Everything (in) between us

5: Confronting demons

Hero sat on the wide steps on the entrance of Bartholomew, Andro behind him. On the same step but further left, sat Isah, who, with a smile to match the sun, was on the phone to Irina.

Beside Hero, sat the fourth and final member of the four friends. Giovanni Richards was grinning as he watched all the attention the boys got. His light silver hair- which was his favour for the month- shone with added glitter. His shoes, bright new Saint Laurent's, had Hero smirking.

"Gio," he mused quietly, not taking his eyes off the rising sun. It was early in the morning still. "What did I tell you about taking my shoes?"

Gio didn't respond instantly, but from the corner of his eye, Hero noted that he was smirking. "You said- and I quote- "Gio, please bless my shoes with your feet. I will cherish them for life, and sell them on ebay when you're famous and I'm a broke bitch.""

Hero couldn't suppress a laugh. "What a memory you've got on you, Gio," he said, shaking his head and running a hand through his hair. "Honestly, even I don't remember word-for-word what I said. But you... wow."

Gio nodded, proud. "Precisely." He muttered. "Oh, I heard about the new girl. Shitty I had to miss that."

"About Ari?" Andro interjected, looking up from his phone. Hero's jaw tightened, but he still looked outwards, his arm leaning on his bent knee. "What's there to miss?"

"Nothing," Hero said instantly, giving Gio a look, who shrugged and wrapped his fingers in a lock of his own silver hair. "Don't worry about it."

Andro, shrugging, returned to his phone.

"Who are you texting this early in the morning anyway?" Hero asked, turning slightly to look at his brother, whose cheeks, he noted, had tinted red upon the question.

"Aria," he replied. "She's in Pick and Micks. She's just asking if I want anything."

Hero's jaw clenched further, though he didn't understand why. It was none of his concern who his brother- or Greeny, at that- spent their time with.

"Tell her," he couldn't help himself from saying. "to get me a black coffee."

Andro didn't respond, but hummed instead. "I mean, if we're giving orders, I'll have a green tea." Hero raised his eyebrow at Gio. "What? I'm on a diet."

Hero rolled his eyes at that one. When was he not?

"Milk tea," Isah called out. "Tell her to get me a shortcake too, please."

"Guys," Andro said defensively. "She's not a waitress."

"Well, don't you want your new girlfriend to have our approval?" Isah looked up at that, recognising the tone instantly from Hero's mouth. He narrowed his eyes slightly. "That's the way to get it."

"She's not my girlfriend," Andro replied in a small voice.

Hero rolled his eyes and stood swiftly, checking the time on his watch. "I'll be in class." He looked at Isah expectedly. "You have it too, Genius. Unless you plan on getting a late lesson from Professor Kieran-"

"I'm coming, arse face," replied Isah with a groan as he hauled himself up, slipped his phone into his back pocket, and stretched. "Don't forget, we have Pool today. Hero? Andro, you in? "

Hero nodded. "Two-on-two?" he asked. Isah nodded. "Yeah, we'll do it."

They walked to Finance, which was in the other building. Climbing down the steps, Hero suddenly felt eyes on him.

For once, instead of ignoring it, he actually turned to see who it was who was looking at him. His eyes instantly connected to two balls of icy green. His jaw clenched, and his eyes narrowed. He made a move to go straight to her, but halted upon seeing that she was coming to him, the same expression on her face too.