During the recess, Louise went to 1-C to talk to Jerome. Ryan came there too with Malcolm. But MJ did not want to go. Clarence. He did NOT want to be in the same room as him. So, he decided to have his lunch with Zalia. She must be at the terrace like usual. He went upstairs, and upon opening the terrace door, he found her there, she was kissing a guy. MJ dropped his melon bread.

She looked at him, "Mitchelle? What are you doing here?"
"Hah-Ah-I was here to... have lunch with you!"
"Who is this?" The guy asked her.
"He's my little brother's friend,"
"Hey there, lil' bro" He shook hands with MJ. He was so much taller than him, so big and strong. He had a firm hand grip, he wore a MAGA cap and he had a well-groomed face with deep brown eyes. MJ looked at him with awe, "Well, Mitchelle, let me introduce you guys. This is Zack-"
"Actually, I gotta go,"

MJ ran downstairs. He dashed into 1-C and hugged Louise. "Louiseeee!" He cried and suddenly stopped, "Louise...Damn, you got pecks and..." He squeezed his arms, "Solid biceps!"
"If you're done feeling me up, we're talkign about important shit,"
"Like what?"
"Like a band competition that's coming up in Flemendale High. We gotta go,"
"Aren't we like technically grounded?" MJ asked.

"Louise, we need to get another singer. If we tell Mr Wilson that MJ won't sing, maybe he'll let us go," Jerome said.
"MJ," Louise looked at MJ, "Look for a singer, you heard him,"
"Maybe my sister could help?" Ralf said, "She is a good singer,"
"Really? Let's talk to her after school!"
"I will!" They heard the recess bell, "Alright, see you guys after school!" Ralf waved and walked back to his class. Louise and MJ sat together in his next class. MJ looked at Louise, he had Zalia's eyes. And her lips. And her nose too. They looked quite similar to each other. Thinking of Zalia made MJ sad. He's never be like the guys she always dated. She was out of his league.

That afternoon, he walked back home by himself. Louise had gone for his training with Tony again and Ralf and Jerome went to Chelsea to ask her to become the band vocalist. He felt very lonely. Not because he was walking back home alone, he could've just taken the bus... But because, he wanted to be with Zalia. She was so close to him, yet so far. They could talk about the most interesting things ever, and then not talk again for weeks. He knew she would never date him, he was born too late.

Somebody suddenly hugged MJ, he flinched, "Louise!"
"It's me, Mitchelle," It was Clarence. MJ gave him an ugly look, "Oh, you. What do you want?"
"You looked like such a lonely figure, walking down the street by yourself. I thought you might need some good company!"
"No, thank you. I am very good," MJ was a bit annoyed. Clarence wrapped his hands about MJ's arm and smiled at him, "Should we go out and eat something?"

Well, if this would help him distract himself from all the mess that was unravelling itself in his heart, why not?

"Okay, let's go,"
"I'm going to take you to a Korean eatery. Have you ever eaten Japchae?"
"What the hell is that?"
Clarence laughed, "It's noodles with vegetables and a fried egg,"
"Yeah, I need that,"

They reached a small Korean fast food chain.
"Alright, this stuff. It's spicy!" MJ drank some water. Clarence told something to cook in an Asian language.
"You know Chinese?"
"No?"
"What was that?"
"Korean. I'm Korean,"

"Oh... That's like a city in China?"
"No, it's another country...dumbass," He said.
"Don't call me a dumbass,"
"You are a dumbass. You don't even know how to open a condom-"
"Just let it go already! I've learned it now," MJ drank his mint-lemon soda.

Clarence watched him eat. "I hope we can do this again," He smiled, "I enjoyed it,"
MJ nodded, "I'll see," But truth is, MJ enjoyed it too. He was happy Clarence did not do something weird. He was a good guy afterall, when he was not trying to be close to him.

"Should we exchange numbers?"
"Sure," Maybe they could be friends if he stopped being weird to him. MJ noted his name down in his contact book. He looked into Clarence's phone, "Daddy <3"
"CHANGE THAT!"
"What? Why? I like it,"
"JUST PUT MITCHELLE THERE!"
"Okay, fine!"

"Good. See you at school tomorrow,"
"See ya!" Clarence turned to go back home as he looked into his phone, "Daddy Mitchelle <3"

MJ came back home and lay on his couch in his room, looking up at the ceiling, wondering what Zalia would be doing. She's probably making out with Zack right now, isn't she? Mitchelle looked at his phone, his finger hovered over Zalia's contact information. He opened the chatbox and began typing, "Zalia, are you free tomorrow? We should meet up for some guitar practice together!" MJ paused at send, then he deleted his message and started afresh, "Zalia, there's one chord progression I don't understand, can you show me how its done tomorrow?" His finger paused at the send button again, "Zalia, you want to go out with me tomorrow? I know a Korean eatery!" No. Too direct. Too straightforward. Charm your way into it, Mitchelle. 

MJ turned on his stomach and looked into his phone. He deleted the message and sent a meme instead. He waited for her reply, she wasn't online. She was definitely making out Zack! He looks like he likes her, she likes him too. He's not fourteen. Zalia would never like you, MJ. Go for someone else. This will never go anywhere. Have some self-respect! 

MJ took a shower, wrote in his diary, 

Dear Diary, 

Louise is distant. I don't know what to do. I haven't had a good conversation with him for weeks. He's always by himself or with Tony, always working out, eating. But what's the point? He still lets Henry get to his nerves, shove him into his locker when he passes by him in the morning, kick him in his balls during physical education, take his money. Clearly, gym isn't working for him. I wish he would soon realize that sometimes, its just not meant to be...the way you want it. 

MJ liked writing his thoughts down. Whenever he felt anxious, writing always calmed him, took his frustration out. He always kept a diary, gave them funny names by the end of the year, sometimes read old diary entries to laugh at himself and how silly his mind could be. 

The buzz of his phone ended with a touch of his fingers in the morning. He got up from his white sheets, ruffling his hair, wishing the night could last longer. He hadn't slept well at all. His mathematics notebook lay on the floor. He got out, took a shower, put his clothes on and picked up his books, threw them in his bag. He rolled on some deodorant and ruffled his hands through his hair as he walked towards the kitchen. He ate fried egg, bread and butter with coffee. 

"Honey, how's school?" His mother asked as she spread jam across Ralf's bread loaf, "How are your friends?"
"It's good, mom," MJ said as he ate his toast, looking into his phone. She hadn't seen it yet. He deleted his message, "My friends are good too,"
"Brother, have you written any new song recently?" Ralf asked as he drank his glass of milk.
"No," MJ's green eyes looked into Ralf's green eyes, "I haven't... I should,"

MJ got into the bus, Tony waved at him. He sat in the front seat, away from all the hubbub of the backseats. At school, Louise slept on the chair, the one beside him was empty. MJ walked towards it, "Louise, good morning!"
Louise opened his eyes and looked at him like he was dead fish, "Hi,"
"Jacked off too much last night?"
Louise nodded, "Too much. Wait- NO!" He got up, "I was doing my math homework! Also," He looked at Louise, "Why didn't you come for the band practice today? We all were waiting for you. We're working on a new song, right?"

"Yeah, my bad. I... had to nut before I came to class and it took too long,"
"You disgust me," Louise rolled his eyes, "Come there after school. We need to win the competition, you know. Shut the baldie up that our club is no good,"
"Mhmm," MJ looked at the clouds in the sky through the window. 
"Are you even listening to me?"

"How's Zack?" MJ asked. 
"Zack? Zalia's boyfriend?"
"Yeah. How is he?"
"I mean... He's a chill guy,"
"Do you like him?" MJ asked. 
"Yeah. I do. Why?"
"Hmm..." MJ crossed his arms, "I don't like him at all,"
"Good thing you're not dating him then,"

MJ suddenly had a light bulb moment. During the recess, he ran into Class 1-C. Clarence sat on his desk, reading a novel and munching on some dried cranberries. MJ went towards him and sat on the seat in front of him, facing towards him, "Claire!"
Clarence looked up and a beam of happiness passed through his face, "Mitchell! Oh my god, you came here to meet me?"
"Yes, I want to ask you for a favor!"

"Are you kidding me? YES! What is it?" Clarence asked him with a smile. It was the first time his classmates had seen him talk to someone, and smile at that. He was so reserved, they thought he didn't speak. But guess he wasn't mute after all. 

"I want you to seduce this guy. His name is Zack. He's a senior from another high school, he's seventeen. And...He's dating my friend's sister-"
"Zalia,"
"Yeah... You know Zalia?"
"Yeah," Clarence smiled, "Who doesn't know Zalia. She's...gorgeous,"
"Yeah, that's true. She is. But getting back to the point, I'm so worried about her safety when he's around. I think he is a creep,"

"So, you want me to seduce this guy-"
"-Cosplaying as a girl-"
"Cosplaying as a girl... and if he does falls for that, what then?"
"I'll record and I'll show it to Zalia. And rest is up to her,"
"Okay, I get that you're worried about your friend's sister. But... This is a lot of effort for me," Clarence said. 

"...Yeah?"
"So, what do I gain from this?"
"I have cash,"
"I don't want cash,"
"Card?"
"What? No, dumbass," This was probably Clarence's new thing at the tip of his tongue, "dumbass", "I want you to take me to Chelsea Nolan's Halloween party. You're friends with her brother, right?"
"Deal!" That was easy. He could easily get an extra invitation card from Ryan. 

Clarence smiled, "Okay, give me Zack's Instagram,"

-To be continued