"So Mister Nuevas is... absent?"
"We saw him walking out of the building, Sir."
After the bell rang for their recess, Aeiou stretched his hands above his head and plastered his cheek onto his desk.
Heather and Angeline appeared beside him. "Aeiou, let's eat?"
Aeiou raised his head and was able to force a smile. "I'll be right behind you."
The two exchanged looks. Heather looked at Aeiou and she gulped, it was as if she wanted to say something but held it back. They both walked away. Aeiou stared at their figures as they talked lowly on each other's ears.
When Aeiou couldn't see the two anymore, he leaned his back to his chair and crossed his arms crossed. His legs were fidgeting. He looked at the empty seat in front of him.
Where did he go?
For two straight periods, his mind was drifted to the thought of Zed.
"FUCK YOUR MANIPULATIVE ASS! YOU DON'T KNOW THE WAY I FEEL FOR YOU!"
"Keep those feelings to yourself because I don't want to hear it and DON'T COME NEAR ME AGAIN!"
Is he angry because he though I'm using him to get girls? Aeiou finally realized it. But why? What's so bad about using your friend's influence to get a girlfriend? Everyone does it!
"YOU DON'T KNOW THE WAY I FEEL FOR YOU!"
Aeiou shook his head. The way he felt for me? There's no way he's gay. Aeiou laughed like a crazy man. In the end, he couldn't find any answers to his questions. So he thought about it deeply, deeply that he surprisingly started questioning himself. Maybe I said something wrong. I'm such an asshole. Wait, Aeiou Revelderio, should not feel this way! I'm the victim here. But why the fuck am I getting this troubled!? Aeiou scratched his head.
He lingered on his seat for a good while then eventually stood up, determined to look for Zed's whereabouts.
I'm gonna fucking laugh at his sensitive ass. He should know there's nothing wrong about guys asking for a friend's help to get a girlfriend.
He roamed around the HUMSS building, there was no Zed. He walked inside the gym, there was no Zed too.
Shortly after, Aeiou reached the cafeteria, but there was still no hint of Zed Nuevas.
An exuberant and cheery voice then came from behind. "Aeiou!" Aeiou turned his head and saw Heather and Angeline waving at him.
Aeiou smiled and walked towards them. He sat next to Angeline.
"Aeiou my girlie! Where have you been?" Angeline asked.
"On my la ah ah ah ayf," Aeiou jokingly answered before his expression changed. "Don't call me girl, bitch."
Angeline raised his hands. "So feisty, you seemed pissed today."
Heather interrupted, "Yes. Yes, What happened last Friday night with you and Zed?"
Aeiou was taken aback. "H-huh? N-nothing we just talked and then we are now friends."
Heather squinted her eyes and leaned forward. "Friends? Hmm..."
"Why?"
"Nothing." Heather shot Aeiou an unreadable look.
Aeiou ignored it and stared roaming his eyes around.
The three of them talked for a good while, conversing on how great Aeiou during the Friday night was.
After a brief conversation, Aeiou turned his head to Heather, who was now carefully swiping through her phone with here eyes beaming with love. Aeiou summoned his courage and asked a question.
"Heather?"
Heather raised her head to Aeiou. Her eyes were brightly shining and her cheeks were red. "Hmm?"
Aeiou found this strange. Plus, Heather's under eyes were stuffed.
"What are you looking at your phone? You seem happy."
"Those are not meant for guys like you." Angeline interrupted.
Aeiou thought about it was a hot- girls-stuff, so he shrugged his shoulders and went back to his real question. "Do you know where Hansel is?"
Instead of asking about Zed, Aeiou asked about Hansel instead. Wherever Zed was, Hansel would be there for sure.
"He was in a meeting since this morning. But now maybe they're eating outside. Why?" It might just be Aeiou's imagination but Heather's face flashed deviousness. "Are you looking for Zed?"
Upon hearing that, Aeiou immediately masked his face with a smile. "Of course not! Why would I look for someone like him?! Let's eat outside, my treat!" It was so sudden.
Heather nodded. Her brows thrust upward before she exchanged looks with Angeline.
Angeline snickered, "No, Heather. There's no way it's them."
Heather pouted.
Aeiou squinted. "What did you saw?"
"Nothing..."
Along the main street near the school. The three odd friends found themselves sitting on an exquisite chair in a japanese style restaurant.
"Are you sure this is where they are?"
Heather nodded. "Yeah, this is where they usually eat."
Aeiou's eyes shifted from chairs to seats. Each seats have this tall black chairs that were blocking everyone's head. But Aeiou should be able to see Zed's head because he could see over it and him and Zed were the same height.
Aeiou was stealing glances when he saw a small figure standing near the counter with his arms crossed. It was Jake.
Instantly, the vile sounds from the night full of sins flashed inside Aeiou's mind.
With almost a four inches difference from Hansel's height, this guy have a stereotypical manly aura that was evident on how he rub his chin. He acts like and moves like a real man, just like Aeiou, but his sexual preference was definitely different.
If Aeiou didn't witness it himself, he wouldn't believe anyone else who'd say it. It was common sense not to out someone so Aeiou did not tell Heather or even Angeline.
But he still turned his head to Angeline.
"Angge, is it possible for a guy to have sex with another guy?"
Angeline almost burst the water out of her mouth.
Heather's eyes widened.
Angeline was about to say something when a loud shout echoed.
"Yes!" Heather sprang up from her seat. Heads turned to her like magnet. Heather quickly schooled herself and sat. "Yes, of course, why not?"
Aeiou snickered, thinking that Heather heard him wrong. "I don't mean it like tomboy to guy, or gays to gay. What I mean is guy to guy, like straight guys."
Aeiou thought his explanation would drive out disgust or amusement from Heather's face but Heather's face beamed even more. "Then. It's. Better!"
Aeiou was jolted. Huh?
A bell like laughter then echoed on Aeiou's side.
It was Angeline. "Heather, you better not shoving yourself too much on the drive I shared with you."
Drive?
Heather held both of her cheeks, the amber eyes of Heather sparkled. "BL is life."
Upon hearing that, Aeiou's eyes squinted in dismay. My little princess became one of those BL fanatics! His jaw dropped.
Aeiou dated some BL fangirls before. Even with their strange taste on romance and erotica, Aeiou still courted a good number of them because most of them looks innocent and beautiful. Not until they started shipping Aeiou to other guys rather than the girl herself. Sometimes, while still courting a girl, Aeiou met the girl's older brother, the girl would forced him to take a picture together with her brother.
Angeline tapped Aeiou's shoulders, bringing Aeiou back to his tranquil state. "Listen, even if I'm gay, you can't say for sure I will not fall for a girl," Angeline answered. "Gender is complicated. But what's important is you're happy, and you're also happy with the person you're having sex with."
"Just like the two handsome guys I saw kissing on the beach last Friday night." Heather interrupted.
Aeiou's eyes widened but he quickly concealed it. "Really?"
"Yes, I was drunk, but they were familiar and I was sure who they was but it's just too impossible to say since they're enemies. But judging how they hugged each other this morning, maybe it's safe to say love has bloomed between them." Heather was smiling deviously at Aeiou.
Angeline snapped her fingers on Heather's face. "There you go again Heather. Zed and Aeiou kissing? That's not gonna happen!"
Aeiou broke into cold sweat. "Yes, it won't happen." He looked at Heather. Heather thrust her eyebrows upwards. Aeiou looked away.
"I know... I know Aeiou. You and Zed are the worst match, but things change—"
"Let me get your orders!" Aeiou sprang up from his seat. Then he walked towards the cashier.
So she didn't got home straight with her butler?!
As Aeiou strolled towards the cashier, he noticed that Jake was still on the other line, gazing casually on the food board.
Aeiou summoned his courage and said, "Bro."
"Ui, Aeiou?" Jake's voice was that same crisp and hoarse voice again. "You were amazing last night!"
The two talked for a good while, chatting about how amazing Aeiou was during the Friday night.
But before the conversation went too far, Aeiou hastily went for his agenda. "Do you know where Zed is?"
A curious expression spread on Jake's face. His eyes were like; Why would this guy who had become Zed's rival would ask about Zed now? Did something happen that night?
But Aeiou hastily added a smooth segue, "... that idiot owed me a hundred-peso for the cab. He went home safely didn't he?"
Jake nodded. "Yes, he did..."
Jake remembered how him and Jaspher saw Zed peacefully laying with a jacket covering Zed's full body on the sofa. Jake and Jaspher even debated who the jacket belonged tp, Zed or Aeiou.
Jake was not sure if Zed was still alive, given that Aeiou was the last person he was with. But the prince did wake up early the next day. Jake felt being generous that time; Aeiou saved him the misery of taking Zed back to his condo. "For taking care of my friend, let me pay for your meal."
"By the way, where's Zed?"
"He said he'll go to the... the cheerleading club. I don't... don't know why but maybe he had to say something or maybe..." The Dean's son spoke continuously but Aeiou was focused on the first six words.
"... he'll go to the cheerleading club."
"...if you help me hit on the cheerleading captain of this school, then we'll be the best of friends."
Aeiou's eyes widened.
"Take care of their orders for me." Aeiou bolted out of the restaurant. He can't be fucking serious! Aeiou thought to himself as his feet were automatically moving. But why am I running to him? This is what I want right? For Zed to help me get girls.
Suddenly, Zed's voice echoed inside his head. "Tell me who hurt you and I'll hurt them a thousandfold." Consequently, Zed's crying face flashed in his mind.
There was a sudden swept inside Aeiou heart. Fuck it! FUCK!
Aeiou winded around a few alleys and asked a lot of students where was the cheerleading club. His expression was similar to a kid who was caught by his parents watching an r18 movie.
"Next to the gym. First door," A student answered.
When Aeiou opened the door of the cheerleading club, his soul almost left his body.
The sound of lips shoving on each other echoed on that room. A girl was pinned onto the wall while her arms were wrapped around Zed's neck. Their lips were pressed like slugs having sex.
"Mmm..."
Aeiou didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Aeiou stepped back twice and tried to lock the door quietly, but the girl saw him. She gasped and broke from the kiss.
"I'm sorry! I will... will go now... you guys do that again don't... don't mind me..." Aeiou barely manage to construct a sentence.
He immediately clenched the cold knob and tried to pull it to close. But before the door met the door frame, Zed's hands appeared on the frame and forcibly pulled it open. The door thrashed loudly on the wall.
Aeiou was in shock of that sound. "Fuck!" In a matter of seconds, he was already pulled by Zed inside the room.
Then, he found himself standing in front of the blushing complexity of the girl.
"This is the guy I'm talking about." Zed's cold voice echoed behind Aeiou's ears, bringing him back to his tranquil state.
The girl looked down and put her hair behind her ears.
Every girl that Aeiou had dated before don't want them getting caught during kisses, so Aeiou turned his head and tried to walk away, but two arms wrapped around his waist like two humungous snakes.
"Let go," Aeiou commanded.
Zed didn't land a gaze on him. Instead, Zed stared coldly at the girl. "I did what you told me. If I kiss you then you will kiss him too. Now, do it!"
Those words were like bullets that were shot directly towards Aeiou's heart. Now he realized; Zed used himself.
A small voice echoed, "I would like to do... do it with the both of you." Aeiou's jaw dropped when he heard that. He looked at the girl with a shocked expression.
Mariah, the cheerleading captain, have a fair white skin, and a body that was petite and limbs that were firm. Her face had a hint of an east-asian while her every gesture carried gracefulness. Who would have though she has some kind of fantasies?
Aeiou saw her earlier four days ago and was planning to hit on her ever since. But Angeline warned him about her that this girl was a fond of group sex and if Aeiou wasn't fan of that, then don't even talk with her. Aeiou now discovered that Angeline was telling the truth.
As Aeiou was still in a daze, the girl took advantage of him. She jumped on Aeiou, held his cheeks and pushed the girl away. Thinking whose lips this girl was ravishing earlier with her lips made Aeiou flush.
Aeiou pushed her away. He looked at her with a blank expression as he wiped his lips with his hands. "Sorry, I am not into group sex..."
A brash sound echoed on that room. It was the hand of the girl's palm that made contact with Aeiou's cheek.
"Then why did you even interrupted us!? —" Mariah shouted. Mariah had a one night stand with Zed during a party night his father arranged, owner of . Zed was undeniably handsome and cold but was into getting straight to the point. He immediately gave Mariah the best night of her life.
But just like what Zed did to any other girls he slept with, by the moment Mariah spewed her juices, Zed left. No cuddles, no kisses. Zed just fucked her and left and didn't even bother to come.
Mariah was about to land another slap on Aeiou but a thug sounded and she found herself kneeling on the floor, hugging her stomach.
A cold voice echoed. "How dare you slap him?" It wasn't loud, but it was enough to bring shivers down her spine.
Mariah groaned in pain and puked white liquid. Zed punched her. She held on the wall and ran outside while coughing. The door slapped loudly, leaving the two boys inside.
Aeiou turned his head to Zed with a bewildered expression. "You punched a girl on her gut?"
Zed coldly said, "She slapped you. I should have pulled her intestines out."
Zed gently withdrew his arms around Aeiou's waist. Then he stepped back and leaned his robust structure on the wall while staring at the guy who was in daze. "What are you doing? Go chase her." Zed was provoking Aeiou. "Comfort her, playboy."
Inside the dazing thoughts of Aeiou, he was not worried on the embarrassment of the girl anymore. Instead he was now focused on what Zed did. This is a ridiculous and repulsive stunt, this could bring them trouble again!
Aeiou started taking deep breaths, too deep to the point that it was audible to Zed's ears. For a moment, Aeiou realized that what he did was truly heart wrenching, to the point that Zed used himself. But at the same time, because of what he did they both might be brought to the office again. Never mind, Aeiou, he still have two chances... but Zed?
Aeiou wanted to get this over with, before his heart explodes out of the peculiar feeling of stinginess by thinking Zed might get kicked out.
"I'm sorry." Those words were softly spoken by Aeiou.
Zed squinted. Zed was about to speak again but he was brought into halt when Aeiou slowly walked onto his direction. Zed was expecting a punch with loud curses but what landed on him was Aeiou's head leaning on his shoulders.
"I'm sorry if I used you. I have no idea how I should treat you because this is how I have always been. A playboy who uses people even those that I love. But everything that happened that night, I have no regrets."
This is not Aeiou's usual self, his tone was as far different from how he usually converse with anyone.
Zed did not answer. Hearing those sincere words from Aeiou, he was moved. His crushed heart started to pick its broken pieces and started beating again.
"Do you forgive me?" Aeiou spoke nicely.
Zed raised his right hand and softly touched Aeiou's silky hair. "Yeah, your brother is forgiving you."
But as soon as those words were spoken, Aeiou ripped his head away from Zed and stepped firmly twice to the back.
What showed was a painful expression flashed on Aeiou's face. Staring at Zed, was his own signature of cold orbs. "Then I think we should part ways now."
Zed squinted. "What?"
"We would've not suffered this much if we hadn't met each other."
Hearing that, Zed squinted in dismay. "I don't get what you are trying to say, stupid."
"Can't you see, Zed? We will never get along. You forever hate the sides I will never get rid of."
Zed laughed. "Is this a prank? You're acting like a kid."
Aeiou became obviously furious when he heard the last word. "No one would like to stay as a friend if they get hurt!"
Those words were like blades that was stabbed directly to Zed's bone. Last two days, he had already cursed himself a lot whenever he remembered how he brought his fist onto hurting Aeiou physically. "I did punch you before and if you're scared that I'd hurt you again... I will never."
"That's not what I'm scared of."
"Then what is it?"
"You're making my life miserable more than my mother. You punched me countless times, you made me dance in front of the whole class, you made me carry your drunk ass to your friend's condo and..." Aeiou choked. It was as if he wanted to say something but held back at the last minute. "Just... I think you're worse than my mom!"
Zed's eyes widened. Consequently, the moment sank into a painful silence for a while.
Zed looked down and his voice stiffened when he spoke again, "Okay. Tell me what kind of distance you want."
"Strangers."
The prince clenched his fist. Strangers... He wanted to curse when he heard that word, strangers, but he only looked at Aeiou and blinked once.
Without any word, Zed walked away. "Strangers then." He kicked the door open and left.
Meanwhile, Aeiou watched Zed's broad shoulders until it disappeared on the door. There was a sudden swept within his heart but he sighed it out. Ha! I don't want us to get kicked out. Of course it's a lie that you're worse than my mother but... I have to lie for our welfare. He forcibly smiled. Goodbye, Zed. It was nice meeting you... is it raining?
A drop of water caressed Aeiou's cheek. He wiped it off and looked up to the ceiling. There was no signs of water above him. Soon, another drop caressed his other cheek. It was only then that Aeiou realized what was happening. Am I crying?
Suddenly, a thunderous throb shook his chest cavity. His knees quivered from the sudden jolt. But it didn't end there... a thin sound thundered inside his head. "HIHHHHHH!" It was thin, yet not loud, like the loudness of silence.
Aeiou clasped his ears but the sound didn't stop nor does it lessen. When he inhaled to calm down, a sharp pain engulfed his lungs, as if his ribs was choking him. He hugged his stomach and his knees fell to the cold floor. He felt weak yet he wanted to run.
Aeiou breathed quick and shallow air instead and it gave him time to catch his breath and think
This was the very first time he had this, and Aeiou wasn't a fool to not know what was it. This was panic attack. But why? I never had this for once! Maybe because I'm about to get kicked out if Mariah reports what Zed did. No! Then I should have felt this earlier. Zed left... Aeiou's eyes widened. Zed left and then this happened...
At some point, Zed and him shared some kind of a bond, and now, no matter how hard Aeiou denies it, he cares for Zed too. This panic attack was his anxiety responding to the stimuli of Zed abandoning him.
"You got to be kidding me... A person like him?" Aeiou laughed. Then he gritted his teeth. Calm down now, Aeiou. Have some shame! Are you really going to be on your knees and cry for him for abandoning you?! Let him leave you!
Aeiou, actually, didn't feel better. His stomach churned and a gnawing pain spread on his guts. It became worse.
Okay, okay! Fuck! FUCK! FUUUUUCK! I'm going to reconcile with him after I make sure Sarah won't report us! He's going to be with me! He's not leaving me! I'm going to make him live in the same house as me!
Consequently, right after he spoke those words, his airways relaxed and his chest became light. He was calm in an instant.
"Fuck." Aeiou look up to the white ceiling and sighed. "Now I get panic attacks?" He stood and slapped his already dusty pants. "Forget it. It's easy to control anyways. Let's find Mariah and make sure she doesn't get us into trouble."
Us... Aeiou paused for a while. He always uses the word me but now it was us. He tsked. It was hard to accept, and he didn't think he'd ever surrender to it, but he cared for Zed and he cared without asking anything in return. Something an Aeiou Revelderio, a mischievous narcissist manipulator, never thought he would do for others.