Fear

I inserted my hand on its sleeves because the coat can cover what needs to be covered if worn properly and not just by the shoulders.

Rain's eyes immediately turned accusing as he thoroughly evaluate my actions.

What now? Isn't it what they all wanted?

He shook his head at me lightly and I know what he is pointing at me now. He then goes back on 'socializing' when I threw warnful eyes at him.

What should I do anyway? There's a chance that that man will come back here again if I'll be hard-headed to insist on what I want. I do not want to create another scene here. Especially not when all eyes are watching.

And also not because that would be super awkward again because he is moving 'slow'. I breathed. My soft self couldn't allow me another close contact.

Mentally scolding myself from my recent thoughts and attitude, I have no plans to look in that direction again so I busied myself by watching the dancing people on the floor. But what happened earlier keeps revisiting my mind, so I pinched my index finger to stop me from minding it.

I made a quiet "aww" because that hurts!

I noticed a phone that was left on the desk, light up. The guy Rain is talking to earlier seemed to leave it here to dance. I know it is him because his wallpaper says so.

He had a cute wallpaper with him. He is embracing his girlfriend on the back and they look so happy together base on their smiles. They are also wearing matching white formal longsleeves, which is obviously oversized on the woman.

Given that the girls actually had a lot of problems with me tonight, I tore my sight off it because someone might announce later that I stole it.

Yes, they are that persistent to put dirt on my name.

Phone.

I remembered I have to text Miro about something too. Manipulating my phone, I noticed his text from earlier is just a plain dot.

That's... unusual.

I revisited my recent text and it is about me teasing him about Rianna. It's so unusual that he didn't fight back with my text since it is about Rianna. And earlier, he seems to be keen to reply to me.

Maybe he just run out of load or something.

It's already midnight so maybe he is asleep now? That sounds like a good reason.

I checked my other messages and scrolled to see if Papa texted or call me for something but there's none. I closed my messaging app and chose to just text them a little update on my night. Perhaps they are just letting me enjoy the night?

My gaze diverted to Rain and found him still on his bubble. As soon as he noticed my gaze he simply leaned his arms on the back of my chair.

"Why?"

"Miro replied me a dot," I showed him my phone.

He checked his watch. He also got phone his phone out of his pocket and scrolled to his message and call history.

"Got no urgent calls or message from them. Though what time does he usually got too sleep?"

"He is usually asleep before 10:30,"

"Its 12:03. Do you wish to go home now?"

Grandma's lecture saying proms are once in a lifetime and if possible I should not miss a event about it or else she'll curse me made me shook my head.

"12:30," I said.

The owner of the phone suddenly goes back to our table, together with the girl she is with in the picture. I smiled a little to both of them and the two of them faced me.

"Reishza this is Tanya, my girlfriend. Tanya this is Reishza, Rain's close friend" the guy gives an effort to introduce us to each other.

"Hi Reizha!" she greeted with a warm tone.

"Hi," I responded before smiling at her.

I am surprised when she smiled at me genuinely again. I have learned to know whether a smile is genuine or not. I am more fond of observing people than engaging myself with them.

I find it less draining.

So she is not a member of those girls who seemed to build a group that would cast stones at me, on and off the campus. I do not have to refuse a catfight that the girls always want me to do.

That is refreshing.

She looks warm and bubbly, that's what I've observed. Rain's friend, who I assume is her boyfriend, stifled an amused smile while silently observing her do her normal stuff around people.

"Babe, can we exchange seats?" I heard her whisper to his boyfriend and I moved my eyes off them to act like I didn't hear her 'whisper'.

Her whisper is a bit loud to be considered as a whisper. The guy held her right hand before proceeding to vacant a seat next to me. Tanya immediately sat on it and seated sidely to interactively talk to me.

"I am Tanya Reale," she extended her left hand to me and I reached it, a bit overwhelmed by her sudden interacting skills.

Talk about an extrovert engaging herself to an introvert.

"I am Reishza-"

She cut me off immediately.

"Of course, I know you, Reishza Baile! You are so famous!"

"My brother has a huge crush on you! Looks like most of my guy friends do too! And I also am admiring you from afar. You look so beautiful! And kind! And of course soft-spoken! Unlike me you know, " she continuously blurted out with a loud voice.

She chuckled at our differences. No hint of indifference.

I only stared at her all the time she is talking. She really is so lovely. I knew her because she is popular on the campus. She is a campus crush and friend. I often see her winning pageants, engaging with group contests, and more. She is a social butterfly.

While I am always reserved engaging with only Rain in school.

And although Rain always introduces me to his circle of social friends during events, I still cannot easily fully connect myself with them. Boys are the usual ones who are interested in getting to know me, while the girls, I can see through them—they are mostly just faking me for Rain.

And Rain very well know that. He actually finds time to threw them stones when they are acting in front of him.

So why will I give it a try? Besides I am fine with it because I love my personal space too much.

"Thank you, " I smiled at her and her smile goes wider.

"Ah, you are really so... Cutie!" she extended her index finger to press me on my cheeks softly.

Her dress has a low neckline so something peeked when she bowed a little to touch me. I caught how instantly, her boyfriend reacted. He glided his hand on her waist and she turned to him as a response. The guy is closely whispering something in her ears while Tanya is busy rolling her eyes. His fingers swiftly pulled her dress up to cover her.

That watermelon is big.

I looked at mine and realized mine is not small either.

My eyes unconsciously shifted to the crowd and saw Akin looking at our table. He motioned something at me, and I couldn't understand it at first. He repeated it again, patiently making me understand.

I fixed the coat that is sliding a bit of what needs to be covered.

I glanced back in his direction and he is now serving me serious eyes.

I felt embarrassed after that. Why am I following him again?

"We also need to go home," Rain suddenly informed me.

His scent enveloped my nose when he bends closer for a whisper.

"Or do you want more time with-"

"No, stop it! Come on now," I cut him off while tugging his coat up.

He smiled at me mockingly before he stood up to bid his departure on the table. He offered me his hand with an abnormal wide smile painted on his lips. I placed mine on it and stood up from my seat too. I bowed down to confirm our departure.

"Someone's getting jealous now," he whispered happily in my ears.

I couldn't get it.

I proceeded to smile at his partner to inspect if she is being jealous now, but she seemed to not. She just waved her hand a little on me and I smiled at her before we turn our back to leave.

Upon turning, I noticed Chraste Saludes darkly paving his way on our table. He was always dark and brooding but he seemed significantly manlier with his serious face tonight.

So... still aware of things... why is Rain leading me to a way that is not the exit?

He smiled at me foolishly when he saw the question in my eyes.

"I need to return something to him," he simply explained and I immediately stopped in my tracks.

"Then I can just wait for you outside, and you can return it on your own," I said and removed my hand on his arm but he is quick to say otherwise.

"You also need to return something on him," he said and forced me to walk forward.

I have nothing to-

Yes, I have something he owns. The coat.

"Then, return this coat by yourself," I ordered him and is supposed to remove it but he moved my hand out of it.

"It's not the coat that you need to return to him. You'll just ruin his peace of mind if you take it off,"

"The what?" I asked him, not getting his words.

What is he talking about? I cannot follow.

But Rain only fixed his eyes to the way, disregarding his friend to accomplish his mission tonight. He is playing what role now?

I hopelessly turn my gaze on the exit but saw something that made me freeze.

I made a quick stop when a man waved at me creepily. He is also wearing a suit but something aside from his drop gorgeous face made him stand out in the crowd. He is having red eyes. And the way he is looking at me from the dark injected outmost fear in me.

A colored light on the dance floor passed my eyes so I closed my eyes.

"Are you okay?" Rain pulled me out and I opened my eyes to meet his concerned face.

I glanced once more in that direction and he is still there, but his eyes are not red anymore. He is casually talking to someone. And it seems like they are on a happy animated talk.

Could it be that it is just the dance floor's light fault?

But I know what I saw...

I turned my eyes on Rain.

"I just thought I saw something," I said as I hide my shaking hand on my back for him not to notice.

He tore his gaze on me but his remark didn't escape my ears as he guided me to walk again.

"You look like you saw a ghost," he whispered with a small voice.