Chapter 2 – Unknown Reason

Ezekiel's POV

I am chatting with my friends while waiting for Lauren and Kelly in the canteen, it will be her first time to eat with us. Maybe Kelly insisted so she agreed. Obviously, she doesn't like me and my friends because of our reputation in this campus. My friends were asking me why I didn't drink with them yesterday. Honestly, I was really going to meet them but I saw Lauren so I approached her, but many women talked to me before I got closer and approached her.

"Why you didn't go to drink with us yesterday?" Angelo asked. We've been talking about it and they don't want to believe with my answers.

"Is that still being asked? Your question should be who was with him yesterday. Who exactly is with you?" Dan added.

"You guys have dirty brains! Lauren was with me yesterday!"

"Lauren? Is it Renren?" They ask at the same time. They still didn't used to us calling each other uniquely.

"Yes. I'm with Lauren yesterday," I repeated.

"Why are you with her?" Angelo asked seriously so Dan looked at him. It's normal that Dan was shocked because Angelo has no interest with women we met. This is new to Dan and I and just like Dan, I also know the reason why he seems to be interested right now.

"We just met yesterday and then I was too lazy to leave so I couldn't go to drink with you."

"You're crazy, Kiel. I will just remind you that Renren is Kelly's friend. She's not one of your girls." Why does Dan need to give such reminder? He didn't have to tell me that. She is not my type. She is too kind for me. Also, she is a friend of my sister, Kianna. I just find her really cute and funny.

"I also don't believe that you were just lazy yesterday. You weren't lazy to drink, Kiel," Angelo said. My friends are really supportive, aren't they? Later on, Lauren and Kelly came so we eat our lunch. I still can't say if Dan is serious in having a relationship with Kelly because he is like this with every girl he dated. Dan has many ex-girlfriends and we won't be shock if Kelly has a lot of haters already. Kelly is a forceful person so we won't be surprised if she answers and fights with Dan's ex-girlfriends. Lauren also doesn't hide that she hasn't voted for Dan for her friend.

She is kind of judgmental because of that. She got angry with me the other day because of that woman that I no longer to remember the name. I'm not allowed to judge the woman but she can judge us easily.

"Will you quit staring?" she snapped. I was surprised because she suddenly got mad at me.

Dan laughed. "Don't make it so obvious!"

"I'm not looking at you. I'm looking at the one behind you."

"Do you think I'll believe it? You're not looking because you're staring. There's a difference!" She loves to win so she wants to beat me.

"Here we go again," Kelly said. It's true, her friend was arguing with me again. As we ate, I noticed that Kelly was handing her vegetables to Lauren and she is smiling. I also put the vegetables on her plate so they all looked at me.

"What?" I asked. Then Lauren looked at me badly. "Maybe you lack of that, you might-" I couldn't continue what I was saying because she covered my mouth and even said, "Thank you, Ezekiel! Okay, thank you, ah." I guess she doesn't want our friends to know that she sometimes forgot to eat. Who can forget to eat?

Dan looked at us. I can tell that he is suspicious with our closeness. "Are you too that close? Since when?"

"You know what, Dan , Lauren and I are really close. She's just really snobbish," I replied.

"Maybe next time, both of you will just surprise us to the news that you guys were together," Angelo added while looking at Lauren. I don't like his tone when he made that statement. Why do I feel like he is protecting Lauren from me? Kelly immediately changed the subject so the ambiance between all of us also changed. What's wrong with him? He seems to be getting more serious now.

After we ate, we separate ways to go to our respective classes. I just followed Lauren. The girls in her classroom were looking at me so she noticed me following her.

"Hey! Why are you here?" she asked.

"What do you think?" I asked too.

"Why would I ask you if I know?"

"Come with me," I changed the subject.

"Why?" She can't talk to me without arguing with everything that I'm saying. Sometimes, she even complains! I didn't answer because I pulled her to hug me. I know she was shocked at what I did so she tried to get out of my embrace so I talked to her. "Wait just for a few seconds. The woman I've been avoiding was here. She won't stop pestering me so I need this hug for her to see us. Just a moment, Lauren."

I waited for the woman to leave because I knew she would see us. "Ezekiel, is she still there? I can't breathe anymore," she complained. I saw that she was gone already but I still lingered in my embrace with her. She broke the embrace and saw my smile so she got mad and stepped on my foot and was hit by her bag when she found out that the woman had left.

"You bastard! Why are you using me when you're avoiding a woman!? Stay away from me, Ezekiel. I'm not really okay with this! I don't agree to be your shield in the first place! If you don't like them, say it directly! Do not lie just to avoid saying it. They don't stop lingering around you because they don't know that you don't want them!"

After what she said, she entered the room without glancing at me. She didn't look anymore to me so I left. She is mad but I still find her cute. Why so?

While walking towards my classroom, I met Patricia. Here we go again. I think she enjoyed it so much so she is still approaching me but once I'm done, I'm really done. Is it necessary to be called playboy if I'm just giving what the women like?

"Hi, Kiel." Clearly, she's flirting with me.

"Hello, Patricia."

"Do you have something to do later? Can I visit you?" she asked while touching my shoulder.

"As much as I want you to visit me, I can't make it tonight. I have a dinner with my family."

"Sounds great. Just let me know if you want me to visit you, okay?" Didn't she think that I just don't want to be with her?

"Of course, Patricia." She kissed me before leaving. I don't like women like that but we also have to give in to them from time to time or maybe just sometimes to enjoy the moment.

But I'm glad to meet someone that is different from everyone and I'm staring at her as she talks to other guys. I was surprised because Dan suddenly spoke next to me. Has he been there before?

"You are doomed, Kiel. I thought are you just happy when you are teasing Renren. Why do you look at her like that?"

"Are you an addict? Look at that beautiful woman behind her!"

"I will believe in you if you don't drive Patricia away. Family dinner, huh? Should I welcome back my lover boy best friend?" I jokingly punched him and walked to the classroom. What is he thinking?

He still follows me. "I would also believe if you didn't use that reason earlier. You should think of a new excuse." "

"Just shut up."

I JUST HAVE TWO SUBJECTS that Lauren and I are classmates and we are here in the first subject. And guess what? She doesn't talk to me. She's not even looking at my direction! Don't tell me, was she really angry earlier? I stepped aside from her so that she would notice me but she was still avoiding me so I talk to her first.

"Lauren?" I called to get her attention.

"Oh?" Is she really annoyed with me?

"Are you mad?" I asked.

"What do you think?" she replied.

"Why are you angry?" I'm still asking her. She looked at me and she was obviously irritated.

"Just think if I was that woman approaching you but you keep on avoiding me because you can't tell me that you don't like me. If I were your women, I'd rather face a rejection than you continuously ignoring me for unknown reason. You won't be able to understand because you don't know the feeling of being rejected. How hard it is to say that you don't want her anymore?" She was right except for one. I knew how it felt to be rejected too. "I'd rather prefer if you say it straight to my face than guessing what you are thinking with the gestures you are showing to get away from me. If you don't want to hurt them, tell them right away that you don't want them. And don't include me with this mess, Ezekiel, especially when you tell them that I'm your girlfriend," she added.

I was suddenly curious. Has she been rejected? As far as I know, she's the one who is not accepting her suitor's feeling. She rejected many guys!

"How did you know the feeling of being rejected? You are the one who rejects them without second thoughts."

She glared at me. "Every day I get rejections. And what do you want me to do with those suitors? I have someone in my mind and if I don't like them . . . why would I prolong it?"

"You're not used to giving a second chance, are you?" I am just curious. She is actually answering my questions.

She smirked. "You don't really know me. I can give you countless chances if I want. But I can't force to love someone if he is not in my heart." Then she laughs. "Are we really talking about this?" She smiled again and said, "I didn't know we can actually talk without arguing."

"Who's always starting the arguments with me?" I teased.

"Who knows nothing to do but to tease me?" she replied as she rolls her eyes. Then one of our classmates approached us to talk to Lauren. Someone is looking for her so she went out. I followed to see who is looking for her. It's a guy! As far as I know, this guy is a varsity player. Why is he talking to Lauren?

"Vincent? Why?" I heard Lauren asked.

"Can you come later? Watch our game." He is not even attractive. Why are they talking?

"You know I really watch your game when I have nothing to do but I still have work."

"I can pick you up after our game," he insisted. Dude, you can't understand that she doesn't want to watch your game!

"Oh, no thanks. For sure, you're tired after the game and we've already talked about this, haven't we?" Lauren was talking about someone she like, is Lauren referring to him? Are they having an argument? Wait . . . what am I doing?

"Don't I really have a chance with you?" I was about to leave but I heard Vincent's question. Did Lauren reject him already? I knew it! He can't be the guy Lauren likes!

"I'm sorry, Vincent. We can be friends but you know that's all I can offer. I'm really sorry."

He smiled at Lauren. "You don't need to be sorry. The guy you want is lucky because you are too loyal to him."

"Crazy. He doesn't even see me as a woman. I'll just watch your game when I don't have a work." The guy she likes didn't see her as a woman? And who is that blind?

"You promise?" Vincent asked, acting like a child! Why other women like him? There is nothing to like about him except for being popular because he is part of the team!

"Of course. Go back to the practice, your fan girls might come here again. Thank you!" He even gave her something. Lauren didn't speak again as the guy left. I was back in the chair before she knew that I was listening to them. She sat beside me. "Cool, is that your lover? Did you reject him?" I asked. Nothing really works with her.

"Shut up!"

"But seriously, aren't you happy with him? What do you look for a guy?" Just like what I've said, I'm just curious!

"Why are you asking so many questions today?" She is immediately irritated when I was just asking!

"You're being rude at me again."

"You're teasing me again. I don't have something to say except for all of you are just the same." There is bitterness on her tone. What does it mean?

"Wow. Your answer seems to be based on experience." She rolled her eyes and didn't talk to me anymore because our professor had arrived. Even if I try to talk to her while on class, she still doesn't pay attention to me. She is just listening so I just let her listen to our professor. She might get angry with me if I don't stop.

After class, she immediately grabs her things to go outside.

"Lauren! I'm going to your apartment later!" She heard me so she turned to me.

"You're not welcome there!" she shouted and said goodbye. She's different, isn't she? It feels like I am a normal person when I am with her. I mean, she doesn't looked at me as a famous good-looking guy that most of the people looked at us. She sees me as "Ezekiel". It's nothing special but I like it.