AND THERE goes Treyson's mind wandering off his body. He didn't even know how he manage to maneuver the car and get it on the way. His elbow resting on the window while his fingers playing on his lips. And he can still feel Raia's lips against his, so soft but firm.

"Did you arrive here just now?" Raia asked him, looking outside the window

"Yeah." Treyson answered stealing glances from her. He stopped playing with his lips and tried to focus on his driving.

"Then you shouldn't be here. You should be resting." Raia said still not looking at him.

"Yeah, but I just wanted to s-"

Treyson immediately cut off what he's about to say. And it was like the most natural response from him. He frowned at himself.

"You don't have to fetch me though. I just lost track of time, but I can manage. You might be exhausted from the long drive." Then Raia looked at him tenderly, but has a glint of worry in her eyes.

Treyson can't focus his eyes on the road. He's just so thankful that the road isn't that crowded and narrow. Cause if it is, they would surely be in trouble.

"I'm fine. It's not that long of a drive." He smiled trying to ease her worry.

"Hmm..." She simply hummed in response.

The rest of the ride was quiet. Treyson's eyes were glancing over the young lady on the shotgun seat. But the latter was oblivious to her surrounding.

When they reach home, Treyson watch Raia get out of the car with ease. She didn't even wait for him to open the door for her. She just look at him and nod her head before going in.

"Didn't see that coming." Treyson said to himself as he follow suit. Unconsciously, his hand went to touch his lips. Then a smile stretched his lips.

It was just a touching of their lips, no movement whatsoever. Not a real kiss for him. But the way his stomach flutter at the memory of that simple kiss, it sends confusion in his system.

As Treyson enter the large room, the cause of his fluttering is going upstairs. His eyes darted into the girl.

"Why don't you go up and rest?" His Mom asked.

"No, I'm fine." He's convincing himself more than his Mom. But truth be told, he wanted to lie on his bed and get a good sleep. But he's refraining himself.

"You look tired son." His Father butted in. "Go and rest."

Treyson didn't say anything but he comply with what his parent's said. Minutes later he's holding the doorknob, pushing the door of his room open. His room is clean, almost nothing's change. Except for the books that's scattered on the sofa and on the floor. He took long strides over his set and was about to pick it all up when the door flew open.

Raia in her uniform entered the room, her hair's still dripping.

"I'm sorry I forgot to get these books." She said apologetically, beating him to picking up the books. As she sit down and pick the books, she did not heed him any attention as if he's not there.

"Why are these books even there?" Treyson asked out of curiosity.

"I spend my free time reading here." She looked up at him and smiled. Then she returned to picking up the books.

"And why is that?" Treyson sound amused by her answer.

"I like it here. Your veranda has the best view of the sunset." She paused and looked at him for the second time, her face soften. "And it feels warm in here."

Treyson was astounded as he stare at the pair of eyes brightly looking at him tenderly. And as soon as his gaze fixed on Raia's eyes, he's drowned on them.

Raia averted her eyes when Treyson's eyes linger on her. She can feel his stare on him but shrugged it of. It's giving her a weird feeling.

Weird but warm.

"Leave them be. You might get late if you continue picking those up." Treyson said considerately.

"No. I won't take long."

Raia stood up clutching the books to her chest, preventing the others to fall. She smiled at him tenderly.

"You should rest. I'll take my leave now." Raia bowed her head and head out of Treyson's room. The latter just watched him disappear from his sight.

And when she's out, Treyson released the air he didn't even know he's holding.

Why was I even holding my breath?

Treyson shook his head and moved from his spot. He removed his eyeglasses and placed it on his bedside table. Then he went on his bed, flopped on it. Exhaustion began to consume it. And before he knew it, his eyes dropped close. Surrendering himself to oblivion.

RAIA WAS busy with her pen, scribbling down on her sketch pad. She was all absorbed on her own world when someone poke her. She turn to look where the person is, only to see the only person she's comfortable with in her class.

"What is it?" She asked and nonchalantly went back to what she's doing.

Then another poke. Raia didn't bother looking.

Then another one. And then she snapped. Raia out her pen down, losing her focus and give her full attention to the culprit.

"What do you want?" Raia asked annoyed.

The latter just chuckle and sat down beside her.

"You've been absorbed on your own world again. What are you even doing?"

"As you can see, genius, I am on to something." She replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Her eyes dead with any emotions.

The latter just chuckled at her.

"You mean, you're drawing your favorite subject?" He said teasingly. "Should I be jealous now?"

"Jealous, my ass." Raia rolled her eyes earning a chuckle from him.

"We're the only ones left. Our instructor didn't arrive and they all went out." Daniel said as a matter of fact. And she only noticed it when he pointed it out. "Come on, it's almost lunch time."

Raia immediately stashed all her things inside her bag and went out of the room with Daniel.

Daniel is the only person she's comfortable with ever since she can remember. And the latter towards her. They've been friends since she can remember. She can talk to him with ease. She can be annoyed, irritated and exasperated towards him but the Daniel won't mind. She can be foul-mouthed, bossy and bitchy towards him but Daniel will only laugh at her. He's the only on who can stand her with her foul attitude and all. And he's the only person who can look straight into her eyes without being weirded. Well, aside from her family for that matter.

Raia can be herself when she's with Daniel, the thing that she can only do towards the Quintanas. But she can't let everyone see that. She's just being herself to chosen people.

Some can mistook them for a couple but they knew better. There's a very thin, almost non-existing chance that they can be an item. Simply because Daniel can swing both ways, but she isn't his type at all. A thing that the two of them only knew. And for Daniel, she's just a little sister.

But Daniel's flirty side was all over her when they're together. His side that annoys Raia all the time. Pretty much.

"Find a table, i'll buy our food. Sounds great?" Daniel inquired upon entering the school cafeteria.

"No. You find a table." And Raia thrust her bag into him, not waiting for his answer before she left.

Daniel just watched her with amusement in his eyes. And as he was told, he find a table for them. And he chose the one beside the window, on the far left side of the cafeteria.

Raia chose their food varying from meat, fish, vegetables and fruits. She even get them a yogurt drink and two glasses of water. And when she paid for it, her eyes search for the man who she ordered to find a table for them. And when her eyes caught him, she immediately sauntered towards him.

Raia carefully placed the tray on the table and began to arrange their food before she sat down on the chair opposite from him. Daniel looked at her funny

"What?" She snapped.

"Why'd you sit there? Don't you want to sit beside me, hmm?" Daniel's on his flirting mode again.

Raia answered him with a sarcastic smile. "Eat, now." And she gave her a glare before she started eating.

Both of them ate in silence, finishing everything she got them. And once they're done with their food, Raia took out her sketch pad and pen and started scribbling again.

"And there she goes again." Daniel sounded sullen.

"Now, now. Don't get sullen. I'll be done here in a minute." Raia said without giving him a glance.

"Why are you even always putting him into delineation, anyway?" Daniel asked inquisitively.

"Because he's my favorite subject?" Raia answered with a lopsided smile. Making Daniel roll his eyes.

"That's beside the fact."

"What? It doesn't matter." Raia shrugged, not wanting to let her reason out. She can tell Daniel everything. But not when she's having doubt herself.

When the cafeteria began to get crowded and noisy, Raia stood up gathering her things and went out of the cafeteria. She even let oit a sigh of relief when she got out.

"Suffocated?" Daniel said behind her.

"Yeah." Raia grimaced. "Sometimes, I really just wanna prepare lunch at home at take it with me just to avoid crowd."

"You're such a spoilsport." Daniel chuckled, wounding his hand around her shoulders. "Don't you want to give them a little entertainment, hmm?"

"Then they should be paying us if we do that." Raia raised her brow. "Mind you, I'm not cheap." And she started to waltz along the corridors with him.

"Hmm, I'm sure you're not. I don't do friends with cheap people." And Daniel snickered.

"And the asshole has spoken." Raia said in a sing-song tone. And they both laugh at their conversation.

It's one of the best thing being friend with him, they both understand each other in a way that one can't put a finger on.

RAIA TOOK her working clothers and put it on as soon as she entered the restaurant. She didn't even last five minutes making herself presentable. And soon enough, she emerged from the small room she considers her office at the restaurant.

"How's everything going?" Raia asked Dana, the one in charge on the counter.

"Doing fine." Dana answered smiling.

And as Raia began her duty on the restaurant, she didn't keep track on time like always. She keep herseld busy and was about to serve another meal on her guest when Dana approached her.

"Mr. Quintana is requesting for your presence." Dana said politely.

"Mr. Quintana? The king of the household?" Raia asked, her brows furrowed.

"Nope. One of the princes." And Dana seems suppressing the giggle out of her lips.

"Who is?"

"The Greek god who came here the other day to see you." And a wide smile stretched Dana's lips.

"Where's he?" Raia rolled her eyes.

"Your office." Dana said smiling before leaving her.

"What is he doing here?" Raia said to herself, and as soon as she stepped inside her office, a comfortably seated Treyson welcome her eyes. Raia gave her most polite smile.

"Hey. I hope you don't mind." Treyson said as he look around.

"No, not really." Raia responded, not really minding him. Even if her office felt like a little crowded. "What brought you here, anyway?"

Treyson look at her for a whole minute. As if memorizing every contour and curve of her face. And his eyes linger on her eyes for a long time.

Treyson fin her eyes astonishing. And he can still remember how those eyes stare at him from almost ten years ago. What it felt like to be under her gaze, the emotion it held way back and how she said those words to him.

"Your eyes..." Treyson whispered in daze.

Raia dragged her eyes away from him, feeling ashamed.

"I'm sorry." Raia never felt so ashamed of her eyes. "I know it's peculiar."

"No. It's the exact opposite." Treyson said in astonishment. "They're beautiful."

And with that, a warm smile stretched Raia's lips. Weird as it is, she felt warm all over knowing he's not weirded out by her eyes.

"Mom and Dad were on their way here. So as our brothers. We're gonna have dinner here."

At the mention of dinner, Raia automatically looked at her wristwatch. And she nearly smacked herself when she saw that it's nearing seven in the evening.

"What would you like to have for dinner?" She asked calmly, but she's in panicked state inside.

"Anything's fine." Treyson shrugged.

"Okay. I'll be in the kitchen preparing should they arrive and look for me." And she was about to leave when Treyson rose and beating her to walk out the door.

"I'll help." He said out of the blue and smiled at her.

"If you're comfortable with it, sure." She returned his smile.

Treyson let out a low chuckle.

"Know what, your demeanor look that of a butler. And if I heard the phrase 'My Lord' from you, I swear you'll be giving me a good laugh."

And to amuse him more, Raia stood up straight, her left hand across her stomach. And the next thing she said throw him off.

"Well then, I'll excuse myself now, my lord." And she playfully bowed her head. She left him with a fit of laughter, and her with a wide smile.