"Let"s all welcome, Burning Thunder!"

I clap so hard out of pleasure because it"s finally Christmas break. And I"m also proud that the one they are cheering on is my boyfriend"s band.

Nate, along with the three eggs walks into the stage. Every high school member were cheering loudly in glee because it"s finally Christmas vacation -even I"m included. I"m finally free from reviews. Yay.

"This song is for my life," Nate, who was all in smiles said while holding the microphone. I smile when Nate looks at me and then wink, "I less than three you."

Our cla.s.smates suddenly stop and started teasing and pushing me so hard that I might just get pushed out of the gym.

They were already performing but I felt like dying when Nate went down the stage to get closer to me.

"Looking in your eyes I see a paradise, [1]

This world that I found is too good to be true,

Standing here beside you, want so much to give you,

This love in my heart that I"m feeling for you."

My body was already aching from the pain that my cla.s.smates cause from pushing me when suddenly, Nate holds my hand. I"m getting deaf from all the shouting and they are singing it in rock version that"s why there were a lot of people singing along.

"And if this world runs out of lovers, we"ll still have each other

Nothing"s gonna stop us, nothing"s gonna stop us now"

After their heated performance, the next performer started performing but I don"t care about them. Why would I need the people at the stage when the one I need is already beside me? I"m so sweet!  Someone should give me an award for being the sweetest!

"Pssst." Nate teasingly whispered. He was beside me now because they already finish their performance, "Can you count all the people inside a room fast, like for example this gym," he said as he look around the gym, "Can you count all the people inside this gym?"

"Ha? Why? You can? Don"t tell me you"re more gifted than Emotionless Guy?" 

He laughed before closing his face to mine, "Inside this gym, there"s only one person in here."

"Ha?" I moved away from him, "Are you really crazy? What are you saying?"

He pout -trying to act all cute.

"Ask me why."

"Why?"

"Of course," He smilingly said, "You"re the only one that my eyes can see."

I was speechless.

"BOOM!"

"Corny!"

The three eggs behind us laugh; even I joined them at laughing. My senior, Ate [2] Alie was really right when she said, "The more corny it is, the more effective it is for making one fall in love. If you"re still neither tacky nor cheesy, then you still haven"t fall in love."

The two of us along with the three eggs continued exchanging corny lines. We just stop when the antagonist of my life came.

"Library. Now." The Emotionless Guy said.

Seriously? Even until vacation, they would still call me for that review? And I didn"t even learn anything from that review. 

"Ah okay, just-" I sigh, "wait." I said that because he just quickly left.

"So that"s Emotionless" voice," I hear Toto said, "So cold that it makes one shiver." Toto hug himself and started acting as if he was shivering. We all laughed at what he did.

Jek was looking at me and with a smile in his lips, asked, "How"s the reviewing with "The Emotionless"?"

"About to die."

"That"s how cold it is?"

 I frown, "Colder."

I laugh at the three eggs" reaction as they hug their own body. I was about to stand when Nate pulled me to sit down. He gave me a smile before giving me a kiss on the cheek.

"To be motivated to study?"  Nate said with a smile.

"Ah, right." Troy said.

  All of us look at him.

"Why, bro?" Jek asked.

"Because the Emotionless guy is cold, she should warm herself with boyfie first." Troy answer, laughing.

The three eggs then laugh.

I hit Troy"s head, "hmp! I"m going then." I roll my eyes at the three eggs before going outside the gym.

***

 Since everyone was in the gym, the hallway was deserted. Sir Lasam is a little KJ [Kill Joy], eh. I was just walking when I was stop by what I heard.

"Psst."

I tensed up immediately. I look around my surround yet there weren"t any people.

"Psst."

"W-who is it?"

"Psst."

I"m getting scared. Am I going to be chase by ghosts? Maybe I"m just dreaming again? Is Sir Michael here? When I look at a cla.s.sroom, there were eyes peeking from the door.

I was about to scream when those eyes speak -I meant the owner of the eyes.

"It"s Papa [3] Art, ahuhu."

Wait, what was that?

""Papa Art"?" I confusingly asked.

She opened the door a little, letting me see the familiar big ribbon headband that the girl was wearing. She was moving her bottom lip as if she"s pointing it somewhere. When I followed it, my heart beat fast.

I wasn"t clear as to who it was but the way that this was how it affect her, is that guy Emotionless?

Wait, why are someone kissing there?

"Huhuhu!"

I shifted my gaze back to the girl inside the cla.s.sroom. I don"t know if I should laugh when she started acting as she puts the back of her hand in her forehead, "It hurts! Ahuhuhu," She babbles, "Papa Art betrayed me!"

I force myself to stop laughing. She"s so serious but what she was doing was contrary to it. When I look back at Emotionless Guy and the girl that was his...

Gulp.

"Emotio- I meant, w-what-"

He walks closer towards me. The girl he was with a moment ago now disappear. I freeze at my place and I didn"t know what to do when...

"PAPA ART!"

TOINK!

 "Ouch!" She just has to open the door?! I was force to move back from the big impact the door cause as it slams at my forehead. I unconsciously stroke my forehead, it hurts.

When I look at Emotionless Guy, the girl was hugging him. She was hugging all over his body that even his legs are being hug. What the- koala?

"She"s there!"

I turned to look at the owner of the feminine voice. Along with her was a tall and pale skin guy.

"Humi, let"s go."

They were going near us. When I look back at the girl hugging Emotionless Guy, she was in hysteria.

"Nooo! Papa Art, help me!"

When I look at Emotionless Guy"s face, it was still the same emotionless poker face.

"What are you doing, Humi, don"t hold him!" The girl pulls Humi so that she"ll be separate from Emotionless Guy but Humi"s grasp were strong.

"Nooo! I don"t want to!"

The guy holds her waist and pull her. Humi wasn"t able to get away and I just laugh at how Humi"s face crumble. 

"Huhuhu, stoooop~" Humi was still trying to escape while the guy just continued to walk away, "Papa Art!" Humi stretch her arm out to our direction.

"Hey, sorry, it"s just that Humi is really crazy for handsome boys, eh." The girl said.

 "Noleen! Let"s go, I"m struggling here!" The guy shouted.

I laugh when Humi successfully escape the guy and was about to run towards us when the guy hold her waist.

The girl named Noleen smile at us, "Ah okay, Xander is already struggling. Sorry for the disturbance!" 

Noleen run towards the struggling Xander and Humi.

I laugh at Humi"s last shout before they can leave.

"Then what will happen between me and Papa Art? This is forbidden love! Star-crossed lovers! Ahuhuhuhu~" That continues on until her crying fades away.

I was just laughing hard. I was surprise by Emotionless Guy"s action previously and then a scene like that happen? Humi is such a troublemaker.

"Hey A-" When I look back at Emotionless Guy, he was already walking far away. I began to run so I can catch up, "Humi is cute, right?"

He was ignoring me.

Uhm, okay? One more time

"Uhm... About that-"

He stopped walking that"s why I also stop. But when I did stop, he continued walking.

What the heck is wrong with him?

I began to catch him as I grasp his shoulder. He stops and looks darkly at me that made me unconsciously put my hand away.

"Uh, uhm... Sorry?"

So sn.o.b. Annoying.

He continues walking to the library. Well, do whatever he wants to do.

 "Art and Ianne." Sir Lasam smilingly greeted us once we entered the library. He oddly looks at Emotionless Guy, "Why is your hair so messy?"

I look at Emotionless Guy"s hair and was surprise to see his hair was really messy. I avoid my gaze when he looks back at me and then when I look back at Sir, he was smiling teasingly.

"What did you two do, ha?"

My eyes widen, "Huh, sir?"

Sir Lasam laughs. He could really suspect people so fast. Wait, Ianne.... What suspicious are you talking about? I"m getting so much guilt, yet the one who"s supposed to be guilty is still beside me with no emotion.

"Anyway, I have bad news and good news. What do you want to know first?"

"Bad news?" I answered hesitantly. 

"The compet.i.tion would be sooner than expected. Instead of January 19 to 23, it"ll be January 12 and onwards." Sir said continuously.

"What po [4]?"

What would I answer in the compet.i.tion? I"m not great at this thing. When I look at Emotionless Guy, wait what. Why am I still finding some reaction from this poker face guy?

"Good News then po [5]?"

Please say it only need one person to compete so Emotionless Guy would be the only one competing. Please?

Sir"s smile widened and looks at the two of us before saying, "We"re going to be more close to each other."

"What po [6]?"

"We"re going to review until December 22 and would resume at January 5 until the day of the compet.i.tion."

"Sir?" I weakly said.

"Oh, why? Are you getting excited?" 

I was shock at what I hear, "You mean Sir, I"m getting excited po [7]?" I think my whole body just weakens. Kill me now, kill me, "Wow sir, it"s so exciting."

Sir smiled at us meanwhile I... want to crawl down at the floor and just die. Wake me up when January end, please.

***

I tried my best, but my best wasn"t good enough. It hurts.

"Art..."

I"m so shameless to call him. But what could I do when I"m going to die with only him the only one who can help me.

And he"s not even noticing me.

My anger are really boiling up because of this guy. Promise.

I relax myself before I poke his shoulder. I swallow my salive when he put the book his holding down as he glare darkly at me. And he"s even the one giving dark glares?

Hay, Ianne, breath. Relax.

"U-uhm its..." I wasn"t even finish talking when he covered his face with the book again.

Relax. You"ll ruin your beauty.

I lay down at my chair before looking at all the scattered books at the table.

"I can"t do this..." I murmured.

DING DONG *dantes* DING DONG *dantes* [8]

I smile when I saw Nate"s name at the screen. Just hearing his voice...

"Hi."

...and I"ll relax already.

"Nate..." Even though I was able to relax myself, my hardship hasn"t yet fade, "...I"m getting tired of this."

"Ha? At where?"

I frowned harder when I notice Emotionless Guy was looking at me. Gossip.

I stand up and went further away, "At reviewing, I really can"t do this; I"m getting crazy, eh." I"m just keeping this to myself because of my mama and the others, because they"re expecting a lot from me. Hay, it"s so hard with lots of expectations.

"Eh, wait, are you crying?"

At Nate"s question, I felt my tears gathering at my eyes. Is this what they call, pressure? I really don"t like this.

"Because..."

"Do you want to escape?"

I look back to see Emotionless Guy. His hands were in his pocket as he stood behind me. I look at our surrounding to see who"s he talking to but he was looking at me.

"-ello, Ianne? Are you still there?"

"ah, wait."

"Do you want to leave the compet.i.tion?" Emotionless Guy continued.

I lost my attention at what Nate is saying that"s why I bid a goodbye to him before looking at Emotionless Guy.

"W-why?" I don"t know why I wasn"t able to speak properly.

"I"m going to help you."

I smile and I almost hug him at my happiness when I suddenly stop myself because of what he said next.

"Pay me."

"Ha?"

"Five thousand. At the opening."

He didn"t wait for my reply as he began to leave the library and continued going down, making me speechless.

Five thousand? What will he do with five thousand?