Chapter 46

Uno’s huge, broad back faced me. His head drooped low. As I walked closer to his car, his cologne slowly filling my nostrils. That, combined with the chilly air, had goosebumps springing on my skin. “I don't know what's happening to me. I can't explain my feelings for her. This is the first time I've ever felt this way. I feel possessive, angry and jealous. Where are you, Bella? I wish you were here. I want to hear your answers.” I heard him mumbled through the air. I stopped right on my tracks. Bella? Who was that? and why was he talking to her? “Uno…” I called out. He remained in the same position but I was so sure he heard me. “Uno...” I repeated, standing behind him with my hands crossed. He opened the car door and he entered inside, slamming the door. “Get in.” I did as what he told me and as soon as I clicked the seatbelt he drove off and out of the school’s parking area. “Uno.” My heart pounded an erratic rhythm as I observed him driving fast. “Don’t talk to me, Ashley.” His stern voice rang out. “I want to explain.” My voice now shaky, he drove way faster than this morning, speeding in the highway in controlled violence like we were catching a flight. “No,” his hands gripping the steering wheel so hard that his knuckles turned white and his face set at the front focusing on the road. “Please, Uno…” “I really don’t want to speak to you right now.” he whispered, his eyes still focused on the road. I ignored the jab in my heart and sat up straight, my eyes still on him, my hand reached his arm and caressed it with my thumb. He froze but continued driving. Then he went faster and I squeezed my eyes shut, and three minutes of reckless driving passed. My head felt dizzy, and my hands shook as I felt the car slowing down. “You can open your eyes now.” I heard him say and my eyes fluttered open, the lights in the parking lot of our building flooded through my eyes. He pulled up and rested his head on the steering wheel. Uno sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry.” He whispered, his voice so low and deep that I almost didn’t hear him. Ignoring his apology, my head leaned against his shoulder. I took time to actually grasp onto the situation. For the past hour, I did not have any time to wrap my head around the ongoings. Uno had anger issues and tonight’s incidents confirmed it. He didn’t have any control on his anger. He did things he usually would never ever think of doing. All of this, ended with him feeling sorry about the whole ordeal and regretting his actions. “Ash?” Uno’s deep tone snapped me out of my train of thought. “Are you okay?” I asked, caressing his hair, touching his bruised lips with my thumb. “No. I fucked up.” He admitted, looking into my green orbs. “I’m sorry, Uno.” “I didn’t like his hands on you, Ash.” He admitted, with rough edge to his tone. “It’s like I saw red in that moment. I don’t like any man touch you, hold you, kiss you...” I exhaled. “You can’t go around lunging any guy who flirts with me. I wasn’t even flirting back, right?” “You were, Ash. He almost kissed you and you didn’t stop him or tell him off. God, Ash! He’s your teacher!” Guilt penetrated my soul. I should’ve not flirt with my teacher or I could have flirt with him but without Uno knowing. But I didn’t want to flirt with another man, I just did that to make him jealous. “I’m sorry too, Uno. I..” I paused now feeling nervous. “I did that to make you feel…jealous.” He whipped his head to me. “What?” “Yeah, I…“ much to my dismay, my voice cracked at the last word, rendering my attempts to hide my face utterly futile. “Ashley,” he started, his voice merely a whisper, filled with worry. “Why are you crying?” he asked, genuinely concerned as he set his fingers under my chin, making me look up at him. His thumb came to my cheekbone, and he delicately wiped away my tears, which still kept on coming. I was so tired, so exhausted, both physically and emotionally. I couldn’t keep on pretending that everything was fine and breezy when it was not. “I just hate her.” I snapped angrily, shoving him away from me, his touch suddenly becoming suffocating, stifling. “Who?” he was confused. My rational brain was screaming at me to leave it at that and run away from him, back to the safety of my room, but my body didn’t budge. “I hate Kate! I fucking hate her that you had to go and leave me. That she always steals our time being together!” I yelled through tears. It was getting hard to breathe, everything was closing in on me, the limited space inside his car becoming even more limited. “I planned everything to make you jealous, and I succeeded. But no matter what I do, I know you will always prioritize her because she’s fucking obsessed and sick.” I confessed earnestly, my heart thrumming in my ribcage. But then, I was shocked when Uno pulled me roughly and I am now sitting on his lap, my legs straddling him. I gasped when our bodies touched. “Uno,” He cupped my cheek and touched his forehead against mine. “But you do know that you’re the one inside here, right?” he pointed on his left chest and I nodded reluctantly. His thumb brushed my lips and at that moment, my calm was shattered when his mouth captured mine and like a lighted candle, I melted easily against his body and surrendered onto his searching soul.