5

After school was over.

"I don't understand why you're waiting for him," Mia said while leaning against the wall with Leah who was waiting for Igneel to come out of the class. "Because he is my friend now," Leah said with a shrug. 

"You cannot make anyone your friend," Mia said, making Leah sigh. "Do you remember how we first met, Mia? You were just like him...well not scared but lonely." Leah said and Mia smiled.

"That's right. If it wasn't for you. I would still be lonely. You kept running behind me...kept meddling in my business. Never left my side no matter what others said." Mia said. Her eyes sparkled as she remembered the old days.

"Yes...he is worse than you...I do sympathize with him but he is alluring." Leah said while looking at Mia. "Well...I have to go to my aunt's house. I have to babysit my cousins today. I will get late if I keep waiting for him. I'll leave first." Mia said and Leah nodded. "See you tomorrow," Leah said while waving at Mia. 

She looked back at the door and kept waiting for him until he finally walked out of the classroom. He paused upon seeing Leah. Her gaze was fixated on the floor and she wasn't aware that he walked out of the classroom. He decided to walk past her but she grabbed his arm before he could step any further from her.

"You done?" She asked him and he nodded while looking down. She let go of his wrist and stood beside him. "Let's go...what are you waiting for?" She asked and he slightly turned towards her.

"You don't have to do this....this for me." He said in a low voice. She heard half of it but understood what he was saying. She raised her brows at him while shaking her right hand in denial. "I'm your friend and  friends wait for each other." She said with a smile.

"I never agreed to be your friend." He said. This time slightly louder. Her smile dropped as soon as she heard his voice. "Your voice....its...well uhh." She paused. He will surely give her a hard time but she ain't giving up. 

He started to walk, leaving her behind. She kept staring at his back and decided to follow him closely behind. She started to walk behind him but a little far. He was making her act like a pushover. She surely has done this for Mia but other than her she never had a hard time making friends with anyone. 

Her eyes sharpened once she saw fatty and his gang making their way toward Igneel. Without thinking twice she ran up to Igneel and threw her arm around his shoulder. He paused on his steps but she slightly pushed him forward, telling him to keep walking.

"You seriously don't have to do this." He said and she shook her head. "Friends protect each other." She said with a smile on her face. He kept staring down at her smiling face. 

The fatty changed his path once they saw Leah with Igneel. 

Those cowards only bully people like Igneel. People who cannot stand for themselves.

"Do you....pity me too?" He asked in a low voice as they walked out of the school. She pursed her lips in a thin line. She does pity him but that isn't it. "Well...I don't pity you." She said and all of a sudden he moved away from her. "Then...is it because I'm rich?" He asked. His voice is low as always.

She quickly shook her head.

"Then what?" He asked and she kept staring up at his face which she could barely see. He always hangs his head low. He thinks she either pities him or wants his money. Seriously, this sounds very bad. Does this boy don't know what affection means? What does friendship mean?

"I just want to be friends with you. Does there have to be a purpose?" She asked and to her surprise, he nodded. He is truly messed up. "Well...I..." She paused. Not knowing what to say. "Then...I'll leave." He said and turned his back towards her as he slowly walked down the crowded street, leaving her behind all perplexed. 

"Ha...he will give me a hard time...but I won't give up." She said as she made her hand into a tight fist. He seems challenging and she will gladly accept it. 

*********

"He rejected your friendship proposal," Mia said while chewing on her sandwich as both of them walked to school. "Well...doesn't matter," Leah said while taking a bite of her sandwich. 

"Umm...I thought about it before but he is different." Leah said while chewing on her sandwich. "You mean weird," Mia said and Leah passed her a fake glare. "Not a word against him," Leah said and Mia shook her head in disbelief. "Already defending him. Oh, Leah...I hope you don't get yourself stuck in some bullshit." Mia said and Leah chuckled.

"This is real life, Mia," Leah said and Mia nodded. "That's why it's more dangerous," Mia said in a serious tone. Leah looked at Mia while taking a bite of her sandwich. I smile making its way to her lips. She changed Mia...she wants to change him too. She wants him to truly understand his value otherwise with this behavior and personality he will not survive long in this harsh world. 

"I heard Tobias made a new girlfriend," Mia said and Leah rolled her eyes. "It's his everyday routine. He does this to get attention. Seriously...one rich brat craves attention and the other rich one runs away from it." Leah said while throwing the wrapper of her sandwich in the trash container they were passing by. 

"You mean Igneel," Mia said and Leah nodded.

"Well...he sure is a mystery one," Mia said and soon they entered the school only to come face to face with a huge crowd. "A fight?" Leah said and before she could walk into the fight and have her tea, Mia grabbed her bag from behind and decided to drag her away.

"None of our business," Mia said and Leah chuckled. Her chuckle died midway when she saw fatty in between the crowd. Her eyes widened and she let go of her bag. Mia turned around and looked down at Leah's bag in her hand before looking up at Leah who was rushing in the crowd.

Mia's eyes widened once she saw fatty in the crowd. She immediately understood why Leah rushed in so she ran behind Leah, yelling for her to come back.

Leah didn't listen to Mia and rushed into the crowd. Pushing everyone behind she finally reached the spot where the fighting was taking place. Her eyes widened when she saw Igneel wrapped up in a ball. His arms on his head as he tried to protect himself from all the kicks fatty and his friends were giving him.

"You...bastard." Leah's jaw clenched in anger and she rushed up to them. She grabbed the fatty's collar from behind and yanked him back. Mia came rushing behind her and pushed all the boys away from Igneel with Leah. 

Leah glared at the fatty. 

"You fatso. How dare you hit him?" She asked him face to face. She was so angry. Hitting someone weak was totally wrong. Leah was furious. The urge to punch him in the face was too much. The fatty being an asshole raised his hand to hit Leah too but before he could Gordon rushed in and immediately saved his friends. Being the senior class president...he was slightly feared by students like fatty because the teacher listened to Gordon. 

"You dare raise your hand against a girl," Gordon said.