Vienna was nervously walking alongside Tristan from the counter to the exit. Students on their way parted like their life depended on it and others were looking at them alarmingly and knowingly. Vienna sighed. It was crazy how her life had changed. Until then, she was Vincenzo's sister and the untouchable one. Now she was also Tristan's girl. They weren't even going out but students looked at her as Tristan's Queen.
Vienna was really hoping one day things calmed down a bit and other students didn't look at her like they expected to get hurt if they even looked at her wrong. It had become much worse than it used to be. She wanted students to feel comfortable around her but they made sure she was the only one who felt that way. If she walked to a group of boys in the library for instance, they weren't allowed to walk away because that would have been insulting in their view. They didn't want her to feel upset and feel ignored even if they wanted to run away to avoid getting hurt in case they offended her. She really wasn't one to exercise power and influence unlike Tristan and Vincenzo but the other students expected her to for some reason.
As Tristan and Vienna walked side by side outside, Vienna noticed Tristan's side of the basketball team looking at them with understanding at a table. As they reached them, the boys got up and muttered different excuses that they had to go... Excuses ranged from going to library or getting more food to playing games. Most of them went to play baseball in the grounds opposite them.
Tristan spoke "Take a seat." He then put the two drinks on the table.
Vienna nodded and sat down putting down her lunch. She opened her lunch box and grabbed her sandwich as she felt Tristan's gaze on her. She looked up at the excuse of getting her soda to take a sip and almost choked. He was just staring at her of course and he didn't have any food in front of her. She tried to make a conversation "Aren't you eating?"
Tristan smiled. "Eating is not on my mind at the moment."
Vienna asked " So what is on your mind then." She wanted to avoid having silence there. The silence made her nervous and she knew if she didn't talk then Tristan might have. He asked tough questions.
Tristan sighed. He thought to himself "Oh you have no idea what I am thinking...At this moment I just would give anything to taste those lips. Your lips look so irresistible...? Hearing your voice makes my heart burst. You drive me crazy." But of course he couldn't say that . He shrugged "Alot of things...".
Vienna tried again carefully to make a conversation. It was better for her to be the one asking questions than him. She was stuck with him this lunch time "Would you like to try my food. You have can half my sandwich."
Tristan would have never dreamt of taking her food. It was her lunch and he had eaten. As much as he wanted to taste that sandwich that he knew she had made herself, he couldn't. He stated "I have already eaten. Twenty minutes ago I ate..."
Vienna nodded and looked around "I see most people are missing from the team. Have you seen Vincenzo? Has he had his lunch yet?" She was curious where her brother was.
Tristan shrugged "He ate and left with his group. He is busy with something like always." Of course he couldn't possibly tell her that Vincenzo and some of his circle of friends were too busy teaching a lesson to a couple of juniors who had disrespected him in some way during lunch. The juniors probably were screaming their lungs out by now somewhere on the premises. If he told her what her brother was busy doing, then Vienna would have probably lost her appetite. He would have been very cross if that happened.
Minutes past in silence as Vienna was trying to think of what to say. When she was close to him, her mind mostly went blank and his intense stare really didn't help put her at ease.
It was Tristan who spoke next "You know... This is bothering me that you have to have a shorter lunch time today.... I really don't like how your teacher made your class stay behind... She forced you to be hungry. I think he needs to have a disciplinary hearing with my mother....."
Vienna was shocked. Why did Tristan had to be so extreme when she was involved. She shook her head "Tristan... I was not hungry. I had eaten a snack at break time. The teacher didn't force me to stay. I wanted to...You need to believe me.."
Tristan nodded " Is this the same science teacher who is sending Edward Blake to Nasa?"
Vienna thought about her next reply. What was she to say. She tried telling the truth and how she exactly felt "Tristan... please don't do anything to this teacher.... I have learnt so much from the lessons."
Tristan nodded "Of course. That is why you had to seek the help of Edward Blake with your work. If that kid tries to get too friendly with you. I will show him
Vienna didn't know how to respond. wanted to respond. Just then her eyes caught a recipe for disaster. There was a junior student walking as he was deep immersed in his book not looking where he was going. Just as she was going to say " Watch it." It happened. The boy bumped into Sebastiano who had a water bottle in his hand making him lose his balance slightly and some water splitting on the ground and some on the floor.
Tristan noticed her looking away " Whats wrong?" He then turned around and saw a junior kid taking out his handkerchief wiping on Sebastiano's shirt apologising for spilling water as Sebastiano was registering what had happened giving him a murderous look.
Vienna knew the severity of the situation. It seemed like an honest mistake. A reversible accident. It was just water spilt but to kids like Sebastiano this was a sign of disrespect. Sebastiano was known to be quite sadistic and cruel like most other Giovanni's. He was like his father Sergio who was Clarisa's uncle and she knew enough about him to realise what as going to happen. She covered her mouth in horror not knowing what she could do.
Tristan laughed " That kid is clumsy." He would have eagerly waited to be entertained by Sebastiano's reaction. His friends had now grabbed the junior as he had tried to flee holding him waiting for Sebastiano to act.
Tristan watched as Sebastiano was ready to pounce. Tristan shouted "Halt. Not here Sebastiano. Later..."
Sebastiano looked back at his cousin who was daring him to defy him with his hard stare. Sebastiano looked like he wanted to object and argue against his ridiculous order but saw Vienna covering her mouth looking scared sitting opposite Tristan. He didn't have a death wish so he changed his mind quickly. Tristan killed for that girl in a heart beat. If Tristan didn't want her to witness violence on this occasion, then he definitely didn't want to be the one to make Tristan's girl see some roughing up." He swallowed his anger and stated "Fine." He turned to the junior "Get out of here ..."
Tristan sighed and turned around and cursed that junior in his mind as he saw how terrified she looked. Tristan said "It's ok. Have your lunch now. Nothing happened."
Vienna composed herself and took a sip of her soda not looking up. She took a deep breath. She could never get used to violence. She knew it existed though.
Vienna looked up and whispered "What will happen to him?"
Tristan sighed "Who cares. It's not my problem Vienna and neither it's yours. He needs to fight his own battles. He must learn to watch where he goes."
Vienna was taken back at his harsh tone and cringed.
Tristan noticed his error and spoke apologetically" Sorry... You know ... I get jealous when you care about other boys. I can't help it,.., I didn't mean to sound mean. Don't worry about that kid. He will live."
Vienna looked down at her sandwich and then decided to carry on eating. This was a brutal world they lived in. If you didn't have friends and protection, you were done for. She was always disturbed by violence. But she knew this school was for criminals. You had to use all your power to protect your own. She knew the person she had to worry about the most was Viggo. She had noticed Tristan gave him death stares at times. She really hoped she could save him when it counted.
Tristan tried to make conversation being annoyed as their lunch time talk was disturbed "What is in your sandwich Vienna?"
Vienna looked back at Tristan "Ham and Cheese."
Tristan nodded "I like ham and cheese too." He then thought to himself "Only from now on."
Vienna asked " Then would you like to try some of my sandwich?"
Tristan chuckled " No. I want to but can't.... I finished eating all your cupcakes by the way. They tasted heavenly."