//1// Run while you can

Arsenal walked down the hallway, his hand clutched to his notebook like he was hugging them. He wasn't shy but his shirt had quite an embarrassing stain that needed to be hidden until he was in the backseat in class.

Just like any other day, Arsenal expected the same routine, the insults and mockery from students on his way to the hall, he had grown immune to their verbal assaults, but still expected them anyway.

However, today was different, none paid attention to him as he walked past them. There were no 'Hey rag boy!' And there was no, 'sup church rat!'

It appears that the upcoming test has taken a toll on everybody's mental health and they focused on getting their exam passes other than to mock him.

But just before he could thank the heavens for a seemingly quiet day, he heard a familiar voice call his name from behind. It wasn't an insult, and the caller's tone wasn't harsh either. But this voice gave Arsenal goosebumps.

Without turning around, he increases his pace, hoping that he will get to class before she catches up with him.

"Hey, I'm calling you, please wait!" Lisa called out even louder, but Arsenal walked even faster. If only the students were not tense today, they would have asked him why he refused to stop.

But they all minded their business and he wished that Lisa would do the same.

Ever since she started to date the most feared gangsters on campus, everyone avoided her because of how jealous her boyfriend could be.

One time, he beat the living daylights out of fellow students who approached Lisa to ask for her number, to contact her for a project they had together. It wasn't the first time and it wasn't the tenth. So Arsenal didn't want to make it to the list of Edmonds' victims.

"Why aren't you listening to me, do you know who I am?"

"There she goes with her threats!" Arsenal mumbled, now wondering why the hall was so far away today.

Instead of walking, Arsenal picked up the pace, running through the hallway as fast as his legs could carry him and eventually made it to the lecture hall.

"Oh wow?" The lecturer exclaimed when he saw how the young man rushed in.

"You wanted to make it on time for the exam passes, didn't you?"

"Or maybe he's running away from the students in the hallway haha!"

"Stop it!" The lecturer snapped, and stared at Arsenal from head to toe,

"Did you complete the payment at the administrative office?"

"There was a problem, sir," replied Arsenal,

"I…

"You know how this works don't you? No payment, no passes." The lecturer interjected in a harsh tone.

"I don't have time to deal with this, there are lots of students who need their passes."

"But sir," Arsenal cut him off, there was nothing he hated more than being insulted for not making payments, even though it was true.

"No buts, get out!"

"I've paid," Arsenal argued,

"I wanted to tell you that the accountant ran out of receipt paper and asked me to come back in a few hours to take it. She gave me this note to give you."

Arsenal took out a clean piece of white paper from his pocket, and it had the writing

'Paid in full, signed Mr Morris'

The paper also has a school stamp to make it official. However, this paper was from last year's exam which he has kept safely in case of emergency.

It has saved him once after which he quickly raised the money to pay the accountant later, and he hoped that it would save him today.

He also hoped to get paid from his job at the local grocery store outside the campus, but that wasn't until tomorrow, and the school had a very strict "No pay no pass" policy, but this test was important to him.

"A note?"

The lecturer took the paper from him and accessed it, before nodding his head,

"Here, this is a temporary pass," He handed a green plastic card over to Arsenal,

"I'll give you the other one when I see the receipt."

Arsenal heaved a sigh of relief and took the pass from him. Then without further ado, he walked to the back of the hall and took his seat. The exams will begin the next day, but he wanted to sit back in the hall until he was sure that Lisa had gone.

Meanwhile, just outside the hall, Lisa stood by the window staring at the young man whom she was after, she crossed her arm in frustration and mumbled,

"Alfred is making me chase this fool around like an idiot."

She hissed while taking out her phone, and dialed a certain number.

"Hello," she whispered as soon as the receiver picked up,

"That fool ran into class before I could get any closer to him, he seemed to be avoiding me, but not for long. I'd have to approach him directly."

"Oh, alright," Alfred replied from the other side of the phone,

"And thank you so much for agreeing to do this, Lisa, I owe you big time."

"Hmm," Lisa scoffed,

"Just don't ruin my relationship with Edmond because you want to exert your revenge on this bastard, it's not worth it."

"It's alright, once this is over, I'll not ask for this kind of favor again, I promise."

"Not like I will agree a second time." Lisa quickly disconnected the call and stole a glance at Arsenal once again.

"Run while you can, rag boy."