Chapter 9

The next few days went like how a normal day for Layla is, except for how sad everyone is and now that her guardian is Amon. They had to sign a few things for it to be legal but of course, there's still the court and all of that but Amon used his hypnotic ability to be able to convince everyone that he is going to be her guardian, well, not everyone because her classmates do not believe that and they don't trust him because they said he looks like a pedophile and that made Layla chuckle while Amon just glared and frowned at the words as Layla told him that.

She's now, again, inside her school, studying well and hard like a good student she is and she doesn't even know what happened between her new history teacher and the heads of the school, what kind of conversation they had—she had no clue and they don't plan to tell her at all. All she knows is that she's an intelligent scholar and she's studying there for free as long as her grades are kept up and good and she's thankful for that.

She's also been pretending to be okay although everybody can see through her as they've known each other for so long, they are practically brothers and sisters and they treat each other like that too.

Alex and Layla are walking, heading to the canteen to buy something to eat, conversing. "So they told you that we have a new teacher? When will he be here? I mean look, all of us are really miserable and the classes are too boring, teachers won't give lessons and lectures completely and they often zone out. Remember how Ms. Dhalia suddenly just gave you a hug and cried for most of the chemistry class?" Alex said to her while frowning and ruffling his hair, making it messy but he immediately fixed it by running his fingers his brown hair.

This week, all of their teachers didn't teach lessons properly and they are all sad just like how the students are, so it is a little chaotic in their school right now, everybody's miserable and they're the opposite of Layla because she wants to move on as soon as possible from what happened. The students don't know when will everything be okay so they can study properly because as much as they don't want to study, it's getting kinda boring in the school because nothing's exciting is happening. All of the class presidents had a meeting about what's happening and they decided that they will be the ones who will assign who will teach each class while the teachers are still all depressed. And they talked about the new teacher that they still haven't met yet, the rumor says that he used to be a professor in a college university and Mrs. Vivian, the principal convinced and seduced the teacher to work in the school as the replacement of Sir Arthur, full time so he still has to resign and he'll be there next week but that's just a rumor.

"Yeah, everything's a mess and we need to fix it because if not then how will we all study? We can't be miserable for the rest of the school year, Arthur wouldn't like that. And yeah, they told me that we have a new teacher and he'll be here next week for some idiotic unknown reason." Layla said, frowning and already disliking this new teacher because of what she has heard about him. Layla sighs deeply and looks down at her feet while they're walking.

Alex nodded at her and frowned when he heard her sigh. "Layla, you don't have to pretend that you're fine because it will just kill you inside." Alex said to her because he is really worried for her but Layla just rolls her eyes and waves her hand, indicating to back off.

"So what? You want me to bawl and cry my eyes out again? People are miserable enough and I don't want to be like that besides my eyes are still hurting and swelling so please just let me be." Layla walks faster leaving Alex behind to not tell her some stupid things that she will never listen to because she's just that hard-headed too and she tends to hide her true emotions even from herself because she doesn't like showing people too much of her weaknesses.

Alex just pouted and sighed, giving up from trying to comfort her and make her feel better but he's using a wrong strategy to do that. He knows Layla is embarrassed enough because he even has to carry her all the way to the clinic to give her some medicine to calm down, a glass of water, and a warm blanket while she cries and cries into his chest, soaking his shirt.

Alex jogged towards her and nudged her side.

"Are you mad?"

Layla didn't answer but she smiles and quickly hid it with a frown, totally ignoring him while acting like she doesn't hear anything. Alex grinned and nudged her again while poking her.

"You still mad?" Alex asked her again. Layla just hums angrily and nudges him harshly while Alex groans and held his shoulder, faking the pain but he didn't convince her enough as she knew it was fake and she just continues walking, never looking back at him. Alex stopped and grinned widely again, suddenly running up to her and grabbing her by her waist, lifting her up and shouting playfully.

"YOU STILL ANGRY? COME ON, I'M SORRY." Alex shouted near her ear and Layla screams while wriggling out of his hold and holding her poor ear.

"That hurts, you imbecile! Put me down!" Layla frowns and glares at him while slapping his face but he didn't even bulge and his grin got wider.

"Naw, not until you forgive me." He said while carrying her higher.

Layla hits his shoulder hard but he just continues to carry and annoy her. "How can I forgive you when you're so annoying. You annoy me, dimwit! Put me down!"

"You even use your smart large vocabulary just for insulting me. Come on, try a little harder insulting me." Alex continued teasing her.

"That's called having a brain and using it for better purposes, you idiot!" Layla finally manages to wriggle out of his hands and used his body as support as she jumps down. Layla immediately regretted that when he grasps her wrists and crossed her arm over her chest, trapping her completely.

"Oh, yeah? Look who has the brains now!" He hugged her and she kneels up his crotch, making Alex groan in pain and let go of her.

Layla bursts out laughing and pointed at him.

"Look who's still an idiot! Bye, see you later." Layla runs away, leaving him alone while he rolls on the floor in pain.

The students around them watch them two as they joke around, making them lessen their sadness and still mourning hearts from the loss of a great person. They smiled softly and started to think about being happy again and go back to their usual self. Silently thanking the two for giving them hope and reminding them of the reasons to smile and be happy even it's just for the little, smallest things in life. Some others who are more miserable from the atmosphere that their school is surrounded with looked at them in disgust and irritated for being too cheerful while they're all in the middle of grieving and being miserable, knowing that Sir Arthur used to be Layla's guardian so they think to themselves how can she be so happy.

Layla and Alex are still joking around and poking each other, minding their own business, and not caring about anything while they eat in the cafeteria until someone approaches them and clears their throat, ruining their moment. Layla straightens up and fixed her blouse while nodding, allowing them to speak to them. Layla took a few seconds to look at the jerk that compared himself to her when they're clearly different, as he has a black eye and a busted lip.

Layla couldn't help but be worried for him despite what he said to her. "Who did that to you? Are you okay?"

Alex looked at her weirdly and frowns at her while whispering. "Are you for real? Why are you asking if he's okay?!"

Layla looks at him and glares. "Because I'm not a heartless jerk." Then she goes back to looking at him.

"No need to ask, I'm fine. I just wanted to talk to you about something." He looks at Alex and he got right away that he needs to leave them because they'll discuss something just between class presidents. Alex looked at Layla and she just nodded at him, telling him she's going to be fine then he leaves with his tray but with giving side-eyes of the guy.

Once Alex leaves Layla mentioned for him to take a sit and he did. "Anyway, as I was saying, I wanted to let you know that the teachers and the principal decided to have an early sports fest next week and we need to prepare these remaining days. As hard and stressful as it sounds, it's better for all of us, to make this school alive again." He started, looking at her with emotionless eyes.

Layla nods agreeing and not thinking about anything else. "You're right. Then what can I do help?"

"You need to hold a meeting in your class and prepare to lead them in arranging and assembling the courts but you'll be assigned in a specific court to handle. You also need to help us do the speech and such. We're going to have a meeting about the rest later after class ends. Just wait for further instructions."

"Wait but how can we be given instructions when we haven't even elected the new student council president?" Layla asks while still examining his bruises and cuts on his face but he remains emotionless.

"That'll be also held later and we will have a meeting about that." He stands up and gave her a nod. "Well, that's all. Please stand by for further instructions and orders by the principal and the previous student council president."

He was supposed to leave but Layla holds his wrist, stopping him and he looks back at her while glancing at her hand on his wrist, cheeks slowly starting to heat up from having a crush on her.

"What's your name?" Layla asked him and let go of his wrist.

"M-my name?" He clears his throat and fixed his posture. "My name's Jace. Nice to meet you."

Layla nods and smiles at him, already forgiving him. "I'm Layla but you know that already, nice to meet you too. Are you okay? Did my classmates did this to you?" Layla said while looking at his face.

"It's fine, I'm fine. And uh...condolence and sorry for your loss." He says to her, again with emotionless eyes.

Layla smiles. "Thanks. Well, I hope you're going to be fine and sorry on behalf of my classmates. Take care of yourself, see you later, Jace."

Finally, a small smile breaks into his lips and nodded. "Thank you as well. And...I'm sorry for disrespecting you, I promise you that I didn't mean that and I was just stupid at that time."

Layla chuckles. "I'll forgive your behavior but please, watch it and tone yourself down."

He smiled and nodded. "Yeah, sure. See you later, I guess."

"Yeah, see you!" Then he left, leaving her alone while Alex walks back again to where Layla's sitting and sat beside her.

"Are you out of your mind? What if he does that again?" Alex asked her while sipping on his apple juice. Layla shakes her head and proceeded to eat.

"One mistake can be forgiven and I doubt that he'll ever do that again after Mark and his friends beat his face badly that I felt bad and sorry. Besides, he does look nice and he just looks like he doesn't know how to approach and ask a girl out. He's cute." Layla said like it's not a big deal and Alex snorts and scoffs.

"Ha! That? Cute? You literally have gone crazy." Alex said while frowning at her.

"Maybe I have but that doesn't give you the right to order me around and telling me what do to and who's cute and not. So stop, you're annoying and you're not adorable." She tells him straightforwardly and Alex's mouth opens wide in disbelief.

"Aw, why you gotta insult me like that?" Alex pouted and whined like a kid.

Layla grins. "You said to insult you harder and now I'm being harsh to you, doing exactly what you wanted me to tell you so now shut your mouth and eat your food before the bell rings."

Alex pouted and nodded, listening to her and eating quietly while Layla chuckles at him and thinks. 'Maybe I should give having a friend a try, just like what Arthur told me because he'll be happy and proud after seeing and knowing that I'm taking his advice to myself. And, I like Alex, he's a friend material, like those characters that I read in books about having a boy friend, and maybe I can try to be like that besides he even carried me and his shirt got soaked, so I own Alex one.'

She nods, keeping to herself that she thinks of him as her friend now while they eat in peace.