5

As I walked into my school, it wasn't really weird to get those stares. I'm just too old for them to feel something new. So, it's basically sort of a... gossip centre for us where we'd buy and sell gossip for no price at all.

So, the headlines of today go like something like this,

"Has Sean Lanter started a charity event?"

I answered all of their questions in my mind while I headed to the office to collect my new schedule. And what I didn't know was that Brett was already there.

"Pinch me! You are so fine I must be dreaming." Brett flirted like always, and I just rolled my eyes.

"How about I punch you and you wake up?" the infamous voice of Sean's rang in my ears and I had to control the urge to roll my eyes again.

Seriously, is this the beauty and the beast? If it is, then I don't know who Gaston is.

"Guys, we got our new schedules and we got to check-"

"I got it covered for you." Sean spoke, "We're basically in all the classes and we have to share a few with Brett too, unfortunately." He muttered the last word like a mumble much to Brett's dismay.

"I heard that."

"It was meant to be."

"Anyways, where's my schedule?" I asked.

"Here." Brett held it out for me.

As I took the schedules and read it, I realised Sean wasn't joking. We seriously have almost all the classes covered.

We're together in almost every damn period.

"I seriously have to do something to fix this up."

"Everything's perfectly fine, sweetheart."

"Are you done there, Brett?" Sean called over.

"What? I'm just try'na flirt."

"And I have issues with that." Sean folded his arms.

"Guys, I don't want to visit that hospital again." I said and pushed the guys back. "What I meant is- I'd to deal with the both of you for this semester, that'll require talking."

"And flirting." Brett added.

"And punching." Sean added.

I just ignored them and continued.

"The problem arises when my secret admirer notices that-"

"Your secret what?" Brett asked.

"Admirer." I said. "My secret admirer. That creepy guy that's been beating everyone up-"

"Oh yea! That creep?"

"Psychopath." I corrected him.

"Whatever."

"What about him?" Sean asked, rather curiously while ignoring Brett's comments.

"I haven't been able to talk to any guy since I feared he would beat anyone up but, now that I have to spend more than required time with you, I am afraid he'll do-"

"You don’t have to worry about that." Brett spoke while Sean was to answer. "We are huge. Like, did you even see me shirtless?"

I grimaced at the suggestion. "Wouldn't even dream of."

"That is because you haven't seen my body. Heaven would go crazy with my abs."

"Can we not talk about your body, please?"

"It's okay. Though, you can ask me any time. I will be ready to undress myself for you-"

He never got the chance to complete it.

***

"Do you even think I exist?"

"Nina, it's not-"

"Do you even know what I felt like when I knew you are tied up to the hottest guys of our school-"

"Hey, there's just one hot guy and that's me." Brett protested from behind me while Sean rolled his eyes.

"Of course." Sean said, sipping his coke. "Whatever makes you feel better."

"I can't believe I'm actually sitting with you guys."

Yes, I can't either.

If you have not figured it out yet, then let me tell you, we are sitting with Brett and Sean in the lunch. People really try a lot to sit with them, the bitch club, to be precise, but they have never allowed anyone into their proximity. They had always had some sort of a thing that possibly involved only the two of them.

So, the stares that we were getting, wait, scratch that, the glares that we were getting is definitely out of jealousy.

Sean asked me to sit with him for today, and before I could say no, Nina jumped in and agreed. She wasn’t originally part of the plan but Sean didn't have any issues with it, as long as I'm sitting with them, his words not mine and Brett would get another person who would flatter him for his cheesy lines, wouldn't say no.

"You are spacing out on me." Sean snapped at me angrily.

Angry? Why the hell is he angry?

"What- what were you saying?"

"I asked if Toby forced you into his car?"

"H-how do you..."

"Yes or No."

"Nina- did you-"

"Yes or No?"

Yes, I said inside.

Toby was a new student in our school, who instantly gained his popularity. He's moved away 2 years ago and came back this year. So, a few days ago, he sort of bullied me and asked me to get into his car with him and do the dirty. I escaped before he could do anything. I didn't make a big deal out of it because he was just messing with me, and I didn't have any evidence against him.

So, I stayed quiet and let it pass, like most things in my life.

Not literally quiet because I made a horrible mistake of sharing it with Nina.

"Sean, it's not important-"

"That isn't the answer to my question" he said, his face serious.

I glared at Nina who tried to avoid my gaze.

I have never seen him this angry and I almost feel goose bumps on my skin. Why is he doing this?

"Yes." I sighed.

Sean jaw twitched. "When?"

"A week ago." I said and lowered my gaze. "I went to buy groceries from Walmart and he met me in the parking lot."

"You mean the Walmart at the end of the city?"

"Yes."

"And you were alone?"

"Yes."

"Dammit!" He hissed. "How could you even go there alone?"

I was taken aback by his sudden snapping. Excuse me, what's going on?

"Why are you freaking out?"

"Then what do you even expect me to do?" He asked. "You say you were alone in that stupid area where most of the crimes of Boston occur. What if he actually did something to you?"

We were slowly grabbing the attention of the cafeteria and I glared back at him.

"You are the last person that's to be concerned." I said. "You were pretty much among the ones who laughed at me while everyone else bullied me. You didn't even exist when I had faced the worst times of my life. And now out of the blue you want to be friends with me and what best can I expect? And you are not my father to ask me to watch my way."

Now I am sure everyone's watching us and what altered the scene was that Sean got up from his seat and stormed out of the cafeteria.

If this is how he's going to play, then great, two can play the game.

*****

Sean

As I reached the almost-empty parking lot of our school, it wasn’t hard to spot my car from a distance. I usually park it at the far end, a couple of metres from where others usually far so I can have my privacy when I’m inside.  As I shoved my bag in the backseat, I realised that I was too pissed to be driving now. Heaving a sigh, I decided to get some air and wait for a while until I calmed down.

To begin with, I was honestly taken aback with myself. I've always had girls swooning over me for my entire life. Like just anyone, girls would do their weird things to impress. Obviously, they never worked. It was creepy how older woman were into me too.

Not to sound cocky, but I always believed that I could easily get any girl I desired. I was definitely the kind of guy that could easily impress girls. To be honest, most girls ask too little of guys. If you’re easy on the eyes, physically active, a little too confident and know what you want, you’re good to go. At least, that was my impression of attractive men growing up.

Since I believed girls were not a hard target for me, I subconsciously started raising my standards. I wouldn’t go out with just anybody, because I had better girls who would die to have a chance with me. Hence, that fed to my arrogance in a way. I got extremely with girls and never settled. For even casual hook-ups, I had a notorious name for picking the most beautiful of them.

Hence, I was astonished with myself when I started feeling so strongly about Sapphire. She was definitely a beautiful woman. To be honest, there was none that I had seen before her that had made me feel the things that I felt for her. But even then, if her beauty were to be considered solely, I would typically be expected to want a hook-up with her. However, I was quick to recognise that what I felt for her was much more profound.

In simpler terms, it wasn’t like lust.

At that point of time, I hadn’t realised that it was actually love.

I was in love with her. It took me a very long time to come to terms with it, but only that could rightly explain the intensity of my emotions and feelings towards her. When I just had her physical appearance within my reach to assess, I had confused it with infatuation like most people. But as I got to know her more and more, the deeper I fell into the trap.

I never thought I was somebody who was capable of love. At least not when I was still a teenager. However, Sapphire proved me wrong. And I’m ever grateful for that.

But what actually damaged my ego, was indifference. Indifference from my own crush whom I had been loving for the past 2 years. I knew Sapphire was not easy to get and that I had to try hard. She's introverted and doesn't trust people easily.

But Sapphire was the only girl I wanted. Only if she wasn't stubborn, I would've taken her to dates, I would've given the most beautiful gifts, I'd have given her the most beautiful memories and love her the most.

What made me fall for her is still a lingering question in my mind. We never talked, she only met me twice, and I barely even waved a hi to her.

She was different though. She didn't make a lot of friends, something I realised has a reason behind. She didn't talk much, and it's hard for her to accept things. She used to be very close to her mom but she died. I heard Sapphire has never been the same after that incident.

But I was rather surprised to see that she thought I was playing a prank.

Like, who would think that? I never bully people. Well, I ‘bully’ the ones who mess with my girl. But... that's never known. No one knows that I do that to them. And no one exactly knows that I am her secret admirer.