Beloved Nemesis

Chapter Eleven

My steps are heavy and my hands are turned into a fist as I made my way to the gymnasium. Anyone who saw me immediately put themselves on the side and made way for me. I'm aware I look furious, and yes, I am.

I stopped on my steps and looked around the gymnasium's corners.
He's certainly here.

It didn't took me time to look around the place since I immediately noticed his back. Even his posture and hair are easily recognizable.

As what my brother said, the practices for pageantry has already started. Coincidentally, they have already called it a day when I reached the place. Upon spotting his whereabouts, I neared to him.

It was surprising he wasn't talking to anyone. I don't even see Sloane #2 around. That's quite of a good news because if she is, then I swear I'm gonna burst in anger.

I stomped on my way to Zuo Hang that he right away noticed my existence. He didn't even flinch when he saw me. He just faced me casually as if he no longer found it surprising that I was there.

"How are you?" He spoke. It's been awhile since I clearly heard this voice of his.

"Sober enough to finally know everything."

His ears slightly changed its color into pink. He cleared his throat and said; "The pageant—"

"The pageant is not why I'm mad." I cut. I meaningfully stared at him, seeing if he could analyze the source of my anger.

He blinked, his mind seems to process for a while. "Uh...what is it then?"

I was kind of even more angered that he don't know what the reason why. But there was no use of hogging around. "You resigned as a Student Council President and just allowed me to win the position."

His brows furrowed, seemingly flustered. "Well, you deserved to win. Shouldn't you be happy for that?"

"Why would I? I won because there was no choice. I won because you just quitted. Why on Earth did you put your efforts in vain and just quit like that, have you just gone out of your mind?!" 
There, I finally got to say the words I wanna tell him. Just how the hell could he make such decisions?

He raised his hands, signaling retreat. "Alright, alright. Calm down."

My breathing was fast and so is my heartbeat. He's right. I should be happy that I got the position I wanted. But it just doesn't feel like a genuine success. The students in this school didn't actually chose me to lead.

He waited til I was no longer palpitating. He sighed and finally started to explain. "Look, I'm sorry I just quit like that. I understand how it means your efforts fighting me was useless after all. But I know you can handle the position well, better than me."

I still stared at him fiercely. "What makes you say I'm better at it? You just quit because you feel pity for me, right? You don't think I would ever win against you. You think I'm—"

"I never underestimated you, Sloane." Zuo Hang cut. "You're capable, both of us know that."

I gulped as I immediately wiped the tear that was about to escape from my eyes. I wonder, since when did I ever actually appreciate myself? Not out of ego,  but simply of gratitude of my own hardworks? I don't understand how his words suddenly reminded me how I'm forgetting to remember my own achievements.

"I listen to your speeches even though you don't listen to mine. I appreciate your plans and motives. I quitted because as a busy person, despite that I'm ambitious, I realized that I can't do everything. That's why I decided to leave things in your favor."

I no longer knew what to say afterwards. I simply nodded to what he said, tightly biting my lips. I was angry when I approached him awhile ago, but this time, I'm embarrassed. A few seconds of silence passed before I finally had the courage to lower down my ego and apologize.

"I'm sorry for assuming things. I misunderstood your deed," I said. Never, never ever in my life did I expect that I would someday say those words to him. But I knew that I did something wrong. And I'm not that immature to keep my narcissistic acts. "Also... I'm sorry for troubling you when..." I sighed. When I got fucked up and I decided to get drunk.

I gulped. That SSG President thing wasn't even the reason why I wanted to see him when I went to school. My first purpose was to show him my gratitude. My anger issues just gotten into me when I heard students gossiping and whispering my name. They said that maybe I threatened my opponent so that I would win. But to put things into consideration, Zuo Hang wasn't in control of those people's snouts.

"Ismael said you bought me a cake for my birthday. I thank you for that. I don't remember things in detail, but I can recall my feelings that time. I was happy."

All of a sudden, his ears turned red. His posture straightened, like a soldier. "You're— you're welcome." he tried to smile. "D-do you remember any more things other than that?"

I shook my head. "What, did I do anything out of character?"

"Nothing." His voice was shaking. I  titled my head, assessing why he seems so nervous.

"You're lying." I said, staring at him eye to eye. He didn't budge. Both of us had this staring contest all of a sudden. I don't know how many seconds or minutes passed when I already felt my eyes going dry. I wanted to give up, but he stared at me like I wasn't tiring to look at. His round pitch black eyes gazed at me like he could stare at me forever.

In the end, no matter how hard I tried, I still couldn't manage to win that staring contest. I looked away and he chuckled.

"You were asking me if you did anything out of character, right?"

I shot him a glare. He's now wearing his playful smile.
"There's a lot... actually." His playful smile turned into a grin. "I won't tell you, ofcourse."

My eyes widened and a second later found my ears smoking like a kettle. I'm literally not surprised why he's friends with my brother. They like pissing me off to hell. "Damn you." I wanted to raise the finger but of course, that would be a very bad impression for someone who just got to be the new SSG President.

He simply chuckled. "So? Are we back to friends now?"

"We've never been friends." I rolled my eyes. Subconsciously, he and I started walking out from the gymnasium together.

"Oh yes, we've always been."

"In your face."

"You want something more than that, huh?"

I looked at him in disbelief. "I can't even imagine you and me flirting together."

"And yet you once said you wanted to marry me."

I was astounded. "What?"

"What?" He imitated, raised his eyebrow and suddenly started walking ahead than me.

I watched his back as he walked. Did I actually said that? Ignoring the thought, I ran after him.
"And since when did you ever learn how to be so stingy around me?"
I swear, that wasn't the first time he showed me his mean demeanor. 

"I learned it from you." He answered nonchalantly.

"Oh, so you dare use my power against me, Dodong."

He looked at me, bewildered. "What?"

"What?" I imitated him, just like what he did to me awhile ago. I walked pass him and headed to the classroom. He easily catched up with me ofcourse. Both of us continued bickering on our way. Funny how I was so furious at him awhile ago and suddenly both of us are transformed back to the old us. Shooting daggers on each other — with no deep meanings. I could see the confusion of the students witnessing us together, but just like him, I didn't care.