Chapter 9: Sweet Romance

What to do when the whole school in anticipating for the biggest battle between you and your enemy when you're secretly having a romantic relationship with that said enemy?

Hawthorne was at loss. He was pacing up and down the dorm room while throwing daggers at Railings who was finding everything amusing. He was really childish. Hawthorne thought as he scolded him.

"I didn't know Brian would tell the whole world!" Railings' argued in his defense. While he tried to maintain his serious posture, he was evidently laughing which caused Hawthorne to huff.

"You know how they're always like, now tell me Mr Big Head. How are we going to cover this up?" He stopped on his tracks, placing his hands on his waist.

Railings tilted his head, "How did I turn into a Big Head Mr?"

"Focus." He glared at him.

Railings raised his hands surrendering. Honestly, he wasn't a bit troubled about the rumors. They didn't have to entertain a bunch of school kids who were locked up in a boarding school, bored and waiting for entertainment of throwing punches and exchanging insults. Weren't they a bit tired for that?

Weren't they supposed to be looking forward to Halloween then get excited about the coming winter break?

Were they really that bored?

"How about we go and punch each other down the hallway and call it a day?" Railings told Hawthorne.

Even though he wasn't a bit worried about a bunch of bored school kids, he saw how anxious Hawthorne was about the rumors and he didn't like that at all.

"What?" Hawthorne looked at him.

Railings leaned forward to grab the shorter male's hand then he pulled him between his thigh while he muttered a soft 'come here'. He took his hand and placed it on his cheek. "I said you can just punch me then we'll call it a day. I'm sure they'll be convinced about us being at each other's throats."

Hawthorne's eyes soften, "You must be insane, how can I punch you?"

"Then what can we do? I don't want to see you so anxious because of these punks." Railings' really had no filter when it came to insults.

Hawthorne remembered how these insults were once directed towards him. He was once called all types of names by the taller male. But he won't lie, he also had his fair share of insulting Railings.

Bending down a little, he kissed. Railings on the lips. When he was about to pull away, the taller pulled him closer and the kiss lasted a few seconds longer before they pulled away.

"We haven't established something. It's been a while but you still call me like I'm your enemy or something, mate, let's change how we address each other." It was Railings who proposed that.

Hawthorne nodded. "Then I should call you what? Eiluned? Your name is really weird to call."

"Luned will be alright." It's like he had thought it through before.

Luned. Eiluned which means "moon" or "shining one" in Welsh.

"Who gave you the name Eiluned? I'm sure someone cannot just come up with such a name for a child. It's such a very rare name." Hawthorne was still settled between Railings' thighs.

Railings chuckled, "My great-grandparents came up with the name. It's very feminine, apparently it's related to the Welsh words "eiliwn" ("luminescence") and "lleuad" ("moon") and the word eluned is a meaning for lunar radiance. I was very unlucky to be the first child."

"How unlucky? You have a beautiful name, you should be happy." Hawthorne pinched his nose.

"I should be happy right?" Railings grinned.

"What type of people are your parents?" Hawthorne asked another question as they get distracted to the subject they were apparently talking about.

The question, made Railings pause. His eyes first ran around before he forced a smile. "One thing I know is that they'll flip when the news of me dating a boy."

"They're homophobic?" It was more of a realization statement than a question.

"You can include that yes but in one simple sentence is that they're hardcore religious. My mother is always with her bible in her hands preaching about not doing any sins, obey your parents for an external life, curses homosexuality like her life depends on it. Curses out about how demonic this and that is, it's really exhausting if I can say." Railings finished.

Hawthorne couldn't believe his ears. "Are they that bad?"

"They're the worst." Bad was an understatement.

"I wanted to visit your home, but I guess I can't do that can I?" Hawthorne really didn't want to go back home during the winter break. Especially after the sudden news of his father's unborn child.

Railings' saw Hawthorne's facial expression and he smiled, "You wanted to visit?"

Hawthorne shifted from Railings' and walked over to stand a few feet away thinking about how silly he was being. "It's silly."

"Not at all." Railings' eyes followed the shorter with tenderness in his eyes. "You said you wanted to visit."

"Winter break is long, I usually go to Sam or Jones' house unless I'm really needed back home. I don't like spending time with my father and his family." Hawthorne muttered.

Railings nodded in understanding. "We can say we're friends? My home is closer to yours, just one railway station away."

"That will probably not work." How can they simply lie to Railings' parents?

"Winter break is one month away and we're already planning ahead. How about we discuss the previous subject? About how you should address me." Railings said with a raised eyebrow.

That made Hawthorne chuckle, "I thought we've already agreed to go with Luned. Mine is easy, call me Kent and if it's too short, you can call me darling."

Railings laughed, "Are you flirting?"

"You're already mine, I don't need to flirt with you." He scoffed, but his tone was saying the opposite.

All the argument about the huge battle and the rumor was forgotten. At dinner time, both Hawthorne and Railings walked inside the cafeteria and the whole cafeteria was graced with silence. You could drop a pin and hear it hit the tile. That was how quiet it was.

"Hold your horses everyone! There's no huge fight, I had a good talk with Hawthorne and I promised to let this one go." he added with a daring smile, "Just this one."

The whole cafeteria shared their disappointment as Hawthorne went to his usual table after dishing out. Now, Railings looked like an evil villain. Why promise something so huge to the school and end up disappointing everyone? Did that even make sense?

"Will you have another fight?" zone student suddenly asked across the cafeteria.

"I don't know…" he was teasing. "You should ask Hawthorne, will there be another fight?"

Hawthorne scanned the cafeteria with a huff, "The headmaster had his eyes on us so I'm sorry to disappoint you. Y'all know that we may get expelled right?"

A thud. "Bummer."

"Don't go around disappointing kids Hawthorne." That idiot scoffed settling around his table.

"Pulled the stick out of your ass already? You seem to be in a good mood lately? Going around entertaining me so much." Hawthorne laughed, "You really cannot live without me."

Railings chuckled. "Do you flatter yourself that much?"

"Then why are you out here seeking for my attention? I'm sure you'd lick my feet if I told you to. That's how obsessed you are with me." It was the truth. But these kids did not know that.

"Obsessed? Ha!" Railings laughed. "Ain't we getting ahead of ourselves?"

"I'm sure as hell you're obsessed with me." Hawthorne smirked, finding the 'argument' funny. "Are you bent?"

Railings didn't know what to say. He was about to argue with Hawthorne when the headmaster walked inside causing the cafeteria to fall silent.

"Hawthorne and Railings, still at it?" He roared.

Seriously though, the headmaster was just an angry old man who had serious environmental issues. Or maybe not environment but he obviously had issues.

Who could look at a man and think, yeah he got environmental issues? Definitely Hawthorne who was already scoffing and rolling his eyes at the old man.

"We did nothing sir." Railings was the one who answered.

"I clearly heard you arguing." He said, looking back and forth between the teenagers.

Hawthorne nodded towards Railings, "You can ask him about that, he's good at making me snap. But I swear to God headmaster, I didn't argue with anyone. I'm doing my best to resist temptations and focus on school."

"You and school?" The headmaster huffed.

"Sir, we haven't had fun in a while." One student said aloud, "We having a party for Halloween right?"

The headmaster scanned the silly students with a low chuckle, it wasn't easy to be the headmaster. "No, no partying."

"Oh kind sir! Please release us from this boredom and we'll repay you with thousand rewards." A cry was head.

The cafeteria was soon filled with laughter.

"What kind of rewards? I will let you party only if you repay me with a hundred percent pass mark as a whole. Which means,no student is allowed to fail a grade." he was very determined when he said that, his eyea narrowed down towards the students.

"Yes! A hundred percent pass mark!" Hawthorne stood up to clap his hands and everyone followed.

"Another condition is, no alcohol. You're still young to consume alcohol and this is school, we must follow the rules despite having a little tiny bit of fun" Everyone was disappointed by the headmaster's condition but they knew they had no choice but to agree.

That became an agreement between the Wytham House School student and their headmaster so they were very excited, anticipating for the Halloween party in two days.

Everyone retired to their rooms, Hawthorne and Railings were back to their dorm rooms as well.

While Hawthorne was busy playing with his phone, the shower was running. After some time, the bathroom door creaked open, Railings stepping out in a cloud of steam, a towel wrapped around his shoulders while he was in a pair of briefs while his upper body remained bare, dripping with water.

"Done showering?" Hawthorne asked while darting his eyes towards the bathroom door where Railings was coming from.

"You wanted to join me?" Railings raised an eyebrow.

"I just showered." A little frown settled across his face.

Railings chuckled, "Another shower wouldn't hurt. Want to dry my hair?"

"Where's the hair dryer?" Hawthorne placed his phone on the bed, got up from the bed to sit on a comforter he usually sat on.

Railings went about to look for a hair dryer before he joined Hawthorne, sitting before him. Hawthorne firstly dried his hair using the towel then he plugged the hair dryer.

"Do you find it funny when you say those remarks in the cafeteria?" Hawthorne casually asked.

"Not at all." Railings was telling the truth but it was half the truth.

"I think you secretly find it fun." Hawthorne accused.

"I really don't find it fun, I might be doing all this with an expression that screams 'okay now it's show time' but I'm deeply saddened that we have to sneak around and hide our relationship from everyone." Now that that the whole truth.

Hawthorne frowned with a pause. "My father would probably send me far across the ocean if he were to find out. Hell, that could make him happy."

"My parents would lock me in church to 'cure' my demonic disease. They'll probably pray for me to see the light of the God and abandon the darkness that I have been walking on." They both paused for a while before they bust out laughing.

It was a serious matter. They both knew that it was serious but they couldn't help but find amusement in their unfortunate life matters.

Hawthorne placed the hair dryer after he unplugged it, then he hugged Railings from behind. "I like you."

It was the first time he said it out aloud. It sounded very foreign coming from his lips, he never liked anyone before. But he was sure and he wanted to say it.

I like you Eiluned Railings.