Chapter 2

Just as she was getting cozy, she remembered her science project. "Ugh!" she screamed as she got up from the tub, almost slipping as she stepped down. Just as she was toweling herself dry, she remembered that her project was due tomorrow. "Ugh!" she screamed even louder as she ran out, still dripping wet.

As soon as she was done dressing up, she collated all the materials she had for her project-a light dimmer, the kind you see in cinemas. She had no idea why they would even have that for a school project, but she had no choice.

After hours oftinkering around with her project, she looked up at the clock and saw that it was already.

11:00 p.m. What, I've been doing this for five hours and still nothing? she thought.

Hmm, maybe I can put this here . . .

"Ack!" Phoebe screamed. A painful jolt of grounded electricity shot through her fingertip. She almost dropped the little she had accomplished. "Ow!" She was making a lot ofnoise but not a lot of progress.

Maybe a little midnight snack will help, she thought as she got up.

Just as she opened her door, she found Kent opening his door. He had a huge frown on his face.

Ugh, what now? Phoebe thought as their eyes met.

"God, Phoebe! Will you ever give me a moment of peace? It's almost midnight. Ifyou don't want to sleep, fine. But will you please shut up?"

Phoebe rolled her eyes. Yet somehow she found it funny just how much of a nagger he could be when he was annoyed.

"Why are you still up anyway?"

"Uh . . . the light dimmer, the project . . ."

"But that's due tomorrow!"

Phoebe looked down, embarrassed. When she looked up at Kent's smug smirk, she had an idea. But just as she was about to speak up, she became aware of just how good Kent looked, even with half his figure in shadows, standing on the threshold of his dark bedroom. It was ridiculous, really. No one's silhouette was supposed to look that good.

"What are you looking at?" Kent caught her staring, which brought her back to her senses.

"Uh, Kent?"

"Yes?"

"I . . . um . . ."

Kent shook his head in impatience and was about to close the door when Phoebe hurriedly stopped it with her hand. He looked at her askance.

"Oh no, Phoebe. You're not allowed to do that. Control yourself!" Kent teased.

"Shut up. I have no plans of going into your secret lair. I have a favor to ask."

"Favor?"

"Can I, um...borrow...um,yourlightdimmer? I have no idea how to finish mine. I just want to know how it's supposed to work, is all."

"Well, it's no longer with me. I submitted it last week." What a nerd! But the assignment was just given last week! she thought. "Is that it? Well, sorry. No favors. Now shut up. I'm going back to sleep."

"Kent, wait. Please."

"What?" Kent scratched his head,

tousling his perfectly messy hair and making it look even more perfect. Phoebe was alternately annoyed and dis- tracted by it.

"Can you help me finish it?"

Kent's brows furrowed so much Phoebe was afraid they would forever be joined together. This thought made her giggle.

"What's so funny? No. I won't help you. That's supposed to be an individual assignment." He closed the door in her face.

Phoebe stood in front of his bedroom door, thinking of ways to force him to help her with the project. Just as she was about to give up, she had an idea. She started making random sounds.

In less than a minute, Kent was back outside his bedroom. He stormed out and marched toward her open door, surveying her disaster of a project. He started picking up the pieces of the light dimmer, and as he assembled it, he started nagging yet again.

"Why are you such a slacker? This project is so simple. You can even Google how to do it. I don't know what you do in class. You probably just space out like you always do." He shook his head in disbelief and talked straight for five minutes as he worked on her project. When he was done, he tested it out.

"Wow, you make it look so easy," Phoebe said as she watched the light dimmer do what it was supposed to do.

"That's because it is easy, you idiot." He handed the project to her. "Now will you shut up? I really want to sleep. If you make even the tiniest noise, I swear"--he took the project from her--"I will destroy this. I'm not even kidding."

"Okay." Phoebe grinned. She wasn't really scared of that happening. She was too sleepy to make any noise anyway. Kent looked at her, as if waiting for something. "Oh. Thank you. Thank you so much, Kent!"

She started moving toward him, her arms wide open. Kent looked at her and walked swiftly out of her room.

She slept deeply that night. When she woke up, however, she found that she was running late. She had no idea if Kent ever did his morning-knocking ritual. She was probably in too deep to hear it. Or maybe he was so mad about last night that he did not knock on her door just to spite her.

Ugh, what a jerk! she thought as she got dressed.

When she arrived at the school gate, she found

~~

crowds of girls from nearby schools gathering at the entrance. She had to squeeze her way in, holding on to her project. When she got to their building, crowds of girls from other sections and grades were there as well.

Ugh, what's going on? This is just what I need- another Kent crowd, she thought as she fought her way in.

When she was safe from the crowd, her phone started ringing.

"Hello, Jhone?"

"I can't believe you! Why aren't you here yet? Ms. Cagula's almost here. Wait, are you planning to cut class just because you didn't finish your project?"

"No way! I finished it."

"Really now?" The disbelief in Jhone was so evident even over the phone that Phoebe felt offended.

"Yes, really."

"Well, what are you waiting for?"

"Sorry, it's just that there are so many fangirls in here. Aren't they used to Kent yet? Why are they still fawning over him?"

"Ah, that crowd's not for Kent. It's for Harley Villaluz."

"Who's that?"

"Why are you so clueless, Fibs? Harley-the one from the rival network. I swear, sometimes you can be so clueless. FYI, Kent isn't the only celebrity in the world. Well, I better go. Had to sneak out to call you. Hurry up! Bye."

Just as she was trying hard to recall this Harley's face, which she couldn't, the bell rang. She started running toward their homeroom. If she didn't make it

on time, she could possibly fail Ms. Cagula's subject. She was so lost in her thoughts as she walked briskly that she didn't see that someone was also walking in her direction. They bumped violently against each other, causing her to drop the light dimmer on the floor.

"I'm so sorry!"

"Ugh! Now I'm dead!" she started muttering as she picked up her project off the floor.

The person who hit her started helping her. Phoebe looked up and was surprised to find how good-looking he was.

No, Phoebe, you can't check other guys out. You're married! she thought, shaking her head as if to physically erase her thoughts.

"Look, I'm really sorry. Let me fix it for you."

She looked up and saw people staring at them. She then noticed that they were in front of Kent's homeroom.

"No, not necessary," Phoebe said as she took the pieces of her project from the strange guy. He wouldn't relent though.

Nervously, Phoebe looked around for Kent. She knew he would go berserk if he found out what happened to the project that she bugged him to finish.

"Please, give it back. I'm running late for class and-"

"You! What are you doing here?"

It was Kent. To say that he was mad would be a great understatement.

"Nothing, Ken Tomas Fuentabella!"

As soon as the words escaped her mouth, she instantly regretted it. No one was supposed to know Kent's real name because he was deeply embarrassed by it.

Kent was red with fury. The guy stood up and motioned toward Kent.

"Hey, dude. Easy. It was my fault."

Phoebe saw just how intensely Kent was looking at the guy. She also suddenly grew aware of people talking around them.

"Ugh, really, this girl? Yesterday, she was bugging Kent for his autograph and now Harley. Come on."

"She's so shameless."

Phoebe looked at them and wondered if they were intentionally talking in loud whispers so she would hear.

She looked back at the strange guy and suddenly put two and two together. So this is Harley? Wow. Okay.

She pleaded silently with this Harley guy to give back her project, but he wouldn't budge. The whisper-- ings became even more rampant.

"Maybe she didn't actually finish her project, so it must be 'broken' to begin with."

"Yeah, I think she dropped it on purpose."

Finally, she had had enough. She dropped her bag to the floor and faced them.

"Will you shut up? I'm not shameless-you are! And he bumped into me! He destroyed my project! Ask him!" She pointed toward Harley. "I don't even know this dude anyway. So stop saying such stupid things about me. You don't know any better."

Harley looked at her, shaking his head with a small smile.

"And for your information, I finished the light dimmer. I mean, ask him! He knows. Right, Kent?" This time, she pointed to Kent.

Kent looked at her, brows furrowed just as much as they did last night.

"I have no idea what you're talking about!" He stormed off.

Phoebe watched him walk off and slapped her mouth.

When Kent was finally out of Phoebe's sight, he watched as she and Harley started interacting. He didn't even know why he was watching, really. He was just really annoyed at how things transpired. He watched as Phoebe started picking up her bag and walked away from the scene. Then he saw Harley trying to catch up with her.

"Miss. Hey! Stop!"

Kent felt the urge to stop Harley from chasing Phoebe when he felt a hand on his arm. He turned around. It was his newest costar, Elisa, who also happened to be his classmate.

"What are you doing there?" she asked.

He had no choice. He took one last look at the scene. He saw Phoebe trying to take the project from Harley and Harley insisting not to give it back. He heard him say, "Where's your homeroom? I'll just give this back to you once I fix it. Promise."

~~

Kent smirked at Harley's fake gallantry.

He saw Phoebe smiling, taking pleasure in Harley's attention. She pointed out her room and said, "Can you give it back to me ASAP? It's due first class."

"Sure."

Phoebe gave him one last smile before hurrying to class. Kent couldn't believe his eyes. He was so mad that he just stormed off.

Both Kent and Phoebe were in such a hurry to leave. Both didn't even notice Harley picking up a small file case that belonged to Phoebe.

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