Badboy for a Boyfriend

Chapter 7.1

“Calm down, Sue.” Tanner hissed at her and turned to me. “Are you sure? When did you learn?”

I sighed. I hadn’t even said anything. I guess it was apparent now. “Saturday. We had a meeting with the Silveros in their company. He…,” I frowned as I tried to recall his name but failed. I was probably repeating it so much in my head I forgot it. All I knew was it starts from an R and somehow reminds me of my dinner with Dayshawn as he asked for our bill. I don’t know why. “He was there with us.”

“But why are we learning about him now?” Sue asked. “He’s from a delinquent school; that’s positive. But why? During the whole term of Mr Silvero in politics, I don’t remember the media talking about his other child.”

“Oh my goodness!” Jean exclaimed under her breath. “Don’t tell me he is what I think he is?”

I bit the inside of my cheek. 

“He’s illegitimate?” Tanner muttered a bit louder that students sitting from nearby tables turned to us expectantly. His lips parted when he realized how loud he was. I winced and turned to Daniealla’s table, hoping it did not reach them. She had her back on me and looked clueless. However, her brother’s eyes were on us. I doubted our conversation would reach them unless Tanner really shouted for everyone. 

I would make myself believe his eyes on us were nothing. That’s how he stared anyway. Besides, we know each other now. 

“Oh, s-hit, Tanner, he’s looking at us now!” 

I broke our eye contact to see how Jean had used her arms to hide and ducked away from the Silvero’s view. Tanner was drinking from his bottle then. He almost spat the water out to my face! Meanwhile, Sue was giggling on my side. I glared at her but she couldn’t help it. 

“I’m sorry, he’s still a Silvero. Legitimate or not, the world will have to accept him.”

Unexpectedly, her words halted me. She was right. But how long would it take? Especially for everyone who got hurt? And for those who would learn this news soon to simply accept it and move on and let the family take care of their own matters?

“Sssh,” Jean warned Sue. She glanced over my shoulder and realizing it was safe; she straightened from her seat. “Daniella doesn’t notice us. Let’s be quiet, please. I don’t want our group to be giving this game away to anyone. Let's be as quiet as a mouse about this matter, okay?... Gosh, I still cannot believe it!”

Sue nodded but she swiveled to me and waved her forefinger. “You’ll be dead if this comes out.” She then zipped her lips with her fingers. “I’ll take it to my grave until they're ready to make announcements to the public… I feel bad that I cannot tell this to my parents, too.”

“What’s his name again?” Tanner pointed his pouted lips over my shoulder as he referred to the new Silvero. I frowned. That’s what I’m trying to remember! “Never mind. It’s safer to pretend we don’t know him yet at all than be involved. It would be chaotic!”

That’s what I thought, so. In fact, that was probably the reason dad reacted that way. It would affect not only the business but also the entire campus.

It was my last lunch hang-out with them. The following days, I continued with my smoking. I found a better spot which is the rooftop of the maintenance building. It was close to the circular garden which is the boundary between the senior and junior premises; usually used for an open-event celebration if all students are part of it. That is also the only time the maintenance building is used. It was often a storage building. 

I would simply tell the staff I come here for fresh air. 

Luckily for me, I got myself a new case, although it was not as grand and secretive as the first one. I just have to make sure no one would check my bag and my stuff. 

Thursday and Sue were complaining to me again but I declined and lied that I'd have lunch with my parents. I was on my way to the building just behind the seniors when this familiar guy stepped in again. With the familiar lunch box and the note. 

I knitted my brows and glanced over his shoulder where Mikaya was standing. She was from the library, which was only behind the maintenance building. I thought we could somehow talk here. Until this boy appeared to offer me his lunch again. I looked down at myself and my body. Do I look like I’m starving? He only appeared when it’d been days since I joined my friends for lunch like the last time. Is he stalking me? How did he get to know when I ate my lunch and not?

“What are you doing?” I could not help the annoyance from dripping on my tone. Mikaya already left to head to our building. We only have fifteen minutes for our lunch break. Sue kept me and everyone waiting. 

He looked surprised at my tone. I was instantly guilty but I could not erase the grimace on my face. Sighing, I held out my hand to accept it. He was taken aback. I honestly thought he wouldn’t give it to me. I literally have to jerk my head towards his packed lunch as if I was begging for it. A whisper of gratitude came out of my nose. I had to leave him alone or else we’d stay there until dismissal if I waited for him to move. 

I regretted my decision once I got to the building and was staring down at the box. I should have told him to stop doing it or to give it to someone who needed it and would appreciate his effort better. 

“Excuse me,” I was on the stairs to the second floor when I noticed a maintenance staff passing by. I stepped back down when he stopped to greet me with a smile. I handed the lunchbox without saying anything. Surprised, his eyes widened. I nodded but he still refused to accept and scratched his head. 

“I can’t…”

I frowned. When he noticed, he jerked and reluctantly got it from my hand. I pursed my lips together as he kept saying thank you as if I had given him gold or anything more than a lunchbox. The half rooftop is on the third floor. The learning facilities were either four to the fifth floor plus the rooftop. Luckily each building was about five to ten meters away from each other to make use of the grass field for each department. I have to walk from here to our building for five minutes. 

I only have to stay on the side overlooking the field to keep myself from everyone’s sight. There was a small storage room on the side. Sometimes I went inside to keep from the smoke. Sometimes, I stayed outside if there were no students from the corridors and neighboring rooftops. Like today. This is my third time here, anyway. 

I was done within five minutes because I was in a hurry. I just remembered the note in the lunchbox and wished to get it from the staff. I ran downstairs to look for him but he’s nowhere. I walked out to get to my class instead. 

“We warned you last time, didn't we?”

I halted at the group of four school council members who were obstructing the path of the new Silvero. He glanced behind them when he noticed me so I promptly hid on a nearby post of a covered pathway. My chest pounded hard! The student council must not see me here. I don’t want to receive a violation slip and hear from my father! 

Students could get on each other’s building as long as it’s dismissal or class break. Lunch break is not included or it will be used as a time for students to roam around when they should be preparing for the next class. 

There were two groups of student councils, for the seniors and the juniors. They both spared no one. They were the students’ legal enemies. 

I had been here since Tuesday but I never saw them. 

“Take that off,” a leader demanded. 

There was silence but I was sure they were still there. I glanced at my wristwatch to see I only have four minutes left. I’m late for my next class!

“I can’t believe him!” Someone from the group complained before I attempted to take a peek. Fortunately, I contemplated it, or they would have seen me because they were walking in my direction. Or that’s what I thought. They turned right so I guess they were heading to the library and were not really patrolling. 

“He didn’t give us his earring!”

The leader snorted. “How much is it even worth anyway? He acted like we’re going to steal it. I’m going to send his second violation slip to his senior!”

I sighed as their conversation faded. Does that mean they didn’t get him to take off his piercing? They let him get away with it twice? Is that even possible?

Shaking my head, I stepped out from my hiding and nearly bumped into someone in my rush. Startled, I fell on the grass with a thump. I gasped at the impact it left on my bottom. Mr. Silvero’s third child stared down at me like I was such a piece of stupidity to fall on my own and just because I was surprised. 

I pursed my lips and helped myself up. He tilted his head when I glared at him before dashing past him — ten hurried and heavy steps before I stopped and spun around. I should ask him about it now. My lips parted to call for him but my voice got stuck in my throat. What’s his name again?

“Hey!” I called out in a panic because he’s close to the garden. He stopped for a second but continued again. I gasped in disbelief. “Silvero!” My voice was loud and strong. I gulped when he finally turned around before I marched back to him. 

He squinted his eyes. When he noticed my giant steps, his jaw clenched. My feet almost faltered. I fisted my hands on my sides and refused to be intimidated. 

I handed my hand out to him. He didn’t let me say anything. He grabbed my wrist and spun both of us around so smoothly my eyes closed instinctively. I felt the soft wind against us. At that moment, I felt like the world had slowed down. It didn’t stop. It solely slowed down which made our turn as though it was an eternity that I was able to open my eyes again to stare at him up close; to his enthralling but menacing beauty. I was pushed back against the rectangular post of the pathway so my eyes closed back. I shouldn’t have opened them because when I did, I almost fainted at our proximity. He was closed so I could inhale his mint breath. His cologne. It smelt like leather. 

His dark eyes bore into mine before they landed on my lips. I caught the movement of his throat as he gulped. I attempted to move but realized my right hand was on the side of my head and pinned against the post by his left hand. While his right hand felt so closed to my waist as it cornered me. 

I had no idea what was happening until the voices of the students’ council from earlier echoed as they looked around to search for the noise. At this realization, I closed my eyes and bit my lower lip—hard.