The Genius' First Love

Suddenly, something came spilling in my thoughts one by one. My jaw dropped as realization dawned on me.

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The gorilla"s checklist

First, you are in love with the person when you cannot stand his gaze. Minimum is ten seconds.

Check. I did blink at the last second. Didn"t I? It was the beast fault because he told me it was like I wanted to plant love bites on him again.

Second, there will be an electrifying feeling whenever you touch that person.

Check again. I thought at first that this test failed, but I was wrong. I felt it, can"t deny that!

Third. If that person calls your name, your heart will jump.

Check. My heart didn"t only jump, it was leaping endlessly.

Fourth. Whether you close or open your eyes, you will continually see his face.

Check, remember when I looked for soda and end up mumbling in one corner instead? He even caught me!

The fifth and the last. If you will not be able to see that person again, you will surely cry out of loneliness.

Check again for the nth time, I did cry wildly when I thought he died. Heck!

Am I possibly in love with the beast?

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"OH NOOOO!" I screamed in hysteria.

The boy"s checklist —all results were affirmative! I expelled a shaky breath and shook my head continuously. I wanted to drop right through the floor as I suffered from thorough disbelief. I was acting like a blithering idiot in front of the beast. I didn"t know what to do right at that moment.

I dazed over my thoughts in panic!

Suddenly...

I felt an embrace oozing all the negative emotions away. I landed on a hard chest, it was warm and absolutely mesmerizing. It belonged to the beast. He put one of his hands over my neck and buried me deep in his arms.

My body that was so tensed up turned calm and composed under his warm gesture. It was very enchanting.

By the way, what is he doing?

I was about to push him away but then decided not to, then he uttered something.

"Hey what"s happening with you?" He said while I was trapped in his embrace. He seemed very frustrated "You were acting so weird since this morning and.... I feel so stupid... for not knowing what to do."

His words brought me into wonderland once more. So he had been worried about me all day long? Really worried, I can tell by the tone of his voice. And at the moment his embrace was so affectionate, as if some treasure was about to be taken and that he was savoring the moment while it was still in his hands.

But then again, the boy"s checklist pop into my head again, reminding me of the most complicated predicament I had never encountered in my entire life.

"Darryl" I called, my voice was shaking.

"Yes?"

"I think I"m in love with you—c.r.a.p!" I cupped my mouth to stop the words that were spilling out.

"Why did I say those? Holy cow!" I mumbled and cursed in front of him with so much regret. Colors were flooding back to my cheeks; red was the most dominant.

Another stupid move! I can"t eat strawberry now, can I? I did bet strawberry earlier, right?

What was I doing? Even when those words were unconsciously and impulsively spoken, I was fervently wis.h.i.+ng I left them unsaid.

He was shocked by my sudden audacity yet didn"t say a word. He just smiled. His expressions were unreadable.

"What did you say again?" There was unmistakable mischief in his gorgeous hazel eyes. His smile turned wild that made his face looked devilishly handsome again.

I looked away. At the corner of my eyes, his hazel eyes were peeking. He tried to capture my gaze.

Heck the jerk was picking on me again!

Don"t look at him in the eye Xhem!

According to Greek Methodology, there is a monster they call Medussa. If he catches your gaze you will turn into a stone!

So don"t let the beast capture your eyes!

"Ehhh…what I said a while ago was that... Let"s head back to the building, I think they will announce the winners now!" I said faintly, turned around a second after, and walked fast straight ahead.

I left the beast from where we were standing. I sighed, a deep thorough sigh. Somehow I was relieve I escaped the beast"s instigation. I walked farther and farther away from the beast, then I realized something again.

"Oh c.r.a.p!" I clasped my head and turn back to where the beast was.

He was standing on the same spot, laughing hard when he saw me coming back.

"You are lost, right?" He asked. Yeah I was indeed lost.

I did tell you earlier that I just ran randomly right? And I was completely lost. I need the beast to bring me back to the compet.i.tion area. I was pretty sure he knew where we were right now since he was the one who found me here.

He stopped laughing when he was satisfied embarra.s.sing me.

"Give me your hand" he commanded suddenly.

"Huh?" Before I could react, he held my hand in his and started walking.

We were holding hands. Imagine the feeling that came with it, I can"t anymore describe! My eyes grew bigger and I bit my lower lip but walked obediently with him.

My heart is so happy I could die right now!

We walked there under the scorching sun, under those towering buildings and busy streets. We walked with my hands on his, like I was the only thing in this world he cared to hold.

I let him held my hand, like it was nothing. Hoping he was not hearing my heart, beating fast calling his name over and over again. I think, I"m really in love with him. The boy"s checklist was not useless, after all.

We headed back to the building and spent the rest of the afternoon for the evaluation. We went back at the university circle around four in the afternoon. I immediately hopped out the bus first and ran fast toward the quarters. I was so happy and I was excited to see the boys. Honestly, I missed them throughout the whole afternoon.

In a splash of minutes, I found myself in the quarters.

"Hey you are here already," Huzey smiled as soon as he saw me.

"Huzey" I clung into his arms like a happy kid. I was really in a good mood.

"Hey, little thug why are you so happy? You are so happy we abandoned you? Or wait…" Ziggy said scrutinizing me from head to foot. " …. Did you successfully seduced that Lagdameo coach this time?"

I just ignored Ziggy and dazed over my thoughts about the beast while clinging in Huzey"s arms. Huzey didn"t withdraw his arms, instead he smiled at me and asked "What"s with you?"

"Nothing," I responded happily.

"If that"s anything about that Lagdameo coach, I suggest you drop it right away. Why don"t you go and pack your things instead of clinging like a tarsier in Huzey"s arms?" Ziggy commanded me, unpleased.

"Huh?" I frowned, not getting what he was talking about.

"We are leaving tomorrow after the awarding" Huzey said tonelessly while glancing at me.

Wait.

What?

Today is the sixth day of the conference, so we are indeed leaving tomorrow. How could I forget that? I was so preoccupied with my sparkling romance I didn"t even notice it was going to end tomorrow.

That fast?

Is this the End of Xhemin and Darryl love team? Tomorrow?

"You okay?" Huzey asked when he noticed that my mood suddenly changed. All the brightness in my face was lost in an instant.

"Ummm… I"m fine" l answered flatly. I was about to cry.

"Liar" Huzey retorted with an accusation. Well, it got me.

"I ain"t lying"

"C"mon what"s wrong?" he repeated.

"I said its nothing...I"ll go and pack up." I answered trying to brush off their suspicions.

"Really?" Ziggy asked in a manner that he wasn"t convinced. His eyebrows rose to a notch.

Ziggy ran to my bed and s.n.a.t.c.hed my animal stuff toy Cryzer. Remember my lamb stuff toy given by grandpa?

He went to the hallway"s mezzanine and stood in there. He was holding Cryzer in one of his hands and moved it toward the stairs as if he was going to let it fall over.

"What are you doing to my stuff?" I went out to ask him. How was I supposed to pack up when he was messing up with my things?

"If you are not going to answer our questions I"m going to throw Cryzer into the stairs" He started threatening me.

"Then the headlines tomorrow will be— Cryzer committed suicide" Huzey said unfeelingly. He was now slumping on the wall just beside the entrance of the quarters watching over the scene that Ziggy started.

I frowned. I think the two are on a gorilla mode again.

"Give me Cryzer back!" I demanded as I ran toward him ready for an attack. Before I reached Ziggy, Huzey held me and put my two hands on my back. He locked me under his grip. I tried to escape but knowing how strong Huzey was, I"ll probably just die out of fatigue.

Oh great, just great. The two were teaming up again against me again. Well, I hope they were enjoying themselves at my expense.

"Tell us the truth or he will be dead"

"Let him go!" I yelled at him.

"Tell us the truth first, why are you acting weird earlier? Happy turned sad in an instant?" Ziggy started his instigation.

There were only the three of us in the hallway but I never expected that few minutes later, people from other quarters will be flocking up to watch our peerless drama.

"Fine! I"m acting weird because I don"t" feel like going home yet"

"Oh.." Ziggy exclaimed looking surprised. He was faking it obviously. " And that"s because?"

"Because....." I was having hard time answering the question.

"Speak or Cryzer will die!" he spoke in a tone of an old grumpy wizard.

"Because of that man" I answered trying to be careful of my every word. Gos.h.!.+ These two gorillas, I"m going kill them both in their sleep if I have a chance!

"What"s the name?" He demanded and intentionally shook Cryzer"s body while hanging on his arms.

"Do I really have to tell the name?" I said with no sense of humor at all. I was a bit annoyed.

"Cryzer or the name" he repeated, frightening me of his unusual made up cold deep voice.

"Darryl Lemmeul Lagdameo" I hesitated answering it a bit, yet I was pretty aware that the beast wasn"t around, so it wouldn"t really matter. The important thing right now is Cryzer"s life, isn"t it?

"Hey coach Darryl!" Someone called from my behind.

Coach Darryl? The beast is here?

Hearing his name nearly gave me heart attack!