The Engineer (Batchelor Series #2)

20

Drakon Da Vinci
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It had been a regular day at school, nothing too special, until I spotted Renz in the hallway, leaning against the lockers with that familiar grin plastered on his face. Beside him stood one of the girls from our class, giggling and touching his arm. He seemed completely at ease, leaning in just a little too close, his abs slightly visible under his half-zipped jacket. The sight made my blood boil.

I tried to ignore it, walking past them, but I couldn’t stop my eyes from darting toward them again. Really? Right here in the middle of the hallway? It was nothing new—Renz always had people fawning over him, and he seemed to love the attention. But today, it felt different. A heavy weight settled in my chest as I caught the way the girl laughed at something he said, her eyes sparkling like he was the only person in the world.

I clenched my fists. What’s your problem, Drakon? Why do you even care? I scolded myself silently. I wasn’t the type to get caught up in stuff like this, especially not over Renz. But the irritation gnawed at me, growing stronger the longer I stood there, pretending not to watch.

Then, just as I was about to walk away, I saw Renz lean in even closer, whispering something into the girl’s ear. She giggled again, her hand resting on his arm like they were sharing some inside joke. My jaw tightened. That familiar mix of anger and frustration churned inside me. Putangina, ano ba to?

"Hey, Drakon!" a voice called from behind me. I turned to see one of  my friend waving me over, si Fei. I forced myself to tear my gaze away from Renz and the girl.

"Yeah?" I asked, trying to sound normal, but the sharp edge in my voice was unmistakable.

"You okay?" she asked, looking at me curiously. "You seem... tense."

"I’m fine," I muttered, glancing once more in Renz’s direction before turning my back to them completely.

But I wasn’t fine. In fact, the more I thought about it, the more irritated I became. Renz had always been a flirt, always had people hanging around him, but seeing him with someone else today—I don’t even know her name—made something snap inside me. Jealousy? Was that what I was feeling?

Damn it.

I tried to focus on my tasks for the day, but the image of them laughing together, standing too close for comfort, was burned into my mind. I couldn’t shake it, no matter how hard I tried. Every time I passed by the hallway again, I half-expected to see them still there, and when they weren’t, a part of me was relieved. But the jealousy still simmered beneath the surface.

By lunchtime, I couldn’t take it anymore. I spotted Renz sitting at his usual table, talking with a group of friends. He caught my eye and waved me over, flashing that same carefree smile that made my stomach twist. Why does he have to be so damn charming? I thought bitterly as I approached.

“Pres! What’s up?” he greeted, leaning back in his chair casually. “I saw you earlier. Mukhang busy ka, ah?”

I grunted in response, sitting down across from him. My mood was darker than I intended, and I could feel the tension in my own body.

“Uy, anong nangyari sa’yo?” he asked, noticing my sour expression. “You’re usually not this quiet. Bad day ba?”

“No,” I replied curtly, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of knowing what was really bothering me.

He raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying my answer. “Really? Kasi parang may gusto kang sabihin. Spill it, Pres. Alam ko naman na di ka ganito.”

I clenched my jaw, trying to keep my cool. “Nothing. Just… saw you earlier. In the hallway.”

Renz blinked, clearly confused at first, then his face broke into that familiar, infuriating grin. “Oh, you mean with Ella?” he asked casually. “We were just talking. No big deal.”

Ella. Her name felt like a sharp sting. I hated how effortlessly he could brush it off.

“You looked pretty close,” I muttered, unable to hide the bitterness in my voice.

Renz’s grin widened, and I instantly regretted saying anything. “Wait, are you… jealous, Pres?” he asked, leaning in, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “I never thought I’d see the day.”

“Don’t flatter yourself,” I snapped, but the heat in my face betrayed me.

“Wow, wow. Relax,” he teased, but there was a mischievous glint in his eyes. “I didn’t know you’d get worked up over something so small.”

“It’s not that,” I grumbled, though I knew I wasn’t fooling anyone. I could feel Renz’s gaze on me, and it only made my frustration worse.

“Sure, sure,” he said, chuckling softly. “But if you were jealous, you could’ve just said something. I would’ve stopped. Hindi naman kita gustong inisin.”

I glared at him. “You enjoy it, though, don’t you?”

He smirked. “Maybe a little.”

I groaned, running a hand through my hair in frustration. “God, you’re so annoying sometimes.”

“You like it,” he said, winking playfully. Then, before I could respond, he added, “Pero, seriously, Drakon. If you wanted my attention, all you had to do was ask.”

I froze, caught off guard by his words. My eyes flicked to his, searching for any sign that he was joking. But for once, Renz wasn’t grinning. His expression was calm, and his eyes—though still full of their usual confidence—had a sincerity that made my chest tighten.

“I—” I started, but no words came out.

Renz’s grin returned, but this time it was softer, less teasing. “Don’t worry, Pres. You’ve always had my attention.”

The tension in my chest eased, but my mind was still reeling. I couldn’t figure out if I wanted to punch him or… something else entirely.

“Let’s just eat,” I muttered, grabbing a sandwich from my bag, trying to ignore the heat in my face.

But as we sat there, with Renz occasionally glancing at me with that knowing smirk, I couldn’t help but think that maybe—just maybe—he wasn’t entirely wrong.

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