Harold and I walked together inside the campus with my head still bothered by too many thoughts again. I am actually curious if Harold saw Denver's face. Velasquez family is popular in this city with their business chains. I'm afraid someone recognizes him earlier.
As we passed the quadrangle, a few students flocked to the middle as if there was a commotion going on. We stopped walking and I saw Harold facepalmed because of that. He glances immediately at me with a troubled expression. He shook his head and I immediately understand him. He's a student officer.
“You can go first, Sharmienne. I need to fix this before someone reports this to the Guidance Office and leads to misunderstanding.” I nodded at him and he walked near those students.
I looked at my watch and it was still seven in the morning. I glanced back to where the commotion is before I walked alone, passing every student who are eager to know what is happening. After exactly five minutes of walking, I saw some of my classmates doing their own thing. They looked at me and timidly smile which I smiled with a nod. I took a seat and fished out my sketch pad. I will draw a new sketch for Denver. I remembered that I tear it from my pad and put it inside my notebook. I will just give it as a gift to him.
I started sketching while my classmates are being noisy inside our room. Our first period was free as the teacher didn’t come. It was supposed to be a good time for me when someone nudged my elbow and destroyed the sketch I am about to finish.
I looked up only to see a guy wearing a hoodie shirt with a cap on his head. He looks masculine based on his physique and arms showing. It was his eyes that I met next. It has a hazel tint as it complimented his tanned skin. His protruding eyes darted at me with his arched brow. I pierced my lips as I stared back at him, with my brows furrowed with what he did. I am sure he was the one who nudged me.
He was about to turn his back to me when his eyes doubled-look on my sketch. His lips formed a small smirk that was not almost visible if I am not near him. He glanced at me and then back to my drawing before he nods as if he understood something.
“Mrs. Velasquez, huh?”
My lips almost parted but I closed them a second after I remember what Denver told me. No one knows our marriage aside from the both of us, his friends, and Kian. So, who is this guy? Does he have an idea about it?
“Pardon?” I asked lightly.
I furrowed as I closed my sketch pad. I managed to do that as I followed his eye movements. It went straight through me as if he was also observing me.
“You like that guy you drew? You must be the next heiress, Ms. Golieza?” he spoke and took a seat next to me. By instinct, I moved away from him while hugging my sketch pad as if it was my shield. He chuckled lightly because of my reaction. “Scaredy cat. I like it.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked, already confused. “We’re classmates?” I reassured.
“We’re seatmates, obviously,” he muttered. “you’re the transferee, so I know you.”
I just nodded before I looked away, not minding him again. He looks suspicious but carefree at the same time. I just kept myself silent the whole class while this guy was beside me. He was also quiet during classes and sometimes he would recite. I think he’s an achiever because the way he speaks his mind is insane. He seems to be popular in this school too as our female classmates are ogling at him.
When the bell rang, I immediately grab my backpack when someone called me. It was that guy again who was named Zian. I don’t want to be rude, so I faced him.
“What is it?”
“Sorry for nudging your drawing earlier. Not my intention to ruin it.” I just nodded and left the room after he said that. He doesn’t need to apologize though.
I immediately saw Denver’s car, but he wasn’t the one driving it. I kept my smile even though I was a bit disappointed. I waved my hand at Daniel who flashed a smile at me before he opened the car door for me.
“Hey,” he greeted. “How’s school?”
“Just the normal. Boring,” I said gently, almost cracking a joke.
He chuckles as he maneuvered the car away from school. We’re taking the highway but not the usual path to Madrigal’s Tower. “School is fun, you know. I even remember my childhood.”
“Not as fun as I think it is.” I smiled as I glanced at the buildings we are passing. “Is Denver busy?”
“Sorry, Denver's been busy with work so he's not here, but we’re going to him right now.” I glanced at him real quick.
“What?”
“Why?” He gave me a side glance. “You don’t want it?”
“I-I just don’t want to distract him while working,” I mumbled. “I’ll just go home.”
“As requested, Mrs. Velasquez.” He said with a chuckle. He was about to take a U-turn when he saw the car following us. A black van was behind us, and it doesn’t have any plate number. My brows furrowed when Daniel speed up and instead of taking a U-turn, he drove straight.
“Hold on to your seatbelt, Sharmienne,” Daniel uttered seriously. “Someone’s really a pain in the ass.”
As he was driving, my phone rang, and Denver’s name showed up. I answered it without hesitation even though I am nervous right now. My hands were already shaking as I was holding the phone, but I keep my voice calm to make sure that Denver wouldn’t know it.
“Hello?”
“Is Daniel with you?” he asked with full of seriousness. It was very unusual to hear his tone like this. As if it has restrained anger within. I was stuck for a moment until he called my name. “Sharmienne?”
“Uh, yes.” I put the phone on speaker and move the phone closer to Daniel. He muttered a curse when he saw Denver’s name on the phone screen and manage to speak while driving.
“Hey, bu—”
“Why are speeding up, you m*r*n? You know it’s not safe to drive that fast!”
“Someone’s following us,” Daniel said. “Maybe The Ha—”
“Don’t you dare mention that m*th*f*ck*r!” Denver hissed as he hangs up the phone.
“Tsk, he’s scary when he’s mad like that,” Daniel muttered with a restrained voice. He glanced at me and smiled, reassuring me. “He’s just tired, I guess.”
“Who are those behind us?” I asked curiously.
I noticed that they keep their distance from us until four motorcycles were surrounding the van to corner them. The motor riders are wearing all black. Black jackets, black pants, and even black helmets were impossible for me to recognize them. A few seconds after, the van stopped, and the driver went out of the van. My lips parted when I saw the guy earlier go out of the van too.
“Don’t have any idea.” He shrugged. I furrowed with how he acts now. He looks calm and unbothered. “Why are you looking at me like that, huh?” He chuckled when he saw my face in the rearview mirror.
“Are you an agent?” I asked curiously. He smiled and shook his head. “Oh, I thought you are,” I mumbled, but he still heard it.
“Why would you say that?”
“Just by your action. You look calm while driving to get rid of that van.”
“They are not really following us. They just want information... From you.”
Information?
My forehead creased with what he said, but I was interrupted from asking when the car stopped, and someone abruptly opened the car door at my side. I just felt someone pull me out of the car and caged me into a tight hug. A familiar perfume lingers in my nose as my breath hitched with what he just did.
“I thought I will lose you.” He tightens his hug, completely forgetting that someone is with us. I just know that my heart is beating along with his as I slowly wrap my arms around his back.
“I won’t, Denver.”