AGNES

"We got a big audience waiting for us on Friday and we can't afford to disappoint them. Please, everyone, put in your best. Take your positions now and from the top." Miss Francesca hits the play button.

The opening routine with all five couples turns out excellently well. We dance in tune with the music until my turn with Felix to display as the star couple. Our move is relatively complicated because it comprises a lot of trust – something I'm short of whenever it comes to Felix.

When I fall at some points, he has to catch me. I also have to trust him enough to let him hold my weight.

I do feel like I'm trying to be as real as I can, but I know our connection even as partners is quite absent. Granting we make one or two mistakes along the line, we still dance our routine to the finish until the slow music stops playing.

"That was fair enough. Agnes and Felix, you still need to work on your routine. I almost felt your connection, but at some point, it's like you held yourself back from giving into each other."

I smile with the side of my mouth. At least, she didn't see the entire thing going on in between us because if she did, she won't let us dance as the star couple. But if she couldn't see it then I doubt anyone watching from the audience will.

"Miss Francesca, you haven't spoken about our outfit," Gladys states.

"Yes, I was coming to that. But it has been well taken care of. We had problems trying to get a perfect design for the play, and that was why it took this long, but now, it has been settled."

"Don't we get to choose the designs we want?" Felix asks.

The others turn at one another, buying into the idea, but I personally don't see a need for that. We've presented several times for school plays and we never got to pick designs for ourselves, I don't understand why that should be changed now."

"We don't have the time at our convenience to deliberate on designs, so I say we go with what Miss Francesca has chosen," I argue.

"Well, I don't see any harm in giving us options to choose from," Felix fires back at me.

"Do you have better taste than our teacher?"

"At least, I do have taste. Can you say so about yourself?"

"Oh, shut up! Why don't you crawl back to your football club? You think you can just waltz into the dance club and start making judgments for us all of a sudden?! You're not even as classy as you paint yourself to be."

The room grows silent and I become self-aware as everyone in the hall casts awkward stares at us. Even Miss Francesca is overwhelmed at the scene. I glance back at Felix as he still wears his arrogant look.

"Okay. That was unnecessary," Miss Francesca chips in, "whatever that boloney was all about. Nonetheless, I still remain the instructor of this club and anything I say goes, and as a matter of fact, your measurements from last year's outfit were used so we don't have to waste your time getting new measurements."

"But that's last year!" Andre protests. "What if we've outgrown those sizes?"

Miss Francesca surveys us with her eyes. "From the looks of it, you haven't. But if there be need for some adjustments, leave your outfit on my desk. Someone will be around to take your new measurement. On or before Thursday, I believe everything will be ready."

I start to hear side comments around me. I turn towards my friends and I find them reluctantly hiding their concern.

"Lastly, I'd prefer you come with your partners one at a time. I don't want a mob at the office. So, that's a wrap for today. See you soon," she concludes and leaves the hall, while the rest of us disperse to get our things.

I hurry to pick up my backpack by the wall, and behind me, Felix approaches, slightly less angry than earlier. As usual, my mood changes again.

"I'm sorry." His voice is kind and gentle – could have fooled me.

"I'm not."

"Alright! Okay! Do you want to have something first? I suppose we can talk better when we are not hungry."

And I believe he's not assuming we just fought over costumes because he thinks I'm hungry. I swear, there's no limit to his arrogance.

"Please?"

This façade of being nice to me won't last long. I'm pretty positive once he gets what he wants from me, whatever it is, he will just move on to the next victim. Surely, he has no idea who he's messing with. "Why bother?"

"Jeez! I was just being concerned," he counters defensively. "If you're not hungry, you could've just said so." Then he sighs, "well, in that case, let's go to the office together."

I sneer at him first. "We are only paired for this performance, and afterwards, there is nothing going to ever bring the both of us together. So, stop acting like you own me." It's really hard to describe what prompts me to respond this way towards Felix every damn time. It just happens I guess, so don't blame me.

"I am not acting like I own you. This is me being nice."

"Good for you." I turn my back to him.

Suddenly, he flares up. "What have I ever done to you, huh? Why do you hate me so much? No matter how I try to be nice to you, you only see my bad intentions! Are you seriously that thick-skinned?!"

His sudden explosion aggravates me more than he typically does. It only goes to show how he's saying all these to feed his egomaniac self. And since I'm not giving into him, his tolerance limit is near breakpoint. How wonderful. "Jump then fall off a building for all I care." I tell him before walking away.

FELIX

I stand silent, watching her leave with her head inclined after being so superfluously rude. The blood around my fists thump, wanting to knock the life out of someone. I get so furious I do not realize when Xian appears beside me.

"You know, attacking Agnes like that isn't going to help."

I turn to him, huffing exasperatedly. "What was I supposed to do? I just don't comprehend why she would hate me so much."

"It's not just you, everyone else too. The whole school is virtually talking about you and Agnes. Too many gossips and buzz conveyers are now spreading lies and jokes about both of you."

"Well, it's her fault!" I shout, facing toward her direction.

"Hey! Calm down!" Xian seizes my arm. "She is still here, and for Pete's sakes you're making all those rumours about you both seem true."

I relax myself a bit, taking deep breaths.

The whole time, I thought maybe she could see that I was essentially being nice, sincerely nice, but she's still the same old person who doesn't care about anyone but herself. And I thought I was the egocentric one.

"I know that you're frustrated now, and I'm not surprised, but whatever you want to do, I think you should slow down."

"What rumours have you heard about us?"

"Trust me, Felix, you don't wanna know."

"I can take it. What else can be worse than how inflexibly obstinate Agnes is?"

"It's way too obvious that she does not like you one bit, but you keep insisting."

I turn my face away. Xian is about to badger me and I'm not in the mood for it. I also don't want to vent my anger and frustration on him.

"All these drama has started instigating a lot of envy. It's become so bad, some girls, especially your exes, and one specifically, you know who, are starting to talk about your illicit affair."

"Huh!" I react with my eyes open wide.

"No need to disguise it. You apparently know it is Joey."

"Joey?!" What the hell makes him think I would figure out he's talking about Joey, amongst the girls I've dated before? Moreso, why would she be envious?

"You're my best friend so I can advise you. Stop being a fool and wake up to reality. The bet you made with Rex is not going to work out, mostly for you."

"You're not being supportive, you know."

"Oh! This is me being supportive in fact. You're fortunate I'm not snitching you out to Agnes. I could be warning her to stay away from you by all means."

"Well, thank you, best friend for doing me such a big favour."

"Listen, Felix, there are students out there who will appreciate you for you. The actual you. You don't need to do any of this to be the favourite classmate or look cool and awesome."

I sigh. At this point, I may be far from my initial exposition of infuriation, but I'm still pissed off a bit. Also grateful that Xian is here to make me cool off some steam, but freaking interested in why Joey is spurring drama this time. Too many conflicting feelings existing at once.

He holds my shoulder. "I hope you understand. Please tell me you understand."

"Thank you, Xian. I appreciate the pep talk, but how is Joey suddenly interested in me again?"

"You really do think so highly of yourself, don't you?"

"I mean, why should she get jealous of Agnes?" My face wrinkles with worry and concern. "She was okay with how we ended, wasn't she? Our breakup has been concluded a long time ago."

"That is what she told you, it doesn't mean that is how she feels. I mean, you are The Felix, and everybody knows you can't keep a girl for up to two months. But the energy you're putting into pursuing Agnes is higher than what you've ever put into a two months relationship."

"You don't have to be so blunt," I shoot at him.

"It's simple. Tell Rex you can't do it anymore. It will not remove a single hair on your skin if you just accept defeat."

"No, no. Don't tell me that. I will talk to Joey. If there is one thing I don't need at this time, it's definitely 'girls' drama'."

He gasps. "Are you being serious right now?"

"Dead serious."

"Okay, I am out of here. It was pointless talking to you anyway," he says and walks away to join Yvonne.

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