What Belongs to Me [COMPLETE]

Chapter 7 "The Circle"

Apart from my best friend LJ,I have another set of friends in class and we call our group "the circle". We were nine in the circle; Jumar, Sam, Jas, Gayle, Vans, Nina, CJ, Christa and I. They’re all talented and have different unique personalities. We, in the circle have different strengths; some are really terrific with their drafting and painting skills while I and the other half are slaying academics and design concept making.

The good thing was; when anyone of us needs help for something, the others were always ready on the rescue to help. That’s why we had a strong bond. We even talked shits about our instructors every day, i mean every minute and cursed them out but there’s no snake who did dare to backstab and tell on us. I guess that's the beauty of finding and building a loyal circle of friendship. There have been instances when misunderstanding occurred between us but we always find ways to fix our issues. I think I was the one who always did the repairing, I’m not sure if I was so humble that I come talking to them first, even if it’s not me who wronged the other, or was just I afraid to lose my friends and be alone.

I was just about to climb down the plain heavy-looking stairwell from the fourth floor of our department building, after staring for some minutes at the huge picture window of our classroom looking at the top of the acacia trees with the house birds playing on its rustling leaves, maybe chirping but i couldn't really hear it. And then Jas suddenly grabbed my elbow and intertwined hers on mine which made me flinched.
“Hi gurl, what is it?” I asked with a gasped in my voice.
“Nothing really, I just want to invite you to our apartment tonight, we’re having a group study, I also invited the circle! Can you come?” she’s talking very fast while catching her breath.
“Of course I would love to, I’ll inform you later when I’m on my way.”
“Great” she said and we hoofed together to the school gate.

When I arrived at the rusty-red gate of their old-looking apartment, i really meant it, like an ancient and primeval place, Gayle was already standing at the corner waiting for me, telling me that the others are already inside. I’ve been in their place plenty of times already and even been sleeping with them in one bed tangle everywhere like a noddle. Their place is an old property in four row houses type, every row is two-story with two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a joint living area and dining area with the kitchen on the corner beside the bathroom. The lower ground is made of massive concrete foundation while the upper part is wooden; the house is filled with antiques from chairs to tables to the cabinets that have a very detailed carvings and the ambience was just so senescent.

Just when I was about to sit after laying my tools on the console table, Jumar excitedly babbled on me,
“Hey, you haven’t been hanging out with us lately. Did you already found new friends or...?” hanging his mouth wide open in anticipation for my response.
”Or what?” I cut him off- feeling already anxious. They all turned their attention to me excitedly mumbling to the air and like a choir saying,
“Or......”
“Is there someone else that you’re so busy hanging out with, apart from us and your best best friend LJ?” Nina asked frowning, attempting to display a trying-hard serious face.
“We noticed that you haven’t been sleeping here for a couple of weeks already” Sam followed Nina’s remark, with her lips pouted. My underarm then started to pool a sweat and so I said in my antsy words,
“You know we’re being tortured lately by madam M., don’t tell me? You’ve been gathering around not informing me, you do huh? And no! There’s no one! Ok? Right, I’m spending most of my time at LJ’s place lately” although stummering, I’ve regained the confidence in my tone.
“Relax...” everyone said except for CJ being absorbed watching K-drama, which made me want to jump on her side to watch with her and prepare our mix emotions while watching, well Korean series are superb and sureal and they are the only thing that can make my tears welled in my eyes.
“We’re just asking” said Jumar grinning sheepishly. And at last! after putting me in the hot seat which they surely succeeded, everyone went back to their drafting boards.

After doing enough with our plates, I courageously excused myself from them, yes! I dauntlessly prepared myself on how they'll react again.
“Guys I have to go now, I have some urgent matter to do.” i said forcing a halfhearted smile, everyone then looked at each other, raising their brows and drawing annoying smiles on their faces.
“And you say there’s nobody?” Nina questioned me almost a hissed. I might have been too obvious because I couldn’t hide the excitement in my face. Thinking of Cizar waiting for me at my place makes me somewhat all excited. But I denied it saying,
“My cousin is waiting for me back at my apartment, so I really have to go now, bye guys”
“Cousin? Cousin? Can you introduce us to your cousin?” they said in a teasingly sounds, but I didn’t answer them, just turning my back to the escape hole and closing the door behind me, chuckling alone while walking to the gate.

Moments like this, times when i'm already finished with my take home plates is one of those rare opportunities where I got the chance to spend my time with Cizar without worrying about other issues. When I got to my apartment as fast as wonder woman which is one of my favorite superhero, I was somehow enthusiastic in coming in expecting Cizar on the living room. But my eager facial expression automatically shifted to a serious look when I saw my board mate with his guests talking loudly to each other on the dining area while laughing clamorously. I then said my excuse to them as i traipsed onto my door, entered my room and played a little sound on my phone so that I wouldn’t hear them outside.

I lay on my bed, covering my body with my fine soft blanket like that of a cats furr, only better. Because I don’t want the fan creeping and rustling through the fine hairs of my body, I just feel tickled every time. Burying my face on my pillow to relax; but it was the opposite that I felt when I smell the strong intoxicating scent that’s coming from my pillow? My blanket? My bed? No! My room! It’s the manly scent of Cizar from the mixture of his cologne and sweat. My body began to sweat as I inhale this scent that he left in my room. I was startled from my intense imagination when there was a familiar knock on my door. A rythmic sound of three consecutively soft knocks using a knuckle. I opened it and, there! Cizar was standing, with the light from the main door on his back, he looks like a movie star, a romantic one. I was yet about to ask him if what does he needs when he suddenly force himself inside my room.
“What’s wrong?” I asked him and he said,
“Nothing!  What about you? Why are you so wet?” I was stunned by his unexpected response and can barely answer him directly with my tattling words.
“Ah ah, I’m exercising” I lied. “I haven’t been working out these past weeks and now I just felt the need to do it.” I continued. “Why are you here?” I asked him again.
“I was here earlier sitting there outside, but you’re not still in until those people outside barged in, so I had to go to my room.” My heart skipped a beat after processing the fact that he had waited for me.
“And...?” I asked him in anticipation for another cute response.
“And I went to the care-taker just now to ask something, I was just checking out if you’re already in, and when I saw that your lights were on, there!” there’s a rush in his words.
“I see you’re not that busy as you have time to work out, huh?” He asked me grinning but there's something with his sneer and then i realized that my skin and my Y-cut shirt is somewhat becoming one instantly because of my sweat.
“Yes, I just submitted my plates earlier and while waiting for the sure required revision. I can safely say I’m not so busy” i said moving uncomfortably. He sat on my drafting stool, placing his hands on the stool between his thighs showing how toned his muscle on both arms, well unintentionally but i just somewhat detailedly noticed it. He’s wearing loose blue sleeveless and fitted denim boxer short that’s why the firm muscles on his legs were becoming visible. When he saw me studying his looks or just simply looking at him if he's not that assuming, he simply turned his back at me facing the table. Raising his head slightly and checking out my sticky notes and some floor plans, that I glued on the wall. Awww..... He's so hot on that position and when I saw him about to lean his elbows on my table,
“Watch out! You might crumple my tracing paper there and accidentally spill the ink on it. And guess what's going to happen to me? I will die...!” He looked at me very startled saying,
“Don’t exaggerate, I will be careful” I began to raise my voice to stop him, pronouncing his name correctly,
“But Chesarey?” He cut what I’m about to say ignoring my authoritative voice.
“Relax, how does it work? This lettering guide thing?” he mumbled, studying the thing, still not looking at the expression of my face, because maybe he knew that i was already about to explode.
“Please get your hands off it, that’s not a toy Cizar!” i roared at him almost like a cry.
“I know it’s not a toy, I’m just asking, can you teach me how to use it then?” he said insistently. I was angry but there's something with his aura that's stopping me, commanding and manly. Ohhh my heart! Now he’s going to insist what he wants again. That scenario is one of those moments, those days when he keeps on insisting what he wants like a child pleading to watch a cartoon.
“I bet this is just easy, show me once how to use it and you’ll see, I’m a fast learner” he said full of himself, trying to sound cute to control the situation, and i fell for it, for his charm.
“Fine! Fine! Get up, I’ll write something, so watch” He focused his eyes while I attached my point .4 technical pen on the scriber and hooked it on the lettering guide. “Now, watch carefully” I told him. He eyed me very well as I wrote “CEASARE BAD BOY” on the old magazine cover. He just snickered at what I wrote and he said grinning at me,
“Now, it’s my turn” he sat on the stool and began holding the scriber. He was holding it in a wrong way so I had to hold his hands to position it, feeling his perfect hand and warm presence. But when he continued writing, I noticed again that he is putting too much force in pressing the scriber that’s why he can’t really move it.
“See? You can’t do it” I said, putting my hopeless and a sorry face.
“Please have patience teacher.” He said jokingly. That's why I grabbed his hand and told him to relax in holding it and to just go with the flow of the guides. I felt and sensed the texture of his palm and hand, it’s a little rough, and there is really masculinity and expertise in it, not in that way.
“Ok thanks, let me do it” he said and began writing his name and some random words to practice. I backed away with my sticky self and,
“I’ll just take a shower, don’t make a mess on my things! Okay?” I said, grabbing my robe and i inched to the bathroom. “
“Ok teacher...” he said teasing.
When I entered my room, on my midnight blue bathrobe that has a cut above my knees. He just raised his brows to study me a little for a minute i guess while standing in front of him, and then he stood up and went outside going to the terrace saying,
“I’ll just get some air over there” motioning his head to the balcony.

I changed into my monogramed pajama with "vogue" words and a plain white shirt as my top. I went to follow Cizar outside to check on him. The night is getting thicker and the surroundings are now filled with the numbing cold breeze of air, slapping our exposed skin.
“Hey, it’s too cold here, why don’t you go inside” I said to him while his back is facing me. He was stunned when he heard me talk.
“I thought you’re not coming out anymore, my hands are now freezing, come touch it” he said, extending his hands to me. I hesitantly touched it because i don't know what will happen if i did, but with courage i eventually touched it with my point finger and said,
“You’re right.” I said uncomfortably and he told me,
“Is that how you define touch?” And then he grabbed my right hand cupping it with both of his hands. I died, i literally died with the electricity that traveled through me instantly.
“Isn’t it so fucking cold? Make it hot, please” I was a little startled on what he just did, i swallowed and I said stummering,
“Yes... it’s cold” and i awkwardly pulled my hands on his and then I said, “come on let’s get back inside.” He leaned a little at the railing of the terrace letting out a deep sigh which i didn't know what was it for and then he muttered,
“It’s ok; I’m fine, go inside now. It’s very chilling out here; I’m going upstairs in a minute.”
“Sure, goodnight then” I hushed, and so I went inside. He said “Good night” in a low tone that I could barely hear.

I switched on the light on the living room as I passed by, thinking about what just happened outside. His hands, No! About what he said. He said, “Its ok, I’m fine”, what did he meant by it? And why didn’t he come with me inside? He went directly to his room, after waiting for me out there in the cold? My paranoia was getting to me again.
I checked my pending’s on my notes on the wall as I sat on my stool. I was about to fix my lettering set when I can’t find my pen that Cizar uses in practicing. Finally, I saw it on top of my personal notebook and I was then flabbergasted not because of any messy mistake he does, but because he wrote his name on the front cover of my book, my personal notebook. The word says in caps lock “CEASARE”. And I could clearly see the lapses of lines on the letters, made from how he pressed the scriber ungently. I didn’t know but I’m not infuriated at all, I just couldn’t stop smiling for no reason.