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After break, back to the classroom, Jake tries to not be bothered by the empty seat behind him and fails miserably. 

"That entitled little brat," he mutters to himself darkly. "Why did he have to look so betrayed? It's really...." He looks behind at the chair. "Really making me...."

"Are you talking to yourself?" 

Jesus Christ. Sometimes, Jake really wants snap Willie's nosy neck. "Go back to your seat, Willie," he grumbles.

"Why? And what were you whispering about?" He demands. 

"Go before I actually break that neck," says Jake, very serious about the threat. 

Obviously, Willie doesn't get it. "But whyyy," he whines. "You're leaving me behind anyway, why--" 

Jake grabs his neck. Willie shrieks and tries to break free but Jake doesn't let go. 

"Okay okay! Okay I got it! Let me go!"

"Don't blame me, I warned you nicely. Goodbye, Willie, I'll miss your short--" Jake stops dead. 

Brian is standing in front of them, very unamused by their playful display. Nobody reacts for a second. 

"Do you need invitation to move out of my way?" Brian asks, cold and rude. 

Jake steps back without a word. Brian doesn't look at him twice and takes his seat. Willie is confused but goes back to his seat silently too. 

Classes begin again and then finally, the day's over. As Jake collects his things and puts them back into his bag, his phone dings. He checks the notification of part time jobs nearby. He removes it and uninstalls the app. 

"You're looking for more jobs?" Willie asks, hovering over his phone. 

Jake sighs. "No. I don't need any job anymore," he replies. "Your mom's paying me loads."

Willie's mom, Mrs. Roberts has made the ground floor of their building a bakery shop out of pure hobby. Her husband owns the whole building that has 50 floors. Interestingly, her hobby hit the market well and she started earning quite a lot. But it's all extra and because she likes Jake already, she's giving Jake more than he would've earned from any other bakeries. And she pays the daily wage daily. Gratefully, he doesn't have to think about any other job for now. 

"Glad to know that," says Willie with satisfaction. "Oh, Winter's here."

Winter is waving at them as she walks towards them. But just before she reaches, Brian stands in front of her suddenly.

"Winter Roberts, right?" He says. "Hi."

It's just the four of them and a few others remaining in the classroom and everyone's eyes turn to the two of them curiously. Winter looks at Jake and Willie once before replying, "Uh, hi."

"I'll just go straight to the point," says Brian very pleasantly. "I want you to go out with me." 

Jake and Willie stare. 

Winter looks like she's heard wrong. "What??" she splutters.

"Go out with me. Winter Roberts," repeats Brian.

Jake's had enough by then. He cuts in between them, grabs Winter's wrist and pulls her out; Willie following close behind. 

"What in the out of the world was that about??" Willie gushes. "Winter! When did you even meet him?"

Winter is out of words. Her face is so red it's fuming. 

"Let's just get out of here. He's messing with us. He's a bloody messed up person and he wants to mess up everyone around him," Jake seethes. 

He really thought Brian was hurt. Yes, they don't even know each other that well and all they've ever done is throw punches at one another but Jake really thought... 

"Willie," he stops walking. "Take Winter and go home. I'll catch up in a moment."

"What? Why, where are you going?" 

But Jake has already started sprinting back towards the school building. He needs to talk to that maniac. What the hell is he thinking? Asking Winter out? What kind of a sick joke is that? 

Brian is still in the classroom. Only this time, he's alone. He looks up at Jake without a hint of surprise, as if he knew Jake would come back. 

"Hey, Flynn," he drawls. "Miss me already?"

"What do you want?" Jake demands. 

"I want a lot of things," shrugs Brian. "Which one do you want to know?"

"You don't even know Winter," Jake snaps. 

Brian stands up. "Yeah, I don't. We don't know each other, too. But here we are," he says.

Jake shakes his head. "What're you even talking about, Chase?"

At once, Brian's eyes blaze. He storms toward Jake and grabs his collar. "You know very well what I'm talking about. I know you noticed how I felt when we were close. The only difference is that I thought I also saw the same thing in your eyes," he seethes.

Jake grabs Brian's hands to free himself but Brian pushes him forward and Jake clashes against a desk because of the force, now holding Brian's hands for support instead. 

"It doesn't matter though," Brian snarls. "You like that Roberts girl? I'll just take her away from you. If you like anyone else, I'll take them away too. And don't even think about changing sections. You're going nowhere."

"Do you even hear yourself?" Jake asks. "What's this crazy--"

"As if you haven't already noticed my craze," Brian scoffs. 

"In case it wasn't clear enough, I don't have any feelings for you, Chase," says Jake.

"In case ​​​​you didn't hear, I said it doesn't matter," replies Brian. 

"So what're you saying?" Jake scoffs. "Are you going to force me to be with you or something? You think that's possible? That I'll let you do that to me?"

Brian glares at him for a moment, then suddenly lets go of him. "No," he says. "I don't think so."

Jake stands straight, carefully watching the boy. 

Suddenly, Brian smirks. "But that doesn't mean I'll let you leave," he says menacingly. "I've already told the homeroom teacher that you aren't allowed to change sections. Winter Roberts? She blushed within a second of me asking her out. I'll fill her mind with me in a way she'll forget about your existence." 

"So I don't get Winter. Big deal. But what will you gain? You don't like her," points Jake. 

"Throwing her away will be easier this way," Brian's still smiling. 

This time Jake grabs Brian's collar. "Don't mess with my friends, Chase," he says dangerously. "I'm not joking."

"I never said you're joking," grins Brian. "Be serious about this. Because when I take away your friends, the more serious you are about them, the more it'll hurt. And next time, you won't get close to anyone so easily. You won't fall for someone else so easily. That way, you'll be alone and you'll be in front of me. What makes you think I'm not gaining anything?" 

"I still won't like you," Jake states.

Brian laughs. "Oh, Flynn, I don't like you either." 

Jake blinks. "Then why--"

"I don't like you. I don't like. I just... want you, I guess. And I always get what I want. And I don't like to share my things."

Jake stares. "So that's it? You want to, what, sleep with me?"

Brian starts glaring again. 

"No, I mean, let's be clear about it," says Jake, incredulous. "You don't like me. But you don't want me to like anyone else. But you want me. What does it mean other than--"

"Maybe I hate you," snaps Brian. "Maybe I hate you so much that I want you to suffer in front of my eyes."

"I've never heard any shit more immature than this," Jake shakes his head, letting go of him and stepping back. "You're unbelievably unbearable and disgusting."

Brian presses his lips tightly together. 

"You know, I don't like people too," says Jake. "And yeah, I felt some spark between us. I don't know why I was ignoring it. And I felt guilty. That's why I came back here. To have an honest talk. And I know I'll probably regret saying these things to you, but as I'm on it, I'll say one last thing: I'm so disappointed in you, Chase."

Brian, meanwhile, has tried to say something multiple times when Jake started speaking but nothing comes out of his mouth, not even when Jake waits for him to reply, also not when he sighs and leaves without receiving it.