CHAPTER 8 - Biggest Rival

Dara’s POV

‘Well, isn’t this awkward?’ I thought as I glanced at Riko and Jiro who were walking alongside me. Riko insisted to walk with us since she wanted to familiarize herself with the neighborhood.

“Jiro told me you’re a former Bridge Rose student.” Riko asked.

“Huh? Uh. Yeah. I was.” I sincerely wish that the girl would stop asking questions, to be honest. I really don’t have any beef with her even though SHE KISSED JIRO!! *STAB STAB STABBB!!

And did she just say ‘Jiro told her’? Whoah! What other things did he tell her? Ugh! Calm down, self.

“How’s InterSAT? It’s really different from Bridge Rose University but I hope you’re doing fine. I’m new here so I understand how it must’ve felt when you were a new transferee”, she added. I nodded silently and gave her a timid smile. *Sigh* I must admit, she seems to be a nice girl.

“So, how long have you known Jiro?” She asked and smiled at me. “I didn’t know he-…” Riko gasped when Jiro suddenly encircled his arm around her and pulled her towards him as a car zoomed past us.

“Bastard”, Jiro muttered while glaring at the speeding car. “Walk on that side, Riko. It’s dangerous to be on the road side”, he instructed and ushered Riko away from the road while he took that spot.

He pulled her close to him, huh? AND HE CALLED HER NAME! Ugh! I’m okay, I’m okay. I’M OKAY! I mean, it’s inevitable that he’ll do that; otherwise Riko might be hit by the car. And of course, he should call her by her name. If not, what should he call her? By her surname? Like me?

Damn it.Why is it hard to look at them? Why am I finding it hard to breathe? This is stupid. I wish Namee was here so she can distract me with her unstoppable mouth. Why did Riko kiss him a while ago? Does she like Jiro? Does Jiro-…

“Ramirez”, Jiro’s voice pulled me back to reality. “We’re already here. Go inside”, he said. I looked behind me and realized that we already arrived in my house.

“I’ll just drop her off”, he added. What? He’ll walk her to her house? “Bye Dara! It was nice to meet you!” Riko waved. I limply raised my arm and waved back.

As I watched their retreating back, there was a hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach. This is becoming ridiculous. I know I don’t have the right to feel this way but…I hate seeing Jiro with another girl.

***

Dara stepped outside her house and looked at the night sky while hugging herself. He didn’t come. He must be with Riko. She sighed heavily and decided to have a walk.

Her feet took her to the neighborhood playground. She sat on the swing and lazily rocked herself while pondering over things. Admittedly, she’s becoming greedy of Jiro’s attention. Ever since she realized she’s developing a crush on him, everything he does becomes magnified in her eyes. And now that a new girl is in the picture, she can’t help but feel restless. It’s that stupid Namee’s fault! She’s inserting useless things inside her brain!

Dara gingerly kicked a rock and exhaled audibly. Suddenly, someone took a seat on the next swing, startling her. She lifted her gaze and when she saw that it was Jiro, a smile immediately formed on her lips. “You came!” She exclaimed, but got no response from him as expected.

It’s amazing how she was uneasy a while ago but now that Jiro is near him, her anxious feeling ebbed away. They both sat in silence, rocking the swing leisurely while enjoying the night breeze.

“So…uhm…” Dara tentatively looked at Jiro and immediately averted her gaze. How does she ask him about Riko without being obvious that her brain is about to explode whenever that girl is near him? “Uhm…so, Riko huh? She’s…nice.” Okay, that sounded super pathetic. Dara chewed on her lips and gathered her thoughts again. “How did you know Riko?” She asked.

Jiro glanced at her momentarily before shifting his gaze forward again, steadily rocking his swing. “She helped the Black Dragons.”

Dara waited for him to explain but the explanation never came. She casted her eyes on the ground and pouted. She wanted to hear more. She wanted to know why she seemed to be close to Jiro and why she kissed him. Is Riko someone special? Not that she has any say about that although it will definitely tear her heart into a million tiny effing pieces and will make her listen to mushy love songs while hugging her knees, curved in a ball of misery. *Sigh*

“Why?” Jiro suddenly asked.

“Huh?

“You’ve been sighing since earlier. Is something bothering you?” He asked. Suddenly, as if remembering something, his eyes squinted into tiny slits and he abruptly stood up in front of her, holding the ropes of her swing to stop it. “Did something happen while I was away? Did some thugs cross you again? Damn it, I told you not to roam around alone!” His chest heaved up and down while staring at her, waiting for her reply.

Dara looked up at him quizzically and before she knew it, her lips curved in a smile. He’s worried. Whatever the reason is, the fact that he’s worried for her warms her heart. “Nothing happened, silly”, she said and frowned when her eyes caught sight of a wound on his hand. “You’re hurt! I told you not to fight with those guys at the back gate”, she said and pulled a band aid from her pocket that she always carry around. She grabbed his hand but he immediately pulled it away.

“It’s nothing. And I can’t just let it slide after what they did to you”, he muttered.

“I told you nothing happened. Bullet saved me”, she said and grabbed his hand again, carefully placing the band aid on his wound.

“How the hell did you and Bullet get so close? Is he hitting on you, Ramirez?”

“He’s my classmate in one of my subjects. No, he’s not hitting on me. And we’re not that close…unlike you and Riko”, she said in an almost inaudible voice as she lets go of his hand.

“Unlike me and Riko?” Jiro asked. Dara looked up at him and sighed upon seeing his bewildered look. “What do you mean?”

“She kissed you!” She exclaimed before she could stop herself.

“Oh…that?” Jiro said nonchalantly. Oh, that? Seriously? Seriously, Jiro? Dara felt that steam came out of her nostrils. “I helped her in settling her school transfer documents that’s why she thanked me.”

“By kissing you?!” Dara’s voice probably reached the highest pitch. She cannot wrap her brain around the idea of someone kissing Jiro just because of those stupid school whatever documents.

“You kissed me too after thanking me for the packed lunch”, he responded in a flat tone.

“That was different!”

“How was it different?”

“It’s-...That-…” Oh crap. How was it different indeed? Dara bit her lips and lowered her gaze. She sounded like a jealous girlfriend back there.

“You girls always have the weirdest ideas”, he stated lazily as he took off his sweater and wrapped it on her. “It’s getting cold. Let’s go”, he said, offering his hand to her.

Dara stared at his hand somberly before taking it. He’s doing it again. He’s doing things that make her hope for more. Is it really not okay to think that he’s caring for her not because of that stupid promise?

She stood up, still holding onto his hand; the feeling of his touch making her heart squeeze a bit. “Let’s go”, Jiro said and pulled out his hand and shoved it in his pocket. An indescribable feeling swarmed through her as her arm hang limply on her side.

Jiro started walking ahead of her but Dara remained on her spot. Dara hugged his sweater draped on her and stared at his retreating back; thinking what kind of changes lies ahead now that Riko Takizawa is in InterSAT.

***

Dara’s POV

I sat on my usual seat in the classroom and waited for Namee. Fortunately, Jiro is not my classmate in any of my schedules today.  I seriously can’t deal with him right now.

I was still thinking about the things that happened yesterday when Bullet walked in, greeting all the girls he came across. He then looked at me and waved. “Hi munchkin”, he said and approached me, grabbing the nearest chair and sitting beside me.

Munchkin? “Hello”, I greeted and focused my gaze outside the window. I was surprised when he abandoned his seat and sat on the chair in front of me, resting his arms on the backrest and facing me with a big smile on his face. “What’s up?” He asked.

“Huh?”

“Oh come on, aren’t we friends now?” He said and rested his head on his arms which were draped at the chair’s backrest. What is up with him and his constant mission to chat with me?

“I saved you, so we’re already friends”, he wagged his forefinger at me. I was about to say something when I saw his wound on his arm. I pulled the band aid from my pocket and caught his hand, startling him.

“Stay still”, I instructed and placed the band aid on his wound. “There”, I said and patted it after I finished.

“Do you always carry band aids in your pocket?”

“Yeah.”

“Aww, you’re so cute”, he said and pinched my nose. I slapped his hand away and rolled my eyes at him.

“It’s because Jiro always have wounds so I got used to carrying band aids in my pocket”, I reasoned. I focused my gaze outside the window again and rested my chin on my palm. Where the hell is Namee?

“Thanks, Dara”, Bullet suddenly said and ruffled my hair. I jerked back in surprise and lifted my gaze to look at him. “For what?” I asked in bewilderment.

“Band aid”, he replied and pointed at his arm while winking at me.

***

Dara was sitting on the ground beneath the tree when Namee suddenly popped behind it. “Hey girl friend!” She exclaimed and sat beside her.

“Where have you been? Why did you skip class?” Dara asked.

“Just here and there.”

“Where?” Dara frowned at her friend, but the latter just smiled at her and shrugged her shoulders. “You skipped class, Namee”, Dara pointed out.

“Oh, will you relax! It’s just one class. It won’t happen again, mom. Besides, I’ve successfully adjusted my schedule”, Namee said with a triumphant grin.

“What schedule? Our class schedule has already been set since the start of the semester.”

“My part-time job schedule. Jeez, you just wouldn’t let me off the hook. A lot of us here are mere peasants, Dara. By the way, where do you get your financial assistance if you’re living alone?”

“My dad’s insurance covers my expenses”, Dara replied as she pulled out her notebook from her bag. “Here. I took notes for you”, she said and was about to give it to Namee but her friend was busy staring at something.

“What the hell am I seeing?” Namee muttered, her eyes focused on the garden walkway. Dara followed her gaze and upon seeing Jiro and Riko together, her heart doubled its pace. The few people in the university garden were staring at the two and were also casting their eyes on her, probably wondering why Ice Lord is accompanying the new girl rather than her.

“Don’t cry, Dara.”

“I’m not going to cry!” Dara hissed and threatened to hit her with the notebook.

“Hi Montecillo!” Namee called out, making Dara whip her head on her direction. Oh great. GREAT. She called him. Now he’s going in their direction together with.THAT.girl. She can already tell that the rest of her day will be ruined.

Riko waved at them and approached them, with Jiro trailing behind her. “Hello Dara!”

“Hi”, Dara replied and smiled timidly. “Riko, this is my useless friend, Namee Cheng. Useless friend, this is Riko”, she introduced the beaming Namee who was sitting beside her.

“Hello Riko”, Namee greeted. “Are you two in the same class?” She asked.

“No”, Riko replied and glanced over Jiro who was standing quietly in a near distance. “I just asked him to tour me around the school since it’s our vacant hour.”

Namee’s mouth formed a big ‘O’ and glanced at her friend. Dara can already hear the thousand punch lines that are running through Namee’s mind. She shifted her gaze to Jiro but the latter was not even looking at them and was just waiting for Riko to finish exchanging pleasantries. There was a familiar pain in her heart as she eyed the girl in front of her, the only girl besides her who seems to have a special bond with Jiro.

“We better get going. It’s almost time for my next class. I’ll see you both around”, Riko said and bid goodbye before leaving. As soon as the two were out of earshot, Namee pursed her lips and stared pitifully at Dara.

“What?” Dara asked while frowning at her.

“Your boyfriend is cheating on you.”

“Oh, will you stop it”, Dara opened her book and pretended to read, though her mind is wandering elsewhere. Jiro is accompanying Riko and giving her a tour of the school? Hah! She doesn’t care. Why would she care? She has a lot to worry about, like how to murder Namee and make it appear like an accident.

“Dara, you better do something before Ice Lord is snatched away from you.”

“Namee…” Dara sighed and stole a glance at the direction of Jiro and Riko. Do something, huh? How could he be snatched away from her when he was never hers in the first place?

***

Is that Arden Lee? Dara thought. It was a lazy Sunday morning and Dara decided to go out to buy something when she saw Bullet at the other side of the street. He seemed to be in a deep conversation with a rich woman.

The traffic light turned green and Dara started crossing the street while stealing a glance at the two. As she got nearer, she noticed that Bullet has a grim expression on his face; far from the easygoing and always smiling flirty classmate that she knew. She was about to ignore it and go about her business when the woman suddenly slapped Bullet and marched towards the parked car.

Dara’s steps halted as she looked at Bullet who was gingerly rubbing his cheek with his palm, his hair covering his eyes. The car zoomed past them but Bullet still remained on his spot. Not knowing what to do, Dara just stood a few distance behind him, thinking whether to talk to him or not.

His back is still facing Dara when she took a few tentative steps towards him. When Bullet’s shoulders slumped and when she heard his almost inaudible sob, Dara froze on her spot. H-He’s crying.

“Damn it”, she heard him say as he furiously wiped his face and abruptly turned around. Both of them were startled when their eyes met.

“Dara?”

“U-Uhm. Hi”, she meekly raised her arm and waved at him.

Writer's Note:

Thank you to lemonjiyong for the chapter banner! Thank you chapter banner fairies!

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