h.e.l.lo Nyans! Long time no post! I’m sorry for the long wait.. so here’s:

"How did it go?"

*pak!*

“AAHH! Ouch!” Yohanne was surprised when a heavy hand slapped his back while he was sitting. "Why is it that while you are asking me it’s as if you’re trying to kill me? Your slap is painful!"

Yohanne didn’t know where he got the confidence to shout at the campus bully. Since he and Eris helped him, he feels that he and the entire cla.s.s made a wrong judgement towards Eros. He was not so evil, even though his a bit violent.

"Yohanne, how did it go yesterday? What happened? Did you know that we deliberately left both of you so that you’ll get to know each other better! Eros planned it, isn’t he an amazing cupid?" Eris excitedly said.

"Why do you have plenty of energy, it’s still early, your mouth is already a machine gun. How annoying."

Eris stuck her tongue out towards Eros. While Yohanne can’t believe that Eros was the one who planned to leave them alone, he did not antic.i.p.ate that he’ll play his role as cupid like what Eris said.

"Why is Yohanne talking with the bully?"

"It seems like it, they look like they are close with each other?"

"Maybe they are friends?"

"What? Impossible! Yohanne befriending the bully? There’s a big difference between them, an intelligent person and a useless one."

"Ah, right. Maybe he’s blackmailing Yohanne? Maybe Yohanne is he’s new target? Eros thinks he’s a G.o.d in this school."

"Tsk, he should be kicked out. What’s his use here? Isn’t he just a nuisance?"

If it was before, Yohanne would agree with what he heard his cla.s.smates are saying while they are whispering. But now, he can only shake his head. He was not blackmailed nor bullied by Eros like what they are thinking; the truth is he’s helping him.

*SBAAAAAAM!!!*

Everyone was surprised when Eros strongly kicked a chair.

"If you’re going to whisper, don’t whisper as if you've swallowed a microphone!"

Eros went near those who were whispering and grabbed one at the collar; he was going to punch him when he felt someone smacking a book to his head.

He angrily looked back at the person who smacked him with a book and saw Eris looking seriously at him.

"Calm down! Don't get affected by what they are saying when you know it's not true!"

Eros was fuming, his fist tightened at his side. He wanted to throw a punch, to hurt someone or anything. He's vexed.

*SBAAAAAAM!!!*

He kicked the chairs near him. "f.u.c.k! Motherf.u.c.ker! f.u.c.k!"

He cursed again and again while he went out of the cla.s.sroom. Eris did not follow him, thinking it's better to give him time alone to calm down. She knows that her presence really irritates Eros, that's why she's allowing him to be alone for now.

"You know, Eros is not the one who is bad here." Eris faced the two guys who were whispering earlier. "You both are the ones who are bad since you just readily judge someone."

That's what Eris only said and she went back to her seat at the back.

* * * * * *

On the other side, Eros went to the rooftop and he let out his frustrations. He kicked and punched the wall because he was so p.i.s.sed off with people. He cursed again and again while punching the wall, he let out all his irritation to the wall until he noticed that his right fist is already bleeding.

“Argh!” He shouted out of frustration, he turned his back and leaned on the wall, falling on the floor while clutching his bloodied fist.

He closed his eyes and thought of things.

"If it's not for Ate Risa, I would not do these things. I was better when I was bad; at least I don't give a d.a.m.n with what people are thinking of me. But now that I am trying to change, why do I feel that I am getting affected with their judgement? What the f.u.c.k!"

As Eros' eyes closed and kept thinking of things, he did not noticed that he was already falling asleep. His eyes suddenly opened when he heard the school bell. It's already recess, he forgot about his cla.s.s.

He remembered that he was not allowed to be absent; or else, his b.a.s.t.a.r.d teacher would revoke his chance to graduate. That's why he stood up and went directly towards his cla.s.sroom while his fist is still b.l.o.o.d.y. While he was walking on the hallway, the students were staring at him because of his wounded fist. He heard the things they were whispering about him. Some said that he was in brawl again and that he doesn't know anything aside from hitting and hurting others, that he was an evil person.

That made him think "Don't they know that it's possible to punch the wall? Tss!"

"Waa! Eros! What happened to you?" He was surprised when a girl went near him, its Gazelle.

"Uy Gazelle, why are you impulsively going near, let's go away before he hurts us." Her friend fearfully whispered to her while grabbing her uniform, away from Eros.

"Kaye, Eros will not hurt us. He's a good person." Gazelle smiling said. Since yesterday, Gazelle's belief that Eros was a badboy was changed. In just a short moment that she spent with him yesterday, she knows that he is not a sinister person.

"Eee, let's go Gazelle. I'm so nervous. Look at his b.l.o.o.d.y hand; for sure he was in a brawl. Let's go Gazelle, he may hurt us."

"Oh Kaye, go to the canteen first. Follow Hanna and the rest to the table, I'll follow you." Because of her friend's fear of Eros, she heeded what Gazelle said and went to the canteen.

Gazelle faced Eros, grabbed his right wrist to examine the wounds in his fist. "Eros, what happened? Why is your hand wounded? Let's go to the clinic!"

"W-what? It's nothing, no need to go to the clinic."

"What's nothing? Oh no! What if a vein burst or there is a broken bone in your hand, you need to show it to the nurse! Let's go to the clinic!" Gazelle pulled him.

"Ha? No, there's no need."

"Eee! Come on!" Gazelle forcefully pulled him toward the clinic; he can't do anything but to allow himself to be dragged.

Meanwhile in the cla.s.sroom, Eris and Yohanne decided to find Eros, but when they went out, Yohanne saw Eros at the hallway and not only that, he was talking with Gazelle while she was holding his wrist and pulling him towards somewhere.

"Yohanne, maybe Eros is on the rooftop, let's g—" Eris stopped when she followed where Yohanne was dazedly looking.

"I-is that Eros and Gazelle?" Eris restlessly asked since the two already turned their backs before she can clearly look.

Yohanne nodded. "Do you know what Eris? Yesterday, Gazelle told me that she has a crush on Eros."

"Haaaaaaaa?"

Yohanne only smiled. "Don't worry. Crush means she's just physically attracted right? And that a crush easily pa.s.ses? It's only a crush."

"Okay, Eris" he pat her shoulder. "I'll take my recess together with our other cla.s.smates."

Yohanne left, leaving Eris slightly confused.

* * * * * *

At the clinic

“Well, it’s already okay. We already bandaged your hand, next time don’t punch the wall, the wall is pitiful.”

Gazelle laughed at what the nurse said and Eros smiled.

“At least Eros did not punch someone, right?” Gazelle says smiling.

“That’s right, I’ll just leave you two here. I have something to get at the faculty room. Eros, I’ll inform your teacher that you have a hand injury; do not worry I’ll say you were not fighting.”

After that, the nurse left the clinic and he and Gazelle remained.

“Why did you punch the wall?”

“It’s nothing, I just feel like it.”

“Ows, that’s impossible. You’re crazy if you just simply punch the wall.”

“Yes, I’m crazy.”

“Eee! Really, seriously, why did you punch it?”

“You’re persistent just like Eris.”

“Waaa, speaking of Eris! Why did you suddenly disappear yesterday?”

“Ah, we just remembered that we have somewhere we needed to go,” Eros excused.

“Hmm… So why did you punch the wall?” Eros face-palmed because of Gazelle’s persistence.

“It’s nothing really, I was just p.i.s.sed.”

“Why are you p.i.s.sed?”

“Because there are people who say different things.”

“Just like?”

“Like you, your very stubborn. Stop asking, it’s irritating. Just a few more, you can bet Eris the second!”

“Okay, I’m not going to ask anymore but…”

“But?”

“Please be good.” Gazelle stood up and placed her hand on his head and messed his hair while smiling. “My friends said that I should avoid you because you’re a bad person; but, I know you’re not a bad guy. If you’re a bad guy, I can’t come close to you like this, right? Even though I just met you, I feel that you’re not bad, I know because I believe in you.”

“Bye Eros, I’ll go now to the canteen!” Gazelle turned and left.

What Gazelle said kept on replaying like a broken disk. “I believe in you.” Eros didn’t know why but he felt good hearing those words.

“I believe in you.” He touched his head and shook it while he couldn’t stop smiling “She believes in me. Wow.”

* * * * * *

After the recess, Eros returned to the cla.s.sroom. As soon as he entered, his cla.s.smates looked at him as usual but he shrugged his shoulders, his hands in his pocket while directly heading to his chair at the back.

“Waaa! Eros, what happened to your hand?” Eris suddenly took his hand. “Were you in a fight?”

“Yes, I fought with the wall.”

“Waaaa! A wall? The wall is pitiful! Why did you punch it!”

“So what do you want, for me to punch someone?”

“Ah eh… Yes you’re right … But Eros, are you okay? Is it painful?”

“No, I’m fine.” Eros pulled his hand from Eris’ grip.

“Magdayo!” Eris and Eros were shocked when their teacher suddenly entered their cla.s.sroom and called Eros immediately.

“Come here!” their teacher is looking sternly at Eros.

Eris and Eros were wondering what was happening. Eros stood up and went to their teacher. Suddenly his teacher raised a paper in front of him.

“What is this Eros Magdayo?!”

Eros distanced a little to see what was on paper and his eyes widened and grabbed the paper from his teacher’s hand.

“Woah! I got ninety-eight on the quiz?! Woah! Eris, look at this!” He excitedly to looked at Eris and called her; she approached and looked at Eros’ quiz paper and her eyes also widened. They can not believe it!

“Eros! Oh my vegetable! You got ninety-eight on the quiz? Grabe! Grabe![1] I can’t believe it! Who would have thought that you learned it well even though we only reviewed for a short time! Kyaa! You’re excellent Eros!” Eris repeatedly smacked his shoulders because of her joy.

“Ehem.” their excitement was cut short when their teacher s.n.a.t.c.hed the paper and seriously looked at Eros. “Who did you copy from, Magdayo?”

Eros felt like he was punched with his teacher’s question.

He studied for that quiz and he answered it honestly but now, he got a score of ninety-eight for the first time in his life… and then suddenly they are suspicious of him?

He looked with the same intensity with that of his teacher’s gaze on him, “Sir, even though I’m a b.a.s.t.a.r.d and a wastrel, I want to tell you po[2] that I can study and I didn’t copy. I deserve the score and you don’t deserve to be a teacher.”

FOOTNOTE(S)

[1] Grabe: Severe/ over the top (I didn’t translate this ’cause I can’t find a word that will fit with the context. And also, to not lose the intensity of the emotion of the word. XD)

[2] Po: to make a sentence/phrase polite when speaking to someone older, a stranger, a superior, or someone you’re not quite close in order to show respect; but in this context, it’s laced with disdain.