Chapter Two

Two

Time flies fast by quick and it's finally Saturday.

You would never believe who invited himself over on a Saturday morning! Worse, he barged in inside my room! A girl's room! Why would a man enter a maiden's room without any consent from the owner?

Nicholas Johnson

I don't know how he was able to find my location but my hunch was because of the school files but I'd need to confirm it first.

Nicholas Johnson wasn't like the Johnson I met at school.

He acts differently, like a total opposite of what he's showing at school. He was acting friendly and all as if we have known each other for a very long time.

"What do you think you're doing?" I said, glaring at him. "Why are you barging into my room without my consent?!

"To wake you up" he simply answered. "Do you know what time it is now?"

Before I got the chance to speak another word, he turned around his back against me and said, "Get up. I'll be waiting for you. We've got some stuffs to do"

That —

Who does he think he is to command me?!

And more importantly, why did my mother allow him to go up and barge inside a girl's room? She must be out of her mind.

I stood up and walked downstairs still wearing my pajamas. As I climbed down, I could hear their laughter and chatters and as soon as I reached the sala, I blinked in surprise as I saw Johnson getting buddy-buddy with my mom and my sister.

I really didn't expect that he would catch their hearts as easily as that and would get along with them easily in only forty-five minutes. This is unbelievable! They stopped chatting when they finally felt my presence, standing right in front of them while watching them in disbelief.

"Finally! You're here! Don't you have any idea that Nico has waited for you for so long? What were you doing?" my sis said with her eyebrows furrowed.

"It's not that long, y'know? It's only forty-five minutes. Stop overreacting. And wait, did you just call him 'Nico'?" I said but she just rolled her eyes and looked back at Johnson and smiled. They really became close in just forty five minutes. I don't know why I am surprised. I mean, it's Nicholas Johnson we're talking about! He could get and do whatever he wants! Well, except that he wanted me to transform. There is no way I'm gonna let him transform me just like he said.

"On behalf of my sister, I would like to apologize for the long wait." my sister told him which made me groan and rolled my eyes.

"No, it's okay. I can wait for her no matter how long she'll take. Besides, I enjoyed your company. It was fun talking to a beautiful girl like you so I really don't mind." Johnson told him and I could see the pinkish color on my sister's cheeks.

"Are you trying to hit on my sister? Because you know, he already has a boyfriend." I told Johnson which is true. My sister already has a boyfriend and I'm not gonna let other guys hit on her.

My sister glared at me and said, "Stop being so rude, B! We didn't raise you to become rude!"

"So now, I'm the villain here? Jeez," I said, sighing.

"It's okay, Lovely. She's just jealous. I get it" Johnson told her. I couldn't believe that he just said that I am jealous!

I faked a laugh at his statement and crossed my arms under my chest. "Oh, please, Mr. Heartthrob Nicholas Johnson. Don't flatter yourself, alright?"

"Wow, didn't expect that you have this kind of personality," he said. "Amusing"

"Why? What kind of person is she in school?" my mom asked curiously who was just laughing along with them earlier.

"Well, she's just a quiet nerdy girl in school and hates socializing. She's a loner in school and doesn't want to get associated or be friends with anyone unless needed." Johnson said.

Has he been observing me since day one? Or he just really judged me? I don't know.

My mom and sister looked at me, surprised. "We thought you've got lots of friends? You told us you made new friends on your first day, right?"

Yes, it's true. I told them that I made new friends in school because I don't want them to get worried.

Johnson was about to speak again and before he told them that I was being teased in school, I grabbed his wrist and pulled him with me, heading to the kitchen.

"I didn't know that you're too excited for this. I mean, me teaching you" he said and even though he's behind me, I could imagine him smirking. What is wrong with this guy's mind?

I let go of his head and faced him, crossing my arms with this scowling face of mine. "Who said I'm excited for this? I just want to get over this so you can go home. Now, come on and start teaching me! I wanted to finish this quick" I growled.

"Do you really hate me that much?" he asked seriously. Okay now, so what's with his serious mood? Guys sure are weird.

"Because you're annoying and besides, don't you hate me too? The feeling is mutual." I told him.

Johnson heaved a frustrated sigh and then randomly changed the topic. "You know what? You should wear normal clothes like that. It looks good on you."

And of all the topics that he can bring up, why my current attire? Couldn't blame him on that one. After all, the attire that I'm wearing right now is pretty normal — at least to others which I don't normally wear. Other people's style isn't my style.

"What's good in this outfit? It's too plain and simple," I said, looking at myself. I really don't like what I'm wearing now. "Plus, this is what I wear when sleeping."

Pink sleeveless and shorts

My curly hair was tied upwards since I'm going to bake. My outfit is too plain and simple and I don't like it. I like wearing clothes with different colors and different styles.

"It looks good on you, you know? You should wear simple and normal clothes in school too. Not your weird usual outfit," he suggested and snorted.

"Hey! It's not weird!"

"And you should also talk more like that in school. I mean, talking to other people and having new friends can cause no harm, you know? By the way, have you tried straightening your hair or dyeing your hair a different color? I think straight hair looks good on you, you know?"

"Stop telling me what to do, you know? It's my life and I'm gonna do whatever I want with it. I'm content with the way I am, alright? Stop trying to barge in my life!" I said and turned my back against him.

He muttered something but I really haven't heard it. But I did catch a few words though. I'm just not sure whether what I heard was right or wrong. I heard the words 'help', 'beautiful' and 'mean'.

I don't need his help. I'm already beautiful in my own way and now, he's calling me a 'mean'? He's the one who's mean, you know?

"Anyways, let's get started" I said because I really want him to leave but I'm sure that unless he was sure that I already know how to bake, he won't leave me.

"Do you even have baking ingredients?" he asked.

And that's when I realized that we had none. When I didn't answer, he sighed and said, "I knew it"

I turned to look at him and smiled and as soon as I smiled, his face looked a bit surprised. Jeez, I just smiled and what's so surprising with that? "Then, since I don't have baking ingredients," I started and spun him around and pushed him, heading to our door. "You may go now and I'm going back to my dream land" I continued excitedly and happily.

But he turned around and stepped closer and now, we're too close from each other. I immediately stepped back and frowned at him. "You're too close! I don't like it!" I said. "We don't have an ingredient here that's why we will not be able to bake, you know? Just go!"

"Then, let's buy. Let's buy ingredients so I could teach you how to bake cookies. You know, you need to learn for the sake of our grades," he said, grabbing my hands and pulling me with him.

"Which part of 'I don't care about our grades' can't you understand?" I said and waited . . . why am I letting him pull me? But anyways, he didn't respond. He keeps on pulling me with him.

"Mrs. Smith, I'm going to borrow your daughter for a while," he said.

"Oh, you're going to take her out? She definitely needs that! You see, she always shut herself inside her room." Ugh, why does my mom have to say that? And my sister didn't really help!

"Well, that's because no one's visiting and asking her to go out, you know? I think today is the first time," my sister said. "Anyways, have fun you two! And Nico, take good care of my sister and make her happy, alright?"

Truth to be told. No one's ever invited me to go out. Not even once that's why I'm not used to it. Johnson looked at me and I didn't like the way he looked at me because there was pity in his eyes.

"Don't look at me like that," I said sharply. "I don't like it."

"Just shut up and come with me," he said. "I'm going to give you a good time."

I snapped my head into his direction in surprise. "What did you just say?"

"You heard me," he responded, grinning. What's up with him? I mean, he hated girls like me right? So why is he doing this? This is getting way too suspicious. I don't like this. What is he up to?

He stopped pulling me and looked at me from head to toe. "W-What now?" I asked. Why am I suddenly stammering?

"Since we're going on a date, you have to change your attire," he said.

"D-date? D-Did you just say date?" I asked, confirming if what I heard was right.

"You heard me," he said. "No, go! Go and change your outfit!"

"Jeez, stop telling me what to do. There's no way I'm going out on a date with you!" I said but to my surprise, he grabbed my hand and pulled me with him heading upstairs to my room. And guess what? He didn't stop in front of my room! He went inside too and went towards my wardrobe.

"H-Hey! What do you think you're doing?!! Don't touch other people's stuff without their permission!!" I yelled at him but he wouldn't listen. That jerk . . . doing whatever he wanted.

As soon as he opened my wardrobe, he said "What the f—"

"NO CURSING!!!" I yelled.

He looked at me in disbelief and shook his head in disappointment. "When did you last fix your wardrobe?" he asked.

"I-It doesn't matter! And besides, it's gonna get messy so I don't think there's any point in fixing my wardrobe." I said and he just stared at me in disbelief. Without warning, he pulled out all of my clothes from my wardrobe and threw them on my bed.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?!! Stop that!!" I demanded and rushed towards him to stop him from whatever he's trying to do.

"Are these clothes clean or not?" he asked.

"Well, I . . . um, mixed?" I answered. To be honest, I really don't know. I told you, there's no point in cleaning if it's going to be messy, anyway. I'll just waste my effort and time so why clean? Yes, that's what kind of thinking I have.

He pushed me out of my room which I didn't expect and by the time I was out of my room, he shut my door and locked it! So now, I couldn't enter my own room anymore. I keep on banging on my door but he won't open.

"Hey! What are you doing there? Open up, you jerk! Open up! Open! Open this door at once!" I called as I banged the door over and over again. There are lots of private things in my room. He might see it! Of course, it's my room that's why it's just natural that my private stuff is in there.

"Don't worry! I won't touch your private stuffs" he said as if he knows what's in my mind.

"And how do you know whether it's private or not?! Just open this door and stop whatever you're trying to do!" I yelled.

"Trust me with this, okay?" I heard him say.

"How do you expect me to trust you? I mean, we're not close! We're not friends! And this is the first time we ever talked. And aren't we going out?"

"We're going out once I'm done here, alright? I just couldn't stand seeing this kind of room. It doesn't look like a room of a teenage girl."

"Mind your own business!" I yelled.

"Hey, who's this girl in your album? She's pretty. Hmm . . . wait, she looked a bit like you. But she's prettier." He said.

"Album? What are you talking about?" I asked.

"It's a little girl. She's wearing a pink gown and a crown. She's holding a trophy and a sash. Wait . . . oh, it seems like she just won a beauty pageant. I bet this girl has grown really beautiful. What's her name?"

Little did he know, that was me when I was a little girl. I really didn't like to join the pageant back then. I just need the reward so badly that's why I joined. And I wanted to show my family that they could be proud of me.

But that girl was long gone and to be honest, I don't know where she went. It doesn't matter anymore. Past is past. Today's present. And I am content with who I am.

Alright, alright, I am not actually that no good — before, that is. But since I stepped in my high school year, I began becoming a wallflower. An outcast with no apparent reason. I don't know but I suddenly feel like distancing myself from other people and I suddenly feel like dressing up like a geek until it becomes my habit. So presently, I am miss-no-good.

"That girl . . . she's my cousin, that's why I looked a lot like her. Alright?" I lied. "Now, open this door mister or I'm breaking this door!"

"Well, it's your door so I don't really care whether you break your door or not," he said, chuckling. This guy's really pissing me off like crazy!

I heave out a sigh. I'll just waste my time, energy and voice, trying to make him open the door. That's why I decided to just wait for him to open the door.

After 1 ½ hour, he finally opened the door. His brown hair is all messed up and his face is full of dirt. He's also not wearing his shirt that's why I could see his muscular body and now, I could see why he's so popular, why are many girls fangirling and after him, why guys envied him and now, I could see that what he's saying about himself wasn't just arrogance but the truth.

I would be lying if I say that he's ugly. He's so hot! And I actually hate admitting it but . . . oh my gosh! Even though he looked dirty, he's still handsome and oh, that body! It's just that . . .

Oh crap! What is happening to me? This is not me!

I snapped out of my thoughts when I felt his hand on my chin. And that's when I realized that he's closing my mouth because it was wide open. Did I just embarrass myself? And what made him more handsome was his grinning face especially when his dimple became visible.

"Close your mouth. A fly might enter your mouth if you don't close it," he said and chuckled. "Now, you could see how hot I am?"

I could feel my face heat up and I'm sure that I'm red as an apple right now. I gritted my teeth, glared at him and shoved him out of the way. "Shut up and get out of my wa—"

I trailed off and my frowning face was replaced by a surprise look when I saw my room. It was so clean! Really, really clean if you asked me! The floor was shining, the dirt on my wall disappeared, my bed was all fixed up!

Oh my gosh, I just couldn't believe this! I rushed towards the wardrobe and opened it. My clothes were all fixed neatly and properly! Then, I rushed towards my bathroom and saw that it was all sparkly and clean! My laundry is placed in the laundry basket! The towel . . . everything! Everything is in order!

"Nicholas Johnson?" I called.

"Yes?" he answered.

"Will you be my personal maid from now on?" I joked.

"I thought you're going to ask me if I could marry you. Jeez, I was so disappointed," he said.

"Shut up! I'll never ask you to marry me, you know?" I said and turned to him. "How did you do this alone? I could never clean my room like this! This is just so . . . wow"

"What can you say? I'm amazing!" he said, chuckling. Here he goes again.

"Shut up, Johnson! A-and can you please, put on a shirt?" I said, frowning. I looked away and said, "It's just that . . . it's kind of . . ."

"What? Distracting? Or . . . are you turned on?" he teased, moving closer to me. I stepped back.

"N-No! I-It was disturbing. Yes, it was disturbing so put on clothes!" I ordered. Again, he stepped closer so I stepped back again until I stumbled on my bed and fell down, lying my back on it.

"J-Just go! GET OUT! G-Get out!!" I yelled, literally kicking him but he just laughed.

"You should have seen your face! You're so funny and so red! I was just kidding, you know? Such an innocent nerdy!" he said, laughing. I sat up and glared at him.

"Shut up, Nicholas Johnson!" I said. "It's not funny! It's true that you cleaned my room but I still don't like you, alright?"

"I don't like seeing messy places. I just couldn't stand it, that's why I cleaned your room and that's it," he said and sat next to me. "But since I cleaned your room, you should give me a payment."

"What?! Why would I do that?! I mean, I never asked you to clean my room, you know? And I don't have money, alright? That's why there's no way I'm gonna pay you!"

"I'm rich, you know? I don't need your money. In fact, I have a bigger house than yours," he said. "And my own apartment."

"I didn't ask, you know? And I don't care," I said.

"You always say that," he said, sighing. "Anyways, I don't want money. I want something else"

I was curious about what he wanted so I asked, "What is it that you wanted?" but it's not that I'm going to give whatever he wants. I mean, I never asked for his help so why would I?

"From now on, I'd like you to call me 'Cole'. Not my whole name or last name. Just 'Cole'" he said, making me surprised. And why 'Cole'? It's not even his name! Weird. This guy really likes surprising me, huh? "Also, I'd . . . um, I'd like to become your friend."

I stared at him in surprise and when I didn't say anything, he said "Well? What's your answer?"

The only answer I've got for him was, "No. I told you, I don't have a plan in being friends with popular guys. It will just give me trouble so no. Just no! Now, if you're not going to teach me and will just hang out here, then get out! Okay? I've got nothing to amuse you."

He frowned and I almost think that he got disappointed. But I remembered that this man in front of me hates girls like me so I'm sure he was just kidding, acting or just playing with me. I've got no time for his games.

"What a cruel person," he said.

"Now, you're calling me cruel?! Ugh,"

He was about to answer when I heard my mom calling us. "Beauty! Nico! Come down, it's lunch time!" I looked at my wall clock and was surprised to see that it was already twelve in the afternoon! He's been here half of the day and I still haven't learned how to bake!