I was almost halfway through my exam when I heard hushed voices near the classroom door, Mr. Stay-away-from-me-London stood there, barely looking ashamed.

"Being your year's swim team  representative does not give you any right to bail on my subject's exam, Mr. Bazin!!"
The professor yelled at Lorenzo but it seemed it didn't have any effect on him as it did on the rest of us. Unbothered by the whole scene, he finally walked to his seat, collecting the answer sheet in his wake.

The professor was very much annoyed by the lack of response but finally keeping her anger at bay, she left Enzo alone, to go about with the test.

"How can someone be so unbothered," thinking I glanced towards Neil and Felix, they nodded at me as though agreeing with my thoughts.

I looked back to my paper and tried to comprehend the literature vocabulary of the verse,

"These violent delights have violent ends
And in their triumph die, like fire and powder
Which, as they kiss, consume"

"Why, why the fuck this happens to me! I had read this over and over the whole night, and still here I am!" I cussed myself mentally and started looking around anxiously,
I saw Lorenzo writing his paper so diligently that someone might mistake him for a nerd.

Oh man! The duality

The professor moved around and collected our exam paper when the time was up.

Felix ,Neil and I  submitted our respective sheets as I frustrated walked out of the class, almost running into a wall.

"What was that about?" Neil asked, as he pulled me before I can walk into the wall headfirst.

"I studied the whole thing over and over.And they asked How do you link identity with ideology? What does that even-"

"It's fine!"Felix cut in.

"It's not!" I exclaimed,"I was so confident this morning.Maybe I shouldn't have taken up this subject, not a smartass like you!" I said with a  pointed glance at Felix.

Felix pulled a show of shuddering, as though my eyes scared him. That made me and Neil laugh.

And just then, in no time, I was knocked down by Lorenzo, rushing through the the crowd, as the students made their way out of the exam hall. He must have finished his test late, but what's with his constant rush. Pretending the typical Highschool good-looking jock.

lunatic

"Hey!" I yelled.

"You got some problem, huh?"
He didn't even look at us when he rushed out shouting over the crowd.

Just when I was going to burst out with some equally bitchy reply, Neil's calm voice, almost a whisper lessened my anger,
"Let it go, it's not worth it, he is not worth it"he said stressing on he.

"I've done absolutely no harm to him. Why does he hate me so much?"

"Huh, playing hard to get." Felix murmured.

Dude what does that even-

"C'mon," Neil said giving me a hand to help me up, watching Lorenzo as he walked away, still in his rush, with that smirk on his face. A smirk that I badly wanted to slap away.

I pushed the thoughts of punching Lorenzo's pretty face to the back of my mind, as Neil started talking.

"Hey, are y'all coming to the swimming court?"

I gave him a confused look,"Swimming court? Why?"

"Oh don't you remember! You were the one who told me about it. That your friends are the sophomore representatives."

"Dude! Friends? Really?" I knew he was mocking me.

"Okay, maybe not the guy you're never having a truce with." He started laughing looking at my creased forehead.

"I must have forgotten about it. Most probably because of Kipling", I spit out the poet's name with as much venom I could muster.

Just then my phone suddenly blared at its high volume.

I quickly pulled it out, silencing it, and also to stop the people in the hallway from giving me those cynical looks. I guess I should probably take up Clarice's advice and change my caller tune.

I put the cell to my ears, which went numb by the sudden screech from the other side as Clarice spoke,

"Hey Edwards! Where are you? You done with your British Lit? Bring your pretty ass here this very moment. Ahhh....these guys from St. Mark's college are super hot."

"Hey, I am here too you know, who apparently is your boyfriend."

I heard Kai saying in the background.

"So what? I see beauty, I appreciate it!"

I smiled at their childish bickering as I ended the call, not bothering to answer.

Neil and I reached the swimming court when my eyes fell on Clarice, who was wearing our college's sweatshirt with 'Kai' written on the back. We both made our way towards her.

"Where's Kai?" I asked her noticing his absence.

"He is with the other club members in the changing room, they're apparently having their last club meeting before the competition."

"Okay, okay."

"What? Why are looking at me like that?"
She said giving me a quizzical look.

I didn't quite get what look of mine she assumed I was giving her. I was probably just checking out the representatives of the participating colleges.

"Our college guys are way better in looks," I laughed at the face she gave me afterwards.

"And who is this?"she asked drawing my attention to Neil who was standing there awkwardly the whole time.

"I'm so sorry I should have introduced you guys. This is Neil, he's a sophomore and he's in my British Lit class."

And looking at Neil I said,
"And this is the over excited, high pitched girl I am always talking about, Clarice."
He was giving his warm smile to her the entire time.

"Hey, I'm not that loud," Clarice whined loudly.
And we all laughed at the irony.

"It was nice to meet you Clarice." Neil scratched the back of his neck, as he addressed Clarice formally, and yet quiet awkwardly. "I'll hop out now."

"Where are you going?" I knew it was awkward for him, but I wanted him to meet my friends.

He signalled towards the pair standing near the bleachers,"I told Felix I'll sit with him, he said that he didn't want to be alone." Neil said making up a quick, foolish lie.

Felix seemed anything but alone, deep in conversation with Cherry. He looked at Cherry as though he held the whole galaxy in his eyes. I didn't want Neil to ruin their moment, but he didn't share the same sentiments as he hopped off towards the pair of lovebirds.

I simply huffed at the death glare Felix threw at Neil when he cut in through their conversation.

My eyes crinkled as I stared at my two mates bickering, but my smile faded the very moment, as a figure rushed towards us.

"Where's Kai?" Lorenzo enquired, hurriedly, I might add.

"Why's this guy always rushing?"I said murmuring to no one in particular.
Seemingly no one noticed my murmur either.

"He is in the changing room with the others. Shouldn't you be there as well? What happened?" Clarice asked.

"Those assholes haven't yet delivered the lunch packages for the food stalls. The delivery was supposed to be here an hour ago. We can't wait any longer I'll have to go there myself."

"Can't you ask anyone else to go instead?" Clarice asked.

"The senior student council members are all busy with handling the other colleges. And Kai and I were the ones who ordered for delivery from Pop's."

"And what about the competition?" I jumped in.

"We still have an hour, I  could make it back in time."
That was the first normal sentence he had spoken to me, in a whole month.

"Pop's is half an hour drive from here. You won't be able to get back in time." Clarice was concerned.

"Our college is hosting the event. We can't let the others down from our behalf. I have to go find Kai."
He looked genuinely worried.

"Enzo you can't take Kai with you. One of you has to stay. If you can't make it in time someone has to represent the sophomores. Take Edwards with you."

I looked at Clarice in a shock.
"There's no way I am going with this person!" I spat out.

"Excuse me. I'm right here. And I am not interested in going with you either. Don't be so full of yourself."

"Says the one who carries his smug face everywhere."

"You guys! Stop with your cat and dog banter. Right now this isn't about you two. It's about our college. Get going now," Clarice said checking the time from her cell.
"You don't have much time to spare."

And just like that we were shoved out of the court by the chirpy girl.

"What are you doing there? You can still change your mind. I haven't got time to waste anyway." he tried to keep himself from avoiding our usual banter as I eyed his jeep.

To say the least the jeep was too good to be true. It was a Thar but he had modified it to look like a death machine, but instead of running off for my life, I felt a rush of thrill.

I had gained my love for bikes and cars from Ray, my cousin. He was the one who had taught me how to ride. I remember the time when I was just thirteen, and my feet barely reached the ground as I sat on my cousin's bike. Turning the key in the ignition, I started the bike and rotated the accelerator, wanting to try something new.

The bike started to rush through the streets. The balance came naturally and the rush of adrenaline was thrilling. But my happiness didn't stand for long, as my heart dropped to my stomach when I realised, I didn't know how to stop the whole machine.
I remember how Ray had ran with all his might as he stopped the bike before I could get myself killed, falling off the cliff.

"Are you coming or not?" Lorenzo shouted frustrated, breaking me out of my reverie. Face palming myself I got on, as I thought how much of an idiot I must have looked as I gaped at the jeep with my mouth open.

I suddenly got thrown towards my side as he took a sharp right. I was going to murder Clarice for making me do this. I sighed heavily. This was gonna be one hell of a ride.

~¤~         

(A/N: So who's up for a highway trip? I'm certainly in need of one.
The other day my dad and I  sneaked off to the beach amidst the lock down:/  but we left before any one could  throw us back into our shelter;)

Anyway I'm lovin' Clarice's chirpiness. How are you all liking the characters so far? Any questions and suggestions are welcome.

Don't forget to vote y'all!  -Aarch)

Also for those who wanted to know London's ringtone, here it is!