Chapter 12: Setting of the Quadro

<Years ago when they were in their last year of middle school...>

"Give me that 3d model. I will walk you at your room," Thelonious said.

I immediately contradicted, "No, I can manage. Just leave and take care." A force smile blossomed at my mouth.

Thelo's eyes furrowed, "Are you keeping something?"

I enthusiastically shake my head.

That's true.

It's that just I don't want him to go to our room because some girls will flock at me and ask for a help so Thelo would notice them. Most of the time, they befriend me for such a lame reason. And, MOST OF ALL, we are so young for such act for goodness sake.

"Ey!" A loud greet came from Yino as the time he was near at us. "What's up?"

"You told me that you will help me today, right?" I told Yino with my eyes talking to him, too. He seemed confused. "You will help bringing my projects since we are on the same class, right?"

A moment of silence fleeted.

I turned at Thelo. "You can go now, brother!" then, I pushed him away.

"Harsh," Yino commented after watching Thelo disappeared on our sight.

I sighed. I was kinda guilty.

We went to our room. After a few minutes, our teacher arrived.

"Good morning, Ma'am," we greeted after standing up.

Our teacher smiled. "Good morning. You may take your seats," and so we did.

A knock at our door's room caught our attention. Our teacher opened the door and one of the faculty's staff emerged.

Our teacher motioned something then two boys came inside the classroom as our teacher motioned them to. While the faculty staff already left.

"Kindly, introduce yourselves," then she smiled gently at the two.

The boy with a cold aura, wearing an eyeglasses looked at the boy with a badboy aura who was obviously so bored.

He sighed then roamed his eyes around. "I'm Lark Lazaro," then he looked at our teacher. "Can I sit down now?"

Woah! As far as I can remember only Yino can act without a doubt like in that on some of the teachers. I guess another headaches came up.

"Yes, but plea-" our teacher didn't finish her line as she was surprise what Lark has done.

He just find his seat not minding what our teacher will say.

How disrespectful!

"Hey, little boy! You haven't introduce yourself yet!" our teacher gently said when the boy with a badboy aura followed the boy named Lark.

The boy looked at our teacher "Triptivo Lopez," then he sat down.

These boys do not know how to respect.

Our class begun.

Over the duration of the class hours, the two transferees minded their own world. Such behaviour has been done all over the class hours on every subject. Their names were called countless times but they ended up doing it again.

"Won't you say sorry?!" A loud voice of Yino thudded that caught our attention.

Triptivo snorted. "Do I look like I'm sorry?"

"Let's go, Tivo" Lark butted in.

Before Yino could lash out, I intervened, "What happened here?"

"I poured this girl with water," Triptivo nonchalantly answered.

Yino clasped. "Woah! He's proud."

I glared at Yino then looked at Triptivo, "Why did you do that?"

"I just want to," then he walked out.

"He wanted to help. He was just shy to voice it out. Triptivo didn't mean it," Lark said then went out of the room.

"Really?" he mocked a laugh and ranted while walking away from us.

I shook my head. "Are you okay, Lily? I have a spare shirt on my bag. Get change or you might catch colds."

Lily got my shirt and changed. Thanks to Auntie Mommy who reminded me to always bring spare clothes.

"Thank you, Cynwise," she shyly said.

"No problem. Anyway, I'm sorry about what happened earlier."

She shook her head. "No, you don't have to. I guess Lark was right. He supposed to get the pail of water but I think, he unintentionally inserted too much force that made it spilled to me."

"Hm, I guess he is not used expressing his soft-side."

We exchange pleasantries until we bid our goodbyes.

"Yino!" I called as I saw him running. He looked at me. "Where are you going?" I added.

Yino looked hesitant at first but still, he chose to tell me, "Some pupils were about to fight near at the storage facility."

No more words to say and I run with him. Most of the pupils already went home at this time and I'm sure that the other officers of SPC were at their home or at the road going home.

Yino and I mostly went home after the we ensured that there were no pupils roaming around at the school anymore.

"HEY!" Yino and I shouted in unison when a boy was about to punch a familiar boy-ah wait! Is that Triptivo? Triptivo with Lark.

"So, you asked for help," the boy who seemed to be the leader among the eight laughed. "You asked for help only on a two person? Stupid.

"You talk too much," Lark stated.

These kids are really bold on a wrong time and place.

I almost shrieked when the unknown boy almost punched Triptivo's face but the latter just twist his head to the right.

Another punches and they started fighting. Even Lark fought with one of the boy's accomplice.

"Oops! Don't join at them. It will be unfair if it is 6 versus 2." Yino told the two accomplice of the boy when they were about to join.

"Why do you care?" boy accomplice 2 asked.

The boy accomplice 3 was about to join when I suppress him, arms widely open. He smirked then pushed me.

I was not aware so I haven't exerted force so ended up at the ground.

"You should'nt have pushed h-"

Yino didn't finished his line as he was punched by the boy accomplice 3.

"You will regret for meddling." He was about to punch Yino again when Lark halted him through holding his wrist.

Before he could punched someone, I held his other wrist and twisted it. The boy accomplice 3 shouted as he was hurt.

I wandered my eyes. Yino fought too. I guess he didn't have a choice since Lark will be attacked on his back. When my eyes reached Triptivo, I saw one of the boy's accomplice was about to attack him. Honestly, I never wanted to involved with such a fight and I know Yino, too. But, we always don't have a choice.

I only punched at a face once, I'm afraid that I might cause some complications if I punch them more than twice.

Someone pushed me behind so I exchanged punches from him only to find out that I was fighting against Lark.

I was pushed again and I saw Lark, too. My back hurts a bit with that pushed. I exchanged punches against him too.

Actually, I didn't know anymore who I fought with.

Until we heard a loud whistle that made us halt. It gave me a chance to wander my eyes.

Goodness gracious! Lark, Triptivo, Yino and I was the only ones who were standing. The group of boys were at the ground crying and easing pain. Does it mean that we were the one who were fighting?

I looked where the whistle came from. It came from the guard w-with Thelo. Oh, I'm dead.

The security guard listed made us list our names, parents or guardians and phone numbers before he let us to went home. The sun already set. He have no time to lecture us and bring us to the disciplinary office.

But, that doesn't mean we were saved. I need to face Thelo's sermon too.

Actually, we were are facing it right now.

"We teach you and we were taught martial arts by our club to have self-defense not to involved ourselves on fisticuffs." Thelo lectured the two; Lark and Triptivo. I was shocked at first that they knew each other. Lark Triptivo was under on Thelo's team. "You, too; Cynwise and Yino. I taught you both for to defend yourselves. I will understand if it was your first time but it was not. You, the president and the vice-president of the SPC often involved to some sort of fist fights."

Yeah, Thelo was right. Yino always involved as he always meddle whenever he saw how indefensible the other. Since, I was always with Yino, I involved myself too.

"Especially you, Cynwise. You are a girl and soon to be lady. What if your opponent takes that as an advantage on you? What if your opponent knew more about fighting more than you? Then you will be indefensible. Was that why you were not let me walk you unto your room? So I wouldn't know your involvements on fisticuffs?"

I closed my eyes. I was embarrassed. Triptivo and Lark were with us.

"Though she is demure, she punched so hard. I was punched by her." Yino stated that made me so embarrassed and sorry.

"I'm s-sorry. I didn-'t--"

"You taught her so well." Lark added.

Triptivo hissed. "She made this cut at my cheeks."

Oh gosh! I'm too overwhelmed at these embarrassments. I hoped that they stop.

Tomorrow, I will face this again at D.O.

*****