I gradually brought my feet to the Coeus clubhouse once lessons came to an end all too quickly. I could hardly recall the material the teachers spoke on as one face kept circling my mind, as much as I hated to admit.
I made the usual small talk with Callahan and let myself into the rec room for the supposed meeting.
Dark eyes met mine instantly. That was the first thing I regarded, followed by the vacancy. How had I somehow managed to come early when I'd taken four unnecessary detours on the way here? Someone should've gotten here before me.
"Come in and take a seat then." Garren urged from where he was propped by a round glass table.
I complied, trying to rid my mind off the weird feeling I was getting from this uncanny timing and aimed to sit by the seat furthest from him.
"Stevie, I'm not going to bite," he said, swiftly reading my mind.
That didn't mean I was going to abort. I settled down in the most distanced option available, earning me an eye roll. I had never been more glad to hear the door open, only to sink when it was simply two attendants. One carting muffins with those shiny state of the art coffee machines and mug filled to the brim. The other, a stack of varying board games.
"Would you like anything?" Garren asked as he collected his caffeinated brew.
"I'm not early, am I?" I gathered.
"No you're not and tardiness will not be overlooked next time so there better not be a next time."
"Where's everybody else, then?"
"Doing whatever they do after school. How would I know?" Garren sipped his coffee. Approval flashed across his features and he nodded to the attendant, issuing her in the clear of duty.
I wasn't liking what suspicion was formulating in my mind. "But, didn't you tell them about the meeting?"
"Their presence isn't required for this one."
Really wasn't liking it. "What about Will and Ben?" Heck, I didn't even care if it was Philip. Just anybody so I wasn't left in a room alone with him.
"Will said he was going to a place of some sort, I think? Wasn't really listening so I just said no when he invited me to come along." He shrugged. "And Ben is at the football club's drill runs. I told him to let coach know I wouldn't come, if he actually remembered this time. Though, maybe I should just quit the team. I might not have any time with all this real work I'll need to cope with."
I shifted in my seat at the reference to my earlier remark of him. It had solely left my mouth out of sheer spite... wait, spite? Did I actually feel nervous about coming here not out of fear, but because I felt bad?
Did I still care what he thought of me? Did it also mean my opinion mattered to him too? I'll admit, I was curious.
"Do you want to hear me say I'm sorry for what I said?" I questioned. "Is that what this meeting's for? For me to grovel?"
"I have no intention to make you apologise. You're entitled to your opinion and I know you didn't mean it."
I wasn't sure what got to me more. His vanity or that he was right more than most of the time. "Right, so why am I here?"
"Pick a game." He nodded to the remaining attendant with the collection. "I can play anything."
"What?"
"But if you do pick Monopoly, I call dibs on the red car."
"You... you called a meeting to play random boardgames?"
"Yes."
I stared. He stared back.
"No, seriously? That's it?"
"Is there a problem?"
"Yes."
"Enlighten me."
"Coeus is supposed to serve the purpose of training and broadening members minds as skills as a group course. To bring something of common interest and develop together."
"Isn't that what we're doing right now?"
"No, you're just playing around."
"Which is exactly the point," he retorted. "It's what this room is designed for, isn't? Recreation. Call it mental exercise and stimuli but that's just trying to sound sophisticated. Politics, war, crime- everything the world prioritises is just mucking about. It's a game and all you can do is try to enjoy it as much as you possibly can."
I stood to my feet, slinging my bag back onto my shoulder.
"What are you doing?"
"Leaving. I'm not in the mood to listen to one of your creepy ideology lectures." I informed him and turned on my heels.
"You leave this room then I'll be obliged to write you up and it'll be sent to the headmaster's office."
I instantly sealed my footholds, swerving my head back to him as he restrained a smile at getting a reaction.
"You probably wouldn't be removed but I don't think my nan would be too thrilled to hear about Coeus having a problematic member after the scandal that she just managed to crawl through with minimal cuts."
He prompted for my next move with a smug look and in that moment, I did my best to hide my relief. I'd panicked for a second there that he'd known about my deal with Ms. Shepherds, but it appeared that despite being family, she held no desire to aid her grandson in his reign of terror. Knowing I was basically forced into this, he'd use that to have me wrapped around his finger.
I feigned a show of annoyance and huffed back to my seat. "Scrabble." I uttered.
I would say that if I didn't have an undying love for academics, I'd take up acting. I considered myself fairly good at it but against Garren's inhuman sharpness, I was worried he'd sense I was hiding something. Until a gigantic triumphant grin spread on his lips. He'd perked up tremendously to the point his eyes twinkled with livelihood but the spark was shaded over before I could savour it when he fixed them on the attendant. "Are you deaf or something?" He hissed. "She said she wants Scrabble. Get to it!"
The first expression I'd seen on the silent assist was panic as he dove through the boards, searching for the Scrabble set. Garren turned back to me beaming.
After choosing between three different editions, the attendant didn't dally in disappearing and leaving me to play the unwilling participant to the boy's childish misconduct.
"I called your line," he started as we assembled our pieces. "It didn't go through. Why?"
"I threw it out," I replied and didn't miss him momently pause. "Not much point in using something that's reserved for just Aces."
I looked him straight in the eyes, not out of boldness but to see if there was any flicker of emotions. "Liar."
"Excuse me?"
"You think for a second I'll believe you chucked out something you got yourself so hot and bothered over the price?"
He was right. I couldn't, so I resorted to switch it off and stored it in an old shoebox. "I could've sold it."
"True, but you wouldn't."
"And why's that?"
"Because it holds sentimental value which was construed by me personally getting it with your favourite colour and therefore, that attention to detail creates this 'specialness' to it. Correct?"
I made the fatal mistake and paused.
"I'll take that as a yes."
This time, there was nothing fake about my annoyance. "Can we just play the game already?"
Garren complied, grin still lingering on his lips. I prepared to go mute but thankfully, Garren didn't attempt to make any conversation with me and we scoured the lettered squares to assemble words in silence.
**
The next day felt hazy. I could recall getting dressed, walking to school and meeting up with both Ashton and Liam conveniently along the way, like the usual routine. The conversation about edible clothes we had- it was there in my memory bank. Just obscure.
The drowse kick started somewhere after I woke up from my dream. It was an old one I hadn't dreamt in years of when I was six and playing checkers with my grandpa Jojo by a fireplace. His name was Jonathan but I always called him Jojo. Dad would tell me I got my brains from him. Grandma May would say the same too, bragging about him was the only time she'd light up.
She preferred only mentioning the times of his 'glory days'. I could never remember it well enough to recall who the winner was at the end of any of our games though.
The classes followed in a similar fuzzy sense and I wasn't sure if Shaun was actually present. Unbelievable, I know.
"Liam are you wearing woman's deodorant?" I asked.
My pitch was a bit over the range of discreet but I was caught off guard by disbelief. Liam flushed at the stares from the neighbouring lab desks.
"W-What? No."
My mind may have been a bit distorted but that wasn't the case for my nose. "I'm pretty sure it is." I moved closer and took a deep sniff. "Yeah, that's Cashmere Quartz."
"Okay fine! So what? It's not against the law, is it? Geez, first Ash gets on me about bloody cereal and now you. Has this society completely turned its back on letting men have any liberation?"
"Woah, whoah. I was just asking." I raised my hands in sign I meant no harm, unfamiliar with this snappy side of my friend. It was amusing though. "You're right, I have no place to judge your taste."
A strained silence settled and I was prepared to focus on solely writing down the formulas if he intended to stay pouty. I was always the one doing all the work anyways. Back in my early dumb days I'd be so happy to partner up with the lazy bones because I had a small crush on him. Shocking, I know.
"So," Liam cleared his throat in what I assumed was an attempt to smoothly move past his outburst. "How did the meeting go? You never mentioned."
"Fine." It came out much too quickly and forced but I couldn't help it. It took me off guard. "Just um, Garren droning on about new rules and regulations. Boring stuff."
"He didn't come at you for all the stuff he overheard?"
I shook my head. "Must've forgotten about it. He is self-centered."
Yes, I was lying through my teeth but in my defense, he was the one keeping secrets first. Mine had good reason. I didn't want to see how he'd react knowing I was alone in a room with Mr. Pretentious playing Scrabble for over three hours.
I knew if I did, it would definitely not be taken lightly. Which I was more than aware of. I was wracking my mind mercilessly for the logic behind compromising my morals and purely even dignity to feel somewhere dangerously close to comfort around someone so coldblooded.
Sadly, I'd come up with nothing. Granted, with this odd daze, it might be why I was having difficulty finding the answer and exerting my brain probably wasn't such a good idea. My streak of perfect scores would be ruined if there was a test on today.
I did my best to ignore it as it gnawed at me but was determined to stay focused in the teaching. Yet somehow, it was me having to explain the material after the lesson ceased to Liam who decided to play games on his phone under the desk.
I'd told him countless times to quit it but he'd always argue that I was better at teaching than snooty Mr. Perez. The flattery never failed to get me to comply every time.
In the midst, a voice hovered by my ear. "Well what do we have here?"
Liam looked equally as stunned by the presence behind me. I was sure his was surprise alone but mine was also a mix of dread from the owner.
Hess greeted me with that lazy smile and keenness glistening in his eyes like the last encounter. "I didn't know Mr. Perez had organised extended classes for those falling behind. Nice of you to volunteer, Buns."
"Uh, no. It's not extension classes," clarified Liam.
"Oh, he should consider it. I'd gladly sign up, maybe have a premium package to get some personal home tutoring," Hess mused, suggestively.
Liam stared at the boy with mouth falling open. "Um, I'm sorry but did you just hit on her? Stevie did he just hit on you or is my brain far too dirty minded and translating everything one-sidedly?"
"Yes and yes," I answered. It was easier to brush off the comments when alcohol was in my system.
"Well I'd like to think of it as my special means of greeting. Just for you," Hess proclaimed, eyes seeming to sweep over me endlessly.
"Right." Liam couldn't have been more skeptic. "And where did you come from exactly?"
"The door. It's that thing covering the gap between the walls, mate," Hess quipped.
I knew Ashton would've snorted. Liam just scowled, clearly dry of witty retorts. I could tell he already didn't like Hess. "So you're in this class?" I questioned.
"No, I'm in the one across. Your boy Garren just told me to pass on a message: Coeus meeting after school."
"Again?" Liam's tone quizzical, yet all that was spiked in my mind was that Hess referred to Garren as my boy.
I groaned. "If he wants to say there's a meeting, he can just tell me on the school message board, like he's meant to. It's got my number." I huffed.
Though I knew he sent it on the phone he'd bought me, stubbornly trusting I'd turn back to it. To him.
Hess shrugged. "I got to see you so, I don't mind playing Hermes."
"Who?" asked Liam.
"Greek deity who relayed messages to other gods," I explained.
Hess sighed. "You've really got your work cut out with this one, don't you Buns?"
"For your information prick, I take a psych class so-"
"A-ny-way," I dragged each syllable as I desperately try to prevent a fight which Liam would definitely lose. "Thanks for the message. You can just go now."
Maybe sensing my unease, Hess heeded my plea and left. Although not before gingerly taking my right hand to place a light kiss.
**
"And the prick kept calling Stevie Buns for some reason and just undressing her with his eyes the whole time." Liam ranted to Ash the moment we met up with her at the lockers. "You would've punched him, Ashton. I swear."
"What's his name?" She questioned, definitely considering the suggestion.
"Hess."
"Hess?"
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure and he wasn't actually all over me or anything-"
"Hess as in, Alger Hess?" pressed Ashton. "Six foot one, light blonde hair, high cheek bones and crystal blue eyes?"
I didn't miss Liam regard the attentive depiction with a puzzled glance, as did I. "Um yeah, that sounds about right."
"I have him in PE. He's always chatting up all the girls and apparently, he's fooled around with half of them. Including the coach, Ms. West."
"Wow. Um, any reason why a guy might have any issue with him?" I asked. Perhaps she could shed some light on Shaun's mysterious grudge and I'd learn something no amount of browsing his social media activity in the tub could tell me.
Ashton shrugged. "A guy? Nah, most of them look up to him. Pure retards."
"Well I can give you one reason," began Liam. "He's a prick. There, simple."
I rolled my eyes.
"How does he know you anyway?" questioned Ashton.
"He doesn't. He knows Garren. They're friends, sort of." I may have not recalled anything on that night I royally screwed up but I doubted I left any sort of lasting impression on the boy while playing simple card games. That, I was sure of.
Ashton's eyes narrowed. "Is that cunt telling Hess things about you?"
"What? No."
"Well, whenever he's making passes at other girls he doesn't go anywhere far with it so there must be something."
"There isn't. Liam is only exaggerating."
"I am not!"
The ringing of the bell wailed out in that instant and I couldn't have been more glad for its aid in handing me a perfect excuse to end the conversation there. "I've got history next so..."
I tore my gaze, legs eager to scramble off on the journey through two flights of stairs. Preventing me was a hand cuffing my arm. I drew my eyes back to Ashton's studying gaze.
"You know you can talk to us if anything's going on. Is Garren giving you a hard time?"
"No." I shook my head, making this the second lie I told. Although technically, the 'hard time' he was giving me was different from the one she was worrying had been transpiring.
"Okay then." Ashton's hand was swift to drop from me. I was a little surprised by how quickly she'd abandoned it. Her smile was even brisker. "See you later."
"Yeah, see you."
With that, I carried on down the corridor and couldn't help but glance back, a long since faded feeling I thought I'd gotten past stirred once again at sight of their figures stretching further from view.