David’s P.O.V.

I was caught and so, she left me with no other choice but to come out.

“Mr. Rivera?” Disbelief crossed her entire pretty face as light wrinkles were visible on her forehead, and it seemed like her eyeballs would soon come out of their sockets.

I must admit that she was quite attractive and there was no point in denying it. While carrying my backpack on my left shoulder, I fixed my uniform and went to the center aisle before I slowly stepped down the stairs to come closer to her. Our Music Room was designed just like a movie theater.

“Ms. Delgado, what’s with that last name basis? You’re so formal. You can just call me David or Dave!” I pretended to laugh at her to hide what I was starting to feel. I didn’t know why but I suddenly felt uneasy with her presence. It felt awkward.

I guessed it was a different feeling… a feeling I knew nothing about.

She let out a fake smile as her magnificent green eyes never left me. Her stares were honestly intimidating—at the same time—unknowingly captivating me towards her.

She crossed her arms in front of her chest. “I don’t want to. You’re not even my friend and I don’t want to be friends with someone I’ve known to be my rival from the very start! Got it?” She sarcastically raised her left eyebrow at me before immediately fixing her things.

And when she was done, I did not know why but I found her gorgeous when she placed the strap of her red guitar bag on her right shoulder.

What the heck! Did I really think of her that way? I tilted my head as I dismissed my thoughts.

She was about to head straight towards the exit of the Music Room when I opened my mouth trying to provoke her, “Ouch! Walking out again, huh?” I even held my chest to pretend that I was hurt by what she was doing.

Then, she stopped and threw me some deadly stares.

A cunning smile suddenly formed on my lips as I continued, “You know what, Miss Delgado? I should be calling you, Miss Perfect. Why? Because you swept all the items correctly during our Physics exam! That was quite hard, huh? And for that, I was damnably surprised! Actually, it made me… admire you. But I was thinking that instead of Miss Perfect, I would prefer to call you something else. Hmm… would it be better to call you Miss Walkout Queen because it suited you well?” I saw her face blushed. She had rosy-white cheeks and those even got reddish at my compliment.

But little did she know how I truly felt upon mentioning that I admired her. I wanted to beat myself up because I had a girlfriend so why would I tell those words to her?

“You’re talking a lot of nonsense and I can’t believe that I’m wasting my precious time here with someone like you. You’ll never worth my time!” That was what she said before finally leaving.

Still looking at the door although I could no longer see her, I found myself smiling all along. She was brusque enough to tame me that somehow, the rage that was lurking inside my chest a while ago had lessened up a bit. I then realized that because of Helena, I was able to grin.

As I went out of the Music Room, I decided not to go to the canteen yet. Maybe, I would just loiter around the school garden and breathe some fresh air.

Just a few steps went by, I quietly went inside our school’s man-made orchard to think about my relationship with Vanessa. The garden was serene enough with different vibrant flowers on its sides and some vines climbing at its roof, embracing the whole scenery.

Perhaps, I was only overthinking. Nothing was going on between the two of them.

But little did I know that the place where I thought my soul could start to breathe anew, was the same place I would soon abhor. When I was starting to freshen a little, the scene I never expected to happen would soon appear right in front of my face as I reached the midpoint of the garden. It made my blood boil all of a sudden.

Fuck! I cursed on my mind.

I saw Vanessa kissing Drew and they were almost making out!

She did not even mind if her shoulder skin as well as her bra straps were already exposed. They did not care if people would see them in this kind of nasty situation. They just wanted to satisfy themselves as their tongues danced together!

I clenched my fists in an instant. I wanted to hit that Drew in the face, but I slowly calmed myself and decided to let this one pass… although my emotions already dialed up way too far. Swallowing the imaginary lump on my throat seemed like swallowing my whole pride while watching how my girlfriend was cheating on me.

Dave, calm down!

I should not let this affect my standing in school, let alone disappoint my sister so I should think better. I would become this year’s class valedictorian. I should not be seen fighting on the school grounds.

Heartbroken to decide whether or not should I just leave the two of them here, another unexpected event suddenly waved at me. On the other side of the garden was Helena and just like me, her eyes were widely stuck at the kissing traitors! She was even slack-jawed as if her jaws dropped off the floor.

I immediately went to her, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her out for us to leave the garden. I was able to get closer to Helena, but Vanessa and Drew did not even budge as if trapped in their desired tryst. I was still trying to calm myself down, but God knew what was truly running inside my head.

Damn it, I don’t want to kill people even though I wanted to do that right away!

“Hey, Mr. Rivera! Where are you taking me? Let me go!”

Helena’s loud voice that mentioned my surname suddenly caught the attention of Vanessa and Drew, and that made them stop from what they were currently doing.

The betrayers looked like they had been suddenly splashed with cold water when they realized that I already saw their wrongdoings behind my back. How I wished that I could have just brought a big bucket of cold water here and poured the contents to them with all my might! But hell no, they did not deserve water. They deserved… blood!

I dragged Helena again but we were not yet far when Vanessa ran closer to us. “Dave, wait! Let me explain!”

Being blinded by my love for Vanessa had only chained me to nowhere. Although I was pulling Helena a while ago, I walked like my limbs did not really belong to me. Everything hurts now. Every damn little thing.

I was still holding Helena’s wrist when I faced Vanessa. As much as possible, I did not want to be engaged in any kind of rumpus, especially now that some passers-by were starting to look at us.

It hurts a lot! Even in my dreams, I did not see that Vanessa could do this to me. I almost gave everything to her. I protected her with all my heart! But perhaps, that was what she learned from the book that she would always read… to the fact that she did not even mind her unbuttoned blouse as she came to us and I could even see her lacy bra.

“Explain what? Enough of this, Vanessa!” I clasped the printed sweet photo from my pants’ pocket and threw it to her. “Since when have you been cheating on me?” I yelled.

Vanessa’s trembling fingers picked the folded paper on the ground, slowly opened it and she gasped upon seeing their picture together.

“Let me go, Mr. Rivera. It hurts!” Helena struggled as she pulled her hand away from the intensity of my grip.

Due to my lavish rage, I wasn’t able to control myself and menacingly snarled at her, “Shut up!” After that, I ghastly looked at Vanessa and growled at her, “Since when?” I gritted my teeth. I was undoubtedly stunned with anger. It welled up my chest and began to consume me.

“I’m s-sorry, Dave… but D-Drew is my boyfriend since we were in the second year,” she said with guilt.

I nodded like a crazy man. So they were already in a relationship before we became a couple last year? Well done!

“Damn you, Vanessa! And me? How about me, huh? What was I to you? Your pathetic helper who was always available to enhance your photos? A slave that would do all your homework? Running-for-valedictorian boyfriend to show off your annoying friends? We’re done here!”

I clenched my right fist as I laid my eyes on Drew—who does not seem to have the balls to look at me straight in the eyes.

“And let me tell your coward, asshole, and son-of-a-bitch boyfriend here not to show up in front of me ever again… because even though he is a varsity player, no one can stop me from breaking his face!” I even pointed my finger at Drew who was just quietly staying behind Vanessa, before I left and finally pulled Helena away.

Helena kept on struggling to free her wrist, but I was only making it hard for her. When we got inside the Music Room, I immediately locked the door so that no one could enter aside from us.

“Hey, what are you doing? Can you let go of me now?” Helena again pulled her left wrist away from me, which I noticed that I was still tightly gripping. There was a hint of uncertainty in her voice—far from the fierce teenager I had known for two days.

Only then, I was able to realize everything that happened. I must admit that my mind, heart, and soul got heartbroken and enraged. I was blinded by too much anger that my mouth even cussed at the school’s premises! I could be reported to the office and be called by the Guidance Counselor anytime soon.

I then let go of her wrist. It was as if bruised and it was too late for me to realize that Helena should be out of this mess.

“I’m sorry!” I sincerely said. At the same time, I was silently asking for her forgiveness. I just did not know if I deserved it.

“Well, you should be! You know what? I can sue you for this… but because I saw how your girlfriend betrayed you, I will let this pass, Rivera. But just this one!” She was gently massaging her left wrist and guilt continued to occupy me knowing that it was still reddish because of me.

Helena’s skin was almost as white as a turnip. Eventually, my anger was replaced by guilt. I must admit that I somehow felt a sense of responsibility for what I did to her.

“Ex-girlfriend,” I corrected her as a late reaction, before letting out a hopeless chuckle. I guessed I was completely out of my mind.

“Whatever! I’ll go ahead, I still have to go to the library and do my assignment. We don’t have an afternoon class anymore but it doesn’t mean that you will just waste your time destroying yourself here. Let me give you some advice, okay? Grow up, Rivera! Stand like a man. You know what? Yes, she betrayed you… but you should be thankful enough that at this early stage, you were able to see her true colors. At least, you won’t even have to reach that point in your life where you will find it real hard to totally move on!”

She was about to make her way through the exit door to finally get out of the Music Room when I suddenly seized her right hand to stop her from leaving me alone.

“H-Helena… can you stay with me? Even just for a while.”