Aeiou hastily turned his head up. "Nothing," he said.
He gave a side gaze to the water to see if there were still peanuts floating on the surface. Luckily, there weren't any signs.
He stood upright and gave an indifferent look to the other guy. Standing in front of him was one of that stupid guy's friend. Aeiou could not be mistaken, this was the little guy, probably five centimeters smaller than Heather, who tried to stop Zed despite of his small height which made Aeiou laugh as he thinks about it on his way home. Also, this guy sits in front of the class row—they were classmates.
With a stature of 155 cm, the dwarf guy was looking up at Aeiou blankly. "There's signage right in front of you, didn't you see it? What you did are clear violations of SMU's guidelines and policies..."
The guy started babbling words that were unfamiliar to Aeiou's ear. Aeiou raised his hand. "Okay. Okay." He stopped the guy. "I get it, it's the rules. I'm sorry. It'll never happen again."
The other guy squint, and then continued to state more words unfamiliar to Aeiou's ears. There was a hint of Australian accent to his voice while evincing a gentleman stature in his each and every movement. He's like a walking orientation book, Aeiou thought. I never thought someone as cold as that guy would have a friend like this.
Aeiou did not hesitate and put his one finger on the other guy's lips. "Shhh... I said I'm sorry, okay? And it's too early to be hot-headed, don't you think?" Aeiou smiled.
The small guy's eyes widened. He looked at the index finger on his lips with disbelief then to Aeiou's face. He slapped Aeiou's hands off his lips viciously and wiped his mouth.
"Ow..." Aeiou pouted. He was about to say something when the other guy licked his lips and spat.
The guy looked up at Aeiou and asked in horror, "Is that.... Peanuts?"
"Ahh... yeah. You're allergic?"
Truly, the other person was only leveled to Aeiou's chest, Aeiou had to bow his head a little bit to talk to him, it was getting uncomfortable. It felt like he was talking to a kid.
"No. But you could've poisoned the fishes in that pond. So come with me to the office and comply."
Aeiou blinked twice in disbelief. "Hey, I already said sorry, why do you have to take me to the office?"
"Would 'sorry' suffice for the damage that you had caused to those fish?"
"And does taking me to the office solve the damage that I caused to them? Wait..." Aeiou bent and held his knees. His expression went from acting friendly to cold. He pointed at the guy's nose. "Did your friend sent you to do this?"
"What?"
It wasn't impossible, this might be the start of that stupid guy getting revenge for yesterday.
"Well, tell him this, he had to send someone..."—Aeiou scanned the guy— "who's big enough to pull me to the office. Why don't you call for help? Like that girl yesterday who called two large guys to take me on?"
The brows of the other guy dawned.
Aeiou stared at him and waited for a fire back.
"Since you're a transferee, I'm gonna let this pass." The other guy turned his back and walked fast. As if he didn't hear any insult from Aeiou.
That's it? Aeiou thought.
He watched as the other guy's back moved away. He was about to turn an alley but Aeiou refused to let him go.
Aeiou bolted and hauled him from the neck. "I heard you're the President and we're also classmates, right?"
The guy's eyes widened. He did not turn his head up but he answered, "Hansel Xiuno, SSG President," with all the formality in his voice.
Aeiou tilted his head. He mimicked the guy's formality once he spoke again, "Aeiou Revelderio. Nice to meet you, Hansel."
Hansel started to walk away again. But Aeiou pulled him back, this time he put Hansel on his chest and hugged him. "Shall we walk together, Hansel?"
"W-What are you doing? A-Are you g-gay or w-what?"
"Hmm... wanna find out?"
Aeiou looked at the guy's face. He saw how his face changed from a pearly white shade to the whitest shade of pale.
Aeiou bit his tongue to suppress laughter. He still believed that that Zed sent this guy to take him to the office and get him suspended purposely. That was just what rich people were, they use their connections to find a more efficient way to live life, or in this case, fuck other people's lives. Truly, running amok looking all over the campus looking for a random guy around was harder than getting him ejected out of this place for good.
"Hey, mind to walk with me to our room?"
Obviously, the other guy had no other choice. "Yes."
***
Hansel didn't know if he should be annoyed or appreciative that Aeiou was cutting his steps purposely for him as they walk to their room. A gesture no one does for him.
Before, he quicken his pace when he was with Zed or Jake, or else he'd be left behind by the two. But now, he was walking like how he would walk when he's alone. With Aeiou's arms over his neck, they walked side by side together, in Hansel's pace.
"It's okay if you quicken your pace. I can keep up. We'll be late if not."
"It's fine, I'm used to walking with short girls at date. I don't mind. Besides you won't be able to keep up with me. I'm fast." Aeiou smiled and Hansel thought it was so bright yet so arrogant that he didn't know whether to be amazed or pissed. It was as if Aeiou knew what's best about him and likes to flaunt it everywhere with sheer confidence.
Needless to say, Hansel was too small. Standing with 155 cm, this height of him had bothered his inner peace and confidence since 7'th grade—when every guys aside from him started growing tall, he was left staring at them at the didn't-meet-the-required-height stall.
He did his best to get taller. He got circumcised at twelve, and he drank his milk since he could remember but nothing seemed to work at all.
It was probably his genes. His mom was petite while his dad was small and built like a pudge. Nonetheless, this height of him gave him a special place when he joined the basketball team with Zed and Jake a year ago.
Basketball players were supposed to be as towering as possible, so Hansel was the last choice in as he could barely touch the ring once he jumped for a rebound. Plus, given that his school competed with other international schools with tall players, Hansel would be crushed once he tried to get in between the war.
However, the reason why he got in such a game, was also because of his small height.
Hansel would slip through large opposing guys while dribbling the ball away and delivering it to a large player as tall as Zed. This was a technique formulated by their coach to save Zed from committing fouls from pushing players too hard. No other player would dare to get too cocky to steal the ball from Zed since he has all the rights to push them off. They would maintain a safe distance from him and wait for a rebound instead.
But after Zed got involved in an incident, he got banned on joining the basketball team for a year. It was not because of Zed accidentally injuring someone while defending the ball anymore. But because of something much worse.
"She's lucky that's all she got from me."
"So... tell me about how Zed got kicked out of the basketball team."
Hansel's eyes widened. Is he reading my mind? No that's not possible, this is probably his reason for following me. He wanted to extract information!
"Those things are private."
"Hahaha! Private? Well... I have my arms around your neck, one twist and you're done."
Hansel gulped.
***
A year ago, inside a quite and large room, where lockers took stand and male students usually shower after practice, Zed barged in the door with a shirt heavy of sweat.
Unbeknownst to Zed, a girl was hiding inside one of the lockers. She held a phone using her hands drenched with sweat that was digitally connected to multiple cameras inside each showering cubicle.
The goal of the girl was obvious, to shoot the male basketball team as they shower naked.
As Zed was always the first one to finish the exercises that his co-members cannot finish quickly, he was the first one to get dismissed.
He was wearing a shirt and a pants. He took of his shoes and socks. Then his t-shirt next. And what revealed was a robust body, similar to a Greek God's, two massive chest drenched in sweat, long muscled biceps, and six packs abs.
Just by that sight, the girl's mouth flood with saliva as she stared at Zed using a gap on the locker.
Once the prince was about to enter the cubicle which also has one of the active cameras, while still wearing his basketball shorts, a sound of heavy breathing resounded on his ears.
If someone else heard that, they would just shrug it off and continue what they were doing. But for Zed who was used on showering in silence in this room, he knew something was amiss. He turned his head with sharp eyes stabbing each locker one by one. The breathing continued to echo lowly. Suddenly his eyes landed on the tenth abandoned locker which the lock was off.
Zed walked to that and opened it.
His intuition was right, someone was hiding inside.
The girl wasn't able to utter any word as she was caught.
Zed's eyes landed on her phone which has four live videos of each empty cubicles. He instantly got a gist what this girl wanted to do. Zed pulled her phone away first and crushed it using his one hand. The phone fell with a clang as the girl stared at Zed, sweating tremendously, the girl wasn't able to speak.
The girl stood, pushed Zed away and ran but she hasn't took a second step when Zed hauled her neck and buried a fist on her stomach.
Her knees fell to the ground before she gasped for air.
The cameras were slipped discreetly in a small hole inside the faucet, where Zed and the other's private parts could have got recorded clearly if Zed hadn't kept his ears sharp.
If he was not able to notice this girl in time, it would not only his nudes that would be leaked, but also Hansel's, Jake's and all the other members of the basketball team as well.
The girl was about to stand and shout for help, but Zed had already foreseen that and pulled the girl's hair to the back.
"You want to get out?" Zed asked. "Fine, let me help you."
He held the girl by the hair and dragged her like a dog all the way to the quadrangle, in the middle of every building of both elementary, high school and college.
Zed pushed her to the ground. His topless figure immediately caught everyone's attention, and the situation of the girl gave everyone a false hint of what was happening.
"Tell them what you did," Zed calmly said.
But when the girl started crying, Zed shouted, "Tell them what you did or I'm gonna rip your head off! I'll execute you publicly if you don't!" Zed was about to kick the girl when multiple hands hugged him.
The whole basketball team had arrived at the situation.
Sweating viciously, everyone tried to took a hold of Zed. Except for Hansel who rushed to the girl's side.
"What happened?"
The girl cried and cried and did not answer. Hansel gave her his towel to cover her face. Hansel shot a death gaze to Zed. His eyes was like; Don't tell me you harassed her?
"Don't fucking stare at me like that, Hansel!" It was as if Zed could read his mind. He pointed at him as all the other guys tried to hold him down.
A guy with a whistle hanging on his neck approached Zed, it was obvious it was their coach. He went to Zed's face and spoke calmly, "Calm down, Zed. Let's get on top of this first, okay? Somebody give him something to cover up his upper body."
Jake, who was one of the guys who was restraining Zed, let go and ran back to the locker room to look for something Zed could wear. Zed was exposed from head to waist.
"Miss, tell us what happened," Hansel told her.
"He... He tried... tried to rape me."
Everyone gasped in horror. But even before their gazes landed at Zed again, all the guy that was holding him got knocked out to the ground.
Zed's roar thundered through the air. "You fucking bitch! I'm gonna kill you!"
Zed tried to reach for the girls head but tqo basketball members crawled hastily and held on Zed's two legs, causing Zed to stumble and fell to the ground face up. Some male students from other club also helped, two of them where the two fat guys that was Sarah's friends who sat on Zed's back and the others held Zed's arms.
They were successful keeping Zed on the ground this time.
"Get this girl out of here before someone gets killed." Hansel ordered.
With the girl's crying and Zed's behavior, Hansel and the others knew exactly who to believe.
But after a thorough investigation which Hansel requested himself by the police, it was then proven that Zed and the others could've been a victim of voyeurism. There were twenty cameras found in a plastic wrap.
Hence the rape allegation wasn't also true.
Hansel could only imagine how harsh the internet would be once they nudes got leaked.
"Is that the school with leaked scandals?"
"That one has a massive dick and the other has like... caterpillar dick. Hahaha..."
Hansel apologized to Zed after. But Zed didn't say anything. Meanwhile, the others who also thought of the same thing that Zed raped her, felt guilty and realized that whatever violent thing Zed did that day, it was because he cared for his teammates. TO be specific, he pulled that girl out of the locker room to show to everyone that whoever tried to harm him or those he cared for, will get hurt a thousand fold.
Hansel thought it'd be the end of their friendship since Zed didn't actually respond to his apology, but Zed never really change a bit after that. He was still as cold as river running water.
The school sent the girl away that made Hansel question himself, did they do that to make Zed safe from another attempt of voyeurism? Or to save the girl if ever Zed would go and finish her?
Nonetheless, Zed's actions were outrageous, and so should his punishment. He got banned from joining the basketball team forever.
It was a devastating news to everyone, but Zed only responded with, "You guys are good without me."
Hansel reminisced those memories vividly like a hazy fog to his head. It was a source of his guilt sometimes whenever he remember how he thought Zed was capable of rape and instantly turned his back to his friend.
Leaning half of his tall figure to the Hansel, Aeiou spoke lowly. "Hey, I heard that your secretary is cute, you should date her." Aeiou urged.
Hansel slowly closed his eyes. "You and Zed are oddly the same." Hansel stated out of annoyance.
"We are what?" Suddenly, Aeiou's arm around Hansel curved in a choking fashion.
Hansel turned pale. All that he could remember from Aeiou's action and threats was Zed. It was the reason why he quickly ran earlier when Aeiou's mood changed. Aeiou was just more arrogant and exuberant, but he was definitely someone capable of hurting someone if got pissed too.
And look at Hansel, he was just a small guy. "N-nothing."
"Good. I thought you said something stupid."
After that small talk, it was silence again. But Aeiou did not let go of Hansel. He kept on pushing Hansel under his arm pits, which actually was kind of warm, where Hansel could smell the fragrance of mint and sandalwood. It was probably Aeiou's deodorant. Hansel had never been this close to anyone in his life, and there was something warm and comforting being in someone's space this close. Soon, Hansel didn't thought of running away anymore.
Once they reached the classroom, everyone's eyes were sharp but their jaws dropped when they saw Hansel and Aeiou close together as if they knew each other for a very long time.
Aeiou shrugged those stares off and removed his hands around Hansel's neck. He said loudly so everyone could hear, "Such a nice a friend."
Aeiou walked towards his desk without even glancing to anyone, not even to Angeline nor Heather. He pulled his chair and settled down, all throughout the process he was unfazed.
Meanwhile, Hansel was left at the front with an unreadable expression, he touched his left shoulder where Aeiou's arm pits were earlier and found that it was warm. He pulled the sleeve close to his nose and inhaled. Aeiou's scent was left there. He's warm and smells nice. Hansel gasped and snapped out of it. What the hell am I thinking? He walked to his chair and sat.
"You should have not entered the class. Hey are you deaf?"
Hearing that, Aeiou snickered loudly. He turned his head to the girl on his right side while biting his lower lip, his left side was nothing but a window. "Really? Ouch!"
A student from behind shoved his table to Aeiou's chair, causing Aeiou to bump his head to the guy in front.
Aeiou turned his head to the student behind with a frowned expression. It was a boy, who was thick as a stick.
Aeiou gritted his teeth and rolled his eyes. Forget it. I don't want to ruin my morning again.
He turned his head back to the front and tapped the broad shoulders of the male student in front of him, which was actually big and wide. When Aeiou's fingers poked him, Aeiou felt strong metallic muscles underneath that white uniform. He was about to apologize, but when the student turned to him, Aeiou's eyes widened.
"What... what are you doing here!?" No known words could describe the look on Aeiou's face.
It was obviously Zed.
Zed snickered loudly. "I should be the one asking you—why did you hit my back?"
Aeiou now realized the reason behind his classmate telling him to skip school. Aeiou would finally get punched after he belittled Zed and his fans yesterday.
Aeiou managed to keep a still face. "Ask the student from behind, he's the one who pushed me..."
"I did not!"
Aeiou's eyes widened. He turned his head to the male student from behind and gave him the say-the-truth-look. But the other thin guy refused to look at him straight in the eye and say the truth.
For a second, Aeiou caught the student who pushed him look through him before nodding faintly.
Aeiou snorted. "So that's it, seems like I was right." It didn't take a genius for Aeiou to know what this was all about. He's being bullied.
So I'm going to experience it again, huh?
Aeiou pushed his table and pushed his chair to the back using his legs. The table and chair moved and the recoil hit Zed's chair and the male student's desk. The student on the back fell of his chair, while Zed stayed still.
"Stop fucking around!" Aeiou quickly took Zed by the collar, but no matter how hard he pulled Zed's collar, he couldn't make the other guy stand from his seat.
A smirk broke from Zed's lips.
At that very moment, all the students in the classroom withdrew. Aside from Hansel who was about to get in between the two, but Zed raised his hand to his direction, telling him to stop.
Aeiou roared, "What are you doing here now, huh?! You weren't here yesterday!" His voice resonated all over the classroom. Every student was now learning something: despite of Aeiou's looks, he was a guy they should never mess with aside from Zed. Even Angeline and Heather were surprised by the sudden change of attitude, however even them were powerless at that moment. The reason why would be for a later discussion.
They just waited for Zed to fire back. At this point, Zed should be standing or punching the other guy already.
Zed grinned. He finally stood and held the wrist that was holding his uniform and with ease, he twist it enough to make Aeiou let go and raised it to the air.
"Ah! It hurts!"
"Don't worry, I didn't break it yet."
Aeiou tried to pull away.
Zed twist it against the joint's direction slightly and made Aeiou twist in pain. "I'm your classmate now." Zed spoke with all the indifference he had on his throat and smiled, "And you're my new punching bag starting today." Zed clenched his fist and punched Aeiou's stomach, but instead of a tummy what Zed hit was a long object.
Aeiou slid back three steps away from Zed with his one arm across his stomach.
Zed's eyes squint, he aimed his punch at Aeiou's stomach but the other one blocked it completely using his other arm. "Very well, you could really fight back."
Meanwhile, Aeiou flicked his arm that he used to block the punch and dusted it off with his other hand. "Is that all you got?"
Hansel did not wait anymore and shouted, "Both of you sit down or I'll call the principal!"
Earlier that day, Zed was early. He went to his adviser's table and said, "Miss, I want to change my strand."
The room adviser looked at Zed.
"Why? I remember you coming to HE because you want to improve your cooking skills?"
"I've changed my mind."
The teacher pried her elbow on her desk. This guy was a remarkable student when it comes to cooking, does he want to go to sports? Business? Accountancy?
"What strand do you want to go? Sports? ABM?"
"HUMSS."
The teacher was taken aback by his answer. "HUMSS?"
Zed nodded.
"Well, I can arrange that. It's a good thing you told me after the first day of school. I'll get in touch with our HUMSS advisers."
Zed leaned closer to the table. "Put me in Aristotle. My friend and my cousin are there. We can study closely and together once we're in the same strand."
The teacher gave him a curious look and pointed at Jake who was sitting in front. "But what about Jake Cresco? He's also your friend?"
"He can manage by himself, I'm not his only friend."
Despite of getting interrupted, the teacher nodded. "Maybe tomorrow you can change strands."
"I want it now," Zed insisted. "I want to be in HUMSS-Aristotle right now."
The teacher's shoulders collapsed. "There are still some papers we need to arrange for you to..."
"I want to change strands now."
With Zed's persistence and displeasing attitude, the teacher happily took him out of HE strand.
"Tell me, where is Aeiou's seat?" Zed commanded to one of the girls once he entered Aristotle classroom.
The girl put her bangs on the back of her ears and spoke with a small voice. "Aeiou? Second to the last first row."
Zed strolled directly towards the third seat near the window. He saw a guy sitting behind Aeiou's seat."Hey," He called out the guy sitting on the last chair. "If the guy seating there arrived, I want you to push him harshly—harshly that he will hit his head to my back, understand?"
"Why?"
"Go announce to everyone that whoever tell Aeiou that I'm here will get thrown out of the window."
The thin guy gulped and started rounding around the room, spreading the news.
The prince pulled the chair in front of Aeiou's desk and sat his bum. Then, he put the textbook right in front of his face.
He grinned.
In all honesty, there were two reasons why Zed transferred to HUMSS. First, he wanted to make Aeiou's life miserable, and second, after he got banned from the basketball team, he had nothing better to do.
Back to the present, Zed shot a death glare to Hansel. "This is a business between us, Hansel. Get back."
"What business? This will not achieve anything! What do you want from him exactly? If this keeps up, you'll get kicked out of this school for good."
Meanwhile, hearing that, Aeiou looked at Hansel. Kicked out? So this isn't the first time he did this? Not surprising, but if he get kicked out for good, that means I'd be the most handsome guy here.
Zed looked at Hansel, What do you want from him, exactly?
Now that it was asked, all that Zed wanted was to hear this guy apologize. He couldn't say if he could forgive him, but he wanted to see the guy to stoop down below him right now, kneel if he needed to. Zed shot a death gaze at Aeiou, "Apologize now or else I'm gonna make your life a living hell." He warned. "This is your final chance."
Aeiou snickered loudly. "Apologize for what? It's not my fault you're an asshole."
Zed tilted his head. No matter how he looked at this guy, all he that he saw was an eyesore and another figure of his father that he should destroy. "You... really are not scared of me, aren't you?" Zed's tone was already scaring the students on the vicinity. It wasn't joking anymore, it was pure rage.
"I never heard of phobia of idiots."
"Mr. Revelderio and Mr. Nuevas! Are you two quarreling?" the notable voice of a teacher thundered and broke the tension.
Aeiou immediately changed his tone. "No miss, we are just greeting each other."
Aeiou glanced at Hansel, then to Zed. He feigned wiping his mouth with an outstanding middle finger before sitting on his chair. He looked up at Zed and whispered, "Bring it on."
The young master prince Zed narrowed his eyes and stared down at the annoying figure in front of him. Then, he watched the other guy mouth the words, "Bring it on." He walked back to his seat and pulled his chair. Then he whispered, "We're not done yet."