The next morning, I had gotten to class with my head low and my nerd-self act on.

Mrs. Reeling was writing on the board our assignment for today.

We had to read our textbooks and then write about it. Easy enough.

I went to my seat and placed my backpack down, reaching in to get my phone.

The ringer was off because class was in session, but there were no calls or texts from Axel yet.

I sighed silently and placed my phone back inside.

Allison Frances finally entered the classroom and went through her usual routine of meet-and-greet with her friends. She and her boyfriend were making out in the hallways before that, I could tell due to the slightly smeared lipstick on her face.

Her face suddenly turned to me while she was chatting away and I directed my attention to my desk.

Everyone was now in class and currently pulling out their textbooks and a piece of paper. There were already pencils and pens scribbling rapidly on the desks.

Almost everyone. The new kid wasn't in his seat yet.

Naturally, I had my things out and began working. Upon reading the first paragraph, the last student in the classroom came in and small chatters erupted into my ears.

It was now my cue to know when my 'genius buddy' had arrived.

Apparently, he looked good today too, or the girls wouldn't be fangirling about him.

Too bad for them though, he's not your strong type of boy. His personality is like that of your younger sibling.

The annoying one that loves you.

Liam came strolling down the aisle and plopped into his seat cheerfully, leaning one arm on his desk and turned to me.

I expected a, "Hello Jamie!" come from him.

I expected a pat on my shoulder as a man's way to greet their pals.

I expected a grin that would surface on his expressions so that I could see.

How strange. I was expecting too much. Maybe it was because this was the first person in two years that tried to make friends with me.

Was I feeling attachment?

Instead of waiting for my expectations, I turned around to see him.

I forced my expression to show no emotions when his face didn't match my thoughts, however.

He was a bit lost, eyes not looking directly at me.

We stared at each other for a while before he spoke up, "Your hair's different."

Huh.

Oh, right.

"Y-yeah," I piped, truly startled this time, "I just felt like putting it up into a high ponytail today."

I needed the black ribbon today. I was finding answers.

"Do I look weird," I asked in a small tone, keeping my act up.

Now Liam was grinning. Where was that grin when I expected it?

"Not at all, you look cute," he popped, giving me a soft, side smile.

He was cute.

What was I thinking? No. Stop, Jamie.

I thanked him in a friendly way and turned back to my textbook, frowning to myself.

Get yourself together.

I unknowingly let out a sigh and began reading again. A short while later, I felt a tap on my shoulder.

I turned to my right and waited for Liam to say what he wanted. He was being weird today. He wasn't like yesterday, where he'd just speak when he wanted. Today, he was gazing at me a lot and would do that for a while before engaging in conversation.

"Are you hurt," he asked worriedly, gently touching the cut and cupping the side of my face with his hand in the process.

I froze. I jerked my face away and frowned at him. Upon seeing his curious expression, I suddenly remembered my act.

Damn it.

I laughed nervously and shook my head a little, "Sorry, r-reflexes."

"For what," he asked, his eyes widening curiously as he tilted his head a bit.

Sniping. Cause I'm a sniper.

"Uh," I blankly began, "If I feel someone touching me, I automatically think of being punched in the f-face."

Which is true if I'm talking about my real identity. Although in this situation, it's the 'being bullied because I'm a lowlife' case.

"Sorry," he let out, a nervous look on his face, putting his hand down.

I turned back to the front and looked down, making my bangs and my hair cover my face.

His hands. It was rough, and big, warm...

Skilled.

I would know. My hands were similar, except the 'big' part, because of years of handling guns, and weapons, and fighting.

Does a boy like him do martial arts? Perhaps he could defend himself well.

I focused on my assignment and finished it off after an hour.

When I was done, I sneaked a glance at Liam.

To my surprise, he was gazing at Allison.

I frowned. His hand was moving around, holding his pencil and spinning it around on the table, similar to what I did the other day.

Then he did something that made me pay attention to his hand more than his face. He guided his pencil with a swift motion to the left, then the right.

Then straight down onto his desk.

"Liam-"

"Heyyy, Carter!" came a girl's voice that cut me off.

Liam turned to the girl behind him while I turned back around to my desk.

"Oh hey," he said, waving to the girl.

From her voice, I could tell it was Kayla, Allison's pet dog (not literally).

"Do you want to date," she chimed, stroking his muscular arms, "You're really cute."

I rolled my eyes. Teens these days.

What I don't get is, yes it's okay to date, and yes, it's okay to be in love.

But if you just date to not be single, that isn't love.

If you just date based on looks, that isn't love.

And if you date with the mindset of not being loyal to that other person, why date? A break-up could possibly be right around the corner and you're okay with kissing the man/woman who's going to leave you/ who you're going to leave? I guess that works for some people.

Then again, what do I know. I've never been in love before. The only time my heart beat so fast and I'd mistaken it for love was when I was ready to eat a mini chocolate cake.

Liam laughed a bit and smiled at the girl, "You really like me?"

"You bet I do," she cooed, rubbing her hand against his skin.

The cringe. I admit, Kayla has looks, but her personality makes me want to punch her in the face. What does he even see in her? Why is he still talking to her? Why is he still smiling at her?

In my textbook, I started doodling little bombs as my head leaned against my left arm on the desk. I was completely oblivious to the conversation next to me for a while before there was a chuckle that made me turn around.

Liam was also leaning on his opposite arm as he watched me, more specifically my mini bombs. I raised my eyebrows when I caught a smug smile that formed on his expression before it was wiped away once his eyes met mine.

I saw that smirk.

Now I was confused, as his eyes grew wider and his cheerful form waved to me.

My eyes focused on his hands and I recognized that his hands weren't soft or delicate at all, just as I had suspected.

Liam Carter, you are climbing up my suspicious list.

I didn't catch if he agreed to be Kayla's boyfriend or not, but what I do know is Kayla had stopped talking to him and had focused on her assignment instead.

_

Class was ending and people were rushing out. Surprisingly, the boy next to me took his sweet time packing today.

I wanted to talk to him. I needed to talk to him.

Unlike him, Allison for some reason took no time at all to leave the classroom.

I groaned to myself as I glanced at the boy next to me.

"Liam," I started, but stopped myself. What was I supposed to ask? What was I supposed to talk to him about?

The boy turned to me with raised eyebrows and a sweet smile, "Jamie?"

"Um, I wanted to ask-" I said in my nice voice, but was cut off by Kayla.

"Liam, let's walk to class together!" she exclaimed, walking up and wrapping her arms around him.

They couldn't see it, but my face just transitioned to an annoyed, bitch-rest expression.

Like, um, excuse you? Get your big dirty germ-attracting sweaty skin shedding five finger hands off of him.

"W-wait," Liam said, startled, "Jamie was about to say something to me."

"She what?" Kayla squeaked, finally noticing my existence and eyeing me down.

Well, not anymore, Liam. You obviously have a slug clinging to you. I can't say shit even if I wanted to.

Using my weak character, I started stuttering and apologized for interrupting them. I rushed out of the classroom and into the hallways.

I spotted Allison making out with her boyfriend, Daniel, and I looked away, gagging a bit at the amount of tongue and body movement they were having.

Suddenly, a hand grabbed my arm and I spun around, my high ponytail whipped around through the air.

"L-Liam," I breathed out, restraining myself from activating my reflexes.

"Are you sure," he began, staring at me straight in the eyes, "that you have nothing to say to me?"

"I- uh," I started, lost for words. Now that I was being questioned, it makes it all the more uncomfortable to ask anything.

Allison had started saying goodbye to Daniel and began going to lunch. I could hear the smooches had stopped.

"Do you have l-lunch after the next class?" I asked, watching him through my glasses.

Liam was a bit startled and his eyebrows arched before giving me a laugh, "Sorry, I don't, buddy."

Damn.

He ended up slinging his arm around my shoulder and patted me cheerfully before he headed to his next class.

_

Today's breeze felt nice as I stood on the school's roof with my strawberry milk in hand.

In the other hand was my phone. I was waiting for the hacker friend of mine to give me some type of reply.

As if on cue, the device in my palm vibrated before I picked up the call.

"Axel?" I asked as I put the phone to my ear, "Did you find-"

"Jamie, you have got to hear what I found," his low voice interrupts, catching me a bit off guard.

"I'm listening," I replied, brushing a few baby hairs out of my face.

"Liam Carter isn't one of them," Axel continued with a jumpy tone, "'Them' as in the students in I.O. Academy. He's part of the Renai. He's a deadly assassin that works well with your typical hand gun. Although like you, he's skilled in pretty much any weapon as long as he had training to and access for it."

A dark expression took over my previous relaxed one.

I knew it.

"He's undercover like me, then," I responded, making it sound like a statement rather than a question.

"100%."

"I have to do something about it."

"Of course."

I sighed as I leaned on the railings and looked out.

"...He shows up after two years are you freakin serious like what have you been doing all your life like we could've gone to a café after the mission and get to know each other I would've paid for the drinks and everything-"

"Jamie," Axel cuts in calmly, "Stop rambling to yourself."

"But-"

"I'm not done," he announced.

I shut my mouth and pouted to my poor self.

"The ring is a bomb."

"What," I stated, my whole body frozen.

"The ring is a-"

"I heard you," I replied irritated, apologizing afterwards for snapping at him.

Axel continued, "You better hurry and get rid of it. It's a small bomb, but it can destroy everything in one big room."

"Fine. I'll deal with it," I replied, running a hand through my ponytail, the tips of my fingers grazing across the black ribbon tied tightly on my head.

The black ribbon. The metal smell that must've been associated with him, considering he uses weapons. The ring that he gave Allison. His rough hands.

He guided his pencil with a swift motion to the left, then the right.

Then straight down onto his desk.

Translation:

He slashed his knife to the left across her neck, then to the right across her waist.

Then mercilessly pierced her dead straight in the heart.

I should've known. The clues were all there.

The only excuse I had was that I was in denial after two years of inactivity from said assassin.

There was no other excuse besides that.

"It won't go off during school hours," Axel's voice broke through my thoughts.

I snapped back to reality and focused on the boy's talking.

"I mean, considering it didn't do so yesterday. If it were to go off, it'd be at night. I did a lot of hacking and shit, and that ring belongs to the Renai. They're known for blowing stuff up. Gets the job done quick."

Uh, well what makes him think he could just 'blow stuff up' and leave after I've waited two fucking years?

I don't think so, Liliana McCarter Muffins-

"You're pouting in your head, aren't you," Axel stated dully, sighing a bit.

I cocked my eyebrows and frowned at the phone, "I didn't even say that out loud."

"Who do you think I am? I know you."

"I should be able to at least have freedom of speech in my head."

"Whatever," Axel said.

I checked the time on my phone. Time to head back to the lunchroom.

"I'll talk to you later," I concluded.

"Be safe. Don't die," Axel reminded me before we both hung up.

I tossed my phone back in my bag and fixed my glasses. I looked down at my bright colored t-shirt and realized I needed to change my clothes if I were to get my plan to work.

It was time to welcome Liam with apple pies and strawberry tarts.

_