Chapter 42: Realize (41)

WARNING: READING the following might result to EXTREME squealing and giggling, lack of breathing, and unability to STOP SMILING. YOU MIGHT NEED TO DRINK SOME WATER LATER.

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Kim, Jen, and Maxine descended to the stairs just as a girl with a black balloon dress passed them.

Maxine informed them what Josh had told her while they were dancing. To her surprise, they also agreed with Josh. She didn't expect that at all.

When the three of them reached the bottom step, Maxine noticed that there was a group of five boys walking toward them.

Kim and Jen didn't notice the boys nearing them. They didn't even notice that they were leaving Maxine behind.

As if on cue, the group of boys blocked Maxine’s path. She looked at them cautiously, remembering the time when she was cornered in Brooklyn last year. It wasn't a pleasant memory. Despite her unenthusiastic look, they smiled.

“Hi, I’m Paul.”

“I’m Bobby.”

“Ian.”

“Call me George.”

“And I’m Ken.”

They politely introduced themselves to Maxine. Their politeness made her give them the benefit of the doubt. Well, only slightly. She was still suspicious. Still, she should return the favor. So she smiled courteously at them in turn.

“Hello,” she said. “I’m Maxine.”

“Nice to meet you, Maxine,” they chorused cheerfully.

“So, what school are you from?” asked the guy named Paul.

“Sky International Academy,” answered Maxine instantaneously.

“Really?” said George, showing deep interest.

“Yes.”

The boys exchanged approving looks. Then, they turned to her again.

The guy named Ken said, “So you must know Todd Samuels?”

Of course, thought Maxine. Even from a different schools, Todd’s well known.

“Are you blind?” Bobby told Ken impatiently. “We all saw them come down the stairs together.”

“Are you his girlfriend?” inquired Ian.

Maxine noticed this Ian guy had the same indifferent aura like Todd did. The difference was, Todd was more intimidating.

“No, I’m not,” she answered, trying to look uncaring.

“Are you disappointed?” queried Paul.

Maxine frowned.

What was it with these guys? Why the interrogation? Well, she was sure of one thing. She had to get away from them. She was growing uncomfortable by the minute.

Raising an eyebrow, Maxine said, “I’m sorry, but I don’t know you well enough to answer that question. Now, if you please –”

“Good point,” interrupted George, impressed.

“We’re from School of Technology for Musicians,” announced Bobby proudly.

Maxine stopped. She'd heard of that school before; somewhere in the discussion of the Clash. Their schools were competing against each other. Hence, they must be good.

“Do you play any instruments?” she asked, a bit curious now.

“We do,” boasted Ken.

“And you?” asked Paul.

“A couple.” Maxine shook her head. “I mostly sing.”

“Seriously?” George eyed her in wonder.

“Choir?” guessed Bobby.

“Band,” Maxine answered before she could even think.

They peculiarly studied her.

Maxine was getting even more uncomfortable. She deeply regretted the moment she started answering them. She really wanted to get away now.

Would it be rude of she left them and returned to the gang's table?

Ian broke the silence.

“Would you care enough to dance with me?”

Maxine blinked. “I . . .”

“Please don’t tell me that you don’t know me well enough to answer the question because it’s just a dance,” shrugged Ian.

Maxine was taken aback, making her considered it.

Well, it was only a dance. It wasn't like she wasn't breaking any rules by dancing with him – even though, he technically was the enemy. Maxine was suddenly tempted to glance at Todd, but she prevented herself from doing so. Why was it that he always came to her mind whenever someone asked her to dance? It wasn't fair.

Todd didn't even seem to want to dance with her.

With that in mind, Maxine replied, “I . . . I guess so.”

“Yo.”

Maxine's heartbeat accelerated. Even with just one syllable, she knew that voice from anywhere. She didn't have to turn her head to see, to be honest.

Nonetheless, everyone turned their heads to the direction of the voice.

Maxine swallowed the lump in her throat. Was it strange for to feel like she was being saved by her prince? At the moment, it didn't matter.

“I don’t think so,” Todd said in a cold voice.

Behind him were Brian, Karl, and Peter. None of them was smiling except for Karl who was grinning. They looked a little impressive, in Maxine's opinion.

“Why not, Samuels?” challenged Ian, looking straight into Todd’s eyes.

“Do I have to tell you, Olsen?” said Todd in a bored voice, like he couldn't believe he had to bother explaining himself.

“Yeah, seeing that you’re not her boyfriend,” glared Ian.

“Yet,” added Todd very quietly that only Ian could hear.

Maxine didn't know how the next things happened. All of a sudden, Todd was pulling her away from all of them. When she looked over her shoulder, Brian, Karl, and Peter were talking to Ian and his friends with fake enthusiasm. Ian didn't look very happy about it.

When Maxine looked at Todd, she just realized that they were swaying in the middle of the dance floor. One of his hands was holding her close by the waist, while his other hand pulled up her hand in a traditional dancing position.

“Why were you talking to those guys?” demanded Todd, his eyes were still blazing from what happened.

“Why did you pull me away from them?” asked Maxine thoughtfully, more to herself. She was trying to read the meaning behind Todd's actions.

“Why won’t you just answer the question?”

“Why are you asking so badly?”

“Why are you avoiding the question?”

“Why are you acting like my boyfriend?”

The words slipped out from Maxine before she could stop herself. She bit her lip, and avoided his eyes. She knew what his reaction would be. Would they end up fighting again? Maxine didn't want that. And to her greatest surprise, Todd chuckled.

“Why, indeed?” he murmured, smiling to himself.

If you only knew, he thought.

Maxine didn't know what to say.

I don’t understand him, she thought. I don't think I ever did.

“You look beautiful,” commented Todd in a soft voice.

Maxine stared at him. Did she just heard what she thought she heard?

“You’re kidding, right?” she asked, refusing to believe that Todd just full-on complimented her. Not to mention, he used such a gentle tone that she felt like she was in a dream.

“Do I look like I’m making a joke?”

Maxine studied his expression very carefully. Todd looked serious. However, it was still hard for her to accept that he was the one who said it. He didn't say things like that very often – almost impossible, even.

It just seemed . . . doubtful.

“Not really,” she admitted sheepishly.

“Honestly, you are,” he repeated, smiling a little. “You’re even the only one that dressed in white.”

“That’s not true,” contradicted Maxine. When Todd opened his mouth to say something, she quickly said, “I’m not the only one that dressed in white. Look, she’s also dressed the same.” She then pointed to a redhead girl a few feet away from them.

Todd glanced at the direction Maxine was pointing at. Though the redhead girl was wearing a different style and fabric, sure enough, she wore the same color.

“Yeah,” sneered Todd. “But this is the Royal Ball, not the Halloween Costume Party.” He flashed a crooked smile at Maxine.

Maxine felt her cheeks turn the shade of red.

The song changed, a jazz version of Realize was now being played.

Maxine thought that Todd would take her back to the table now, but she was wrong. Instead, he didn't let go of her. He placed her hands around his neck, then put his arms around her waist. Pulling her close, he leaned closer so that his cheek was resting against her temple.

They were practically hugging. There were no space left between them. They could practically feel each other's warmth even through their clothes. It was possibly the coziest place they've ever been at.

From time to time, Todd would twirl Maxine around. But most of the time, they just absorbed the music and danced as if . . . as if they were relating to the song.

They didn't rush the moment. They didn't want to ruin it.

They just wanted to enjoy it.

However, fate had other plans for them . . .

“Why do you keep saving me, Todd?”

Maxine froze. She didn't mean to say it out loud. She was too caught up in the moment that she forgot to control her mouth from blurting out things.

“I'm sorry, I didn't mean – I just wondered . . . Ugh, forget it.”

Todd watched her carefully.

“Haven't you noticed?” he asked, as though the answer was the most obvious thing in the world and he couldn't believe she still hadn't figured it out.

“Noticed what?” she queried, confusion clear on her face.

He raised an eyebrow. “Wow, you really are an idiot.”

Maxine stared at Todd. Then, she shook her head in disbelief.

“Why is it that you never fail to make me feel brainless?” she scoffed, swiftly pulling herself away from him.

“Max,” called Todd, but she didn't turn around.

She rapidly walked away from the dance floor and went straight to the balcony to have a little bit of fresh air. A few heads near them turned, but she just ignored those nosy people. She almost tripped in the process too, but she was too angry to care. She just wanted to be alone and cool off.

She might be exaggerating over something very small. However, she was so tired of being treated like an incompetent fool. She was tired of feeling like she was so inferior to Todd that he couldn't bother to treat her as an equal. She was tired of being slapped by the fact that he was out of her league.

“Max!” Todd called again, closer this time. He finally caught her outside the balcony, inwardly thankful that they were the only ones there. “I'm sorry, I didn’t mean to make you feel that way,” he said sincerely.

“Well, calling me an 'idiot' is one hell of a way to show it,” snapped Maxine.

“Don't forget 'dummy',” added Todd before he could stop himself. He cursed under his breath.

“Ugh!” Maxine stomped her foot in irritation. “I just don’t understand you! This minute, you’re nice and unbelievably sweet – then the next minute, you’re unbearably arrogant! What is your problem?!”

Todd's jaw clenched. He took deep breaths, calming his nerves. This was harder to say out loud than he first thought it would be.

“I just –” he paused, pressed his lips, and looked away from her “– I just don’t know how to act around you anymore.”

Maxine frowned and shook her head. “What do you mean?”

“It's you,” he admitted, looking her in the eye. “You're my problem.”

“So now it’s my fault?”

“Geez, I didn’t say that.”

“Then what are you trying to say, Samuels?” asked Maxine exasperatedly.

“Isn’t it obvious?” said Todd, his brows knitting together in a deep frown. He was incredibly annoyed that he had to tell it word by word to Maxine.

Couldn’t she tell it from his actions? Oh, of course not. She was dense.

“What’s obvious?” she inquired.

“Do I really have to freaking say it?!”

“Say what?!”

“Darn it, Max — I’m falling for you!” snapped Todd in frustration. He just blurted it out without even thinking thoroughly about it. Maxine got it out from him by simply being the most dense person he'd ever met.

Maxine stared at Todd, mouth hanging open.

She couldn't think. She couldn't speak. She couldn't move.

One thing was stretched across her face: SHOCK.

Todd let out a deep breath. “It just happened.”

Whenever you do a stupid thing that gets you in trouble, he thought, trying to convey the message through his eyes. I can’t help but save you. And when you confessed your feelings for me, I was happy and confused at the same time.

He cautiously took a step closer to her, watching her reaction. She still wasn't moving, and her eyes were gazing blankly at him.

“The truth is,” he began in a soft voice, “you changed my world. I like the fact that you challenge me. Even you can't, you try. It's actually fun to see you irritated.” He chuckled, taking another step towards her until they were only inches apart. Then, his face turned serious while his eyes were smoldering. “I'm not going repeat this so listen carefully.”

She just stared at him. Deep inside, she felt like this was a dream. How could Todd be falling for her? She was so out of his league. It was quite surreal that something like this was happening.

And yet it was.

“Max, I can’t stand the thought of you being with some loser,” he continued in that same deep and gentle tone, “especially when you can be with me.”

At that, Maxine cracked a smile.

If she had doubts that it wasn't Todd speaking, now she was certain. No one could be as arrogant as he was.

“Damn, I can't believe you made me say that,” muttered Todd, turning his eyes away and looking very embarrassed.

Maxine didn't know what to say. Her stomach was in terrible knots, her heart was beating abnormally wild, and her knees were about to give in from turning jello.

On top of that, the moment just felt so euphoric that she couldn't find her voice. In fact, she didn't want to speak for fear of breaking the spell.

Todd waited for a few moments but Maxine still wasn't saying anything. When he looked at her, he saw that she was motionless with a dazed smile stretched across her features. He wanted to laugh, if not for the fact that he was still anxious on her reply.

“Say something, idiot.”

That seemed to be the magic word because as soon as he said the last word, she come alive. She looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

“I thought I told you not to call me that,” she said, failing to attempt a cold voice so it turned out a little weak.

Well, could you blame her? The man of her dreams just confessed to her! She was still a bit out of it. She couldn't just recover quickly. As a matter of fact, she was still wrapping her mind around the idea that he liked her as more than a friend.

A smiled escaped and formed on her lips.

“Old habits die hard,” shrugged Todd, giving out a breathtaking smile.

For a moment, nobody spoke.

“Did you really just . . .” Maxine trailed off, not knowing how to finish her sentence and ask about his full-on confession.

“Yeah, I did.”

She looked into his blue eyes, seeing nothing but sincerity. Suddenly, she was reminded of the night at the beach when he came after her to apologize. There was something about him tonight that resembled that night a couple of months ago.

And then, Maxine realized.

Todd Samuels looked slightly . . . vulnerable.

“What you just told me was quite not like you,” she commented slowly, watching him as though he would change his mind in a minute.

“I know.” He nodded. “I tend to be like that whenever I'm with you.”

If truth be told, Maxine wanted to cry. She felt the back of her eyes sting, warning her that tears were about to come. Tears of joy, most likely.

“I . . . Am I –”

“Max,” interrupted Todd, before leaning down and kissing her on the lips.

Maxine's heart pounded against her chest so hard that she faintly wondered if Todd could feel it. She was taken by surprise, and didn’t know what to do. His lips were soft against hers, moving . . . molding . . . dancing . . .

It was . . . too good to be true . . .

Everything around them simply stood still.

Todd pulled away, only to breathe out, “Shut up.”

Then, he leaned over again. His hand delicately caressed her cheeks while his free hand was around her waist, pulling her closer to him and leaving no space between them.

He kissed her forehead, then her nose. He took a good look on her as though memorizing her face, and he smiled.

Finally, his lips reached hers again.

This time, none of them pulled away.

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Dudes (if there are) and dudettes, you can now freak out. :)