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It took about five seconds before any of us were able to talk. The annoying guy seemed like he was ready to throw a lift and punch Ron in the face. The other guys behind us were starting to stand, probably ready for a brawl. I had never been scared in my entire life than that moment. There was going to be a brawl and I would be in the middle of it. It was going to be my fault. The annoying kid stood and eyed Ron. He was probably an inch shorter than Ron but otherwise they were same built. Both were extremely tall for me and I just wouldn't be able to convince them much less stop them.

The annoying kid however just grinned. "Chill man, I wasn't going to steal your pretty little girlfriend." He then laughed real hard and took the money from Ron. He sat back on his chair and so did his friends.

The relief I felt in that moment was incredible. I thought I had never breathed like that in my life. I looked at Ron. He was standing tall and confident. He looked at me and smiled. I still didn't know how to treat him. He almost got into trouble for me but he didn't have to do it. I could've taken care of myself.

Oh who was I kidding? I could barely talk to people much less ask them anything. Ron Dominguez just saved my bum this time. And I had to thank him. I was going to. I swear. But then I got scared. I had rejected him before and I felt so bad that I did. I didn't know how to talk to him anymore. I sat back on my chair and didn't bother looking back at him. It was the most upsetting thing that I did in my entire life. Trust me; I did a lot of passing up opportunities in my sad short existence. I was just so much of a coward; it was disappointing.

I couldn't really concentrate on my assignment anymore. I tried so hard to continue making the task which I could've done better now that it wasn't noisy but it was all the more hard to concentrate because I knew that Ron Dominguez was in a unit using a computer and I hadn't said a word to him. It could've been the least thing that I could do in exchange for the goodness he showed to me.

I grabbed a sticky note in my bag and scribbled, Thank you. ~Dani, in it. It was all I could think of to cover the cowardice that I had. There was just nothing I could've done better. Talking to him was just not something I could really muster the courage of. I walked to Ron's unit and pasted the sticky note on his table.

I did not wait for him to say anything. I just quickly ran out of the internet shop and cried. I was pathetic. It was the worst feeling. I couldn't stand myself. I couldn't talk and express my gratitude. And all I could do is cry and cry and cry.

"Dani Dani Dani." I heard somebody called my name. I turned around and saw Ron Dominguez running after me. I stopped. It was not long when he reached me. We stood in front of each other and there was a short pause before he smiled to me and said, "You're welcome." He brought his hand upfront for a handshake. I looked at his hand for a moment and then decided that this time I was gonna take it.

I shook his hand and I felt so light. It was so warm. It wasn't the same like when he first grabbed my hand and the coldness of it spread all over my body. I hated it then. I never wanted to feel that kind of cold again. But this was absolutely different. I wanted to hold him longer but I knew that it must've been weird for him so I let go of his hand. He had smiled at me all the time but when I let go of his hand he gave me what I could only understood as the farewell glance before he turned around and walked away.

I was disappointed. But what did I ever expect of happening anyway? He wouldn't want to come to me and ask me again because it would have absolutely made him look stupid. I couldn't blame. He wasn't ever mean to me anyway even after the rejection that I did to him.

I watched him walk away until he finally disappeared. I turned around and walked back to my dorm. I couldn't take my mind off of what happened. Ron Dominguez was just a stranger. He was a schoolmate I never bothered looking at or talking to because I knew that the kind of people he socialized with weren't the kind who talked and smiled to the kind of person that I was. But he saw me, talked to me, gave me flowers, smiled at me, and most importantly made me feel special even for just a bit.

I thanked Ron Dominguez not just for helping me that one time in the internet shop. I thanked him because even if it might not be a big thing to any other people, I could feel that somehow Ron Dominguez had stirred something inside me. I felt like Ron Dominguez had changed me.

-End-