His grip tightens and I wring my hand to break free. "Remember when I followed you to the nurse's office? You avoided me for the whole day and you were absent the next day as well. Why is it that I had to prank you to come to my party? Has it ever occurred to you? Cause you won't even look at me. That's how much arrogant you are my angel."
"Stop teasing me. You even made me drink."
He rolls his eyes in disbelief. "Who woulda guessed you were such a light drinker?"
I take the opportunity to free myself from him. "Don't divert the topic. Why's it me? Why not any of your friends?"
He casually says, "Oh you know... I was kinda bored with them. I wanted to change my taste for a bit."
His words make my blood boil. I have never felt such anger towards someone before. When I dislike someone, I simply ignore them for the rest of both their and my life and it works magically. Cause when I really don't care, I ignore which makes people mad thinking I'm rude and arrogant and it gives me satisfaction. But this is something else. Forget about dislike. I hate him and yet his words have such impact on me that it infuriates me and makes me unable to ignore him.
"Such fickle taste." I give a sarcastic laugh clenching my teeth.
"Careful there. You might crush your own teeth," he warns. "Plus," he adds, "another reason is, I wanted to know what is it about you that all girls go crazy—even Maia Russel.
His mentioning of Maia irritates me. That girl's showing interest in me lately. Yes I've noticed it very well. But I don't like it. Neither I want it.
"So you like her huh? Is that why you said it just now? I have no interest in her let me assure you."
"How clueless can you be my angel?"
"What game are you playing, Damien Frost?"
"Haven't I made it clear already?"
"What if I refuse?" I stare him down with challenging eyes.
"Do you have even the vague of an idea what you did after you were drunk?" He smirks holding up my chin.
I try to look confident but a dot of doubt find its way to a corner in my head. "I sort of anticipated it you know," I chuckle, " I just didn't expect you'd take that so quickly."
"What?" He whispers, "You hugged me like a baby when I tried to lay you down on the bed you yourself pulled me on top of you, my angel. I had to struggle my way out."
My jaw tightens. "You have got such a wicked mind, Damien Frost."
"Bear with it until we submit our assignment, partner. I'll do most of the work in case..."
I don't let him finish as I shove him away from me. "How dare you assume that I'd sit around doing nothing while expecting someone else do all the work on my behalf? You have a habit of assuming too much about others, don't you?"
"Then show me. We'll start working on it from tomorrow. I think school's not the ideal place for our topic discussion."
"Your topic you mean..."
"Ow! It hurts when someone accuses me like that. Aren't you the one who likes challenges?" He takes a step towards me.
"How did you?" I take a step back pondering where did he get that info from.
"It's not important. So... I'll let you choose the place where we'd work, together. You're welcome, partner."
He left with a furious me gritting his teeth.
••••
When? How? Why? I come home with a conflicted mind repeatedly nagging me why would he do something like this? After our talk back then...we didn't see each other for the rest of the day. Guess he pitied me and gave me some time to clear my head. Calm down Saint, it's only a matter of some weeks. It'll pass.
I hit my foot constantly against the floor which makes a thudding noise. Tossing the book I borrowed from Chris a month ago which I haven't managed to finish yet, aside, I take my diary. Mom's probably watching TV.
Dear Diary: Today was something... And it's not about Damien only. Father came earlier this evening, to see me. Mom waited in her room patiently, for him to finish whatever business he had to do with me.
Maybe there's nothing called unconditional love or true love, cause the definition of love changes every decade for every people. The business he came for—he wants me, his only reluctant son to live with him, help him in his business, by his side. There was a nice fleeting time once sadly, when he'd teach me how to ride a bicycle after he bought me the latest model when I was 10. These moments, at times I ponder, are they worth remembering?
He doesn't want me to invest myself in a career which has only the possibility of benefit—unless...unless I prove him wrong which I'll gladly accomplish considering I am not gifted like some rich politician's son.
In just six months this year will end—he won't let me continue my life as I like and it'll end just like that. Mom already heard us talking and later when he left, I thought she'd talk to me and encourage me further to do my utmost best to prove him wrong. Get the highest score at the end it the year and meet certain requirements of being the one she wants me to be. Why does she think I'll be better as a singer? Why can't I be something else? Perhaps she feels guilty enough already—so she doesn't want to provoke my morale. But it doesn't mean that I'd effortlessly agree to be another face doing filthy business at his side. Damien Frost is a free spirit, isn't he?
••••
"Wake up honey. It's nearly 10. Don't you have classes today?" Her usual gentle voice now is replaced with a stirdent one.
I peek from under my lashes. "Do I have to?" I groan stifling my second yawn.
"Yes you have to. Chris already came to call you. But seeing you sleeping like a bear he left."
He came? Why would he? "He could simply call," I mutter under my breath.
"Did something happen between you two?" She asks lifting my head up.
I sit up with a grimace. "You sure you want to know about my problems? What happened yesterday when dad came?! Even when we were having dinner last night—you refused meeting my eyes."
Her tender gaze fall on the floor. "Sein.. honey I..."
I get up rubbing my temple. I did sleep but it doesn't feel like my body got well rested. Great! Now I've made things complicated between us—just like I did with Chris...even though he sort of deserved it.
I scurry past the hallway to get dressed and shove something in my mouth lest I be late. I really wanted to stay away from both Damien and Chris for another week but it isn't in my fate.
I arrive 3 minutes late as I feared but prof. Adrian's just taking attendance.
"You're never late, Saint. Perhaps something happened today hm? Anyway, get in," he says ticking in the box beside my name.
Chris has come today. He shouldn't have. Guess he needs to choose his partner today cause many already began working on it. He looks at me when I take my usual seat. Damien's right behind me.
"Students, have you chosen your topics already?" Prof. asks writing today's discussion matter on the board.
Everyone responds loudly with 'yes'. Only I don't join their enthusiasm.
"You're unusually quiet today, my angel," his smooth tone mixed with a hint of mischief just close to my ear causes waves of goosebumps to scatter all over my body.
"I'm usually quiet, let me remind you. And stop calling me that."
"No," he emphasises, "you either grin at Chris or sit next to him saying Hey there."
"Seems like you've been watching me for some time Mr. Frost." Ugh...it sounds even more weird when I call him that. But atleast the message is clear that we're on formal terms and I don't want to get close to him—nor I want him to be my buddy. Just calling him by his surname ensures that.
"You don't...we don't have to keep up with formalities you know," he suggests.
I don't reply. Seeing that he clicks his tongue. "Guess you didn't sleep well last night."
"Enough with your pointless assumptions Frost. Your attitude will cause you more damage than it already did when you lost Four of Clubs."
He doesn't utter a word but I hear a fist pound against the wooden desk. I have hit a nerve. See? Now I feel satisfied.
The rest of the period he remained quiet but as soon as it ended he shunt his chair thwart the side row. "We need to talk."
"Do we?" I throw a side glance at Chris and find him looking like he wants to talk to me as well. His lips part to call me but I let Damien haul me out of the classroom.
He's the epitome of a wicked demon. I wrench my arm off of him. "You needn't touch me everytime you need to talk to me."
"Screw you Saint Angel," he menacingly shoves me against the cold wall. "I did not lose Four of Clubs. The members are here, we are all here, side by side. What do you know anyway?! Your imagination ran quite ferociously when you heard about my father, didn't you?"
I thrust him away with equal force. "See—that's how it feels when people make assumptions."
He shakes his head regrettably. "It's a mistake."
"Do you regret your decision now?" I sneer, "Some people makes mistakes after getting drunk while some makes it without being drunk. Which one do you think feels more stupid?"
"No," he coldly protests. "I don't regret making you partner. It's a mistake that I thought you weren't like everyone rants about. But you are quite like they say in fact. Arrogant, callous and snappy."
"Disappointed?" I ask maintaining a straight emotionless face.
He comes closer to me, so close that I feel his breath tickling my nose. He's a little taller than me—half an inch maybe?
"Saint Angel, you might be surprised to know that we in fact have a single similarity, if not many. I love challenging stuffs too."
Ugh! He really likes getting on my nerves. "If you want this partnership to work properly, then you have to abide by a condition that I'm about to include," I propose resolutely.
His adamant eyes waver over my frigid structure.
"An arm length distance from me and no touching like you just did," I state my condition expecting him to grumble.
He immediately stands away from me. "Have you decided any place yet? Or we'll choose any unoccupied room here?"
I rub the bridge of my nose feeling a little of his warm breath lingering there. "My house..? I cannot think of any other place right now." But...do I really want to take him to my house?
"So do I," he wiggles his nose like a bunny, then says again, "It appears, I shouldn't have left the decision on you. Cause you didn't make good use of it."
"Pray tell my lord, which palace you'd prefer to do your music assignment at? I shall try my best," I scrunch up my nose steeling my gaze away from him.
"Today at your place, some other day at mine. No one would be offended that way."
"Who would be offended by something as trivial as this? Are we in 5th grade?" I put both of my hands on my hips clearly annoyed by his silly suggestion.