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Leo slammed his books down with a furious thud causing several heads to rise. He pulled a chair from the table and sat down angrily.
Cam didn’t look up from his book. It was the middle of the day and most of the third years were holed up in the library as they studied furiously for their upcoming finals.
Leo frowned. He shifted his chair, causing it to scrape noisily on the floor tiles. Cam didn’t look up. He shifted his chair more loudly this time. Cam, however, still didn’t look up.
He was about to shift his chair again when someone cleared their throat loudly behind him. He looked up to meet the stern face of the librarian who glared down at him.
He grinned awkwardly and mouthed an apology. The librarian gave him one last glare before stalking off to harass another unfortunate student who had had the misfortune of letting out a small cough in her hallowed halls.
‘Are you happy now?’ Cam asked, his face still buried in his book.
‘No, I am not. That’s the point!’ Leo complained.
Cam raised a pointed eyebrow. ‘Do you want to get kicked out?’
Leo gave a furtive glance behind him to make sure Mrs. Pierce was out of earshot before turning back to Cam. ‘I am not happy, that’s the point!’ he said, this time in a much lower voice.
Cam sighed and finally looked up from his book. He marked his page carefully before closing it. ‘Fine, since whatever it is so important to interrupt my reading, why don’t you just tell me what it is?’
Leo was elated to be finally getting the attention he deserved. He settled himself properly before launching into his tirade.
‘Our teachers are sadists!’ he began. ‘How could they give us this much homework? Plus, we have to study for all those tests next week and we have to write our essays on top of all that! It’s madness! It’s criminal! It’s inhumane! What do they think we are? Robots? Animals? This is child labour!’
Cam stared at him. ‘Is that all?’
Leo considered it for a moment. ‘Well, yes, I guess so.’
‘Good,’ Cam said. He picked up his book and continued where he had left off.
‘Hold on, hold on,’ Leo protested. ‘What about me? You can’t just leave me like this?’
Cam sighed and looked up. ‘What do you want me to do about it?’
‘I don’t know, but we have to do something. We can’t just let it go on like this. We have to stand up for our rights!’
Cam gave him an incredulous look. ‘You do realize that we have finals, right? The work is for your own good, and if you had gotten started on them like the rest of us instead of complaining, you wouldn’t be so overwhelmed.’
He shook his head and went back to his book. ‘But what do I know, you never listen to me anyway.’
‘But,’ Leo began but fell silent when Cam glared at him over his book. He kept his mouth shut. He may be hot-tempered and Cam, slow to anger, but he knew better than anyone that when he got there, Cam’s temper was fiery enough to match and even surpass his.
He decided to get back on Cam’s good side by following his suggestion and getting started on his work. He worked in silence, the only sound between them coming from the occasional wrinkle of paper as Cam turned the pages of his book.
He looked up hesitantly after a while. He had reached a particular question and didn’t know how to answer it.
‘Cam,’ he said carefully, testing the waters.
The only answer he got was the crinkle of paper as Cam turned to the next page.
‘I… uh… can I have your notes from calculus?’
Another page turn.
‘I need it for this question I’m stuck on.’
He waited hopefully.
‘No.’
‘But-‘
‘I told you to pay attention and take notes, didn’t I?’
‘Erm…’
Another page turn. ‘You didn’t listen to me and so the answer is no.’
‘What if I…’
Cam looked up and the words died in his throat. He sighed and placed his head on the table dejectedly.
The noon sun and the steady comfortable silence of the library soon caused his eyes to slowly grow heavy. He was about to doze off when a chair pulled up beside him.
He opened his eyes blearily to see Noel sitting beside him. Another chair pulled up opposite them and Jayden took a seat at the table, dropping his bag at his feet.
Leo sat up excitedly, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. ‘Hey, Noel, can you help me with this question?’
Noel smiled. ‘Sure, let’s see.’
Cam ignored them. It wasn’t long before Paul and Samuel joined them. Paul glanced over Leo’s shoulder to see his messy scrawls.
‘Ah, calculus. Professor Vogt’s love child. How is it going?’
‘Terrible,’ Leo groaned, tossing his pencil aside and placing his face in his hands. ‘Is this maths or an instrument of torture?’
Paul snorted. ‘An instrument of torture would be more humane.’
Noel smiled sympathetically and patted Leo’s shoulder. ‘Look at the bright side, in a few months you wouldn’t have to bother with it again.’
Leo brightened up at that. ‘You’re right.’
‘But are you going to survive those few months?’ Cam asked calmly, turning a page in his book.
Leo groaned and dropped his face back into his hands. Paul and Noel tried to hide their amusement as their eyes met over Leo’s hunched form.
Jayden glanced at Samuel as he came to stand by him. ‘Where have you been?’
‘Prefects meeting.’
‘Aren’t you going to sit down?’
Samuel shook his head absently. His eyes were focused on something in the distance as he answered. ‘I can’t stay. I have a meeting with the reading club.’
‘Campaign?’
Samuel hummed in assent. ‘Got to go. I’m running late. See you.’
Jayden made sure he was out of sight before turning to look at Paul. Paul caught his look and excused himself from Noel and Leo.
Jayden stared expectantly at him as he slid into the seat beside him. ‘So?’ he began impatiently. ‘What happened?’
‘I don’t know why you’re worried,’ Paul replied. ‘Nothing happened. The same way nothing has happened since the first time.’
‘Was he at the meeting?’
Paul nodded. ‘He was, but he didn’t do anything. He was normal throughout. He barely even paid attention to Samuel.’
Jayden frowned. Ever since the incident in Rutherford’s office on the first night back, they had both kept out of each other’s way. Jayden had kept a sharp eye on him for weeks since then, but Azrael had done nothing even remotely suspicious. It was as if their altercation never happened. Whenever Jayden caught sight of him from a distance however, there was always a tiny smile on his lips as if he knew just how much his inaction put Jayden on edge.
‘Maybe you were wrong about him,’ Paul was saying.
Jayden wasn’t paying attention. His mind was still going over what he had just been told. ‘Have you forgotten what you felt when he looked at you?’
Paul scratched his head sheepishly. ‘Yeah, I’ve been thinking about that, and I think I must have imagined the whole thing.’
That caught Jayden’s attention. He fixed him with an indecipherable gaze for a long moment that Paul began to grow uncomfortable. He shifted in his seat and Jayden finally tore his eyes away.
‘You are not a fool, do not think like one.’
Paul felt chastened. ‘What do we do now?’
‘We follow his lead and do nothing. Continue to keep an eye on him, make sure he doesn’t catch on to you.’
‘Have you figured out why he’s here?’
‘No.’
Paul hesitated, wondering whether to ask his next question.
‘If you want to ask something, go ahead.’ Jayden said impatiently. ‘Indecision is for cowards and simpletons. You are neither.’
‘How did you… nevermind, I should be used to this by now. I was wondering, how do you two know each other?’
Jayden stared expectantly at him.
‘Fine, that’s not truly my question. What I want to know is, were the two of you… you know… together?’
Jayden looked thoroughly insulted. ‘What?’
Paul raised his hands defensively. ‘Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying you have a thing for him.’
‘But?’
‘It’s just the way you are with each other. From what you’ve told me, he sounds like an obsessive ex.’
A tiny shudder run down Jayden’s body. ‘Never say that again. He’s not my ex. I don’t even think he has an ex. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but he’s not the dating type.’
‘I dunno, he seems like someone who can do anything to get what he wants, even date.’
Jayden looked amused at the thought. ‘He hardly needs to go that far. Believe me, he’s fully capable of getting what he wants without stooping to that level. He has beauty and fear, and I’ve seen him utilize both with chilling accuracy.’
Paul frowned slightly. ‘So if he’s not your ex, why does he seem so interested in you?’
‘I am a curiosity to him. He sees me as a puzzle he can’t quite figure out. It’s the same way I see him.’ His gaze turned serious. ‘Make no mistake, he will soon grow bored with me, and once he does, he will dispatch me as he has done to many others before me.’
The blood drained from Paul’s face. ‘You’re joking, right?’
But the look on Jayden’s face told him otherwise. He gripped the edges of his chair as the full import of the situation descended on him.
‘You’re saying we have a lunatic lose in the school?’
‘He’s not a lunatic.’ Jayden’s voice was calm as he studied him carefully. ‘He is as sane as I am, which makes it even more complicated. A lunatic I can deal with, they always make mistakes. He, on the other hand, is in full possession of all his mental faculties which makes him even more dangerous.’
‘We need to tell someone. The police? The headmistress?’
‘If it was that simple, we wouldn’t be here now.’ Jayden continued to study him intently. ‘I understand that it’s a lot, it’s not every day you are asked to put your life on the line. You can escape into the bliss of ignorance, I won’t fault you for that.’
Paul took a shaky breath. ‘Don’t be ridiculous. You are my friend, I can’t leave you to face someone like that on your own.’
‘I have done it several times and lived. You may not be so lucky.’
‘Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. I’m not leaving you.’
Jayden frowned. ‘He will have less compunction about taking your life if you stand in his way.’
‘Stop trying to discourage me. I said I’m sticking with you and that’s final.’
Jayden smiled in spite of himself. ‘Samuel was right about you. Very well, then like Romulus and Remus, Gilgamesh and Enkidu, and all the other great heroes of the ancients, let us march bravely into the nameless void. If we shall meet triumphs and defeats, let us cherish both just the same. If we fall in our pursuits, let us fall as we have lived; smirking defiantly at the face of death.’
Paul chortled. ‘Very poetic.’
Jayden gave a noncommittal shrug. ‘I can’t help it. It is second nature to me.’
‘What are you two whispering about?’
Samuel had come up behind them. He gave them a suspicious look as Noel and Leo glanced up curiously.
‘Now that I think about it, you two have been awfully close recently.’ Cam inputted, also looking up from his book. He stared at them curiously. ‘What are you up two?’
‘Nothing.’ Paul grew defensive. ‘Why would you think we’re up to something?’
Samuel’s suspicion grew. ‘Something is going on with you two.’
Jayden rolled his eyes and tugged his boyfriend into the seat beside him. ‘Nothing is going on,’ he lied effortlessly. ‘Aren’t you the one always telling me to spend more time with your friends?’
‘Yeah, but you never listen to me.’
‘I’m listening now, aren’t I? Stop being so suspicious, it’s unbecoming.’
‘Yes but-‘
‘How was your meeting with the reading club?’
Samuel frowned but decided to let the matter drop. ‘It went great actually. I’m meeting a few of them later at the animal shelter.’
‘Another campaign meeting? I’m feeling neglected.’
Samuel flicked him on his forehead. ‘This is not for my campaign, silly. The shelter needed some help, so I decided to volunteer us.’
The smile disappeared from Jayden’s eyes. ‘Us?’
‘Yes, us.’ Samuel smiled brightly at his boyfriend. ‘We are spending the rest of the day with cute animals, isn’t that amazing?’
It may have been amazing to him, but all Jayden could think about was the smell, the noise, and all that fur! He closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead tiredly.
‘Samuel, I love you very very much.’
Samuel’s smile grew brighter. ‘I know, and I love you very much too.’
‘I wouldn’t want to change a single thing about you.’
‘Aww, that’s very sweet-‘
‘Except your heart.’
‘What…’
‘Listen, it’s great that you like helping all of God’s creatures, even if most of them are revolting. I don’t understand it, but you do you, just why do you keep dragging me into it?’
Samuel gave him a long look. ‘Because I want to give you the opportunity to do something good.’
Jayden rubbed his face in exasperation. ‘Can’t I just throw money at it or something?’
Samuel crossed his arms. ‘No, but if you don’t want to go, that’s fine.’
Jayden’s face lifted. ‘It is?’
‘Sure. Just keep in mind that all I want in life is to be with someone who is kind, compassionate, and giving. Now that person does not necessarily have to be you.’
Jayden blinked. Samuel had gotten him there.
‘Fine, fine,’ he conceded. ‘You win. However, let’s be clear I do this very reluctantly.’
Samuel’s smile returned. ‘I knew you’ll come around. Let’s get going.’
Leo looked up. ‘You guys are leaving?’
‘Yeah, we are going to-‘
‘Yeah, yeah, I don’t give a damn.’ He was already on his feet and packing his things. ‘You could be going to the gates of Hades for all I care just take me with you.’
Samuel hesitated. ‘Are you sure?’
Leo snorted. ‘Are you kidding? Hell would be a picnic compared to this torment. Come on, No.’
Before Noel could protest, Leo had already dragged him to his feet and was pulling him toward the exit.
Samuel’s eyes were filled with amusement as he turned to Cam. ‘You coming too?’
Cam considered it for a moment before closing his book. ‘Yeah, I suppose I need a break. Besides, someone’s got to keep him from trouble.’
He packed his things and glanced at Paul. ‘You coming?’
‘In a minute, you two go ahead.’
Cam and Samuel glanced at each other.
‘Alright,’ Samuel said finally. ‘But don’t take too long.’
Paul watched them walk away before turning to Jayden. ‘Do you think we should tell him?’
‘No.’ Jayden’s voice was firm. ‘He must never know.’
‘He has a right to know as anyone seeing as he’s the one that spends the most time with him.’
‘He must never know.’
Paul was taken aback by his tone. ‘Why?’
Jayden was quiet for so long that Paul thought he wasn’t going to answer. Finally, in a voice so low that Paul almost missed it, he muttered.
‘He is my weakness.’
AUTHOR’S NOTE: Been a while since I updated so I decided to give y’all a treat; double update with the second chapter being extra long. You’re welcome :).
I hope you enjoy it, I had to burn the midnight candle on this one. Matter of fact, I’m yawning as I’m typing this. I have a few midterms this week so updates would be a bit erratic however, things are starting to look interesting in the story. As always, let me know your thoughts in the comments. It’s a joy to read through.
Side note; in case you haven’t noticed yet the chapters are getting dark and they will only get much darker from now on so buckle up.
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