Jealousy...?

CHAPTER NINE: Jealousy...?

—

"Althea, I like you."

Of all the phrases that Althea wants to hear why he is still talking and flirting with her even though the bet has ended, why this?

Receiving such a confession out of the blue is too much for her. Her brain short-circuited.

Tyler watched her blankly for a moment before looking away, her ears red as cherries. Amusement danced in his eyes. This was one of the reasons why he kept pestering her. Her reactions are just too cute and precious. The urge to pinch her cheeks came again.

"Y—you—shut up… What a lie." Her words were faltering. Her mind gears were madly turning to think of any coherent words but it just over-heated.

Tyler can't hold back anymore, he laughed that almost all of his body shook. "You asked! I answered! What's wrong with that? Why are you telling me to shut up suddenly?”

"A—anyway!" She almost shouted that word, obviously trying too hard to change the topic. "How much did you bet?"

She can't think of any topic that is worthy of discussion, so she just blurted out the first thing that comes to mind just to drive the topic away from it. She was still flustered, and she needed a distraction to take the topic out of her mind.

Also, not gonna lie, she is curious about how much she is worth.

"Not much, just a handful of money." He coolly stated. He did not comment on what she did, but her laughter was visible in his half-crescent smile.

Althea's eyebrows twitched in annoyance. Just a handful?! Is she that cheap in their eyes?!

"How much?!" She can’t accept that her ‘new’ expression is that cheap!

He looked at her smiling stupidly. Well, at least in her mind. "Just a few thousand dollars, okay, just a few!"

"..."

How the fuck is a thousand dollars not much? How?! Now, she doesn't even know if she's worthy or not.

"I really can't remember, I think I betted my car. So, really, not that much."

 "..." Althea heaved a long sigh and buried her face in her palm. His Lamborghini is ‘not that much?!’

'I give up. I can't understand the language of the wealthy people.'

"What are you doing?" Tyler was thoroughly amused by her actions. She was calm, then fidgety and depressed the next second. How can humans have too many emotions at once?

He never met such a person. The circle of people by his side is either ignorant or pretentious, pampered and spoiled, anything but pleasant.

But he enjoyed playing with all of them, though. He loves his youth, by the way. Living his life with carelessness, for now, is a blessing. What the future holds for you is unknown, after all. 

His parents let him do things he enjoys; parties and girls. But he was not senile enough to try drugs. Also, he is not the same as the others; he loves topping almost everything. Sports or academics.

"Anyway!" Althea bolted up. She is done sulking. There's no point sulking in the first place. "Let's head back. I have to do my part on our project."

Tyler also stood up. He was disappointed that the day is coming to an end, but he still had tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. Also, he knows her class schedule and where her apartment is. He has plenty of time to pester her. "Okay!"

He put his hand on her head and forcefully led her whole person towards the parking lot. To his surprise, she didn't make a sound of protest, nor tried to pry his head off. He smiled in delight, thinking that she is now okay with him touching her. She always glares at him in the past. Happy with his thoughts, he patted her head.

But Althea was furious, but no matter how mad she was at him, she couldn't make a ruckus since there were many people present. She, again, cursed their height difference. Even with her heeled shoes, she still can't pass his nose. Damn, she's jealous of his height.

—

Althea went home after that and immediately went to sleep. 

In the morning, without even eating her breakfast, she immediately sat down and created her part in their group project. She wanted to laze around, but she was reminded of the exams. She, as expected, freaked out. 

If she can't finish it, not just her grades will suffer, but her mates' too! Also, there's the exam!

Because of homesickness, she tried to maintain an above-average grade. To be honest, it was a pain for her. But nothing is more painful than watching her days come and go boringly.

 True, she can spend her time lazing around and reading books, but being so oh unproductive kills her. 

If only my garden was here, she lamented.

Then, someone knocked on her door. Althea furrowed her brows. Who could it be? A delivery? From whom? It's impossible for Tyler. She already told him to knock it off because she doesn't intend to have flowers every morning that will wither and die the next day.  

He was okay with it, but the next morning, he still sent flowers. In a pot. Althea was shaken to her core. So she immediately called him that day and nagged. Fortunately, the next day, no one went knocking on her door.

She was afraid that maybe someone would knock on her door and hand her a key, then leave after saying that it was the key to her botanical garden. 

Thankfully, it didn’t happen.

She can finally breathe with relief. But she couldn't send the flowers in the pot away, so, fortunately, the plant was an indoor one, so she kept it.

Her parents? No, it can't be. She fished out her phone from the table and turned it on. There were no new messages. Usually, every time they want to give her something via delivery, either small or big, they have to send a text first.

So, what or who could it be?

It knocked again. Althea doesn't have any other choice but to stand up and open the door.

"Hi!"

"..." Oh. "Hello." She calmly stated.

He smiled at her. "Can I come in?" 

She also smiled back. "Of course not."

He laughed, "Come on Thea, petty, please? I am trying to hide from someone."

And that does mean you have to hide in here? I'm in my apartment? Please don't. You're unwelcome.

"Find a suitable hiding place, then."

He got serious. The light in his eyes died. 

Althea frowned. Is he mad? Should she just change her mind and invite him in instead…?

"I'm sorry, I can't," he said slowly said. "I'm too handsome and popular. My physics alone can catch many eyes. My pursuer will notice me immediately.”

 "..." Let us forget him, shall we?

She attempted to shut the door, but Tyler's foot came in between. 

"I'm sorry, okay! I'm sorry!" He said with laughter trailing in his voice. He was about to talk again when something caught his eye. He beamed and looked at her with expectation in his eyes. 

Althea tried to control her mouth from twitching. 

"I'll help you with your project. Your exams are coming up, right?"

—

She let him in. Tyler was delighted and entered the apartment. As he was observing, he casually dropped an insult.

"It's small."

"Well, I'm sorry about that. You can go out now. I'll open the door for you."

Tyler just laughed at her, and then, as he said, he helped her. As they were working on it, Tyler told her why he was hiding from someone. 

His butler wants him to go back to his home. His parents sent a girl for him. For his future marriage. His butler also bought a picture of her, by the way. She was his type. Damn his mother for being perceptive, but he is not interested in going out or casually flirting with someone besides the girl he was with.

Althea couldn't help but furrow her brows and she blanked for a minute. 

'Rich Kids of the business world sure have it hard. I like him but sometimes dislike him. I am jealous of how women just flocked toward him. Not that I like being bothered by many guys though, it's just that no one approached me. Am I not pretty enough? Not attractive enough?' Althea felt that she was full of contradictions, so instead of making fun of herself, she stood up and went to the refrigerator. She decided to make herself breakfast.

Tyler was looking at her the whole time and it seems like she didn't notice at all. He saw her stop after he mentioned the girl and she furrowed her brows. And then she stood up and left him behind without even telling him why. 

He can't help but grin inside his mind. He then shook his head and rested his chin on his hand whilst observing her every move. Then he asked himself.

'Is she perhaps jealous of the girl I told her about?’

The thought delighted him, fully unaware that he misunderstood it all. 

He wanted to laugh out loud and tease her about it, but he stopped himself. He knew that nothing comes good with teasing women about their jealousy. He had plenty of experience, so he knows. 

Althea was looking for something easy to cook but tasty, but after searching her fridge, she couldn't find any appetizing food. She's not in the mood for bread and butter, or egg and ham. Or the beacon that was stored here, since who knows when.

So she decided to call a delivery instead. 

"Tyler," she called out, looking at him over her shoulder. She ignored the somehow nasty look on his face. "Have you eaten your breakfast?"

He shook his head. "No, not yet." 

She nodded. "How does delivery sound?" 

"It's okay. But can't you cook?"

Althea gave him a dissatisfied look. "I can, but I won't. It's a waste of time. I have many things to do.'

"Ooh, how logical of you." He teased me. "Fine then, but imma call my butler so he can deliver the food himself."

It was convenient. It is faster than the other deliveries, and she doesn't need to pay for it. Of course, she won't pay for it.

Althea glared at him. Fine! He has a butler. The money. He has everything she doesn't have! She leaves him with a hump and goes inside her room to get her study materials. 

Tyler, again, misunderstood. He thought that she was trying to impress him by buying him food. She knew she couldn't cook a luxurious meal with the food she had in her fridge, so she decided to call a delivery instead.

He laughed inside his mind for a full whole minute.

And, they completely forgot the reason why Tyler was hiding in her apartment in the first place. It was because he was trying to avoid his butler, who was currently driving towards their very location.