CHAPTER TEN: WILL I REALLY END UP LOOSING EVERYTHING

PAUL FIRST PERSON POV:

Peaceful, quiet, just almost perfect

I was starting to myself, the classroom humming with a gentle breeze and the soft murmur of students engrossed in their conversations. Then,

BAAM!

A loud bang ripped through the calm. Pens fell, heads moving back to see what it was, Tension filled the room.

The peaceful, quiet scene turned chaotic, each heartbeat matching the pulse of the mysterious noise.

"What happened!!!!" the synchronized yell of two people was heard, catching many people off guard.

A few minutes have passed since Leo and Lola had burst into the classroom, breaking the silence within the room.

Surprisingly they weren't around during the announcement time because, it seemed, they were busy with their early morning school committee duties.

Yes, right, committee duty.

It's only been a month or few weeks, I guess, since we started first year together, and they're already committee members… Well, it's only the sport committee but it's still super impressive.

Well, it seems like they have calmed down and in their seats after the ruckus they had caused just a few minutes ago.

—FEW MINUTES AGO

"BANG!!"

The sound of the classroom door resonated as two familiar voices in synchrony sounded.

"What happened!!" Leo and Lola yelled, their faces dripping with a little sweat as though they'd run an extra mile again.

With quick steps Lola rushed over to Paul. "Paul, I hope everything's alright, hope you're not injured, no bruises, no cuts, thank God, you're breathing fine…" she spoke with hardly a pause for breath, holding and checking Paul's face, pivoting it left and right.

"Did anyone get killed or lose an arm?!" Leo yelled out to everyone else in the class as his raised voice was filled with worry, which I found a little insulting. "Come on, don't you trust me anymore?" I said internally.

"I'm okay Lola, I just got soaked, that's all, no need to worry. How did you find out about it anyway?" I said while taking hold of Lola's hand which was on my face to try to remove it.

"Uhhh, well you kno…w, just instinct I guess..." Lola said to me, her voice shaking as though she was scared of something, but I was a bit confused about why her face turned red instead and she removed her hand quickly.

She quickly moved over to her seat which was diagonal to the right side of mine.

"And you Leo, what do you mean by if someone is dead, do you really want to think about if I could do it… kill someone, huh?" I said after immediately remembering Leo's previous statement.

"After what happened that Saturday, heck yeah!!"

Leo replied back, his eyebrows raised with certainty.

"That was just a minor incident where I just happened to remember something that pissed me off," I said back trying to stand my ground in this case, cause like, come on.

"And I also just happened to hear someone tried to piss you off by pranking you this morning, so there's nothing you can say about that," Leo attacked back with a solid defense I couldn't see a way to counter.

"Sigh, well despite that, I still can't kill anyone, get that straight," I said realizing my loss in the argument.

"Yeah, sure, Mr I'm-gonna-kill," leo said insultingly as he stared down at me.

"Ooooh, hell no, you seem pretty confident today… wanna go at it?" feeling pretty pissed, I said standing up with a vicious intent on the very area of my fist.

"OK ok ok, it's already going too far, let's just take a breather," Lola said trying to calm the mood down as her sweat of worries were visible.

A voice interrupted them.

"It seems your pretty nosey parents came just on time to check up on you huh, he he," Bucky said trying to insult me.

"HEY! Error. Watch yourself, don't you ever dare talk when I'm here, not if you still cherish your life," Leo, his killing intent immediately boiling up, stared Bucky down in anger, catching Bucky off guard.

"What ever, let me just sit down, and sorry for that statement earlier," Leo said to me moving over to his seat in front of me as I took my seat back too.

"Sure no problem, but my fists're still itching me," I replied as I couldn't stop myself from clenching my fist.

"But still Paul, it seems your grand entrance to class today went swimmingly, literally… I heard everything about the announcement, I'm sure it was fun" Leo, ever so mischievous, still couldn't resist another jab.

Leo with his clean style of jet-black hair and mischievous green eyes, his always neat uniform… what else could you expect from a freaking scholar?

"Want to have such an entrance too? All it takes is just a bucket of water and your face, I could make it happen, just try me…

"Argh, I'm still so pissed right now," I replied as I was still feeling damp and irritated.

"But still such a grand entrance is almost just like a perfect program. It requires timing, finesse, and just the right amount of water — a true masterpiece indeed," Leo smirked, unaffected by my irritation, how much more trouble can this kid be.

"Well, Paul, I did hear once that a wet start of the day brings good luck. Maybe you're in for some unexpectedly great things!" Lola joined in, trying to ease the tension.

With her unforgettably vibrant red ribbon, beautiful black hair, and innocent green eyes that resembled that of her twin brother, she was really so cute.

"If great things involve smelling like a swamp, then sure, Lola, good luck to me," I said sarcastically, shooting her a look.

"You still can't get let go of that stuff, huh? Then let's just track the bastard that did this. I could find the person by just hacking into the school system, and let's get revenge back together, you know, the kind no one will ever forget," Leo, with a sly grin, couldn't resist adding his intent.

"Thanks, but I'll pass on that," still feeling irritated I shot a glance at Leo.

"Come on Paul, regardless of everything I said about the water prank, I still don't like what just happened to you. Let us help find the bastard who did this, and we'll get back at them," Leo replied showing the worries written on his face.

"I said no… No is no!!" I replied crossing my arms with an angry expression written all over my face.

"Ooh, ok," Leo feeling upset muttered quietly.

Sensing the tension in the air, Lola quickly intervened with an awkward tone and did everything to lighten the mood.

"Well, you know what they say about water pranks, right? They always make a big splash! he he, hmmm..

"Ooh yeah Paul, Leo, I broke my track record yesterday, it's now 200 meters, 20.5 seconds, huhh… I got super exhausted yesterday so I couldn't move for a while, funny right? Ha ha ha…"

"Huh," charmed was off I muttered.

As I was caught off guard, not only by her words but by the worries written all over her face, we couldn't help but smile as our tension melted away.

"Sorry about that again… I need to learn to control myself. I sometimes worry you guys might end up leaving me because of this childishness of mine," I said, staring at the ground as my worries started to rise up again.

I sighed lengthily, then continued. "I'm really sorry about the way I retaliated just now, I'm sure it is not expected of a good leader, so I apologize," As I uttered the apology, I forced a smile, to mask the uneasiness in my eyes,

betraying the internal turmoil beneath the surface.

"But wai..." Lola tried to say something.

"Sure no biggie, it not too big of a worry," Leo replied interrupting his sis, and it seemed intentionally. His tone showed there was still something left unsaid and hidden, but just as I was about to ask about what was wrong.

"Yo, noisy idiots, or whatever, can you just shut the fuck up already," Bucky interrupted like an unwanted mosquito just begging to be crushed.

CRASH!!

Leo and Lola, those monsters.

Without a moment's hesitation both quickly moved towards Bucky, already in position to punch his head off...

But quietly held themselves back with everything they had. With the bloodlust of warriors who've killed many, and eyes screaming danger… I could only imagine how Bucky is feeling.

"Hey, do us a favor and shut the fuck up, or else just die," with an overwhelming feeling of anger Leo said, with his eyes narrowed into icy slits, a storm brewing beneath the surface, and Lola's usually cheerful demeanor completely dissappearing,

replaced by a fleeting glimpse of pure irritation. They soon started moving to the back towards their seats, but Leo before sitting said,

"Yo dude. Whoever you are, I don't give a shit, you're pissing me off, you're like a walking irritation, a f**king error.

The one thing I hate the most in this world is people like you, I just want to burn you up. I swear, don't make me take action or else, things will happen— and not in a cool way… so do us a favor and fuck off," Leo's words hung heavy in the air, leaving Bucky visibly shaken.

"Tch," Bucky retreated back into his seat which was at the right end of the row I was on, his anger boiling up deep within him.

The room then descended into utter silence as Leo words still left an awkward atmosphere.

CLICK.

The class door sounded and soon after opened. The eyes of everyone in the class immediately moved towards that side noticing a very familiar face, black hair, tall body,

And an unforgettable smile, long hairstyle that covered one of his eyes coming in with his earpods always plugged in.

"Huh… what happened," Alen said pausing st the door, feeling confused as to why everyone was staring.

Lola, Leo and I exchanged amused glances, as we finally broke into a smile.

Despite the tension from earlier, I couldn't help but notice the peaceful and subtle shift in dynamics.

It was as if a breeze had swept through, dispelling some of the lingering heaviness.

A genuine smile tugged at the corners of my lips, as I silently acknowledged  Alen's impact on the atmosphere.

Watching Alen, Leo, and Lola share a moment, I couldn't stop a brief smile from playing on my face.

"Darn," I exclaimed internally, "too much already happened today…

"But it's kinda a surprise, Nicole didn't even react once. Well, it seems her name matters more to her now than her true self, because I know too well she can't resist an argument… well whatever," I thought as I looked towards where she was sitting, at the front row to my side.

I was just happy I was later able to change my seat position after the first day.

After all my inner thoughts I glanced at Leo and Lola.

CRASH!! TAP TAP!!

The immediate sharp sound of something hitting the floor after falling from my hand echoed through the room, as the sweat dripping from my face was noticeable to everyone.

"Yo Paul, hope everything is alright," Lola said as her voice was filled with worry, and Alen and Leo also looked confused.

"Huh, yeah sure," unsure of myself I just replied back.

But, within that brief moment of me suddenly looking at them, the very devilish smile that has always made my very nightmare flickered on their face for a few milliseconds, but it felt like forever to me.

The faces of the only people I could actually look at have finally started to scare me.

"What? Why? Why is this happening to me?

"I'm scared. Will I really end up losing the only friends I have?"