I wasn"t surprise from how many girls where getting love-struck when I saw Emotionless Guy waiting beside my cla.s.sroom. I pretend not to see him and continue walking straight ahead.

"Hey."

With only his one "Hey", my whole body stiffens.  I slowly look at him and was speechless when I saw him staring intently at me.

"Uhm, hi?" I greet.

He went closer towards me and I feel like shrinking at his stare. He was even close to bending from how close we are.

"Your payment?"

"Ah, you see..."

"That"s your decision."

He turned back and walks away. I notice that he was walking slowly. Slower than his usual pace. I laugh. Seriously?

This Emotionless Guy, is this how far he needs money? Hay, bye five thousand.

"Later, at the library..." I told him but he just continues walking. 

He was followed by the gaze of the crowd. There were even some who look confusely at me.

"Why what"s happening in the library?"

I look back when I hear Nate"s voice. I just puck my lips, I can"t tell that to him as he"ll get more confuse.

"We"re going to have a house party in the library." I jokingly say.

"Oh, really?"

The bell had ring to signal the flag ceremony, "Okay, let"s go. Enough of this gossip session." I push him while going down the stairs. But while going down, it was still in my mind.

What would Emotionless Guy do with the five thousand?

***

I"m free!

Emotionless Guy and I were championed in the compet.i.tion. It"s because his plan was so great to the point that the five thousand I gave him is already worth it. So what happened is that he became our brain while I was the one answering. Perfect.

Mama and Papa were so proud of me that they gave me a new laptop, which made kuya [1] jealous. And my teachers were also happy that I even made Ma"am Carillo, who as if she"s always in her monthly period smile. And I somehow didn"t have a hard time doing the exams since I already have a plus in my grade and I already somewhat learned the lesson because of the previous study sessions.

It"s so heartbreaking. It"s still January but I"m so happy. All thanks to (even though it"s against my will) Art Felix Go, The Emotionless Guy, the weirdo.

***

The thing is, it"s not only Emotionless Guy who"s weird. Who"s the other one? It"s Cloud... Nate"s cousin.

One day, when Nate was absent for some unknown reason (again), Cloud came to our school (and had even made a crowd) just to get me to my house. He said its Nate"s order.

When I text Nate a, "Thanks", he replies with a, "Why?"

So yeah, it"s weird but then again, free ride, eh. Would I say no to a free ride?

When I thought we were going to my house, I was confuse when Cloud turns the car and stop it at a familiar and most-issued hotel. I still haven"t entered this place but I heard from my male cla.s.smates that you"ll hear disturbing sounds as you enter the hotel.

It was a red and green colored building. I stare intently at the black and white logo. It was a woman who looks like j.a.panese because her eyes were cheeky and there was a yellow fan covering her mouth.

I was scared because Cloud just parks the car besides the hotel. He wasn"t talking or anything.

"Ah, what are we doing here?" I asks.

My gosh my chest hurts from how fast my heartbeat is. Ugh.

I was scared when he started to look at me and smile, "It depends. What do you want?"

"W-what?"

Why am I getting scared? Ianne, you can run. You can also scream

"You, what do you want to do here?"

"C-Cloud?"

He grins, "Do you want to taste cloud nine?"

I was taken aback when he went closer to me. I even got b.u.mp at the window of the car because of how close he is. I couldn"t breathe anymore when he holds the back of my head and close it to him.

I was about to shout when I suddenly got confuse when I heard the sound of the car"s window going down. And seconds has just pa.s.s, I can feel the air outside.

"Ate [2]," Cloud calls. He was still holding the back of my head and I was so close at his cheeks that if I just move a little, my lips would touch his cheek, "Ate, I"ll buy a Cloud 9 [3]."

Cloud 9?

I was still scared until I heard the sound of a person coming behind me. I couldn"t move even until Cloud closes the window behind me.

He removes his grip at my head and again let my head b.u.mp at the window. I thought everything was already fine but his face was getting closer again.

"Do you want to taste Cloud 9?"

Why does he need to whisper it?

His grin continued to widen when he moves back and starts putting his seatbelt. He gave me one bar of Cloud 9.

"Eat. That"s delicious." He says when he starts driving.

I was still shock for 9.3498 minutes before I eat my Cloud 9.

For the whole trip, Cloud kept on talking about his life in j.a.pan. And I also learned that he"s only driving in Philippines because in j.a.pan almost everywhere is just a walking distance. And he kept on talking about his friends and his girls until we came to talk about... Me.

"I already know your face before I got to talk to you." The smile in his lips had never disappear. Since the last time, "And when I saw you in person, i was disappointed."

What"s dissapointed is he talking about?

"The picture did not do justice for your beauty." He looks back at the road, "Bijin da yo."

"H-ha?"

"You really are beautiful."

Am I hearing this or is this just an illusion? I couldn"t talk for a minute. We were both just quiet. 

"Have I scared you?"

"You and nate are really cousins," I say, laughing, "You"re both great at flattering."

"But I"m saying the truth." He says.

Even though I was scared, I gave a line again, "Yes I know. That"s why it hurts."

His eyes widens as if he was scared.

"You see, the truth hurts."

He laughs at what I said that"s why I laugh along. But then again, I was stop at what he said next.

"You"re so funny, Ianne." The car had stop because we were already in front of my house.

I bid my farewell and was about to leave when he stops me.

"Wait, I have something for you." He took a ballpen and a paper at the dashboard and writes. He gave me the paper that"s why I got confused.

"What is this?" I ask.

He smiles, "Guess. If you got it, you"ll have a prize from me."

"Is that a food?"

He laughs, "You"re really are something."

We bid each other a goodbye. I couldn"t help myself while staring at the paper. What does this have? And what"s the prize if I learn the answer? Is the food prize would be delicous? 

While I was in deep thoughts, someone was calling at my phone. I answer the call even if it was an unknown number.

"Hi, Ianne."

"C-Cloud?"

"Wow, you know my voice already." He said laughing.

Well, who wouldn"t know his voice? It"s so deep and his accent is still strong.

"Ah, hehe..." Okay, its just awkward, "Why did you call?"

"There"s something I want to say."

"W-what?" Why is my heart beating fast? Ugh.

Don"t tell this to Nate, okay?" 

I nod -wait, he can"t see me, "O-okay?"

"Ore ga Ianne-chan o suki to omou."  He laughs as he ends the call before I could even react.

Oreshiasdfghjkl What?!