The Trojan War

"We can't and will never be friends, Emerald."

Emerald's POV

Next day came and I only have one mission, to know more about Jaden. After my driver drop me off to my school, I immediately went inside our classroom and noticed some of them stopped from talking except of course Daniel who seemed to be so absorb in talking with Jaden who just looked at him with a bored expression. He always has that expression like nothing's interesting for him but to annoy me. Jerk.

I put my Hermes bag on my table and that seemed to catch their attention. Daniel looked at me and smiled then faced the board while Jaden smirked and put his hands on the table. Wait till I wipe out that smirk on your face!

"Good morning," I greeted him and tried to smile with sweetness. His reaction hasn't changed and was not even stunned at how I greeted and smiled at him. My super sweet and innocent smile that would melt anyone's heart was useless against him. Others, who have heard me greet him, gasped and looked at our direction like they heard the most intriguing thing ever. Even Daniel widened his eyes at me and Jaden and tried to suppress his laugh. I know what he's thinking okay! He looked back again at his book after noticing my secret glares at him and gave me that boyish grin.

They were all pretty shocked that I, Emerald Sandejas, greeted someone. I'm not a bitch queen or something, I just don't like other people because I know they just tried to be friendly with me because of course I am the Emerald Sandejas after all. Some of them will just take advantage of me and use my fame to make their lives a little famous too and of course other girls don't like a competition.

"Should I ask what do you want now?" I furrowed my eyebrows at him and tried to look confused of what's he saying. I'm trying my best to be nice to him but he's making it more difficult!

"I beg your pardon?" I pretended to be confused and hurt. "I just greeted my seatmate a good morning," I sounded a little sad and acted innocent by smiling a little. He tilted his head on the side and observed me from head to toe. His black eyes kept scrutinizing at me and I didn't flinched and tried to act oblivious.

Of course he's gonna suspect me of doing something to him after that death glares I gave him yesterday and the smack on the other day. Was I too fast for my mission? Or he can see right through my perfect act?

"Alright," he said and I just shrugged my shoulders and sat on my seat but I was shocked when he leaned towards me and grabbed my wrist when I tried to back away from him. "Pupils dilated," he looked deep into my eyes and I just stared back unable to process what he's saying. I noticed his black eyes looking deep into mine, his thick eyebrows and well-shaped nose. He's so close to me that I could breathe in his masculine scent that I thought was a perfume. I held my breath when he looked at my lips and I unconsciously bit my lower lip that make him smirk.

"Heartbeat racing and hands are cold and almost sweating," I blinked twice to wake my brain cells up when I noticed what's he's saying and freed my wrist from his hold and pushed him away from me.

What the hell?! I glared at him and he just devilishly smirked. I noticed our classmates watching us and not saying anything. They're just scared to interfere with us or they're far too entertained and just watched us.

"You are lying, Emerald." I clenched my fist from his accusation and tried to talk but he cupped my chin and looked again onto my eyes. What is wrong with him?! This time he was looking intently into my eyes like searching for something and the first time was enough to stop myself from staring longer in his black eyes. I hate things that I couldn't control. I really pushed him with much force this time but seems like he expected it to happen and just got a hold of the table to prevent himself from falling of his seat.

"Will you stop touching me?!" I glared at him and he was still emotionless like he's looking something from me but couldn't find it. He just sighed and seated properly. The playfulness on his eyes was gone.

"Will you also stop with that kind facade? It doesn't work with me." I looked at him with hatred and he was back at smirking at me. Well at least I thought he might fall in my oh so sweet angelic smile. I guess the devil can know other devils as well.

"I was trying to at least be civil with you since you're my seatmate until this school year ends!" I almost shouted from anger and he was still seating casually and even crossed his arms on his chest. Daniel tried to calm us by smiling at me and giving secret signals to Jaden to stop arguing with me.

"Come on guys. Can't you two at least be friends—"

"NO!" We both said in unison but I shouted it more than him making it clear that I cannot and will ever not be friends with a jerk!

I glared at Jaden while he just shrugged his shoulders like he did nothing wrong to make me mad again. Daniel sighed and just decided to leave us be and faced the board again.

"At least we agreed on one thing," he suddenly said and looked at me again without emotions on his black eyes. "We can't and will never be friends, Emerald." He then smirked like he just won the argument by leaving me speechless.

Jaden's POV

She didn't talk to me after what I said to her and I didn't bother to look at her again. We were both busy ignoring each other's existence and created a space between us. It was impossible to fully ignore her though. I could feel her presence and her eyes keeps on flashing on my mind. The way she smiled and her eyes, it reminded me of someone I knew back then. But it was too long ago and I might have mistaken it as her. That someone was dear to me but I just pushed that person away by telling her lies and she ran away from me and never came back. She was the first person I allowed to enter my life but I hurt her because I was controlled by my dad.

Yes, I do have a father but he doesn't deserve or played that role in my life anymore. He's ruthless and heartless. He kept controlling my life and isolated me. He never wanted me to have anyone side from mom because he believed that having friends or people around you will just control your emotions. He hid me to the world until he thinks I'm ready to take his position on the company but I escaped before I lose my life to him. You'll never know torture until you became his son. I didn't receive any fatherly love from him and he treated me like someone he owns. An asset for his company and he trained me until I couldn't walk and almost thought that maybe it's just better if I'm dead.

I'm really not that poor since he's rich but I disowned myself from him and left without any money except my mom's savings which was enough for me and Uncle John's car repair shop.

Nevertheless, I don't want to talk about him. I have my uncle now who will do anything to protect me. Suddenly, I was out of thoughts when Emerald stood up and looked at the teacher. Maybe she's reciting or participating in this subject. It's the last subject this morning and honestly, I was not paying much attention to the discussion. I just opened the book to the page we will discuss today and pretended to be listening. I usually do it in most subjects, except Science. Science is my thing.

"Well, every man has a weakness. Achilles's weakness is his heels," she cited with confidence and the teacher nodded. It's world literature then.

I just don't like literature. Writers have twisted ways of writing their stories to make profit out of it. I mean, it's just a paid imagination and they're just great in fooling their readers' minds with words. No offense meant. But this time, I think I'll just have some fun.

"I disagree," I said without looking at Emerald and just looked at the board. I could feel most of our classmates turned their attention towards me. I could even feel Emerald's death glares again as if wishing me to just disappear in front of her.

"Yes, Jaden?" The teacher asked and looked at me with curiosity, anticipating for my answer. Everyone was wondering why I disagreed with Emerald when everyone knew that Achilles weakness is his heels. They're just looking at it superficially.

"It's not his weakness, it is his strength." I heard murmurs and gossips of my classmates when I said that.

I just have a different point of view on this literature. It's not just that simple. To understand the literary work, you need to know about the writer first.

"How can you say so?" Emerald asked and gave me a side glance look and then looked back at the board again.

"Well, your weaknesses can be your strengths," even if I'm not looking at Emerald, I know she would roll her eyes and cross her arms at me. "He knew what his weakness was and that is his heels which means he will be cautious of not letting the enemy kill him by placing a dagger or an arrow on his heels." Everyone was silent and the teacher just nodded and I think she knew what my point is but I just continued to tease Emerald. It's a sort of revenge of what she did earlier.

"The guy could live a hundred years, given the fact that he's good in combat and he's strong. He wouldn't be called for help by Agamemnon if he's not," I said in a matter of fact way. My classmates nodded and still listened to me curious of what's next. I may not like literature but I know some of it. Troy was somewhat part of the Iliad by Homer and I just read it during my free time and I'm not gonna lie if I don't like teasing Emerald.

"And your point is that I'm wrong?" Emerald asked and seems impatient. See? She's short-tempered and wants everything on her terms. I was still not looking at her when she asked that.

She's like every rich girl. A typical brat princess.

"No, I'm saying is that you may have overlooked something on Achilles's character," I said and now looked at her and tried to make her wait for my conclusion. I looked away again as if I don't care about her assumptions but the truth is that her eyes, it really reminds me of someone. But she's not her. She's way better than Emerald.

"Homer is a mystery. No one knew if he's a one man or a group of people so it could be true," Daniel said and nodded at me. He's consistent on being my friend and so far he hasn't disappointed me.

"As I said, Achilles weakness was not his heels, but love." She scoffed when I said that. I know what she's thinking, how could I talk about love when I barely smile with sincerity to her— no scratch that, I haven't even smiled without smirking or grinning at her and always make her cheeks red with anger and my eyes with no void of emotions.

"But Paris killed him by shooting an arrow on his heels," Emerald emphasized the word heels as if implying that it is the main reason why Achilles was killed.

Yes it was but it's just the effect of it and not the cause or main reason.

"Yes, but if he hadn't ran back to save Briseis, he wouldn't have died because Paris was searching for her and found her with Achilles. Achilles was caught off-guard because he was busy securing Briseies to his arms. Paris then took the opportunity and killed him on the spot with just an arrow." My classmates again nodded and agreed with my argument. This wasn't even a debate but I feel like Emerald and I was having an intense debate about the damn Achilles heels.

"He loved Briseis like how a man loves his wife," I continued. "He fell for her to the point of betraying his comrades when they tried to harm her. He was brave and strong but a foolish man when he fell in love." I then looked at Emerald. "In conclusion, love was his weakness." I firmly concluded and she just gritted her teeth in annoyance and anger. I tried to suppress my victory smile for I again, won an argument against her.

*...*

Lunch came and as usual Daniel and I walked towards the cafeteria. There were a lot of students already and they stopped whatever they were doing once we entered.

"I heard he and Emerald was always arguing in class."

"They're the top students at this school. It must be chaos having each other on the same class."

"He's way smarter than Emerald."

I furrowed my eyebrows when I heard them talking about me. Daniel noticed my annoyance and just laughed at me while patting my back. He presented to take our food and I just nodded and seated on the vacant seat which was always our spot.

I noticed that most of the students doesn't seem to sit on our usual spot in the cafeteria like respecting that it is our seat whether reserved or not. Daniel came back a few minutes later with a tray of food on his hands.

"Ever since you've landed a foot on this school, you're always the talk of the town," Daniel said as I grabbed my food from the tray. It's not like I wanted that much attention too. I came here to have a normal high school life, but now it's impossible. Maybe if I hadn't fought with Emerald, my life could be a little peaceful.

"They spend so much time talking about me when they should just devote their damn time on studying." Daniel again laughed at me and shakes his head.

"It's just almost a week," Daniel took a bite from his food. "But you and Emerald's closeness is in fast progress." I poked my inner cheek by my tongue in annoyance and drank my soda.

Whenever Emerald and I open our mouths, we always ended up arguing and our classmates can't do anything but just watch us bicker each other.

"She hates me to the core." Is it only because of what happened in the library? I bet it's more than that. I heard she was the consistent top 1 before I came and replaced her.

There's always someone to be way better than you in everything but that doesn't mean it should decrease your worth. I just aimed for that top spot because of what the school promised me.

"Bro, she greeted you this morning and even smiled at you." I gave him an expression that says so what? He just rolled his eyes and looked at me with disbelief.

I don't care what she does or give any concern about it. She can greet all of the students and smile at them, the hell I care. I know what she was trying to do. She was only doing it to try to be close to me, might help her know something about me. It's not like I would let her anyway. But her smile, still—

"She doesn't even talk to us or greet us unlike what she did to you. She was trying to be nice to you." Yeah, because she needs something from me.

Last day, she loathes me and then today she suddenly decided to be nice at me? Way to plot something bad at me, Emerald. I might help her enhance her ways of plotting something bad against me. She's horrible at it.

"Well, I just shut her up from trying," I ate my food and tried to forget about what happened earlier, "I don't need her insincere greetings to me." The only thing I like so far is their foods.

"Well you stared at her eyes twice, Jaden," he looked at me trying to read my mind about what I did to Emerald earlier, "which was unnecessary in my opinion." He's really observant. I think Daniel could hit that top spot too but he's just not being serious with studies and always talks with our classmates.

"Don't you even get mesmerized by her beauty?" He asked before I could even speak. He looked at me with curiosity and really let me inform that he noticed what I did earlier. Yeah, I shouldn't have done that.

"She just reminded me of someone I knew," I directly told him to avoid any misunderstandings and focused on eating my food. He just nodded and continued eating but still look at me with doubt.

"Anyway, my dad's having a party this Saturday. It's a formal one with all the tuxedos and long gowns." I gave him a questioning look. I pretty much know what parties are for rich people. I just don't get it why he is telling me this.

"And wines and dances. Yeah I pretty much know what parties are. You're telling me this because?" I asked and raised my eyebrows waiting for what's next.

"Would you like to be there? I think Emerald would be there—"

"Dude, I'm okay with me pestering her at school during weekdays. I'm not that heartless that I'll also include weekends." He laughed again at me and I just gave him a bored look.

Well let's just face it. I always win against her and it makes her get angrier at me—nope angry doesn't justify it, more like outraged.

"Not that," he shakes his head in disagreement with me, "she'll be there and you should apologize." I looked at Daniel as if he just said a very boring joke.

Why the hell should I apologize? It's not my fault that she thought I want to kiss her at the library, it's not my fault that she always losses against me and it's really not my fault that we're seatmates. Don't get it the wrong way. It's not because I like to bully her and watch her face turn red with furry but she was always the first one to start the fight and I hate the way she makes everyone feel she's superior against all of us. This hierarchy of status is really stupid.

"Why can't you just be friends with her?" He asked again and I looked at him with a knotted forehead.

"Why would I befriend her? I already have you to annoy me, having her would be disaster. We can't even agree on anything." He sighed in defeat and just nodded.

I could forgive her if she apologizes, I'm not that heartless but I doubt it if she would ever do that.

"Alright, but will you come? I really don't like to attend because it will only be about some boring business talk. We could play my latest games." He could just have said that instead of saying about Emerald. Maybe he likes Emerald?

"Who will be there?" I just ask because it's been a long time since I've been to parties and I might consider attending with my uncle's permission of course. I promised to uncle that I will only have a school and home routine and if I wanted to go out and have some fun, I should tell him sooner of the time, location and who I will be with. I know he's very strict like I'm a teenage girl but he's doing it just to keep me safe.

"Some businessmen my dad knew. He wanted to have a party to invite his potential business partners specifically that multi-billionaire Mr. Kim. So you wanna come? It's Saturday." I stared longer at my food and then drank my soda. Daniel waited for my answer but I couldn't stop myself from feeling agitated so I clenched my fist and looked at Daniel. "Are you coming?" He asked again when I didn't say anything.

Why does it have to be your dad, Daniel?

"I can't. I need to see someone this Saturday too," I said as I tried to reason out my absence on that day. I clenched my fist under the table harder. I must be having so much fun in this school that I forgot the reason why I was here in the first place.

"Is it a date?" He asked while grinning. I was out of my thoughts when I heard him said that.

"Nope, I'm just meeting someone," I corrected but still he was grinning and seems happy with the thought of my improved love life.

"Still that sounded like a date so I will support you and forgive you for not helping me get out of that boring party." I was thankful that he didn't push the topic further about the party.

"Why attend the party then?" I asked and tried to calm myself more. I tried so hard to conceal my fear in front of Daniel. I breathe in and thought about my mom.

"So that my dad will take my Volvo? No way, my sports car is at stake in here."