5. 'Please Stay Away'

*Qin Shan POV

I look at the boy in front of me, vaguely believing that this is all a dream. He's pressing me with questions about my parents and I feel myself almost compelled to answer. Silently screaming in my head 'don't trust him! He won't understand. He can't understand this forbidden subject.' He seems to sense my internal struggle as he looks at me carefully.

"Don't worry, I will protect you." Huh? What does he mean. My parents death was an accident, he couldn't have been there. He couldn't change the past and I'm not in any immediate danger. My mind is going off the line. I'm flustered, shocked. Am I dreaming?

"What do you mean?" I say quietly. I don't understand this boy at all. Isn't he some legendary ice prince of this school? Why did he go specifically out of his way to help me? Was he in the same class? He couldn't have known me from before I transferred right?

"I meant what I said." He says and looks away. Students are beginning to exit classes and more than a few eyes are on the two of us. Its uncomfortable. I don't want to be associated with this boy.

"Thank you. But in the future, please stay away." I say as politely as possible. He looks astonished. My answer must have shocked him completely. I'm sure he's used to girls and boys bowing down and drooling all over his feet but I don't want to be like that at all. I just want to live a low key life.

Seeing Huan exiting her psycology class I take this opportunity to awkwardly say "mm... I'm leaving first, thanks" before running to Huan and sharing her umbrella. I can feel his cold eyes piercing my back as I flee. I really hope this is the last time he will try to take initiative to talk to me.

"HuanHuan! Wait up!" I say loudly. She notices and waves me over to where she is with two other girls.

"ShanShan! How was your first class? Did you meet anybody? Is everybody cool? Any nice guys? More importantly, any hot guys?" She immediately pounds me with questions. The other girls laugh at our little exchange and I feel tension start to slip away.

"Oh! This is Wan Qiu and Mo Xiulan. They are my partners in psycology for the final project." She says gesturing to the two other girls. The smile and wave, both of them seem really nice.

"No, nothing too interesting" I say, trying to hide what had happened just moments before. "Most of the kids keep to themselves but the lecture was cool" I say.

"I heard Senior Song Meng is in that class" says Wan Qiu dreamily. "Did you see him?!"

"No" I lie trying to keep the incoming blush off of my face. But it is too late, Xiao Huan notices. She keeps quiet but I know I'm going to go through some major interrogation back at the dorms.

"That's too bad." Says Wan Qiu pouting. "Qin Shan, lets be friends and exchange contact numbers. I think that we are going to get along really well" She says with a smile.

"I agree!" says Mo Xiulan "Besides, it's nice to be in corrospondance with someone who sees Senior Song everyday right!" This gets all of us laughing.

"Okay." I agree. Making friends here will definitely help me fit in. Besides, these girls seem genuine and if Xiao Huan thinks that they are okay, I will definitely agree. Furthermore, if I can walk with them and hang out with them between classes then it lowers the risk of any... unwanted encounters.

"Ready to get back to the dorms?" I ask Huan. "Sure!" She answers, mischief in her eyes. "Talk to you guys later!" and together we go back to the dorms.

Our room is small. It is just the two of us there under special circumstances because Huan is the only one I can really trust. The school administration really wanted to help me settle in after hearing about my parents accident. The room is a light blue with two sets of bunk beds, My side of the room is yet to be decorated yet but Huan already plans to put up floral decorations and concert posters of our collective favorite band - the Citizens of Darkness. This bands members are all tall, pale males and they actually have great singing and dancing talents. However, I haven't listened to their music since my parents accident. Huan sits on the edge of my bunk bed and I brace myself for the conversation to come.

"Soooo Shanshan, did you have an encounter with Senior Song?" she asks, teasing. I don't intend to give her the satisfaction of being right quite yet.

"No, why would you say something like that?" I counter, smiling slightly. I can already feel my ears starting to burn and my cheeks starting to flush.

"You did? Oh my gosh I wasn't certain before! What was it like? Was he nice to you? What did you talk about? Did you tell him that you happen to have a cute, innocent roommate who is also single??" I roll my eyes. This is so typical of Huan.

"Nothing happened between us, Huanhuan. He just got me out of a little bit of trouble from this jerk." I roll my eyes like its nothing.

"I didn't ask if anything happened BETWEEN you two... but obviously something must have. Spill the tea girl!" she is so excited like a little puppy. Just begging for attention. I don't want her to find out pain is the only thing that is connecting us really.

"I'll tell you tonight." I lie through my teeth. "Lets get to our English class" I say, bringing up the only class that we have together.

"Fine." She says. "Promise? You'll let me know everything?"

"I already told you nothing happened but if you insist, I can tell you about the three minutes we were talking okay?"

"Okay, deal" she says with a grin. My best friend is so easy to please. But this gives me more time to think of a lie. One to disguise what actually happened. One to cover up the pain of the past.