FALLING IN LOVE WITH HIM - HER FIRST LOVE

The food on Hunter's plate remained untouched. He was busy admiring his favourite art on earth, his Goddess, wishing he could devour her instead. He hadn't met her yet today and now its already noon. He wasn't kidding when he said he would be busy with his books and she was his biggest distraction. 

From the moment Hera walked into the luncheon bar, Hunter couldn't take his eyes off her. She was scowling all the time. Watching her cuteness brought a smile to his face. Hera dumped her bag on the table and went to buy her plate of food. Hunter's eyes followed her everywhere, subconsciously. Hands shoved inside her pockets, she joined the line, patiently waiting for her turn. 

Hunter watched when the boy standing ahead of Hera, turned to look at her. With a nervous smile, he stepped back, allowing Hera to move forward in the line. Frowning, Hera went ahead of him despite not wanting and the process repeated again and again until she reached the front.. 

Hera scowled hard but helplessly accepted the favour. It was awkward. She knew why they were all being extra polite with her.

'Don't they all know, Hera is Ace's girl!'

She thought disapprovingly. It was too embarrassing, and she felt conscious whenever she was the center of attention. 

Hunter smirked with pride. He appreciated their gesture. It pleased him how the boys were too scared to hold eye contact with her even for a few seconds. 

Meanwhile, Noel reached Hera's table, and Hunter didn't miss when he put a folded paper into her backpack. He's trying to be discrete with his whatever actions. Glancing at Hera once, he sheepishly walked away. Hunter ignored him and once again fixed his eyes on his Hera.

Hera uttered a thank you to everyone and went back to her table with her food. 

Legs wide, Hunter sat manspreading. One hand resting on his thigh, he held the spoon in his other hand, lazily playing with the food. He observed Hera's scowl disappeared from her face as soon as she set the plate on the table. She smiled to herself before digging in. 

Hunter smiled wide. He knew food always made her happy. Struggling with a melting ice cream cone in one hand, Hera started eating her food with her other hand. 

She would lick the ice cream in between every morsel. 

Her tongue darting out to lick the ice cream did things to Hunter. She looked so innocent yet so seductively tempting. Hunter exhaled a long breath before a groan rushed out of him, and he didn't bother hiding his frustration. Dropping the spoon, he rubbed his palm over face downwards. Eric turned over his shoulder to find the cause of Hunter's distress, and he couldn't stop himself from rolling his eyes. Hera was in direct line of their vision. 

Michael beside him giggled soundlessly, and Eric knew he too had discovered the reason for Hunter's frustration. Bending their head, they hid their faces while their shoulders shook in a burst of silent laughter. 

Bianca and Samantha sitting on Eric's left were sharing an earpiece bopping their heads in sync to whatever music they listened to while they revised their notes for the test at the same time. Oblivious to her surroundings, Evelyn watched the video of Victoria's Secret Fashion Show she'd saved in her phone. She'd her head leaned on Danny's shoulder.

So lost was Hunter in his fantasy that his gaze didn't waver from Hera, not even for a second. Now he had his elbow on the table with his face in his hand, propping up his chin, his food on the plate long forgotten. Licking his lips, he sighed before pulling the bottom one between his teeth. 

Danny kicked his shin under the table, and it was hard enough to hurt. Hunter winced before fixing his best friend with a glare. "Fuck, it's so embarrassing! You're not even subtle about it, you know," Danny stated with a disapproving scowl. "I can't even sit with you without feeling awkward nowadays," he admitted, face wrinkling in disgust. Hunter conveniently chose to ignore him.

Eric and Michael didn't even try to hide their amusement anymore. They tossed back their heads and laughed out loud, giving each other a high-five. Crumpling the paper tissues into a ball, Danny threw it at them. He scowled glaring at them, and Evelyn watched their exchange with a confused frown on her face. 

Meanwhile, Hera's smile disappeared all of a sudden. 

Hunter's eyes surveyed to know who dared to upset his Goddess. 

Hera watched while her friends pulled the chairs and joined her table. She knew they were all still angry with her and their sudden approach surprised her. She glanced at Hunter's table, and he looked away, picking up his spoon. 

Hera knew he was watching her. 

He always does. 

That knowledge brought both comfort and a shy awkwardness as well. Because she knew how protective he's of her and at the same time, he's always so blatant about his staring. 

Hunter never bothered to be subtle in his actions, always straightforward, cut to the point in his every approach. Hera loved that quality in him. It always made him look good.

'Honesty only adds more to his attractiveness. He looks sexier when he's blunt.'

Celine cleared her throat, catching Hera's attention. She started with the apology, and soon others followed. They admitted how wrong they were for judging her, but only did it because they cared about her and were upset that Hera didn't speak to them first. Hera understood and being the better person she chose to acknowledge their apology. 

They sorted out their differences. Only, Andrew didn't speak to her yet. He was silently staring, and Hera felt awkward. 

Hera noticed how her friends' gaze looked alarmed all of a sudden and their back straightened. Before she could turn to know what caught their attention, she felt a feather-light, soft-touch on the side of her neck. Fingers traced up delicately and caressed her cheek. Casting her eyes down, Hera avoided her friends' eyes. 

She knew who the fingers belong to, and she didn't need to know whatever judgment her friends' eyes held at the moment. 

Hunter left a wet smooch on her cheek and whispered, only for her to hear, "Goddess, if you don't want me to kiss you then I suggest, you finish your food fast and leave." He walked around her and took a seat beside her. Hera ran her fingers on her cheek, wiping it where he'd kissed. She ducked her head and shoved her mouth with a forkful of noodles. 

The ice cream started to melt, staining her palm and fingers. Shifting the cone to her other hand, Hera brought the sticky hand to her mouth, ready lick it clean. She heard Hunter clicking his tongue and peeked a glance at him. He shook his head in a no and took her hand in his before smiling warmly at her. Grabbing a few tissues placed on the table, he wiped her hand clean. 

Hera blushed hard under his intense gaze. Somehow the action of him holding her hand and cleaning it felt more intimate than kissing. She knew her friends were watching and she wasn't a big fan of public display of affection. 

Once he let go of her hand, Hera finished her ice cream first and then started eating her noodles. 

Jaw set hard, fingers clenched into fists, Andrew kept glaring at Hunter all the time. He was having a hard time controlling his anger. He wished he could smash Hunter's face. 

Hunter smirked smugly, and shot a 'Do you have a problem?' look at Andrew. 

"Suck it, you fucker," Hunter mouthed at him. Unaware of the building tension, Hera grabbed her backpack as soon as she finished eating her food. Her boyfriend stood and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her into a side hug. He kissed her temple, and Hera's heart melted at the affectionate gesture. 

With quick, "Bye, see you later," she left the luncheon bar in a hurry. 

HOURS LATER, IN THE CLASSROOM,

Pursing her lips into a thin line, Hera exhaled in a huff and packed her things. She eyed the paper on her desk, and a displeased scowl marred her beautiful face. Shaking her head as in to clear her disappointment, she grabbed the sheets and handing it over to the teacher, Hera walked out of her class. 

She ignored the disapproving look the teacher aimed at her. 

It was her English test paper. It wasn't really her fault that things didn't go as she anticipated. She thought she could manage it, but contrary to her thoughts, the supposed easy subject was anything but easy. 

'Merchant of Venice is a romantic tale of lovers!' 

Hera thought begrudgingly. She couldn't believe she'd screwed up. Inwardly, she screamed, cursing herself for being such a dumb girl. She couldn't remember the romantic sequences between lovers. Her little brain got confused between the characters, and her English test went down to the gutter. 

She hoped she would pass somehow.