12 Transfer Student

As the class proceeded along as always, it was as if nothing has changed at all. Mura continued with the lessons on Vilheimean literature by the teacher's podium at the front of the desk, and I continued to zone out as I stared out the classroom window, observing the sky past the concrete buildings nearby. However, what is different is that the seat in front of me was now occupied by someone who could potential pose a great threat to me.

Loyd Aksel Genose is one of my friend who I had known since elementary school. The two of us were quite close growing up, often playing together when we had time. However, following that incident of my father, I revealed to him something that I yearn to keep hidden. Because he moved away about a month after that incident, I thought that he wouldn't be a threat to me, but now with him back, plans would have to change.

After the class ended and the break period began, Mura left the classroom so as to head to her next class. My classmates streamed over towards Loyd's desk, chatting with him and hoping to find out more about him. I could understand the reason why they did so. This is due to the fact that Loyd just gives off the aura of being extremely approachable and extremely affable. I wasn't included in the group, and the crowd shielded him from my sight. However, I kept my ears open as I eavesdropped on their conversation.

"What school did you go to, Loyd?" a student asked.

"It's a school out of the city," Loyd responded with a friendly voice.

In general, their conversation was centered around Loyd and not me, which is a good thing. This is because he knows something about me that I'm intentionally trying to hide, something that might sound stupid, but is what has driven me to this very day.

"You said hi to him earlier," a female student's question caused sweat to form on the back of my neck, "do you know him?"

The female student glanced over in my direction. I realized that she didn't even say my name, which means that she doesn't even know my name. It's kinda sad that your own classmates would not know your name, but it is what it is. That is the least of my concerns now. What mattered to me is Loyd's response to this question.

"I went to the same elementary school and middle school as him."

As if sensing my anxiety, Loyd glanced over at me with the corner of his eye, as if using my facial expression to judge whether or not what he said was within the acceptable range. Then, after seeing that my expression didn't alter much after hearing his response, he continued on with his answers.

"We're like childhood friends," he explained with an outgoing smile.

"Really?!" A girl in the crowd looked quite surprised as she looked over at me with a somewhat disgusted look in her eyes.

The hell are you looking at? Never seen someone who doesn't like to talk?

"Yeah," Loyd smiled. "We're best friends."

"Loyd you're such a good person," a boy laughed. "Like you would even be friends with someone like him."

"That's kinda mean," Loyd said without allowing that smile to leave his face.

The result of which made those around Loyd pause for a brief moment, contemplating what he had just said, before deciding that it was just a simple joke. However, I know that they had mistaken Loyd's meaning, and that he means exactly what he says. From the years that I had known him, I can see right through his facade and past that smile of his. At the moment, they might've not have felt it, but I did. Although it was only a little bit, that smile was cold.

After a few minutes, Loyd excused himself from the crowd, insisting that they return back to their seats so as to prepare for our next class. Due to his charismatic nature and his power with words, he was extremely efficient in clearing the crowd. From just these few minutes of interaction, I could tell that my classmates had already grouped Loyd into the "Friend" category, with some girls even possibly grouping him into the "Potential Boyfriend" group.

Loyd doesn't seem to care about this much at all. Instead, he turned around in his chair and leaned his right elbow on my desk.

"Hey," he greeted me. "I didn't say anything you didn't want right?"

Without saying anything, I nodded in response.

"That's good, that's good," he let out a relieved sigh.

Then, Loyd's attention was caught by the girl who sat next to me.

"Who's this?" Loyd asked me.

"Go ask her yourself," I said, somewhat annoyed at his attempts of utilizing me to familiarize himself with Muria.

"Then I will," Loyd smiled and waved towards Muria. "Hello, I'm Loyd. Nice to meet you."

"I'm Muria. Nice to meet you too."

Her response was polite and respectful. In addition, she even smiled back. I mean there's nothing for me to be too astonished about since that is who she is. She's always so polite and respectful towards anyone other than me. Like I've said before, it's like she views me as an inferior being, which might be correct.

"You said you're his friend," Muria shifted her gaze over at me, allowed it to linger for a fraction of a second, and returned it back to Loyd.

"Yeah," Loyd maintained that smile on his face wholeheartedly.

"Congratulations," Muria said to me in a mocking voice. "Looks like there's still kind people in this world that would want to be friends with you."

"Well...if he would be the true him," Loyd said while maintaining that same smiling expression on his face. This time however, his soft whisper sounded way too serious for that expression and the polarity between reality and what one would expect created a somewhat chilling effect on me.

"The true him?" Muria tilted her head a bit and remained silent, prompting Loyd to continue on.

Meanwhile, I sensed that the conversation isn't going in the direction that I hoped for so I desperately sought a way to intervene. If I allow this conversation to continue, then my secret would be spilled. This secret that I had tried for so long to conceal will all be ruined by Loyd's words if this were to continue.

"These people around him all looking down on him," Loyd whispered as he surveyed the other students in the room, "I think they're the true inferior ones. How dare they even think that Alevian is lower than them..."

"Shut up Loyd," my voice was cold and emotionless as I eyed him with a death stare, threatening him to shut his mouth.

"Got it, got it," Loyd nodded and sighed. "I'll stop right here and won't say anything else."

"Is that so..." Muria frowned upon hearing the news that Loyd would cease to talk about my past.

"But Alev," Loyd looked over at me with a concerned look on his face. "Are you sure you want to keep it like this?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "This is my choice and I'll go with it until the very end."

Loyd stared at me with a somewhat troubled look on his face, almost as if he's pondering over my choice himself. I understand that to others, this choice of mine might be absurd and filled with stupidity, but I can't help it but to go on like this. This choice of mine is what drives me, it is my fuel for existence.

Therefore, I will find my mother who's betrayal had led to the crumbling of that happy family we had, and I will make her pay for it. I've decided on this the day that my father had died. I've maintained this decision ever since that day and will continue to do so until I get revenge.

Class soon started once again and Loyd turned to face the front of the class as the teacher entered through the sliding door at the front of the classroom. I hardly listened to the lecture at all because I already know the content. Instead, I stared out the window and once again towards the beautiful blue sky that is so pure and pristine that it almost seems as if it was mocking me for my desire for vengeance.

However pure the sky was is not my concern. The sky doesn't reflect me nor humanity. Rather, it is the city that does. This city, although it would appear to be peaceful and prosperous, hides the darkness of humanity. No one knows the dirty secrets that takes place beneath the surface of this facade; no one knows the extent of the corruption of the metropolis's residents; no one knows how twisted and unfair everything is. Take for example the girls forced to work at the red-light district. They're mostly there due to trafficking, blackmail, or to pay off debt incurred by fraud. And what about those businessmen and ordinary people that frequent those establishments? They probably know the corruption beneath the surface, yet they pretend that they know nothing about it and take advantage of those girls that'd s forced to work there. Therefore, purity is nothing but a bedtime fairytale. It does not exist in this world.

Once lunch break arrived after the fourth period had ended, Loyd left the classroom with the other students who offered to show him around the school. I wasn't concerned about him spoiling my secret anymore since he had said that he will not due to him being someone who will maintain a promise if he promised it.

Therefore, I reached into my bag and took out a sandwich that I bought yesterday from a convenience store and unwrapped the plastic wrapper. I took a bite out of the sandwich, tasting the saltiness of the ham and the sourness of the tomatoes and the lettuce provided a crispy texture to the sandwich.

As I ate in silence, I realized that Muria was looking over at me. Our eyes made contact for a brief second when I glanced over, and I immediately looked away towards the front of the classroom in order to break eye contact. Unease filled my entire body as I realized that she was still staring, so out of curiosity, I decided to inquire her.

"May I help you?" I asked, slowly turning my head so I was facing her.

"Nothing," she said, leaning her head on her hand as she spoke to me. "Just surprised that you were actually capable of socializing, even though you're just a maggot."

"Even a maggot could socialize if it wanted to you know?" I finished up my sandwich. "Besides, back then, I was a cute little boy. Of course I was able to make friends."

"That's kinda disgusting, you saying that you were cute back in the day."

She looked at me as if she has seen something really creepy. However, for some reason I know that this look of hers doesn't mean any harm, but rather a mere act.

"Sorry about that," I sighed and rested my face on the surface of my desk. "I'm just someone that's very disgusting."

After saying that, our conversation was about sealed with neither of us deciding to make any future talks.

Come to think of it, I was actually hoping that she would talk to me more, since for some odd reason, talking to her really eases my mind. Maybe because it is due to the fact that there's no expectations between either of us, so I can just talk to her without much worries about my own personal image. Because she's so perfect and out of my league, I know that it is almost guaranteed that no further relationship would develop between us, and Muria probably thinks the same way as well. Nothing will develop between us, so don't expect anything, that is probably the real reason for my fondness of her. She's a beautiful white carnation that somehow grows on the summit of a tall and formidable mountain. Her beauty leads to many to scale the mountain, yet the treacherous terrain ultimately halts all progress, starving or killing off those that dared to attempt to reach the summit.

That is Muria Eis Edel, a mysterious girl that I know little to nothing about.