“Lacey Montero is your ex-girlfriend, Xenon?”

I stopped playing with the soccer ball and turned to Jace. The boy was his best friend Andrew's younger brother. The three of us were at the turf field in our neighborhood. 

“Yeah. Why did you ask, Jace?”

Jace's eyes widened. "Wow. Lacey Montero was my crush. How long have you two been together?" 

"Just a month." Lacey Montero was my recent ex-girlfriend. We broke up two weeks ago. 

“Seriously, Xenon. Why did you break up with her? What the hell’s wrong with you?” Jace continued to inquire. “She’s the hottest girl on campus.”

I just shrugged and shook my head.  “She's being too clingy and I didn't like it. And I don't agree with you, Jace. I don't think Laceys is the hottest girl on campus.”

“There’s nothing wrong with him,” Andrew said, grinning at Jace.  “He’s just in love with someone he couldn’t have. That's why he's using other girls to ease his frustration. Don't be like Xenon, Jace. He's an asshole."

"Shut up, Andrew." 

 I gave Andrew a sharp look, but the bastard just grinned at me. 

 “What? You're really an asshole, tho."

I shook my head and sighed. Andrew was right. Truth is, I was in love with someone. 

I've been in love with her for more than a year now but I never once made my move. Why is that? 

 Because I didn’t freaking know how to work my way into her.

That girl was no other than Cadi.

Yes. I was and still am very much in love with her. The moment my eyes caught hers, I fell. And the moment my lips touched hers, I was drowned. 

I didn’t know how to win her heart, especially since she was already mad at me from the beginning. 

It didn't help that our first meeting wasn't good. I didn't know how I would get her heart when every time we saw each other, she was always ready to snap at me. 

Cadi was different from other girls. She was the opposite of those girls who would squeal from delight every time I smiled at them.

Every time Cadi and I met, she was always ready to throw daggers at me. With the way she was acting toward me, I knew it was not possible for her to fall in love with me. 

That's when I started to divert my attention to other women. I dated different girls just to entertain myself. 

But then I couldn't stand being with them for too long, because I knew in my mind that it was only Cadi I wanted. Yeah. Andrew was right. I'm an asshole. 

“Damn,” Jace shook his head at me, amused. “I never thought you're a coward, Xenon.”

Andrew let out an amused laugh. I just gave them an annoyed look. 

“If you really love that girl, you'd do everything to make her reciprocate your feelings, right?" Jace said, this time he was already serious. 

I remembered our bet. I couldn't believe she admitted straight to my face that she likes my teammate Harry Salvador.

I felt like something had punched me in the gut at that moment. Right there and then, I realized that I couldn’t afford to see her with another guy. I said to myself that I would not just sit and watch her fall in love with some other guy. I would risk my heart and take my chance. 

Just be damn with the outcome. The important thing was, I wouldn't regret anything in the end. 

I got interrupted when my cell phone rang .“Yes, Ma?” It was my mother who’s calling.

“Xenon, son. Can you come over to your Uncle Marx’s house? Your father asked you to send over some documents to your Uncle Marx.”

“Sure, Ma," I understand. "I'll head home now." I ended the call and turned To Andrew and Jace. "I'll leave you two here."

 Andrew smirked. “You look excited to see Cadi," he commented when I told them where I was going. 

“Shut up. She's still not home at this hour. She still has a class until five.”

 “Oh! Wow. You even know her schedule, huh?” Andrew chucked. “Damn, whipped!”

I just shook my head as Andrew continued to tease me. Well, I couldn't object because it’s true. I was whipped.

 “Xenon, you're here.” Cadi's mother greeted me when I arrived at their house. She was watering the plants in their garden.

I smiled at her. “Dad asked me to give these files to Uncle Marx." Just like Cadi's father, dad was also a Chemist.

“Oh, my husband is in the laboratory. Just wait here for a while and I'll go call our helper."

She turned off the water hose and called for their maid. “Ana, please accompany Xenon to Marc's lab." 

"Yes, Ma'am."

 “Come on, Xenon. Just go straight to Marx's lab. That husband of mine, he won't leave his precious lab when he's in the middle of something."

I followed their maid to the laboratory. 

“I'll leave you here, Sir. Just knock on the door before entering." Ana smiled at me. 

I knocked on the door before slowly entering the room. My brows furrowed when I noticed no one was inside. 

I thought Uncle Marx was here? 

I looked around the room and noticed that the lab was divided into two corners. There were two posters on the two opposite sides of the wall. 

Dad's corner was written on one, and Cadi's corner was written on the other side. A smile formed on my face. Instead of leaving the room, I found myself walking toward Cadi's corner. Cadi's parents had mentioned that Cadi also wanted to become a chemist just like her father. 

I noticed a black notebook on Cadi's working table.

Out of curiosity, I opened the notebook. A smile escaped my lips when I saw my name on the back side of the notebook. 

 I hate you, Xenon. You annoying ugly monkey. 

Damn. Cadi really hates me, huh? And money, really? 

The door suddenly opened. It was Cadi's father. I felt like I was caught stealing something. 

I cleared my throat and immediately put the notebook back before I greeted Uncle Marx. 

"Dad asked me to give you these files, Uncle Marx." I told him as I handed him the files I brought with me. 

"Thank you, Xenon."

I smiled. "No problem. I'll better go ahead now."

"Why don't you join us for snacks first, Xenon?" 

"Oh. Maybe next time. I still have to run an errand for my mother."

"Alright. Thanks again, Xenon. Send my regards to your parents."

"Will do." 

I went to the door and opened it. My lips parted when I saw Cadi. She also looked shocked to see me. 

It was obvious that she just got home. She was still wearing her school ID. 

My lips curled up in a smile when I recovered. 

"Hey, Cadi. Are you ready for our date?" 

Just like her usual reaction, she glared at me. "How about you, Xenon? Are you ready to disappear from my life?"