CHAPTER 7

Glen couldn't refuse any further and they walked together. Their demeanor was quiet for a while and awkward for Glen, but Williams was calmly staring into space. He was probably thinking of how to break the silence.

"Why didn't you answer my text earlier?" He asked abruptly.

Hesitantly Glen replied. "I…didn't know if…I should've told you what was going on. I-it's not my personal problem."

"What happened?" He enquired curiously.

"C-Charlotte's grandmother is dying, I had to stay with her at the hospital."

"Oh..that's bad." He replied slightly covering his mouth with his hands. "Who is Charlotte to you, I keep seeing you two together."

With a brooding eye he responded. "S-She's my childhood friend…my best friend."

Glen reached the late night cafe which he worked and stopped causing Williams to pause in his steps.

"Is it here?" He asked.

"Y-yes."

"Alright then…be careful on your way back home." He ruffled Glen's hair as if he was still a kid and strides off shoving his hands in his coat's pocket.

Glen was abashed and patted his sticky strands into place.

For some reason, Glen found it difficult to know what was in William's thought since he always wore a soft expression on his face and his confusing behavior made it more difficult to understand.

What could possibly happen to me, it's not like I'm a kid or a girl who needs to be extra cautious when it's late.

— — — —

It was morning, Glen received a call from charlotte telling him not to come to the hospital, she wanted him to focus on his studies. He could not argue any further with her and returned back to attending college.

His absence from college is only temporal, Besides, the worse is about to come for her. Isn't it better to stay close till then?

On his arrival to his major there were crowd of students in front of his major again. It looked like a fight was going on, as a curious person Glen was, he slowly approached the crowd and it was another senior ready to fight with Henry.

Why does Henry always get into fights with the seniors?

It quite serious but Henry was still calm as usual, he slid his fingers through his hair backwards and tightened his face in frustration.

"I'm so sick of people like yourself, it's becoming quite annoying now."

"You bastard!." Enraged he yelled even more. "aren't you tired of fucking people's girlfriends?"

Henry had a very discourteous attitude and his comebacks really hurt their egos.

"I never asked for all this, besides if your girlfriend valued you, she wouldn't have thrown her self at me." Henry said with a contemptuous grin amusedly.

The senior growled gritting his teeth enraged. He balled his fist ready to fight and the crowd began to chant.

"Fight!, fight!, fight!"

The senior brought out a cutter and slicked the blade out posing to attack Henry.

Henry's pupils were filled with amusement, but he looked a bit surprised that the senior has chosen to come at him with a weapon.

Why is no body trying to stop that senior ? He's holding a cutter!

The senior assailed Henry with the cutter swinging it at him but Henry grabbed his hands.

"Argh!" The seniors groaned as Henry twisted his hand and the cutter fell out of his hands.

The next thing everyone saw was a heavy plow to the senior's face from Henry, his blood splattered along with one of his tooth. The whole crowd was in aghast because Henry have never swung his fist at anyone who picked a fight with him before.

The senior lurched to the floor, cupping his bleeding nose and groaning in pain.

Glen was stunned at the sudden savage behavior of Henry, he was lost in his thought process and before he would realize himself, he tripped and fell right in the middle of Henry and the senior.

Henry cocked an eyebrow quite surprised and the whole crowd went silent with boisterous whispers from every angle.

"What is he doing?"

"Is he trying to stop the fight?"

"What the hell?"

Glen became completely abashed, his eyes spinning and clueless about what he should do at that moment.

"Please stop fighting!" He blotted out without realizing because his head was spinning from embarrassment and covered his mouth in shame.

"What the hell?" Henry muttered with a scowl on his face cocking his brows amazed.

The crowd busted out laughing at Glen's courage, it was quite unexpected and they'd literally thought he jumped in himself.

He wished the earth would open swallow him right away but luckily for him William came running to his aid.

"Glen?!"

Thank goodness!! He cried internally whilst William helped him up to his feet. His eye sneakily glanced at Henry who hmphed and left the scene and his friends followed him behind.

The crowd slowly dispersed with whispers to their different majors.

Williams frowned at Glen and in a sullen tone he asked. "Were you trying to hurt yourself?"

Glen shrunk lowering his head awkwardly. "I fell and didn't know what to do…I'm sorry." He responded fiddling his fingers.

"GLEN!!" A high pitched voice sounded from nowhere with a violent smack on his back.

It was Chloe the charismatic freshman.

"Hey that was harsh." Williams said to her with a slight frown on his face increasing the tension between him and Chloe.

"When did you start to care?, that much shouldn't hurt right Glen?" She asked Glen tauntingly, trying to piss Williams off.

"No…" Glen answered with an awkward smile rubbing his throbbing back repeatedly to ease the hot pain.

"See?!" She yelled and William frowned at her ignorant behavior. With her pupils filled with admiration she continued. "Glen, you were so brave! Back there you had the who situation under control!"

"Ha ha..Not…really." He laughed awkwardly still rubbing his back.

There really was no such thing as under control back there.

"Glen…I should return for my classes now."

Williams interrupted them, pulling Chloe who wouldn't leave Glen alone by her back pack.

"Let go!." She yelled swaying her hands and struggled to escape Williams's grip.

Glen stared at them momentarily before hurrying inside his hall and sat at his usual row to stare at Henry's back.

But this time Henry turned around and caught Glen gazing at him. He flinched and deterred his eyes, but Henry kept dwindling his eyes like he was trying to scrutinize Glen from his sitting place.

Is he mad that I tried to interfere in his fight earlier?

His stare was intense and Glen didn't dare to look at him. His heart raced that he may have ended up making his crush to hate him even before getting to talk to him properly.

"I'll be forwarding the different art themes to choose from in our next class, everyone will use this opportunity to improve their skills, I'll send the list to the group chat." The lecturer said dismissing his lectures and left the hall.

Glen has always loved art, which was why he chose his major and he had already began to imagine what Henry would look like painting with a serious expression. would his art be good or bad?.

— — - -

It was afternoon the lecturer forwarded the list to their class group chat. He went through the list pondering what he would like to paint.

Nature? I love nature but… what would Henry paint? We are going to be in the same space tomorrow… The thought made his heart to thump as he made his way to the cafeteria to get snacks during his fee period.

He bought some snacks and sat on an outdoor bench in the school yard bustling with students and snacking on his favorite cream bread, he thought of Charlotte and immediately dialed her number. She picked up immediately.

"Charlotte, how's your grandma's health today?"

<it's not improving…I should prepare myself for the worst> her low voice sounded from the phone like she had been crying.

"Charlotte…I'm here for you so please…stay strong, I'll drop by the hospital before heading to work."

<okay… >

He hung up the call and lowered his head instantly feeling dejected after hearing charlotte's voice and couldn't finish the bread he was eating. He tossed it inside the bin close to him when he heard William's languid voice sounded above him.

"You shouldn't waste food like that."

He looked up to William's soft smile that always awaits his gaze. "Senior Williams…"

"Here." He handed Glen a carton milkshake. He hesitantly took the milkshake with both his hands clasping it politely.

"you should eat more, you're really skinny you know?" He said siting on the bench beside Glen and leaned forward.

Glen pinned his stare on the milk shake as his face flushed from embarrassment.

"Why are you always alone?" Williams asked.

Glen was quite hesitant to answer—he got taken aback to his young years. He had always been less confident in himself and found it hard to communicate. A person like Williams who was social will never understand.

"B-Because… I feel more comfortable like this..."

Williams pondered for a moment with his hands on his temple. It seemed like he was a bit hesitant to say what was on his mind.

"Are you dating anyone?"

He unexpectedly asked about Glen's romantic life, it was absolutely surprising for williams to ask such questions, especially to him.

Glen was quite abashed that Williams was asking about his personal life. He averted his eyes fiddling with the milkshake in his hands hesitantly. "N…no."

Eviden with a soft smile on his face he got up. "Do you have plans after school?"

Glen glanced up to him and averted his eyes immediately when their eyes locked. "I…have to see Charlotte at the hospital then head to my part time job."

"Ah, sucks…don't you even have time for yourself?" He said in a ways crossing his arms in a thoughtful way.

"N-Not really, I-I just have to work hard." Glen replied.

"I want to see Charlotte too, so wait for me when you're done with your classes let's go together."

"Ah…O-Okay."

He patted Glen's head and strode off. Glen watched his back in a daze.

This is the second time he's patted my head…