II.2

ROGER WILLIS

Mr. Lykaios’ suit was unsurprisingly larger on my slender frame giving me the much needed room for my newly patched wound to breathe. Given that buffer body of his, I felt lesser of a man somehow. I might have to start working out any time soon to at least be on par with the muscles.

The school nurse came back and told me I’m free to go. I was highly hoping that I’d spent the rest of my time at the clinic, that would be cool, but she told me to return to class which was an utter disappointment.

I went to my last period and everybody were staring at me as if there’s something wrong with my face. I may look a bit pale today but I’m aware of that. I know I’m still the new kid on the block but they already saw me yesterday. I have introduced myself multiple times throughout the day. They shouldn’t be acting like I just came here today.

After my last class, I bumped into Esmeralda on my way towards my locker.

“Oh hey, Roger.” She smiled recognizing me. She was still sporting that high ponytail that also highlighted one of the best parts of her face, her cheekbones.

“Hey,” Thankfully, I remembered her name. I’m not good at remembering names of people that I just met recently and the reason why I remembered hers was because of that beautiful pearly smile. So far, she’s the only girl that I’ve seen with that kind of bright smile.

“Why are you wearing a fucking suit?” She chuckled flipping her high pony.

“Because I looked good on them.” I effused feeling much rather confident in the suit that Mr. Lykaios lent me. “I looked good on them, right?”

“You do. You look hotter. You look a bit pale though.”

“Yeah, I’m a little bit under the weather today.” The confidence that I was feeling just a second ago suddenly vanished. I guess I still looked pretty much shitty.

“Aw, I hope you get better soon.”

“Thanks.”

“Uhm, listen, I’d love to have a longer chat with you but I still have to attend cheerleading practice.”

“Sure, see you around.”

“See ya later.”

Esmeralda went on her way as I resumed making my own way towards my locker. With the rushing crowd flooding the once empty hallways, I had to walk at the side with my wounded shoulder closer next to the wall so no one would accidentally bump into me. I might be feeling a lot better now yet still; I don’t want my wounds to bleed out once again.

I was silently fixing my stuff when Carmine Reid showed up out of the blue for the second time around.

“He got you, did he?” Leaning against the closed locker, she mumbled keeping her voice low enough for me to hear. I don’t know if she just talks this soft or if she was just purposely keeping her voice low. Perhaps, she’s shy around me.

“Hey, hi.” I did not expect that she’d come and talk to me again today. I looked shitty and she looked gorgeous as usual. “I’m sorry, who got me?”

“The rogue one.” She answered.

“I…” I was just about to open my mouth and speak up but then the words of Mr. Lykaios just echoed inside my head. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“You’re lying. I could smell it.”

“W-wha. You could smell me lying?”

“You’re not just stubborn, are you? You’re also stupid. I already warned you yesterday.”

“I…I.” I’m stuttering. I don’t even know what to say. I was looking at her beautiful angelic face but the way she talks to me was just distracting.

“I could smell your blood.” She sniffed around making me feel a little bit appalled and embarrassed at the very same time. “You smell like a rotting dog.” She slurred before eventually walking away from me.

“Hey, Carmine!” I called out for her name but she just kept on going. “Wait!” I quickly locked my locker and then rushed in order to follow her.

I was already beginning to think that she knows something. After my conversation with Mr. Lykaios a while ago, things are slowly starting to make sense, somehow. However, I only know very little of it and it’s not enough. I’m still jailed up in this room of confusion. Perhaps Carmine could answer some of my queries that Mr. Lykaios didn’t want to answer in the first place.

“CARMINE!!!!”

I rushed after Carmine but I had to be extra careful with my shoulder. I kept my eyes locked on Carmine’s red hair as she walked faster until she was finally out of the building. By the time I got outside, Carmine was nowhere to be seen. I turned my head left and right hoping to see her but I saw no sign of her. I walked further until I was at the open park. I kept on looking around and then my eyes accidentally caught a familiar guy standing right next to a tree. He had a long black hair and I thought he looked pretty much familiar. I might’ve seen him somewhere but I just can’t remember anything at all. He was just standing there like a statue with his cold eyes glued on me.

I looked away just to give myself some time to recall about where have I seen this guy. I eventually remembered he looked like the guy on the painting from Ysabella and Yoseff’s house. It’s their half-brother. I forgot what his name was but now that I was able to recognize him from that painting, he definitely got Ysabella and Yoseff’s nose and eyes.

I looked back at the tree and he was already gone. I walked towards the tree in search for him but he was absolutely nowhere to be seen.

I was just about to continue my search for Carmine when Ysabella suddenly showed up from behind.

“Hey, Roger!!” Ysabella called out smiling at me as if nothing happened between us.

“Ysabella.” My heart was pounding out of nervousness and awkwardness.

“Have you seen Benjie?” She asked.

“Nah, I haven’t seen him. Have you tried looking at the field?”

“Not yet.”

“He must be with Reggie and Yoseff.”

“Yeah, I guess so.” She turned around and was about to leave but she stopped and then turned back to face me again. “Hey, about what happened last night.”

“Er,”

“Uhm, I’m really sorry about that. I was just super drunk and I don’t even know what I was doing. I hope that thing stays between us.”

“Yeah, sure. I wasn’t planning on telling anyone about it anyway.” I volleyed back reassuring her about keeping what happened a deep secret.

“Thank you, Roger. You know, Benjie has some anger management issues and I don’t want anything bad to happen to you.”

“That’s good to know.” I nodded taking note of what she had just revealed. “Hey, I just have a question to ask you.”

“What is it?”

“It’s about your brother, I just thought I saw him earlier.”

“Yannick? In town? That’s impossible, he hasn’t been home in years.”

“Oh, really? Maybe it was someone else then.” Maybe I was wrong about that or maybe I was just seeing things again.

“Anyway, I have to go look for Benjie. See you again tomorrow.”

As soon as Ysabella walked away and was out of sight, I felt another surge of headache which was quickly followed by another fuzzy vision. I leaned against the tree trunk and waited until the moment passed which was surprisingly short-lived this time around.

Today was an absolute worst and I don’t think I could handle another episode of the headache and fuzzy vision. I ended up calling my dad to come and pick me up.