FAWN 🍂 15
   (Day 16, Friday)
 
   The next day, I went to school even though I still felt bad about what happened. Yesterday, the CEO of our school spoke with us in the detention office after I calmed down. Whatever happened yesterday should stay within the four walls of the room and should not spread throughout the school. Mrs. Mendez talked to all my classmates, and they agreed to keep their mouths shut. Arjo and I will never be in the same room again. The CEO moved him to the Humss C section, and I remained in Humss A. I don't know how he found out about what happened since I didn't tell him or anyone in the room.
 
   "Fawn," I'm no longer surprised when I walk into the room and Zev greets me with a hug. His arms wrap around me, and he nuzzles his head on my neck.
 
   "Zev, let go."
 
   "I'm sorry..."
 
   I furrow my brow at his words. "Sorry for what?"
 
   "I didn't know what happened between you and Arjo before," he mumbles.
 
   "And so?" I ask before he releases me and looks at me.
 
   "I didn't back you up yesterday."
 
   "Are you serious, Zevadiah?"
 
   "What?" he asks.
 
   "Why are you apologizing for not backing me up from what happened yesterday when you knew you didn't know what happened between Arjo and me? Don't apologize."
 
   "I should have--"
 
   "Zevadiah Braun Rizal," I look at him with a serious expression.
 
   He gulps, "Yes, Liebsti?"
 
   "You have nothing to apologize for. Remember that." I take a deep breath and give him a faint smile before tapping his shoulder and passing by.
 
   "Dhai," Felly gives me a gentle hug as I approach her. "Are you okay?" she asks after letting go of me.
 
   "Forget what happened yesterday..." I sit on a vacant chair beside her.
 
   "Forget about it? I'm seething with anger because of that gay and what he did. My blood is definitely boiling!" I can't blame Felly for what she did to Arjo yesterday because we haven't been on good terms since eleventh grade .
 
   It was because of a research assignment where I didn't lend him my laptop for our research. It was my mum's rule not to lend my laptop to my classmates, and it was also my fault for not informing my mum about it. I know I made a mistake because I didn't explain to mum that Arjo needed to use my laptop for our research. That's where everything started.
 
   "Forget what happened and we need to practice for our performance with Mrs. Creus." The issue is I haven't practiced with Zev yet.
   Her eyes widen, and she covers her mouth, "Crap... we haven't practiced with Elio yet."
 
   "Dhai, same."
 
   She scowls, "Tsk, I hate Mrs. Creus for giving us such a short time to practice."
 
   When Ms. Gomez enters, I quickly sit at my desk and I'm not surprised when she announces a vocabulary quiz. Subject after subject passes until the lunch break arrives, and I need to practice Tango and Rumba with Zev for our performance later in Mrs. Creus's class. There's not enough time, which is really frustrating.
 
   Luckily, our first afternoon subject teacher was absent, so I told Theo he won't be my partner.
 
   "Wait? Come again?" He furrows his brows, looking confused.
 
   "I'm sorry Theo, but Sera is going to be your partner." I flash a peace sign at him when an arm wraps around my waist from behind and stands beside me.
 
   "I'm taking my woman now." I sense Zev's serious tone next to me.
 
   "Fawn is supposed to be my partner." Theo looks agitated while staring at Zev.
 
   "She's mine."
 
   I take a deep breath; I can feel the tension rising before turning back to Theo. "I'm really sorry, Theo." Then I pull Zev away from Theo to prevent any conflict between them.
 
   We step out of the room, and I confront him, glaring, but he just smirks. "What the hell was that?"
 
   He shrugs, "What? I'm just stating some facts."
 
   I cross my arms over my chest. "Some facts? Like what?"
 
   He steps closer, his smirk disappearing, replaced by a serious expression as he looks me in the eye, "You're mine, and I won't let someone take you away from me."
 
   I raise an eyebrow at his words, "Since when did I become yours?"
 
   As he stands very close, he leans down beside my ear, sending shivers down my spine as I feel his breath against my skin, rendering me immobile. "Oh, Liebsti. You're already mine the moment I came back to this past," he whispers inaudibly. It's doing the thing inside my stomach again. What the hell is this?
 
   And I gasp when both his hands draw me closer to him, "Zev... what are you doing?"
 
   "I'm territorial when it comes to what's mine," he mumbles. I'm taken aback when he bites my ear, then he puts some distance between us.
 
   "..." My mind goes blank for a moment before I smack his head. I feel my cheeks flush at his action.
 
   He winces, instead of glaring at me, he just smirks, "Aw! What was that for?" he then touches the spot I smacked.
 
   "Why did you bite my ear?" I say softly, not wanting my classmates to hear.
 
   "So?" he leans in once more, so I glare at him. "At least your face is red right now. I like what I see." Annoyed, I push him away, and he stumbles back.
 
   "I will cut that tongue of yours so you will shut up.”
   "Feisty, Liebsti," I just give him a look at his words, and he pulls me closer to him again with his hand on my waist.
 
   "Stop pulling me close."
 
   "We have to practice Tango and Rumba, remember?" a sudden realization hits me again. Yep, I almost forgot that's why we're outside the room - we need to practice. "I did some research last night. And we start with this..." he wraps his arm behind my back and pulls me close against him. I hold my breath when I feel his broad chest against me. "Breathe... relax..." he says with a smile.
 
   "How can I relax when you're so fucking close?"
 
   "Language, Liebsti." I just roll my eyes at his reprimand of my choice of words. I only exhale deeply when he releases me and distanced himself from me. "Stand up straight with your shoulders back. Hold your head high with your spine straight and your chin forward. Engage your core to roll your shoulders back and keep your neck in line with your spine." I follow his instructions. "That's my girl," he adds when he sees me comply with his words.
 
   "Shut up." I eye him, deadly.
 
   He smiles at me. "You're mine, just accept it, Fawn."
 
   "Shut up."
 
   He shakes his head and pulls me close to his body again. "Now now, it's not the time to shut up. I have to teach you the basic steps of Tango. Step on my foot," he says.
 
   I look up at him; he's a bit taller than me. My height is 5'5", and he's around 6'5" or something. "Why?"
 
   "You're horrible with steps, especially your foot," he looks at me with a knowing look.
 
   "Wait, how did you know about that?" It's a secret I've been trying to hide for so long.
 
   "I noticed. Step on my foot all you want; I won't be mad." Since I have his consent, I cautiously step on his foot.
 
   We spend an hour practicing Tango, and when the next teacher doesn't come to class, we practice Rumba this time. Fifty minutes later, I've already memorized the steps, and we put on music using our earbuds while we dance Tango and Rumba.
 
   "You're a fast learner, Liebsti," he sits on a nearby chair after our practice.
 
   I wipe the sweat off my neck, "I am not."
 
   "You are because I am your partner," he crosses his legs and looks at me when I stop wiping my neck.
 
   "What the... are you delusional? I'm a dance troupe member of course I'm a fast learner not because you're my partner.”
 
   He laughs at me, then I place the handkerchief on my shoulder and tie up my hair. It's already hot, and my back is sweaty after our practice. Why is it so hot in the Philippines, and why do Filipinos love to have coffee when the sun is blazing? I'm not a coffee person but I noticed mostly flipinos drink coffee under the scorching sun in the afternoon. I mean why?
 
   My brows furrowed when Zev suddenly stands up and steps closer to me, doesn't say anything but leans down and kisses my forehead. "Ana uhibbuki kathiran, Liebsti.”
   Excuse me?