adora • lookism

17. J High Festival

"Oh," Jace said, blinking back at her in surprise. He took the bag gingerly from her. "... Thank you."

Jace probably didn't expect them to remember the existence of the rest of Burn Knuckles, including himself. After all, only Vasco had ever had any significant interactions with their group; even Jace's own interactions with Ari, personally, had been limited to trailing quietly behind them as Vasco's ever-watchful shadow.

But she could hardly only get something for Vasco and pretend everyone else didn't exist. It simply wasn't manners.

Before she left, Ari trotted over to encourage Vasco so he would stop crying. Hopefully this would help him feel better about the line-up of men; he would only end up crying more after they switched to the water balloon throw, anyway. "Come on, Vasco," she said, patting his broad shoulders. "You got this. Show everybody who's boss!"

When Vasco, looking very touched, opened his mouth to thank her, Ari took the chance to plop in the untouched grilled chicken skewer. He bit down instinctively and gave her a solemnly confused face.

"Protein is good for strength," she told him, giving him another firm pat on the back. Plus, it was hard to cry when you were eating something yummy. "Okay, have fun!"

Ari waved goodbye at everyone and left to go see what Zoe was doing. There were four drinks remaining in Jay's tray, and two of them had yet to meet their owners.

••••

Having come back from receiving her obligatory share of doting from Cho-il Ma and the other upperclassmen, Ari was just taking her place next to Jay when she heard Hwan Kim, the baking department upperclassman who was hosting the auction, tell Daniel: "If she wins, you're screwed."

Ari immediately looked at Jay, only to find that he was already staring at her.

"30!"

"50!"

"That is so unnecessary," she told him.

Jay kept staring at her.

"He'll be fine."

"300!"

Jay kept staring at her.

"1000! Nothing higher than $1000?"

"Okay, alright!" Under Jay's satisfied smile, Ari raised her arm and said, "2000!"

At the same time, on the other side of the stage, another voice also called, "2000 dollars."

"Two bidders! There are two bidders for $2000! Which of these two bidders is willing to take it a step further?"

"$2100," Ari said carelessly, craning her head to try to see who her unexpected new rival was.

All the way across the stage, slightly blocked by Daniel's body and the crowd of people, stood a taller girl in an unfamiliar school uniform that was, in Ari's honest opinion, much cuter than theirs. It also all but yelled 'elite private school', or maybe that was because of the girl's naturally elegant bearing.

The girl tilted her head to return her gaze, and Ari felt a small jolt of surprise when she realized that Daniel's newest bidder wasn't just anyone — it was the kind unni from the convenience store.

"$2500," yelled Lala Kim.

On stage, Daniel shifted his weight from side to side, out of anxiety or perhaps disbelief; around her, the audience did the same, bumping and jostling against each other to discuss the most memorable slave auction in the school's history. Amidst the movement, Ari caught a glimpse of some tall, well-built figure standing next to the girl from the convenience store. She couldn't quite see the man's face, but he seemed, for some reason, very familiar.