“Travis…” I tried to wake him up. I don’t know how long he’s been sleeping. My legs are dead, I can’t feel it anymore.

“Travis wake up.” I tried to shake him but he just moves a little.

“What should I do to you?” I ask myself out of frustration. He needs to wake up. What if it is already time for my class?

“Travis, wake up now!” I yelled on him. He opened his eyes but he was dazzled on the sunlights. He covers his eyes with his big hands.

“Now that you are awake you can get up now n an instant. I can’t feel my legs anymore.”

He looked confuse on what I have said. He blinks multiple time before it registered to his mind what’s going on. He bolted up and look at me wide eyes. I looked at him with coldly.

“I…I’m sorry.” He uttered. He messed up his hair in frustration.

“I guess you have good sleep. Let us talk some other time. I need to go to my class.” I said to him while preparing my bag.

I tried to stand up but my legs betrayed me. I forgot that it is dead for a moment. I lose my balance and fall on my butt but instead of the hard bench I ended up on Travis’ lap. He’s holding me on my both arms steadying me. I push myself out of his grip and I fall on the ground and it makes a loud thud.

“Are you okay?” he scooped me in his arm. I tried to break free from him but he just tightens his hold and set me on the bench.

I can feel my blood rushing through my cheeks. I hide my face using m hair from him. I have a long black straight hair that fall on my waist. I don’t want him to see me blushing.

“You need to wait for it to recover. Your blood is still travelling down to your legs.” He explained with a concerned look on his eyes.

“While waiting let me tell you about the bet.” I look up on his face and wait for him to talk, “I was insulted a bit when you said you don’t me, as for your punishment I want you to be always there when we have a game.” I look at him in disbelief.

“What?” that’s the only thing I can mustered for a moment.

“Just for this semester don’t worry. We always have the intramurals. And I want you to be there.” I can see his cheeks is tainted with light pink. Is he blushing? Well, he’s kind a cute. What? Did I just complement him?

“And by the way, thank you for lending me your…thank you letting me sleep. Finally, I have a good sleep first time in a while.” He looks down on his hand, “My family is having a problem. I will tell you soon if you’re interested.” His tone is laced with anger when he said that his family have a problem. He smiled at me but it is a weak one. I can tell that it is a fake one, it doesn’t reach his eyes.

“Sure, I will lend you an ear.” I said to him without thinking. Am I getting into trouble? My intuition is telling me that it is bad idea to talk to him. But when his face lit up, my mind goes blank.

He flashes his genuine smile onto me. I feel like I was hypnotized by it. I can’t take my eyes off his face. His gloominess goes away in a second when I said those words to him. It warms my heart, actually. This feeling is very new to me. Ria also warms my heart and make me happy in her own way but when it comes to Travis it is a new sensation that I am feeling.

“I’m looking forward for that.” Once again, I was captivated by his smile. My lips formed a smile voluntarily.

I stand up aggressively. This isn’t me. I barely smile to others even on Ria. It is a rare occasion that she saw me smiling. I used to smirk at her and she gladly accepting it.

“I need to go.” I run as fast I could. I didn’t bother to look back at him even he’s telling something. Good thing my legs are no longer in pain.

I went straight to my locker to get the book I needed. People are still staring at me. they are laughing with when they look at me. I don’t what they are telling about me. I can endure them for two semesters. Just two semesters we will all out of each sight. And I wish I will never see them even when I ‘m already working.

“Alexa, where have you been?” Ria came out of nowhere as usual.

“I’ve been to somewhere to talk to the prince.” She looked at me weirdly.

“Are you sure you’re Alexa? She never jokes. And she will just ignore me. She will talk to me when she is already pissed.” I was to stunned to speak. I gulped.

“Just…I want to see your reaction. That’s all.” I’m out of my mind. It is truly a wrong decision to talk to him.

She still looking at me in confusion. I cannot blame her. I always push her away, like what I’ve said. What’s going on with me. Even me, I don’t understand myself. I need to stop. This isn’t me. Just a few talks with him and this happened? I don’t want to see him again! What did he do to me?

“We still have half an hour before our respective classes starts. Let’s grab a bite, it’s on me. Don’t you dare to say no, I’m still suspicious to you.” she pulled me to the cafeteria. I let her do that. I’m still on my thoughts.

We arrived at the cafeteria. There are only a few students here. Lunch is almost over. They are all in their class. She told me to find a seat and she’s the one who will get our food. I choose the table near the glass wall far from the curious eyes of the student. I looked outside and observe the butterfly flying around the flowers.

Nature relaxes me when my thoughts are in trouble. This town is surrounded by tall and thick trees. Our house is located at the outskirts of the town that’s why the back of the house is full of trees. I usually go there when I cannot take what my mother is telling me.

“Are you sure you, okay?” I didn’t notice that she is here already. She handed me a clubhouse and an apple juice.

“Yes, I was just lost on my thoughts.” She’s ready to take a bite on her pizza but she stops in midway and look at me.

“Just eat, I’ve been waiting for you to act normal around me but now that it is happening, I just want you to be back on being a walking stone.” She takes a big bite on her pizza. And I also started eating. I don’t want to be late.


“This pizza is the best.” She’s always saying it, like it is always her first time to taste it.

We heard a group of people talking, heading the cafeteria. I didn’t dare to look at them. I was busy fishing my apple juice.

“I told you, Travis is interested to you.” She said in a serious tone that makes me cough. Thankfully the juice doesn’t enter my nose that will be painful.

“How can you say so?” I challenge her.

“The time he entered the cafeteria and scanned the whole area and he looks like he’s finding someone. And when his eyes landed on you, he takes it aways only when his team telling him something.” I look over where she is looking and she’s not lying about it. The moment I turned around; our eyes met.