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CHAPTER 12

TUNE AS OLD AS SONG

Chloe glanced at her seatmate who has been yawning since the cla.s.s started. Alice arrived at the academy by 3 in the morning and has only slept for three hours, the lack of proper sleep is keeping her from focusing on cla.s.s. She yawned again then rested her forehead at the desk, the wood's cool on her skin. Last night, grandmama's chaffeur send her back at the academy. Since she arrived by midnight, it is impossible to enter without breaking the rule but Ludenburg's background are too powerful that they let Alice enter without batting an eyelid.

"Hey," Chloe pinched her. "You look like a zombie, are you sure you're fine?"

"Yeah." She yawned. "Lend me your notes later."

"What happened last night? I saw you coming  back by 3am."

"I am engaged." Alice muttered absentmindedly, her fuzzy mind floating in the air as she tries to fight back the urge to sleep in the middle of the cla.s.s.

"What?!" Yell the cheerleader, half-awakening Alice in an instant.

Their History professor's hand stop midway at the board, turning around to see the owner of the voice. He glared at the two persons, one is standing upright and the other is half-sleeping. Chloe sank in her seat, her face as red as a tomato, wis.h.i.+ng that the time would go back for one minute. Such an embara.s.sing moment for a slightly popular blond cheerleader.

"Ms Fledeen and Ms Ludenburg, get out of my cla.s.s!"

Alice grabbed her bag and left the room with the cheerleader. They headed at the academy's gra.s.sy field where they lied beside a huge tree to kill time.

Chloe crossed her arms. "You have some explaining to do."

"Come on... I'm sleepy."

"And you're engaged."

"Did I say that?" Alice asked innocently, her eyes widening for effect.

"Yes, you did. Don't lie to me." Her friend replied. "Who is he?"

She sighed at her and murmured, "Eros Ziegler." Defeat evident on her voice. It is just a matter of time before the news spread like a wildfire, afterall, the Zieglers are very influential family.

"Eros?! Oh my gos.h.!.+ You are a vixen!" The other squealed. "You just met and now you got him in your claws! You should have told me you are planning to put a leash on him as soon as possible!"

"Chloe...!" She flinched. "It's not like that. It's purely business."

"There is no such thing as 'purely business." Quoted Chloe. "You know he likes you and I can sense you like him too. And the beast finally fell in love with beauty."

Not wanting to argue anymore Alice rolled on her side and tried to forget about her friend, when something flickered on her mind. She has always been hearing them labeling Eros as a beast, yet she can't see that kind of monster in him. What she only sees is the knight in s.h.i.+ning armor in him or a prince from his dark castle.

"All of you always calls him beast." She commented.

"That's because you have not seen his dark side yet. He is a monster when he's mad, Alice, and I witnessed it once."

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There were screaming and squealing at the gym. Boys run back and forth at the court, where their shoes squeak as it slid down the s.h.i.+ny ground, and the girls jump up and down their seats while they cheer for their crushes— overpowering the sounds of b.a.l.l.s being dribbled.

Somewhere from the chairs above, Isabella is glaring down below

The two roommates are seated at the edge of the court, the basketball's team bench, and cheering Phillip on his varsity. A while ago, when the cla.s.s ended the team captain invited them to watch their basketball practice and to motivate him by cheering. Since he was so insistent he finally managed to persuade the two.

The game hasn't started yet, the team is still warming up. Five minutes later the coach whistled and the two opposing teams gathered at the court, shaking each other's hands then positioning theirselves.

Prrrt! The ball flew above them where the two tallest member on each team jumped to reach the ball. The screaming went wild.

"Go, Phillip!" Cheered by Alice and Chloe. They screamed again when Phillip made a 3 points shot, making the court wilder.

It was on second quarter with a 24-27 scores in favor of Phillip's team when s.h.i.+vers run down her spine. The feeling of being watched, it was there again. Alice roamed her eyes around and met Eros at the entrance, glaring at her. She pursed her lips and glared back at him, she did not do anything wrong to receive that kind of treatment so she played along with the glaring contest, being oblivious at the wild cheering.

"Hey." Chloe nudged. "Who are you glar-- oh! It's your fiancé! Oh my--" her mouth was covered by Alice's hand.

"Shh. Someone might hear you!"

"I's 'ka..." Her friend mumbled behind her hands.

Alice looked back again where Eros is standing but he was already gone on his spot. She sighed and watched the game again, however, minutes later the audience went wilder, the girls' screamed like a soprano. Curious, she diverted her attention to where the other girls are pointing, and what she saw made her heart leaped 360.

Chloe pinched her arm then decided to join the squealing.

"Oh my gos.h.!.+ Eros is so freakin' s.e.xy!"

Eros is walking his way towards her, he wore his black varsity, number 5 written on it-- the same color as Phillip's team has, but he looks more like someone who came out of the magazine with his exposed muscled arms and divulging stone hard chest. Alice gawked at him when he stopped in front of her.

The crowd went silent, even the game stopped.

"W-what are you doing?" She stammered.

He grabbed her by the back of her neck, then he leaned slightly pulling her head towards his.

Their foreheads met. Lips almost touching.

Alice gulped, not moving-- afraid that a single move will make their lips touch.

"Keep your eyes on me." Was all he said, a playful smirk drawing on his face. "Only me."

The game started again when Eros entered the court, subst.i.tuting the other member. The silent crowd was filled with screams and cheers again, yet Alice has not recovered from the shock. She just sat there still staring at Eros with a blush on her face.

"Oh my gos.h.!.+ That is so romantic!" Someone giggled. "Keep your eyes on me." Chloe said, imitating his tone. "He is so head over heels on you!"

"I didn't know he is part of the team." Alice murmured after recovering.

"He only comes to play at the actual game, I admit this is the first time he came to practice."

"Really?"

Don came from beside them carrying a large and long bag where a person could actually fit in it.

"Give him some credit. He is just jealous 'cause you keep on watching Phillip." He smiled at them, dumping the bag beside him.

'Oumph!'

The grunt inside the bag was unheard when the crowd cheered again, and Don's smile widened. "By the way congratulations on your engagement. I am disappointed you did not say hi to me at the party."

"You were there?"

"Yes, I was there watching you two stick to each other until midnight."

The practice game ended with the black team winning-- Phillip's team. Eros came beside her, his face stone cold as he gave his friend a curt nod.

"Congrats." Alice told him, staring at his slightly flushed face from exhaustion. Sweat dripping down his neck, down to his chest--beneath the toned muscle.

"You should go back." He said. "It's already dark outside."

She nodded, understanding the message behind and bid her goodbye. Walking side by side with Chloe beside the clubs' building she suddenly heard a slow melancholic melody coming from inside.

"Did you hear that?" She asked.

"I think it's coming from the music room. Let's go see." Before she can even protest the cheerleader pulled her towards the dimly lit building.

As they neared the music room the sound became louder.

It was a melancholic song. The tune hypnotizing her as it mingles with the sound of her heartbeat. It is a familiar piano tune-- or an old song, something that her deceased father used to play for her before. They stopped at the door that is left slightly ajar. A guy is playing the piano, his back to them.

Pus.h.i.+ng the heavy door it opens with a creaked and the music suddenly stopped.

Both girls froze, feeling like an intruder and a disturbance.

"I'm sorry, we did not mean to disturb you." Alice told him.

The guy stands at his spot then smiled at them. A mysterious smile that made her take a step back.

"It's okay."

She frowned, gripping Chloe's arm who also noticed the danger emitting from the guy's smile. He walked past them, the smile not leaving his face, and suddenly he was gone in the darkness. Leaving the two on their own.

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