Skipped Heartbeats (Amorous Revival Series #5)

Chapter 1

Flashback

11 years ago

"Lagot ka, Xave!" bungad ni Geoff sa akin pagkasalubong ko sa kanya sa may cafeteria.

It's lunch time. I'm carrying my food tray when this friend of mine appeared right in front of me.

I sneered at him, totally unaware of what he's talking about. "What the hell do you mean?"

Ipinatong niya ang kanang braso sa aking balikat at sinabayan ako sa paglalakad patungo doon sa usual table namin.

Tumingin muna siya sa paligid saka sinubukang ibulong sa akin ang kung ano mang balitang dala niya. "Reese locked herself inside the restroom. She's still bawling her eyes out after you rejected her feelings. Sinasabi ko na sayo, Xave. Kapag nakarating 'to sa kuya niya ay baka bugbog ang aabutin mo bago ka makarating sa bahay niyo."

I scoffed. I don't have any qualms if that girl chose to dry her eyes out of tears. Dahil ba unica hija siya ng isang mayamang konsehal ay may karapatan na siyang makuha ang kahit na ano o sinumang gustuhin niya? Also, why is Geoff so affected by that worthless news? Sinasayang lang niya ang oras ko.

"Knock it off, Geoff. It's highly likely that your idea will turn out the opposite. It's her brother and whoever bodyguard her snotty family hired that would end up being sent in our own hospital's ER," I smirked.

"Oo nga, noh? Point well taken," pagsang-ayon niya.

"By the way, Sir Evan is looking for you during the first period. Pangatlong beses na 'to ngayong linggo na hindi mo pinasukan ang klase niya. Are you avoiding him?"

Nabulunan ako bigla. "Hell, no!"

When I managed to maintain my composure, I acted so calm and collected. "I always wake up late that's why. Useless rin kasi ang alarm clock ko. It's not loud enough to keep me awake."

"Tss, may pinagkakapuyatan ka siguro sa gabi kaya ka laging nale-late ng gising tuwing umaga," he nudged me by his elbow. "Umamin ka nga sa akin. Kaya ba ayaw mo kay Reese dahil may gusto ka ng iba?"

I ignored him. Wala pa sa vocabulary ko ang ma-in love. Sa tuwing nakikita ko nga si Ate Eli na umiiyak noon kapag sinusungitan ni Kuya Migo ay hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit nalulungkot siya sa gano'ng kababaw na bagay.

Love will really make you do crazy things. Unexplainable, crazy things. Kaya it's a hard pass for me.

Abala ako sa pag-ubos ng pagkain ko nang may tumulak sa aking likuran. The seafood paella left stains on my school uniform nang malaglag ko ang hawak na kutsara.

"Tao ka ba talaga, Xave?!" a familiar voice lashed out behind me.

I grinned devilishly. "Oh, Bruce. Are you here to beg and ask me to comfort your sister who's crying until now?"

Nakakuyom ang magkabila niyang kamao at bakas ang galit sa pag-igting ng kanyang panga.

"You should've made her see how you disliked her in the first place. But, you, being a total dick, gave her false hope. You made her think that you're interested to her. Gago ka! Pinaasa mo lang ang kapatid ko."

His horrid remark didn't even make me flinch. This is gonna be easy. I know how to tame wild animals like this jackass.

"Chill out. It's not my fault if Reese acted like a dictionary who gave my every move a different meaning. Bruh, I don't have any buttons that could control your sister's feelings on me. I didn't manipulate her either. Actually, rejecting her privately is kinder compared to humiliating her in front of the student body."