Badboy for a Boyfriend

Chapter 4

He’s indeed tall. My five-six height only reached below his chin. I had never been intimidated by how other people tower over me but being an arm away from him made me feel small. I was breathing in secret just to make out his cologne properly. Is it mint? Musk? Gum? 

But he’s not chewing anything. 

He tilted his head to the side. My unfocused eyes were involuntary. I wasn’t supposed to look away, but I did as it suddenly became a natural response. He inched a little closer to inspect me. 

“You’re George?” he breathed with vague disbelief. 

I blinked and turned back to meet his gaze. His pitch-black eyes reminded me of someone. He looked a little different up close, but his power of intimidation never lessened. If anything, his eyes give justice to his subtle arrogant face that looked natural and effortless. 

I squinted at how he openly stared. I was starting to believe it’s his nature to stare at other people without feeling embarrassed or having the need to look away instantly. And I was not sure if he’s purposely invading my personal space right now or he did not notice because of his growing intrusion. 

I could not help but be curious about the unfolding event. I glanced over his shoulder and to the boys who were weighing the tension growing around us. I was convinced they knew me because their eyes widened when I turned to them. They knew they shouldn’t involve me here, but they were desperate. And I couldn’t apprehend what exactly they wanted. 

I had no idea I was holding my breath until the guy in front of me straightened his frame. I didn’t like how he nonchalantly intersected his arms over his chest and regarded me like a small kid. “You’re their leader?” Yet his tone was a contrary. He meant it with no harm but his unchangeable expression would make people think he’s plainly rude.

“Excuse me?” I asked breathlessly. 

“Or Daniel?” He shrugged. His lopsided grin didn’t go unnoticed. It was unexpected in his face. Caught off guard, I blinked. “I don’t know. Who are you among them?”

I pursed my lips tight. I had never been so offended about my name. Probably because no one had the audacity to insult me this way. Is he even aware? Or it’s simply how his words sounded to me? 

I glanced at the group again. The leader decided it’s best to intervene. The guy took a step away from me to face the leader, who didn’t dare step closer to us. Still, his attentiveness was way evident as if this guy could actually grab him from a distance and ripped his bones, which I would willingly do if they don’t give me a decent explanation as to why they included here. 

“She’s our witness,” he declared confidently but blinked when he looked at me. He continued with reluctance, “you were there last week, right? Wednesday?”

I had no chance to defend myself. The boy who dragged me here stepped in while pointing at my bag. “I recognized the bag. I knew someone was in the hiding while he was beating us so I memorized the bag. I knew you’re a junior, too,” he then pointed at my ribbon, “no one here has that same bag but you. I’m positive.”

My heart pounded at the realization someone saw me last week. I waited for him to say more and find out how much he knew but that’s all he got. He promptly cowered away after glancing at the guy. I darted my eyes at everyone as they nodded in agreement with their friend’s statement until my eyes landed on the pierced guy. I frowned and almost rolled my eyes at him. 

“She’s not the leader,” he affirmed to the group but his expression was questioning. He examined me once more as if to find fault. I gritted my teeth in irritation. Who I assumed was the group’s leader visibly gulped. 

I tightened my hold on the sling of my bag and took one step away, hoping they would know how I disliked the situation they put me in. The guy looked down at my shoes and the space I left but said nothing. 

“I don’t know your game, and I’m not interested,” I said through gritted teeth. I made sure to penetrate the large leader and the one who dragged me with my stare. It’s not a threat but a warning. I believed he regretted their decision because of how they looked away. “I hope no one will hear about this.” Everyone instantly nodded except for that particular intimidating presence. Instead, his brows furrowed with confusion. 

I was about to leave but the shorter boy tried to stop me. Their leader hissed his name but it was indistinct to my ear. He regretted stepping to me but pushed to it anyway. 

“We need a witness to prove he did this to us.” He jerked his head to Mr. Piercing. But I glanced at the wounds on his friends’ faces. “There’s no camera so…” he trailed off as I glared. I internally rolled my eyes and turned my back to them. 

“But you were there?”

I halted. I would have pretended I didn’t hear him but his voice demanded to be heard. My feet already stalled as a reaction. My hand clenched around my bag. He was walking towards me. And not wanting him to get any closer like minutes ago, I spun around to face him. Unfortunately, he’s already about two steps away because of his long casual strides. 

He directed one challenging eyebrow at me. My chest pounded once more. He looked like he knew something I didn’t know but I stared nonetheless. The ashes of the cigarette I left on that day flashed in my mind. My eyes narrowed. He didn’t look this smug when we first met. He looked like someone who would walk past anyone who was trying to kill each other like he saw nothing. But this extra effort he was putting in to entertain this group was giving me chills for some unknown reason. 

They were trying to look for someone who could stand as a witness. That means putting him in a bad light. Trouble for him. But he’s here and casual about it? Everyone doubted the new guy would do it but we all knew it’s him. He should at least be worrying now. But no, he didn’t mind receiving sanctions or anything at all? For a transferee, he sure was different. No one would play around here to lose their spot in IHM and probably IUM. 

Who is this guy?

He leaned closer. Mesmerized by the action, I failed to move away. 

“George Daniel,” he breathed but his lips barely moved. 

I blinked and stared at them longer than I intended. No one had ever said my name the way he did. I was sure it’s the first time he said them together but they smoothly rolled out of his tongue like he had been practicing. Cliche. But the feeling wasn’t. For me, it sounded like he was trying to make up for how ‘I’ felt he mocked my name minutes ago, but of course, that’s not the case for him. It was nothing for him. I was merely overreacting and I didn’t know why. I looked away in defense. 

“GD’s your initial,” he added and I was completely paralyzed. My eyes went back to his only to see the satisfaction at my reaction. 

My throat dried up. He stood straight again but he was slowly nodding. I fisted my hand on my side. Had it not for the laughter that echoed in the hallway, I didn’t know how I would be able to break the eye contact and move without making a fool out of myself. 

It was him. 

He saw my cigarette and stooped down on it. He has my case, too. 

“George?” It was Dayshawn’s voice. I knew it was not a good idea for him to see me here but still a good opportunity to break the tension growing inside me. This new guy’s presence was already alarming for me. 

I could only give him a sideways glance. He had a deep frown on his face when he glanced around the boys with me before it landed to Mr. Piercing who was closest to me. I knew there was yet another tension to resurface at how Dayshawn scowled at him. The bullies noticed that and left the scene one by one without saying a word. 

Dayshawn was a gentleman around family and friends but could be an a-sshole at times, especially at school. He’s one of the well-known bad boys around here along with his older brothers as I heard. I never really witnessed how far his bad-boy image could get. 

“What are you doing here?” He casually put his hand on my shoulder and gently urged me to stay away from the new guy. He smelt perspiration and still in his baseball uniform but he didn’t mind. I could also feel the heat radiating his body from playing under the sun. His team was with him, too. 

He stared at the guy squarely, but the latter had no reaction to his presence at all. He regarded Dayshawn as how he observed me the first time we met. I didn’t know if I should be amazed or feel bad for his indifference. 

“You were looking for me?” Dayshawn continued in a gentle voice. We said nothing to the guy as he turned me around to leave the place. His team gave us way before they headed for the boys changing room. He led me to the hall until we reached the railing, which was close to the stairs. 

My mind was preoccupied. Dayshawn had said nothing but I knew he was waiting for my answer. It’s just that everything about the new guy lingered in my head. From his appearance to his presence, to his words, with the way he stared, and the fact that he knew about my metal case. 

“You okay?... Were they harassing you?”

I quickly shook my head as I don’t want to create another trouble from that scene. I simply wished everyone involved and who witnessed my presence here to forget it. But I had an eerie feeling that the new guy wouldn’t let it slip easily. Because why would he use that tone on me? He said nothing threatening but I am threatened. 

“I’m sorry, but I think our lunch break is done. I have to go back to our building.”

He knew something’s off but he didn’t keep in the building. He absentmindedly nodded and even led me outside before he went back to change. I blindly left the building to head to ours. But there was something I couldn’t explain urging me to look back, so I did as my intuition instructed me. Dayshawn was no longer at the entrance. He had to go back and change and have lunch before their afternoon class. 

I was trying to get used to people’s eyes on me, but I knew somebody else was looking at me right now. It felt different and potent. I could feel it creating holes in my soul. 

An image on the second floor caught my attention. He was not the only one on that floor but his lone frame was screaming recognition. In fact, I was not the only one looking up at him like he’s a king or something. Something about him was attracting everyone’s attention. He’s undoubtedly pretty but there’s more appealing about him. I could not tell if it’s his blank facade this time as he looked down at us. Or the way the knuckle of his forefinger leisurely grazed his lips. One hand was resting on the edge of the corridor. 

“He’s also a Silvero, right?”

Somewhere from the group of girls asked. I cleared my throat and looked away to intently listened to the conversation. 

“Yes, but no one’s confirming the rumors about his relation to the director. Dayshawn walked past him earlier this morning. They clearly don’t know each other.”

I frowned. So this guy is the new ‘Silvero’. Dayshawn didn’t seem to know him. The rumors must be false. 

“Why is he staring at us?”

The girls giggled in excitement. They finally noticed I was there. I grimaced when they lowered their voices. I took one last glance at that guy in the building and was confident he was looking at me. But he’s not smirking. He did not raise a challenging brow either or roll his eyes to dismiss my presence. He just stood there devoid of any emotion, and I was already sweating with the chilling tension embracing the air.