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IX. That Logan Boy

"Where have... you been?"

"Out." He shoved his hands into his pockets.

"The library?" He stopped in front of him.

He heaved an exasperated sigh. "Is it a norm in this school to enquire about students' whereabouts?"

The older man adjusted his glasses, looking a little flustered. "I'm in charge of students' welfare. It's my job to know how students are doing, especially the newbies."

"Well, it's my job to let nosy people know they should fûck off."

He turned on his heels and walked away, leaving Mr Santos to stare after him in bewilderment.

After school, Eric headed out of chemistry class immediately. He went to his locker and put his books inside. After grabbing his homework, he left the hall. But he was stopped on the way.

"Missed me?"

He looked up into the angry dark eyes of a much taller boy. Eric's fifteen-year-old human form was the same height as his wolf. But not the same as his true vampire form. The dark-haired boy before him was two inches taller. Really tall for a boy of fifteen.

He recognised him to be the boy in the cafeteria that had nearly punched him. Oh, the fight.

"Didn't. What do you want?" He paid attention to his nails like they were the most interesting thing at the moment.

"You owe me, boy."

Eric tensed but ignored the word he considered an insult. Just a human. "And you do. Get me lunch and I'll fight you. That was the deal."

"Humph." He crossed his arms and put on a scary scowl. Or what he thought was scary.

On his own part, Eric decided to humour him. So, he sighed and looked down at his sneakers.

The January winter was biting, but he wasn't wearing boots or a thick hooded jacket like everyone else. Instead, it was sneakers, cotton shirt, light denim jacket, and trousers.

"Oh goodness, it's Dean and the new weirdo," he heard a female student whisper to her friend. Others stood around, watching wide-eyed. Yup, they had an audience.

"Ashers, is it?" the boy snarled.

He didn't say anything.

"Well, you're new here. But new or not, nobody messes with me." Two mean-looking boys joined him. "Or my friends. So, today's gonna be your first lesson." He grinned evilly.

"And my lunch?" the boy in front of them asked coolly.

Dean smirked. "Oh. You will have your lunch." He looked up, let his eyes scan the group of onlookers before settling on someone. "Hey, Dunus."

The boy he referred to, tensed. "It's Doudall," he grumbled out as he approached him.

"Whatever, blackface. Go get something for our fella here to eat."

Doudall exchanged looks between Eric and the three boys. "No."

"No?" Dean sounded confused and angry.

"I said, no," he said defiantly, though there was a slight tremor in his voice. "You should be the one getting it. You spilled his lunch. I don't have any spare money."

"Ah, my bad." He smirked again and walked towards the dark boy. "But you have to do as I say." He then shoved a few bills into his hand. "Now, run off."

Doudall glared at him before walking away.

Dean returned to who he considered his victim of the day that was being held back by his friends, and gripped his shoulders. "Your lunch is on its way, boy. And when it comes, we settle our scores in a manly way."