ALL THE STRINGS ATTACHED | COMPLETED

16.

THEODORE.

I can't deny and say that it's not bothering me.

Who am I kidding? It's pricking me like an unwanted needle, poking at my skin. And it was irritating me to no end.

Tsk, what exactly is up with Daniel?

We didn't spend the New Year's together, he hardly texts me and almost non-existent at the cafe. It's like he decided it was a good time to take a break without telling me.

He wasn't like this before. At the very least, he wouldn't disappear on me. I would still get to see him, even on busy days. Now, it's almost like he was dodging me.

Fuck, all this thinking was giving me a headache.

The elevator reached my floor and I waking down the hallway, stopping at the door to punch in the code. Almost punching the pane out due to the unsettlement in my heart.

"Hey man, what's up? You look like you're about to eat someone alive."

I looked up at the new guy. "I'm fine," was all I could manage to squeeze out of my throat.

He held his hands up and stepped back. "Don't wanna be stepping into a ticking time bomb today. You might just explode."

"What is it you want, Xander?" I spat. He definitely had a knack for annoying me more that I already was.

His mouth curved up at one side. "HOD would like to see your plans for the year. You're the only one-"

"That has yet to submit the documents. Right, I get it already. Now get that cocky smile off your face, you asshole."

"My asshole is very fine, I get that everyone wants it. Too bad I only top. Such a pity to the world," he said, dramatically sad, one hand at his chest.

If anger was within me, now it had a hint of confusion.

"You what?" I waved off the question. "Whatever. Go back to your table and stop pestering me."

"Not before I ask my juniors for lunch. We could get together and bond over food. Now doesn't that sound like fun? It's been awhile since I saw Daniel too! You have to invite him for lunch!" He sat and and leaned over my table.

Ohhh, he stepped on my tail.

Nobody, and I mean nobody, sits on my table. (Well, except Alex.)

"Get out of my sight for the next eight hours," I pointed to the opening of my cubicle, signaling for him to get the fuck out. "You're making me regret that I told you I was still in contact with Dan."

"Opps!" he teased, popping the 'p' sound. "Time bomb just went off~ that's my signal to leave."

I leaned back in my chair and rubbed my temples with my thumbs. Xander have me a bigger headache than before I barged my way into the building.

Where are my pain killers?

——————————————

The sun had set and the day was over. I was hella gone by the time I stepped foot out of campus. My mind was so off that I probably wasn't sure of half the things I said during lectures.

Even my students were asking me if I was okay.

Then there was Xander. Something was definitely up with this guy. My guts tell me that he is not someone I would want to get close to.

Throughout the entire day, he has been finding ways to bug me. Be it during breaks or calling out my name while walking along the hallways. I'm not sure why, I just finding him irritating. He's like a pest that I can't seem to get rid off. Not to mention, he has been asking about Daniel. Which is making me more pissed than I already was by the way.

Speaking of which, there he was. Standing against the post.

I ran up towards him and gave him a smack on the arm.

"Where the fuck have you disappeared to?" I scolded.

"Sorry. I was.. busy."

"Busy? Even so, you could have at least dropped me a text or a call. I almost had to call Nathan to hire a PI to find you."

"Nathan? You mean Nathan Chia?"

"Yeah, you know him? Wait, that's not the main point. Where were you this whole time?"

He scratched the back on his head. My eyes followed his arm, only for his watch to slide down his wrist and reveal some redness around it. "I was.. busy."

"You're being suspicious here. And what's up with your wrist? Why is it red?"

"I'm fine," he brushed me off. "The watch was too tight."

"But it slid down your wrist?"

"I only just adjusted it. Of course, it's red," he explained as he held onto to his watch and turned it on his wrist a few times. "Come on, let's go grab a bite."

His hand was placed on my back and he pushed me forward. "Come on, let's leave."

I looked at him, puzzled.

He was definitely hiding something from me. It didn't take a genius to figure that out. Only problem was, what was he trying to keep secret?

I observed him a little while more as we walked, only to realise that the red band that we had together was no longer around his neck.

He had taken it off.

I could feel my heart drop. He had never taken it off all this time. Why now?

———————————————

A/N: Dan, you into BDSM or something?

Xander is annoying here.

I know what's going on, but I won't deny that writing this chapter got me a little lost. I'm not very happy about it and maybe I'll come back to edit it some day.

Stay safe everyone!

See you in the next part!

-heavily unedited-