9. The Challenge

"They will look after you, I'll go first." He let go of his hand, allowing me to enter the classroom. I thought he would also come in and sit beside me. Oh my God, why do I feel lost?

The two men who were said to be my guards turned out to be my seniors here too. Maybe they are all werewolves. My feet stepped in, my eyes scanned the seat. Thalita waved her hand as a sign. In the middle of row number 2 from the front, I stepped there.

"Where have you been Esme, I called you and your number is off" he slurred before I sat down and his eyes scanned my appearance which I felt was so imperfect.

"What happened to your hands, your knees, and the soles of your feet? Oh my God Esme, your dress is beautiful but not with all the wounds you are showing. Was it because of those wounds that you chose this beautiful dress?"

Thalita insulted me and praised the goddamn Alpha gift. Uh, but he treated me. "Maybe, because at least my wounds can heal with the wind," I said, sounding preposterous. Where there is a wind that can heal.

"You missed a lot of things Esme, a handsome lecturer teaches in this class. And earlier he asked, where were you absent, I just said you had a stomach ache."

"Good friend," I said. She doesn't need me to tell her what happened to me. Because that would shock her, especially since Tharique is her idol.

"After this class, we will watch Tharique's basketball match, okay, you go home with me right."

I nodded, a good thing if I can go home with her or even Tharique will carry me again.

***

Thalita is very enthusiastic to see Tharique play in closed court. Before entering the room, we were intercepted by an Alpha woman who Tharique said, I have to be careful with her.

She was standing right in front of me with her chest puffed out, I wasn't interested in seeing her because I had one too, though not that big.

"Esme Sunny, how dare you tease Tharique, do you know who she belongs to?"

The big Thalita tried to separate us and fought her, "Hey you blonde with big sagging breasts, don't show off what you have. Is Tharique your husband, if not then he's not yours."

Gosh, it looks like Thalita sprinkled gasoline on the blazing fire, I have to put it out. "What do you say to me, a walking fat lump? Tharique and I are the Kings and Queens of this University, and you are a rebellious freshwoman, pull her up and embarrass her in the middle of the field," She said and her two friends immediately grabbed Thalita's hand and entered into in.

I who wanted to enter stopped but was blocked by this blonde. "Where are you going, who dares to oppose me will end up like that."

"Let her go!"

"A punishment I give is never canceled."

She wanted to close the door and I kicked her, she fell with a pretty hard thump. I walked in and he stood up quickly with her savage grin. “Does it hurt, let go, my friend!” I urged.

"You want to fight for strength hmm, let's finish it!" She asked with an eerie grin.

"But let go off, my friend."

I'm not afraid of her, but I'm afraid that my friend gets hurt.

"I told you what I ordered can't ... Hey--!"

She was mostly talkative, I ran past her walking fast to stop the madness of her two friends, who wanted to force open Talita's clothes in the middle of the field and everyone watched.

"Open, open, open!" cried the men I wanted so badly to beat up right now. I grabbed the two girls and kicked the crooks off their knees until they fell to their knees.

"Huuu!" shouted everyone while clapping.

Thalita covered her slightly exposed chest with her arms crossed. I embraced her, and my eyes glanced around, meeting Tharique's eyes that stared at me unblinkingly. At the end of the door, I was again challenged by the blonde who had her hands on her hips watching us.

She tried to block my way. "You may leave as long as you accept my challenge."

"I don't have time to serve you, step aside!" She held on but a few seconds later she stepped aside. Her eyes looked behind me. I turned to find Tharique watching her.

***

"We are new kids, don't mess around," I reminded Thalita.

"I'm only getting back at you Esme. I'm afraid you'll be blamed again by the foundation because of yesterday's case. So, let me handle her."

"But what happened now?"

"Sorry--" She whispered as she hugged me. We walked towards the parking lot.

Two men who had been guarding the front of the class approached us. "Tharique, told you both to go inside to watch him fight, come with us."

Why didn't he stop me from going out? "No thanks, we're going home."

"No, no, let's watch Esme, with them, we'll be safe."

Oh my God! "Thalita-"

"Come on!"

We entered the indoor basketball court through a side door. Passing the path of the players and coaches, from here I can see the blonde sitting right behind Tharique. The two men ushered us closer but I asked to be seated further away.

"Thank you, just stay here, you don't have a problem, Thalita, your eyes can still see the man of your dreams, can't you?"

"Yes, you can, no problem, I don't want to sit near that mean woman anyway," she said. Hopefully, Thalita will be deterred from dealing with that girl.

The cheerleaders were in action in the middle of the field before the game started, it was exciting and riveting. After the show was over, one by one the players entered and were introduced by the MC who hosted the event.

"And the captain of the Iron Claw team is Tharique."

All the audience applauded, he has so many fans, it's not wrong, because he's handsome. His cold nature and sharp eyes make all women flutter when they are near him. Uh, am I too?

Ah, that's impossible. He's the one who flutters when he's near me. Like when we were together in a warm blanket. His heart was racing, the touch of his lips on my skin gave me goosebumps, the warmth from his body was so comfortable and ah damn, why am I thinking about him.

"He's looking over here Esme, Hi Tharique, cheers up!"

Tharique, looked at me before he started the match. What's wrong with my heart, the look in his eyes makes me pound.