Chapter 1

I sighed. “I wish I am water. So Josh will just dive into me.” Kylie spitted out the juice that she was drinking because of what I said. Good thing that she didn’t get me wet. What was her problem? She was wasting her drink.

“What the fuck Anna Belle?!” She shouted in horror. I just look at her with innocent eyes. 

“What now? What did I do?” I said, frowning. I leaned down to look at the pool where my crush was swimming with only his trunks and goggles. His abs were so visible in my eyes. Shit! He looked so smoking hot! Should I just join the varsity team? I just noticed that almost all varsity players were so hot. 

“What are we really doing here, Anna Belle?” She said with irritation on her face. I hated it when she called me by my name. I felt like I was that doll on that horror movie Annabelle. Creepy!

I glared at her. “Can you stop calling me that? It’s creeping me out. I told you to call me Belle!” 

“I don’t want to. Your name is Anna Belle. I want to stick with that.” She smirked. It made me roll my eyes. “We’ve been here since forever. Let’s go.” She stood up and got her things already. 

My eyes widened. I still haven’t talked to Josh! I’d been waiting for him. I wanted to introduce myself today. This was my only chance. 

“Hey! Let’s just wait for a couple of minutes, please.” I gave her puppy eyes. 

“Oh my God! Is your next conquest that varsity player? That swimmer?” She looked at me like I was out of my mind. I just grinned at her, and she knew the drill. 

Josh was from the University of Cebu. I saw him one time when I went to their school because I ghosted one cute guy for him. I asked my female friend about the guy, and he was there because he was their varsity player. Josh Timothy Villaruz was his full name. He was a swimmer. It was my friend who tipped me that Josh would practice here today.  That was why we were here.  

“You’re unbelievable. I’m out.” She started walking towards the entrance of the complex center. 

Shit! What was wrong with her? She was okay with me being like this before. What was the difference now? I just had a huge crush on this Josh guy. And I wanted him to be mine by crook or by hook.

“Kylie! Wait!” I walked faster because she got out already. 

Ugh! Maybe next time, Josh! You will not get away next time. 

Why did my best friend Kylie have to be like PMS-ing today? It ruined my plan. Damn it!

I was going out when someone bumped me, and I almost stumbled on the ground. Good thing that the person who bumped me held my shoulder and kept me steady in place. 

“Are you okay?” His baritone voice brought shivers to my body. 

I instantly looked up, and I saw two piercing ash gray cold eyes looking down at me. His brows were so thick that they complimented his long curvy lashes. And his nose! He got one hell of a sharp nose! My eyes trailed down to his lips. Shit! Why did it look so kissable? Goodness! He was good-looking compared to Josh! No! He was hotter than Josh! Ruthlessly hot! I’m shifting to this guy already.

“Hi! I’m Belle. You are?” I give him my sweetest smile that no one could ever resist. 

“I think you’re fine,” he said while raising his brow and then pushed me away from him. He bent down, and I saw him pick his goggles that were on the floor. Was he a swimmer? I looked at his body and… Holy Shit! I think he was leaner than Josh. He was wearing a body fit black shirt and a short. I could see his muscles were in the right places. Those biceps! Holyshit! He was my crush now. I was dying to know his name! 

My smile faded when he walked past me. 

What the? Did he just ignore me like that? This couldn’t be happening! 

“Hey!” I shouted at him, but he didn’t even look back. What the freaking hell was that?!

“Anna Belle Vasquez! For the love of God! Let’s go!” It was Kylie. So she came back for me. Damn! Remind me next time not to go here again with this KJ best friend of mine. 

I was still looking at the guy who bumped me when Kylie dragged me out. I changed my mind. He was not my crush anymore. I would crush back Josh again.

“I hate you! I told you to call me Belle!” I slapped her arm that was holding me when we got out.

“Don’t piss me off, then,” she said while her brows furrowed. I rolled my eyes at her.

“Where are we going again?” She was so busy with her phone. Jeez!

“I need to go back to school. I need to borrow a book from the library. It’s still four pm. It’s still open.” She didn’t look at me and continued typing on her phone. 

“Okay. You are so studious. That’s why you haven’t got any boyfriend at all.” She glared at me, and I just grinned at her. 

“Whatever,  Anna Belle.” I frowned at her. She was such a bully. 

“You know pretty well that we’re gonna walk, right?” Tsk! She was so careless. There were a lot of snatchers here.

She looked at me and sighed and then put her phone in her bag. “Fine. Let’s go.” 

We started walking on the road. Our school was really near Cebu City Sports Complex where we just came from, so we were just going to walk. There were a lot of people walking since it was already dismissal time from school. Students were flocking everywhere. And almost all the jeepneys were already full. 

We stopped at the end of the pedestrian lane in front of DBP. The traffic light said it was green, so we needed to wait for it to turn red to pass the highway. When the light turned red, and the human signal on the traffic light started to light green while walking, we crossed the lane quickly. 

“So. What’s with you and that swimmer?” Kylie asked from nowhere. I raised my brow at her. 

“He’s my new crush.” I grinned at her, and she just looked at me seriously while we were still walking.

“You know that you, crushing on someone, will only last for a week,” she said, raising her brow. I laughed at her. She really knew me. “I bet you only want a taste,” she said with a smug. I laughed again.

“I think I’m gonna be serious with this one,” I said, biting my lower lip. She just rolled her eyes at me.

“I’ve been hearing that for two years and counting.” I burst out laughing. Damn! Kylie. She really knew me too well. 

That was why she said two years because she just transferred to our school two years ago. We were already in our third year in college and took up a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy. We clicked right away because she was not plastic like those bitches who hate me and my guts. Tsk!

“This is different,” I insist. We were already in front of Jollibee, but since it was a signal and the cars and jeepneys were already moving, we needed to stop again.

“Different your ass. You said that to me a week ago when you met that cutie in UC. Like duh! What happened now? You ghosted him,” she said while shaking her head. 

“Jeez! Fine. That’s what the game is all about, Kylie. Collect and collect, right? Until you select the right one for you,” I reasoned out.

“I don’t know what to do with you. Faster. The cars stopped already.” She grabbed my hand so we could cross the road and walked towards our school. 

“Where’s your ID?” she asked while her brows furrowed when we arrived at our school’s entrance. 

I looked at the ID sling that I was wearing and noticed that my ID was not there anymore. My eyes widened. 

Shit! How am I going to get inside?

“Kyl, I’m doomed. I think I just lost my ID.” She looked at me bewildered. 

“You what?!” She looked at me with wide eyes. I raised my ID sling in front of her. “You fucking lost your ID?” I bit my lower lip and nodded. 

Where did I lose it? Maybe in the Cebu City Sports Complex pool? I didn’t even notice that it was gone! Stupid me. 

“I can’t get in. You go in before the library closes. I’ll look at my bag. Maybe it’s just here.” 

“You know what? I admit you are beautiful. But also stupid.” I rolled my eyes at her. She was the best best friend ever. Especially the way she insults me. Nice. “You sure you’re okay here?” I knew she was concerned about me. She may be a bitch but she loves me.

“Yep! Just go! It’s almost five. The jeepney going to Basak was almost full. We might get home late.” 

“Fine. I’ll be quick. Text me if something happens. Ciao!” she said and then hurriedly got in. 

I went to the side and rummaged through my bag. Shit! It was not really here. Maybe it fell in the pool side a while ago. Damn it!

I was startled when my phone vibrated. I fetched it and there was a text from an unknown number.

From: Unknown Number

You drop your ID. Just tell me if you want to get it. I’m here in the Jollibee beside Sto. Rosario Parish.