E Is For Enemy

Chapter Sixteen

But I was willing to give him a chance.

-

I stood on the boundary of the school grounds, shifting my weight from foot to foot.

I wasn't nervous- Asano Gakushuu, son of Gakuho Asano, wasn't scared of anything- (well except that one thing)- I was just...wondering what today was going to be like.

After all, I had suddenly disappeared after the dance, after that whole spectacle on the dance floor, and no one knew what had happened after that. Not even my circle of friends.

Speaking of- not one of them had texted or called me in five days, which just goes to show how deep their loyalty and friendship really ran.

I took a deep breath, set my face in a stony expression, and strutted confidently into the school.

Heads instantly turned as I passed, which was normal on any other day, but today they weren't facing me out of fear or respect, but surprise and curiosity.

All the stares and whispers made me want to snap at them at the same time I wanted to run and hide- but I did neither.

I kept my head up and my eyes narrowed, silently daring anyone to make a move but no one did.

Mr. Masa, my history teacher, was walking out of a classroom and almost bumped into me.

He stopped, startled, and raised a shaky hand to fix his glasses.

"A-Asano!" He stuttered. "Y-you're back!"

I gave him my signature Asano Gakushuu smile, tilting my head slightly and beaming brightly. "Good morning, Mr. Masa! Nice to see you again, I'm sure we have a lot to talk about."

"W-we do?" He asked, still looking like a deer caught in the headlights.

I was aware of the small crowd that had gathered around us, watching.

"Of course," I said, ignoring them. "I've missed four days of work. I'm sure I can fully catch up if I stay an hour after school. Does today right after the bell work for you?"

"Uh, um, ah, well..." He mumbled.

My heart started to pick up the pace in my chest. The students acting weird around me I could understand, they always did that. But the teachers too? Teachers loved me! Did something happen I wasn't aware of?

I could hear the crowd murmuring behind me, and the fact I couldn't make out a single word and my brain automatically filled in the worst case scenario, made me anxious. I wanted to bolt.

"Sure, after the bell works. Come to room 302 when you can, I have some tests to grade anyways." He finally said and hurried away before I could even reply.

I stared, dumbfounded, watching him quickly turn a corner and vanish out of sight.

Why was he acting so weird all of a sudden?

The group of students were still behind me, watching the whole thing.

Glaring, I whipped around and faced them, piercing each one of them with a violet stare. "You're all going to be late to class if you don't get out of my way right now, and I'll make sure my father gives the last person to leave a weeks detention."

That made them all scramble and trip over each other to get to class first, none of them wanting a week of detention. Not that I would have actually done it, it was just an empty threat because I knew it would work to get them to leave me alone.

Not even three seconds later, I was alone in the hallway, and I finally let my façade fade. I glanced at my shoes, using my hair as a curtain to hide my worried expression.