CHAPTER ONE

“Pedro! Wake up lazy head, you’re going to be late for school!” Eulla, Pedro’s mom, yielded outside of Pedro’s room. 

She couldn’t come inside to pinch his lazy son out of his bed, and that is because his son Pedro locked the door knowing that his parents are a bunch of crazy trolls. However, that did not stop his mom from slamming and shouting outside his room making Pedro groan in annoyance.

‘If I do not only love this woman, I probably yielded out.’ He thought while standing up lazily, approaching the doorway so he could open it for his mom.

Upon opening the door, his mom pushes the door smacking his head harshly. And Pedro hissed while cupping his right cheek and forehead because it hurts, a lot. But instead of saying sorry, his mom dragged him to his shower room and left him with a glare.

“Push out all your laziness now son, you need to go to school.” His mom’s final words before leaving him inside the shower room. When his mom was already out of his room, he make face and back at spacing out. And if the alarm didn't ring, he would probably be sleeping again inside his shower room, and his mom would probably drag his ass out.

FIXING his hair, Joseff looks at himself in front of the broken mirror and sighs after seeing his gray emotionless eyes. ‘Just when was the last time these eyes showed emotion?’ he asked himself but immediately stop and sigh upon remembering something.

Walking outside his room Joseff can feel the emptiness and coldness of his apartment but he didn't mind as long as he has his place alone then he’s good. He’s been living here for almost five years for some reason he wants to forget yet after years of living, it still doesn’t feel like home.

After locking the door he walks his way to school not minding anyone’s stares. He’s all used to it anyway. 

In the hallway, Joseff was only looking straight and was about to enter his room when someone bump into him. He was not moved by the force but the person who bump him almost fell. Gasps from the people who saw the scene were the least of Joseff’s care. By instinct, he grabs that person’s arm and pulls him closer to his body. 

Shocked by the sudden force, Pedro thought that his body will hit the floor painfully but instead, a strong arm pulled him and a rough but manly scent made him open his eyes. And there, he saw a pair of cold and emotionless eyes looking straight at his face.

‘What a handsome face we got there,’ he thought that made his cheeks flame upon the realization that he complimented a guy. The thing that he did for the first time.

‘Is it even normal? No, it’s not!’ because of thinking and spacing out too much, he didn't see how Joseff scanned his entire face leaving a smirk from Joseff's face before passing by to Pedro to finally enter the room.

And that smirk vanished when he saw his classmates’ reactions, shocked and amazed at the same time. Because it’s their first time seeing Joseff show emotion.

Joseff was contemplating too while he’s in his seat, thinking of how his face and body immediately reacted just because of the new guy’s face and touch. ‘weird’ he thought, but what's much weird is when he saw the new guy still standing on the doorway.

‘Is he just going to stand there all day?’ he thought and was about to throw a crumpled paper at the new guy but he remember that he did not know the guy and he should not care. That's what he thought so he let the guy alone and get his books to study while their teacher is still not there.

“HELLO dear, why are you standing here?” a calm voice awakens Pedro from his unending thoughts about the guy who saved him from falling. It’s an old woman and he thinks that it is their teacher, embarrassed by what he is doing he shook his head and muttered an apology to his teacher before going to his seat which is the seat next to the guy who saved him.

‘J-Just, why is he sitting beside me?’ he asked then realized that he is transferred and maybe it is the guy’s seat.

While sitting he can’t stop himself from giving a glance to the guy next to him, but the guy’s attention was all in his book that he did not see the curious look from Pedro. But seconds later Joseff can already feel the stare so he closes the book and looks straight in front of where their teacher is starting the introduction for their lesson. Feeling the intensity of the stares, Joseff looks at Pedro making the latter one’s eyes widen.

“What?” Joseff’s rough voice startled Pedro but still, he managed to answer the guy without stuttering. It is a good thing that their chairs and table were placed on the back and their teacher is a bit deaf that even they converse a bit louder their teacher will not hear them but Pedro chooses to talk with a little voice.

“Nothing, I was just going to say thank you for saving me there,” he reasons out but Joseff just gives him a nod and looks in front again.

And Pedro not liking the guy’s reply moves a little forward and extended his right hand.

“I am Pierro Ezrael Olivarez, but you can call me Pedro. You are?” Pedro asked even if Joseff seems uninterested. Joseff didn't talk but instead of feeling irritated Pedro smiles and looked around for some things he could use to gain his snob seatmates' attention. And he saw the book that the guy was reading earlier with a name handwritten below.

“Joseff Uller Anderson Nieverro, hmm what a very nice name. Is it yours?” he asked without thinking and Joseff upon hearing his full name looks at the guy beside him wondering how the hell did that guy know his name. Well, even if he admits it or not he knows that he is quite popular in their school but being him, he did not mind it all.

“Yes,” he answered and did not bother to ask how did the guy know his name. He's not talkative and will never be so might well end the conversation immediately. But Pedro is a very persistent guy, and he will do anything to feed his curiosity. And currently, his curiosity is about this guy named ‘Joseff Uller Anderson Nieverro, in short Juan’ he thought and grins upon realizing that he has already a pet name for his seatmate and it perfectly matches his nickname which is Pedro.

‘Juan and Pedro, both characters from an old famous tale. Though that tale is too humorous that it doesn't fit his manly self. But still what a coincidence,’ he thought.

A moment later, Pedro and Joseff becamee quiet, Pedro being half-awaked while Joseff is listening to their teacher’s discussion. Joseff thought that his seatmate had stopped being talkative but later on he felt something heavy that fell on his left shoulder. It is none other than his seatmate's head. Feeling uncomfortable, Joseff puts Pedro’s head onto their table facing the opposite direction while their teacher is still writing something on the board.

‘what an excess,’ he thought. The class ended without their teacher noticing that the new guy fell asleep on his first day. And Joseff being the I-don’t-give-a-damn-fucking-care-to-anyone-or-anything left his seatmate.

HEARING the noises, Pedro opened his eyes only to see that his classmates are leaving their classroom. He looks at his side and saw that Joseff’s chair is empty. He immediately looks around for any trace of  Joseff then he saw him outside the door walking out. He fastly fixed his things and didn't mind his disheveled hair running after Joseff. 

“Hey, buddy dear! Wait for me!” he shouted calling Joseff’s attention but Joseff did not listen and just walk faster. Pedro on the other hand tried to run faster until he reach Joseff’s shoulder and that made Joseff stop walking.

“God! Are you a deaf man? I was calling you at the back but- hah!” he did not finish what he is going to say because Joseff left him again without any words. But instead of being annoyed Pedro felt something really weird making him chuckle and Joseff heard that, the reason why he stopped walking to look at his back.

His brows furrowed at the sight of Pedro grinning like an idiot while looking straight into his eyes.

“You are making this hard, I just want to be your... uhm, friend perhaps?” Pedro asked, mischievously and Joseff can see it, the playfulness of Pedro’s voice is visible and he wasn’t born yesterday so he’s not stupid, definitely not, but this guy in front of him? ‘Somehow, maybe he is,’ and that is how harsh his thoughts are for Pedro while Pedro is in great nervousness, contemplating if he said the right words because again, Joseff left him without a word.

“Hey, I’m serious! I wanna be your friend Juan!” He shouted grabbing Joseff’s and everyone’s attention in the hallway. 

Joseff looks at him menacingly but he’s much more embarrassed by the fact that almost every student heard him shout than Joseff’s glare. Out of embarrassment, he grabs Joseff’s hand dragging him to nothingness, because he’s spacing out and Joseff who’s been dragged, grab someone and exchanges his and that random student onto Pedro’s grip. And when he saw that Pedro continued to walk with the random student he just shrugs, fix his slightly crumpled uniform, and walk quietly to his room.

“HEY, I am sorry for dragging you out thei- WHO ARE YOU?” From his soft voice, Pedro’s voice shifted upon seeing that instead of Joseff he’s dragging, it is some random student.

“I-I was j-just drag b-by uhm J-Joseff, h-he uhm e-excha-” the guy was stammering too much so Pedro stop him letting him breathe.

“Breath, take a breath man. You don’t have to tell me. Because that guy, he is, uhm, really capable of doing that, I guess?” He said making the guy in front of him feel and look a little at ease.

“It’s f-fine, J-Joseff is r-really like that,” Pedro didn't mind if the guy is still stammering after hearing something about Joseff.

“Why? How? Do you know him?” he curiously asked. He doesn't know, but he is curious about Joseff. Maybe because it is the first person who turned him down, may it be private or in public, because no one dared to turn their back at him. Just Juan, only him.

“Uhm, I j-just kn-now a little and i-it was j-just all from g-gossips around-d the u-university.” the guy said but Pedro is so curious that he asks even if it’s just a little information. And before they part ways, they exchange names.

“I am Pierro by the way, and you are?” he asked while smiling, genuinely thankful.

“A-Austin,” whispered said.

“It was all nice meeting you Austin, see you around!” he smiled sweetly at the guy and left while still waving his hand.

THE noise was all normal for Joseff, he didn't mind it all. As if he will ever give a damn care unless they physically disturb him, that would be chaos for sure and his classmates are all aware of that so no one dared to do so. But later that moment, a loud bang of something hit his table. And the room was filled with silence, small gasps, and a curious look.