Chapter 5 An Extravagant Date

I could hear the faint whispers around us as Ash held my wrist and pulled me somewhere, leading me through an empty hallway. If they weren't looking at him, their eyes were fixed on Ash's hand holding mine. "Hurry up," he ordered authoritatively without looking at me. He continued walking, his strides so large that I had to walk quickly to keep up. "You only have a one-hour break, right? You also need to review for your next quiz." I stopped abruptly at his words, but since he was pulling me, I ended up stumbling into his back. "Damn," he cursed quietly when he felt me bump into him. "Are you okay? Does it hurt?" Ash asked this time, his eyes staring at me intently. His jaw was clenched as he examined my face. He held my cheeks gently, moving them slightly as if checking for any injuries from our collision. "How did you know those things?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. I was sure it wasn’t written on my ID, though. "My friend's sister is your classmate," he explained. "Now, answer me. Are you hurt?" he asked again, his eyes returning to my forehead to check it. “I’m fine,” I answered convincingly as I stared back at him, but I wanted to look away immediately when our eyes met. He was communicating with me through his eyes as if there was something he wanted to say but couldn’t. I gulped, hard. “Stop making people uncomfortable like this. I don’t like it,” I said in a straightforward manner as I moved his hands away, hoping that it could bring some distance between us… Just like last night. “Do I have that effect on you?” He raised his right eyebrow, and his voice suddenly deepened. “Do I make you feel those butterflies in your stomach, Sapphire?” Wait… Was he really to seduce me, or was I just imagining it? I opened my mouth, trying to find the right words to say, but unfortunately, my mind went blank. “Let’s go.” Noticing my reaction, he smirked before pulling me along again. I didn’t know why I was letting him lead me, but I also didn’t know where I would go if I tried to escape and hide somewhere in this school. “If you try to run away from me, always remember that I can still find you.” That’s exactly what he said to me before he held my hand and started walking again. I decided to go with him, wherever he was taking me. "People are looking," I said in a low tone as I tried to remove his hand from my wrist, but just like he did this morning, he tightened his grip. "Just let them. They have eyes, so they’re looking, don’t you think?" he casually replied while pulling me up the stairs. I wanted to poke his eyes out for his sarcasm, but he had a point. With a gorgeous face like his, it was impossible for people to look away when his presence demanded attention. When he started climbing the stairs, he suddenly slowed down, as if afraid I would bump into his back again, like earlier. He kept glancing at me as if monitoring my every move. "Just tell me if you get tired," he reminded me as we continued climbing the stairs. "I can carry you." "No, I can manage," I quickly replied, shaking my head. "It’s still a long way.” Still, I declined. I can handle anything, and I am sure of that. I didn’t say anything else and just followed wherever he was taking me. That’s how it is when you’re poor and powerless. I feel like I don’t have the right to resist because if I do, what will happen to me and my mother? We would only sink deeper into poverty. Even my education, which could be my key to a better life, might be taken from me. "We’re here," he said before letting go of my hand. With Ash’s reputation, I expected him to bring me somewhere darker and more isolated so he could do the most forbidden things with me… but this place didn’t even meet my expectations. "W-What's this?" I asked, my brows furrowing while looking at the Accountancy building’s rooftop. He made it look like one of those expensive restaurants I only see in movies. A large white table was in the middle, along with lots of food. Red roses were scattered around, and there were also some draped fabrics hanging at the edges of the area. Being shocked is an understatement of what I am feeling right now. "If you still can't process what's happening here, then let me tell you," he turned to me, his hands in his pockets, "It's a lunch date, Sapphire. I want you to eat with me." "What kind of nonsense is this, Ash?" I couldn't help but raise my voice at what he said. "Don't you have anyone else to bother, so you're picking on me now?" My mood hadn't been good since last night, and now he was here to mess up my whole life. What does he think of himself? That he can charm every girl in this school? "I just wanted to eat lunch with you," he said, glancing slightly at the food on the table. "How is that nonsense, Sapphire?” “I don’t know what you’re planning to do, but I won’t play games with you,” I said, pushing him away. I was about to open the door to go back down to the ground floor when Ash spoke. “Are you sure you want to go to the cafeteria at this hour?” said Ash, pointing at his wristwatch. “I'm just concerned. Your next class is about to start, and you need to review. Isn't it more convenient to eat here?" I bit my lip, glaring at the table behind him. It was annoying, but he had a point. If I had gone to the cafeteria now, it would have taken twenty minutes to get back, wasting precious time. "Fine." I clenched my fists and glared at him, but he seemed unaffected, grinning at me despite my murderous look. I walked away from him, intentionally bumping his shoulder to get back at him. But at that moment, I forgot I only reached his chest. Instead of him stumbling back, I nearly fell, but he quickly grabbed my arm and pulled me close. “Shit,” I muttered, yet my heart was beating so fast. We stared into each other's eyes as if trying to see each other's souls… until I broke eye contact. “Damn.” I pushed him slightly before heading to the table filled with food. I heard him chuckle, but he didn’t say anything at all.