When I'm with you all I get is wild thoughts
Wild, wild, wild.
— Harry Styles, Wild Thoughts

I folded my arms around myself and looked at her in defiance. There was no way I let someone like her intimidate me. "It's funny how the people who know me the least have the most to say."

She raised her brows and tried to look down at me from her five-inches high heels. "Oh, she talks. I thought you just nod your head while banging someone else's boyfriend and the admission board."

"Watch your mouth, Margo, she and I are just friends," said Frazier as he moved until he stood right in front of me, the side of his arm almost touching my shoulder. "And she didn't sleep with the admission board."

I looked at him in surprise. I thought he said that he didn't do take-backs yet here he was, revising his own words. Did he do that because we were friends now or did he just have a change of heart? Whichever it was, I wasn't the kind of girl who would hide behind a guy or stood there in silence and wait for someone to rescue me.

Margo, or whoever her name was, slid her gaze from Frazier to me, then back at Frazier, as if deciding her next move. "Don't be ridiculous, honey." She unclasped her hands and put one hand on his shoulder. Her mouth wore the warm flush of a wild rose, and the same shade was echoed in the polish that enhanced her manicured nails. Her hand held him possessively as if showing her claim while her gaze sent me a warning.

Seriously, if anything, she should send the warning to his loose boyfriend who just kissed me inside the janitor's closet a few minutes ago. If it wasn't because of me and my strength of will, she would've caught us in a compromising position.

Frazier took her hand off him and put it back on the side of her body. "Then don't talk shît about my friend either." Funny how he was the one who started the rumor, but I kept my mouth shut. It was better to have him on my side than as an enemy.

Margo had the nerve to roll her eyes. "I'm not talking shit about her. It's fact. Didn't you say the same thing at the party last night?"

I saw Frazier's body go rigid. I would've said the same thing if I were her. He was the one responsible for all of this to happen.

"Besides," she continued. "It's no surprise really, considering she banged her English teacher in high school." She slid her gaze back at me as her lips curled into a mocking smile. "What was his name again? Joe? Joseph?"

I froze. My whole body felt like a statue, I couldn't move, not even a limb. How did she find out about my relationship with Joe? There were only a few people knew about it. Did she know someone from Carlton? Even if she knew someone, there was no guarantee that someone knew about this. So far only Tyler and my best friends knew. And maybe villain X too but the rest of the kids in Carlton didn't know about this.

I didn't realize two pairs of eyes were watching my every move. While Margo looked at me with a victory smile on her face, Frazier's expression was unreadable. He looked as if he didn't want to believe what Margo said but at the same time, my face somewhat confirmed it.

In the end, he didn't believe it. He took a step away from Margo and folded his arms over his equally big chest. "Don't make shït up, Margo." I didn't know if I should warn him that it was actually the truth. Maybe I'd tell him, but certainly not in front of the evil bïtch.

Margo's face looked hurt. "I didn't make that up. It's true she was trying to be Aria and Ezra in high school."

"Oh yeah?" Frazier raised one brow, challenging her. "Then what's your proof?"

"I didn't need proof. A girl from her school told me about it last night. Apparently, she was banging her boyfriend and her teacher at the same time." Margo shook her head and looked at me as if I was worse than dirt. "Sluts. I could never understand how their brains work."

"Watch your tongue!" growled Frazier as he grabbed her arm and gave her a murdering look. Margo winced and tried to break free.

My mind went reeling at what she said. "A girl from my school?" I asked her, wanting her to confirm that what I had in mind wasn't true. I wished with all of my heart that it wasn't. Because I knew if it really was the truth, it would destroy me.

Margo shrugged one shoulder. "Some girl named Jess." She leaned in forward and asked, "So you really banged your teacher behind your boyfriend's back? Was it for higher grades or—"

I didn't wait until she finished before walking away from the scene. Tears welled up in my eyes and everything became blurry.

Jess. How could she do this to me? She knew how sensitive I was about the whole Joe and Ashton thing. She knew that it would destroy me if this came out in public. She promised that she wouldn't tell a soul, not even Colton. Then why did she break her promise? Out of all people, why did she tell her best friend's darkest secret to a stranger she just met?

A hand caught my arm and before I knew I was turned to face a solid wall of muscle. I looked up and saw Frazier's worried eyes. "Are you okay? Why did you suddenly run?"

I wanted to tell him the truth but not now. Right now I had to find Jess. So I shook my head and gave him a smile, one that I hoped would convince him that I was okay. "I'm late for class."

"Oh." He dropped his hand. "I'm sorry about what Margo said just now. I know I said earlier that I didn't do takebacks, but I will clean up this mess."

I gave him a brief nod, turned on my heels, and walked away.

* * *

FRAZIER

I watched her walking away and a part of me wanted to hold her and asked her what she was hiding. She didn't look fine, despite her solid attempt to convince me otherwise. Somehow I doubted that it has anything to do with what Margaux had said.

Autumn Summers. She was certainly full of secrets and harder to read than anyone I've ever met. Unlike other girls who came like an open book, she hid her true feelings well.

I pride myself on being good with girls yet I stupidly mistook her resistance as one of the oldest moves in the book which was playing hard to get. I should've known that she wasn't like any other girls. She was different. She was like a set of unsolved puzzles and I couldn't wait to put them all together so I could see the picture formed.

I raised my hand and let the side of my forefinger touch my lips. She didn't return my kiss but the feeling of my lips against hers was enough to drive me crazy.

"I've never thought you'd be interested in banging someone like her."

I closed my eyes for a brief second. Just my luck, the one girl I wanted to go away was the one who stayed. I turned and faced her, trying not to yell at her when I said, "I didn't sleep or bang her."

Margaux nodded. She closed the gap between us and linked her arm with mine. "It would make more sense if you banged Freja."

I frowned. "Freja is Ken's girlfriend. I would never do something like that to him, he's my best friend." I may have the reputation of banging every pretty girl in Columbia but I would never violate the bro-code. Once Ken laid his eyes on Freja, I steered clear of his way and even if they broke up, I would never make a move on Freja even if she was the last girl on earth.

I started to walk toward the exit with Margaux next to me. My mind was filled with the thought of Autumn that I almost didn't listen to a word Margaux was saying.

"Yeah, but it would make more sense," she continued her nonsensical argument. "Freja is hot. She has the body of a model, I can imagine her walking one of Victoria's Secret runway show. I can understand if you slept with her.

One of several things I liked about Margaux was that she was superficial, there was nothing deep going on in her pretty head. The only problem she faced daily was probably deciding which outfit to wear.

There was nothing wrong with being superficial. Nothing wrong with living on the surface and avoiding lapses into deep thought. It made life easier. But sometimes it also made it harder for me to understand her. Right now was one of those times.

"Why? What's wrong with Autumn?"

"She's..." Margaux shrugged as she struggled for the right words. "Ordinary. Average, I would say."

Ordinary? Average? Autumn? With her brown hair and deep hazel eyes and sassy pink mouth. Autumn wasn't ordinary, I would never consider her as average either. It had been only two days yet I couldn't take my eyes off her. Like just a few minutes ago, standing in the janitor closet with limited space and close proximity between our bodies. When I could feel her breath on my face and the heat radiating from her body. There was nothing ordinary or average when it came to Autumn Summers.

I knew I wasn't supposed to think of her this way, she and I were friends now. I should stop having these wild thoughts of her, it could ruin our friendship and her trust. But I couldn't deny the feeling I was having with her when she was up close and personal. When her body grazed against mine and....stop it, Fray! What the fück is wrong with you?!

"Don't you think so?" asked Margaux as we approached the front door. She looked up at me and her eyes told me that she was waiting for my answer.

"Don't I think what?" I held the door open for her and she stepped outside.

"That she's ordinary."

Hell no. "Yeah," I gave her the answer she wanted. I knew if I contradicted her, she would try her best to make Autumn's life miserable and that was the last thing I wanted right now.

* * * * * * * *

AUTUMN

I couldn't concentrate during the lecture. All I could think about was Jess and her telling someone about my past relationship with Joe and Ashton. No one would be able to understand the struggle of wanting someone to love me, needing someone to love me, when everyone else could care less. When I grew up, my family wasn't as loving and caring as they were now.

My dad, my older brother Steven, and I caught my mom having sex with our neighbor Josh. Since then our parents decided to remain married but continue to have sex with other people. It was sick and wrong. Steven and I grew up without the love of our parents.

When my high school boyfriend of two years, Ashton Martin, cheated on me with the captain of the cheerleader, I couldn't risk losing the only person who gave me love. So I agreed on having an open relationship, although unlike him, who screwed different girls every week, my other boyfriend was none other than the school's hot English teacher, Mr. Joe Rodriguez.

Both relationships ended in the end. Joe 'cheated' on me with a college girl who happened to be Rosie's big sister, while Ashton accidentally made Ellie, one of his flings, pregnant.

Tyler was the only one for me. He loved me despite everything else. He knew me inside out and accepted me for who I was. And God knows how many time he had risked his life to save mine, especially those days when Villain X was trying to make my life like a living hell. Above all else, he taught me what love really was.

He once told me while I was still with Joe and Ashton, "Autumn, he wasn't yours, to begin with, if he cheated on you. I mean, if he has you, why would he be needing other girls?" Those words stayed with me and changed my whole perception of love and relationship.

I've moved on since then. I've moved on from the girl I once were and that was all thanks to Tyler. I wished everyone would keep all those things behind too, just like I already did. Yet apparently some people loved to linger on the past, determined to make me face those mistakes again. I just never thought that Jess would be one of those people.

"Hey, Autumn!" I heard someone called my name as I walked out of the classroom. I stopped and turned to watch the cute girl from last night ran towards me.

"Hi. Ishita, right?" I prayed that I got her name right. Odin knows how drunk I was last night.

She beamed and nodded. She looked very happy that I remembered her name. "Yeah. How was the class? I personally dislike Prof. Norton. I wanted to enroll in Prof. Banner's class but it was already full."

"Who's Professor Banner again?" I didn't recall having any of my lecturer with that name. I was one of those lazy students who didn't do research about their professors before choosing classes. I chose the class based on their timings and not their lecturers. I remembered my morning class and how dispassionate Professor Longhorn was, and regretted being lazy.

"He's amazing! He teaches Calculus, same modules as Professor Nottingham, but I heard he's good at explaining things. Some students said he made Calculus seem easy," explained Ishita as we walked out of the building. "Let's sit there!" She pointed at the wooden bench on the lawn.

I didn't see Tyler anywhere and decided if I had to wait for him, I might as well do that while sitting and having a chat with Ishita. She seemed like a really nice girl. "Sure."

We fled down the set of stairs and walked towards the bench. I saw the brown haired guy I've met yesterday afternoon when Jess and I were here. If I recalled correctly, his name was Irwin. He and two more guys were sitting on the grass by the bench.

I was trying to decide whether to greet him when he saw me coming and stood. He walked towards us with a joyous grin on his face. "Hey, girls." He gave Ishita a nod before returning his gaze to me. "Hi, Autumn."

"Hey, Irwin." I returned his smile. It was nice having someone who didn't know about the rumor and treated me like I was a person, not an object. I turned to Ishita and introduced them. "This is Ishita." They shook hands. I pointed at the spot on the grass where he was sitting and asked, "Don't you have class?" I remembered seeing him sitting on the grass the other day like he didn't have anything else to do.

"I had morning class but I'm free for the rest of the day. I reckon playing rugby with some of the guys would be fun, you girls wanna come?" There was a hint of an Australian accent in the way he spoke.

Ishita and I exchanged look. "I can't," I answered first. "I have to meet my boyfriend."

"Oh." His smile faltered a little. He slid his gaze to Ishita. "How about you?"

She giggled but shook her head shyly. "I don't play rugby. I don't know how."

"I could teach you." His smile turned wider. "Promise I'll go easy on you."

"Dude!" One of the guys called Irwin and he turned to face him. I recognized the guy as one of Frazier's wingmen, Mateus. "Why are you talking to the slut? She's not worth your time."

"Matt, where's your manner?!" Irwin shouted back and shook his head as he returned to face us. "I'm sorry about that." He gave me an apologetic look. "For the record, I don't believe the rumor."

"Thanks." I gave him a tight smile. It seemed that he knew about it too. Great. So news really did travel fast around here.

Irwin turned his gaze to Ishita. "So, you'll come?"

Ishita looked at me then back at Irwin. "No. Maybe some other time."

Irwin gave her a nod and walked back to his friends.

"Why didn't you say yes? I know you want to," I asked her once we sat on the bench. I put my heavy bag on the empty spot beside me and leaned my back against the wooden bench.

Ishita smiled. "I don't know." She shrugged. "I'm more interested in talking to you than learning some new sport." She shifted in her seat and positioned herself to face me. "So, who's this boyfriend of yours? Does he go to Columbia too?"

I laughed once I figured she was interested in girl talk. "He goes here too. He's studying biochemistry." I didn't know if this was just me or some other girlfriends in the world felt this too, but I always felt a little proud every time I mentioned about Tyler. Him being a genius wasn't the reason I loved him but talking about it gave me joy.

"Wow." Her eyes widened in surprise. "He must be a genius! My mom always wants me to take one of the Science majors but I'm not that good at those. Plus, I love Economics." She looked down with a sad expression on her face.

I gave her an encouraging smile. "We should learn what we are passionate about. If you don't passionate about what you learn, then what's the point."

She looked up and smiled. "You're right." Her gaze moved past my shoulder and her eyes widened. "That guy's hot."

I turned around and followed her gaze to find Tyler walking towards me. His eyes caught mine and he smiled. "Yeah," I turned to Ishita and smiled. "That's my boyfriend."

It seemed like she didn't listen to a word I said as her eyes fixated on Tyler. She blinked a few times then turned her gaze back to me. "He's your boyfriend? He's so hot."

I nodded. I never know what to say to people who said that Tyler was hot. Like should I thank them on his behalf or should I say that I agreed with them?

Ishita immediately shook her head before I could say anything. "I'm not gonna steal your boyfriend or anything. The compliment is purely just a compliment."

I laughed. "It's okay. I just don't know how to reply when someone said that."

Tyler stood beside us and looked down at me. "Hey." He leaned down and dropped a small kiss on my forehead. Seemed to realize that there was someone watching his every move, he turned and smiled at Ishita.

"Ty, this is my friend, Ishita." I introduced them.

He held his hand out. "Tyler Vincent. A pleasure to meet you."

I spared a look at Ishita. I would have thought she turned into a tomato by the way her cheeks reddened under his gaze. She regained her composure and shook his hand. "Ishita Asmi Malhotra. It's good to finally meet Autumn's boyfriend."

"Why?" Tyler smirked. "Did she talk about me?" He teased.

I rolled my eyes at him. "You wish."

I knew he was joking but she seemed to take his question seriously. "No. But I think she needs you around now that everyone knows about the rumor."

Tyler frowned. "What rumor?"

Ishita looked at me then returned her gaze to Tyler. She seemed to notice that she accidentally outed something that I haven't shared with Tyler as she cleared her throat and picked up her bag. "I think I saw my friend Aarti, I need to borrow her notes. I gotta go. See you tomorrow, Autumn."

I watched her walk away. She shot me an apologetic look behind Tyler's back as Tyler turned to face me. "Autumn." His voice warned me to tell him the truth. "What rumor was she talking about?" He moved to take Ishita's seat. He held my hand and gave it a little squeeze.

I let out a deep sigh before relaying to him what happened last night. As I told him the story, my mind was trying to decide if now was a good time to add what happened with Frazier in the janitor's closet earlier to the story.

♥

I knew I just updated yesterday but I'm feeling hyped at the moment and decided to publish one more chapter.

What do you think of this chapter?
Y'all finally get to read the story from Frazier's POV. Let me know your thoughts :)

♥

Loads of Pizza
Cos Pizza is Love
Agatha

[for TBCN first readers:
there's no change on this chapter]