Truth be told

"Where are we going?" Erin was starting to feel cold after a while. It's a good thing that he wore a t-shirt and shorts, instead of his trunks while practicing swimming. Or he would have been more exposed not only to the air but mainly to this guy's perverted eyes.

He returned to the pool after the class to practice. He was not able to do so for fear that he might embarrass himself in front of the other students. So he decided to just cling on the sides until the session has ended.

"To the clinic, where else? Marc looked quite annoyed at him for some reason.

"Someone might see us together."

"And you're worried about that now? I just resuscitated you in front of Tennesey."

His eyes were wide open.

"It's a CPR." Marc clarified. "Unless you'd prefer him instead of me?"

"Weren't you the one who saved me back there?"

Marc continued to walk carrying him into its arms. But it's not in the direction of the nurse's clinic anymore.

"No. It was Tennesey. I just did the CPR."

"You really wouldn't let that part slip, won't you?"

"The hell, I will." Marc's face was stern. But he can still sense its anger.

"It's not like I wanted to drown and be saved by someone,"

"Good. 'Cause, you should know by now. Those lips already belong to me." its glance suggests that it's clearly making it known to him as well.

Even with the cold slowly slipping through his skin. His cheeks began to feel warm from that remark.

"This isn't the way to the nurse's clinic," he said obviously changing the subject.

They seem to be going in the direction where no students are allowed to wander around.

"It's the back of the building. I'll take you somewhere private to get changed. We'll go home after."

***

"Where could he be? His class certainly ended a few minutes ago." Dylan started to wonder.

Andrei seemed to be getting worried as well.

"Do you think he might've run into that jack-ass Tennesey again?"

"I advise you not to talk about others like that. It's very unbecoming."

"Who cares? It's probably Marc's fault for breaking up with his step-brother. But he didn't push him to commit suicide. And we're both aware that Marc's also a victim there."

Andrei didn't dare to argue anymore.

He saw Reese wandering around with his friend Lizzy. They too were obviously looking for someone.

There was a familiar silence as Reese's eyes met his.

"You're looking for someone?" he was the first to approach the two.

"Yes, our friend Erin. You know, the one that your boss bullied the last time?" Lizzy answered. "He was supposed to be in the gym pool. But when we got there, he's clearly left."

"You said your friend's name is Erin?"

Both Reese and Lizzy's faces turned pale in an instant.

"I think it would be better if we just call him later," Reese started pulling Lizzy away from them. It seemed to be quite in a hurry to leave.

The thought he had earlier easily escaped his mind as he tried to stop the latter from leaving.

"How have you been doing, Reese?"

The latter started to halt. Lizzy on the other hand wondered at her friend's reaction. There seems to be something going on with the two. She just wasn't aware of what it is.

Reese turned to face Andrei. Both have the same sad expression on their faces. Only that they have different reasons for their own grief.

"I'm fine," awkward silence filled the air for a while. "We really need to go."

He watched as Reese left with Lizzy following behind it.

That's when his phone rang.

"Are you alright?" he asked as soon as he recognized Marc's voice.

"Is that Marc?"

He confirmed it with a nod.

"We're still here at the campus."

He fell silent for a while listening to Marc's instructions.

"Okay, you both be careful. We'll wait for you at home."

"Well? What did he say?"

"He said he went somewhere with Erin."

"And he failed to notify us about that?"

"He didn't have to, 'cause he's our boss."

He went straight into the car and started the engine.

"Hey, wait up." Dylan got in before Andrei started maneuvering.

"Don't you find it a little bizarre that Reese's friend's name is also Erin? And that both he and Marc are missing at the same time? And now, Marc calls to say that he's with our Erin. When we haven't even seen her enter the campus grounds?"

Andrei was quiet the whole time listening to Dylan's deductions. The latter may be known as a blabber-mouth. But he's actually smarter than he seems.

"I don't know about you, but something really feels weird about this."

He'd already thought about that. And seeing Reese and Lizzy's reaction earlier. The two might know something that they don't.

Guess, they'll just have to wait and see.

***

"Take a shower." Erin scanned the old apartment for a while.

"Who's place is this?"

"A friend's." that's all Marc had told him.

It went to the cabinet near the bed. And got him some dry, new clothes.

"I should have bought my bag with me if you hadn't played a prince charming earlier."

Marc called a taxi after they went out from the back of the school. A few guards were stationed there. But no one dared to question what they saw. Since Marc was the son of the owner. And they'll be terminated if they ever tipped anything to anyone. But by the looks of it, it's probably not the first time it went out of there that way.

Marc took a deep breath before turning to him. It placed the clothes beside him and leaned to trap him with its arms stretched on both his sides. At the edge of the bed where he sat.

"May I remind you that your knees are still shaking at the moment. Should I have dragged you here instead?"

He had to lean backward in order to give their faces some space.

"You got your point." he pushed Marc slightly away from him. "Now, let me take a shower. I'm about to catch a cold."

Marc just smiled as its eyes followed him to the shower room before closing the door.

It immediately fell sitting on the same spot where he left. Taking a deep breath and letting it all out. Its eyes scanned the place where he promised he'd never come back again.

Marc's hand felt the bed cover like It still feels warm from the other day. When it's already been a year since someone had laid there.

"You don't know how much I miss you right now." tears start to form from the corner of his eyes. As he laid his body slowly onto the bed.

Erin on the other hand was leaning close to the door. He can't help but hear what Marc had just said. And it breaks his heart more than it's hurting at the moment. But what can he do? It's not like he can comfort the latter when it's obviously yearning for someone else?

He carelessly wiped his tears and continued to bathe instead.