"Hi," Aurelio's voice was so soft, I almost didn't recognize it.
I turned to see him and Colin peering down at us, trays full of food in their hands.
"Uh...hello?" Frida said, a little unsure if he was talking to her because she looked at Eli and I.
"Julia said it was okay if we sit here with you," he explained, then added, "–if that's okay with you."
"Yeah, I don't mind," she replied, moving her bag away from the chair to give them space.
"Thank you," he said and meekly sat down next to her, huddling closer to her as far as his chair would allow.
I almost chuckled out at how weird and shy he was being around her. Frida was the least intimidating girl I knew. I guess it was different when you have a crush on someone.
Colin took the only seat next to me as Eli was on my other side and Frida on Eli's his other side.
I didn't tell him that that place was usually occupied by Abeo. A change would be nice. Besides Abeo was getting too clingy and Colin was a nice replacement, a lot less clingy for sure.
"I'm Aurora–" he stopped then realized he said his name wrong, instantly cleared his throat as he turned pink, "I–I mean I'm Aurelio," he introduced.
Colin sniggered, not even attempting to hide his laughter. My chuckles also made way past my lips at Aurelio's expense. "He messes up his name when he's nervous," Colin whispered to me.
"Today he's a mermaid," I replied and then we both burst out in silent laughter.
"I'm Frida," she said, smiling politely.
"Such a beautiful name."
"Thanks," she said, shooting me a panicked look. Apparently she didn't know how to converse with boys who wasn't Eli. "You too have a beautiful name."
Eli poked his head forward. "And I'm Eli. And there are other people at this table too," he said, shifting closer to Frida too.
Aurelio blushed and looked down at his lunch. "I–I know the rest of you. Just had never talked to her before."
Just then Abeo walked over, tray in hand. His face instantly turned sour at seeing Colin next to me.
"I sit here," he told Colin.
Colin looked up and his eyes widened at seeing the skipper of the soccer team in front of him. "Oh, uh okay."
He was about to get up but stopped short when I put a hand on his shoulder. "You sit here. Abeo can just sit next to you."
"No I won't. I sit next to you everyday." Abeo said firmly.
"It doesn't matter. Just sit the fuck down." I said, pointing to the vacant seat next to Colin.
He huffed but obeyed me. "Fine," he grumbled, taking me by surprise because I thought he'd be more resistant.
Squished between Aurelio and Colin, he did not look the least bit happy.
That lunch was the most awkward and chaotic I had with Aurelio trying to engage Frida in small talk, Eli and him trying to fight for her attention, Aurelio and Colin talking over Abeo and completely ignoring him, Abeo trying to talk to me over Colin while completely ignoring him as well and all sat at our table trying to talk to me too.
As usual I felt a familiar glare boring holes in me and as usual I spared Boonsri a glance who was surrounded by her two friends and several other guys trying to win her attention.
Abeo must have talked to her because she seemed a little better now, less mopey and pathetic.
The rest of the day breezed by pleasantly with nothing interesting happening and it wasn't until I was in the parking lot did I notice a certain someone leaning against a huge motorbike. It was hard not to notice him, given how he towered over the general population of the school. He completely stood out.
I wondered why the fuck the guards even let him in. He didn't even go to this school. In fact I was pretty sure he was too old to be in school, must be in his early twenties.
He kept looking around with his hands folded over his massive chest, at the various students scattered all over. He was wearing a dark blue sweatshirt which clung to his biceps every time he made a movement. Black jeans fit snugly to his legs and the SGD hung from his neck.
Someone smacked into me from behind and I turned to see it was Eli and Frida.
"What're you doing just standing here?" He asked, rubbing his forehead where he must have hit me.
I pulled them behind a tree and pointed in Nova's direction. "That's the guy I saw at the party. The one who smashed my phone into pieces," I said.
"He's scary," Frida said. "And you said he's mute?"
I nodded. "But still scary as fuck...for you."
"That guy looks like he can be a WWE wrestler," Eli remarked.
"I met him yesterday when I went out for ice cream with Colin, his little demon of a sister and Aurelio," I informed, realizing I didn't tell them about that encounter.
"Really? How did you meet?" Frida asked and I launched into a retelling of the events.
After I was done, both sported amused expressions. "So you literally fought a six year old for an ice cream?" Eli asked.
"And it flew out of your hands," Frida continued–"and hit drug dude who works in an...ice cream parlor?"
"That's right. And don't you fucking repeat the part about me fighting for the ice cream to anyone else or I'll make you fucking pay for it," I threatened. "Not that I care what people might think about me but we're talking about Julia's reputation here."
Eli shrugged. "Not like she had much to begin with."
"So what do you think he's here for?" Frida asked from beside me, looking over my shoulder at Nova.
"I don't care as long as he isn't here to do something to me for throwing ice cream at him."
"Yeah, I doubt he'll have such a late reaction to that." Eli said, making me sigh in relief. "If he was that angry at you for that he would've just bashed your head in then and there."
I shuddered, hating how just the sight of Nova had me shivering in my boots.
"Are you really scared of him?" Frida asked. "It's just that I find it hard to believe. You're pretty good at kicking asses so I have this whole image of you in my head that you're unbeatable and won't lose to anybody."
I straightened up from the tree. "I'm not scared of him. I'm just a little uncomfortable around him." I said. No way was I going to admit out loud that he scared me. "Besides no matter how big a guy, he can be easily dealt with by a kick to the nuts." Then I stretched out my leg and swung it back and forth a couple of times. "It will especially hurt a lot coming from me because I'm skilled in taekwondo." That is if he doesn't tackle me like in the party because then ny every skill was rendered useless but I was sure it was because he took me by surprise then. Should we fight again I was sure I had a better chance at beating him.
"Good for you," Eli said slowly, backing away from me with every word.
I laughed, taking my keys out and twirling it around my finger. "Then I'm off to Colin's and will come after to train you and for the tutoring, ciao."
"Just be careful," Frida said.
"Of course," I said, winking at her.
"Call me if you get into trouble!" Eli called out.
I rolled my eyes. "And what will you be able to do should that happen?"
"Get into trouble together, of course!" He replied cheekily and Frida whacked him on the head.
"Don't forget to call me too then."
"You'll accompany us too?! Whoa you're turning into a bad girl." Eli said, bumping hips with her.
"Of course not. I will tell you how stupid you were being." She said and walked off.
Eli ran after her yelling, "You're a bad friend!"
I shook my head at them amusedly and made my way over to my bike, actively avoiding not walking anywhere near Nova.
After wearing the helmet, I inserted the key in the ignition and was about to back out of the space when I was met with a strong resistance. I looked over my shoulder and found Nova holding the metal end at the back of the seat with a hand.
"Could've said you were here instead of risking me running over you from behind," I said without thinking before realizing he couldn't talk. "Shit, sorry."
He shrugged, seemingly unaffected by my words. His fingers let go of my bike and then he came round to the front of my bike, holding out a bag to me.
"What?" I asked, eyeing the bag.
He sighed, thrusting it further towards me until it was rested on the hood of the bike.
"Is it for me?"
He nodded, then typed into his device. "Your phone."
"Right, but didn't Abeo tell you that day that he'd buy it for me and that you didn't have to?"
"Well did he give you one already?"
"Not yet and now he won't have to," I said, accepting the package.
"He's forgetful. Just take it. It was my fault anyway."
I wondered how he seemed to know quite a bit about Abeo. Although Abeo seemed understandably hostile toward him, he didn't seem to return the sentiment.
"Alright, I'm just concerned with getting the phone. It doesn't matter who gets it for me," I said, stuffing the phone in my bag.
"It's the same one as you had."
"Yeah, you told me you'd get me the same one yesterday."
"Okay."
"Okay. Uh...bye."
He didn't move for a few seconds and I stared at him inquisitively, then he extended a finger to the top of my head causing me to instinctively hold my hands up in a defensive manner but then in a swift movement my visor slammed down in front of my face, startling me a little.
"Could've just told me to do that myself," I said then added, "–with that," I stared pointedly at his device.
He didn't say or rather type anything into it so I regarded him with wary eyes, then backed up my motorbike and took off without a backward glance.
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