"You're kidding us, right?" Adam asked.

"No," I said.

"Who is Antonio, anyway?" Cleo remarked.

"Their boxing coach," Jax answered.

"No, who is he to say what's wrong for you?"

"I second that," Nick raised a hand and shrugged.

"Doesn't matter, cause he's right," I stated.

"Not this again!" Jax groaned and dropped his head back.

"You're actually going to push her out of your life?" Adam gaped.

"Yeah," I breathed heavily.

"I wanna slap you so bad right now," Cleo stared at me with his mouth slightly agape.

"How does it matter? It's not like she likes me back," I shrugged and looked down.

"Shut him up before I punch his nose," Cleo balled his right hand, and Nick instinctively kept a hand on my mouth while Adam and Jax gave me dumbfound stares.

"Even if she didn't like you," Adam said weirdly, "Isn't she a friend first?"

"She is,"

"So, you're just going to give up friendships because a rude old bag of crap told you to?" Jax asked.

"I can't stay with her and not want something more than just friendship. And I wouldn't've listened to Antonio if I felt he was wrong.  But he's right,"

"OH, STOP WITH THAT CRAP!" Cleo snapped, "WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU TRYING TO FOOL? US OR YOURSELF?!"

The whole dining hall had fallen silent at his outburst. And to think he was a quiet kid.

"He's scary!" Adam whispered.

"He swears!" Jax whispered back.

He's right.

Kinda.

Is he?

"I need to have a talk with Antonio," I said, determined and standing up from our table.

"Ohh! Finally!" Jax exhaled.

"He's come to his senses!" Adam cheered.

"Thank gods," Cleo sighed.

"I need more cheese nuggets," Yep, you guessed it. This one was Nick.

"I'll accompany you," Nick said, and we went to the gym.

~~~~

"I don't want to forget her!" I yelled, standing in front of Antonio, who was surprised to hear me bellow like that.

Why is he that surprised?

"Yes! Keep going!" Nick slightly nudged me, providing encouragement.

"I li- I love her. And I don't want to leave her. I want to-"

"Let me stop you right there," Antonio cut me, "Come with me,"

With that, he walked into his office, and I followed him.

"Do you like her?" He said.

I like her-

"No, I shouldn't," I said.

"That's what I'm telling you, son," Antonio smiled and led me back outside and left to train the others.

"So? Are you back to being the biggest simp in the history of simps?" Nick cheered.

"I need to forget her,"

"Bro--" He gaped at me in disbelief.

"What?"

"What the fuck is wrong with you?!"

"I have seen the truth,"

"I can't- I absolutely CAN NOT with you!" He huffed in frustration and stomped out.

He didn't even look at me the whole way back. And I didn't know why he was being like that.

When we reached the others, he took them a few metres away from me and discussed something among themselves.

"Relax, I have a plan," Jax dismissed them with his hand and put it on my shoulders.

"We're going to a party," He said.

"But I don't-"

"You don't get a say in this; you're being ridiculous as it is," Adam piped in.

"You don't even have a reason!" Cleo huffed.

"I do, I'm bad luck,"

"Lory, I am one string away from hitting you on the head with a truck. Do not say anything to make it happen," Nick warned me.

"Okay, fine. Take me to the party,"

"Good decision," Jax smiled, proud of himself.

"Not my decision," I muttered.

~~~~~~~

"You ready?" I asked for the billionth time.

Seriously how long does it take to choose a T-shirt?

"Nick!" I whined.

"Art cannot be rushed, my friend," He simply stated and went back to his closet.

"Just wear a black one," I sighed.

He always wore a black t-shirt after hours of throwing around his clothes.

"No,"

"White?"

"Nope,"

"Dude, you have like 10 shirts," I said, "Why are you sooo confused?"

"Help meeeeee,"

"Red?"

"No,"

"Pink?"

"No,"

"Light blue?"

"Nah," He said and then stood stroking his chin.

Here it comes

"I'll just wear the black one with a tie,"

Knew it!

"I'll go and say bye to Rey," He said before rushing out the door.

"You're not going to Inferna, Nick!" I yelled after him.

"I don't care!" He yelled back.

Simp!

A few minutes later, the guys called me down, and we left for Nepenthe's dorm building.

The moment we reached there, we were hit with the pungent smell of alcohol and unbearably loud music.

The place was flooded with drunk teenagers.

They were everywhere.

Everywhere.

I was pretty sure someone slapped my butt in the crowd.

"Drink, dance, have fun, hook up with someone. Do whatever the fuck you want," Jax said, "Any questions?"

"Yeah, how do I breathe here?" I retorted, and Jax just stared at me for a good second.

"I'm out, bitches!" Jax held up a peace sign and disappeared into the crowd.

Soon, Adam and Cleo went away too. So, it was just Nick and me.

"You wanna dance?" Nick asked.

"Sure,"

And we went to the centre of the makeshift dance floor.

"What do we do now?" I asked.

"WE ROCK N ROOLLLLLL," He jumped up and down like a maniac, pumping one of his arms in the air.

It took a few minutes, but eventually, I loosened up and actually danced.

But my steps halted when I saw something I wasn't expecting to.

To my right, there was a girl whose back was facing me. Her moves were so much like my Cupcake's that it was almost scary.

I stopped entirely and watched her dance.

Could she be?

No, parties are not really her scene.

"I'm more into reading a book on a rainy day snuggled in my comforter with a cup of hot chocolate," I remembered her words.

I looked at the girl for another few seconds.

She looked eerily similar to Argenta.

"Why'd you stop dancing?"Nick asked me.

"N- nothing," I stuttered, "I'm parched. Do you want water?"

"Mhmm, I'll come with you,"

I nodded, and we both went to the water dispenser.

We were drinking water peacefully when I almost choked on it upon hearing a voice.

"Heyyy babyyyy," Reyna slurred and wrapped her arms around Nick.

If she's here...

That means...

"Is Cupcake here?!" I almost barked.

"Why do you care?" She spat.

"Reyna, is she here?" I said slowly, emphasising every syllable.

"Lory, why do you care?" She imitated me, "You made it clear that you want nothing to do with her. So why do you care?"

Are you kidding me?!

This place is full of drunk horny teenagers! Why the fuck would I want my Cup-

She's not yours.

Never was.

Never will be.

And she can take care of herself.

So why do you care?

Because I li-

I shouldn't.

"I don't care," I stated emotionlessly and walked away with a heavy feeling.

I went and leaned against a wall beside where everyone was dancing.

My eyes automatically froze on the beautiful girl in front of me. She was wearing a short red dress that hugged all her curves perfectly. The dim lights in the room reflected perfectly off her, making her look divine. And then, she turned so I could see her face clearly. Her eyes were closed as she swayed along with the music.

The one thing that bothered me was that she looked slightly tipsy.

Is she drunk??

She doesn't like drinking.

"She's not drunk," I heard Willia beside me.

"She looks like it,"

"I made her something that won't harm her and would relieve her of some of that pain you gave her,"

Willia's words were like a spear to my already injured heart.

"Why'd you stop talking to her? I know you like her," She said.

"I know you already know," I said, hinting at her omniscience.

"I don't know everything, idiot," She deadpanned, "There are limitations to my knowledge,"

When I didn't answer her question, she sighed and looked ahead.

"Do you still like her?" She questioned.

Yea-

"N-" I stopped in the middle because of the sudden movement in my peripheral vision.

A blonde guy was trying to get my Cupcake to grind on him.

My gaze hardened, and I shot daggers at his back. I would describe what I was feeling at the moment as blood boiling. My fists clenched while my jaw gritted on instinct as I saw him get closer to her.

What the FUCK is he trying to do?!

He tried touching her, but she flicked him off. Still not getting the hint, he kept on trying. When he grabbed her wrist, she had had enough and twisted his arm and punched his shoulder(which most probably broke after that). Then she walked away. She was done with him.

I was not.

His body has water

I glared at him as I willed the water to go haywire inside him. I could see the sickness affect him when his face started scrunching up, and he fell and crouched on the floor.

"That's enough, any more, and he'll die," Willia suggested, but I kept going.

"Lory!" I heard Willia's voice in my thoughts.

How dare he touch her without her permission!

I kept on torturing him. I was sure there was nothing in the world that could stop me from killing him.

"Lory, please, stop!"

Her voice.

Cupcake's voice.

I stopped dead in my tracks. The fucker exhaled harshly and lay down on the floor.

He deserves it.

"He's not worth it," Her voice said.

He touched you!

"Why do you care?!"

And then she was gone. Willia ended the conversation.

"I got my answer," Willia smiled slightly. She opened her mouth to say something else but was cut off by Yara pulling her harshly.

I do lik--

No

I can't like her.

A/N:

Heyyyy y'all!

I know you're thinking, "Why is he being so unreasonable?!"

But trust me, he does have a reason. You'll find it out in the coming few chapters. I have, though, left a few easter eggs in this chapter and the one before.

Let's see if you can figure it out.

Okay, here's the deal, if you do guess it right, the next chapter will be dedicated to you.

Also, this chapter is dedicated to @harshitadhawan .

IT'S HER BIRTHDAYYY!!!!!

Tomorrow.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GURL!

THOU ART AMAZING!

I love you, and I'm soooo grateful to have you as a bestie<3<3

See you all next Friday!