him a smile. "It''s fine, at least we''ll still be classmates." Our conversation ended there as the professor called our attention as she congratulated the 3 people who passed and will be moving to the regular class. Then, she started discussing the correct answers to each question. Anyway, everything my imagination told me to do to Anthony during class went out of the window seeing that he was seriously listening to our professor. Ah¡­ I guess I should not disturb him. Don''t want to be the cause of him completely failing this class. -- When the class ended, Anthony stood up from his seat. Knowing that he has a class after, I called his attention to ask shyly, "Anthony¡­ uh¡­ where''s your next class?" What? I want to walk him there. He smiled and answered, "It''s in bellarmine. How about you?" "This is my last class for today, but on Wednesdays, I have Intact at 2:30." Anthony nodded, "I see. Are you heading to the parking then?" My heart! Will he walk me there instead? Gosh! I just thought of walking him to his class and here he was thinking the same thing. My campus romance dream is happening before my eyes!!!!! "Yes." "Hey Anthony, let''s go." his blockmate called him. What a pest. Can''t he see that he''s having a conversation with his girlfriend? Ok, so we''re not yet at that level, but for now even without a label, I should say that we''re having a mutual understanding! I mean, what else could one call our relationship? "You go ahead." He told him. OH MY GOD. I wanted to clear my throat, smile, then wave like Ms. Universe while announcing, girlfriend here. But of course, I did not do that. Instead, I just blushed and smiled at Anthony. "I''ll walk you to the parking area as it''s on the way. Come on." he told me as he gave me that smile that makes my heart soar. Thus, that way, the two of us walked side by side out of the door of our classroom. The walk to bellarmine passes through parking area 1 and 2. He asked me which area I was parked at but I just shook my head telling him that since I have no class and have time, I will walk him to his class. Anthony blushed and told me there''s no need, but I still insisted. I was also embarrassed to do what I was doing but I already started it. Besides, I got to let everyone know in that class that he''s mine! Ehem ehem. When we reached his class, the bell rang just in time. He said his thanks and told me take care before entering. I remained standing in front of his class until he reached and sat on his seat. He looked at my direction, he smiled and gave me a wave. I smiled and waved back at him like an idiot. Ah. Just shoot me now. -- When Anthony''s professor started his lecture, I decided that it was time for me to depart. With a huge grin on my face, I decided to walk to the parking area 3 which was at the other side of the campus. I saw Mr. Matt at the waiting shed, and alert of my presence, he went to the car and opened the door for me. I instructed him to head to Daman mall. By 2:18. We were already parked, and I went inside the mall. While walking I received a call from Andy who told me that his class just ended, and he will head to the mall right away. I told him to just call me once he arrives. Since our school was 40 minutes away and I have time in my hands, I decided to go to the ticket booth of the cinema to buy advance tickets for my date with Anthony on Saturday first. I was not decided which movie to watch because if it''s boring, that would give us a lot of lovey-dovey time, while if it''s a blockbuster, maybe Anthony would be focused on the movie instead. However, I also wanted to watch in the VIP cinema with a recliner. I can imagine me and him watching together lying on the recliner eating popcorn, then holding hands and I can even hug him¡­ ah!!!!! Ok, that''s it. So instead of some rom-com, I chose pirates of the Caribbean which I was sure would be a blockbuster. It would only be on its second day of showing on Saturday too. Luckily, the tickets for the 2:00pm time slot were not yet sold out. Lunch at noon, movie by 2, done by 5, and we still have time to¡­ check-in in some hotel? Oh my god Michelle, what are you thinking!?!?!? Then again, since I was already thinking that we can do that, I decided to look outside the mall. I checked the time. 2:45 pm. I still have some time before Andy arrives. Should I do an early booking? I brought out my wallet. I have my atm. I don''t want to book online because doing so, I would need to use my credit card and my parents would know where I used it. So, I decided to use cash to pay so that they won''t be able to trace it. hehehe. I''m so smart. Then again, would Anthony think that I only want that from him if I were to book us a room? I really really like him, and I also want to do that with him again. He''s a guy, so I guess he would like that, right? Oh well. Let me check it out first, I can book early then if we''re not gonna use it because I chickened out or it just doesn''t feel right then I can just cancel it. It''s not like I can''t spare some cash. Though my allowance was limited, I do have the 1 million which I haven''t bought with stocks yet¡­ Ah, feels great to be rich. I''ll just replace the money with my allowance later. I walked out of the mall and just across the street was the Shangri-La hotel. I crossed the street and entered the lobby. Since it was a weekday and lean season, there were not a lot of people in the hotel. I went to the reception and started asking about the room availability on Saturday. I can''t believe I''m doing this, but I don''t think Anthony would have the brain to do it at this time. We''re just 18. I just learned this from Steve when we were dating in the past. Like we would go to hotels and have a staycation on weekends. We were at the early stages of boyfriend and girlfriend, so we haven''t talked much about ourselves and who the people were in our home at that time. We haven''t been in each other''s place yet either. So, he didn''t know I lived alone, and I didn''t know that he was living alone too. Then again, we would go to resorts and different hotels to unwind too. So, it''s not only because of the lack of venue only. Ugh. Understand what I mean? Anyway, the concierge got back at me telling me that there was an availability on all room types. I started asking about the prices and sizes of the rooms. The standard room was 35 sqm at 1000 yuan per night. Considering that we would most probably just stay there for a maximum of 3 hours since I have to go home at 9pm the latest by giving the excuse of group project, it would be a waste to spend too much. I wish we could just stay overnight for real! But my parents won''t allow it and not only that, but Anthony also doesn''t even have a clue what I''m doing. Should I tell him ahead of time? Ughhh I still have 4 days to think about how to broach the topic. -- TBC Chapter 97 - 97: Shopping (Michelle POV) In the end, I decided to book a suite room almost triple the price of the standard room simply because I can. What? I can spend money like dirt, and I need to get the key early. Only by booking a suite room can I get the VIP service. Ah, I can already imagine the sweetness between me and Anthony. Before I could further my daydreaming, my cellphone began ringing. I saw that Andy was calling. It was already 3:10pm. I pressed the answer button. "Hi Mich! Where are you, I''m already here." Andy said. "Oh, ok.. Let''s meet at the ground floor under the atrium. I''ll head there now." I replied. "Alright then." he replied. "Ok, see you." I said then hanged up. I crossed the street and went inside the mall. -- (Third POV) Although Daman mall was a mall serving the upper class, when Andy entered the mall, some people still gave him a second and third look. Not only because of his handsomeness but also because his face was quite recognizable. He paid the people no mind as he walked to his and Michelle''s meeting place. Upon entering the mall, Michelle was able to spot Andy right away. Seeing him who was leaning on one plant box, looking like a movie star who just came out of the screen, which for her, he literally was. She could not help but smile. Anyhow, before she can reach him, he was able to see her. Andy who saw Michelle smiling at his direction while approaching him felt the butterflies fluttering in his stomach. Although he did have plenty of girlfriends, they were mostly fuck buddies or simply flings in his dictionary. He doesn''t actually date them. Truth was, he only ever dated a girl for real once. It has been a while since then. Also, having a date with Michelle this time felt brand new. He smiled and decided to meet her halfway. "Hello Andy, have you been waiting long?" Michelle greeted and asked. "No, not at all. I should be the one asking you that. I hope you weren''t too bored while waiting." He replied. Michelle shook her head, "I looked around." "Eh? You didn''t have to do that without me." Andy said, though deep inside, he was flattered and feeling very happy. Michelle giggled, "Not for you, just for me. Anyhow, where do you want to start?" Andy who thought that she was just making some excuse just chuckled. "You''re my boss now, so you lead the way." "Ok, perhaps we should start with the boutique stores. Let''s go"?" "Alright." -- The first store they entered was Giorgio Armani. Upon entering, a female staff welcomed them both then started offering her assistance. Michelle started asking about the men''s clothing and the female staff offered to guide her. Before walking with the staff, Michelle faced Andy. "I will start looking over there. Would you like to join me?" Michelle asked. Andy shook his head, "You go check over there, I will just look over here first." He answered. With that, they separated ways inside the store. Reaching the men''s clothing section, Michelle started looking at the hanged clothes which would match the checkered purple scarf. Honestly, just a white shirt and jeans would most probably do, but she felt excited to play dress up with Andy, the nation''s husband in the future. Don''t blame her, she was also a girl. The staff with her started to ask her preference and introducing the new arrivals and talking about what''s new that season. Michelle just nodded her head and started picking whichever stroke her fancy that would probably look nice on Andy. She picked about 5 tops which the staff carried for her. Then, looking at the pants, since she did not know Andy''s size, she asked the staff to ask as she continue to look around. She wondered if she should buy something for Anthony too. Ah, maybe she should. When the staff came back, she already picked another 3 tops and told her to bill it separately. Then she started looking at the pants. In the end, she picked only 2, skinny jeans and a regular one with ragged style. Then, she went to the dressing room where Andy was already waiting with another staff behind him who was carrying lady''s clothing. "You''re also shopping for your mom?" Michelle asked. Andy laughed. "Yeah, I think my mom and you are the same size, so if it''s okay, can you do me the favor to fit them? I want to see how they would look like when worn." Michelle blushed in astonishment. Honestly, she doesn''t know if she should be offended. Andy''s mom has the same size and figure as her!? Last she saw her in pictures she was a bit chubby. Then again, that was from her timeline which was 13 years from now. Ok, so maybe she''s just not recalling correctly. Maybe at this time, she was still fit and beautiful. "Okay." She answered. Andy seeing her blush and hearing her agree could only think that she really must like him. She did not even try to defend herself with his teasing. His mom was popular in the circle, and everyone knew her figure. Ah, maybe she understood what he meant? Anyway, the men and the women''s dressing rooms were only separated in the middle and they can show each other what they look like when dressed. Andy picked 3 dresses, 2 tops and 2 skirts for Michelle to wear. While Michelle picked 3 tops, 2 blazers and 2 pants, for him to wear. With that the two of them started to play dress up. Michelle entered the dressing room and wore the 1st set of top and skirt Andy picked. The top was a fitted v- neck shirt and a mini denim skirt which length was only 2 inches below her butt cheeks! Would Andy''s mom wear something like this!? Seriously? Did he have an Oedipus rex complex? Ok, maybe not. Maybe he just really needed her help because his taste was too modern. "Mich, I''m ready, come see, let me see you too." Andy called knowing that there were only the two of them in the boutique. "Ok." Michelle replied and went out of her cubicle. When she saw Andy, her eyes couldn''t help but pop. He looked so fantastic. Any girl would really go and jump him! The shirt fitted him nicely, his biceps fitted the sleeves, and his masculine chest was even outlined. Wow! It''s like he was already ready for a photoshoot! No edits necessary! She wished that she has her iphone just so she could take a photo of him and then a selfie with him so she could upload it on facebook! Andy who saw Michelle can only feel his heartbeat accelerate. She looked so damn hot! He noticed that she mostly wears conservative clothes and he always wondered what she would look like wearing something different. During his birthday, he knew that it was Lara who made her wear the super revealing dress¡­ come to think of it, it''s better for her to continue wearing conservative dresses. Then, not a lot of boys would continue to vie for her attention. Now he understands why his father kept giving his mom her favorite food. Ugh. "Wow Andy, you look superb. You should definitely get that." Michelle was first to say. Andy smirked with confidence. He knew just how good he looked. "thanks to you." Michelle shook her head. "Nah, it''s all you. By the way, I don''t know if your mom would like this." Andy smiled a bit awkwardly. Did she really think that he was being serious? "No, it''s ok. I just want her to try something different, it suits you nicely though." "Thanks. Now you go try the next one." Michelle instructed, Andy nodded, "you too." -- After fitting the clothes, Andy went to the cashier and made his purchase, he bought everything Michelle picked and everything Michelle tried. Then, when he was done, it was Michelle''s turn to pay for her purchase. "Who''s that for?" Andy asked seeing the cashier folding the men''s clothing. Michelle felt shy to tell him that it''s for Anthony. What if Andy tells him? "It''s for my dad." "I see. Wait, I think I need to somewhat compensate you for the favor you''re doing for me. Let me pay for those." He offered. He knew Michelle''s family was also rich, but he wants to pay. What? Chivalry was not dead to him when it comes to her. Michelle quickly said no while waving her arms. What? Let Andy pay for her gift to Anthony? No way. Andy tried to insist, but Michelle already gave her ATM to the saleslady. Well, he was not yet the boyfriend or son-in-law so maybe next time. They entered 3 more stores and did the same thing. They also went to look for shoes and by 6:30 pm, Andy''s hands were already carrying too many shopping bags. -- TBC Chapter 98 - 98: Hard Habit To Break (Michelle POV) ''Ah, I think this shirt would fit my Anthony so well! He would look so handsome¡­ and¡­ wah!!!! Would he wear it on Saturday if I were to give them to him tomorrow?'' I wondered as I grinned and hugged the shirt to my chest imagining it as Anthony himself. Anyhow, after unbagging all the things I bought for him, I started placing them inside just one bag. It would be weird if I were to give him separate shopping bags tomorrow. Overall, there were not a lot just 5 shirts and a pair of cufflinks. I hope he will like them. After doing so, I placed the bag down and saw the other shopping bags. Which reminded me of Andy. When it was time for us to part ways, Andy considerately walked me to my car and then handed the driver the things I thought he bought for his mom. Honestly, I was a bit stupefied by his action. I thought with some alarm that perhaps he liked me! Not that I was a presumptuous maiden but come on. Which normal girl would not think that way? It''s not that I want something between us to bloom for I still have my Anthony, but which girl would not feel endlessly flattered? Andy was the nation''s husband! I tried to ask about it in a roundabout way, maybe reject him if he planned on courting me, but in the end, it was proven that I was thinking too much. He just said that he suddenly realized that his mom would never wear the clothes he bought so I should just take them as him returning the favor for me helping him shop. I feel embarrassed about myself, Michelle, have you looked in the mirror? Ok, I did like what I saw coz I still have some confidence on my physical appearance, but I know that in comparison to Andy and the world he''s in, I am just a speck of dust. Oh well, not that I like him that way. "Miss Michelle, dinner is ready." I heard Rona call behind the door and I looked at the time. It was 7:30pm. -- "So, did your evaluation exam results come out yet?" My mother asked after we had our dinner. "Yes Mama. My result in the mathematics is not bad, I got a 94! Third in class. I was so ecstatic in the morning. However, in the afternoon, our prof in English also gave back our result and¡­ I failed to move up to the regular class for my English subject. I feel bad, I got a 74, just a point away." I said with some twinge of regret. What? How could I tell them I failed it deliberately? Besides, in the past, even though I failed, my parents only told me to work harder. "don''t feel so bad, it''s just the first exam. But, having a 94 in math is very good. Keep up the good work." My mother encouraged. "Yes mama, I will try to perform better next time." I replied, then thinking of my other matter, I told them, "Ma, on Saturday, my classmates and I will have to meet for our class project. We would be meeting from noon to around 9 or 10 in the evening." "What kind of meeting last that long?" My father asked. "Don''t be silly Morris, perhaps they will also have some bonding time. Michelle, Mama is ok with this. Just don''t forget your studies, ok?" My mother said with complete trust on me. Ah, I feel guilty with me lying, but it''s not like I will do something evil. Ehem ehem¡­ ok, sorry but I''m a real adult woman so please understand. We talked some more before I went back to my room. I checked my cellphone and saw that I received some texts. At once, I imagined them coming from Anthony, but to my disappointment, the 3 texts were only from Andy. I opened them one by one. [Did you arrive home? I just arrived.]- 7:35 pm [thank you for earlier by the way. I had fun.]- 8:04pm [Good night.]- 9:24pm I looked at the time, it was already 9:40 pm. Was he already asleep? Anyhow, I started typing my reply. ''Sorry for the late reply. I only saw your texts now as I was having dinner with my parents earlier. I arrived home at 7:20 I think. Thank you too, I also had fun. Good night!'' Then I pressed send. When no reply came, I did not think much about it. I just went to the restroom to brush my teeth then prepare myself to bed. -- "Do you have any questions regarding this lesson?" Our professor in economics asked. When no one spoke, he continued with, "Alright. since there''s none, I will be dismissing you early. Please be reminded that next meeting we will have our first major exam." "Yes, sir. Thank you, sir." My classmates responded just itching for the class to be dismissed. Our professor gave us a nod, said his goodbye, and left the classroom. The rest of my classmates also started to leave. I looked at the time and saw that it was just 10:10 am. I wonder what Anthony was doing, yes, we just saw each other yesterday but I already miss him. Then, I recalled from when we had breakfast together last time that his first class for today is at 10:30am and it would be in bellarmine. Should I go see him? "Michelle, let''s go." Camille said as she stood from her seat. I smiled and shook my head, "Sorry, need to go somewhere." "Okay. See you around then." She said as she joined our blockmates leaving the room. When everyone has left, I looked at my cellphone. No text, no nothing. Was Anthony being shy? Oh well, I need to be more assertive. With that thought in mind, I decided to walk to bellarmine. -- When I arrived in Bellarmine, it was 10:23 already. I tried to wait at the building''s entrance to see if Anthony would be arriving and make it look like coincidence that we met there. Ah, my stalkerish existence was again manifesting itself. I waited and waited but did not see him until the 10:30 am bell rang. Ugh. Maybe he arrived early and was already in his class since a while back. Hmm¡­ perhaps I should look around and see which classroom he was in. The building has 3 floors and I first entered and looked through the windows of each class as if I was just passing by. I started with the 1st floor but did not see Anthony in any of the class. I walked to the second floor and also did not see him. Finally, I reached the third floor and as I was looking inside one classroom, I felt someone standing beside me. I looked to my left and to my utter horror and embarrassment, my eyes met with Anthony''s smiling ones. -- (Third POV) Anthony took two steps at a time climbing the stairs. He was already late. Reaching the third floor, he walked briskly towards his class but then, he saw a familiar side profile. Was that Michelle? He slowered his pace. He wondered what she was doing there. As he got nearer, he observed that her brows were furrowed in concentration. She was looking through the window as if searching for something or someone. He looked inside the classroom, seeing nothing amiss. Then, he turned to look at Michelle again. Perhaps sensing someone''s presence she turned to look at him. Seeing the recognition on her face, he greeted her. "Good morning, Michelle. What are you doing here?" he asked. Michelle stopped breathing and her face turned white in an alarming speed while thinking ''Did he catch my trying to find which class he was in!? Fuck my life. Why did I have to go back to my stalkerish ways!?'' Anthony seeing her turn pale was alarmed. Did he scare her? "Are you alright? Sorry, sorry." He apologized with a worried look on his face. Michelle hearing Anthony apologize realized that he did not know that she was there to stalk him. So, she breathed a sigh of relief. Then, seeing his worried visage, she blushed. "I''m a-alright. I¡­ I just think I left something in this classroom yesterday, so I came to see i-if it''s still here. Ah¡­ I will wait for their class to end so I can check¡­" she explained while thinking how much of a genius she was. That was a good save. Anthony smiled and nodded his head. "I see. If you want, rather than waiting here, I can check for you later. My class is just next door." Michelle stopped herself from squinting in delight with his words. He''s so caring and¡­ ah, she''s a woman in love. "Oh¡­ I didn''t know that. It''s okay¡­ I... I''ll just wait here for a while. Don''t you have a class after this one?" she asked with a nice blush. Congratulating herself with her excuse. Anthony smiled as he shook his head. "I don''t. I will help you look after my class, ok?" Michelle wanted to just melt into a puddle of goo. "Okay¡­ I will wait for you then." Anthony gave a nod before leaving to enter his class. -- TBC Chapter 99 - 99: Were You Bullied? (Third POV) Anthony entered his class thinking how ironic it was that less than 2 hours after deciding that he should avoid Michelle so that he could expel her from his thoughts, he inadvertently made himself spend more time with her again. It''s not like he could just let her be after she told him that she lost something. If she couldn''t find it later, he should help her go to the university lost and found center ask around and maybe file a report. He was so used to missing stuff in the past, so he was very experienced with that. Anyhow, he took his seat which was at the back middle row and from where he was seated, he could see that Michelle was standing outside the classroom next door. Given the view, he could not tear his eyes away. Her slightly fitted dress outlined the curve of her breast and since her hair was tied in a ponytail, he could see her long white neck and collarbones. Her skirt flared a little but under it, he knew that her buttocks were rounded. She looked at his direction and blushed. Shit.. Did she see him checking her out? He scolded himself for becoming a bonafide pervert. Tearing his eyes away from her, he looked and tried to listen to their professor who was still giving a lecture. After a few minutes, his eyes were back on her. This time, he saw her fiddling with her cellphone while smiling. Was she texting with someone? He shook his head. It should be none of his concern. -- At 10:12 am, Andy was sitting in his class not really listening to the lecture of their professor on Engineering physics. He looked at Steven and Lara who were seriously taking notes then shook his head. He was an actor; he doesn''t need to become an engineer. Last night after getting home, he received his acceptance letter from acting school for film in country A and he thought about whether he should go or not. He brought out his cellphone. Should he ask for Michelle''s opinion? The school there would start mid- September and if he wanted to enter this school year, he would need to confirm his slot within the month. Of all the schools for acting in the world, that school was the most prestigious. In the past, he was decided to go if he gets accepted, but now, he was reluctant. He wanted to spend more time with Michelle, and it seems like she was equally invested in him as he was in her. Aish, this was one of the reasons why he did not want to court her just yet. There were still things he and she needed to accomplish. Him, he wanted to be the best actor. It has always been his dream so despite the fact that he likes Michelle, he didn''t want to ruin their chances. He knew that long distance relationship has low probability of working. He sighed. Still, he really liked her a lot. Ugh. Just text. Maybe she will tell him not to go? If she does, he wondered what he would feel. Might as well ask to know. He began typing. [Let''s meet after your first class. Should I fetch you?] He waited but did not receive her reply. Maybe she was busy listening to their class lecture. When the bell rang and he did not receive her reply, he decided to go to her classroom to see if she was still there. Let fate decide if they should meet. Andy told Lara and Steven that he has to go somewhere. The two just nodded their head, Lara looked particularly happy that the third wheel would not be around to ruin their moment. Ah. Andy could read her thoughts quite well as he shook his head. He walked to Michelle''s classroom only to see that it was already empty. The time was 10:26 am. Maybe it''s not meant to be for them to meet that day. He pulled out his cellphone from his pocket. Still no reply. Should he give her a call? Or should he text her again? No. It would make him look too clingy! He was not texting her. He walked to the SOM mall, bought blended fruit shake, and sat in front of one of the round tables alone. Many students, especially girls looked at him. He did not look at them, he was not in the mood. He pulled his cellphone out again. To text or not to text? Took him 10 minutes before he lost his will not to do so and decided to text her again. -- (Michelle POV) I could not believe what just happened. It''s like I''m in a real-life fairytale drama! Anthony was like a very cool CEO who demanded I wait for him as he will help me look! I tried to contain my smile. My eyes followed Anthony as he entered his class and find his seat. Before he sat, I positioned myself where his line of sight can see me. I stood straight and inhaled trying to make my stomach smaller. Ah, the lengths I go for him. Not being able to help myself with the curiosity if he''s looking at me, I turned to look at his direction. The result? He caught me looking at him! I blushed and turned away. Ah, my campus boyfriend please don''t look at me like that I will melt! I took a deep breath and tried to peek at him again, this time I saw him listening to their prof''s lecture. Ugh. I should not impede him from his studies! What am I doing!? But I could not stop my lips from tilting up. Anyway, I felt my cellphone vibrate and pulled it out of my bag. I saw that I received a text. I unlocked my screen and saw that there were 2 texts from Andy. [don''t tell me you weren''t able to wake up early again?] 10:48 am [Let''s meet after your first class. Should I fetch you?] 10:15 am I smiled as I read each before composing a reply. He''s such a clingy friend. [Sorry for the late reply. But no, I was not late for my first class! Sorry, I can''t meet with you right now.] I sent back. But then, I realized I had nothing to do while waiting and standing like an idiot. Besides, I should also ask why he was wanting to meet me. It was only polite. So, I drafted another text, [Why do you want to meet?], then I remembered that he was asking to fetch me! so I decided to tease by adding, [Wait, don''t tell me you went to my classroom to fetch me earlier?] Satisfied, I pressed send. -- (Third POV) Andy read the first text which arrived about 3 minutes after he sent his text. He smiled with how she denied her tardiness. It''s now a joke between them. But then, he frowned when she just said that she can''t meet him. He wondered what she was doing. He was about to reply when he received another text from her. The second text erased the frown on his face and made his smile gentler. He had no idea that the girls looking at him all melted, well not literally. [I wanted to ask your opinion about something, but since we can''t meet now, maybe we can meet after your Math 11 tomorrow? You have 2 hours break before our ES class, correct?] Then he pressed send. Then he drafted another reply, [No, I did not check your classroom, I just passed by and saw it empty!] He pressed send again with a grin. -- Michelle did not think much that Andy remembered her schedule, she just thought that he has good memory. Honestly, she can''t remember his schedule anymore. Anyway, she replied. [Ok, we can do that.] Then as she pressed send, another message arrived which caused her to giggle soundlessly. He was admitting that he went there to check. She was reminded of the time when Angie tried to embarrass her but then she opened the door only to see Andy looking for her. Anyway, since they were better friends now, she can tell him about it. so, she typed another reply. -- Andy read her first message and as he was thinking of what to reply, he received another one from her. [Haha! Do you recall the first time you went to my class to fetch me? One of my blockmates, not telling who, just said that don''t know what kind of people my friends were, then suddenly you showed up! Her face went different shades with the shock of seeing you and¡­ it''s just so funny! Anyway, ok, I believe you, you were just passing by the area. ^_^] [Were you bullied?] he replied first, realizing what her text implied. But then, with his own presumptuousness, he wondered, was she asking him to fetch her more often with that story? Andy''s eyes mooned as his pearly whites were revealed as he smiled. [Perhaps I should fetch you every time your class ends.] -- TBC Chapter 100 - 100: Ballpen (Michelle POV) I covered my mouth muffling the giggle trying to escape me as I read Andy''s text. If he were to really fetch me every time my class ends, I think Angie''s eyes would bleed! Just imagining her dumbstruck and envious face¡­ hehehe ah! I feel so childish! Then, I turned to look at Anthony who I saw was taking down notes seriously. What if Anthony were to fetch me from class? He might not be as popular as Andy, but the caliber of the impact should not be that far. In my eyes, he was even more handsome! I imagined Anthony waiting outside my classroom, then when I exit, he would ask for my bag to carry it for me. Wah!!!! Just the thought was already making me like this, what more if it were the reality!? I took a deep breath to calm my palpitating heart. I looked at the screen of my cellphone again and drafted my 1st reply, [Who dares bully me?] Then the second, [Then again, if you were to really fetch me from class every time, I think your fans will bully me to death! I dare not receive your thoughtfulness no matter how tempting. Though if you were to do it from time to time, I won''t complain. It would be satisfying to see that look on Angie''s face again. Haha!] Hmm¡­ do I sound like a user-friendly person? I shook my head, based on having known Andy for almost a month, I could say that his personality is quite easy going.. I pressed send. -- (Third POV) Andy could not stop the laughter that escaped him after reading her text. He figured that Michelle can be very humorous. He knew that girls would think that way, but Michelle telling him straight on about it, despite her romantic interest, he found it funny. Maybe, no, he definitely should do it tomorrow after her 7:30 class. [It''s settled then. Tomorrow, I will wait outside your Math 11 classroom. Make sure you don''t cut class alright?] He read the message again before hitting send. While waiting for her reply, he wondered if Michelle would attach meaning to what he''s doing again. Yesterday, she tried to probe his intentions when he gave her driver the shopping bags. He did not deny it straight on, but he also made it look like there was nothing to it. Honestly, he was confused with himself. He resolved to be her friend first and not to pursue her just yet, but the way he was acting now, it''s like he was already doing so and only the words were missing. His phone vibrated and he saw her reply. [Ok, my classroom then is at Sec A 202. See you tomorrow!] He smiled again as he keyed in his reply. [See you tomorrow!] As he did not expect a reply anymore, he kept his cellphone in his pocket and decided to go inside Tianhao building. Might as well start catching up to his lessons just in case he decides to stay in this university rather than transferring to country A for the acting school. His parents would be pleased if he were to stay. Though they were supportive of his career, he knew that they prefer for him not to go far away. -- Anthony''s gaze would land on Michelle from time to time. It''s not that he was being deliberate but she''s just in his line of vision if he were to look away from the whiteboard. He noticed that she was still busy with her phone. While reading what he assumed must be a text message she would smile or cover her mouth as her shoulders would shake, as if trying to contain her laughter. While typing something, her eyes would be in crescents as if she was very delighted. He smiled seeing her that way, was she also like that when they texted? But then, he frowned, who could she be texting with? Ugh. What was he thinking? He looked at the board again to jot down some notes. Distracted as he was, he could not really follow what the professor was saying. -- (Michelle POV) I checked the time on my cellphone''s screen after I read Andy''s text saying that he''ll see me tomorrow. It was now 11:30 am. Just 20 minutes before Anthony''s class ends. I looked at Anthony who seemed to be focused on whatever his prof was saying. I bit my lip trying hard not to make a stupid looking face. He''s so perfect! Anyhow, my feet were aching from standing in the same position for long, also, I noticed that some of Anthony''s classmates were already looking towards my direction. Ugh, did they think that I was a weirdo? I suddenly realized what I was doing and told myself not to do it again. Well, I could but perhaps not standing outside waiting like an idiot. I can always opt to just come back. With that, I took another peek at Anthony before leaving. Well, just leaving the spot I was standing on not the building. I mean, I don''t want to come back late and miss Anthony. I actually just went to the restroom at the end of the hall of the 3rd floor to check my appearance and find myself a seat. Since there were no chairs inside the restroom, I entered a cubicle and sat on top of the toilet bowl which I closed. Ah. Better at last. After a few minutes, I heard that there were others that entered the restroom. From the sound of it, there were two of them, not that I care but since they were talking, I unintentionally eavesdropped on their conversation. "Did you see the girl standing outside earlier? She kept on looking at Anthony and blushing like an idiot. Say, do you think she''s Anthony''s stalker?" Girl 1 said. Hearing those words, I couldn''t help but swallow. Did I look that way? "Nah, she is his friend and our classmate in English. Yesterday, I thought they were more because she clung on Anthony''s arm like a koala, but when I asked him, he said that they were just friends." The other girl whose voice I recognized as Loraine''s said. I saw that she was also Anthony''s classmate for the class he was in earlier so I think they must be blockmates. Well, it was true that our label has not levelled up just yet, but I''m sure Anthony did not mean it that way and Loraine was interpreting it her way. If she thinks she has a chance, she''s being delusional. Girl 1 giggled, "I see. Anyway, are you inviting Anthony to lunch later? He''s never said no to you before." Huh? Did Anthony have lunch with Loraine many times before? Wait, maybe he''s just being a friend to her. "Hey, don''t make it sound like I''m the only one inviting him, sometimes it''s him inviting me." Loraine replied teasingly. Excuse me? Hmpft! Really delusional. Maybe I should show her later how much hold I have on Anthony! "Ok, if you say so. Come on let''s go back to class." Girl 1 said. "Alright." Loraine replied. -- I remained in the restroom so that I won''t be labelled as stalker while waiting for Anthony''s class to end. When it was 11:47 am, that was the only time I exited and went back to my spot. Curiously, I looked inside the classroom and saw the girl sitting beside Loraine. Ah, she looks like a standard DUFF and I wanted to giggle evilly. DUFF, distinguished ugly fat friend. Hahaha! Wow, very mature Michelle, but she called me a stalker first! In a minute the bell rang and finally it was their dismissal. The classroom in front of me were dismissed first and I suddenly recalled the excuse I gave Anthony. What something did I lose? Should I just come up with the silly excuse that it was my heart and while he''s helping me find it, I''ll just say that apparently it was with him all along? Hahaha! Ok, stop Michelle. As the people inside the classroom I intended to find my imaginary lost item exited, Anthony''s class was also being dismissed. Quickly, I decided to pull my ballpen with a heart design from my bag and shoot it through the window of the other classroom. Then, I returned to my position. In a few seconds, I saw Anthony''s class professor exit. Finally, they were dismissed. I saw Anthony stand up from his seat to leave the classroom, but Loraine stood in front of him. Huh!?!?!?!?!? Will she be inviting him for lunch? I know Anthony won''t abandon me but maybe he will go with her after helping me! NO WAY! Thankfully, before I could attempt to enter the classroom, I saw Anthony shake his head while smiling. Did he turn her down!? Good. Good. Good. Loraine nodded her head while making a sad face, and I don''t know what Anthony said but she smiled at him again. Then, Anthony turned away from her and he looked at my direction. Our eyes met and he smiled at me. Did he just reject her because I was already his girl!? Hehehe¡­ I smiled back. He walked to where I was, and when he finally stood before me, he said, "sorry for the wait. So, what is it that we''ll be looking for? I forgot to ask earlier." "Ah, my ballpen¡­" Anthony looked at me as if wanting to laugh, but then he just nodded his head. -- TBC Chapter 101 - 101: Lunch Out? (Michelle POV) While waiting for the classroom to be completely emptied, I suddenly realized how stupid I sounded and looked. Who waits for more than an hour standing outside a classroom only to search for a piece of ballpen? Does Anthony think that way? Anyway, we walked inside the classroom and Anthony went straight to the whiteboard and looked at the place where the erasers were placed. Why was he searching over there? "What does your pen look like?" he asked. "Ah¡­ it has a pink tube and heart designs¡­ sorry to trouble you, it''s just that it has some sentimental value to me." I answered and explained trying to sound sincere. "It''s no trouble." He answered. Then, not seeing the pen by the board, he looked at the teacher''s table and opened its drawer. He pulled out several ballpens from inside seriously looked at them as if wanting to transform one to be the ballpen I was looking for. I kinda felt a bit guilty seeing him make the effort when I could just pick my ballpen up as I knew that it''s just by the wall, but I want Anthony to be the one to find it. I recalled that I still have the shopping bag inside my car with the stuff I bought for him, and with him finding my pen, I would have the excuse to give them to him! Not only that, I could even use this as an excuse to treat him to lunch today! Haha! I''m such a genius. Not wanting him to think that he''s making the effort while I''m not doing anything, I went to the other side of the room to search at that side. From the corner of my eyes, I saw Anthony walk to the other side and search from there. Just as expected, he saw my pen and picked it up. "Is it this one?" Anthony asked with a smile. Ah. Success! I walked towards him and him to me, when we were standing in front of each other, he handed the ballpen to me. I accepted it gratefully and looked at it as if it was some treasure. Well, it was indeed a treasure. My ticket to a lunch date and giving him the gifts and¡­ wait, I can even add one more! I looked at him who was still smiling, and I couldn''t stop myself. I hugged his waist and said, "Thank you! Thank you!" Ah!!!! I did not hide my joy. This is so blissful! -- (Third POV) Anthony was surprised when Michelle suddenly moved to hug him. Her floral scent assailed him, and her soft body was pressed to him. He felt awkward as he realized that his body was reacting. She said thank you to him twice and the first thing that entered his mind as response was to carry her to the teacher''s table and lift her skirt. Well, they were in an empty classroom despite it being noon, so don''t blame his imagination. Thankfully, before he could prolong his thoughts about that, Michelle pulled away from him. "Sorry, I was overwhelmed by my emotions¡­" she said as she blushed. Anthony became extra aware of how tight his pants became. He adjusted his bag to cover his tent. Thankfully, he used a sling duffel bag today. Then, he said, "It''s ok. Also, you''re welcome. So¡­ do you have anything else to look for?" Michelle shook her head. Then, a bit shyly, she said, "No¡­ it''s just this one. Uh¡­ so will you be having lunch now? If you don''t dislike it, I want to treat you to lunch as thank you¡­" Though she had it all planned out, saying the words needed a lot of courage. Anthony chuckled seeing how shy she was. "No need to treat me." Michelle was reminded of Loraine who must have invited him for lunch earlier. Was he turning her down because he''s heading there now? Ouch! "Oh¡­ then¡­" she can''t even finish the words. Anthony indeed agreed to meet with his blockmates to have lunch out after he helped Michelle. Seeing her expression plus knowing that she''s alone, he felt that he should invite her. So he asked, "What time is your next class?" "It''s PE at 3pm¡­ how about you?" "Same. Say Michelle, me and my blockmates agreed to have lunch at Choi palace outside the campus. If you don''t have plans during your 3-hour break, would you like to join us?" Michelle bit her lip as if contemplating but really, she''s just trying hard not to show just how pleased she was with the invite. Ah! Is there anything more perfect than this!? Honestly, she should say ''I don''t want to impose'' and reject it at least once and let him persuade her. It''s not a trick but proper etiquette. However, she was already given this golden opportunity. Why would she reject!? She was not daft. Besides, he was going to introduce her to his blockmates! Hehehe¡­ "If your blockmates don''t mind¡­ then it''s fine with me." Michelle answered with a lovely smile. Anthony smiled and nodded his head. Then he brought out his cellphone and made a call. Michelle listened as he just told his blockmate that he''s bringing a friend with him. She did not mind that he just said friend. Honestly, they haven''t levelled up yet, but surely they will later! Haha! "My car is parked in area 2, let''s go?" Anthony said. Michelle nodded her head. -- The two walked to the parking area in silence but inside Michelle''s head she was already going bonkers. All she could think of was that Anthony invited her, they will share a ride together, and¡­ it''s the first time they will be in an enclosed quarter with just the two of them after that night! Anthony led them to his car and opened the door passenger seat in front for Michelle. As Michelle sat inside, she looked at Anthony who was walking to the driver''s side. It was the second time she was riding in his car and¡­ aish! Should she take this opportunity to make some advance movements so that it won''t be too awkward on Saturday? Wait. Come to think of it, it was Anthony''s idea that led them to this situation. Did he deliberately do this to get her alone without audience? Does that mean¡­ then she recalled that when she hugged him, she felt his tent poke her. Her eyes widened. Did he want something to happen between them!? Anthony opened the back seat first and placed his bag inside, then he opened the driver''s seat door and entered the car. He opened the engine, the aircon, then the radio. All the while he was completely oblivious to what was running inside Michelle''s head. Michelle looked at Anthony who in her imagination was moving awkwardly. She waited for him to do something or say something to her. Anthony was about to fasten his seatbelt when he noticed that Michelle hasn''t fastened hers just yet. He was about to remind her, but felt it awkward to say, so he moved towards her to help her with it. Michelle who already thought that Anthony has plans with her felt her hormones go wild. They were alone in an enclosed space, and he was already moving towards her maybe to kiss her!? What else was he planning to do!? So, as he used his hand to pull at the seatbelt beside her, Michelle misinterpreted what he wanted to do and not being able to wait, she held his face with both her hands and kissed him. Anthony''s eyes widened in surprise. Should he pull away? Sorry, Anthony is also a hormonal teenager, so, let''s be real. He has been dreaming of Michelle since that night and all his common sense and reason flew out of the window, well not really, they all went to his other head. So, what did he do? He grabbed the back of her neck to kiss her deeper. Michelle has been dreaming of this scenario all day and night after what happened between them. Remembering his sculpted hardness of a body as she hugged him earlier, her hands slipped under his shirt as her fingers and palms touched his smooth skin. Anthony felt her hands tracing his bare skin and he groaned. Wanting to feel her body too, he grasped one of her breasts and squeezed. It elicited a moan from her. With her mouth slightly opened, his tongue entered her wet cavern and explored. It was high noon, the parking area was full, but the car was facing the wall. Drivers were at the waiting shed and, well, not that the two tried to consider the facts. Anthony felt that their position with the console between them was not comfortable, so he leaned back without letting go of Michelle, his left hand pulled on the lever on the side to drag his seat as far as it can go backwards. Michelle took the hint and climbed over him. -- TBC Chapter 102 - 102: Driver’s Seat WARNING: MATURE CONTENT (Third POV) Michelle was settled on Anthony''s lap as they continued their kiss. With her legs on either side of his hips, her apex was pressed against the length of his already hard manhood just behind his jeans and her underwear. She continued kissing him, her arms around his shoulders, and as she was on top, she grinded herself to his bulge. Anthony groaned as he felt her warmth rubbing against his still clothed manhood. It felt so good that all his brain could think about was wanting to fuck her. As she continued to kiss and grind herself on him, his right hand pressed on her hip to stop her from moving. Michelle felt him do so, and briefly the fog on her mind cleared. She stopped moving and felt Anthony untangle her arms from his shoulders. Panic entered her system and as she pulled herself back a little, though careful not to lean backwards too much so as not to accidentally press on the steering wheel and press on the horn, she tried to look elsewhere other than his face. Anthony was not the same as Michelle.. The only reason he halted her movements was because he did not want to cum prematurely inside his pants. Anyway, with their position, he was presented with the curve of Michelle''s bountiful bosom. His hand itched to unbutton her dress to see if the orbs were as beautiful as he remembered them to be. Well, since Michelle was the one who started what they were doing, he had enough confidence to do just that. Michelle felt Anthony''s fingers brushing her chest and as she turned to see what he was doing; she saw that he was focused on unbuttoning the front of her dress. He continued until he reached up to her waist, and the gap revealed her white and tender body underneath with some hickeys that have not completely faded just yet. She blushed and bit her lower lip with some shyness mixed with anticipation. Anthony was finally rewarded with the view of her body. He pulled her dress down to her arms but not completely. The sleeves pulled on her arms and pushed her chest forward. Her bra clad breast went nearer to his face, and not being able to help himself, he pulled the cups of her bra down instantly revealing her twin orbs with the pink and already hardened peaks. He salivated and in an instant, he dipped his head, and latched his mouth on one of her tender breasts. Like a baby who has not been fed for days, he suckled non to gently while his other hand squeezed her other breast then his fingers started playing with her nipple. Michelle moaned with Anthony''s ministration. Pulling her arms out of her sleeves, she wrapped them around his head, holding it tight as he ran his tongue around her areola. The sensation his mouth gave her breasts caused her body to become more aroused, and her already wet pussy became drenched. The wetness was like an itch that needed to be rubbed, so her hips again started rocking against his. Feeling her movements, Anthony''s hands let go of her breast and with her dress already pooling on her waist, his hands started trailing up her thighs. He groaned low as his hands reached where he wanted them to be. His left hand squeezed her still clad in her panty buttocks, while his right hand pushed the lacy cloth, and his fingers touched her wet pussy. Michelle could not stop herself from releasing an "Ahhhh" as Anthony inserted his finger inside her. He circled his middle finger inside while he used his thumb to rub her clit. She again wrapped her arms around his shoulders to balance herself. Anthony felt his throbbing manhood unbearably painful being trapped inside his jeans, so as he fingered her, he used his left hand to unbutton and unzip his jeans to pull out his rock-hard cock. He wanted to be inside her so bad. He pulled his finger from inside her and directed his shaft to her pussy. Michelle felt him remove his finger and felt his bare manhood rub against her clit and her folds. She wanted nothing else but to impale herself on his cock, but he seems to be teasing her. Anthony was not teasing. Since he was sober this time around, he recalled that he didn''t have a friggin condom. What? He never brings one because well¡­ he''s not sexually active until that fateful night. Michelle being impatient and feeling her legs starting to go numb because of her lifted position decided to put matters in her hand, so she got hold of Anthony''s rod. Last time, she was tipsy so her memory might be a bit distorted, but now that she''s completely sober, her eyes couldn''t help but widen. The hard rod was so big that her hand couldn''t even completely wrap around it, and she wondered briefly how it fit her that night. No wonder that she was so sore. She was a bit scared but also very horny. In the end, horniness won and with her wetness already partially coating his cock, she directed its tip to her entrance and ever slowly descended. Anthony felt the head of his cock opening her and he groaned with so much pleasure as every inch of him penetrated her insides. This was it. The feeling he has been longing and dreaming of every minute of the day since that night. When he was completely sheathed, he buckled his hips. Although Michelle was already very wet and it was her second time this timeline having sex, her young body was still not used to sexual activities, and since Anthony was so big, she needed time to adjust as she accommodated all of him. Thus, when he buckled his hip, she couldn''t help but cry out a pitiful ''Ah!!!'' pleasure mixed with pain. Anthony paused when he heard her cry. He looked at her face and saw that her eyes were shut tight with some agony between her eyebrows. He felt that the look on her face was very charming. Seeing some tears escape, he kissed and licked them away. Then, he started moving again. Michelle felt his tongue licking her face before he started kissing her again while buckling his hips. His actions made her more aroused producing more vaginal secretion. The wetness eased the pain until all that was left was pleasure. Michelle then started to roll her hips for more friction. The sweet sensations kept coursing her body as she started moving up and down. In a short period, she felt the telltale flutter in her lower belly coming which caused her to speed up and moan out loud. Her pelvis went down against his harder, the sounds of their skin slapping against each other, filling the car as she rode him harder and harder. Anthony seeing her breasts bounce in front of him, latched his mouth on one again. While doing so, he used his hands to explore her tempting body. His left hand cupped the other breast missing attention, while his right hand moved across her stomach to where they were joined. His fingers parted her pussy cheeks and stroke rhythmically over her hardened clit. Michelle gripped his shoulders and slammed herself down on his cock as her pussy clenched around him, gripping him so tight and climaxed in a rush of moisture, his name a low moan on her lips. Anthony felt her body quiver while her skin has was already a shade of pink, a telltale sign that she already climaxed. Her body slowly went limp on top of his, but he was not yet done. Thus, he took over the pace, his hands went to her hips gripping her tight as he pulled her up and down hard against him. Her body clamped around him like a vice as she instinctively moved with him, meeting his stokes as she came again on the tails of the first, coating his dick as he fucked her harder and harder reaching for his own release. Michelle trying to stifle her moans bit into the soft skin of his neck and shoulder. Anthony felt himself near his release, he groaned and wanted to cum inside her but "Michelle, I''m¡­" he whispered as he stopped and tried to pull her off him. Michelle understood what he meant but since she can just take a pill, she started moving herself without Anthony''s help as she moaned and whispered, "Ah¡­ it''s ok, you¡­ you can¡­ ahhhh!!!!" Anthony needed no more words of encouragement. Since she agreed, he gripped her waist again and moved her up and down faster and harder. Michelle then felt his cock pulse and throb inside her, capturing his groans and low grunts with her mouth as he emptied himself deep. Then, she collapsed against his chest, her body like jello as she felt his cock slowly soften inside her. She panted trying to catch her breath. Anthony wrapped his arms around her this time as he too tried to catch his breath. -- TBC Chapter 103 - 103: Situationship (Third POV) Anthony pulled his shirt off him as he felt his softened member slide out of her. He placed it under her to catch the fluids he knew would be dripping from her vagina. Though it was only his second time, he has been thoroughly educated by all the porn he watched. Michelle had to lean away from him because of him pulling his shirt. As Anthony placed his shirt beneath her pussy, their eyes met. She blushed feeling embarrassed with his semen leaking out of her pussy. Anthony smiled seeing her blush. He interpreted it as her feeling embarrassed for taking the initiative. Honestly, he was feeling embarrassed himself. What happened was totally out of his expectations, he liked it though. In fact, he liked it very much. He wiped her pussy dry before proceeding to clean his manhood.. Michelle seeing him do so, got off him and went back to the passenger seat to fix herself. Thankfully, she always brings wet wipes and that since she has PE today, she brought extra set of clothes. She removed her sopping underwear, wiped her sore pussy with the wet wipes, then donned a fresh underwear. She fixed her bra which Anthony pulled down back in place, and since her dress has been creased, she wore her PE shirt and shorts which she prepared for the day instead. Anthony seeing Michelle fix herself also tucked his penis back to his briefs and buttoned up his jeans. Then, he took his bag from the backseat, got a shirt and wore it. When the two of them were decent, Anthony who did not think much of the situation other than the two of them hooking up again shared his thought while chuckling. "Michelle, that was mind blowing." Michelle turned to look at Anthony who seems to be in a great mood. "Y-yeah¡­" she stammered. It was just half past noon, and they were in an open parking space. So, although the car was tinted, they can see each other clearly. There was a hint of pink on his cheeks and his lips were lightly swollen and red. He was so handsome, and her heart wanted to escape her ribcage. She swallowed her desire to kiss him again. There were so many things she wanted to say, like confess how much she likes him, ask him what this meant, and so on. However, everything just got stuck in her throat. She was too much of a coward to risk anything when it pertains to Anthony. Anthony hearing her answer felt that she''s being shy again and found it cute. Clearly, they just had sex and she was now back in her shell. Maybe it''s because she hasn''t engaged in this kind of activity before him. In fact, he''s the same. Which reminded him¡­ "Uh¡­ sorry about not being able to bring protection. I was not able to think about it as I have never engaged in this kind of activity before that night. To be honest, today is just the second time. I mean, the first time we did it, it was also my first." He confessed also feeling a bit awkward, but he had to say it. What if she thinks that he has some STD? He has to make it clear. Aside from that, though she said she knew what to do with him shooting it inside her, he didn''t want to seem so callous. Michelle wanted to say, ''I know'', but then if she says that, won''t it make him feel bad? she thought of his words again. Was he indirectly telling her that he doesn''t fool around? "It was mine too¡­" she responded, well, not really, but she thought that she should make a positive impression on Anthony. Her image was not the best with the hook up, so she wanted to redeem it by indirectly telling him that she doesn''t usually do this kind of stuff and she gave it to him because she likes him very much. "Yes, I know." He replied, recalling the blood stains he saw. He felt a bit guilty, but it was soon washed out especially with what just happened a few minutes back. The two of them did it with consent, and even though Michelle liked Andy¡­ fuck. That detail was a mood-killer. He tried to place it at the back of his mind. Wait, why did Michelle do it with him again? Did that mean that she wanted to continue having hook ups with him? Like, be his friend with benefits? She was so shy so maybe that''s why she can''t say it out loud. If she wants to, he has no qualms at all. "We should do this again." He was the first to mention. What? He''s just speaking his mind. Wait what? Michelle''s eyes widened. They haven''t even talked about their relationship status yet! Not hearing her saying anything, he wondered, if he offended her. He asked a bit uneasily, "What do you think?" Michelle seeing the unease on his face could not bear it. Ok, he didn''t say he wanted her to be his girlfriend and it''s almost like he''s only asking for another hook up, but maybe he''s just not confident about it yet. Also, thinking about it, he has shown that he liked her again and again. Besides, it would be stupid to jump into a committed relationship when they haven''t even started dating, right? Thus, Michelle not trusting her own voice nodded shyly. Anthony felt a little bad. Did he bully her into it? "Michelle, you don''t have to¡­" "No, no. I want to¡­" She confessed afraid that Anthony would change his mind. Ok, never mind. True love can grow in time. Besides, she also needs to get to know him better! However, she still wanted a safety net. "It''s just that¡­ I hope we can go exclusive¡­" "I would like that." Anthony replied as he nodded with a grin. He also had that in mind. Just the thought of Michelle doing it with someone else makes his stomach churn. Then, as for himself, he''s rarely attracted to other girls, and he didn''t want Michelle to have qualms. Though it''s just friends with benefits, he''s not someone who would engage with multiple girls. What if he catches a disease? Michelle blushed. Ok, they have no label, but they were exclusive. He was about to introduce her to his blockmates, he''s accompanying her now, he sent her home before, he always replies to her texts, he helped her find her pen, he chooses to spend time with her, and they would go on a date on Saturday! Wasn''t that almost the same as him being her boyfriend? She wanted to ask, but Anthony''s phone started ringing. Anthony picked up his phone from his seat, it must have fallen out of his pocket while they were having sex. Anyhow, he saw from the screen that the call was from his blockmate, Loraine. Probably asking where he was. He looked at Michelle who was also looking at him in askance. Instinctively, he explained "It''s my blockmate, Loraine. You know her from our English class. I guess she''s calling to ask where we are now." Then, since he invited her earlier, he thought that he should ask her opinion too. "Do you still want us to join them? I can just cancel and maybe we can have lunch somewhere else? By the way, do you feel ok?" He considered that Michelle might feel inconvenient, and yes, he knew that he was big in size and last time, he saw her limping a little the morning after. Michelle felt her heart pound again. He didn''t answer his phone first. Instead, he explained everything and even asked for her opinion. Wait, he even explained that Loraine was just his blockmate. Ah¡­ was he testing the waters first that''s why he didn''t ask her to be his girlfriend directly? Ok, you know what, this non-relationship of theirs was just fine with her for now. He has feelings for her, she has feelings for him, but they just haven''t defined the relationship; this was what they call a ''situationship!'' Thinking that meeting his blockmates and staking her claim was better than a solo lunch date which they could have any other time, she answered, "uh¡­ we already said yes earlier¡­ I''m ok. I also want to eat there¡­" Anthony just smiled and nodded his head. He was feeling superb and did not think about the fact that the juncture between his neck and shoulder has a bruise from when Michelle bit him. Not that he cared even if people saw. They were inconsequential to him. Thus, with that, Anthony answered his phone and said that they were on the way. Then, he started to drive his car. On the way out of the parking area, he and Michelle saw the security guard usually roaming around the parking lot just under the shed. Luckily, they did it at noon and the sun was high above the skies making the guard a bit lazy to roam under direct sunlight. They looked at each other and laughed. Well, they were very lucky. If they got caught¡­ definitely, they would suffer some losses aside from the embarrassment. -- TBC AN: Please don''t think that Anthony is a jerk. It''s only normal for him to think that way as a real 18-year-old boy. He''s not looking for a serious relationship because, first, he doesn''t want to be tied in a way where he has to do all the girl''s bidding. He also has his pride because look at his friends. He''s also from a very rich family and he knew his responsibility as the heir to their corporation (Might get engaged to a girl his parents choose for him). Plus consider that he just knew Michelle for less than a month. I think this is very normal not to want to jump in a relationship. Plus, what would he think? To him, he never thought that Michelle liked him that way, he thinks that she only likes him as a friend. So, he''s ok with friends with benefits with her. Michelle on the other hand thinks in another way. She likes him very much and wants a relationship but also knew that dating is important part. She also already has some maturity as a woman of 31 years of age. Hope this clears it up and that people don''t dislike! This is very important part, Michelle thinks that they''re more, but Anthony thinks they''re just friends with benefits. The exclusive for Anthony meant that he just doesn''t have sex with other girls. Chapter 104 - 104: Lunch With His Blockmates (Third POV) Since there was no traffic, Anthony and Michelle arrived at the parking area of Choi palace restaurant in just 10 minutes. Once parked, Michelle turned to look at Anthony only to see that his hair was a bit messed up. Opening her bag, she brought our her comb. "Ah¡­ Anthony¡­ your hair¡­" she began shyly. She wanted to brush his hair for him but felt that suddenly doing so without asking for his permission would be rude. Anthony who just successfully parked his car turned to look at Michelle. Seeing her blush made him smile. "Is it messy?" he asked. Then, he looked at the rear-view mirror and tried to fix his hair using his fingers. When Anthony looked at her, Michelle felt like her heart was hit by an arrow. His slightly messy hair and his reddish lips were all her work and ah. He looked extra hot and sexy. Anyway, she observed him as he tried to fix his hair to no avail. Seeing the comb on her hand and wanting to act sweet and girlfriend like, she gathered her courage and said, "H-here, let me help you¡­" Anthony faced Michelle, he smiled gratefully, "Okay." He simply accepted. Then, he leaned forward towards Michelle. Michelle wanted to bite her lip in pure bliss. With trembling hands, she held his chin as she brushed his hair. Don''t know if Anthony noticed but her heart was pumping a mile a second! She still can''t believe this was happening. Would it be alright if she were to kiss him again? Anthony was a bit astonished when she held his chin, but then, he liked how it felt so he did not protest. As she gently brushed his hair, he observed her face which was filled with concentration. Her pink luscious lips were calling him to just kiss her. Michelle finished fixing his hair and when she was about to tell him, their eyes met and¡­ Anthony''s phone rang. The spell was broken. Anthony pulled back and answered his cellphone. "Hello?" "Hi Anthony. Where are you?" Loraine said. "We just arrived. We''ll come in shortly. Thanks." "Ok, see you." Then they both hanged up. Anthony looked at Michelle, "Let''s go?" Michelle nodded and smiled. -- Inside the restaurant, Anthony''s blockmates were all curious about the girl Anthony would be bringing. Given his handsomeness and wealth, most of the girls in his block secretly harbors a crush on him. The prettiest girl in their block was Loraine and the boys mostly had a crush on her. However, in one of their lunch-out without Anthony joining them, she admitted to everyone that she likes him. With that revealed, some were supportive, but some were also jealous. In any case, everyone wanted to get along so they were all supportive at the surface and said that they will help her. So, whenever there''s an opportunity, they will leave the seat next to her vacant because they all knew she''s reserving that seat for him and, also to tease them. Anyway, most thought that since she''s their block''s flower, she''s the only one deserving of their prince''s affection. It helped that Anthony was nice to her and seems receptive. Of course, the other girls were jealous, but what can they do about it? they can only feel bitter as they must keep the harmony in their block. Anyway, now that Anthony''s bringing a girl, well, they didn''t know what''s going on. "So, Loraine, who''s the girl that''s coming with Anthony? Do you think that she''s¡­ his girlfriend?" One of the girls asked. "Ah, she is Michelle Lui. She''s our classmate in English. I also asked Anthony about her, and he just said that she''s his friend." Loraine answered amicably. "Just a friend that is a girl but bringing to meet his blockmates? I say that if not his girlfriend, he must be really interested in her as he''s already showing her off." A girl who was jealous of Loraine said. She was happy to see the misery of their class flower. She thinks Loraine is a white lotus anyway. "Hmpft! I still like Loraine better for Anthony. That Michelle girl, I think she''s just a stalker. Guys, didn''t you see her outside our class? I think she must be pursuing Anthony and knowing how nice he is, he''s just being polite and bringing her along!" the girl closest to Loraine and sitting on her right said. (recall DUFF? hahaha) "Fiona, that''s not nice to say¡­" Loraine said. "Well, if I were Anthony I''ll be endlessly flattered. She''s hot." One of the guys answered truthfully. "Still weird though." Another guy who liked Loraine said. "I think Michelle is nice. She''s also my classmate in English. Though I have to agree, she''s a little weird with Anthony around." Philip, who was also in their English class, said. "Hmpft, I don''t like her for Anthony then, she''s a weirdo stalker." Another girl chimed in. Their block representative shook his head, "It''s not our business who Anthony sees. Besides, I think it''s not nice to be prejudiced about a person we haven''t even spoken with." "Shh guys, Anthony''s here with the girl!" one of the girls said. -- Upon entering the restaurant, Anthony looked around to find where his blockmates were seated. He saw some of them waving him over. He waved back, then he turned to Michelle, considerately asking her to follow him. Michelle smiled and said ''okay''. As she walked beside him, she observed his blockmates. They were all seating in the largest round table in the restaurant which was good for 20. There were 8 girls and 9 boys. Out of the 17, she only recognized 2 people who were also her classmates in English, Loraine and Philip. Once the two reached the group, Anthony''s blockmates greeted him, then they curiously looked at Michelle. She was just the star of their gossip before they arrived. "Guys, this is my friend, Michelle. Michelle, these are my blockmates." Anthony introduced. Michelle noted that Anthony only introduced her as a friend, still, she positively thought that later that will change to girlfriend. Anyway, she smiled at everyone, "Hello. Thank you for having me today. It''s nice to meet you all." She greeted trying to sound extra nice. What? she wanted to impress the people surrounding Anthony. She was positive that they would be judging her and telling Anthony about it when she''s not around. "Hi Michelle. Nice to meet you." Some said in greeting, while some gave her a nod. The ears of the girls, hearing Anthony introduce her as just a friend, perked up. ''Oh, so really just a friend?'' They thought. Then they all sized her up. Ok, they admit that she''s very pretty, even more than Loraine. Anthony looked around the table to spot where to sit. He saw that the seat beside Loraine and the one next to it were vacant. "Michelle, let''s sit down." He said. "Ok¡­" Michelle answered and followed him. Everyone looked at them walk to the other side of the table. Then they also looked at Loraine. All were curious. When they reached the other side, Anthony pulled the sit beside Loraine. Loraine''s heart gave a hitch¡­ so Anthony still chose to sit beside her! She thought. Michelle looked at Anthony. He was also looking at her. At first, she thought that he would just sit down, but then she realized that Anthony ever the gentleman must have pulled the chair for her! Anthony smiled, "come sit down." He told her. With that, his blockmates realized that Anthony did not put Loraine in his heart. He most probably liked Michelle instead. The boys became happy, with Anthony already seeing a girl, hopefully, it would be their time to shine. The girls were feeling unhappy. Anyway, to be fair to Anthony, he did not think that his move would mean anything. He just thought that since Michelle knew Loraine since they were classmates in English, it would be better if they sat together. As to him pulling the chair for her, he''s just like that as he invited her. And so, with everyone seated, lunch arrived. -- Choi palace was a Chinese restaurant and his blockmates ordered a set menu. Their table has a round glass at the middle that can be turned so everyone can get food. Every time a dish would pass Anthony, he would put food on Michelle''s plate. He''s so nice and sweet like that. She thought. His blockmates, since it''s the first time they ate there together in that kind of set-up also thought the same. The girls were all dying in jealousy. Anthony honestly did not think anything about it. He''s just that way normally. He does the same for his girl cousins, friends that are girls, or the elderly women that sits beside him depending on the occassion. Thankfully, the person sitting on his other side was a guy. Anyway, when they were all done with lunch, everyone was supposed to chip in for the final bill. However, Anthony this time, since he invited Michelle volunteered to settle it himself. Michelle could only think, ''is he flaunting to impress me!!!???'' His blockmates thought, ''was Anthony trying to impress Michelle?'' Anthony... Anyway, some tried to reject politely, but of course who would not want a free meal? Besides, they all knew Anthony was loaded by the car he''s driving (they dont know he''s part of the exclusive 8 though). Thus, in the end everyone cheered! -- TBC Chapter 105 - 105: Great Friend (Michelle POV) As Anthony drove the car back to school, I couldn''t help myself from peeking at his side profile. Oh dear lord, he looked so perfect even when he''s simply driving! All I wanted to do was hug his arm and lean my head on his shoulder. Ah! How amazing would that be? However, I still have some sense as not to disturb him while driving. I tore my eyes away from his profile, but my mind was still thinking about him. Him and his actions during lunch. I grinned. Gods, he did not even shy away from treating me like a princess in front of everyone! He pulled the chair for me, placed food on my plate, and even paid for the bill for everyone just to impress me! Though he didn''t say the words or confess to me, how else should I interpret it? Anyway, before I knew it, we''re already back in the school''s parking lot. Anthony turned the engine off and simply smiled at me to say, ''let''s go?''. Though I wanted to cut my PE class because I felt a bit sore and did not want to subject myself with a taxing activity, I still nodded my head with a smile. What? every second with Anthony counts! The two of us went out of the car and Anthony got his bag from the backseat before locking the car with the remote control. Then, he approached me so that we can walk together. "Let me help you with your bag." He offered with a smile. Was he serious!? Wah!!!! What do I say? Is this it!? The start of my dream campus romance!? To top it all, it''s with Anthony! Praise the lord hallelujah! Wait, maybe I should say no first? "Ah¡­ I-I can manage¡­" I replied with a stutter. Anthony looked at me with that smile on his face and his brows furrowed a little, as if I''m being a petulant child. Then, he shook his head. "I insist." He said as he pulled my tote bag to get it from me. Then he took a step forward as if trying to escape just in case I have any protest. How can I have any protest? In truth, I wanted to scream and giggle like an idiot. But of course, I wanted to protect my very good image in front of Anthony. So, I stopped breathing for a moment to contain my surging emotions of just wanting to throw myself on him, maybe get a piggyback and kiss him to mars and back. Perhaps Anthony noticed that I''m not following, so he stopped walking, turned back and said "Come on." At that moment, his duffel bag was slung across his body while on his left shoulder was my tote bag. All I can think of was how magnificent he was, and that when my classmates see us, they would immediately think that he''s my boyfriend! I can''t!!!!! I wanted to jump 10 feet in the air! I took a deep breath before starting to walk with him. The whole time, my heart was lodged in my throat, and I could not say anything. He walked me to the table tennis area first before he left and went to the basketball court. My classmates looked at me curiously, and since Anthony already left, I smile at them triumphantly. What!? See that guy? He''s my boyfriend!!!! -- PE class went without a hitch. On my way to the locker room, I did not see Anthony in the court his class was assigned to. Anyhow, I went to the ladies'' locker room and took a shower. When I was done, I went out half hoping that Anthony''s still around waiting for me. Much to my dismay, I did not see him. I tried to wait for 10 minutes, but he was still not around. Maybe he already went ahead? Possibly. I looked at my cellphone but did not see a text from him. I sighed as I told myself, ''Ok Michelle, you''re not his girlfriend yet so don''t heighten your expectations too much.'' With that, I decided to call my driver to fetch me near the covered court. When I arrived home, I went straight to my bedroom to¡­ aish! What rest? My brain was experiencing too much excitement with my new relationship status with Anthony. I couldn''t think of anything else but him and everything that transpired between us. -- The next day, I woke up early to beautify myself for when we see each other in class. As I was looking for which dress to wear, my cellphone started ringing. I did not receive a text from Anthony last night, maybe he''s calling me this early!? I quickly walked back to the vanity table to check my cellphone. Oh, it''s Andy. I completely forgot about him. Why is he calling this early? I pressed the answer button. "Hello?" "Good morning, Mich." Andy said in a friendly greeting. "Good morning, Andy. Why did you call?" I asked. "Just called to make sure you woke up early so that you won''t cut class again accidentally." Andy said as he chuckled. "I''ve been up since 5:30 am, don''t worry, I won''t ditch you!" I teased. "Excited much?" he teased me back. I giggled, Andy''s a 100% flirt! Then, I answered, "You wish!" Andy snorted, "Yes, yes, I wish. Anyway, see you later! I have to shower now and make myself more handsome than usual, got to impress your classmates." He said. I could not help myself from smiling, "Okay. Make sure that it''s eye popping, alright?" I said jokingly before we hanged up. Ah, Andy''s such a great friend. -- "Recall from our previous meeting that given a function f(x), the average rate of change of f from x=a to x= a+h is f(a+h) ¨C f(a)/ h, now let us look at instantaneous velocity¡­" Our professor began her lecture. She started writing all the formulas, giving examples and drawing graphs. UGH!!!! What instantaneous rate of change and instantaneous velocity!? Everything was giving me instantaneous headache instead! Still, I tried to focus and listen very carefully, putting some asterisk on the notes as reminder that I need to do extra reading and research for that part as I didn''t understand them that well. Aish. I don''t want to study but do I have a choice? I can''t get kicked out from university! Anyway, while I was concentrating on the lecture, my seatmate, Camille nudged my hand with her elbow causing my pen to run on my notes. "sorry sorry." She said apologetically in a low voice seeing that my notes had been messed up a little. It''s a pity but I know she did not mean to do it, so I just shook my head and smiled. "No, it''s alright." I was about to go back to copying what was on the board again when Camille called my attention again. I turned to look at her in askance. She smiled at me knowingly then said, "Look outside." So, I did. And there I saw Andy, the nation''s husband that he was, he was staring directly at me and when our eyes met, he smiled and gave me a mock salute. Oh, my fucking god. He''s so FINE that I blushed. He was wearing one of the sets that we bought when we went shopping and though it''s simple, it accentuated his figure nicely. Honestly, maybe if one were to give him rags, he would still look good, wait, in one of his movies he did have a role where he''s a poor boy and he still looked so damn hot! In fact, if he doesn''t wear anything¡­ ok never mind. Recovering, I smiled back at him and gave him a small wave. Seeing me do so, Andy''s smile did not leave his face and he even winked at me. Then, he raised his phone which I only then noticed was on his right hand. He pointed at it as if indicating that I should look at mine. I pulled my cellphone out of my bag and saw that there was a message. I raised my notebook to cover my hand clutching the cellphone. I unlocked my phone and first noticed the time. It was 8:15 am, 5 more minutes before we get dismissed. Then, I read the message which came from Andy. [Hi, Miss beautiful! Would you please consider having a date with me? Haha!] I smiled thinking that there goes Andy with his flirtatious self again. Thank goodness I know better than to take his words seriously. I looked at him again and saw that he was still looking at me, his eyes were in crescents, one corner of his lips tilted up, and his left eyebrow was raised as if asking, ''what do you think?'' I covered my mouth to stop myself from giggling. Aiyooh, he''s getting into his acting too much. If his fans from the future could see what he''s doing now I don''t know how many bashers I will have on the internet! -- TBC Chapter 106 - 106: Introductions (Third POV) Since their professor was facing them, Michelle decidedly placed her cellphone back inside her bag. She didn''t want to get caught texting and give a bad impression. Anyhow, it was almost dismissal. "Alright. Are there any questions regarding our lesson?" Their professor asked as she wrapped up the lesson for the day. "No, ma''am." The students answered, just itching for the class to end. "Ok, then, for our next meeting¡­" Hearing their professor giving instructions for their homework to be submitted on Friday, Michelle jot them down on her notebook. -- Andy smiled seeing Michelle trying to contain her laughter. Earlier when he arrived, he took the time to observe her. Michelle was not the most beautiful girl he has ever seen, especially that he mingles in the entertainment circle, but there''s something about her that draws him in. At the beginning, it was plain attraction that made him approach her in one of the galas hosted by one of his parents business associates. When she acted aloof after the 2nd time, he no longer approached her. However, it was as if fate was playing with him that she became his classmate in Environmental Science. It was their third time meeting and perhaps, because it''s the third that it was like a charm. She was no longer aloof, and in fact she was even friendly. It has been almost a month since then, and the more he got to know her, the more he realized how amazing she was. It was not uncommon for the people in their circle, even when not part of the exclusive 8, to be proud, prideful, and have a superiority complex, but contrary to that, she didn''t put on airs. He''s not saying that she''s some holy Mary, but he knew that inside, her heart was kind. Like for instance, he saw that her seatmate nudged her hand that most likely messed her notes, but instead of being angry, she only smiled at her and told her it''s alright. Anyway, he knew that the text he sent was worded to sound like a joke between friends, but even though that was the case, there''s also mild flirting intermixed. Sometimes he wonders, what would Michelle''s reaction be if he were to tell her that he was being serious? Would she be more delighted than she already is? He shook his head. To ask her that now would be unfair. Although he''s still second guessing his decision to study abroad, there''s a high probability that he would take the opportunity. -- Not long after, the 8:20 am bell rang signaling the end of their class. Michelle placed her materials inside her bag and as she stood up from her seat, much to her surprise and delight, Andy was already in front of her. "Let me help you with that." Andy said as he grabbed her bag from her. Michelle could not help but take a side glance from where Angie was seated. She saw that Angie and Janina was looking at her with some jealousy in their eyes. Well, she doesn''t really hate them or something, but¡­ ah, she felt so refreshed. She looked at Andy again and gave him a shy smile. "You don''t need to do this, I can manage¡­" Andy seeing the mischievousness in her eyes, tsked, then he smiled. "This is what I should do, my Chelle." Then, he grabbed her hand and interlaced their fingers. Michelle blushed feeling their interlaced fingers. She wanted to take her hand back, but she knew that Andy''s just getting into his role much. Besides, she''s rather enjoying the look on Angie''s face! It looked like she swallowed a whole pitcher of vinegar. She knew that it''s not because she''s romantically interested in Andy, rather it''s because she''s envious of her! Well, who wouldn''t be envious of herself!? The nation''s husband, ok, maybe not yet, but still, Andy''s a super handsome teen idol who''s also the son and heir of Peng corporation! Anyone on their right mind would be envious! Haha! Then, the next thing that registered was the nickname he called her. Gods, she wanted to laugh out loud. Like deym, they have the same nickname in mind for herself! She actually hated him calling her Mich, but she would prefer it if Anthony were the one to call her My Chelle. Ugh. Maybe he could come up with a better nickname? Andy seeing Michelle distracted and smiling face thought that she''s really cute. He wanted to pinch her cheeks and kiss her lips. In an instance, he was not able to stop his hand and... ok, he just tucked a stray hair to her left ear rather than pinching her face. Michelle smiled at Andy as he did that, ah, he''s such a great actor indeed. Anyhow, deciding that that''s enough dogfood for her blockmates, she tugged their interlaced hands and said, "Let''s go?" Andy did not let her pull him though, instead, he stayed rooted on the spot he''s standing on. "You haven''t introduced me to your friends yet." Michelle wanted to furrow her brows. That''s not part of their plan. Aish! She still has her plans to introduce Anthony to everyone and not make them think that she''s a two-timer! But then again, at least this way everyone will think that once upon a time, she, Michelle Lui, had the nation''s husband as her suitor! Hahaha! Anyway, Anthony knows better. She smirked with how brilliant that sounded. With that in mind, she smiled and shyly nodded her head. Looking around, she noticed that not only Angie and Janina were looking at them. All her blockmates were! Even some of their female classmates have not left the classroom, curious about the newest gossip! She can imagine that if they were a few years into the future, everyone would have had their phone out taking pictures or videos of them! Post it to youtube or facebook and boom! In just a few seconds, they would go viral! Seeing Camille being the nearest, she introduced, "Andy, this is my friend, Camille." On a hind note, Michelle did not introduce Andy as anything, whether he''s a friend or suitor or boyfriend, she did not say and he did not say anything too. Ah! Let them come to their own conclusion. She thought evilly. Andy smiled and offered his hand not holding Michelle''s for a handshake. "It''s nice to meet you, Camille." Camille blushed. Her eyes looked like they turned to hearts as she carefully took Andy''s hand in hers. "Ah, pleasure to meet you prince Peng, I watched the latest show you were in, and I should say you were amazing!" Michelle had no idea that Camille watched Andy''s show, and that obviously, she kinda has a crush on him. "Eh? You really did? Wow. Thank you for your support. Also, please, just call me Andy." Andy said in a friendly manner. Michelle continued to introduce Andy to everyone and even when they were not awestruck by him being a teen idol, many still wanted to get to his good graces as he was the heir to the Peng corporation. Some of her blockmates even introduced themselves not needing her assistance any longer. Then, finally, it was Angie who approached and Janina. Angie gave him a somewhat flirtatious smile. "Hello Andy, I''m Angie Co. It''s nice to meet you." Andy, recognizing the name from Michelle''s text only gave her a perfunctory smile without reaching his eyes. He did not ask her anything like the rest of Michelle''s blockmates, only said, "Oh. Nice to meet you." Then moved to the next. When Andy turned away, Angie glared at Michelle. Michelle tried hard not to grin. When the introductions were done, Michelle''s blockmates invited Andy to join them to have snack at the canteen. Andy looked at Michelle as if asking for her opinion. Michelle was almost tempted to agree just to show off but remembering Andy wanting to talk to her about something she turned down the invite. Her blockmates all teased that they must be going out on a date. Andy and Michelle did not comment and said their goodbyes. -- When they were far away from the classroom and none of her blockmates were in sight, Michelle pulled her hand away from Andy''s hold and then she started laughing. "Andy! That was totally out of my expectations. Haha! Nice one though!" Michelle said. Andy grinned trying not to show even a hint disappointment. For him, everything that he did in that room was real, but Michelle only interpreted them as just for play. Though it was what he wanted her to think. Anyway, he never thought that it would feel nice to have the girl he liked introduce him to her friends. She has no idea, but for him it felt like they were already together. Thinking of the brighter side, his action was truly a win-win. Not only did he get to play the role as her kinda boyfriend and held her hand, his action would most probably serve its other purpose in the future. That is, no guy would try to pursue her while he''s away! Hah! With him as the comparison, which other guy would dare? With that deviousness in mind, he also chuckled. "your blockmates seem nice. Why did you not accept the offer for us to grab snack together?" Michelle smiled and shook her head. "You wanted to talk about something to me, right?" Andy felt the butterflies in his stomach fluttering. Although she was given the chance to show off more, she still remembered what he came for. She chose alone time than making everyone see that he''s hers. She had no idea how happy that made him. "Oh right. I still wish to spend time with your friends though, they seem really nice. Perhaps next time when you have snacks or outings, you should invite me too!" Michelle giggled thinking of Angie''s face. Ah, earlier felt satisfying. Anyhow, it''s Andy asking so maybe it''s ok. "That doesn''t seem like a bad idea. Ok, will do so." -- TBC Chapter 107 - 107: Advice (Third POV) There were plenty of restaurants, cafes, and other establishments just in front of University A where students frequent during their breaktime or dismissal. Since there was still more than 1 and a half hour before Michelle and Andy''s next class, they decided to have some snacks/ drinks in one of the cafes there. The caf¨¦ of choice that day was Jin Caf¨¦. Usually, the caf¨¦ would be brimming with students, but as it was still early, there were not a lot of people around. "Good morning, may I take your order please?" The cashier lady whose smile looked like it''s about to split her face asked as Andy and Michelle stood by the counter. Michelle who noticed that the cashier''s eyes were solely focused on Andy could only smile in mirth. Well, she completely understands what she must be feeling. Who wouldn''t be starstruck seeing him? He might not be dubbed the nation''s husband yet but his foundation''s already there even in his teenage years. She peeked at Andy and saw that he smiled back at the cashier, none of the egocentric-ness which usually accompanies other celebrities present. "Good morning to you too. I''ll have iced caramel macchiato please." Andy answered, then he turned to look at Michelle, "How about you Mich?" Andy asked, directing the attention to Michelle. The cashier blushed, completely forgetting that Andy has company and she''s even on his right side, meaning she''s first in line than him. "I''m sorry Miss, can I take your order please?" she asked. Michelle smiled back good naturedly. "Strawberry Milkshake for me please." Andy stared at Michelle fondly from the corner of his eyes. To be honest, he could not help but compare. Michelle was a good sport, don''t know if it''s because they weren''t really a couple (yet), but if it were one of the other girls he dated whether for real or not, they would have been offended by the cashier''s action and might even cause a scene by talking to the manager of the establishment. "That would be 60 yuan¡­" The cashier said. Andy pulled his wallet from his pocket, but before he could bring out the cash, Michelle already handed the money to the cashier. He looked at her in surprise. Michelle showed him a grin. "Remember from last time? It''s my treat now." Andy chuckled, "Ok.", but then he still pulled out the 100-yuan bill and inserted it to the tip box. Then he grinned at her, his two eyebrows raised. Michelle shook her head, but her smile did not leave her face. Well, it''s Andy''s prerogative if he wants to give a tip. It''s not like he lacks that little money. The cashier, well, she''s very happy to have another contribution to their tip box. "Thank you! Thank you! Ah, we''ll just serve your order to your table. Thank you again!" -- "So¡­ what was it that you wanted to ask my opinion about?" Michelle asked curiously. She did wonder why Andy chose to get her input without the company of their friends. Andy took the time to stare at Michelle, putting into memory how she''s trying to urge him to speak with her eyes and smile. After 10 seconds, he noticed Michelle''s smile start to become stiff. She''s so cute! He chuckled. Michelle furrowed her brows. "What''s so funny?" "Nothing." Andy said as he shook his head then smiled. "Anyway, do you think long distance relationship could work?" "I think that if two people are deeply in love and have been together for quite some time to have built enough trust, then maybe. It still depends on the situation though. Why are you asking? You have a plan to be in one?" Michelle asked teasingly. "Tempted, but I''m not sure if she can bear with it." Michelle giggled, "Long distance relationship with Prince Peng? I don''t think any girl would be able to bear it." "Why not?" "Well, for one, she would be crazy with jealousy! Always thinking about the number of girls trying to vie for your attention. I think the poor girl would buy the first ticket to be wherever you are." Michelle explained. Then, she added jokingly, "Thinking of doing that to a girl? You have no conscience!" then she laughed. Ok, that was a bullseye. Andy laughed awkwardly, "you got me there. Haha!" "Kidding aside, why are you asking? Tell me the context, maybe I can give a better answer or advice." Andy sighed. He already knew that LDR won''t work and it''s a silly excuse especially given who he is, Anyway, it was worth a shot asking even though she just shot it down from the start. Aish. "Well, it''s like this. Just the other night, I received the acceptance letter from Xavier acting school for film in Country A¡­ I''m thinking if I should attend it or not." Michelle knew that Andy studied at that school in her timeline, but she just wasn''t sure which year. Now that he mentioned it, did that mean that Andy will be transferring schools soon? Most probably. Though she''s sad about it and knew that she will miss spending time with him, she knew that it was what was best for him. "Why not? I recall that your dream is to be the best actor, right? I heard Xavier Acting School for Film is the best institution for that, it would be a good steppingstone towards your dream." Michelle encouraged. Andy did not know if he should laugh or cry, Michelle answered that one without even blinking. "Won''t you miss me?" he asked sounding dejected. Michelle could only smile, "Of course I will miss you. But this is about you." Andy felt his heart stutter. She was so earnest with her words that for a moment, he thought that she meant what she said in a way that he hopes. "There''s this girl that I really like and¡­ what if she''s not there for me anymore when I return?" Well¡­ Michelle thought of Andy of her timeline who wasn''t married still even reaching the age of almost 32. Ahehe¡­ maybe it''s because of this? Nah. Thinking about it again, at their time, that was the norm and besides, his self then was so successful and popular. Maybe he just haven''t met the right one yet. Even when he reaches 40, he can still marry a lady in her prime, or even younger, like 20! Thus, she answered with conviction. "Which girl would not wait for you? If she doesn''t then she''s not worth it. You''re Andy Peng! Aside from that, at this age, like you''re only 19? That is something we can categorize as puppy love or something like infatuation still. If it''s a normal career you wish to pursue, then I would say that you can postpone or something? But your dream is to be best actor, how many years will your youth last? Life in the entertainment industry is like that right? You can''t enter too late, and¡­uh¡­ am I babbling? Why are you looking at me like that?" Michelle asked seeing Andy''s expression. He looked shocked. Andy shook his head. Hearing her words, he can only think that their thought process was so much alike that he can only be struck with astonishment. However, now that she''s the one saying it, it felt like he had to defend the girl, she has no idea that it''s her. Or was it that she''s saying those words because she thinks that it''s another girl and she''s saying it out of jealousy? Should he make her jealous? "No, no, you''re making perfect sense. But this girl¡­ she''s special. She''s so pretty, kind-hearted and¡­ I like her a lot." Andy tried. Michelle thought that maybe the girl could be his one true love? But he won''t be second guessing if he loved her that much. "Well, since you said that she''s special and kind-hearted, then think of how she would feel. I think there''s a high chance that she might like you too, at least I think coz you''re already considering. Wait, are the feelings are mutual?" "I would like to think so." Andy answered with a smile. "Ok. Then, think of it this way, how would the girl feel if she knew that you exchanged your dreams for her? I think she would want to support you and maybe she would be extra happy once you return? You''ll be the most popular actor with the best achievements then! If you like her still when you come back and she''s still single, then maybe it''s meant to be? Wait maybe even if she''s dating, she''ll forget about the guy and run to you instead! Haha!" Andy laughed. Michelle could be so funny. If she knew that it''s her, wonder if she''ll still say the same thing. "Would she even like me still when I have been away for so long?" "Oh yeah. There''s also that. Then, even when you''re away, you should still keep in touch. There''s the cellphone and the internet. It''s not like we live in the middle-ages. Also, you can still visit. I mean, it''s not like you won''t have breaks like Christmas break, summer break, etc. right? You can spend time together during those times. Remember, keep in touch still so you won''t lose her, something like that." Michelle said as an advice, feeling like a genius. -- TBC Chapter 108 - 108: Sem Break Plan (Michelle POV) After I shared my opinion, Andy seemed more at ease. Perhaps it was because I''m such a good advisor that he now knew what he needed to do? I don''t know. Well, poor girl, she would have had the chance to have a future with Andy, but it''s not like I said anything wrong. Besides Andy decided to study there in my timeline, so I think whatever I say would not affect his decision, not that I intend to meddle and make him change it. The outcome would be a fool proof success, so why change when it''s really good? Anyhow, Andy shared that I was the first person he talked to regarding this matter, and my opinion mattered a lot. At first, I felt a bit flattered. Wow, we only knew each other for less than a month and he approached me before his family and closer friends? Then again, thinking about it, maybe he thought that I would give an unbiased opinion unlike the others who would most likely convince him to stay. Oh well. Then, he shared that he would need to confirm his slot within the week and school there would start in mid-September. "You know Michelle, although we''ve only been friends this way for less than a month, I think that when I leave, I will miss you a lot. Would you mind if I were to call and chat with you from time to time?" Andy asked. "Of course, you''re always welcome to contact me! I would be very delighted and will reply to you or answer my phone right away! Just don''t forget me when you''re popular okay? You need to give me exclusive access! Like take your photo in the morning, take a video of you while eating, or maybe when you''re in the gym!" I said while laughing. What? I don''t even need to interview him! Just taking photos or videos of his daily life will attract a lot of traffic/ views if I ever decide to be a youtuber! I wanted to laugh evilly just thinking of the number of views I will get which translates to dollars! Hahaha! Andy laughed heartily then he nodded his head. "Ok, it''s a deal then!" "Ok. By the way, when do you plan to leave?" I asked. "Ouch Mich. I feel so hurt. Already can''t wait to get rid of me?" he said exaggeratedly. "Eh? You know what I mean." I defended myself. Andy chuckled, "I''m thinking first week of September at the latest, so you still have me here for more than a month! Oh wait, the semester ends in October, right? Which date was it?" "Let me check the calendar." I said then I brought out my phone to look. "Yes, the 20th of October." Andy grinned then brought out his phone too, "Oh this is awesome. The school in country A would be on break from October 30th to the 5th of November because November 1 and 2 would be on a Wednesday and Thursday respectively. Mich, what do you think of having a vacation in country A then? I can tour you around and then we can also join the festivities of Halloween on the 31st of October." That sounds brilliant! If Andy invites me with the gang, then most probably I can convince my parents to allow me since Kate and Lara should be with us. Then, Anthony will also be there, and we would be able to spend time together and¡­ oh my god, the excitement is killing me! "That sounds brilliant. You need to tell everyone about this plan as soon as possible so that they can fit their schedules to it too." "Oh¡­ oh yeah. You''re right. Ugh. I need to confirm my slot first though. I think I''m already distracted enough when I haven''t started school there yet." I giggled. "Yeah, I feel like a bad influence now! Oh wait, it was your idea!" Andy chuckled, "Indeed. Anyway, it''s already 10:10. We should go back to school. Though I can afford to cut class since I''ll be transferring soon, you shouldn''t." -- Andy and I arrived in the ES classroom with only a minute to spare. Going inside, I saw that most of our classmates were already seated, amongst them were Lara and Steven. I smiled at the two, Lara gave me a smile back, while Steven gave me a curt nod. Our professor arrived shortly after. When the bell rang, he began his lecture. Class was boring as can be, but I pretended to listen intently. Ugh. I have always hated science subjects the most. Absent-mindedly, I started thinking about Anthony and how I should interact with him later. I was a bit lonely that he did not text me from last night to now. Did he already change his mind about us? No, that can''t be. Anyhow, maybe I should take the initiative later? Thinking about this, time moved quickly and soon we were dismissed. -- (Third POV) Once dismissed, the four went to Tianhao building since none of them were hungry. Andy shared his story of getting accepted to the acting school in Country A and that he has already decided to transfer school. Lara tried to dissuade him but knew that she won''t be able to change his mind as he was already decided. Thus, she teased him by saying that he only wanted to go there to have a foreign girlfriend. Andy denied the allegation and even said that Lara knows that he''s smitten with a girl, so how could he? He even looked pointedly at Michelle as if willing her to understand that it was her. Michelle smiled at him as if responding that she knew that he was pertaining to herself. Well, at least that''s how it looked, but in reality, how could Michelle understand what Andy was saying with his eyes? She only thought that he was looking at her because of what they talked about earlier. Steven who saw the knowing looks exchanged by Michelle and Andy felt somewhat irritated. He shook his head. Sometimes, he wonders if Michelle practiced some form of witchcraft on him. The unexplainable pull she has on him, whether from attraction or what else, won''t just disappear no matter how much he tries to squash them. Then again, it has only been a little over a week since he came to the realization. Anyway, seeing Andy looking at him waiting for his comment, he told him that it that''s what he wants, he definitely should go for it. Well, he also felt pleased that he would stop lingering around Michelle too. Aish. There he goes again. After that, Andy started talking about what he and Michelle discussed regarding the semestral break. He shared that their breaks would coincide for one week, and it would be great if they would come visit him at country A during that time. Hearing that, Lara was full of excitement. She began planning where they would go, what they would do. She even called Kate and told her about it on the spot. Michelle listened and threw in some suggestions. She too grew excited. Now that Kate and Lara were on board, it would be easier to convince her parents to let her come along. Time moved fast and soon the 12:20 pm bell rang, signaling Michelle that it was time to leave for her next class. She excused herself from her friends and when Andy offered to walk her, she refused telling him not to mind her. Andy no longer insisted. -- When Michelle left, Lara scowled at Andy. She wasn''t sure how it happened, but it seemed like he was able to have some sort of romantic relationship with Michelle based on how she saw them interact. Plus, she did note that the two of them entered their class earlier at the same time. "What''s up between you and Michelle?" Andy''s lips tilted up. "Well¡­ why are you asking?" Lara scoffed. "I can''t believe you. You''re already leaving in just over a month and you''re still stringing her along? Don''t you think that that would be unfair to her?" Ok, so Michelle told her that she likes Anthony and she even slept with him (though it was just a hook up), but then, Andy was still a notorious chick magnet. It wouldn''t be surprising if he were able to seduce Michelle back to liking him. "I''m not stringing her along. You know that I like her, Lara." Andy explained. Though it was none of Lara''s business, he knew that she''ll still be friends with Michelle while he''s abroad. Better to be on her good side again. "Like her enough to leave with Elizabeth Cheng right in front of her?" Lara quipped. "That was a mistake. Besides, nothing happened that night between me and Elizabeth." Andy said, then he furrowed his brows. "Why are you so concerned anyhow?" Lara gave him an eyeroll. "Michelle likes Anthony and I''m positive that the feelings are mutual. You, doing whatever you''re doing, would just get in between them." -- TBC Chapter 109 - 109: Jealous? (Third POV) Andy''s eyebrows knitted. Now that Lara brought up the matter of Michelle liking Anthony, he suddenly remembered Vince and Jeff teasing Anthony about him, spending the night with Michelle. It has only been 3 days since, but he has completely forgotten about it. Perhaps it was because he did not see it happen before his eyes, so it was easy to let that matter rest. Anyhow, thinking of how he and Michelle spent time together these 3 days, he does not believe that she likes Anthony more than himself. It was obvious to him that she was receptive, maybe Lara''s words were just her opinion. Convinced with his own assessment, he nodded his head. "Michelle is her own person and whoever she likes or not is up to her." Andy simply answered while thinking he better befriend one of Michelle''s blockmates to serve as his ''eye'', seems like Lara won''t be helping him at all. Lara harrumphed but did not say more. She just thought that though Andy''s words rang true, that doesn''t mean that he has her vote. He better not expect that she will say nice words about him to Michelle. -- (Michelle POV) The day was Thursday, and when our PE class ended, I saw that Anthony was still in the basketball court playing basketball. There seems to be a match going on and there were some girls cheering. I recognized that he was teammates with some of his blockmates and their opponents were, well I did not know any of them. At the side, I noticed that there was someone in-charge of the scoreboard and when the opponents scored, I saw the guy add two points on one team making the previously tied score of 8-8 to 8-10, the other team was on the lead. Anthony''s team was now in possession of the ball and when his teammate passed the ball to him, all the girls cheered exaggeratedly. "An-tho-ny!!!!! Go! Go! Go!". I was not a fan of basketball, and I did not understand the game that much except for the basics, but I could tell that Anthony was pretty good. He was agile and he was able to by-pass the guy guarding him easily. When he took a shot, it went in, and before I could even clap my hands and cheer in delight, I heard the girls screaming, "I love you, Anthony! Marry me please!" "Wahh!!!! Go Anthony!!!!" My eyes narrowed and I pursed my lips. How dare these girls propose to my Anthony? I know he is hot, but he''s mine! Ugh. Talking about him being mine, I feel a bit uncomfortable. Yesterday, Anthony did not come to class, so I texted him when I got home, asking him why he was absent. His reply only came after an hour, and he did not answer my question exactly. Only asked why I was asking and if our prof have given us assignment. Maybe he was shy to tell me, not wanting me to think that he''s a bad student, but then I was only able to reply to him after an hour from the time I received his message because when it arrived, I was having dinner with my parents. Anyway, our conversation was short lived because of the time lapse, and my last message from after dinner only received a reply this morning. I was so into my thoughts that I was not able to see that the ball was already coming to my direction and that people were already shouting at me to move aside since a while back. I stupidly stared at the ball as it zoomed and was about to hit me on the face when a hand swatted it to another direction. When the ball disappeared, Anthony''s face greeted my view and well... it seems like we were going to collide because of the speed. Instead of colliding Anthony stepped to the side and his hands landed on the wall, trapping me inside his arms. My heart was beating wildly on my throat, and I felt myself blush. Ah! So this was the kabedon scene that all the silly girls dream of. Anthony was heaving and his sweat was trickling down his face. (Though some sprinkled on me, I did not feel disgusted at all hahaha!!! Ehem ehem). Our eyes met and the world seemed to have slowed down. I can hear people''s feet coming to our direction, but nothing mattered to me but him. Even when sweating he was still so handsome and sexy and hot! His brows furrowed as he pulled away. "Are you alright, Michelle?" he asked, his voice filled with worry. I willed my heart to calm down, but it couldn''t. Thus, at a loss for words, I could only nod my head as the other people surrounded us. Anthony''s blockmates recognized me and they asked if I was alright. I just nodded in response while one commented, ''so that''s why Anthony was rushing like a bull. haha!'' When they ascertained that I was alright, everyone started to leave one by one. Anthony was about to do so too, but I would not let this opportunity pass. I quickly grabbed his hand and tugged. Anthony stopped walking and he turned back to face me. "Yes?" he asked. "T-thank you for¡­ uhm¡­ swatting the ball away." Anthony smiled, "For you, anytime. Anyway, I need to get back to the game." "Oh¡­please wait a moment¡­" I said, then I let go of his hand to pull out a face towel from my bag. Then, I used it to wipe his sweat from his face. "Good luck, you can do it. I will cheer for you here." I said with a shy smile. Anthony chuckled and did not stop what I was doing. "Ok, I will do my best." When I was done wiping his face, that was the only time he pulled away and jogged back to the court. Oh my god! Did that really just happen? I asked myself with a grin. The game continued and I can feel the girls who were cheering for Anthony earlier all eyeing me like they want to burn me alive. Haha! Sorry girls, I needed to lay my claim on my man. -- (Third POV) When the game ended, the score was 50-44, Anthony''s team won. The time was 5:30 pm, and well, Michelle was standing at the side without company since she''s not acquainted with the spectators who were still there. Anthony''s teammates clapped his back and teased him that his girlfriend was still there waiting for him. He shook his head and chuckled. They have been teasing him since yesterday and he already told them that that''s not the case. Anyhow, he no longer tried to correct them as the more he does, the more they tease. He went to the bench uncapped and drank a bottle of Gatorade in one gulp. Mindful of his sweat, he wiped himself with a face towel. Then, he excused himself from his friends. As he walked towards Michelle. He convinced hinself that her actions earlier and that moment were just her being friendly. His other friends also sometimes stay and watch him play the game. As for her wiping his face, he simply thought that she was grateful for when he swatted the ball. For this kind of thinking, one should not blame Anthony. He was not to say 100% oblivious. Perhaps he would think more if not for what happened yesterday. Yesterday, on his way to school, he had to stop his car due to the stoplight turning red. While waiting for it to turn green, he looked to his right and well, he saw through the glass door of Jin''s caf¨¦, Michelle was happily talking to someone. That someone was Andy. Don''t know why, but suddenly, he felt very unpleasant. He stared and stared as the two of them talked, their faces getting nearer though they were sitting in front of each other. He wondered what they might be talking about, what was so interesting, what was running in Michelle''s head. He did not notice the stoplight turning green and the people in their car which were stuck behind him started pressing their horns. He stayed like that for 20 seconds and Michelle nor Andy did not even notice the traffic jam that was just right outside. He drove his car away after a while and met with his friends at the internet caf¨¦. They started playing World of Warcraft in teams, and well, he lost track of time. Supposedly, he would only be late for English class, but he was not in a great mood to see Michelle. Thus, he decided to cut his English class and just go straight to his next class. When he got home, he realized the stupidity of his thought process and action. He and Michelle were just friends with benefits. Why should he feel unpleasant that she still has feelings for Andy? It''s not like he can still use Andy''s playboy ways as an excuse. It would be hypocritical of him to say that when he''s the one hooking up with her. Anyhow, he decided not to think much of it anymore. Besides, he doesn''t even want to have a girlfriend. -- TBC Chapter 110 - 110: Special Treatment (Michelle POV) Ah!!!!! I can''t take this anymore! My silly heart has gone bonkers watching Anthony play. Every time he''s able to score, I wanted nothing else but to scream his name along with the girls who ignored the fact that I might be his girlfriend. Ok, I know I''m not, but I label me and Anthony as exclusively dating! Anyway, I controlled my desire to do so as I still wanted to maintain my image of pure femininity and demureness in front of Anthony especially (plus I don''t want to lump myself with those desperate girls), thus all I did whenever he looks my way was give him a smile while imitating the Korean girls saying ''fighting!''. Talking about him looking my way, was he trying to impress me? Not that I''m being too presumptuous but more than half of the time he scores, he would look at me and smile. Anthony, just take my soul. I''m yours! When the game was over, I wanted nothing else but to run towards him, jump and give him an embrace and in my imagination, we would French kiss and! Ok, he''s still sweaty but it doesn''t bother me! If it''s Anthony''s, I don''t mind at all! Of course, I did not do that. Preserving my lady like image, I did not approach him as he and his teammates exchanged thanks or whatever they usually say to their opponents after the game. Then, I saw him pick up a bottle of Gatorade from the bench and drank it. Though it was quite a distance, my 20x20 vision saw his bobbing Adam''s apple, and I imagined myself licking and sucking it like crazy. Sorry, I think I did grow crazy watching him play. His pheromones and manly sex appeal were oozing, and I think it''s not just me who has been affected. The girls in the area that did not mind my presence were still eyeing him like hyenas! Anthony took out a face towel from his bag which reminded me of what I did earlier. I closed my eyes to relish the moment when I wiped his sweaty face and he was looking at me and¡­ Ah!!! The moment was so sweet and and he even said he will do his best like he was telling me that he''ll win the game for ME! Then he just won! Am I not the luckiest girl alive in the planet? I was still being silly and smiling to myself, when I heard Anthony''s voice calling my name. Aish! Too much daydreaming was getting in my head that I''m even imagining things. "Michelle?" Anthony called the second time as he chuckled. I opened my eyes and there he was, the vision of perfection in front of me, chuckling as if he knew what was running in my head. He tilted his head to the left and smiled. Was he waiting for me to acknowledge his presence? "H-hello Anthony. Great game. Uhm, you were great, awesome, and congratulations?" I greeted a bit stupidly I realized. But then, what could I do? My head was in jumbles. I did not expect that he would approach me right away (though I did hope). Anthony nodded his head while he continued to smile. Then he responded saying, "Thanks. Sorry it took long. So¡­" then he paused. Eh? Why was he looking at me that way? Does he want to ask me out for dinner? Haha! Ok. Fine. I''m not that stupid. Maybe he already has plans with his friends and would be having dinner with them. They were all boys so maybe he feels awkward to invite me to come along and join them. I understand Anthony. No need to feel guilty. "I will¡­" "Would you¡­" Me and Anthony said at the same time. "You go first." The two of us said at the same time again. Aish! What''s with that!? I blushed. Ever the gentleman, Anthony said "Lady''s first." with a smile. "I will need to go home soon so I hope you go and enjoy dinner with your friends." I said feeling like a very considerate girlfriend. Anthony''s smile faltered, but he was quick to recover. "Oh. Alright. Then you should call your driver to fetch you from here. It''s a bit dark outside now." he recommended. Was he worried about me that''s why he made that expression? So sweet!!! "Ah yes, of course. Uhm¡­ so you were going to say?" I asked. Anthony shook his head. "It''s nothing. Anyway, you can call your driver now. Wait for me. I''ll just go get changed quickly then I''ll see you off. Ok?" he offered. Not trusting my voice, I only nodded my head as I stopped breathing for a moment lest I suddenly act like a madwoman. Anthony''s eyes turned into crescents as he jogged back to the benches to get his bag. When I saw him enter the locker room, that''s only the time I turned to the wall, covered my face with my two hands and started squealing like a fangirl. -- After taking a bath, I sat in front of my study table to start doing my homework in Math. Though I found it quite difficult at first, when I got the hang of studying it again, it became a lot easier. Perhaps it helps that I don''t feel the same pressure as I did the first time I entered the university, or maybe that my brain has been subjected to more pressure than just schoolwork, so it''s much easier to cope. Nowadays, my nemesis in my studies was my laziness. Like at the moment, I don''t feel like doing the homework. Rather, all I want to do was reminisce the events earlier. From the start to the part when Anthony walked me to my waiting car, opened and closed the door for me as he waved me goodbye. I wish I gave him a goodbye kiss then, but Mr. Matt, my driver was in the car and well¡­ it''s not that I''m ashamed, but I was a bit afraid. What if he tells on me to my papa? I don''t think he will voluntarily say it out of the blue, but what if my papa asks and he tells him that he saw me kiss a boy? I will be so dead. So, when Anthony closed the door, I just waved at him and quickly got my cellphone to text him. [Thank you for sending me to my car. Enjoy dinner with your friends and take care on your way home later! See you tomorrow. BTW, you were so cool earlier!] Which reminds me¡­ my cellphone which was placed on the table beside my notebook suddenly vibrated. Ah! did he reply to my text already!? I unlocked the screen of my cellphone and oh. It''s from Andy? What could he be texting for? These few days he''s been hanging around me a lot more than he did before. I don''t think it strange though. We get a long very well and the more we talk, the more I see that we truly jive. It''s not just because I know a lot about him from the future based on what I read in the gossip, but because I can see that we think alike. What I find funny, he also finds funny. I mean, we seem to have the same sense of humor. Anyway, I read his message. [Do you have plans on Saturday?] Saturday!!!!! It''s Friday tomorrow, which reminds me¡­ I haven''t told Anthony of my plans on that day! My cinema tickets and my hotel booking! Ah!!!! I need to inform him about it somewhat! What if suddenly something comes up on his side after we have our lunch!? Let me reply to Andy first. [Yes. I will be busy on that day. Why?] His reply came quick. [Just asking. How about Sunday?] Sunday? But I already told my parents that I will have group study on Saturday and will come home late. Would they allow me to go out and hang out again the next day? Oh well. I''ll just talk to my mama. [Sunday morning or afternoon is workable. Why are you asking?] -- (Third POV) Andy read Michelle''s text. Then, he called his assistant. The phone rang only once and his assistant answered right away. "Good evening, boss. How may I help you? "Hey Tim, tell the team to move my interview to Sunday, same time. Tell them that I can''t this Saturday." He instructed. "Yes boss. Consider it done." Tim answered. "Ok thanks. Bye." Andy said. Then he typed on his cellphone again. [My interview is on Sunday 10am to 11 am. Do you want to watch?] then he pressed send. After a minute, he received Michelle''s reply. [Cool! Great timing then. of course, I want to watch and support you! Do you have spare tickets?] He smiled. Ah. She does like him! [No need for ticket, you can have special backdoor access!] he replied. -- TBC Chapter 111 - 111: Silly Date Preparations (Michelle POV) The day I have been waiting for has finally arrived! It was Saturday and today I will be having a date with my dearest Anthony. Although I haven''t fully informed him of our day''s schedule, I am hopeful that everything would turn out well. I mean, he did say that he hopes that we can do ''that'' again. Unlike the previous 2 times, I had the opportunity to prepare myself for today. Yesterday after class, I went to the mall, got myself waxed down there, got a depo shot (contraceptive by preventing ovulation), and was able to shop some lingerie and washed it myself when I got home. Of course, I did not let the maid wash it for me, it''s embarrassing for them to know that I bought those and well, what if my parents chanced upon them? I won''t be able to explain. I took a bath and used the body scrub I bought for myself to make my skin softer. Then, I dried my hair and¡­ should I go with perm or straight? Just straight, it might get messy later. Hmm¡­ maybe I should ask Anthony what his preference is later? Haha! Then, I used some natural looking make-up on my face, to look prettier than I already was. I put body butter on my body and¡­ ah! I smell so great! Good enough to eat! Yes, I''m a bit crazy I know, but what to do? I want him to be more attracted to me, I can''t help it. To be fair, I was also like this in the past, at least after I learned from my first experience with Steve¡­ Thinking about Steve¡­ This week, I noticed that ''he'', meaning as him as Steven, has been acting more aloof to me. Not that I think much of it. From the beginning, we can only be labeled as acquaintances with common friends this timeline. But I thought he has been warming up to me. Sometimes, he would smile or nod to acknowledge my presence when it''s just the two of us like when he walked me to the venue of my evaluation exam or whenever Lara and Andy were still buying something and it''s just us sharing the table. However, the 3 times we saw each other this week, he won''t even talk to me at all. When it''s the two of us he won''t even look my way and just directly ignore me. What did I ever do to him? Ok, I did abandon him for another guy, but come on! It''s not like we''re husband and wife this timeline and I only ever accepted my Anthony¡­ (ehem ehem, ok I''m not pushing the blame on him because I honestly also liked Anthony since foreveer), because he''s seeing Lara! When I came back to this timeline, it was him I seek out first, but he lied to me! He said he started dating Lara 2nd year, and he even lied about his identity! So don''t blame me! I shook my head. Ok, never mind. I knew that Steven is still an emo character and¡­ well, he''ll turn out fine in the future so he can handle himself. Besides, he has Lara and if they end up being together in the future of this timeline¡­ something inside my heart still felt a twinge of pain and I felt my stomach turning. Suddenly, the past flashed before my eyes and I had to take a deep breath. I realized that a part of me still loves him, and I do feel a bit guilty with my transgression. No. Steve does not exist here and based on the events since I met the ''him'' of this timeline, his existence to my life would never be the same. I should just consider the Steve as my husband dead. Or maybe I died and left him? Who knows? Maybe I did die on that elevator. Why am I here? Is this a parallel universe? Will I suddenly wake up and realize that I''m only living a dream? These questions suddenly came up in my head. Ugh. That moment of contemplation lasted for 30 minutes. When I looked at the time, it was already 10:50! I need to get to Daman mall by 11:30 to check in to the hotel and meet Anthony for lunch! I willed myself to stop thinking about those curious matters. To do so would only cause me a headache as those were questions, I would never have the correct answers to. I''m here now and I should just live my life to the fullest. To be granted something like this, I don''t think just anyone would be able to experience. I started wearing the lingerie set that I carefully decided to wear for the day. A 4-piece lingerie set. The materials used were see through, but it has flowery embroidery design to cover some areas. The bra had an underwire but did not have foams, not that I need them. The set includes a matching sheer boned garter belt and a thong. There were also adjustable garter stocking suspenders. They were all in white, I wanted to buy the blush color set but felt that it would be hard to match it with my clothes. After wearing them, I looked at my image at the full-length mirror. I smiled and gave myself a wink. Ah! I look so hot and sexy! Anthony''s eyes are going to pop when he sees me in these! I giggled like an idiot before I started wearing the dress I especially chose for the day. An A-line sleeveless floral dress with a square neckline which ended about 3 inches above the knees. I also wore a see-through white cardigan on top. Why the light materials? Ha! That''s what one would call strategy! We''ll watch a movie later and when it''s cold, maybe Anthony would try to keep me warm. Hahahahahaha! Ah! My imagination is killing me! I wore some jewelry, and a hairband in place for the finishing touch. I look so beautiful that I think Anthony would not be able to keep his eyes off me! Praise the lord for my improved aesthetical taste! -- Arriving in Daman mall area, I instructed Mr. Matt to buy me a set of shampoo and conditioner at the salon me and my mom frequents. After that, he can take the rest of the day to unwind and he just needs to come back and fetch me by 9pm, the closing time of the mall. I gave him the money needed to buy the set and even gave him extra for his lunch, dinner, and snack time. Of course, he was happy to oblige, while I was also happy to give him the bribe. What? I needed to drive him away or make him go somewhere else, so he won''t know I''m just having a date. What if my Papa asks and he tells him that he just saw me with a guy, and we even entered a hotel together!? No way! Anyhow, Mr. Matt did not drive the car from the mall entrance until he saw me enter the mall. Inside, I walked a little bit, then about a minute after, I exited again. I did not see my car around anymore and I smirked. Great! I crossed the street and went inside the Shangri-la hotel. It was 11:35 and I fell in line to process checking-in. Everything only took 5 minutes, and the receptionist gave me the key to room 522, a executive suite. I used the elevator to go up, pressed 5 and then walked to the room. I tapped the card key and inserted the spare key on the side to switch the power on. The room was divided to two parts, upon entry was the living room where there was also a study table, and then there''s a door leading to the bedroom. I know that these details were not important we''ll just stay for about 3 hours, but I still felt conscious. What if Anthony thinks that I''m a cheapskate? Ah Michelle, what are you even thinking? I looked at the comfort room and it looked clean. Well¡­ this accommodation is more spacious than the room I was given in Andy''s Aurora, but that''s in a yacht! Aish, the stupid things I''m concerned about. Anyway, I think the room is satisfactory and we can perform on the bed, the living room, the study table and even the bathtub. I don''t know about the sanitation of the bathtub though. Maybe it''s fine? Can I now slap myself silly? I laughed at myself then I checked the time. It was now 11:45. I placed my bag with some study materials on the sofa. What? I told my parents I''m meeting with friends to study too! So, when I left our house, I was carrying a bag containing them with me. Under the materials, there was also an extra set of clothes just in case. Hehe¡­ I''m smart enough to bring extra! Thus, with that, I went out of the room, the spare key I did not take from the key holder thing so that the power won''t go off. I prefer the room to be cold when we come here later! -- TBC Chapter 112 - 112: Date I (Michelle POV) "Welcome to Jade Palace Restaurant. Do you have a reservation?" The receptionist asked. I shook my head. Huh? This was just a restaurant in a mall. "Do you require one?" I responded. "Sorry ma''am, as of the moment, the restaurant has already been fully booked and¡­" I furrowed my brows. What the hell? You want to ruin my date? Anthony recommended this restaurant last night! I was about to insist when suddenly my cellphone started ringing. "Excuse me for a moment." I said as I pulled out my phone. Anthony''s name flashed on my screen. I wanted to cry. Why did I not come to the restaurant first to ensure I get a table? Anyhow, I pressed the answer button. "Hello?" I greeted. "Hi Michelle, are you already at Jade palace?" Well¡­ "Uh yes¡­ but it''s already fully booked¡­" I said honestly, my voice a bit sad. Not hearing Anthony respond, I said his name to call his attention, "Anthony?" *Tut tut tut!*, huh!? Did he just hang the call? I looked at the screen only to see that he really did! My eyes widened and I don''t know if I should curse or cry, before I could think how to react, I felt someone tap my shoulder. I turned to look behind me and what greeted me was Anthony''s very handsome face and wonderful smile. He was tall that I only reached his chin. His face was white and smooth, his lips were pinkish, his nose thin and high bridged, his eyebrows slightly thick and dark¡­ then he was wearing a white polo shirt and black denim jeans¡­ Ah! He truly was God''s greatest gift to this planet. If there''s a definition of perfection, all I have to do was look at Anthony! My cheeks turn heated with my desire to just grab his cheeks and kiss him senseless! "Hello. Sorry for being a bit late and forgetting to inform you about this." He said apologetically, then he turned to look at the receptionist. "Excuse me miss, reservation under Anthony Ren please." He said. Oh my god! He made a reservation ahead of time!?!?!?!? When did he make it!?!?!?!?!?!!??!?! He even apologized for being late when it''s only¡­ I looked at the time displayed on my cellphone''s screen. 11:55 am!!!! I was just early, though only a little. Just shoot me now please!!!! I can''t, I can''t, I can''t!!!! The receptionist blushed even behind her make-up, and she looked at my Anthony as if hearts were going to pop from her eyes. For a few seconds she just stared at MY Anthony like that. This bitch, how dare she look at my Anthony that way!? I wanted to reprimand her, but I don''t want Anthony to get turned off! Thankfully, the receptionist came back to her senses after sensing my glare. She fumbled over the list of people with reservation. "Ah yes sir, please follow me." she said. Anthony smiled and nodded his head. "Thank you." He replied. The receptionist lead the way and we fell in step behind her to follow. As we walked, Anthony turned to look at me and asked, "Did you wait long?" I turned to look at him. He was wearing a sincere expression and it''s like a halo was shining upon him. I turned my eyes away, I felt like I''ll go blind soon with his brilliance, I turned to look away. I think I resemble a cooked crab by now. "No¡­ I just arrived when you called." Anthony was about to say something, but we already arrived to our assigned¡­ room!? Anthony booked us a private room!? Huh!? This is so amazing! He likes me! He definitely likes me!!! I''m the luckiest girl in the planet! The room itself though was good for 2 was quite spacious, it has floor to ceiling windows overlooking the sea too. Ah! So romantic! The receptionist guided us to the table and Anthony pulled one chair from one side, so I went to the other side and as my hand just touched the back of the chair, I noticed that Anthony was not yet sitting. I looked up and our eyes met. Then it hit me. Oh, my fuckin god. I wanted to cover my face with my two palms. He pulled out the chair for me! Even Steve was not that considerate when we were friggin dating! What to do? should I run over to the other side and take the seat!?!?!? Anthony decided for the two of us. "Please take a seat." He said. Like an idiot, I just decided to pull out the chair in front of me and sat. He smiled and then took his seat. Then, the receptionist whose presence I completely forgot about if not for her handing us a menu book each said, "please tap this button once you''re ready to order. Thank you." After that, she left the room realizing she was not needed. "The food here might not be as good as your mom''s cooking, but it''s not bad. What do you like to eat? Maybe I can recommend something." He even recalled the taste of my ''mom''s'' cooking? That''s my creation Anthony, not my mom''s! If you want to eat it again, all you have to do is¡­ you don''t even have to ask! On Monday I will bring you lunch!!! If you like, I can even cook for you every single day! I wouldn''t mind at all! Of course, that''s not what I said despite me wanting to say all those words to him! Instead, like a true demure lady of Asian descent, I humbly said, "No, no, how could that be? You must be exaggerating. However, my mom will be glad to hear that.", then remembering his question, I replied, "Uhm¡­ I don''t have a lot of preference¡­ whatever you recommend will do." I said. Actually, I have a lot of preference, but I want to know what Anthony likes to eat. Besides, whatever Anthony eats, I wouldn''t mind eating! Even if he recommends me to eat chicken feet which disgusts me to hell, I will eat even a dozen of them gladly!!! Anthony nodded his head, then he opened the menu, his eyebrow furrowed as if seriously considering what to order for me. Then he asked, "would 8 dishes suffice?" Huh? 8 dishes? That many? That will be like a wedding! I don''t want to eat too much! Might ruin my plans for our snu snu! Then again, we have a movie in between us eating and¡­ ah! I almost forgot! That''s for 2pm! That many dishes would take a long time to finish! But I can''t possibly disregard his efforts! But still¡­ "That''s a lot but it''s ok¡­ also, I wanted to tell you¡­ I have 2 tickets here for the pirates of the Caribbean show later at 2pm¡­ my friend who bought it ahead of time gave it to me just yesterday because she can''t use it today¡­ if you don''t mind, would you like to watch it with me?" I asked. Anthony nodded his head with a smile. "Ok. I will have to thank your friend for the generosity. I''ll order now then." he said then he pressed the button to call an attendant. The attendant arrived shortly, and Anthony began stating the food he chose for us. Baked Avocado Stuffed w/ Crab Meat and Bird''s Nest, Supreme Shark''s fin soup, Braised Whole Abalone with Fish Maw, Sauteed Fresh Lobster Meat w/ Supreme Sauce, Seasonal Pea Shoots with Crab Roe, Steamed Fresh Live Garoupa, and iced mango puree." My eyes widened. Wow. Anthony just ordered something akin to a Chinese wedding set menu. It''s a bit weird but I really like all he ordered except for the abalone! I don''t like abalone at all. Then he looked at me. "Michelle, do you like to add something?" he asked. Ah¡­ that''s 7 dishes still Anthony. I think your stomach is a bottomless pit. So nice to be young. Ugh, oh yeah, I''m still young too. Metabolism is faster, I guess. However, I don''t think Anthony would appreciate me gaining extra weight. What? Don''t tell me Anthony is like those guys who will want their girlfriend to eat a lot and expect her not to gain any weight! Ugh! Just for today, anyway, we will exercise later! I hope. I shook my head, "I think that''s ok¡­ Thank you." "How about drinks?" he asked. Sorry, that''s already a lot of calories, I''m also still thinking of popcorn later plus us drinking soft drinks and sharing a straw. Hehehe. Well, we can also do that now. "Just water¡­" I said. Anthony looked at me funny. Then he turned to the waiter. "I''ll have coconut shake and she will also have the same." Is this dominant CEO ordering for me? I love it! ehem ehem¡­ The waiter jot it down, "Ok sir. Food will be served in about 10-15 minutes." "Alright. Thank you." Anthony responded. The waiter left and finally it''s just me and Anthony in the room without anything to do. -- TBC Chapter 113 - 113: Date II (Third POV) Anthony looked at Michelle as she tucked her hair behind her left ear. When he arrived earlier and recognized her behind, he had to stop for a moment to compose himself. Her hair was glossy and straight, her tiny waist emphasized by her dress that was cinched on the waist, then she was even wearing thin white stockings trimmed with lace. As a man, how can her image not inspire perverted thoughts from his brain? Then, when she turned around after he tapped her back, a floral scent emitted from her hair or body? He was not sure from where, but she smelled really good that his mouth watered, and he wanted nothing more than to eat her whole. However, he knew that he must act normal and not reveal his thoughts. To do so would not be gentlemanly. Though they did hook up twice, he wasn''t sure if she would agree the third time. Though there were no feelings of love between them, there should still be mutual respect. Talking about his hopes for a third time, before he left his house, he has already prepared himself for the disappointment. He imagined the scene of Michelle telling him that they must stop what they were doing because¡­ well, she likes Andy, and for him not to tell anyone about what happened between them which was already a given. He was almost tempted to cancel but thought otherwise. He can''t possibly ghost Michelle. Besides, the room has already been reserved. He can only lament the fact that the chances of them doing what he thought they could do with the privacy have become nonexistent. Well, that was until she brought out the matter of the movie tickets. Ah, he should really thank her friend for that. Also, she asked him to go with her! Maybe Andy did not agree to go with her that''s why he became the second option? Ouch. that did hurt his manly pride a bit. Still, did that mean that she still wants to hook up with him? -- Michelle could feel Anthony''s eyes on her, and she wondered what he could be thinking of. She has experienced dating with Steve in her timeline but that was when they were in their late twenties. She has zero experience dating as a, and with a teenager, so she was not sure how things should go. What should they talk about? The food? "So¡­ do you prefer eating Fujian cuisine?" Michelle asked a bit shyly. Ugh, what a lame conversation starter. Anthony whose focus was on Michelle''s face saw her lips moving but her words did not register to his brain. "Sorry, can you repeat that?" "Ah¡­ nothing." Michelle said as she blushed while thinking, ''What the hell? Even his slightly distracted look was so handsome! '' Anthony furrowed his brows but then he smiled. Ok, he did hear a lot of stories from his friends on what they do during a date or something, so he too has some ideas. Though he was not the smartest when it comes to studies, he does have a brain. So, he stood up from his seat and moved his chair so that they would sit beside each other. Michelle''s eyes could only widen when she saw Anthony stand up. The first thing she felt was alarm. She was afraid that her words might have offended him making him want to leave. Before she could apologize for her words, she saw him carry his chair and placed it¡­ beside her!? She turned red to the roots of her hair. What was Anthony doing!? Did she ascend to heaven? Anthony seeing Michelle blush could only pretend to cough to hide his nervousness. Was he too forward? "I moved my chair so that I can hear your words better. Sorry that I didn''t earlier. You don''t mind, do you?" Michelle could only nod her head dumbly. When Anthony did not sit on the chair still, she realized how he asked the question, so she shook her head, "Ah¡­ n-no¡­ I don''t mind¡­" Anthony smiled and finally took the sit. Then he placed his right elbow on the table, leaned his head against it, and then looked at Michelle. He was not really sure about what he was doing, he never tried flirting this way with a girl before. Usually, it would be them doing it not him. Meanwhile, with Lara, he could not do it as they have been friends for a long time. If he were to apply it, it would just be plain weird. Michelle''s heart was on her throat. Gods, what was Anthony doing? Was he really flirting with her this way? With the sunlight filtering through the glass, she could see his face that she has dreamed of for a very long time very clearly. His skin was blemish free, pores so small that''s almost non-existent, lips reddish, and to think that he wasn''t wearing any make-up! Ah! She wanted nothing more than to kiss him, sit on his lap her legs straddling his hips and maybe they can get some action? Suddenly, she felt herself become moist and the place between her legs became a bit uncomfortable. Shit. How can she wait until after the movie when she''s already like this only 10-15 minutes after they saw each other? She looked away from him and played with her fingers to distract herself from her perverted thoughts. Anthony knew that Michelle was shy but really, that''s one thing he liked about her. How she was so shy but when they do it, she wasn''t a cold fish. Well, he has nothing to compare to except for the things he read online. He was not nonchalant, and he was a curious fella. He read online about a girl''s first time and other stuff he never really bothered to do until what happened that night. It has to be said that though he''s curious, he was not up to doing it with another girl. Again, he has very high standards and it was difficult for him to find just someone to do it with. Just Michelle was enough. She was great in fact that she surpassed all his standards. She was very pretty, sexy as fuck, very clean that she was even a virgin when they did it, from a good family so not a gold digger, very nice, almost perfect except she was not very smart¡­ because¡­ how could she like Andy!? Then again, it''s also a blessing because if she was, she wouldn''t do it with him! Ehem ehem. Then to top it off, she was even better to look at than all the women in porn films he ever watched. Anyway, seeing Michelle fiddling with her fingers, Anthony saw an opportunity. Though his heart was on his throat because of excitement mixed with nervousness, he used his left hand and placed it on top of hers causing Michelle to stop her movements. Michelle turned to face Anthony again. The part where his hand touched felt like it was burned but she did not have plans to pull it away. In fact, she liked it very much. Anthony smiled at Michelle and more confident because of her not pulling away, he interlaced the fingers of his left hand with her right. Michelle bowed her head in embarrassment. She never expected Anthony to show initiative himself. Gods! Should she pucker her lips? If she does, would he kiss her? The other time in his car, she remembered that she was the one who took initiative, this time, was it his turn? Seeing her bow her head and a stray hair fell to her face, Anthony straightened himself and used his right hand to touch her jaw, moving it gently so that she would face him. Then, he tucked her hair behind her ear. Seeing her blush and bite her lips, he was tempted to kiss her. No one else was in the room, and it seems like Michelle was ok with it. Thus, he pinched her chin lightly then he leaned in. Michelle could only be amazed. Even Steve was not this forward when they first dated! Maybe Anthony really liked her a lot already! Then, she closed he eyes waiting for his lips to touch hers. Anthony seeing her close her eyes knew that she already gave him permission. Thus, what more did he need? He smiled a little then tilted his head sideways so their nose wouldn''t bump. Then, he kissed her. Her lips were as soft as he remembered and gods, he wanted to devour her. He placed his left hand on her lower back to pull her closer and used his tongue to pry her lips open. Michelle opened her mouth in compliance and tasted his minty breath. Then, she raised her two arms to wrap them around the top of his shoulders. Feeling their position a bit uncomfortable, Anthony pulled her from her chair without their lips disconnecting so that she would be seated on his lap. Michelle of course complied. They were so into their kissing that they did not even notice someone knocking on the door. -- TBC Chapter 114 - 114: Date III (Third POV) Michelle held her breath so she won''t start screaming like a person who just won the jackpot on a lottery. When the waitress entered the room and shrieked in surprise because of the almost r-18 sight she and Anthony presented, Anthony did not panic at all. Instead, his right hand remained on her back while his left on top of her legs, making her unable to leave his lap and letting the waitress continue seeing this picture as if it''s the most natural thing in the world. She wondered if he was announcing that she was his and he was hers? Though her position looked embarrassing as she looked like a clingy girlfriend (which she believed she was, except that they were not officially together), she liked it very much and it made her quite happy. Anthony seeing the waitress finally leave the room after serving the drinks shifted his eyes back to Michelle who was still sitting on his lap. She was blushing to the tips of her ears and biting her lower lip. She looked so tempting that way that he considered just placing her on the table and¡­ Fuck. What''s up with his brain? Anyhow, before his imagination gets the better of him like what just happened a moment back, he gently shifted her back to her seat. Then, he moved the glass of coconut shake which was placed on the upper side of her plate directly in front of her so she would only need to open her mouth and take a sip from the straw to taste. "You should try this. It''s good." He recommended. Michelle did as she was told. She took a sip, while Anthony continued to stare at her with his expectant eyes. Well¡­ it tasted like¡­ coconut shake. She turned towards him and smiled, "It''s really good. This got to be the best coconut shake I ever had¡­" it was kinda true. It''s the coconut shake Anthony bought for her, of course, it''s the best one in the world. "You should try it too¡­" she offered her glass to him even though he ordered the same thing and was only placed on the other side. Anthony did not think much and only leaned forward to drink from the straw Michelle used. Then he smiled. "Yes, you''re right. This one is the best." Well, seeing him do that, we can all guess what stupid things were running in Michelle''s head. -- (Michelle POV) After finishing our meal, I had to go to the restroom to brush my teeth. What? We will seat beside each other later, definitely, ehem ehem¡­ maybe we will have another round of make-out session while watching the movie. I can''t possibly let him chance my breath smelling like garlic! Anyhow, when I came back, Anthony just stood from his seat, smiled at me, and said, "Let''s go." Oh. Did he settle the bill already when I went to the restroom? Should I just let him treat me like that? In truth, I have no problem with it at all, but what if he thinks that I''m a cheapskate? Then again, he wanted to do it for me! As I was pondering over this matter, I did not notice Anthony was already in front of me and¡­ he leaned forward¡­ was he going to kiss me again!? Much to my disappointment, he only turned the doorknob behind me. "We should go, it''s already 1:50." He reminded enclosing me between his body and the door. Was he doing this on purpose!? I looked up and met his eyes which were in crescents. Oh! He definitely was! "O-Ok." I stuttered with my infinite happiness. Anthony chuckled, he stepped to the side then he opened the door. Seeing him wait for me exit first as he stood at the side, my heart leaped. Emboldened with some confidence because of his playfulness, I grasped his right hand with my left so that we''re now holding hands. Ha! Take that! We''re now holding hands on the way to the cinema! I could not look him in the eye at first, but the walk to the cinema was long, so on the way, I would peek at him from time to time. He did not seem bothered that we''re holding hands in public, and he was even wearing a small smile on his face! Come to think of it, he even continued to hold me on his lap even when the waitress saw, so what was there to think of!? -- I carried the bucket of popcorn while Anthony carried two large cokes which came with the movie tickets. We walked to the upper box of the cinema to the left end. When we reached it, I could only smile in satisfaction. The seats I chose for us were strategic. Yes, it''s true that the movie was a full house, but consider this. People would be too busy watching the film to even notice some teens making out in the midst! Aside from that, the set up of the seats were intended for couples that one would wonder if the one who made the lay out of the cinema was encouraging couples to do some live action! Oh well. Anyway, I chose to seat on the left end and Anthony sat to my right. There was a cup holder on each side where Anthony placed our drinks, while I placed the bucket of popcorn to my right. Both of us looked at each other and then we reclined the chairs. The lights were dimmed and finally the movie was about to begin. -- (Third POV) "Anthony¡­ I feel cold¡­" Michelle whispered as she moved closer to Anthony''s side. Well, she has been sneaking glances at him since earlier, but he seemed to be too engrossed in watching the movie. Her plan did not work so she realized that she must somehow take the initiative. She has been emboldened by his actions earlier, so she had more confidence now. Anthony was not engrossed in the movie as Michelle thought. Truth was, when he took a glance at her side profile earlier, he found her very very attractive in the dim lit cinema hall. Not that he didn''t find her attractive every single time, but today, his hormones were already in overdrive because of what they did in the private room. This time though, they were in the midst of so many people in the cinema and he wasn''t sure if she would appreciate him doing what he thought of doing. However, when he heard her words and felt her body pressing on his side, he knew that she wanted his body as much as he wanted hers. It was crazy that she was willing and even initiating this with him in public. Then again, he liked it so no complaints on his side. "Ok, let me keep you warm." He answered his voice slightly husky. Then, he used his left arm to wrap around her shoulders. Michelle but her lip to prevent herself from giggling. She scooted closer and leaned her head on his chest. Then she wrapped her left arm around his waist. This was the first time they actually snuggled, and she could clearly hear his strong and accelerated heartbeat. She smiled. So, it was not only her who was experiencing this kind of thing. Anthony felt that their position was quite comfortable, and he really liked it a lot. He could smell the floral scent of her hair and feel her soft body on his. Maybe they can do more? He did hear his friends talking about making out, cupping a feel, and even petting in the cinema. Would Michelle mind? Though he did a lot more than that twice when they hooked up, touching this way was all new to him so it excited him. He also wanted to try it out. Michelle felt Anthony''s fingers grasping her chin and gently guiding it so she would face him. Understanding what he wanted, her lips met his and he started kissing her slowly. Tentative kisses that tickled her heartstrings, then he would suckle her lower lip and gods! It was amazing! Though not as passionate as the other times they kissed, she felt that this was it! There was no mistake that Anthony feels the same way about her as she feels about him. Anthony felt that kissing her this way was also good. In his stomach he could feel something fluttering. However, that was far from his thoughts as his focus was how to get under her skirt. In other words, his thoughts did not run the same way as Michelle''s. From her chin, Michelle felt Anthony''s hand move to her collar bones, causing her body to tremble and the space between her legs to grow moist. Anthony''s hand continued moving downwards. He cupped her left breast and gave it a squeeze before his hand reached the hem of her dress. Since she never made a protest, he thought that it''s a go so his hand went under her skirt and reached for her center. His hand made contact to her already slightly damp underwear. -- TBC Chapter 115 - 115: Date IV (Michelle POV) Are we really doing this inside the movie house? I did imagine some make-out session, but not¡­ oh my God. Anthony who has been rubbing my clit earlier has pushed my underwear aside and penetrated me with his finger. My eyes widened and a low rumble escaped me. Anthony who still has his left arm wrapped around me stopped kissing me and pulled back a little. Then our eyes met. Although it was a little dark, I can still see his handsome face clearly. He gave me a smile and if not because of his finger still inside my womanhood, I would think that he''s a pure and innocent young man. I bit my lip. I really should stop what he''s doing to me here now. I mean, I have a key inside my bag, and we can do this intimate act inside the privacy of a hotel room. However, I don''t know how to tell him. What if he thinks I''m a prude? It''s not like I''m still a virgin Mary in his eyes. We did it twice and¡­ oh, he''s pulling it out¡­ thank¡­ GOD! Another rumble escaped my throat. I thought he was pulling his lone finger out to stop this madness, but instead, he added another. I had taken his much larger rod inside me but one should not underestimate his fingers. When we held hands, I noted that his hand completely engulfed mine. His fingers were long and¡­ Ah! My hands fisted his polo shirt as my face contorted trying not to make a sound. It was very pleasurable and exciting but if we get caught¡­ I can already imagine me and Anthony being directed to the mall''s management/ security. What if they throw us in prison? What if they inform our parents? What if this gets out in the news!? Fuck! The thought brought me back to my senses and I tried to call his attention. "A-anthony¡­" "Not so loud Michelle." He whispered to my ear, his hot breath causing goosebumps to rise all over my body. -- (Third POV) When Michelle called his name with a stutter, Anthony who was already aroused since earlier felt his body turn even hotter. Whenever Michelle would stutter and blush, all his mind would come up with was the image of her turning red, panting, and heaving after she reach climax. Anyhow since she did not protest, he thought that it was okay to proceed. So, he licked the shell of her ear as he pressed the hilt of his palm to her clit. Then, his two fingers inside her moved faster. He moved them circularly, going up, down, left, and right in a slightly rough manner, like in those he watched in porn, while going in and out faster. Michelle forgot that she needed to stop him and could only bite her lower lip to stop herself from moaning out loud. She could only hope other people were not paying them any attention and that the wet slapping sound made by his fingers and her pussy could be covered by the sounds from the movie. Anthony''s eyes did not stray from Michelle''s face. Her eyebrows were furrowed, and she was biting her lips, obviously trying not to make a sound. She looked so tempting that way and though he considers himself a gentleman most of the time, when he''s with Michelle, he realized that he could be such a rogue. Inspired by his thought of being just that, he teased Michelle by whispering these words to her ears. "Can you spread your legs wider? I''m afraid you''re going to cut my fingers off with how tight you are." Hearing his words, Michelle''s pussy suddenly contracted, and her hips buckled. She quickly covered her mouth to stop her moan, but her throat still made a mewling sound. She just reached climax. Anthony felt her pussy contract and her juices gush out. He did not pull his fingers out of her instantly. When her body came down from the high, she opened her eyes and they met with his. Her cheeks flushed and her lips red from all her biting. She looked so fuckable that all he wanted to do was unzip his pants and take her then and there. He never pegged himself as an exhibitionist given his belief that his libido was never going to outdo his common sense. Yet now¡­ anyway, he finally pulled his hand out of her skirt and looked at it. Michelle saw Anthony looking towards his hand and her eyes followed. His hand glistened with her juices, and if that were not embarrassing enough, when he spread his middle and ring finger the translucent wetness was like a colorless mucus which sticked to his fingers. Anthony seeing the juices sticking to his fingers felt his mouth water. Without any rhyme or reason, well maybe there was (because he''s curious and horny as fuck), he placed his fingers in his mouth and sucked them. It tasted slightly sweet and tangy. Then, he turned to look at Michelle. Seeing her wide eyes, he smiled at her and said, "Delicious." Michelle felt another gush of liquid flowing out of her pussy. Anthony chuckled finding her dumbstruck face cute. He pulled her closer as he wrapped both his arms around her, pressing her closer to his body as he rubbed his boner to her legs. Then he asked, "Should we get out of here?" Michelle who thought that she would be the one who needs to initiate everything could only nod her head in response. Her imagination has always been good, but this reality was certainly better. Anthony unwrapped his hold on Michelle, then he stood up from his chair and offered her his hand. When she placed her hand in his, he pulled her up and led them to walk out of the movie theater. The people seating near the seats the two occupied followed Michelle and Anthony with their eyes. The show the two gave was so distracting that instead of them watching the blockbuster movie, they focused their eyes on them instead. It was a shame they left early though, they were looking forward to the part the movie ends so that the lights would be switched on and they can see their faces clearly. -- (Michelle POV) I don''t know how many times I said the words in my head but let me say them again. Oh my God. Did everything that happened really happened? Anyway, after we exited the movie house, Anthony started leading us to the car park. I could already picture what was running in his head. I mean, we must be thinking the same thing, so it was not that difficult to guess. So, instead of beating around the bush, I tugged his hand holding mine causing him to halt his footsteps and face me. I could not really look him in the eye because of some shyness which was really ridiculous. We already did what we did, and I still felt this way. However, I couldn''t help it! Perhaps it''s because I unrequitedly loved (Ok, maybe love is too deep so it''s more like obsession) him for a long time and this relationship I have with him now has always been something I dreamed of in the past, so I''m this way. Not wanting him to get turned off, wanting to please him, and not wanting to mess this up. Anyway, I pulled the hotel''s key card from my bag and handed it to him. Anthony received the card and did not say anything at first. I peeked at him and saw that he was looking at the card, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Did he not realize what the card was for? "Uh¡­ I booked us a room¡­" I finally said honestly. When he did not say anything again, I did not know what to do. Ah¡­ was it too soon!? I looked away from him and timidly asked, "Do you¡­ do you dislike it?" I bit my lips in nervousness and I shifted from left to right. -- (Third POV) Anthony looked at the keycard Michelle handed him. He still felt a bit unbelievable. Did she invite him today with everything planned all along? Like the movie tickets then now this. Did she plan on dating him? Was she romantically interested in him? All those things suddenly went inside his head, and it confused the hell out of him. Thankfully, or not, his pondering was put to an end when Michelle called for his attention. He knew what the keycard was for but Michelle saying it made him blush. Why did he not think of booking a room himself? Looking at her shifting from left to right after asking whether he disliked it or not, he found her very endearing. Wanting to tease her like a hooligan, Anthony leaned forward and whispered in her ear. "Let me show you how much I like it when we get there." -- TBC Chapter 116 - 116: Room 522 I (Michelle POV) I looked to my left and right as Anthony and I entered the hotel. I did not think much about it earlier, but now, I was a little afraid that someone might recognize me. What if my parents'' friends see me and tell my parents? How would I explain this scene where I''m entering the hotel with a boy and we''re even holding hands? I mean, I''m just an 18-year-old girl now! If we get caught, I''m afraid my parents will hunt Anthony down and maybe they would demand him to take responsibility or something? Well, how would they be able to stand the pressure of Anthony''s family? I''m afraid Anthony''s family might even think that we''re trying to entrap their son! Ugh. They would think that I''m a toad thinking of eating swan meat! I shook my head. Why am I thinking this way again? I think I watched too much Korean dramas! Anyhow, I looked at Anthony beside me who doesn''t seem that concerned. Thankfully, we were able to reach the elevator without randomly meeting some acquaintance. "Which floor was it?" Anthony asked after he tapped the keycard to the sensor to have access to the rooms. "Ah¡­ on the fifth floor¡­" I answered without looking at him. I was still feeling embarrassed. Anthony chuckled, pressed the button, then suddenly, I was trapped between his arms, and he was kissing me inside the elevator! My mind went into a haze and¡­ *Ding! The elevator made a sound and before I knew it, Anthony already pulled away from me. We''re already on the fifth floor. He took my hand and led me outside. "Which room?" he asked. "R-Room 522¡­" I answered a little breathlessly as I tried to recover my bearing from the kiss. Anthony smiled and nodded as he took my hand in his and walked briskly to the room. Gods, I like how assertive he is. I thought I would be the one teaching him a thing or two because, well, let''s face it. I had experience from the other timeline while Anthony was a virgin boy, and this will only be his third time engaging in the act. Aish! Why can''t I just be like him? He''s so confident while I¡­ ugh. Well, not too late to act out inside the room. -- (Third POV) Anthony can''t hold his excitement any longer. Honestly, his balls were already aching with need. It''s not helping that Michelle was looking like a deer with doe eyes caught by a predator. He never thought that he would have that kind of fetish, but whenever Michelle would look all innocent and nervous like he''s taking advantage of her, he would feel more aroused and would be tempted to tease and bully her. Like in the elevator, when she was not looking at him all embarrassed and blushing, he wanted nothing else but to take her there while standing, but he did consider the fact that there''s a cctv camera installed and people can enter anytime. So, he settled for a kiss instead. Anyway, when he knew the room number, it took all his will power not to carry her like a sack of potato and run to the room. Then, when they arrived inside, he had to compose himself as not to just suddenly start fucking like he was some depraved man who haven''t tasted a pussy all his life. Which of course, wasn''t true because he had, even though it''s just last week. Acting like a good gentleman, which he''s starting to doubt he truly was, he looked around, and tried to talk to Michelle for a few minutes. They were still standing a few feet apart after exploring the room. "So¡­ are we staying the night? I''m sorry that I''m ill prepared, I didn''t bring extra clothes." Anthony said. Well, he has never entered a hotel room with a girl that is not a relative before. Like he wasn''t sure how things would go. He knew that some guys take girls to motels, but he had never thought of it before because well, he was still a virgin boy last week and there''s also the fact that motels might be dirty! Now, motels provide 3 hours, 4 hours, and so on length of stay while hotels only allow for overnight stays. So, if Michelle booked a room in a hotel, did that mean that they would stay the night? His mother would surely look for him, though he can make the excuse that he''s in a friend''s house. Michelle blushed. Ok, there''s no more escaping. They need to talk about this too. "No¡­ I can only stay here until 9 at the latest¡­ I mean, my parents would look for me and¡­ uhm¡­ to be honest, that we''re engaging in this¡­ they won''t be pleased if they were to know." ugh. How does she tell him that she''s not allowed to have a boyfriend at this age and that her father was very conservative? Would he think that she''s an unfilial daughter? What if he thinks negatively of her? Anthony nodded in understanding. Then he looked at the time displayed on his watch. It was 2:45, they still have more than 6 hours to spend. Thank God they went out of the cinema early. "I see. We should start early then." he said then he started taking off his polo shirt. Michelle suddenly covered her eyes with her two hands. She couldn''t help but feel ashamed! Ashamed for Anthony that was. So just like that!? No kissing first and foreplay or something they need to do just to not look too crude!? He just suddenly gets naked!? Anthony chuckled seeing Michelle all red and covering her face. He just took off his shirt, it''s not like she hasn''t seen all of him before. Wanting to tease her, he approached her and held both her wrist. "don''t be shy, it''s not like we haven''t done this before. Besides, you did book this room with this in mind, right?" he asked as he licked her ear and guided her hands to his chest. Her hands were soft, and she looked lovely. He wanted to ravage her. Michelle''s hands trembled as they touched his hard chest. Honestly, she wanted nothing else but to push him on the bed and do so many things to him, but she felt that to do so would make her look like a wanton lady! To hell with it! Just go with her plan. Like, initially, she wanted to give him a strip tease when they enter the hotel room. She imagined herself as a woman in control. She will give him a show and he would get so aroused, and she would tie him on the bed and proclaim him as hers! But¡­ imagination is so different from reality. Anthony saw Michelle''s lips open and close as if wanting to give him an answer but was being shy about it. He wanted to chuckle, but then, he was more tempted to kiss her. Her lips were a lovely tint of red from the number of times he kissed her, and the memory of their minty sweetness was beckoning him to taste them again. So, he did. At first, he suckled her lower lip, then he used his tongue to probe them apart, but the taste was not enough. "Stick your tongue out." He instructed. Michelle''s brain has already turned fried. She was completely putty in Anthony''s arms and whatever he tells her, she would just follow. Well, it''s no surprise though. With how obsessed she was with Anthony, if he were to tell her to jump, she would simply ask, how high? She did as was told, and Anthony started sucking her tongue. It sent electric currents down her body and made her knees weak. She had to hold onto Anthony''s waist, so she won''t fall down the floor on a heap. Anthony put his hand on her ass. As they continued to kiss he slowly pulled her to the bed and he sat on it, making sure to pull her on top of him so that she was sitting on his lap with her legs around his waist. Since they were to stay for 6 hours, Anthony wanted to enjoy every second so in no way did he want to rush it. After sitting her on top of him, he placed his hands on her waist and her arms went around his head. They continued kissing and he could not get enough of her juicy lips. Michelle proceeded to unwrap her arms from around his neck, then she pulled her head back and started kissing his neck. With gentle soft kisses, she went downwards to his chest, even softly licking his nipple. "Yes. Like that Michelle. That feels good." Anthony encouraged. Then he added, "What did you think of when you booked this room? Did you think of us fucking?" Anthony asked, his horniness was already in another plateau. Michelle who decided to take some action felt her cheeks burn. Doesn''t Anthony feel embarrassed saying those words? Anyway, she climbed down his lap and decided that she should go with her plan. Anthony looked at Michelle who was now standing before him. Did he somehow offend her? Should he tone down his words? "Michelle?" he asked. -- TBC Chapter 117 - 117: Room 522 II (Third POV) Michelle stood before Anthony who has a bewildered look on his face. Her eyes were downcast not looking at him as she bit her lips, as if torn about something. But then she took a deep breath when she came to a decision. She wanted Anthony to be fascinated with her, she wanted to please him, not to make him feel bored, and also well¡­ there''s some of her fantasy intermixed. Anyhow, she was there now, and she has already painstakingly prepared her lingerie. Now, she just has to undress herself and try to seduce him. She does know that men also want their ego stroked. "Michelle? What''s wrong?" Anthony asked again when he saw Michelle biting her lips then taking a deep breath. Why? Did she want to stop now? That did not bode well. But then to his surprise, Michelle started undressing. First, she removed her cardigan revealing her smooth and white arms. Then, she started to remove the dress she was wearing. What was revealed underneath was something he did not expect. He never thought much of women wearing lingerie sets before and he never understood why some perverted men would want to see women in them. Like, they''re just gonna take them off anyway. However, looking at Michelle, her breasts clad in a bra with white flimsy lacy material which partly revealed her pinkish areola, the lacy see-through thong revealing the top portion of her pussy which was bald, the garter belt holding her see through stockings, then the expanse of her tender white skin looking so delectable, gods. Now he understood why some men would fantasize about this kind of thing. Michelle looked at Anthony whose eyes were roaming her body. She saw how his pupils dilated, how his mouth was slightly ajar until he realized it himself, closed it, and swallowed causing his adam''s apple to bob. Secretly, her heart was jumping in joy and something in her stomach stirred. She can do this. Thus, with some confidence, she made a sexy turn and pretended to dance to music although there was no music at all. In any other occasion, Anthony would think it weird if a girl were to suddenly dance in front of him especially that there was no music, but at that moment, his mouth could only drop with the sight he was being presented. He already felt it earlier in the cinema but seeing was different from just imagining. When Michelle turned around, he saw that from behind, her butt cheeks were white and full swallowing the material of her thong. He wanted to give them a slap just to see them bounce and turn red. Michelle felt her shyness rear back when Anthony did not say nor do anything, however, she can''t really just suddenly stop and hide somewhere. So, she grabbed both Anthony''s hands to pull him to stand up. Then, she began to dance against him. Anthony could not stop the groan escaping him when Michelle started rubbing her body on his up and down. He wanted to tear all the flimsy garments on her body and start fucking her senseless, but at the same time, he wanted her to continue with this foreplay. Michelle felt Anthony''s hard as diamond cock through his pants and her pussy was trembling in excitement. Not being able to help herself any longer, she went down on her knees and started removing his pants. Anthony observed Michelle as she undressed him and to his shame, there was a wet spot covering the opening of his boxers where he would normally take his cock out and pee. Sometime when she was rubbing herself all over him, precum has leaked out of his penis. Thankfully, Michelle did not bother with that and even used her teeth to take his boxers off. As his boxers came off, his cock slapped her on the face. Anthony would have found it funny if he did not find what happened very arousing. Michelle felt embarrassed but did not let the slap deter her. Instead, she lovingly clasped his huge cock with her two hands, looking at its purple and engorged head finding it scary and beautiful at the same time. "What do you think?" Anthony asked, not being able to stop himself. Michelle who was staring at his dick looked up. The picture she presented was truly a man''s fantasy. A beautiful and sexy lady kneeling in front of him as if worshipping his cock. Anthony could not help it. She was just asking to be bullied even when she''s the one trying to take the lead. "How do you find my cock?" Michelle was a bit dumbstruck and embarrassed. Yet, the way Anthony likes to talk dirty was exciting and full of flavor. That doesn''t mean that it would come easy for her to say, but she had to try¡­ "Your c¡­ cock is m-majestic." At first, Anthony was surprised, he was thinking of her response being, big, huge, and any other crude words, but majestic? Anyway, he was quick to recover. "Then, how about you start showing your veneration?" Anthony said overbearingly in response as he gave a smirk. Thinking that he was quite smart to come up with that reply. Michelle could only think that Anthony was wanting to role play. But the thought did not last long as she started to go into action. Holding his hard and majestic cock, she sticked her pink tongue out, licking his pre-cum off him first. Anthony let out a ''mm-mm'' sound. Then, wanting to have a clearer view to see her face as she licked him, he sat back down on the bed. Michelle followed his movements and now, she was in between his legs. After licking all of his precum off of him, Michelle opened her mouth and went down on his cock. Her right hand continued to move up and down his length while her left hand shifted from his cock to his balls and started to massage them. She would alternate from licking him from base to the tip, closing her lips around his head and sucking that part, and trying to swallow more of him as possible. Anthony groaned. The pleasure building up was too much and he wanted to cum. However, he felt that it was too soon, and he wanted to¡­ well, first he wanted to do so much to Michelle aside from returning the favor. Resolute, he grabbed her chin and pulled her up towards him. Then, he started making out with her. He could taste himself from her mouth, but it didn''t matter. Her sweetness was overwhelming his own. After kissing her, he got up from the bed and pulled Michelle up. Then, he lifted her up on a bridal carry then gently laid her whole body on the bed. He looked at her form, her hair fanning behind her, her lips red, her skin white, then add the white undergarments, she looked so contradictory. Like a vixen but also innocent at the same time. In any case, she drew out the most basic of man''s instinct and that was, to conquer the beauty. The first time they did it, he was a bit tipsy. The second time, they were in a car, so the focus was getting off. This third time, which was right now, they have more time and were completely sober, so he''s able to appreciate Michelle''s beauty in all her glory. "Do you have any idea how delectable you look?" Anthony asked. Michelle felt her cheeks burn. She did want to project that image but did not expect Anthony to say it out loud. Never have she imagined that Anthony could be like this in bed. Anthony could no longer help himself and started the process of devouring Michelle whole. He started kissing her lips again, moving to her neck which he couldn''t help but suckle, moving to her collarbones, down to her still bra clad breasts. Since the material was lace and see through, Anthony could feel her nipples through the material, and he suckled them even biting precisely the nipple causing Michelle to mewl. Michelle could not stop herself from moaning out loud. Anthony was so enthusiastic, and it aroused her more than ever. Anthony hearing her moan in appreciation was more encouraged. He looked at her now soaked with his saliva bra and this time, the material became completely see through and he could see her areolas and nipples turn red with how hard he suckled and nimbled. He liked the view very much. He squeezed the two globes and pushed them together. "How about your tits? Do you have any idea how lovely they look? They are so big and round. Can I titty fuck you, Michelle?" he asked. Michelle was now as red as a cooked lobster, but her pussy was trembling wanting nothing more than his cock to enter inside. "A-anthony¡­ you can fuck me anyway y-you like¡­." She finally said. Anthony chuckled. "That''s good. Because I intend to do so." He replied. Then he moved his mouth to her waist, licking, suckling, and nibbling. Marking his way all around her body. -- TBC Chapter 118 - 118: Room 522 III (Third POV) When Anthony finished paying attention to Michelle''s upper body, it was her lower body''s turn next. Before proceeding to do that, he partially lifted his body so he can look at his piece of work. Unlike earlier when her body was white and blemish free, now he can see hickeys on a lot of areas. There was one at the juncture of her neck and shoulder, one on the upper side of her left breast, another on her hips, two on her tummy. He felt that seeing her this way was so satisfying. Michelle rubbed her legs together. When will Anthony stop this torment? She was so wet and wanting but he''s taking his time. She can''t complain though. She was also loving every single second. She felt so beautiful and wanted when he paid attention to her body the way he did. Anthony saw that her legs were rubbing against each other and understood that she must be as uncomfortable as he was. ''Was she soaking down there?'' He wondered. Curious and wanting, he started kissing her legs, then he guided her to bend her knees and open her legs. The view presented was going to be the death of him. Her soaking pussy was eating the material of her thong. His mouth instantly watered and he swallowed. Then, he used his right hand to pull her thong upwards the material then looked like a thin rope going inside her pearly gates. Michelle who saw what Anthony was doing could only shut her eyes tight and bite her lips. She felt embarrassed and tried closing her legs but found that she couldn''t. Anthony was between them and his left hand as even pushing her inner thigh to spread her legs further apart. Anthony looked up when he felt her try to close her legs. He saw her expression and couldn''t help but want to tease her more. He spread her legs further apart and this time, he pulled her thong sideways so he can see her pussy exactly. With a distance of only about three to four inches from her pussy, he could smell the sweet and tangy scent of her sex. His mouth went dry, and the blood pulsating in his body all went to his cock making bulge bigger and stiffer than it already was. Her pussy was pink and glistening with her juices. He used his finger to outline the outer lips and since it was slippery and wet, it was as if her pussy was drawing his finger in. "Michelle, your pussy is so wet that it tried swallowing your underwear earlier, now it''s twitching and even drawing my finger to go inside. Tell me, does it also want to swallow my cock whole? Does it want me to ram my cock in and stretch it wide?" Anthony said his voice full of teasing but with an unmistakable huskiness revealing his desire. Michelle couldn''t speak, she felt 10 shades of embarrassment with his words. Did he like or did not like it? Did he think that she''s so wanton? Not to say if he was even satisfied with what her pussy looked like. Luckily, she did not have to think so much, because suddenly, she got her answer when Anthony started licking the outline of her pussy, then his tongue entered her folds while his mouth sucked her nub. Not disgusted at all and even drinking her nectar. Michelle''s eyes rolled back in pleasure and her hands instinctively grasped Anthony''s hair. Her fingers pulled on his hair but then she tried to push his head away to somehow make him stop afraid that he would not like her smell. Anthony was persistent, but when she pushed, he pulled back, that doesn''t mean it''s over though. He only let her because he had another thing in mind. He used both his hands to stretch her pearly gates to the folds of her pussy so he can see inside. "Anthony! Ah!!! Please stop looking there! It''s too embarrassing." She finally could not take it and shrieked. "What are you embarrassed for? It''s so beautiful that I can''t stop looking." He replied. Michelle could not utter a reply, she was now red in embarrassment, and could only place her two hands to cover her face. In the past, Steve would also perform cunnilingus on her, but it was never like this. Anthony was too perverted! Maybe this was the energy of youth? Well, she was not given time to contemplate further because Anthony was already doing something again that she can only shriek and "AH!!!" Anthony used his two fingers to enter her wet hole. She was so tight, and his two fingers were squished together and could not move easily. However, his fingers were not without strength. He was able to push deeper even spread them apart so that her pussy hole was also stretched wider, and he can see more of her cavern. "Ah!!!! Anthony! No!" Michelle called out her voice a decibel higher. "No? You want me to stop?" he asked as he inserted his ring finger making it so that three fingers were inside. Pushing in and out of her. Michelle did not really want him to stop so she can only moan and moan, then after a few more stroked her body quaked and she reached her first climax. Anthony felt her pussy contract and a gush of liquid flowed out. He felt proud of himself. Now, it was time to enter her. What? He was quite informed that once the girl reaches orgasm the first time, her body would become even more sensitive and the pleasure of everything after would become more intensified. Michelle''s body felt soft all over, she was panting and heaving. She knew what should come after, but suddenly, Anthony climbed down the bed. Wait. Did he not like that she''s now doing nothing and was just lying on the bed!? Did he think that she''s a cold fish!? Then, she realized that she hasn''t done enough for Anthony. She wanted to lift herself up, to try and pleasure him more, but she felt so powerless. Anthony did not think much about how Michelle was thinking. He simply thought that it''s time for action. This time, he was more prepared and brought a condom. He quickly went down the bed, opened his wallet and brought out three condom packets. He tore the wrapper of the first one and wore it. Though it was the first time he wore one, he learned how to do it quickly. Then, he climbed back to the bed. Michelle saw Anthony come back and felt relieved to know that he didn''t just leave her. She saw that he was now wearing a condom. Anyhow, Anthony spread her legs again, followed by him placing a pillow under her lower back. Anthony lined his cock to her still quivering pussy, and at first, he tried to penetrate her slowly. He could feel her walls fighting him as if wanting to expel him out, but there was a kind of pleasure to it. It was so tight and warm inside. Just 3 inches in, he lost control and rammed himself inside her to the hilt in one swift motion. Michelle bit her lip as she whimpered. Anthony was so big and long, when he''s not wearing a condom, it was painful, but it would become pleasurable quickly. However, now that he was wearing one, it was different. The rubbery texture especially now that he''s going in and out of her faster was rubbing on her sensitive walls and it hurts. She didn''t want to complain though. She wanted to give him pleasure, but what to do? Her eyes leaked tears even when she didn''t want them too. Anthony felt good, it was tight and hot inside, but in comparison to when they had sex without protection, it was a point less pleasurable. Ok, not just one point. It was almost incomparable! Not to say that it''s not pleasurable though. It''s also incomparable to his hand. Well, it''s like this. Male or female who experienced sex without having to wear condom would never want to wear one again. There''s a big difference but remember, safe sex is still best! (AN: OK, don''t think I''m an advocator of not having to wear condom during intercourse. Just telling the truth!) Anthony continued going in and out of her. He pulled the cups of her bra down so her tits were swelling out of them as his two hands started squeezing them. Then he looked at her face, she was biting her lips trying hard not to make too much sound and her eyes were shut tight, and¡­ were those tears? He likes to bully her and make her turn red in embarrassment, but he did not want to hurt her. His heart made a thud and he stopped moving in consideration. Was he too rough? Michelle felt Anthony stop and she opened her eyes to look at him. Anthony looked at Michelle in worry. "Does it hurt? Am I being too rough?" he asked as he started wiping her tears with his fingers. Michelle felt her heart stutter. Her Anthony was so considerate. "No, I''m okay¡­" she said, then a bit insecure, she asked, "do you¡­ feel good?" Anthony felt that he could breathe. He was still inside her and in no way did he really want to stop. "Inside you feel best.", and as if wanting to prove his point, he pulled out a little and rammed inside her again. -- TBC Chapter 119 - 119: Room 522 IV (Third POV) Michelle wanted to show him an expression which screams, ''I''m in complete pleasure'', but instead, her eyes instinctively shut tight in pain, her eyebrows furrowed, and she had to bite her lips to stop herself from whimpering. Anthony realized that Michelle was in pain, and he unhesitatingly pulled out from her. Though he was still hard, and his balls were hurting, he doesn''t have the heart to continue when she''s truly in pain. Would you look at that? He just said to himself that in no way would he stop but he pulled out just like that because he saw that she was in pain. "You don''t have to hold it in if it hurts. You just have to tell me. I know that I''m on the bigger side, so¡­" Anthony explained, not really deliberately bragging, but well, if other guys were to hear him, they would all die in anger. Haha! Still, he paused realizing that the other 2 times they did it, there seem to be no problem, so what was wrong? Michelle saw his brows were furrowed in concern, but looking downwards, she noticed that his cock was still hard, and she knew that him controlling his need should be painful. Her heart felt warm and soft like pudding. She pushed him forward making him sit as she lifted herself to climb over him. Then, she boldly grasped his rod. "Michelle? We don''t need to continue if¡­" much as he wanted to continue, he doesn''t want to cause too much harm. Also, if he does, what if there would be no next time!? Ehem¡­ recalling how he mentioned that it was his size which caused the damage, she wondered how to break it to him that it''s not that but the rubber? You know, with male ego and all that. Ok, never mind. Just show him. Michelle did not let him continue talking. Instead, she started kissing his mouth again. As she did so, she took off his condom. Then she lined him to her pussy''s entrance and slowly went down on him. Anthony groaned. As expected, the feeling was totally different. She took him to the hilt and unable to help himself, he grabbed her waist and helped her move. Up and down, in and out. Fuck. It felt so good. He also understood that she must have felt uncomfortable with the rubber. Still, he was concerned. In between their movements, he asked, "What if you get pregnant?". Michelle loved the feel of him inside. The lubrication improved when it''s his direct skin inside and he was huge and not a part of her pussy was not filled. Hearing his question, she answered in a voice an octave higher than her usual. "I took the shot¡­ in the future¡­ no¡­ no need to wear one and¡­ and you can always shoot inside." She told him in between pants. What? Contraception has many methods! Plus, she trusts that Anthony and herself would only ever do it with each other so there''s no problem and no need to be afraid of sexually transmitted diseases. Anthony learning this thing, how could he not be overjoyed? He liked it very much! With renewed vigor, passion, and excitement, he flipped her without pulling his dick out so that she was on all fours. Then he started moving. "You really thought this through, didn''t you?" he stated as he grabbed her breasts from behind, leaned his body forward so he can alternate between kissing and licking her back. Michelle moaned and moaned. Anthony''s words aroused her more and made her pussy produce more love juice. The juices created splashing sounds as his balls hit her outer pussy. "Do you like my cock so much? Do you like it when it fills up every crevice of your pussy?" he continued his dirty talk, and when he did not hear her answer, he bit her shoulder. Not strong enough to break skin or leave a bruise, but enough to make her respond. Michelle''s brain finally snapped. "Ah!!!! y-yes! Anthony, ah!!!!" she screamed as she reached another orgasm. Anthony smirked when he felt her reach another orgasm. He too was near. He flipped her again so that she was lying on her back and then, he raised her right leg positioned her sideways, and then penetrated. He was deeper into her, and he moved faster and more roughly. He could no longer control himself. With her super tight pussy milking him, he groaned and shot his load inside her. -- After the intense intercourse, Michelle promptly lost consciousness. She was so excited that day that she was unable to sleep much the night before. Add that Anthony tossed her real good, it was only natural. Anthony, on the other hand, was not the same. After he shot his load, it only took a minute for him to recover. He pulled out from her and crawled downwards not allowing her to close her legs. Like a real pervert, he observed his cum flowing out of her pussy. Initially her pussy was pink, and the lips were thin straight lines. Now, it looked red and swollen. There''s even a gap where his white cum flowed out. He was really tempted to get his cellphone and take a picture. Would Michelle allow it? It would serve as great inspiration every time he would masturbate. Even just looking at it now, his dick has partially turned hard again. Pity that they can''t go for round 2 right away. Maybe next time they should make a porn video themselves! Anyhow, he looked at her face and observed that her breathing has finally evened. A feeling of tenderness rose in his chest. For a moment, he wondered why she agreed to do it with him. It was Andy that she liked and¡­ he frowned. The thought of Andy, or any other man, seeing Michelle like this, doing God knows what to her, it did not sit right with him. But what does that have to do with him? He was no one to Michelle but her fuck buddy and vice versa. They were only in this for the sex. His feelings of reluctance were nothing more than mere possessiveness. The only reason he did not like Andy for Michelle was because he''s a playboy and would most likely hurt her feelings. Satisfied with is own thought process, he smiled and nodded to himself. Then, he stood from the bed and went to the bathroom to clean up. -- Michelle was stirred awake from hearing the shower. She looked left and right, then she smiled. So, it was not a dream! Everything she has planned went without a hitch and it was only possible because¡­ Anthony likes her too! So, this was how it felt when one succeeds in achieving one of their life-long dreams. After a few more years, she can be Mrs. Michelle Ren and it would be wonderful. Of course, she''s not taking everything just for granted and knew that Anthony''s parents must have expectations from their daughter-in-law. What? she''s not some real 18-year-old who would fantasize that she would be accepted by the family just because the heir loves her! Ehem ehem, ok maybe not love yet, but she''s positive that Anthony''s feelings for her will only run deeper so long as she can show him her devotion! From now on, she will diligently cultivate the best image of herself. Work hard, work harder for her and Anthony''s bright future! Then when they get married, she can retire peacefully, enjoy being a housewife that can spend money like dirt, take care of their lovely children, save Anthony from any incoming disaster, and perfect! After indulging in her self-created fantasy, she decided that maybe she should join Anthony in the shower so they can go for round 2, but in trying to move, she realized that her middle was so sore! Anthony was a real stud! His endurance was nothing to scoff at! Don''t know if it''s his age that makes him last that long. She looked at the time, it was already 6pm!? Why did time move that fast? She did not hear the shower stop and only heard the door of the bathroom opening and out came Anthony with just a towel wrapped around his waist. His beautiful upper body exposed, and Michelle had to swallow. Their eyes met and he smiled at her. "Are you feeling better now?" he asked. Michelle shyly nodded her head. Her throat felt dry, and she would not dare speak if not for their distance. Come on, who doesn''t have stale breath after waking up? Anyway, seeing that he already cleaned up reminded her that she should go next. "Yes¡­ uhm¡­ I will take a shower now¡­" she said as she tried to stand from the bed. Anthony seeing her move felt it necessary to help her. He was a bit rough earlier, so he thought that there''s a high chance that she''s sore all over. Michelle was surprised when Anthony even helped her walk. She''s not limp. However, she enjoyed the feeling of being cared for. Anthony was so sweet and caring and gentlemanly! Any lady would love to be her that moment! Ha! too bad for them, she''s the only one who would ever have Anthony forever! -- TBC Chapter 120 - 120: Day At The Studio I (Michelle POV) I was still having a wonderful dream where Anthony and I were spending vacation in some tropical island, having the time of our lives, and drinking coconut juice from its shell when suddenly, I heard my cellphone ringing. Who could be calling me when it''s clearly a Sunday? Ugh. Ignore it. But then again, what if it''s Anthony calling me to greet me good morning? Having that thought, I quickly reached for phone. Eh? Andy? I checked the time. It was 8:30 am. Why was he calling this early? Anyhow since I was already up, I pressed the answer button. "Hello?" I greeted. "Good morning, Michelle. I''m on the way to the studio now, how about you?" Andy asked. ''Huh? Why was he telling me that?'' I wondered. Until I suddenly recalled that I''m supposed to attend his interview and we agreed to see each other there by 9:00am so he can give me backdoor access and somewhat a tour. ''Shit.'' "Ah! So sorry! I did not hear my alarm clock ringing and¡­ huhu. I can get there during your interview, but I will be running a little late." I excused. Well, what to say? It''s not like I can tell him that I completely forgot about it. "Oh¡­ it''s alright. No need to rush. Just give me a call and I''ll let my assistant fetch you when you arrive so that you can have backdoor access to the studio. My interview ends at 11:00am, I can give you a tour after, then perhaps we can have lunch together?" Andy suggested. "Ok, it''s on me! So sorry for the tardiness. I''ll start getting ready now. Bye!" I told him. "No problem, see you later then." Andy replied then we hanged up. Aish! Honestly, I''m a bit lazy, I don''t want to go to the studio anymore, but this is for friendship. Besides, my youtuber dream is on the line here! Thus, I quickly stood from the bed, went to my bathroom, and started taking a hot shower. As I washed my body, I saw some of the love marks Anthony left. I traced those I can see with my fingers as I reminisced everything that transpired in the hotel room yesterday. I smiled thinking that the money spent for the room was not in vain. We had 2 rounds of intense lovemaking and had our in-room dinner in between. What else could I ask for? (Except for sleeping together and waking up next to him the day after¡­). Then, when it was time for us to part ways, he considerately walked me to my car and even asked me to text him once I arrived home! Of course, I did so and I thought we would be texting for a long time. Sadly, maybe he was tired for the day so we only exchanged 2 messages where he told me that he''s glad that I''m back home safe, and that I should rest and sleep early. Unlike him, I was not able to sleep right away. I kept on thinking about our possible future and planned how I can enrich myself to be worthy of the title, Mrs. Anthony Ren! It''s not that I''m belittling myself but come on. The Korean dramas we all watch in the TV have some basis. Anthony was the only son of the Ren corporation and although my family''s doing really well, I don''t have the disillusionment that his family would just accept me immediately. There''s a huge disparity between being part of the exclusive 8 and not. To be part of the exclusive 8 wasn''t only about money. In a country as big as ours, there were a lot of rich people but only a few can boast to have noble blood and money. Anyhow, me as the daughter of the Lui''s, our lineage wasn''t all that grand in comparison. We have money, but in comparison to Anthony''s family assets, it can only be considered as a pinky finger. So, I kept on thinking on how to impress my future-in-laws. So, I decided, I must really do well and have some achievements of my own before he introduces me to his parents. First, I must graduate with honors, even just dean''s list is ok. Second, I must earn a lot of money in the stock market. Maybe they would give me interviews and I will become a speaker or something? Like maybe I will be the female version of wolf of wall street, but I won''t be scamming people, they will just idolize me. haha! What? one can dream! Third, I can be an influencer. Being one would increase my value. So, there''s my plan to be a youtuber. It''s not like the actors and actresses, but it would be nice, don''t know but I''m open to it! of course if Anthony does not like it, I can just drop it. -- When I finished preparing myself and was ready to leave, the time was already 9:20. The studio was only about half an hour away from our house, so I was not rushing any longer. Downstairs, I saw my parents having breakfast, they invited me to join them, but I told them that I was already late, so I had to go. My papa reminded me to come home earlier while my mama just gave me a wink. The other day, I told them the truth that Andy invited me to watch his interview, though I did add a white lie by saying that he also invited some of our friends. Honestly, there''s nothing to be guilty of, my papa was just overprotective that''s why I needed to add that. Anyway, with Mr. Matt driving the car, we went to the studio. On the way there, I received a call from Andy. He asked my car''s plate number so that we can enter the building smoothly. He also told me that he has already assigned his aid to assist me upon arrival. Thus, when my car arrived at the gates of the studio, the security let us in easily and directed us to the backdoor entrance. Stepping down from my car, waiting for me was Andy''s aid. He greeted me politely, introduced himself as Renz, and led me inside. Since we went through the backdoor, I saw that there were other artists that day. Some faces looked familiar, either from the future or from Andy''s birthday party. I felt them throwing curious glances at me which admittedly made me feel a bit conscious, but I pretended to be oblivious to them. Finally, Renz stopped walking and from where we were standing, I saw that Andy was already seated in front of the host. I heard the host ask him a question and just as he opened his mouth to answer, the venue was suddenly filled with girls shouting calling his name like a mantra. He stopped whatever he was to say, then waved and smiled at the audience. Truly, he was made to be the nation''s husband. He was only wearing a white shirt, ripped jeans which we shopped and the scarf I gave him on his birthday but deym, was he fine. -- TBC