Chapter 3

chapter 3

Law and Discipline

I looked around again to make sure I wasn't lost and suddenly stumbled upon another village. I was just relieved that I didn't get lost because I saw the mansion not far away.

I turned again to Sir Mendez who was obviously waiting for an explanation as to why I was standing in front of him now.

He was dressed very differently from what I usually see him wearing at university. He was only wearing jersey shorts and a gray shirt. He was also only wearing slippers. my gaze landed on his hand carrying a paper bag from a famous fast food.

"Can I help you?" He was upset because he noticed my inability to speak.

I ran my tongue over my lips because they were already dry from the shock that had come back to itself. I looked up from the bag he was carrying to see his face. I was not surprised to see the narrowing of his eyes as he watched me.

"H-Hi, Sir!" My voice sounded like the sound of a bird due to nervousness. I tasted it to get rid of it. "D-This is where you... live?"

"I just moved here last night."

I nodded again and again like a fool. I can feel his waiting.

"That's where our house is!" I said nervously while pointing to the mansion.

"Uh huh," he replied sparingly, still looking at me. "Now, who's Pepe?"

Because of what he said, I slapped myself on the forehead. Sir was right in front of me, I had already forgotten why I was worried earlier. I quickly looked at the chick again. "The..." I was shocked when I saw that it was gone again, "my chick..."

He followed my gaze. His brows furrowed in confusion.

"I don't see anything."

"It was just in your yard earlier, Sir!" my defense "He's small.His yellow color is so bright. He can't speak because he's dumb."

It was too late when I realized that I was talking too much. Sir Mendez didn't say a word and just watched me. I just noticed that he didn't even open the gate for me.

"He's... Pepe," I added clumsily. The awkward silence.

My teacher sighed. "Wait here."

He turned and started walking away. Before he had taken three steps he stopped and looked at me again. he slowly looked down at my feet. Because I followed his gaze, I saw that I had only gray socks on my feet. I guess I was in too much of a hurry to get out earlier and I even forgot to wear slippers!

in shame I put my left foot on my right. He sighed again and walked back to where I was standing.

He opened the gate door without moving. Now I was facing him and there was nothing between us.

"Come in first," he said coldly and casually took off the slippers he was wearing. "Wear these."

In shock, I didn't move and just stared at his Gucci flip flops. He continued walking.

"I'll put it inside first. just look for your chick in the yard."

"Uh...O-Yes!" I answered that I think I got a little stronger.

He entered the house and I was left with a smile because of the thrill I felt while wearing his beloved slippers.

I looked around the whole apartment. it has two floors. Upstairs, the wall is all glass. It is tinted because its interior is not visible from the outside. The size is medium but it's beautiful and of good quality. I think my perspective has changed because Sir Mendez knows the new occupant.

I always see this apartment every time I leave the mansion. I just didn't pay attention before every time I went to school. Maybe now, it will be different because I know it's special. Of course because I now know that Sir lives here.

My cheeks warmed up while enjoying his slippers on my feet. Even though it's big, I feel like it's just right for me.

"Did you find it?"

My imagination was stirred because of the voice that belonged to its flesh.

"Huh?"

He gestured to the yard.

"Your chick.you see?"

Because of his mention, I returned to the reality of why I ended up at his place.

"Oh, yes! H-Not yet..." I immediately turned and walked towards the garden. I was amazed by the plants. maybe many of them belong to the previous occupant of the apartment.

I looked behind each burn and seriously looked for the missing Pepe.

Sir has also helped me in the search. I can't believe that Sir and I are together now while looking for my pet. I can't help but be moved by our current situation. That's why I was just smiling while searching while Sir Mendez was very serious. It's like he's still watching the exam in class.

It took us about a few minutes. I was reminded that I hadn't eaten breakfast because of the sound of my stomach.

To put the hunger aside for the time being, I looked at Sir again. He was on the ground and looking at the burns that were left. if he looks handsome when facing him, he is still handsome even with his back turned. He's really tall. The width of his back is beautiful. Also her butt is—

"I got him," he suddenly announced.

I immediately cut off the embarrassing stare at her butt. I saw in his hand carefully holding Pepe.

"Isn't that it?" he said, holding out his palm where the chick was happily resting.

"Yes!" I also extended two palms together in front of him to take Pepe.

Sir placed the chick on my palms.

"T-Thank you."

"Alright. See you in class," he said as I felt like I was being dismissed.

I just nodded and smiled. I turned around and walked towards the gate.

Sir's treatment of me has not changed. maybe he didn't read the love letter that I accidentally sent yesterday. Because of course, if he had read that, he shouldn't have been looking directly at me and he was worried.

"Miss Villarejas..."

I stopped walking because of his sudden call to me. I turned to him again.

"Sir?"

"My slippers."

I choked on my own saliva. I quickly took it off and quickly picked it up. I approached him again as he reached for him.

Instead of accepting it, he just stared at me.

"I've read your letter."

His slippers hit the ground because of my resignation. I blinked several times. The way he looked at me didn't change. His eyes were still serious.

"S-Sir?" My voice still cracked.

"I'm not interested with your feelings. Keep it to yourself next time." after saying that he accepted the slipper and put it on. He turned and walked straight into his house.

Despite the failure of my first love, I still remained positive. I returned to the mansion with firm decision and determination. I know rejection happened earlier, but I will not give up. I don't want to be like those women who confessed to him before who immediately gave up. That's one more test. As they say, you should just try and try for more chances of winning.

I went to the mall and bought various sticky notes. I spent the whole weekend making original quotes for Sir Mendez. I will not stop writing because of my feelings for him. And of course, I won't hide them anymore. I will secretly give it to him every day.

"Accounting was a difficult topic earlier. I think I used up all my math from Elementary to High School," Hope complained.

We sat on the bench in the covered court because it was still vacant time. we see male students playing basketball.

"It's good for you that you just ran out. It's still my first year. It's enough," added Jok, who was next to him on the side.

Hope and I giggled together. After a while I stood up and fixed the folder I was carrying. I faced both.

"I'm just going somewhere," I said.

Hope frowned. "Where is it?"

"Just, that's it."

"I'll come with you, JC," Jok offered.

"Asus! You're going to form JC again!" Hope teased him. "You don't have the same chance as him. Those are high standards. Move on!"

"Why? I'm happy, ah!" Jok appealed to him. It's true that he's happy. Many people like him.

Hope screamed at the same time. "Mom, please!"

I just laughed at the banter of the two. Even after turning my back and walking away, I still heard their constant teasing.

I went straight to the faculty area. While walking in the school corridor, the pounding in my chest. I peeked again at the sticky note stuck inside the folder I was holding. My love quote for the day is written here. "I wonder every second of my everyday if you ever wonder about me too.

Love, Jc."

I smiled and looked up. I'm facing the door of the faculty room where Sir belongs. I peeked inside first. When I saw that there were no teachers inside, I entered. I headed to Sir Mendez's desk. I took the sticky note and simply opened her drawer to put it inside. I automatically frowned because of the obvious love letters that were seen before me.

I changed my mind because I didn't want to just mix there with the previous ones. I'm sure he'll ignore it. instead of putting the sticky note on top of it I closed the drawer again.

I looked for another place to put his desk. The corner of my lips lifted weakly when I saw the thick book he always carried. 'Law and Discipline.' title I read in the book. I opened the cover page and stuck the sticky note on the back.

After doing this, I also went out immediately. I can't wait to see him later in our class.

I was about to go out the door when I ran into my Basic Statistics teacher, Ma'am Ramones. They were interrupted by the conversation of another female teacher who was with him. They both looked at me so I stopped walking and greeted them.

"What were you doing inside, Miss Villarejas?" Ma'am Ramones.

I looked for an excuse to tell him.

"I just did some...errand for the teacher, Ma'am."

He glanced at the folder I was holding. My grip on it tightened. He nodded at me once and they continued to go inside.

"So, did he ask you out?" I heard his fellow teacher ask. It looks like they will continue the interrupted conversation earlier.

"Not yet... You know how Lake is..."

my feet rooted to the floor because of his mention of Sir Mendez's name. I want to listen to what he has to say.

"Are you really sure that he's into you, Elle?" asked another teacher without confidence.

"Am I? Of course, I'm sure. I know the signs..."

"Well...I'm just saying. He is...you know... cold."

I heard Ma'am Ramones giggle. My fur is dry.

"It's okay. I'm hot."

I couldn't stop myself anymore. Laughter came out of my mouth. I quickly covered my mouth and quickly left the faculty room before they could see.

That stuck in my brain until the afternoon. Ma'am Ramones is beautiful. I heard that he was only twenty-seven years old. Sir Mendez is twenty six. while I was only nineteen. The gap between us is really big. They can be good for each other.

"Why do you look like that? It's like you lost money," Hope commented as she passed my seat.

we are just waiting for Sir Mendez to arrive for the class.

I didn't answer him and just took a deep breath. Now my elbow is propped up on the desk. I rested my other cheek on my palm.

His eyebrows met and he shook his head. he went straight to his seat behind me. Just a few minutes ago, Sir also arrived.

I just watched him in the whole class. I am listening to the lesson but only casually. My mind wanders. while he was talking, I distracted myself by comparing myself to Ma'am Ramones. I also put the imagination to work by thinking that he and Ma'am Ramones were side by side.

They are things. Both are matured and intelligent. both have jobs and both are good looking. Does Sir really like Ma'am? Ma'am Ramones obviously loves him too. But what about me? I like Sir too.

"...I've checked your reaction papers during the weekend," Sir continued after the lecture. "I will be returning them to you, now."

I adjusted my seat when I saw him return it one by one. He himself went to our respective seats to isolate our output.

I received mine last. when he got close I immediately smelled his manly scent perfume. And just like it usually happens whenever we get close, her perfume made me shiver.

After giving the output to me, he also returned to the front. instead of looking at the grade, I looked at the pink thing stuck to the reaction paper. He stuck the sticky note I left in his book earlier.

I know what he wanted to convey by what was done. He did care about my feelings but he just returned it right away. I was disappointed but not discouraged. Because at least this time, I feel like he has recognized my feelings for him even though he doesn't accept them and openly returns them.

that's why for the next few days I did the same thing. I leave daily original love quotes on his favorite book Law and Discipline. That didn't go unnoticed all week. There is no mistake in his revenge here. My determination is also unwavering.

" 'If love is you, then you are my own definition of love'," Hope read aloud on one of the sticky notes I stuck inside the folder. We were in the student lounge hanging out after the final afternoon class and waiting for Jok to arrive.

"That's a cringe, babe," he commented and continued reading. " 'You may be cold but your mere presence tends to warm me up.' Oh bet!" he slyly smirked while glancing at me. "What kind of warm?"

I ignored him and looked around.

"Where is Jok? Shouldn't he have finished his last class a while ago?"

We did not take the same course as Jok. His course is Political Science.

Hope closed the folder and placed it on my lap. He glanced at his cellphone.

"It should have been five minutes ago."

"I'm hungry. Can we go to the café first?" I suggest.

"Let's just wait. It's boring to walk there when Jok isn't there. I can't be bothered."

I took the folder and put it inside the bag. "You're really like Tom and Jerry. I'm surprised that you don't end up in a mess."

"Because we don't take the joke seriously! Not like you."

I gave him a bad look.

"I can't be that sensitive."

"Yes, babe." the expression on his face cleared as he looked up behind me so there was no doubt that Jok had arrived. "It's been a while, Jonas Kyle, ah! JC and I were about to leave you!"

I just stared blankly and stood up. Hope followed by standing up.

"I'm sorry.I just asked for the number of the new transferee. It's beautiful," replied Jok with a smile.

"I thought you were loyal here to JC?"

We started walking down the hallway.

"You said I should move on," Jok said back to Hope. and then he sat next to me and put his arm around me. He stared at me firmly, but he couldn't help but smile. "You will always be my first love, Jean Caitlyn Villarejas."

"Aww. You're so sweet!" I gave him a sweet smile back. I secretly pinched his side.

He grimaced in pain but still didn't remove the armband from me. He messed up my hair.

"Sunday!"

Jok and I turned our backs at the same time because of the person calling him. I gasped when I saw it was Sir Mendez.

his cold gaze landed on Jok's arm that was around me before moving to my face. I was cold because of the sharpness of his eyes. All emotion disappeared from his eyes when he turned to look at my friend.

"It's about your report. see me in the office tomorrow," he said coldly and then turned his back on us.

For a few seconds, the three of us were stunned and silent as we just looked at the distant back of Sir Mendez.

"Awww, man!" Jok groaned while cursing softly.

Hope hit him on the side of the head causing me to get out of his arms.

"What have you done?" Hope alleged when Jok confronted her. "You plagiarized again?!"

Jok grimaced in pain and rubbed his head that was hit.

"I just copied and pasted two sentences from the internet! Tangina! How did Captain Antarctica know that?" he wondered. The nickname they gave to Sir Mendez was actually used because of his strict and cold personality.

"And you really wondered about Sir Lake Mendez, you know that detail! Are you going to go to law school? You should switch from Political Science. Just major in Laziness," Hope said.

"Whoa.I'm ashamed of you being a Major in Procrastination, ah," Jok teased him back.

"Can we continue walking?" I really appealed because I couldn't stand the two of them. Add to that the fact that I haven't recovered from what Sir said earlier.

"Just continue your auto bickering at your café. I'm hungry!" The last thing I said turned into a scream.

The two stopped. They were both silent until we reached the café.

"I know what will happen to your hopeless crush, JC," Hope began as we waited for the order to arrive.

Jok turned to me with burning eyes.

"Do you have a crush? I didn't know that, ah. Who?" he asked curiously.

"What?" I asked Hope.

"Can't you do almost everything? I mean, you're almost perfect. Smart, beautiful, talented, rich," Hope litigated. "So that you can really move his heart, why don't you do the only thing that you're not capable of doing. That way, he will know that you really made an effort."

I thought about what Hope said.

"Wait... That's stupid, ah," Jok pleaded again. "Why don't you have a crush on me? Is that blind?"

Both Hope and I ignored Jok's high blood pressure again. Hope and I just stared at each other. My lips parted as something popped into my head. My friend seemed to read it right away. He nodded with a sly grin.

"Yes, babe. Do that thing..."