Busy with you two

The following day Alex was walking to school deep in thought as to the events that transpired the night before. 

Alex's dad had informed him that he would be meeting Oliver this coming weekend. Today was Thursday so two days from now Oliver and Carlo would be having a meeting in the mansion. Still, when Carlo informed Alex of his decision to meet Oliver, Carlo's facial expression was hard to read, but he was making the same face he would once an extremely demanding mission was coming.

'Was the Shadow Mercenaries really such a threat? Even Dad seems wary of them...'

Alex couldn't help but think of Oliver, that guy who doesn't seem like he would want to harm anything... Alex decided to dismiss any irrational thoughts and make his dad decide what to do. Alex just needed to continue being Oliver's friend, nothing more nothing less.

'Yeah, I just need to continue being his friend. Also, I need to focus on looking for the person to be the target of my protection. Rachel is a good candidate but I'm not entirely sure about it. I feel that there's a hidden meaning to this mission that Dad hasn't told me.' 

...

Rachel spotted Alex walking to school and was about to greet him when she noticed that he was deep in thought so she stopped. She then saw Oliver sneaking behind Alex, and then he tapped Alex's shoulder. The very second Oliver did that, Alex moved so fast as he turned around and seemed to be ready to attack but when he saw it was Oliver he immediately stopped. 

"Your back was wide open comrade... Good morning comrade Alex."

'How did he get behind me without me noticing?! He was even able to touch me if he was an assassin I would have been dead for sure... It seems like I truly underestimated Oliver... No James Bourne.' Alex smiled finding a friend who was at the same level as him and who was also the same age as him was a great fortune.

Yet Alex didn't know he was overestimating Oliver's skills too much. The reason Oliver was able to get so close without Alex noticing was because of a combination of reasons. One of the reasons was Alex's thoughts were currently jumbled up, and he could not focus properly. Also, there was no killing intent to be felt. 

"Good morning, Oliver. I guess I let my guard down since there was no killing intent." 

When Oliver heard Alex's reply he smiled with glee as that was the best response someone had said to him. 

'Alex truly is my best buddy.'

Oliver's arm wrapped around Alex's neck as he spoke.

"Heh, of course, I don't have any killing intent you and I are comrades in arms.

"Hey, what are you two doing in the middle of the sidewalk?" Rachel approached the two. 

"Oh, it's you Rachel, good morning." Oliver let go of Alex and smiled at the approaching Rachel. 

"Good morning." Alex greeted Rachel without a change in his expression. 

"Good morning you two, it seems like you two are getting along just fine." 

"Of course, we do since the two of us are comrade in arms." Oliver made a dramatic gesture as he spoke. 

"Yeah, yeah," Rachel answered. 

When the trio were near the school a bunch of students noticed them, but the reaction on seeing the group was not as loud as yesterday, still Alex could hear some of their whisperings.

"Look at them together, do you think the three of them are involved in a love triangle?"

"Huh?... Actually, you might be right Rachel being chased by two boys isn't anything new."

"No, I'm talking about Alex chasing Rachel, Rachel chasing Oliver, and Oliver chasing Alex."

"What?! Don't tell me your BL crap you know I can't handle that."

"Why? Isn't it hot and steamy just thinking about it?"

The other conversations were about the tennis match that happened yesterday.

"Hey look it's Alex! Isn't he so handsome and now that I look at him isn't he also quite sexy? The tennis match yesterday made him look so manly. (sigh) I wish he would look my way."

"Dream on... Don't you see he's already with Rachel."

"Yeah you're no match for her, if you're not one of the three Goddesses you wouldn't even be able to fight back."

"Who knows, Alex might like a girl who's better on the inside than what she looks like on the outside."

"Heh, you're talking like you're any good on the inside... Rachel already won in that area, we know how much you like bitching about, you slut."

Some were even planning ways on how to show off in front of Rachel.

"Hey, so what do you think got any chance?"

"You saw how he moved yesterday, he even caught a tennis ball barehanded! There's no way we can win in sports against that guy."

"Then if we can't beat him athletically, we can beat him using our brains, a.k.a academically."

"That's a no-go too. I learned from a friend who's in his class, that Alex is even smarter than most of the teachers. He even corrected them while they were doing their lessons."

"Damn it! Then how can we even compete with him"

Those were the conversations Alex could hear while passing by some students. He didn't understand some of them, but it didn't matter as long as they didn't have hostile intentions on Rachel, he couldn't care less.

Another day in school that was supposed to be the same as yesterday, but now there was a difference. The difference was Alex noticed that someone had tampered with his locker, being on high alert Alex opened his locker carefully, and a bunch of letters fell down. Oliver looked a bit excited while Rachel was pouting, even though when she opened her own locker a similar flood of letters fell down.

"Are those letters of challenge?" Oliver asked Alex excitedly.

"Those are love letters, good for you Alex." Rachel was the one who answered Oliver's question while pouting.

Alex looked at the letters and was seriously thinking of what to do with them.

"Aren't you happy Alex, you might actually find someone who won't put you in a friend zone and actually date you."

Rachel's tone was sour. She continued pouting while looking at Alex's serious expression as he stared at the letters.

"I'll read them later, but I really don't have time for this." Alex placed all the letters in a plastic bag.

"You don't have time? What, aren't you happy you're so popular?"

Rachel was feeling a bit better when she heard Alex had no time for such things, but her tone was still sour. While he was putting all the letters in a plastic bag Alex answered Rachel. 

"I'm already busy hanging out with you two, I really don't have time for this." The serious look Alex had with the right lighting made for a great picture at this moment. 

When Oliver heard what Alex said he whistled. Rachel, on the other hand, went from pouting to blushing.

"Really? Well, I'm sorry then." Rachel stormed off into the classroom. 

"That was great, you really know what to say, you are quite the charmer despite your emotionless face. You actually made my heart skip a bit a little," Oliver teased. 

"Huh, what do you mean?" 

'This guy is a natural.' Oliver had that thought to pass by his mind. 

"Nah, it's nothing."

Oliver smiled as he and Alex headed to the classroom.