FALSE: School of the Unknown.

23. Love lives that are complicated, and Upcoming Tournaments.

Present

Selam's PoV

I observe Javier's knitted eyebrows, as I desperately wished for him to just get up and tell me that he does remember.

After that incident happened, my mother hit me a lot. She screamed and cried for it not to be true, she said if others find out I'll only be hated. I understood where she was coming from, my mother only suffered her entire life, and now she didn't want me dealing with the consequences of also liking men. Especially since her parents were narrow minded and disliked same gender relationships.

That night, she wanted for me to sit down and tell her everything that I clearly wasn't telling her about. As a single mother she only wanted the best for me. She had no choice but to accept me because she had already suffered so much only to ensure that my life would be great. She didn't like it. She didn't like that I liked men too, but she accepted me because she only had me left. Because I was her child, and because she still saw Selam.

But I had scared Javier off. He was so sorry, and guilty for what happened, but all I did was tell him to leave. And so we didn't speak for a month about what happened. Well until I decided to save him that night.

Javier's eyelashes flutters, he slowly wakes up breathing softly and deeply. I caress his curly hair, and say, "Awake? You've only slept for forty five minutes."

He suddenly shoots up and exclaims, "So I only have fifteen minutes to get ready!?"

Pushing my blanket away, I just watch him sprint towards my door, but I ask him, "Do you remember"

He stops, and I instantly read his mind incase he lies, which I shouldn't do, but no one has to know. He nods, but doesn't say a word. What he thought made me feel relieved, 'And I don't regret it."

——-

Elena's pov

Walking back and forth in my room, I think about the time where Javier was leaning against Selam. His eyes glistened with tears, and the way Selam didn't wait one second before running after him.

Something was definitely going between the two of them, and I didn't like that. I like Selam, a lot.. And he's never shown any interest in anyone before. But he's been so expressive since Javier came, he's been so focused on him no whatever Javier was doing. And it made me angry and annoyed.

Mostly sad because he was never paying attention to me. When Javier sat behind us in the auditorium, I couldn't help but be more touchy with Selam.

Suddenly Yanli is standing in front of me, she has a puzzled look on her face, she asks, "Are you okay?"

I nod, but then decide to ask her a question, "Did you notice that Javier and Selam are.. Really close? Like unusually close?"

Yanli rolls her eyes, and I'm not sure what her problem is, "Elena, what's this about."

I gulp, and avert my stare, "..I like Selam, and he's just.. Making me go crazy."

Her eyes widen, "..O-oh.. Uh.. I mean, yeah, they're really close, good for them.."

She turns away and I thought I saw her eyes unusually glistening with tears?

She opens my door and breathlessly says, "I'm tired, good night."

I raise an eyebrow but pay no mind to it.

Yanli's PoV

So it's true. She does like Selam. I had a feeling, the way her head rested on his shoulder, and the way she smiled. It was obvious, and yet I kept unknowingly giving my self hope, because I really liked her.

I spot Maryam walking towards me, she looks confused but then surprised when she realizes and when I also realize that I'm crying. She only reaches out to hug me, her short self struggling but somehow managing to wrap her arms around my neck.

Burying my head on her shoulder, I let the tears slip out of my eyes.

——-

Viraj's PoV

I tried whatever I could to be with Asadi, but he only seemed to slip further away from my hands as if he knew I wanted something from him.

And for some reason Daniel was always there. Hmmh, or the way he would smile at me and check up on me. Or that thing he'd do where he would put a hand on my thigh and squeeze it a little bit, when he was comforting me.

I really don't know why my stomach churned when I thought of him. But all I knew was that it was tiring liking someone who doesn't like you back, and I'm even more stupid for continuing to like him.

Daniel is on my door step, that's when I realize I didn't lock my door properly. I nervously smile and open the door, so I could excuse my behavior "..I forgot."

His eyebrows knit and his eyes studied my room that was a mess, "Everything Alright?"

I nod, "I was just thinking about the festival, I don't have anyone that would like to go with me, I mean.. A-Asadi is going with Maryam, so.."

I shouldn't have said that. But at this point it has to be obvious that I like Asadi.

Daniel seems tense, but he grins and nonchalantly says, "You can go with me, I'll be alone anyways."

The thought of that.. It didn't make me feel uncomfortable.

So I blush and reply back to him, looking down to meet his eyes due to him being seven cm shorter than I was, "Sure. I can.. I want to go with you."

Daniel widens his eyes a little bit, and then nervously glances away, "..O-okay, well, I'm gonna go now.."

Waving at me, he hurries away, and I surprisingly smile at his retreating figure.

Huh.

——-

Javier's PoV

I sit next to Selam, and my lips turn into a thin line as a sign of me greeting him. When my stomach decides to get butterflies I turn away and blush. Yanli looks gloom, and Maryam's hand is on her shoulder, Yanli surprisingly doesn't push her hand away.

Daniel looks too happy that I'm scared of him.

Miss Miranda walks in, she greets us and excitedly glances to Sir Schneider who only shrugs. He says, "We have a few things to say."

He continues, Miss Miranda waiting excitedly, "The tournaments for you all will be arriving sooner than expected, so we'll need to pick up the pace."

I take a risk and raise my hand, asking, "Will we be competing against each other?"

We're not supposed to ask questions about this place, but when it comes to schoolwork and other things, it's okay.

She nods, "That too, but that will be in a few months, for now, you'll all be against some students. The first tournament is only about you guys showcasing your abilities, and using them against people."

People? Daniel looks at me and mouths, "The people that went missing?"

Miss Miranda loudly says, "Have something to say Daniel?"

He shakes his head, "No."

Sir Schneider reads his notes, "There's also a tournament but only for the people in the Parkour buildin-"

I gawk, "What?! Since when, it's too soon!!"

He scowls, "I don't recall ever caring."

"And I don't recall ever asking about the way you feel-"

Miss Miranda happily claps her hands, "Okay! Javier, your tournament is in three weeks, and for the rest in a month!"

Rolling my eyes, I focus on my abilities getting better.