I am stunned for a moment. Do somebody also feel that feeling when a person you really looked up to and adored so much can't do the thing you are really best at? 'Twas good in my part for I am reminded that no one's really perfect. Rico is not perfect. Like me, he has flaws.

I mean, it is obvious on his attitude but when it comes to his ability, it is my first time to know something he can't do. Satisfying for it is deemed like we have an indirect similarity. Even only on this one, our world is connected.

In the end, he put together a combination of white and purple. I winced at the outcome. I may be addicted to crooked arts but I know that he doesn't really intend to attain this result. Hadn't he rush things ...

“Rico,” I call.

I could no longer hold my mouth. "It looks ugly,” I bluntly state. “Is the messy look intended?”

I am worrying about his grades. He is an honor student. It might even lower his top. His lips protrude but he grins anyway.

“You took those 15 minutes from me,” he said with a hint of temptation.

Now, he is smirking. It makes me feel more guilty. I do not have the courage to meet his eyes anymore so I stay looking down on my tainted shoes.

“But it's okay. Even if I have a longer time, this is still the result,” he adds and laughs softly.

Even so!

I feel like he is just consoling me. He even messes up my hair. I bite my lip and say, “come on. Let's have this checked.”

I am about to stand up when I felt Rico's hand on my wrist. My eyes widely open. A gasp escapes my lips when I notice that his thumb is just right above my pulse. By the intent stare he is giving me, I can't help but to wonder if he felt it too. Did he sense the light spark in my veins? Did it reach him?

Rico must have felt that for I can still sense the loud thuds in my chest. I avoid his stares and is about to turn but he pulls me gently.

“Why? I think we should pass it now. Maybe Ma'am Lauchenco will leave later. ”

He clears his throat. A tint of red is painted on his ears. “There ... I still have work to do there.”

He fixes his posture as he adjusts to his seat. Slowly, a grasp of contact lowers down from my wrist to my hand, his palm against my palm fingers between mine. I have no choice but to sit down again and stay still. Now there are symbols written on each finger that I cannot understand. It is so messy!

He is still in a hurry. By looking at his face - those thick eyebrows furrowing, the focus on his hawkish eyes, the determination on his clenched jaw, someone would think that what he's doing is an extreme work of art. Little did they know . . .

Despite him doing such messy nail art, no one knows how blessed my eyes are, gawking in wonders with how his jaw clenches in frustration. I just laugh inside my mind.

The last one he put on seems even more dirty. I prefer the one a while ago. This whatever thingy he added makes it more messier and problematic.

“What is that?”

He closes the small bottle of nail polish as he looks at me with faint triumph. His eyes are projecting a meek shade of emotion.

“Baybayin.”

In a tight-lipped smile, he casts his gaze away. “Let's pass now,” he said.

Rico stands up. His hands are on his pocket. Should I follow him? He says that we will pass this activity together. The line was quite long when I lined up. Rico's height is over towering me.

“Yeah, let's go,” I nod even though I still want to sit down.

For unknown reason, I have no plans to compromise the moment but I know dead air would appear again if I did not say anything.

He reaches for my hands. I swallow. He keeps holding them until we reached the teacher's table. However, the queue is already long so we line up at the last part. After that, he slowly lets my hands go.

"Hey, girl!" I heard someone call.

There, I saw Michael. His wide grin greets me. I think he just finished passing. He flaunts his fingernails at me. I am amazed because they look like they're done by a professional manicurist. I quickly throw a sharp glare on it.

“Can I look at yours," he challenges me.

I immediately hid Rico's work in my pocket. He will just brag about it. “Nope.”

“Just one look!”

He forcefully removes my hands from my pockets. Because his force is stronger, he smiles with victory when my hands were released. He immediately bursts out laughing when he sees them.

“Oh my freaking gosh! What the heck?" he said in a sharp voice.

Michael blushes as he slaps the nearby desk. No one is complaining because it is already noisy inside the room.

“Why are you laughing so hard?”

Gay signed peace. “Told yah, I should just be your partner,” he boasts.

I roll my eyes at him. I wonder if his suggestion can help me. But even if his work is better, I don't think I can replace what happened once before. I felt an enormous adoration towards Rico.

I would be lying if I said that I don't really look at him even a little bit, even if something happened then, especially now that I always encounter him. I'm still in between denial and acceptance but to admit it, I think, is courage. It's courageous to say that I'm still into him, despite the idea if I would still accept that feeling or shut it off entirely. I still feel something for him.

So, no. I wouldn't even give a second to refuse Michael's offer. I'd immediately turn it down for something I've been yearning for, deep within me. I see his face every day, will I exchange it for just one glance?

All of a sudden, we hear someone clearing a throat behind us. I meet Rico's blank face staring at us, particularly at my hands held by Michael. The latter immediately let go of my hands.

"It's already our turn," he dryly says and quickly turns his back.