Dug.dug.dug.dug.dug.

A familiar silhouette emerged from the darkness.

The beast.

He was topless.

Topless. I swallowed every liquid in my mouth and blinked a couple of times!

The heck!

He was standing in front of me. His pale skin was glowing in the darkness making his gorgeous body visible. I stared helplessly at his well-defined abdominal muscles. Six packets just below his chest. Jeeez! Why does this beast love to flaunt his body that much?

He was brus.h.i.+ng his wet hair with his hands. From the looks of it, I can tell he went for an early swimming. I remembered there was a swimming area nearby the dorm, I think that's where he comes from.

The place was still clouded with darkness, but I can clearly see his gorgeous body— my stomach did a backflip in an instant.

"Xhemin?" He called me again, making me snapped back to reality.

"Morning" The only thing I managed to reply. I tried not to notice that because he was topless, his biceps were visible and that it was making me uncomfortable because he was so hot…d.a.m.n hot!

I even reached out for my jaw and pretended to wipe up some sweats in that part of my face, because it dropped, and I was having hard time putting it back without support.

I saw him leaned on the wall a meter away from me. We were both facing the university streets now, the streets where the boys and I trailed into when we had our morning jog.

I felt s.h.i.+vers rising on me. I couldn't help but close my eyes.

"Tired?" He asked breaking the awkward silence between us. Was he looking at me? I didn't dare to spare him a glance. I was too preoccupied with complicated feelings right now I was afraid it will explode if I will see his face again and his abs too!

"Sort of…" I answered politely, feeling my cheeks warm up a little at the thought of the beast and me being, you know. Together and alone— just now.

I saw him smiled at the corner of my eyes for reasons that I don't know. Was the sight of me sweating that entertaining to him? Ehhh....I hope he didn't notice my uneasiness.

A cool breeze blew making the morning more fresh and natural—but why I do feel so hot?

At this moment, my mind was full of bizarre things. I planned to put out a conversation to make him stay longer yet I couldn't make up my mind. Well, I couldn't even start a conversation.

"Do you believe in love at first sight?" He asked. His tone was so serious it made me more uneasy. Why would he asked such question?

"No..." After a minute of pondering I responded. I seemed very calm with my words but to be honest, every part of my body was shaking.

" Why not?" he continued. Can't he think of some other topics? The one we have now, feels so awkward.

" ...For me it takes you to know a person deeper to love him— for what he is. Love at first sight seemed to be just an admiration of an outward looks…" I spoke maturely and professionally trying to imitate my literature instructor.

I answered perfectly right?

"How about if they are both destined together? Is it possible for them to feel love at first glance?" He continued asking me questions. I wondered if he was picking on me again. However, he seemed very serious so I tried to be casual as much as possible, even though his muscles, his voice, and everything else about him was distracting me.

He turned toward my side. I was still looking at the same streets but he was now looking at me, while one of his shoulder was leaning on the wall.

"Errr…. The truth is I don't know. I don't really know anything about that kind of stuff…" I answered the safest answer I could think of.

"Really?" he asked as if he couldn't believe what I was saying.

"Yeah… how would I? I'm just sixteen, I've never fallen in love yet" Except with you. Of course I did not say the last statement.

"Really?" he asked again.

I gave him a glance and nod, hoping I can convinced him and end the discussion. I don't know until when I can endure such.

He smiled—a wide smile flashed across his face. His hazel eyes glinted at me, almost taking my breathe away, as always, with their brilliance.

"Then how come you told me yesterday that you think you are in love with me?"

I was taken aback with his question. Oh yeah, I did told him I love him yesterday! I was cursing myself now.

"Errr…. that one…" I cannot give him a good answer, so I ended up telling him about Sir Gem's 'how to know you are in love theory'.

He was laughing hard at my story. Was it that funny? Really? I wanted to laugh with him but I was feeling humiliated already.

"So, you tried all of those with me?" He asked while laughing.

" Well…yeah.." I answered in hesitation, feeling embarra.s.sed.

"So that was the reason why you are acting weird yesterday?" he answered as if he was relieved of something.

He brushed his hair as he mellowed down from his laugh "I really did thought you were angry about…what I did the other day"

He was referring to the time we had an encounter outside Huzey's compet.i.tion building. I looked at him intently, did he really think I was angry with that? Angry with his hug? With his sweet words?

What an irony because, I wasn't angry—I was so happy. The thought of it amused me but I tried to hid it from my face to avoid further embarra.s.sment. Conversations like this— I need more training to be comfortable.

"Of course not" My head formed lines when I told him, but I answered calmly.

His smile grew bigger as rays of suns.h.i.+ne poured down his face. A minute after I found myself under his embrace. It was so instant I couldn't even react. He was taller than me, so my face fell in his hard chest.

Is there any part of this man that isn't hard?

Gos.h.!.+ His warmth was killing me as it sent out mixture of emotions. His natural smell mesmerized me, giving me some dose of fantasy.

"My goodbye rites" I mumbled to myself few minutes after he locked me in his arms, I was filled with emotions now I couldn't control myself.

"Goodbye rites?" he asked when he heard me.

Opps! Again, my mouth failed me. Why do I have this outstanding reputation of being so careless of my own words?

"...Well this is what I call goodbye rites" I tried to explain as I bit my lips. I think there was no point in lying now, I already put my guard down." It's like a sweet encounter before going on our separate ways"

"So you are Merriam now?" he was referring to a dictionary brand.

"I'm his mentor" I responded, proudly. I actually just made up those words. The 'goodbye rites' word.

"Bossy girl"

"You like bossy girls? right?" I asked with courage hoping I will get a positive response.

"I like you"

Dug-dug-dug-dug-dug.

What? Did I hear it right? I was not prepared for that. He likes me? I guess the positive response was a bit too much.

C'mon, don't kill me with this romance. He likes me. He likes me. He likes me!

For the first time in my life, I don't know what to say.

There was a huge silence between us. I bit my lips harder when I noticed that the ambience was becoming more intimate.I felt like this was the time we should share a kiss. I let go of a deep sigh as I prepared for the next event I was hopefully antic.i.p.ating.

He carefully caressed my hair. A minute after he lifted my chin with his fingers, making me look at him.I melt under his gorgeous hazel eyes. His other hand travelled in my back to support it, while the other was still in my chin.

His eyes were so pa.s.sionate. He looked at me, as if trying to memorize every angle of my face. I couldn't help but be conscious, yet I let him, I gave him the liberty to see through me.

He started to move his head, lowering it to mine. I suddenly felt the need to close my eyes as I felt his breathing closer to my face now.

I was antic.i.p.ating this.

His kiss.

His warmth kiss before I leave him.

Just this kiss and I know I will endure our departure.

Just this one.

I slightly opened my lips to welcome his.

"Cough….uhuhu…cough..." An intentional coughing break the current momentum.

I almost swallowed my tongue as everything I hoped for fell down in an instant.

The beast and I instinctively turned toward the two boys who were now staring at us with complicated looks. Huzey stood there taking a sip on his water bottle while Ziggy was wiping his sweats with his sports towel.

"Cough..uhuhu…cough" Ziggy repeated his fake coughing. His second noise gave me a realization of what was happening.

I was caught under the arms of a topless man! Early in the morning!

I pushed the beast away in an instant making a gap between the two of us.

"You done?" I asked in panick. I asked them if they were done jogging.

How could I forget about the boys? They were just jogging around the dorm and they never missed waving at me when they pa.s.s this side. Of course they will caught us!

"I was wondering why your stamina was weak this morning, didn't thought you are just having excuses to go on a date." Ziggy complained giving me a flushed face. From the tone of his voice, he was implying that I betrayed them

"No-no, it's not what you think!" I tried to explain waving both of my hands in front of them. I moved farther from the beast and stepped closer to the boys.

Oh man! The boys caught me again, how could the timing be so wrong this time!

I needed my kiss yet how can I have a kiss in front of the boys?

Also, how can I explain myself with the boys? They must have thought I traded being with them to date! c.r.a.p!

Aside from my failed kiss, the boys will surely be mad and will make me an outcast for a week!

"I was just resting here and he happen to pa.s.s by," I tried to continue explaining yet no matter what I say, I know I cannot changed what the boys were thinking.

I needed to exit. This was so embarra.s.sing and at the same time frustrating. I was caught hugging a topless man. I cannot even look at the beast now, it felt like the way we acted earlier, though I hoped for it, wasn't right. It shouldn't have happened!

"If you are done, we should leave now" I suggested as I tried to reach for Ziggy's arms.

"We are done jogging, but we are not done watching you "Ziggy brushed me off. " Mr. Lagdameo is just half naked, looks like you are just starting.."

"Ziggy!" I glared my eyes at him with my sharpest look. He withdrew in an instant and rushed to Huzey's arms. Huzey who was now locking the opening of his water bottle looked at him in a nonchalance way, unaffected of his sudden movement.

"Are we done Huzey? then we should leave! " Ziggy begged him, I think my sharp gaze frightened him.

Huzey glanced at him quietly as his eyebrows curled against each other. He later s.h.i.+fted his eyes on me.

"Are you guys done?" He was referring to the beast and I. I don't know what Huzey was thinking, but from the looks of it, he wasn't mad at all. I think he knew I was longing for the beast the whole night and didn't want to mess up the opportunity that I had.

"We aren't" The beast suddenly answered, giving the three of us a shock!

I was not able to open my mouth to question the beast. Because just then, his iron fingers close around my upper arm, and I suddenly find myself being dragged forcefully. The beast made me faced him.

He tore his gaze from the boys and stared down at me seconds after. Then he reached out and crushed me to his chest.

What is he going to do? Aren't we embarra.s.sed enough in front of the boys already?

The next thing I knew, he stooped down low and pressed his mouth over to me.

He kissed me!

In front of the boys!

As if the boys didn't exist!

I was so stunned I didn't even managed to close my eyes. They grew bigger in shock as the beast made his kiss deeper.

"Hey both of you!" Ziggy shouted helplessly as he saw the beast kissed me without any hint of

embarra.s.sment and consciousness in front of them. "Hey coach Darryl, that isn't—"

He stepped forward to stop the beast yet Huzey grabbed him.

"Huzey, look what he is doing to Xhem!" He reasoned out but Huzey didn't let him go. " Xhem, you promised Huzey and me that there will be no other man in the team!"

"You betrayed us!" Ziggy shouted a couple of times, but the beast ignored him.

Instead, he took my hand and put it around his neck. I didn't react, I was too weak to react. All I can do was be obedient to him. He got me drunk of so many emotions I couldn't even support my own weight. The beast was the one giving me support.

He kissed me for few minutes.

Minutes of nostalgia and bliss.

Minutes of enchantments, like I travelled in wonderland back and forth.

His kiss was so warm defeating the morning breeze. Every part of me is warm too—under his embrace, under his kiss!

He let go of the kiss, just as I was about to lose my breathe. He looked at me tenderly before he turned to the boys.

"Now we are done, you can take her" He said, as if nothing happened.

Ziggy was pouting and was faking a cry under Huzey's arms. Huzey was expressionless, I think he knew how important the goodbye rites to me was, so he chose to let me have it.

The beast turned to me for the last time. He gave me one short kiss on the lips and held my head to kiss me on the forehead, leaving a dot of hotness on that part.

"Take care" he said before he left.

Everything to me was surreal. I can't even believe it happened.

He told me he likes me.

He pulled me into his embrace.

He kissed me.

What else could I ask? I can even die now. Such a perfect goodbye rite!