*kabayo ka ba? so then, why are you running away from me?*

Sab's

"I am Joan, your partner."

THE AUDACITY. ARGH

"HUH. AS IF. YOU'RE JUST THE RAMBOTAN GIRL." sagot ko, emphasizing where she's standing in my life

"Give me a break will you, I hate being your partner as much as you do, pero wake up, this is it, we gotta put up with this or mababagsak tayo to a merely minor subject." Anya niya

I remembered when she delivered a speech yesterday, hindi naman siguro boba to if she was chosen just like me.

"Fine. Whatever you say rambotan girl." I accept defeat. But I still hate her.

"Can we start this the right way? And by the right way, it's YOU not calling me that?" Anya niya, she extended her arms "I'm Joan Cierra Roble, and you are?"

I smirk "Joan like the Joan of Arc? The heroine of the hundred years' war? if she fought for her country, eh ikaw anong pinaglaban mo..." I clicked my tongue "Rambotan?" After saying that I accepted her hands "Hi Joan of Rambotan, and no, I won't stop from calling you Rambotan girl, you will always be THAT to me, always." I don't know if it was the hand shake but when my hands slide off to let go, I felt something...ignite. Galit na naman ba 'to? Is galit the feeling, like there's a small fiery particle thrown at you then striking something? Is it tingling? Like you were electrified in a sensation not painful, but rather.... addicting?

Teka, what am I even thinking? argh.

I snapped out of trance when I saw her waving her hands in front of me

"Hello are you still there? I don't think your sudden freezing is normal anymore, I mean I don't think you're normal at all." wika niya

"Shut up."

After that we were silent the next other subjects. Well, I just can't stop noticing her the fact na magkatabi lang kami, duh. We're literally inches apart.

But she's just I don't know, so focused? Aren't she bothered na I'm here, like hello? Sa ganda kong 'to?

But other than that, hindi naman siya papansin. I mean you know yung pa-epal. She's actually...smart. like really smart. She doesn't participate but when you call her she has the accurate answer. I mean it's not like wala ako no, but that's why I can notice na she's smart because her answers are my answers too.

I didn't notice that I've been staring at her. But what I noticed is that, she rarely smiles.

I mean it's class and there's nothing to smile about but...I just wonder, what could make her lips move upwards?

" Hey, Ma'am is calling you." She snapped her fingers at me

and it broke my reverie.

I stood up quickly "y-yes po?" My classmates were laughing at me and I just wanna melt into a puddle

"She said to solve the problem in front" She whispered at me subtly

argh, what's going on with me? earth on me!

After solving the problem, I was about to go back to my seat when our instructor suddenly said "I'm impressed Miss Sevilla, you answered it kahit hindi ko pa nadi-discuss.."

Syempre naman no. I know my looks is giving the girl in pink who knows nothing, but guess what I'm more than that. Nginitian ko lang siya ng matamis.

"even if you were so busy thinking about.." her eyes scanned the four walled space we're in and stopped at someone I least expect it to "something...or someone else."

"Po?" I mean what's with the double entendre?

"Nothing Miss Sevilla, you may now take your seat."

I went back to my seat wondering what just happened..

"What???" I finally asked because she was fidgety at naiirita na ako.

"Nothing." she coldly replied at the same time she... behaved?

"Ano nga, Joan?" Tanong kong may bahid ng inis

"See, now we're making progress Miss Sevilla" she smiled

Finally

"You smiled!" I covered my mouth quickly when I realized what I just said "I mean, ang pangit mong ngumiti!"

Pinandilatan niya ako ng mata, dali dali akong tumingin sa harap and tried my best to ignore her. I was waiting for her rebuttal pero natapos na lamang ang klase I still didn't hear anything from her.

"Hey!" I shouted when she leave "what the heck is wrong with her aurgh." Gigil kong sambit at nagmamadaling sinundan siya

Naabotan ko siya sa hallway, she strode into her locker and banged her books inside.

"This girl is really testing my patience."

When she was about to leave, the only thing I could do is locked her with my arms.

Now we're facing each other...a little too close maybe, I don't care if others are watching. So she wants to play it this way? I'll gladly accept her as my prey.

"Baliw ka ba?!" Sinubukan niyang kumawala sa mga bisig ko.

Yes my arms are slender but don't underestimate the girl who does pilates

"I'm crazier than this so guess what, you don't run away from me Miss Roble."

"Yeah? I think you've guessed wrong." She bend and went under my arms at tuloyang tumakbo papalayo

"HEY!! HOW ABOUT OUR REPORT?; YOU BITCGSJDIR AAAARGH"

Now people are whispering with each other, at wala akong pake. She's really getting into my nerves.

You can never runaway from me Joan Roble.