Badboy for a Boyfriend

Chapter 11.1

The problem was, I had no idea how to be different. If only I knew, life would be a lot more different. I didn't have to always fit in where I knew I didn't belong.

My father thought I purposely missed dinner because I was avoiding Razbill Silvero. He was glad. Even praising me with my decision. 

It was Monday morning. I was surprised to see them at breakfast. 

"Were you together?" Dad asked after telling me he knew the reason I wasn't there with them last night was Razbill. That I was doing good to avoid him. That it was the right decision. His attention was on his food but was patiently waiting for my answer.

Clueless, I took longer to answer. In fact, I had nothing to give. I turned to Mom who was about to mouth an idea to me but Dad already looked up at us.

"With Dayshawn," he added. "He didn't come last night, either. Gretchen said his son was meeting with someone. Wasn't it you?"

I pursed my lips shut. It clearly wasn't me. But how do I tell him?

He frowned as he realized. "Denver believed he was with you, too. Everyone did."

"I… I was in a study group with my friends."

His frown deepened. "I thought so. Joe confirmed to me. But—" he shook his head in dismissal and in disappointment. "—never mind. We were wrong, then."

I didn't like to disappoint my father. I wished I knew Dayshawn would miss the dinner, too. I could have asked him myself. But then, he probably had really met with someone. I didn't want to get in between his schedule. 

Mom smiled at me reassuringly. I smiled back.

"How are your friends?" she asked.

I was glad at the change of the topic. "They're good. We all passed the test but they never skipped the group study."

"That's good!" Mom's smile widened. It was a safe atmosphere until Dad cleared his throat.

"Yes, but you don't have to compare yourself with them. Your goal is to make sure you can enroll in any school you wish. That's why I kept telling you to study on your own often. Have a knowledge different from the rest so you won't end up like the rest."

I reached for my glass of cold water and gently sipped. He continued. But we're back with Razbill Silvero.

"You don't have to be friends with that other Silvero. Dayshawn doesn't like him, anyway."

I had nothing to say. I would avoid a friendship with Razbill Silvero because I had my own reason. Not because my father told me to. Besides, I do not want to treat someone by how other people treat him. I got to know little about Razbill Silvero. I do not wish to be unfair to him. Or to anyone.

However, again, this was all about my dad's rules and opinions.

I would avoid him. For the reason that I did not want to agree with his deal. And I refused to be manipulated. I would not take for granted the fact that he knew my secret and he was threatening me to it. I would not back down to his challenge.

I shouldn't.

Or that's what I thought.

I was coming to school early in the morning when I saw him waiting near the school gate. He was standing close to a tree. I spotted him long before our car pulled up.

"Is he waiting for you?" Joe asked as he noticed him, too.

I gaped at him like he had said something crude and offensive. He was confused at my reaction so I frowned.

"I… I don't think so."

I got out of the car and strode to the gates. He would have to run to keep up with me considering our distance and the width of the gates. I was half walking and half running. I was looking far ahead so people would automatically get out my way. My eyes were fixated to the steps going to the building, hoping they would notice I was in a hurry and would move to me instead.

I breathed a sigh of relief the moment my shoe touched the first step. But that was short-lived as it was taken from me within only seconds.

Razbill Silvero stepped next to me in quick strides and beat me to the next step. His tower doubled. He had suddenly become a giant. I squinted my eyes to the blinding light behind him. 

I hoped I was wrong. That I had mistaken this guy's presence as him because I was running from him. T That false hope also died down when I finally got a good glimpse of his beautiful—I mean— smug face.

It was always the look of cool facade, the look that would make people think he was up and looking for a challenge but still somehow innocent in a way. People would contemplate whether to ask him for a street fight because of the aura surrounding him, or let him pass because he looks different. 

However, around campus, I think the reason was because it had already came to everyone's knowledge what he did to the group of senior bullies.

I narrowed my eyes to the brilliant piece of diamond in his ear as it glinted against the sunlight. 

"You missed the dinner," he started.

I began to be conscious. The realization that we were actually in the very middle of the stairs was no good.

I tucked the strand of my hair behind my ear and wetted my dried lips with my tongue. This was what I had been talking about—in my head. I may have readied myself with his game but his innocent confidence would always knock me off guard.

"I had a group study with my friends," I admitted. My eyes darted from him to the far side of the stairs, hoping we could move there instead and not stand in the middle for everyone to witness our interaction. I could only longingly stare at it though.

Unexpectedly, he jumped down to the same step where I was standing. Surprised at how close he had become, my skin jumped. I took a step back and he quickly followed.

I had been avoiding his gaze but he was determined to meet with it. My head moved back but my body no longer could as I knew he would only follow. Though I was clueless why he was acting this way despite being aware of all the eyes watching us.

When our eyes finally did meet, I was reminded of how I had escaped from him last week. I knew he remembered it, too, and without needing to voice out a word, he asked me.

We saw each other. I knew he was waiting for me. He knew I didn't forget our deal. Though it was not a done deal. He simply blackmailed me. Or at least, was trying to. Still, I did not want to actually tell him I would not entertain his little game. I was afraid he would use my photos against me again. 

He was silently asking me why I ran like that when I noticed him waiting. Why I squeezed myself in between my friends who were coming out from the building after I left them as if I was being hunted down. I had a study group with my friends because I didn't want to go to dinner with him. He knew that. 

"I forgot about it," I quickly added and finally bravely met his eyes when he didn't surrender. 

He lifted a brow. 

"The… About your proposal," I whispered. His silence and smug look probed me more. "Can we please talk about it some other place?" I requested. "I don't really want people looking at me and wondering about my business with… you."

"I see." He stepped back and pocketed his hands. He shrugged his back shoulder and nodded in agreement. "Same spot, then? Do you have your lunchbox with you? I can join you if you want."

I stared. Was it his nature to take everyone around him in surprise? Or was it the only case with me? 

I mean, I knew he was not insensitive but he was acting like he was, with the intention of purposely dismissing the awkwardness between us. Or rather, the awkwardness I believed grew between us all of a sudden.

"I don't know," I muttered through my nose and left, glancing back at him a couple of times. I had an odd expression embedded on my face as if he was an alien. About five steps away, and when I was sure he had no plans to follow me, I relaxed. He stayed there and waved at me with a bright smile. Everything about him glowed against the morning light. The sight honestly took my breath away to nowhere.

Razbill Silvero could walk around like he was the sun. Yet, no one would look away. If anything, everyone would dare staring at him just to simply adore him.