"Hey, Angelo? Angelo!"

My eyes snapped up from my phone and fixated on Hans. "What?"

Frowning, he replied, "Mehn, what's up? You've been smiling at your phone for the past few minutes!"

Oops.

Quickly, I put on a poker face. "Are you crazy?"

"Believe me, I'd think the same if I hadn't seen it for myself. So, what's softening the king of glares heart, eh?" Seth grinned, wiggling his eyebrows at me. "Is there a special someone in your life we don't know about?"

I rose an eyebrow at him. "Quite frankly, I don't see how it'll be any of your business if there is." I turned to Hans, "Is there a reason you were trying to get my attention?"

Hans said, "I was trying to let you know that I didn't organize that party last week."

"Hmm? Oh, cool."

Hans rose an eyebrow at me. "Don't you even want to know why?"

I normally would have, but the vibrations on my leg courtesy of my phone were distracting.

Stupid Aimee and her memes!

Still, I replied, "I didn't think I'd have to tell you that for you to know."

After our truce, few people would have thought that Hans and I still had any beef with each other. After all, we'd been all cordial smiles and jokes since then (well, he'd been all jokes.) But every now and then, I couldn't help but drop a 'light-hearted jab' at him. If the way his jaw tightened anytime I did was anything to go by, my messages hit him in their intended format.

Andy nudged Hans. "Angelo's right, it's not so hard to figure out, you know."

Forcing a playful grin on his face, Hans replied, "Shut the fuck up! We all know that the chick you've been messing around with has sucked up your last few brain cells."

Andy frowned. "Woah, she's not just some chick I'm messing around with, okay? I'm actually serious about her."

Jeers and laughter broke out across the table.

I smirked at him. "Well, who would have known, the school's biggest fuck boy falls for someone. How did you two meet? Did you bump into her as she was on her way to ask for extra homework?"

Andy's face flushed as the storm of laughter increased. Grinning, he said, "Cassie is as far from a nerd as they come."

"Too bad," Hans grinned. "I heard the quiet ones are the freakiest at night!"

It took a full two minutes before the laughter finally began dying down. At some point, Andy began laughing half-heartedly.

When the jeers had slowed to a near-halt, Hans looked at me. "Anyways, the reason I didn't throw it is that Halloween's this Friday. Someone's probably gonna throw a party then, so I figured we might as well be the ones to do it."

I nodded. "Alright, but how was Dylan's party, though?"

Suddenly, all the other residents at the table began glancing at one another.

Grinning, Hans replied, "Rather...interesting, to be honest. But you'll probably find out about it later today."

I sighed. "Can you just-"

Ring!

As soon as the bell sounded, Hans and everyone else darted out of their seat and rushed to the cafeteria's exit.

. . .

I was supposed to have History then, but something came up, so Mr. Howard had moved up his math class. As if that wasn't bad enough, the first thing he called out when everyone had settled down was, "Good morning, class! Please pass your homework sheets to the front row."

I had no idea such even existed!

He stared at me as everyone else passed their sheets to the front row.

I mimicked his expression as his lips tilted slightly upwards.

After everyone else had submitted, Mr. Howard smirked. "Angelo, can you tell me why I haven't seen your work?"

I shrugged. "'Cause you haven't checked?"

People began snickering.

Mr. Howard's smirk grew malicious. "Is that so? So you're telling me that if I check among these sheets now, I'll find yours?"

"No, I didn't submit anything. But you can still check though."

"By the way you're running your mouth, I see you don't understand the kind of trouble you're in!"

I let out a mock gasp, leaning forward. "Sorry, I forgot that missing an assignment is grounds for expulsion! An assignment, which I might add, I have no recollection of you handing out."

"That's because I didn't-"

"There," I settled back into my seat, smirking, "that's hardly my fault, now is it?"

"-I announced that I was giving it to Serena so she could hand out to everyone!"

So that's why I didn't get one!

Still, I shrugged. "Shouldn't you be yelling at Serena then?"

Selena coolly replied, "I'm sorry, is it my fault that you can't even wait for five minutes after school?"

Mr. Howard's said, "No, of course not. Mr. Smith should have had the common sense to go to you and ask for a copy."

The smirk on my face became more malicious than smug. "Excuse me?"

"Don't take that tone with me, young man!"

I clenched my fists. You'll think that after your first encounter with me, you'd have known better than to pull the age card.

He continued, "As for your punishment, I expect you to show up here during your lunch break. Not only would you do the assignment then, but you'll also be getting some extra work."

My fingernails dug into my palm under the table. Yet, my face was stoic as I shrugged. "No problem, sir. You don't have to pull something like this just to get some company during lunch break, though."

His nostrils flared. "Excuse me?"

"No problem, you're excuse-"

"Get out of my class and don't come back until you've gotten respect!"

Well, that didn't take long!

I feigned a puzzled look. "Sir-"

"Now!"

I gathered my things then headed to the door.

As I was leaving the class, Mr. Howard began ranting, "You see, this is my problem with your generation-"

. . .

I spent the rest of the period in the library, then headed to literature when the time came. After that, it was recess. Although Mr. Howard's class was not on the path to the cafeteria, I made a point of turning around and strolling past it. Of course, I faced the glass in the door as I walked past. Unfortunately, Mr. Howard's notes held his attention.

"Hi!"

I jerked back a little as a girl stepped in front of my path. A quick search through my memories revealed it was someone I'd met before. She was the girl that'd been reluctant to leave Aimee during my vending machine scheme.

I rose an eyebrow at her. "Hey. Can I help you with something?"

Her eyes widened. "Oh, so you do remember me!"

"Obviously. It's...Natasha, right?"

"What, Natasha? Wow!" She laughed. "It's Nabila, actually. Anyways, I just wanted to actually have a conversation with the boy Aimee has been talking so much-"

Aimee brushed past me, falling in step with Nabila. "Oh my goodness, shut up, Bila!"

Stuffing my hands in my pocket, I smirked. "Well, that's hardly a surprise. Aimee does seem rather obsessed with me."

Aimee scoffed. "Oh please, even you can't be that delusional! What Nabila failed to mention is that I'm usually complaining about you!"

Nabila shot me an apologetic grin. "Yeah, that's kinda true."

I shrugged. "Well, you know what they say, the ones we hate are the ones we love."

Aimee furrowed her brow. "What? That doesn't even make any sense!"

"Aww!" Nabila gushed. "You guys would be cute together."

In sync, Aimee and I both glared at her. "Are you out of your mind?"

Still grinning, Nabila took a few steps back. "Calm, I'm just stating my opinion, that's all! I know Dylan's still in the picture."

Aimee groaned. "I swear Bila, you are-"

A loud thump drowned out her voice. We all took off in the direction of the noise.

. . .

It turned out that Seth had produced the sound. Well, not on purpose, if the ape that was holding him against the lockers was anything to go by.

Said ape was also known as Aarav Anand, an Indian guy that usually hung out with Dylan. His lips were thinly drawn at that moment.

Although Aarav towered over him, Seth shoved away from the hand that was clutching his shirt. "Dude, what is your problem? So I broke up with your sister, big deal! Break-ups happen all the-"

"If you dare complete that sentence, I swear I'll bash your fucking nose in! You fucking used my sister, you sick faggot!"

"I'm bisexual, not gay! I broke up with your sister because I lost feelings for her, so it has nothing to do with any guy! Anyways, I think Prisha is quite over it if the way she was snogging-"

"Shut the fuck up, Clain! Just shut the fuck up!"

"I've had enough of this bullshit," Aimee murmured.

Before she could take a step forward, I grabbed her hand, drawing her attention to me. "Let me handle this."

She looked conflicted for a few moments before grudgingly nodding.

Letting go of her hand, I strolled nearer to the point where Seth and Aarav were glaring at each other. "Good afternoon, Aarav. Is there a problem here?"

Aarav's eyes snapped towards me. "This doesn't concern you, Smith, so stay the fuck out of this."

I smirked. "See, that's where you're wrong. You just made it concern me. I suggest you back off right now. Believe me, the fact that you're bulkier than me isn't going to stop me from flooring you faster than you can say 'fag.'"

Aarav's jaw tightened, but he made no move against me, as expected. After all, Dylan had also been bulkier than me when I'd broken his nose. It also didn't help that Aarav's long, hooked nose screamed 'target' to my fist.

"I'll be there to stomp on you after he's knocked you down," Mitch added, stepping beside me.

After a moment of glaring at us, Aarav stomped away, but not before warning Seth to keep his distance.

The crowd of students that had gathered began to dissipate.

I frowned. Why didn't a teacher break this up, though?

The firm look on Mitch's face melted away. He said to Seth, "You okay, bud?"

Seth replied, "Yea- Actually, no. There may be a lump growing at the back of my head. I'm going to the sickbay."

Mitch nodded, "Alright, man. Whenever you're done, come meet us in the dining hall."

"Will do. Thanks, guys."

. . .

After Seth left, everything returned to normal.

Turning away, I headed back to Aimee and Nabila, with Mitch at my heels. When I got to them, I grinned. "So, what did you think of my performance?"

Aimee sniffed. "A little over-theatrical, but I suppose it was effective." Yet, her lips tilted upwards.

"We're gonna have lunch now. You girls are welcome to join us at our table," Mitch offered.

"Sure, no problem," Nabila replied.

Aimee shook her head. "Thanks for the offer, but no. Kinda have a boyfriend I haven't spoken to all day."

"Right," I rolled my eyes. "Dylan, the dreamboat."

Sandra fell into step with us. "Did I just hear someone say Dylan?"

Great, it's the queen of Serena's fan club. What's up with people and intruding on conversations today?

Aimee frowned. "Did you guys hear something?"

Sandra gasped. "Aimee love, no need to be so cruel! I just wanted to let you know that the tea is particularly hot today."

My brow crinkled. "Tea?"

Aimee rolled her eyes. "It's probably poisoned if you're the one serving it. Why don't you go bother someone who cares what you have to say?"

Sandra smirked. "Oh, but you should care! After all, it involves a certain lover boy, who goes by the name Dylan Glaxes, and a Miss Prisha Anand in the year below us."