22 Challenge

"Wha-," Shelly paused as her mouth gaping. She can't believe that Jeanne rejects her invitation directly without proper reason. It never happened before.

"Why you didn't want to go?" Inquired Raquel.

On the other hand, Roman who also heard Jeanne's rejection stopped, he turn around to see the girl again.

"Because I don't want to deal with that shameless thing again," Jeanne answered while pointing at Roman.

"That's rude," Roman answered. "And what do you mean by shameless? Accused people arbitrarily would only make you got bad consequences."

Jeanne's cheeks reddened because of that words. She clenched her fists, her legs shaking, and her lung struggles to regulate her breathing. She was not being bashful, she was angry or rather, furious.

"This was not a false accusation," she glared at Roman.

However, the blond boy didn't scared of her. He keeps smiling. He believes that with a little forceful discussion or persuasion, Jeanne will forget the problem on the last day of their date.

He can overpower the girl to accept it!

That thought keep swirling inside his mind. Only a few things can change this mindset of him.

"I believe Maiya had sent you the video along with a statement that we were done and a few warnings. If you truly didn't deem that message as important matters, oh! You didn't even try to apologize! It's not if any more then. You are truly shameless!" Jeanne said with a little loud tone.

Her emotions, her tone, and her actions made Raquel and Shelly uncertain. They thought that Jeanne stays away from Roman because of trivial lovers' quarrels but, it seems, it was more serious than they thought.

After all, they rarely see Jeanne this furious.

The girls take a step back cause they know where the dangerous lines are. They do naughty, had a high pride, use their parents' influence, have awful personalities but, they have a smart mind in their head. Without this, they will not be able to inherit a part of their parents' wealth.

If they are stupid, they will just be a stress relief for some random old man. And… of course, they didn't want that kind of future.

The clash between siblings made their hands full. So, they didn't want to get another trouble landing on their hands.

They made eye contact to confirm each other decisions. Shelly slightly shakes her head meanwhile Raquel, crossed her index fingers. Of course, they made those signs out of Roman's vision.

"We can talk about this," persuade Roman.

Jeanne crossed her arms. "Explain this your 'we can talk about this' and it's better to be good."

"We can go on another date. This time, I will bring you to better places, the gifts also will not disappoint you."

"You don't want to change your mind?"

"Why would I?"

"I mean, it's a date and gifts again."

Jeanne waiting for an apology from him. With that, she will reconsider not to bring his mistake to the next steps. However, that word of apology never came out of his mouth. And maybe, the concept to apologize for a mistake never existed in his mind!

"Another date and gifts were more than enough." Roman made a sigh the shook his head. "Come on, Jeanne. We can fix this. How you can be this angry? I admit that that was a bad joke but it was just a prank. Don't mind it."

For a moment, Jeanne forgets to breathe. Shock, anger, grief, and disappointment mixed into one, into chaotic emotions that erode her sanity!

A part of Jeanne's insane emotions exploded. "Joke? Prank? Is that what you thought about that matter!?" She asks in screams.

Four students in there made different forms of shocked expressions.

Roman was shocked because Jeanne was angrier than he thought.

Shelly and Raquel were shocked because they never knew that Jeanne could be scary like this.

As for Ilia, he was shocked by the unusual killing aura emitted by Jeanne for a second.

Roman made a gulp as he was scared of the girl. And scared? Seriously? How can I be afraid of a girl? He thought. That emotion and this situation were a shame for him. His pride didn't want to accept this humiliation.

In confidence and a little bit of intimidation, he said, "yes, it was a prank. Nothing more than a joke. You should forget this unimportant matter."

"That's it! You have crossed the line," Jeanne said in a cold tone. Anger still colored her voice. "I have been kind to you, give you a chance to amend this matter, but in the end, you disappointed me, again. I had enough of your idiocy. From now on and onwards, don't expect me to talk to you. I don't want to waste my breath on rotten trash."

"What?" Roman asked with wide-open eyes.

Ignoring Roman, Jeanne walks towards Ilia. She grabbed that boy's hand just a moment later drag him out of this clinic. Raquel and Shelly take other steps to open the way for Jeanne. Not far from them, Roman stood frozen.

A few dozens of seconds after Jeanne out of the clinic, Roman regained his consciousness back. Instantly, he moves his legs to pursue Jeanne and Ilia, leaving Shelly and Raquel behind.

"Is that your new boyfriend I heard about?" Roman inquired at a moment he manage to catch up with Jeanne and Ilia.

Jeanne didn't bother to answer or stop walking. She ignores Roman completely as she says earlier.

Roman doesn't give up after being ignored by Jeanne. He kept trying to invite the girl to speak. However, his attempt was in vain.

As for Ilia, he takes a peek at Roman, curious about that boy's expression. Welp! He is angry! Ilia thought after he catch a glimpse of Roman's scowl and deep-bent eyebrows.

"I can't believe it. You throw me out and ignore me because of that trash?" Roman asked in an insulting tone.

Luckily for him, he manages to seize Jeanne's attention. The girl stopped, turn around, and glared at Roman.

"Take it back that insult!" She said in a menacing tone.

"No!" Roman refused. He then pointed at Ilia. "He didn't deserve to stand beside you and I will prove it. You, mummy, I challenge you to the Duel of Honor!"

The Duel of Honor. This cringe name was used to call a competition. It was an old tradition of Crelidia High School, where two or more students competed in various classes both academic and non-academic. The purpose of the duel? In the past, it was being used to determine who is the best student and to resolve the discord between two or more students.

Yes, it was in the past. In this age, no one uses the Duel of Honor any more. The students were too shy to participate in such flashy-named competitions.