CHAPTER 65: A LIL' FIGHT

"Sorry for the trouble," I turn to Malik who's in the driver's seat, smiling apologetically. It's currently four in the morning and he drives me back to my dorm at this hour because he insists. He pulls me towards him and kisses me.

"Sure you don't want me to help you with those?" Malik asks, gesturing towards the shopping bags.

"Nah, thanks." I smile at him before getting out of the car.

"Call me," he says, waving at me.

"Eager, aren't we?" I laugh teasing him.

"Believe it or not, I'm hard right now," he laughs also. I roll my eyes at him and shoo him away.

"Drive safe!" I tell him as I hop towards the lobby, waving at him who waves back before driving away.

I get into my dorm room feeling extremely good. Exhausted, but good. I don't even bother showering and just take off all my clothes except for the briefs before diving into my bed and soon, I'm snoring away.

I only have a couple hours of sleep before I have to get up for breakfast with the guys and then morning class. I have a full schedule today and I need all the nutrients I can consume before I tackle today.

I can start to feel the pain on my tongue from the piercing, but the clerk said it's normal. I just need to be careful not to rip it and take some painkillers if it's too much. It's not, so I ignore it but I take some with me just in case.

I walk out of the dorm room with new hair, a new piercing, a new pair of denim, and a new jacket. I wonder what they'll say when they see me. Hehehe. I'm so looking forward to it.

I walk confidently to the C building's cafeteria where we will have our breakfast. I enter the spacious hall and look around, smiling wider when I see all of my friends are already there, sitting and chatting casually. I greet some people along the way and they throw compliments at my new look and I thank them, grinning from ear to ear.

"Hey," I greet my friends who trunks to me and then gapes at me. They all stare at me with such shock depression I can't help but roll my eyes before sitting down between Chuck and Joy. "Good morning to you too. How was your night? Mine is great, by the way. And, yes, I have a new haircut and clothes. Also, a new piercing," I grin before showing them my tongue and that earns me a collective gasp from the table, which is funny to be honest. And quite adorable too, if I may add. Their shock expression is truly adorable.

"It… looks good…" Marsha is the first to find her voice again and so I turn to him, smiling gratefully, "you look good." she smiles at me too, genuinely.

"Thanks," I smile at her before tuning to Chuck, "did you order for me?" I ask, nudging him to bring him out of his trance.

"Ah? Yes. I did. Sorry." he shakes his head and I roll my eyes at him, "I ordered the seafood porridge and ginseng tea," he tells me.

"Thanks," I stand up and kiss his cheek before announcing that I'm going to the bathroom.

I walk to one of the empty bathrooms and relieve myself before walking to the sink to wash my hand and find Chuck is standing there by the sink, staring at me with an unfathomable expression.

"You weren't at your room last night," he states flatly.

I wash my hands silently, but a smile can't resist tugging at my lips. He stares at me even more intensely and I roll my eyes at him. "I'm not gonna lie, so, leave it?" I ask him nicely.

"Were you with someone?" he asks, following behind me like a puppy, "was it the guy from back home?"

I'm about to say something when my phone rings and I take it out of my jacket pocket and frowns. I show the screen to Chuck who frowns also. It's his mother, "Hello, Bellinda? Is something wrong?" I ask worriedly as me and Chuck continue walking back to our table.

"Say, honey," Bellinda starts, "if we were to visit your grandparents to ask for permission, what would be best for us to bring?" she asks.

"Permission?" I ask back with a frown, "permission for what?"

"For Chuck to get engaged with you!" Bellinda says excitedly and I almost drop my phone and that makes Chuck raise his eyebrow at me questioningly.

"Bell…" I sigh, "we're not getting engaged," I tell her.

"Well no, not right away. I know, but eventually we have to prepare for these things, right? So, what would be best?" she asks excitedly and I really have no heart to scold her, so I give the phone to Chuck who looks lost.

"Mum?" he greets his mother and I don't know what they;re talking about because the second Chuck takes over the phone, he storms away from our table in a huff.

"Was that Bellinda? Is something wrong? Whose not getting engaged?" Marsha asks with palin worry written all over her face as she takes my hand, searching for comfort and reassurance. I smile apologetically at her.

"Nothing wrong, Sha…" I say slowly, "It's just that… Bellinda and Andothny want me and Chuck to get engaged as soon as possible," I shrug and of course, the whole table gape at me again, including Marsha whose eyes bulge and makes me concerned they're going to pop off out of their sockets.

"How… So suddenly?" she asks, frowning.

"Apparently not," I smile gratefully at the waiter who brings out food and take a sip from my ginseng tea before turning to Marsha again, "they've been talking about it since we went to uni and then some more after you announce your engagement," I tell her, shrugging.

"Oh…" is all Marsha says before she goes silent.

"So? Are you going to get engaged to him?" Joy asks, half excited half confused. I turn to her and glance over to Allen who stares at me. His blue eyes piercing me and I almost can't hide the shivers it sends me.

"I don't know," I shrug again because, well, I don't know, really. "We haven't even talked about it. Me and Chuck, I mean," I tell them.

"It's not such a bad idea," Joy nods to herself, mostly. "I mean, you've been friends your entire life and so the task of getting to know each other is already done and all that's left is whatever it is that a marriage requires," she shrugs.

"True." I nod, agreeing with her.

"How was it?" Marsha asks Chuck who comes back with a huff and puff, throwing himself into the chair and hands me back my phone. I , too, stare at him questioningly.

"You ask like you don't know my mother," Chuck says, groaning exasperatedly and me and Marsha chuckle at that.

"Well, at least I have an option, now," I say to Chuck who glares at me.

"Gee, thanks for making me an option," he spits those words at me and I feel bad instantly.

"That's not what I mean," I tell him apologetically, reaching out to hold his hand. "You know I love you," I tell him sincerely.

"Yeah, well, you don't act like it," he tells me, shrugging.

"Are you being serious right now?" I ask him in disbelief and he just shrugs.

"Something going on with you two?" Marsha sks, worried and confused.

"Wnna tell her?" Chuck smiles menacingly at me and I glare at him.

"Are we really gonna do this right now? For fuck's sake I haven't even eaten my damn breakfast!" I slap his arm in annoyance.

"You want me to say it, then?" Chuck challenges me and I glare at him some more, starting to feel really, really angry.

"Should we…" Joy asks, turning to Marsha awkwardly.

"It's okay," Marsha reaches out her hand to pat hers before she turns to me and Chuck, glaring. "If it's important, say it. If it's not, can we have breakfast in a more civilized manner, please?" Marsha tells us sternly.

"Well if you think Lee sleeping around with random guys is not important, then, please, let's eat," Chuck says mockingly and I stare at him in disbelief before punching his arms with everything I have. I turn to Marsha who stares at me in shock and I grimace at that, feeling bad and guilty.

"Fuck you, Chuck," I slump against my chair, gtrying to avoid the stares from my friends. Especially from Allen who's probably has even more thoughts in that are pretty head of his than the rest.

I lost my appetite altogether but Chuck seems rather pleased with himself as he devoured his breakfast. But I know he's also mad at himself for not being able to stop himself from blabbering. I can tell because he touches my hand under the table, asking for forgiveness, which I don't give him, of course. I am beyond mad at him right now.

"Levi Alexander," Marsha calls out to me under her breath, trying to be calm before she confronts me. I twitch at that but I bring myself to look up and stare at her, waiting, "were you safe?" she asks and I blink at her in confusion.

"Huh?" I stupidly open my mouth and she rolls her eyes.

"Were you having safe sex?" she asks and well, the whole table chokes at that direct question.

"Of course, Sha. I'm not an idiot," I tell her, rolling my eyes. I did, you know. Although not all the time. But she doesn't have to know that, does she?

"Okay," Marsha says calmly and leans back against the chair.

"What? That's it?" Chuck asks her in disbelief while I grin victoriously.

"What more is there to say? He's an adult, he's allowed to do things, you know," she glares at huck now, warning him.

"But..." Chuck is about to argue some more but Marsha cuts him off.

"That is enough," she says to Chuck who immediately shuts his mouth but continues to pout.

The rest of breakfast went by in awkward silence, all thanks to stupid Chuck. I really need to beat some sense into him.

"You guys go ahead. I'm gonna talk to Chuck," I tell the rest of my friends as we all walk outside the building before turning to Chuck, "Chuckie?"

Chuck stares at me before huffing and walking towards the opposite direction.

"Bye," I wave at Marsah, Joy and Allen before catching up to Chuck and grab his hand, stopping him from walking further away.

"What?" Chuck asks between gritted teeth but avoids my eyes entirely.

"Why are you being such a dick?" I ask. It's quite hurtful, what he did.

"You're the one who keeps secrets and keeps lying and then go around sleeping with strangers and I'm the dick?" he grabs my arm and grips it hard.

"Chuck…" I plead with him to calm down and to release my hand which starts to hurt.

"I'm fucking worried, Lee. And if that makes me a dick, then so be it!" he tells me, anger flowing out of him.

"I know you're worried…" I sigh, holding his other hand, "but Marsha said it right. I'm an adult now. I'm allowed to make decisions on my own on how to live my life… I do the same with you so can't you at least respect me?" I plead.

Chuck stares at me, trying to calm himself down and I stare back at him, feeling sorry and guilty and just a little bit angry. He stares at me until his face softens a little. He releases his grip on me and reaches out to touch my face and I lean into it instinctively.

Chuck drops his hand, closing his eyes and sighs before he turns around and walks away, leaving me dumbfounded. "Chuck?" I call out to him but he just waves his hand without looking back.

Now I feel like crying. Dammit Chuck. You're making this harder than it;s supposed to you big oaf. I laugh helplessly before heading to my own building.