CH.3 - The Confession

Rebecca’s POV

MY WORLD SUDDENLY TURNED slow as he entered the school grounds. His neat brown hair was gently bouncing because of the air hitting his face while walking graciously. His presence immediately called the attention of the girls near the entrance gate and even the guys gazed at him.

I unconsciously tilted my head to the side as I indulge myself to stare at his captivating features.

Staring at him was my hobby. It enables me to pinpoint any changes that happened to him during summer. Catching his gaze was my goal, but it never happened to me – not even in the past three years that I’ve been stalki--- err… I mean admiring him.

Sadly, he never really gave me attention even if we were in the same club. Honestly, it’s not just towards me but to other girls as well. I guess that was really his nature. He was obviously an introvert.

Ugh! But I guess that’s what even makes him so attractive!

Ibarra was just a few steps away from me when my knees and hands started trembling from nervousness. My breath was getting shorter and my ears were ringing from utter anxiety. What I can only hear was the loud thumping of my heart that was about to burst out from my ribcage.

This is now or never, Rebecca!

I took a deep breath before blocking his way and extend my arms with the love letter in my hands. “Please accept my confession, Ibarra!”

With the intense tension that I was feeling, I chose to shut my eyes and waited for him to take the letter from my trembling hands.

But that… didn’t happen.

Instead, I felt a cold breeze that passed by me. And when I opened my eyes, I saw the students laughing at me that made me feel embarrassed. My eyes looked for Ibarra and he was the one who just walked by and didn’t even cared to acknowledge me.

I honestly wanted for the ground to open up and eat me whole from the humiliation I was in. I never really imagined that this would happen to me – that he would just walk away and treat me like I was invisible.

I had a lot of scenarios in my mind of how he would accept the letter from me but none of them was this.

“I suggest you stop that fantasy of yours.”

Mirajane’s warning suddenly echoed in my head. Maybe I was really asking for too much. Maybe I should have kept this feeling to myself.

No! You have to do it!

I suddenly felt the urge to fight. My heart has been hunting me last summer to convince myself that I should take the risk. Well, I already humiliated myself, right? Why not push it further? It wasn’t easy to keep silent about my admiration for him for three years. I also think that I should allow myself to be free so that I can be truly happy.

And now was the only chance I’ve got!

I pivoted and faced him. To my surprise, everyone was already looking at me – even the teachers on the stage.

Who the hell cares?! Just spill it, Rebecca! SAY IT!

I took a deep breath before shouting.

“Ibarra Constantine! I won’t accept my defeat! Mark my words! You will be mine before graduation!” I was breathing heavy after doing that and surprisingly, I somehow felt relieved for finally saying what I wanted to say.

Ibarra suddenly stopped walking but he didn’t look back at me. That’s when everyone started laughing and talked about how stupid I was for announcing it. I did feel stupid for declaring such a thing but I still had this courage inside me.

And so, I crossed our distance, held his hand and gave the letter I made that caused me sleepless nights before tilting his head and force him to stare at me.

Oh my God! Wrong move!

As I gaze at his wonderful eyes, I forgot what I was about to say!

“Keep your filthy hands off him!” A second-year girl shove me away and her girlfriends backed her up.

Ibarra, who still doesn’t seem to care just left us silently.

“Hey! Touch her and I’ll bite you!” Mirajane came to the rescue like she always does whenever when I'm in trouble. “Is this how you treat your seniors, huh?”

“She knew that no one is allowed to touch Prince Ibarra carelessly! That’s something that all girls in this school agreed to!” Another lady butted in.

Mirajane snickered and rested her hands on her waist. “What is he? Son of a royal blood that cannot be touched?”

“Stop it children!” Ms. Leni stood between them and looked at me with dismay.

“Miss Javier, I’d like you to go to the Guidance Office. Escort her Miss Salazar since someone might pull her hair while walking through this ocean of students.”

I looked down as Mirajane pulled me towards the Guidance Office. When we entered the room, she suddenly burst into laughter.

“Oh my gosh, friend! I can’t believe you did that!” She said while still laughing.

I let out an exasperated sigh as I sat on the couch. My eyes were fixed on the wall while my brain was playing the scene in my head over and over.

“I’m dead.” I uttered.

She patted my shoulder. “I must say, you were really brave out there… but stupid. It’s like you declared a war against all the girls in this school.”

“Oh Mirajane!” I covered my face from disgrace and bent my body like a fetus. “What did I just say?! What the hell have I done?!”

“Don’t be dramatic!” She caressed my hair. “My favorite line that you said was: Mark my words! You will be mine before graduation!” She guffawed after saying it.

“Nooooo! Stop tormenting me!” I covered my ears.

Seriously, I felt like crying right now. It’s not that I just embarrassed myself in front of the students and teachers, but I also triggered them to target me because of what I did! My normie self no longer matters to them. For sure, they now see me as a threat.

“My dear, Rebecca… You should become a writer and start writing this fantasy of yours than doing it reality. You’ll die at a very young age for doing what you did.” Mirajane sat beside me. “What you did was reckless.”

I looked at her. “I know.”

“Really?”

I frowned as I shook my head. “No.”

“Dumb girl.” She sneered but suddenly giggled. “Well, dumb but at least you get to experience holding his hand and stare at his eyes!”

My heart immediately palpitated as soon as I remembered the warmth of his hand and the look in his eyes. It was thrilling on my part. It was the first time that I stared at someone’s eyes for too long. I saw how they expressed slight shock and amusement that made me even more breathless.

It was almost a dream come true!

“Snap out of it!” She gently nudged me on my head. “Your soul is being taken away again to utopia.”

I touched the part where she hit me and smiled. “But I did go to heaven when I touched him and stared at his brownish eyes.”

She frowned. “I think I should hit you harder.”

“Good morning, girls.”

They automatically stood up and bowed their heads. “Good morning Ms. Leni.”