2 I WILL PROTECT YOU

A high school student's memories.

[EROS' POV]

"Hey Eros, come on, stop studying for a sec. It's already lunchtime, we should go to the cafeteria!" Ares said, one of my friends.

"You go ahead. I'll finish this first." I reply as I'm rewriting my notes from earlier's class.

He snorts, "Are you sure? It's hard to leave you here alone nowadays."

"Why? Is someone bullying you, Eros?" Eryx said, also one of my friends.

Since mom adopted Ellis from the orphanage because of her best friend who passed away, mom made a decision that we should try studying at an actual classroom in an actual school.

She enrolled us both. From the first day of school, I became friends with Ares and Eryx.

Ares is the silly one but got style on his clothes, I found out this when we went on a group project.

Eryx is the son of a mafia boss but he didn't want anyone else to know except us.

They are both naughty and do silly things, that is why the teachers always scold them.

There are times that the teachers question me how did I become friends with them because I'm the quiet and calm one.

I really don't know-how.

"Because girls are hitting on him."

"They just ask questions about the lessons, Ares. They want to learn." I answered.

Ares laughs, "Really? They don't give you soda or bottled water for free? Or a free lunch?"

"They give it for free?" Eryx asked.

"They gave it to me for a token of appreciation."

"Whatever. But let me tell you something, give them my number instead okay?" Ares smiles.

"Let's just go Ares. We might not have enough seats downstairs." Eryx calls while pulling him from me.

"I forgot! Let's go! Eros, you better come down!" He shouted and they went out.

I slightly smile at them and continue my writing.

"Eros?"

I looked up and see Rhea, she came every other day during lunchtime.

"Did you eat already? B-because... I have here, a l-lunchbox, I-I made it for y-you." She shyly said.

"I like to accept it but... I will eat downstairs with my friends." I answered.

"T-that's good. Umm..."

"Are you going to ask about the lessons?"

"N-not today. Umm..."

I closed my notebook and put it inside my bag.

"Are you going down now?"

"They're waiting for me. Do you have anything else to say?"

"I-I... I want to but I'm shy about it."

I didn't answer, I just wait for her to say it.

"I-I like you, Eros!" And she looks down.

When I first started here, I'm not used to people who say that they like me or they love me or in a situation wherein someone confesses her feelings for you.

At first, I don't know what to say because like I've said, I'm not used to it. But as days gone by, I'm getting used to it that I already know what to say.

"Thank you." I answered.

She looks up and I say, "I have to go, my friends are waiting for me."

And she started crying. This situation is almost the same as the other ones.

Still, I don't know how to act about it. So, I just leave her alone and went outside the classroom.

-----

"So, did anything happen?" Ares asked while I drink my orange juice.

"Wait, so, you're saying that these things happened all the time?" Eryx also asked.

"One came." I answered and continues to eat.

"Ha! Told you! He's a heartthrob here!"

"Eros! Eros!"

I heard someone's shouting my name.

We looked at it and one of Ellis's classmates.

"It's Ellis!" He shouted.

My eyes widen and I quickly got up from my seat and went straight ahead of his classroom.

I found out that someone is bullying him and he's already on the floor, his polo has dirt and his hair is a mess.

The bully is about to punch him but I went inside and got his fist stopped.

"Don't you dare hurt my little brother."

I say to him.

The bully is trying to compete with my strength as I still hold his fist to stop it.

"Back off, Eros." The bully said.

He knows my name?

"Do you think I'll listen to you? You should be the one who back off. Tell me, why are you doing this to my brother?"

He laughs, "Do you know why? Because I said you are gay and he just froze and punch me in the face, so I punched him instead. What do you think of that? Are you going to punch me as well?"

"Just stop this. Ellis didn't do anything to you. If you're mad at me and want to say it to my face, then tell me. But keep my brother away from this."

"Ros." I heard Ellis called.

When he tried again to punch me, I dodged it and stopped him, nothing happened.

He stops and say, "Whatever. But, I won't stop for coming back to him."

He finished and went outside the classroom.

Everyone is shocked and went to their respective classrooms. Gladly, there are no teachers, we can leave this behind. But, it depends on what happened to them.

"El." I say to him as I help him stand up.

"R-Ros. I... I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry? Did you do anything bad?"

"N-No, I didn't do anything but... he, he said some awful things to you and I... punch him."

He explained, he did nothing wrong, he defended me from that bully. But...

"But punching someone is bad, right?"

"I know, that is why I'm saying sorry." He's about to cry and I hold him, "You still have one more class, right?"

He nodded.

"Let's get some ice cream after." I smile.

His eyes lit up, "Really?"

"You're such a baby, El." I chuckle.

He pushes me, "I'm not."

"You are. Now, let me fix you up before your classes starts."

-----

"You're always making your brother a baby, Eros. He's already grown up." Ares said.

"He's just protective." Eryx shot back.

"I promise him."

We stopped in the hallway.

"I promise him that I'll protect and take care of him forever." I finish my sentence, "And I will keep that promise whatever happens."

Ares sighs, "Still, you have a brother complex."

"Ares, you have a mother complex." Eryx said.

I continue to walk and they keep on bickering.

"What! I only have my mother and my father left us, of course, I'll take care of my mother."

"You always talk about your mother."

"Because she's the best at everything! She's young, pretty and the best! That is why I'm handsome, I'm like her!"

"Whatever."

I just smile at the thought of them being so lively, while I'm thinking about how to keep those bullies away from Ellis.

-----

"Are you going to wait for Ellis?" Eryx asked.

I nodded, "You guys go ahead."

"Don't forget to send the notes earlier, Eros!"

As always, Ares is the lazy one.

"Okay." I answered and they went away.

As I'm waiting for Ellis, I went to the back of our school and see that the bully is with two other students.

They're having a smoke, are they even at a legal age to smoke? I guessed not.

"Hey." I called out.

They looked at me, the bully recognizes me.

"Ha! What do you want? Not enough earlier, so you went for me?"

I went closer to them.

"What do you want from Ellis?"

They laugh.

"Ellis, yeah, I recall that boy. It's one of our errand boys. And besides, the Ellis guy is a cute one."

"Errand boy." I whisper.

"When did it start?" I asked because I can feel that my anger is about to boil now.

"I think last week? Yeah, last week. That boy is a smart and not lazy type of boy."

And they laugh.

"Remember when he spits for your shoes because he accidentally put a sauce on your shoes? That was amazing! It's like a dog!"

I put down my bag and say, "What did you say?"

They looked at me.

"What are you going to do? Do you want to audition for the next errand boy?"

I smirk.

The next thing I knew, they have red faces and there's blood on my hand.

"Y-you're crazy!" One shouted.

"W-what did you do to our faces?!"

"You freak-"

"Don't you dare mess with Ellis or else, not only your face but your whole body will be covered in blood." I say to them and I grab my bag and went away.

I'm not that crazy or a freak, I'm just protective about Ellis. I won't let anyone or anything else bother him, except me.

I may act calm and quiet at others but I'm different when it comes to Ellis. I don't know why but since we met, there's no boundary or barriers between us, it's like we're meant to be together.

When I see him waiting for me, he's looking at other people and at the door, if I came out, I smile at his cute face.

I wrap a cloth around my hand that I have inside my bag, I don't want him to see this.

"Ros!" He's smiling and he hugs me tightly.

"We are going to buy ice cream right?" He added.

"Of course." I say.

•••