Frozen Fire

Chapter 36

Chapter 36

The Heart and the Mind

Akala ko ay ihahatid ako ni Phoenix sa classroom ko ngunit bigla siyang pumihit papunta sa parking lot.

"Where are we going? I still have classes!" tanong ko.

"Road trip?" he asked. I looked at him incredulously. 

"Are you nuts? May klase pa tayo!" sabi ko.

"Cut?" he asked. Hinampas ko siya sa braso.

"Hindi ako iresponsableng estudyante kagaya mo!" pagalit na sabi ko. 

"At isa pa, your father's minions might be watching us," sagdag ko at napalingon lingon. He just shrugged.

"Got rid of them again," he said na parang wala lang.

"How do you even do that?" I asked, curious about his tricks and how he always gets away with everything. Ganoon ba kabano ang mga guards niya at hindi nito madalas nalalaman ang mga ginagawang kabalastugan nito?

Or maybe his dad is just loosening his grip on him on purpose?

I shook the thought away and just focused on the situation at hand.

"I told you, a master never reveals his secrets," sabi niya at kumindat pa sa akin. I just scoffed at him and his antics.

"Loosen up for once, babe," sabi pa nito. My nose cringed at the endearment he used.

"Do not use that endearment on me," ani ko. "At anong for once? You made me cut classes few days ago!" I reminded while raising my eyebrows at him.

"Oh yeah! Then loosen up for the second time," natatawang sabi niya. Napabuntong hininga nalang ako sa katigasan ng ulo niya. This is probably why he's heavily guarded. Para siyang daga na kung saan saan sumusuot!

Nakarating na rin kami sa parking lot. I saw his familiar Porsche. He opened the passenger seat for me. I stood there expressionless. Ayoko talagang magcutting kahit wala naman kaming quizzes ngayon. I felt guilty the last I did. But looking at Phoenix beaming, even my mind was shouting at me to go with him. He had a wide smile on his face and he looked unusually radiant.

I sighed and wordlessly went inside the car. Narinig ko naman ang mahinang pag 'yes' niya at ang fist pump niya sa ere na parang batang pinagbigyang maglaro sa labas. Pumihit rin agad siya papunta sa driver's seat na para bang nagmamadali bago pa magbago ang isip ko.

He started the engine and off we went.

"Where are we going?" I asked. I was expecting him to not answer, but surprisingly, he did.

"Road trip?" he asked, as if weighing if I wanted to go on a road trip.

"Where to?" I asked.

Maaga pa. It was fifteen minutes before 10AM. Hindi naman mawala sa isip ko ang mga klase ko na hindi pinasukan. Mayroon pa sana akong tatlong klaseng natitira dahil nakalipas na ang isang klase na kanina pa nagsimula. Buti nalang ay tatlong minor at isang major lang ang maliliban ko. Besides, I think I already know the lessons. Advanced reading has its perks.

"Tagaytay Highlands?" he asked. Tumango nalang ako.

I leaned on my seat and stared at the road. I felt a smile suddenly creeping on my face.

This is so stupid!

Phoenix confessing that he likes me hasn't fully sunk in yet. It surprised me. All along he was blatant on wanting to steal Charlotte from Winter. Then, bigla siyang nakikitang kasama si Sky. Then suddenly he tells me that he likes me.