~Chapter 2~ [EDITED]

'The sudden whirling of the approached person startled the approaching one. The approached one gazed at the intruder in a scrutinizing gaze. The intruder was a battered up kid who had bandages around his neck, wrists and a large plaster around his ankle that looked bigger than his skimpy, thin leg. Both the startled people stared at each other cautiously until a ball broke the trance between them.'

Emilia sat back at the homeroom class along with the gloomy nerd of the front bench while their other classmates went in search of their classrooms allotted as per their subjects. The old devil closed the door and beckoned both of them to the podium.

She addressed to the nerd in front of her in a warm tone. "Mr. Sanders you are a very diligent student. You have always done well in my subject and in the other subjects as well. So, I'd like to ask you a small favor." Throwing a distasteful glance at the girl beside him, she continued; "I'd like you to help out and guide Miss Johannes here to prevent her from failing in my subject."

The cap clad head which was a bit bowed until now straightened up after hearing the last sentence. Since his eyes are totally covered due to the brown cap, it couldn't be understood what emotion they showed but just a simple nod was the answer to the teacher's request.

When the annoyed girl shut the sliding door with a light thud behind her, her introvert (?) classmate had taken a few steps ahead. Upon getting her whiff of light perfume, Rio turned slightly towards her and fumbled with his fingers, opening his mouth but closing again, hesitating to speak.

Emily spoke before the guy could utter anything; "Look here man, I really don't give two shits about that old crone's subject, if you host a study session you may not find me at all. If you have anything to say then speak up! I don't have all the time of the world for you!" In return, a small mumble emerged from the shy (?) boy in front of her.

"What was that? I couldn't hear you."

Now a whisper came.

"Unfortunately babe, despite my young age, I happen to be a bit on deaf side, so until and unless you speak up loudly I can't hear you!" This did the magic as a husky yet meek voice stuttered from the lips of the sharp jaw line's owner.

"T-then w-when wo-would you b-be f-free to st-s-start th-the study se-session?"

Unlike the anti-social(?) in front of her, Emily had had experience with men and boys, but never ever she had heard such a voice, that too from a boy of her age. Emily wouldn't lie, the way he asked seemed as if he was asking her out on a date, but her heart did skip a beat in a naughty way earning a light blush on her cheeks, which she somewhat fought away and replied "Hmm lemme see…how about never? Honestly didn't you hear what I said? I don't give a damn about that hag and her subject or whatever."

"B-but i-if you d-don't s-st-study you'll you'll f-fail!"

"And you care because-?"

"-because-because…you are my responsibility?"

Something tore off from Emily's chest and reflected from her mouth. She realized it seconds later that it was a laugh of mockery. She hung her head and laughed as if the other kid had told her a massive funny joke. Then she straightened up; "Still not interested in this responsibility of yours."

Miss Late-comer strode off without any further ado leaving behind the hopeless, gaping supposed tutor, who didn't know what to do but soon started to sprint in the opposite direction as soon as he realized that the bell for next class had rung long time ago. Thankfully, being an A+ student indeed had its perks of being in teacher's good books as Miss Black generously allowed him in her class upon seeing the huffing and sweating Rio.

"Ehhhhhhh! She asked you to tutor Emily Johannes?"

"Yup."

"Waahhaoowww. That hag really went nuts for sure."

"What?" the anti-social boy looked at his only friend Luke, whilst nibbling on an apple.

"But I tell ya that she'd probably ghost you before you could even tutor her." Luke snickered.

"Um…why? She'll fail if she doesn't study." Rio tried to reason, his nibbled apple now rolling on the plate.

"Booze and party are her only expertise, duh!" Rio shifted uncomfortably at his friend's remark. "No wait don't tell me you don't know anything abou-" Luke couldn't even finish her statement when a sound muffled the usual chatter of the entire cafeteria.

Some beefy, muscled boys strode to the lone table at the corner of the cafeteria, whom the students understood to be a part of soccer team, purposely pushing the metal table with a ear-covering shrill screech.

"Which loser is Rion Swan among you?"

"Huh?" Luke gave a blank face.

The bleach blonde speaker, who was wearing a head band on his forehead, tied behind his head repeated in a frustrated manner; "Ya'll fuckers are deaf or somethin'? I SAID WHO IS THIS FUCKING SWAN THAT DARED TO TUTOR EMILY?!"

"Um...dude, you won't find any swan in the school. If you want to see one either visit a zoo or a lake-whaa-!" The angry blonde didn't allow poor Luke to finish his sentence, before he was grabbed by the collar.

"Since you're blabbering so much, it seems like you're that bastard who dared to make a move on her!"

"Oh no! It's not me! I am Luke Coswell!"

"Uh…that'd me. I-I am Rio Sanders." A raised hand from a trembling figure grabbed the attention of the bleach blonde.

"Oh so you're that moron huh?" Luke was dropped down as the tall guy; Danny looked down at the skinny boy sitting with a plate containing a nibbled apple. He let loose of Luke who fell back on the chair. However, the bleach blonde didn't simply let the previous boy off the hook so easily for he shoved the boy's head into his half eaten pasta on the plate.

"How dare a pesky fly like you dared to set his eyes on a 'Queen' like Emily?"

"I-I di-did-"

"Uh-huh! So you do admit!"

"N-no I m-mean i-it-"

"Listen here chicksy! I don't want your ill presence near her at all! You get it? Or do I have to explain you again?" The bleach blonde started to crack his knuckles making the cap clad gulp and nod. Only when the muscled guys marched out of the cafeteria did both the boys heave a sigh of relief.

Luke looked piteously at his friend. Rio Sanders is a good guy, the facts that make him unapproachable and a background character are his social anxiety, half covered face, baggy clothes, his stutter and his quiet demeanor. Other than these, he's quite a fun guy to be with. Even though Rio himself is not much of a talker, he is a very good listener as he listens to Luke's blabber all the time and provides with necessary inputs when required.

At present, the chatter of the cafeteria have died and all eyes are fixed on a certain lone table making Rio nervous and uncomfortable so much that the boy abandoned his apple and escaped the cafeteria and locked himself inside a stall of boy's washroom.

He closed his eyes, started to take deep breaths as he counted.

"Ten…,nine….,eight….seve-"

He was rudely interrupted when some people decided to open the washroom door with full force and walked inside. When they were doing the deed, their conversation made the boy inside the stall's blood run cold.