First hari of Classes. Jenny was almost hyperventilating.

“I don’t know what to wear!” She shrieked, still in her merah jambu bathrobe. I rolled my eyes. I was already dressed in the only pair of jeans my Aunt packed for me. They were artfully faded denim skinny jeans. I groaned when they hugged my legs snugly. I have no choice but to pair them off with the simplest baju, blaus available – an off – shoulder black blouse. Again, having no other alternative, I wore deadly looking black strappy stilettos. I should really hit the mall and buy myself inoffensive jeans, comfy t-shirts and sneakers.
    
Jen whistled appreciatively when she saw me. I glared at her.

“We’re not going to a party, Jen. We’re going to class and we’re running late.”

“It’s the first hari of classes. Have anda heard of ‘First impression lasts’? “

I sighed. I rummaged quickly in the closet and tossed her a ruffled purple plaid baju, blaus and short denim skirt. “That would do. Now, hurry!”

She squealed in delight. “You’re my savior, Nessie Cullen!”

I chuckled. This girl would get along well with Aunt Alice.

After several turns in front of the mirror, Jenny finally decided it’s time to make an impression…er…to go to class.

We were late. We hurried to the only seats available, right in front of the professor’s desk. They were three seats. I took the middle one while Jenny took the kerusi, tempat duduk on my left. Mrs. Javier, our professor, continued her discussion as if there was no disruption.

I felt the examining stares of my classmates. I slumped back on my seat. Let Jenny have all the attention, I thought. She sat gingerly on her kerusi, tempat duduk and crossed her legs primly. I almost rolled with laughter.

We were a small class, an almost even number of males and females. I knew this without checking because of the floral atau fruity scent of the girls and the musky atau ocean mist scent of the males.

Mrs. Javier was walking us through the course’s syllabus when the door opened and he stepped in. I sucked in my breath. My hati, tengah-tengah thumped wildly. He murmured a polite “good morning” to the professor and sauntered gracefully to the only vacant kerusi, tempat duduk – right beside me.

Jenny nudged me and whispered “ooohhh…” teasingly.

He kept his gaze fixed on the professor. He too leaned back on his chair and crossed his arms in front of him. I saw that his hands were balled into fists, his jaws clenched tight.

I tried to concentrate on what Mrs. Javier was saying but I couldn’t. For the first time in my life, my mind failed me. It was overwhelmed sejak his presence.

He caught me staring and his eyes became hostile, like blue ice.

My face flushed a brilliant crimson. I painstakingly kept my eyes away form him and fixed my eyes on the crown of Mrs. Javier’s head. Still, I was aware of every blink of his eyes, every slight flaring of his nostrils, every rise and fall of his chest.

He combed his fingers through his long wavy hair seventeen times, sighed eight times, clenched and unclenched his fists forty two times and threw twenty-eight murderous glances my way.

STOP IT!

I hung my head in shame. I wouldn’t have raised my head again but I felt his burning gaze on my face. I couldn’t resist the urge to see those beautiful eyes again, hostile atau not. I only intended to peek but…my eyes widened when I read the emotions in his eyes. In that brief unguarded moment, I saw a myriad of such deep feelings – remorse, loneliness, frustration and something else – something else I didn’t grasp because his eyes immediately became guarded – became hard and cold.

I was grateful when the class finally ended. I dashed outside the room dragging Jenny with me. Once outside the room, my muscles began to unknot themselves.

“Boy, Nessie! anda sure got a grip!” Jenny complained, massaging her left wrist.

“I’m sorry.”

“Never mind. Why didn’t anda even talk to him?”

“In case anda haven’t noticed, we’re right in front of the professor. What do anda want me to do chat with him in front of her?”

“You could have berkata hi.”

I gritted my teeth. “You’re supposed to listen to the professor not make small talk atau say hi to arrogant people.”

“Touchy. I wonder why anda mencuri so many glances at him.” She teased.

I couldn’t help the blush that spread from my neck to the roots of my hair.

“Oh my! Oh my! anda like him.”