Chapter 17: Chapter 16 - Make It Real

Hello! Hello! Hello! I’m back and alive!

So before anything else, I would like to make an announcement. On June 28, 2014, we’ll be having another book signing session in Market! Market! Activity Center 2 PM. I’m so excited to see you all there!

Here’s the new chapter of SILWAG. Enjoy! Please play the music in the multimedia section while reading this.

You Make It Real - James Morrison.

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CHAPTER 16 – Make It Real

** COURTNEY’s POV **

I would never have suspected Chad as the flirting type, yes we had moments, but that was purely teasing. This was probably the first time I heard him countered at my pitiful attempts of obvious flirting.

This game was becoming exciting and dangerous at the same time. It was like I was playing with fire. And Chad, at this angle, I must admit, was looking kind of hot for the very first time.

I really don’t understand why he was wearing that hideous thing he called glasses where in fact; he could actually look good without them. Great even!

I kept on starring at him, but unfortunately, he wasn’t looking back. He was seated at the chair opposite to mine. He was clearly avoiding my stare as he busied himself flipping through the pages of a book. I kept narrowing my eyes at him, mentally pushing him to look at me. But it was pointless. He still busied himself with whatever that thing he was reading.

"What are you doing?" He asked while his eyes finally locked to mine.

I used that as my opportunity to put my first plan into action.

Say hello to flirtutor!

"What do you mean what am I doing?" I asked, ignoring the obvious confusion that was becoming visible on his face. I batted my lashes and finished with a sweet and knowing smile.

He slowly leaned forward, his features showing that he was somehow in wonder. And that gesture of his made my smile even wider. Gotcha! I knew it! Nobody could resist the charm of The Courtney Collins, not even a cold-hearted geek like you, Chad Treyson.

"Is there something wrong with your eyes? You kept on opening and closing them." He bantered.

I tried my very best not to roll my eyes in front of him. He’s so naïve!

What the hell was wrong with you Chad Treyson! This is called flirting, you idiot!

This guy was hopeless!

He shook his head and leaned back. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. “Stop whatever it is you’re doing and tell me, what do you really want, Collins? What’s your real purpose here?”

He turned me down!

That was embarrassing! I bet he knew what I was trying to do. He just purposely ignores me for his liking. I rolled my eyes to this and just ignore his insults. I don’t want my dignity to be stepped-on by him any further.

“I told you that I need your help in Math.” I tried to enlighten him.

“You don’t. You’re okay with math.” He stated in a matter of fact.

And what does he mean by I was okay with Math? “What do you mean by that?” I asked, clearly confused.

“I’m a Student Assistant. Meaning I sometimes check exam papers. And I happen to check yours most the time. “

My mouth literally fell open at the new I heard from him. He just didn’t have the access to those exam papers; he also had the power over them! He could actually change the scores or answers of the students! An idea came in to me, a knowing sweet smile suddenly formed from my lips.

“So Chad. Why don’t you just change…” Before I could even finish my sentence, Chad already laughed at it. Indicating that maybe he has an idea of what would my next words be.

“You want me to change your scores? Sure.” He said with grin. Well, that was easy! I thought he would turn me down again. “Well instead of a good C, how do you like a D or maybe F?” His features suddenly changed to annoyance.

I gulped hard at this. He was clearly pissed off.

“That’s stupid, Collins. We’re just going on circles here, you know? First is you’re begging me to tutor you and then you’re going nuts and want the easy way out, again? Are you serious or what?” The intensity in Chad’s voice was nerve wrecking. I didn’t have any idea that he had it in him.

I was speechless! Me, The Courtney Collins, was speechless! Literally burned in the spot!

“Answer me!” He demanded. His commanding voice made me jolt up in surprise.

“Yes! I mean, no. No, wait. I mean, I’m serious about this and that was just a joke. Not the being I’m serious, because I’m really serious about this but because of…” I didn’t know what I was saying at the moment. For the very first time in my perfect life, I was panicking, stuttering and most of all reasoning!

Never in a million years I imagined justifying myself to anyone!

“Good. At least we’re clear on these things. Besides, we still have the deal going on remember? And I want you to know that I’m going to comply with it. If, and only if, you succeeded in your task.” He finished with a sly grin.

He was a bipolar! That’s for sure. He changes expressions quickly. One thing he was mad and the next thing he was being arrogant!

“Don’t sweat, Treyson. Sooner or later, you will. I never failed in my task before. I always achieve it.” I said in a proud tone matching his arrogance.

“Well. There’s a first for everything.” He countered with a smirk and finished with a wink that literally taken me aback.

Damn that stupid Chad Treyson! What was that for! I never would have thought that he would leave a big impact in that simple gesture of his in me! Why was my heart racing like hell. This stupid plan was backfiring in front of me.

But I will not let my guard down. Surely this was a game for him. He was just doing his fair share of completing his own task. And as if he would be successful in this one. I don’t like arrogant people and I don’t like geeks. And of course, I don’t like the combination of both. Arrogant geek.

Good luck in making me fall for you, Treyson.

“Are we done arguing? Can we just skip to the more important thing, like studying?”  I said in an annoyed tone.

“Good thing you find studying important now, huh.”

“un Monsieur je-sais-tout.” (T: Mister know-it-all) I murmured and rolled my eyes in pure dismay.

“je t'ai entendu.” (T: I heard you) He countered in a fluent and sexy French accent.

I refused to let the sudden admiration I felt to show in my features. This American boy could understand French! He could also deliver it in a hot way!

I swear, this guy was a Dauphin of France in his past life. Maybe he did something immoral in the past that’s why he was being punished of being a geek in this generation.

“You speak French?” That was a stupid question, Courtney! Didn’t you just hear him awhile ago?

“Yes. My mom taught me.”

“Your Mom is also a French?” I asked in a surprised tone. Who would have thought that we have something in common! My mom is also a French.

“No. She just studied there for years.” By tone of his voice, it was like he was dropping on the subject. “I’m not disclosing you any other personal things about me, let’s just cut to the chase and start studying.”

I wanted to argue with him more. I want to know more about him, but it was obvious that he was shutting me down. How could I make him fall for me if I don’t know anything about him. His likes or dislikes.

I wanted to call him different names in a different language but I was afraid that he might know that one too. Who knows what this geek was capable of? He was smart, duh. What more languages could he possibly know? A dozen, I bet.

“Let’s start math.” I cheered in a mocking tone.

“We’re not doing math. You’re not terrible at Math, you’re just lazy finishing it..” He stated in a knowing tone.

“And what’s that supposed to mean?” I asked clearly confused by his words again.

He shook his head in what I assumed from pure amusement before he answered my question. “I hate to admit but when I check your papers, I wondered on how you were able to answer them correctly. You used the right formula and you had your own style. But the only problem is, you weren’t able to finish the ten-item quiz. Was it because of lack of time or what?”

“Since when do you care about my exam papers?” I asked, clearly annoyed.

“Since the day you asked me to tutor you.” He answered without missing a beat. This geek sure knew what he was doing. He wasn’t even scared of me and my obvious frustrated tone. “So, are you going to answer me or what?” He countered.

“Give credits to my parents for having a superb genes in math that I inherited. But you have to blame them for giving me all the time and money in the world that made me like this.” I bit out bitterly. I could see confusion in Chad’s face. I know, my answer didn’t make any sense. But that clearly sums up every reason that was happening in me.

Not that I was complaining, in fact I love being rich, popular and pretty. I love being me. I was so used of having everything in the palm of my hands. Everything is falling into place as if the universe is always on my side. So that’s why I always got tired and bored to the things that I wasn’t interested in, like education for an instance.

So maybe the side effect of having everything is losing patience to the things that you don’t know anything of. Why bother knowing this stuff if you could easily get the hold of the other with ease, right? An easy way out.

But then that’s just me.

Now, I couldn’t get the hold of everything now because of this one thing that I don’t really want to have in the first place. And karma is literally getting into me now and mocking me. For my past 11 years of education, this was probably its way of saying it’s payback time. Happening all at once. And of course the universe got the hold on its vey loyal accomplice, no other than Chad Treyson.

Karma was really a bitch.

“You could translate your previous statement into a version of a normal guy who’s asking a normal question.” Chad tried to joke. And it worked, I literally laughed at his trite joke.

Funny how this guy could turn my frustration into admiration without even trying so hard to do it. How easily he could flip off the table to lose the tension in the air. That was definitely a talent.

“In short, I easily get bored to even finish my papers so I simply conclude that if I’m just going to satisfy them with few good and correct answers… that was enough.” I said truthfully. I’m good at math, and I’m proud of it. But what I wasn’t proud of was the fact that I easily get tired to something that leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

Chad let out a good and hearty laugh. “Well Collins, I’m afraid I’m not good in fixing laziness. It’s for you to figure it out.”

“So what? Are you just going to abandon me?” I complained. This is so not good. I couldn’t think of any other reasons that would make me be with Chad any longer. To lengthen my stay here! This should be the perfect opportunity to put my plan into action and leaving too early will definitely ruin everything!

“I didn’t say anything about that, Collins. It’s just that we’re not going to discuss math for today. How about something else? Any more subjects you’re having a hard time with? Hard time thinking, okay, not having time focusing.” He said each word as if he was talking to a five-year-old kid!

“Fine! How about literature, huh? I don’t understand a thing that a guy named Edward Hoe wrote.”

Chad didn’t even try to suppress the laughter that smoothly escaped from his lips. He was clearly enjoying my declaration of being bad in the said subject. Well, could you blame me? That writer was using complex words and objects that don’t make any sense! I mean, if you want to inspire people, make sure that your works were understandable. Geez!

“Oh Collins, you never fail to amaze me.” Chad commented in between laughs.

“What? Not knowing literature is a crime now?” I bit out venomously.

“Not that. But not knowing the famous American author, poet, editor and literary critic, is a big shame.” He said. “It’s Edgar Poe. Edgar Allan Poe to be exact. Not Edward Hoe.” He corrected.

“Fine! Edgar Allan Poe. Whatever.” I rolled my eyes to him. He was smart and there’s no use in arguing with smart people.

“No need to be so cranky, Courtney Collins.” He started. I was about to let out my most rehearsed defending line of I’m not but was suddenly interrupted by Chad’s hand on top of my right one. “I will help you Courtney Collins. That’s a promise.”

His eyes, his beautiful blue eyes never leaving mine as he said those words sincerely. I could feel my face turning into a ripe red tomato but I didn’t care less. I was in awe, shocked even! What was running inside his head? Was he doing this for his own accord!

He gave my hand a squeeze and let it go. He smiled at me and said, “Let’s start studying Edgar Allan Poe.”

I could hear my heart beating in fast pace. My stomach was doing its funny churning feeling again. But I don’t care. It was as if at that moment all that matter for me was his eyes.

I looked at him and smile. “Okay.” I submitted myself in defeat.

Chad either brings out the best and worst in me. But either way, at least with him, I could easily be myself without even feeling worried about anything. With Chad, I’m at ease. And most of all, with him I know that I’m always in the comfortable and safe state.

He made me feel that I was in a real world.

--- END OF CHAPTER 16 ---

Thank you for always being patient with me! I hope you like this new chapter of SILWAG! Thanks to all of your reviews and comments #TEAMGEEK! I love you all!

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