CUPID's CURSE! / VOL i.
three ━━━━━━━ troubled youth.
Class hadn't yet started and already Loretta was perhaps the only one seated at a table.
In huddled groups scattered around the room, hums of casual and light-hearted chatter from students fills the classroom. Each pure reunion is told in the wistful sight of a smile, in the affectionate touch of a long, awaited hug. Loretta found the sight endearing.
Loretta perhaps seemed like the only friendless person in the learning space — only because Rebeka had ran off to use the bathroom. She didn't mind at first, but with the boldly curious stares and hushed whispers she couldn't deny that the undivided attention was beginning to bother her. Loretta wasn't one to daringly confront a group of snide girls, not like her sister anyways. Her best solution in situations like this is to simply ignore them. Hence why her earphones are in, and the faint scratching of doodles and sketches on a scrap piece of paper falls to a low hum.
She hadn't even realised she'd zoned out. That is until a resounding bang of two hands slamming itself on her desk causes her to let out a small shriek.
"Christian?!" Her eyes widen. "Oh my g — Hi!" She exclaims, rising instantly to bring the cheeky teenager into a tight embrace. In her embrace, Christian feels her body press in warmly, letting his muscles become loose for perhaps the first in a long time. With the intensely grim secrets that burdens him, his mind, in that moment, was at utter peace. "What — I had no idea you studied here." She pulls away just enough to meet his caramel toned eyes, but still ensuring her arms were somewhat around him.
"Well, after San Esteban collapsed —"
"Oh yeah." Loretta frowns.
"Like, a year ago, three of us luckily were gifted scholarships here."
"So, you're telling me, they picked you?" Loretta teases. She stumbles a little as he jabs her forearm. With the morning they've both had it felt so freeing and good to crack a genuine smile.
Christian Varela had been Loretta's earliest friend. A bonding of souls of which started at the mere age of seven. After residing in the same neighbourhood for a while, it's safe to say the pair had cynical impressions of the other — with him acknowledged as the hooligan and her as the strange loner — that over time, the pair would develop a platonic, close relationship. Other than Rebeka, Christian had been the only one Little Loretta sensed that she could trust entirely — perhaps it had something to do with the youthful boy's goofy and comical personality or even in spite of bad situations he never failed to lift her spirits.
"Sit, sit," Loretta beams in quiet eagerness. Taking the near by seat, Christian imitates Loretta in rotating so his entire body was facing her. Folding one leg under the other, Loretta wears a jovial, tiny grin, whilst allowing her eyes to roam his boyish features.
"So, the lottery, huh?" Christian lifts a brow.
"How'd you already know?"
"News travels fast in this school, gorgeous." He smirks. Resting his elbow on the desk, he presses his cheek against his palm. "Of course I had to come see if the rumours were true."
"Is that so?"
Christian hums, "Although, it's strange, and feels almost illegal, to see you without blue hair." His finger drags the white drawn sheet closer towards him to inspect the tiny animated drawings. He stares amusedly at the cartoon-like drawings.
"It saves me the trouble of having to bear that distasteful nickname," Loretta rolls her eyes.
"Huh? Sonic's great!" He declares, his brown eyes widening almost childish-like.
"Right," Draping her blazer against the back of her chair, she smiles knowingly at him. "So... are you gonna tell me all about your summer? Or do I have to coax it out of you?"
"Nothing special, really."
"Oh, please." She props her chin in her hand. "As if you weren't sailing the glassy, lone sea in a freaking yatch, dude. That doesn't seem like nothing special — neither did the beautiful blonde on your page." At the mention of the wealthy blonde, Christian purses his lips. Noticing his lack of response Loretta continues, "Was that a secret or...? It was all over Instagram so I thought—"
"No, that's not it," He sighs, "It's just —"
Out of the blue, the thunderous echo of a fist slamming into a face of an other causes the target to stumble harshly into the classroom. It all happens so fast. If it wasn't for Christian swiftly pulling her away from her seat, there's a possibility her slim body would've been crushed.
A sudden gush of pain jolts throughout Samuel Garcia's body. Loretta couldn't quite distinguish his blurred features. If she could, she'd realise that she had in fact seen him before. The boy with the bike.
Despite the numerous screams and alerted faces that crowd him, Guzman doesn't stop. Determination and fury takes over his whole body, as he brings his fist once more to his jaw causing the brunette's face to slam against the desk — crimson now oozing from his eyebrow. Neither Ander, Polo nor Vincent could tame the blondish boy. Christian instantly rushes to his friend's side, after ensuring Loretta was far from the angered boy.
"Guzman! Let him go!" Azucena exclaims, "Guzman, that's enough!" The principal shrieks, causing Ander, Polo and Vincent to release their grip on the blond boy.
Guzman cautiously turns to face the woman behind him. Then Nadia. Guilt soon washes over him, sending shivers down his spine at the girl's foreign look. She blinks, her mouth pursed yet slightly ajar and loose. If anything Nadia seemed fearful, cold draining from her face, yet perplexed all the same.
Guzman feels himself stiffen and looks away.
"The wound that Marina's death has left in all of us will take a long time to heal." Azucena starts, after eventually getting everyone to settle down.
Samuel sits bitterly on the table next to Loretta's and Christian's. He sourly presses the ice pack firmly on the cut just above his eyebrow. Almost sensing her, Samuel shifts his glacial, blank gaze towards her. Loretta, perceiving that perhaps she'd been making him uncomfortable, quickly averts her gaze to face the principal — not even realising that the shorter boy had kept his eyes on her for a minute longer.
"I need your help to achieve it." The woman continues. "From all of you. Guzman, I can't even begin to imagine what you are going through."
"No, you can't." He scoffs, "And now imagine that you had to bump into the one to blame for all that pain in the halls all the time." His deathly stare flickers up to glower at the redhead woman.
"Samuel isn't one to blame."
"If Samuel hadn't come to this school — if him and his fucking brother had stayed in their shitty little village, none of this would ever have happened."
"Your father got him this scholarship."
"You're the one that renewed it. Why?" After claiming that it wouldn't be fair given how excellent of a student the brunet boy was, Guzman appears taken aback. "Fair?" He rises gradually, taking lethal steps towards Azucena.
"Guzman." Vincent warns. His steps come to a halt at his friend's echoed voice, yet still he doesn't back down as he stares challengingly at the woman. Ander from across the room exchanges a look with his younger twin.
"Marina — my sister... is dead at 16 years old. Is that fair?" Azucena blinks hastily.
"I'm not going to argue with you."
"From now on, just so you know, if you talk to that vermin, you are dead to me!" Guzman faces his peers, "If you're with him, you're against me."
"This isn't about picking sides."
"Yes, it is." His bloodshot eyes drills intensely into hers, "And you have already chosen yours." Venom drips with every pronounced word that spills from his lips and cuts through the tense air. With fists clenched heatedly at either side of his body, Guzman darts straight towards the door.
Speechless, Azucena shares a wary look with her sons.
author's note : ━━━━━━━ : if you can't tell, i miss christian :(