T H I R D   P E R S O N

The school was buzzing with excitement because it was the week after midterms where there was an annual talent hunt and no classes. The winners get cash prices, a chance to debut in the entertainment world and a surprise price, while the runner ups get cash prices and surprise prices too. Everybody was hyped for the contest...well, not everybody but– you know what I mean. The beast ten sat on their usual table, because it was lunch time, to discuss about what they would be displaying for the talent hunt auditions.

"I won't be participating." Yawned Sharon but everyone kinda expected that from her anyway. In the group, the only person that was actually willing to sign up for the competition was  none other than the dance club's leader, Bryan.

"Hey, how come I'm the only one that wants to sign up? Shelia! I thought you would sing and dance to a Girls Generation K-pop or something! April, showcase your monstrous strength! Don, pull of some soccer/football stunts! Do something at least!!!" He tried to encourage but they didn't agree. Logan was still shaken about the messages he got to think of having fun and Ayo didn't want to seem like an unsupportive friend.

"We will just cheer for you, okay?" Shelia said giving him a closed eye smile. "And besides, I don't want anymore fanboys." She added, pointing towards a group of boys staring at her with blood dripping from their noses.

"I could showcase my singing bees." Everybody sighed at Phyllis's bee fetish, it was worse than Bryan's admiration for Vermilion but not as bad as Scarlet's love for all things red.

"Actually, I want to join in but..." The feline lover cast a quick glance at Logan solemn face and sighed. "Never mind."

"Say Logan, you've been quiet these days, something wrong?" Logan flinched at Don's question but he quickly covered it up with a fake smile. Shelia was quick to catch it though but she stayed silent. "Course not, I'm fine." He managed to get out.

"Ayo, why didn't you want to sign up?" Phyllis questioned the boy in the hoodie because of his earlier statement. Ayo just shrugged and sipped on his cola. Scarlet, who sat forgotten at the table just quietly observed Logan's behavior. Something was off about him but she couldn't pinpoint what. Lunch was over and they all stood up to get going but Logan was pulled back by Shelia.

"What's wrong with you?" She asked, her face frowning with worry. Logan gave a fake smile and said there was nothing wrong. Naturally, Shelia didn't fall for it.

"Whatever is wrong, why not try to loosen up and enjoy the moment? Like my role model would say, face what is in this moment and don't worry about the future, let the future worry for itself." She reached up on her toes because he was taller than she was and planted a soft kiss on his cheek before heading off to her Accounts class.

Logan stayed on the hallway pondering about what she said and went to class when the hall monitor gave him a warning. In class, he didn't concentrate much but was doing some thinking.

Shelia is right, I can't continue to stay afraid of him. He hasn't found me yet, just got my number and I've changed my phone so he won't be able to track me down using phone location. I'm safe for now, I don't know how long though...

"Logan, please focus in class." Mrs Moegi, the chemistry teacher, brought him out of his thoughts. After school, he decided to sign up for the competition along with Ayo and the duo practiced for the auditions.

***

The auditions were finally here! There were no classes for the day because of the event and the school was decorated with ribbons, banners and costumes. Various get ups, make ups and what nots arrayed the students who were so excited about the auditions.

Finally, the auditions started. Some auditions were funny because some people forgot the lines, or went off key, or fell in the middle of a stunt, other auditions were just plain boring like the guy that kept telling lame knock knock jokes. The results would be announced via the notice board to surprise the students and to avoid trouble with contestants that feel they should pass...you know that shit stuck up people do when they don't admit defeat.

"Contestant 49; Fredrickson Scarlet."

Said girl did a soda spit take on Logan's face.

'Yeah, I knew I would get a spit take since I first saw her.' He thought. (Refer to Chapter 2)

"What?! I didn't sign up for this shit! Who was it?! Who did it?!" Scarlet started raging. The nonalets that made up the rest of their ten man group all shook their heads in denial at the same time as if they rehearsed for it.

"Contestant 49?"

Snickers of laughter reverberated through the hall. Clearly, some student had signed her up for the audition to make fun of her in front of the whole school.

"I'll kill whoever it was." Scarlet murmured to herself and climbed up the stage, glaring at all the spectators with murderous intent. "Just you wait." She spoke into the mic. Her cold and deadly voice rang through the now silent hall and gripped the students' fast beating hearts. "I will find you, whoever did this."

And with that, she walked towards the guy manning the sound system. "Play this when I say so." She coldly demanded with that emotionless face of hers and went back to the stage and exhaled deeply.

"I am Scarlet and I'm since I was forced here, I would like to dance." She spoke into the mic, her voice still cold and hoarse. She placed the mic stand aside and backed the audience. Murmurs spread through the hall about her abilities and one brave soul booed her while the others joined in the chant.

"God, is she hated." Ayo  muttered to himself while Shelia and the girls cheered but the booed drowned the cheers. Scarlet didn't mind the boos she received, she just signalled the DJ to play. Kendric Lamar's Be humble blasted through the sound system as Scarlet's body moved in synchrony with the music.

"Oh my beast! Fudge she is spineless!" Bryan exclaimed as he watched Scarlet's break dance to the rhythm. Every move she made seemed flawless and she was flexible yet graceful. She topped her dance with Vermilion's swerve that Bryan had been trying to get and ended with a back flip.

The hall was dead silent as she ran her hand through her scarlet hair. She was expecting this anyway, nobody would ever... First a single person was clapping – Bryan, then her friends joined, then the Hall was filled with screams and applauses for the red head. To say she was shocked by their response was an understatement, she'd thought she would get boos and preferably silence. Her emotionless eyes held a little happiness barely noticeable as she bowed and took her leave. She ran away before her friends caught up to her and went to the rooftop for air. She felt emotions she's never felt before on that stage, it was so overwhelming so she needed a time out. Sensory overload!

However, her peace on the rooftop was interrupted by a scream. She flinched and sighed. 'So much for seeking silence.' She thought as she walked towards the sound. A group of girls and boys were hovering around a girl. Currently, one boy was punching the girl's stomach. Scarlet had never noticed the girl in the school but she figured it was a first year student.

'Is she constantly bullied?' She thought within herself as she sat not to far away to hear their conversation.

"You think you can hog all of the attention just because you're smart?! I mean, have you seen yourself in the mirror?!" One voice, a girl, said.

"Stop revolving around Jimmy and the guys, they're no where near your league." Another girl spoke.

"You're just a nerd. Glasses, braces, you're just the classical cliché nerd who reminds teachers of projects and assignments and gets others into trouble!" A boy this time.

"Don't go around thinking the world revolves around you cause you are a braniac!" Another boy spat.

'Okay, I've had enough.' Scarlet stood up and walked towards the five of them.

"If you have time to bully your mates, spend it on studying and doing your assignments so that you won't suck in class." She stated plainly when she stopped few feet away from them.

"Who the heck are..." The boy's words got stuck in his throat when he saw the Scarlet, the most rebellious and badass senior in the school standing before them.

"What do you know?" A bold girl challenged. "She is just a slut that hovers around boys despite her below average looks and delights in getting us in trouble with teachers." She spat maliciously.

"Let me guess, you four are the losers of the class?"

That question threw them off.

"Excuse me?!" The other girl asked incredulously. Scarlet sighed as she questioned herself for the reason she was doing this anyway. She decided to switch to threat mode as it was faster and more effective. She slowly made her way towards the cowering juniors who kept moving back until their backs touched the wall.

"Lay a hand on her or force her to do your assignments again and I'll make school a living hell for you four, hear me?" Her voice was dangerously low. The four only managed to nod like lizards at her threat. "Don't think you still have a chance when I'm gone from this school, remember, I own this place and the nerd is mine, got that?!" She barked the last part and they once again nodded. "Good, now scram!"

The first years ran like puppies at the sight of a dog bath. Scarlet looked down at the girl who was trying to hide her pain as she sat up and sighed for the one hundred and sixteenth time this year as she got on one knee, back facing the surprised girl.

"On my back." She demanded. The girl naturally refused but Scarlet insisted. If there was anything she learned from her dead sister, it was hospitality and empathy, although she is a major sucker at expressing those. Blushing, the girl agreed and got on Scarlet's waiting back. To Scarlet's surprise, she wasn't that heavy.

'Has she been eating?'

She questioned herself as she made her way to the infirmary, earning stares from and sending glares to the people that were on the hallway at the time. When the nurse was done, Scarlet went to the girl and used two fingers to lift the chin of the blushing girl up to get a good view of her face.

"You...are not that bad."

*****

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Bye.

-★Star.