Losing Control

Part 24: Payback

"Hey Meliodas!" Elizabeth called while running down the hall. "What is it? If you're here to tell me about how my father's a bastard, then I'd rather not hear it." He hissed back. "Why would I call your dad a bastard? I don't even know the guy!" She honestly answered.

"You may not know him but you know of him, but what do you want if that's not it." He asked. "It's simple. Let's prank the sins! Are you in?" She asked excitedly. "Depends. What do we do during this prank?"

"We pretend to date." She answered. Meliodas quickly turned a deep shade of red as he desperately tried to respond. "D-Date? W-What the h-hell?" He stammered. "Calm down dude. We're just pranking them." She said quietly. "S-Sure...I'm in." He finally answered.

"Great. See you later Mel!" She exclaimed as she started to leave.

'Mel? Kinda sounds familiar.'

"Alright! See ya Liz." He said as he waved her off.

'Liz? Why did I call her that like it was some sort of reflex?'

Throughout the day, Elizabeth and Meliodas would stop by each other's classes to make it more believable. The sins noticed their weird behavior and confronted Elizabeth.

"What's going on with you and Meliodas?" Merlin asked with a glare. "Us? Nothing much...we're just dating now." Elizabeth growled while returning the glare. "D-Dating? Congrats princess. Seems like your memories are back!" Ban shouted happily. "They sure have." She nervously responded. "Glad we didn't have to hide it too long. Right King?" Ban asked.

"Yeah. Sorry about erasing your memory Elizabeth. I thought it was best for the two of you but I should've gotten your thoughts on the matter first." King apologised. Elizabeth sat there silently until Meliodas appeared again.

"What's up Liz?" He asked as he entered. Without a response, she ran to Meliodas and hugged him. "Sorry Mel." That was all she said until she ran past him and around a corner.

"Oi. Who the hell was it?" Meliodas hissed as he turned his head. All the sins pointed at Ban and King. "What the hell guys? I thought we were friends!" King exclaimed desperately. "Care to explain what you did?" He asked with a murderous glare. "Sure but can we talk later? We're still in public..." King begged.

"Later? You want me to drop this? You made her cry....." After a second, Meliodas calmed down and his demon mark disappeared. "You know what...I'll be generous. You get a choice. Explain or die." Meliodas growled.

"Fine. Me and Ban told Elizabeth about how we erased her memory of you. We thought she knew when she told you but apparently she didn't. So now, she probably hates us." King explained. "But now I have a question. Why am I getting attacked but not Ban? He brought it up first!" King asked.

"He'll get his. And never question me again." Meliodas growled. Without another word, Meliodas began to leave until he bumped into someone. "My bad. I wasn't l-" he started but was cut off.

"Watch where you're going. Or I'll have to teach you a lesson." A familiar voice boasted. "Escanor...." Meliodas mumbled. "Got something to say? If so, you should speak louder. Otherwise, you're words wouldn't reach me shorty." He joked as the entire class began laughing besides the sins. "Uh oh." They said in unison.

Instead of lashing out like usual, Meliodas held himself back. "Pretty cocky aren't ya?" Meliodas asked calmly. "How can I not be while against someone of your height?" Escanor boasted again. A chill went through the room and all the students stopped laughing. "I wouldn't be a proud royal if I didn't accept your challenge now would I? Five o'clock, in front of the gym." Meliodas hissed.

Meanwhile Elizabeth was in the bathroom rethinking everything.

'My memory. They erased them? They're my friends they would never do that! Merlin might but everyone else...wouldn't...right? I can't let Meliodas find out. He might kill them if he knows.'

As she came to this  conclusion, she felt a chill go up her spine. She sprinted back to the class only to see Meliodas and Escanor glaring at one another while the class just watches. "I wouldn't be a proud royal if I didn't accept your challenge now would I? Five o'clock, in front of the gym." That was all she heard before he left.

"Looks like the rumors were right." Melascula dramatically spoke. "Not in the mood right now Melascula." Meliodas growled as he sat down. "Are you upset because the sins hurt your girlfriend?" Deriere bluntly asked. "How the hell do you know that?" Meliodas asked.

"The better question is who doesn't, and apparently you are fighting Escanor at five in front of the gym." Galand continued.

"How did that spread so quickly?" Meliodas asked angrily. "No comment. But do you want us to jump the sins with you?" Monspeet asked with an evil glare. "No this is between me and Escanor. Anyone gets in the way, then you may attack."

"Yes sir." They said in unison. "However, if the goddess interferes, I'll handle it. None of you will touch her. Understood?" He hissed at the demons. They nodded in understanding.

At the end of the day, Meliodas went to find Elizabeth. He found her with the sins still in their class. "Hey Liz! Wanna hang out for a bit?" He asked, pretending the other sins weren't there. "Sure thing Mel." She responded as she got her things and walked out.

"How are ya holding up?" He asked as soon as they started walking. "I'm doing fine. Why do you ask?" She calmly answered. "Because when I came to see you, the only thing you did was hug me and you said sorry, then left. It was weird." He said.

"That was nothing. When I saw you something just clicked and tears came. It's almost like we're actually dating." She joked. Elizabeth's own words stung her, and one look at Meliodas' face told her that he was hurt too. "You okay?" She asked with a crack in her voice. "Huh? Oh yeah, I'm fine." He quickly answered.

After about an hour and a half, it was almost five. "Well, I have to go. I have to be in front of the gym in a little while." He explaied as he walked away, only to notice Elizabeth following him. "I know why you're going and I'm coming with." She explained with a determined look in her eyes. After a few minutes of walking in silence, they finally reached the gym doors. "Well. Here we are." Meliodas awkwardly said as he stood there.

The sounds of the other sins' footsteps echoed throughout the hall and Meliodas picked up on others.

'Of course there are spectators.'

When Escanor was in sight, Elizabeth finally said what she had been waiting to say. "Listen to me Mel. If you're fighting Escanor because of me, then don't. I can fight my own battles." She confidently spoke.

Meliodas chuckled a bit, and using his wings to fly slightly over her, he pat her head. "Silly girl. I'm fighting Escanor for my own reasons." Then there was a slight hesitation. "And next time you wanna convince me that you're fine, you shouldn't tremble when we're hugging. After all, it hurts like hell when someone you love is hurting, and you can't do anything about it." Meliodas gently whispered with his voice cracking on every other word.

The other sins and half of the school had finally got in position. "Leave the rest to me Liz." He whispered as he turned around.

"Now then. Shall we begin?"