I hurried from the third to the ground floor. Dang. This school is enormous. I'm honestly surprised that I still have energy despite not having eaten anything for half of the day.

As I walked down the corridor, I reflected on what had just happened. Pretending. The word kept ringing in my head. What are they pretending about? Are they acting as if they're a couple? Is it true that everything about them is a hoax? Why? For what purpose?

Or are they simply pretending to be high and eminent? Maybe, just maybe, they're ordinary people, and being scary and unfriendly is just a front.

That's so pathetic. They are, after all, ordinary people! What do they eat, a gold nugget?

Then what are they hiding?!

I remembered Mia warned me to stay away from them. What if they are the son and daughter of notorious mafias? What if they were in disguise in order to hide from their assassins? What if — Okay stop. I don't know where my thoughts taking me and besides, for the umpteenth of time, what do I care?

I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I didn't notice I'd walked right into the Teen Center's glass wall. Ouch. What the hell is this wall doing in this place? It hadn't been here before, had it? In order to exact my vengeance on the stupid wall, which had grown in here, blocked my path, and bumped me, I kicked it forcefully.

"That glass can't fight back." I turned around to face the voice behind my back. He has curly brown locks that falls his eyes and high cheekbone. His face wasn't that perfect in his broken nose and thin lips. But it was regained by his tall and suave appearance.

Who was this guy?

"Unfortunately." I said and he laughed. I caressed my forehead in any case of unnecessary lump.

"Do you want me to bring you to the infirmary?" He offered. "Maybe that," he pointed to my forehead, "Needs to check, you know."

"No, no need. I'm fine." I smiled.

"Okay." He said uncertainly.

I simply stood there waiting for him to leave. I frowned as he stood immobile on his post. He looked like a model, his hands tucked into his jeans pocket, waiting for the camera to click.

"Um, aren't you going somewhere?" I asked skeptically.

He nodded his head. "If you let me bring you to the infirmary."

"I told you I'm fine. And I don't want to bother you." If there is something to check to I think it's the glass if there are any traces of cracks.

He laughed. "You're not, now come on," he said, holding out his hand. I fixed my gaze on his hand. Should I accept it? I took a look at him, and he appears to be nice. All the people you meet are nice to you, Ann. I extended my hand to take his but quickly withdrew it when I realized...

"I don't know you."

He laughed again. I've noticed that this guy laughs a lot. What a happy man. He pulled his hand and scratched the back of his neck. "How foolish of me to forget. I'm Jeffty. Jeffty Williams." He extended his hand again for handshake. Jeffty Williams? Why the name rings a bell to me? I looked at him closely yet no matter how much I tried, I can't remember his face nor recall to seen him somewhere. But I am much sure that his name sounds familiar.

"Annathea." I said and took his hand.

"So,"

"Will you take me to the cafeteria instead?"

So you could buy me food and I can have a gratis lunch. Yey! Kidding.

We walked to the lunch room, and I make sure took three steps behind him. It's not that I don't want to be seen with him (though that would be a stretch given how unattractive I am), but because if I get any closer than two steps, I don't want to be immersed in a cloud of awkwardness between us. He kept looking behind me to make sure I was still following.

"Are you new here, Annathea?"

"I'm a what?" I confirmed because I didn't heard him clearly from the barrier of distance between us.

He stopped and waited so I could match his pace. "I said you're an angel." He said. Suddenly, I could feel the heat on my cheeks. Eh me gesh. I'm not used with compliments! I opened my mouth to say thank you but he beat me off.

"Joke," He laughed. Ouch. Not funny though.

"I asked if you are new here."

"Oh, um. Y-yes. Why?" Shoot! Shoot! Why do I tend to stutter in front of all new people I meet? I wanted to pull my tongue out and command to speak straight. But I realized it will be slimy and awkward and most of all gross. The guy gave me a side glance and I saw that his forepart creased.

"I haven't seen you every time I come here."

"Visit? You mean you're not a student here?"

"I'm from the next school; I just came here to see my brother; I know you're new because I practically know all of the students here because, as I've said, I always visit Costados," he explained.

It was my turn to knit my brows together this time. How is it that an outsider is able to break into a school? Outsiders are not permitted unless they wear a visitor's tag, according to our student handbook page 16 (yes, I read the handbook thanks to Mrs. Black). In his case, he wears nothing. Second, if he attends the other school, why not just transfer here?

"Why did you have to come here to see your brother when you could see him at home?" I inquired.

"He's not living with us."

"Oh." Was all I could say.

"Do you want to meet him?" He offered, flashing me a smile. My eyes bulge for a fraction for a second. He'd like me to meet his brother? That's so nice of him. But isn't it kind of suspicious since I just know him? Given that he's also an outsider). I barely know him and now he wants me to meet his brother. I observed him keenly but there's nothing so suspicious rising about his actions.

Perhaps next time? Perhaps today isn't the best day, given that my stomach grumbled in protest. I wondered if Jeffty had ever heard that strange sound. Fortunately, he did not.

"That's very kind of you, but I think—" my words trailed off in my throat as I noticed the popular clique marching towards us. I quickly yanked Jeffty's shirt to get his attention. He looked at me with a puzzled expression. "I have to go; it has been a pleasure to meet you."

"But I thought we'd — here he is, Lendon!" he exclaimed. My attention was drawn to the man he addressed as Lendon. Is he Jeffty's brother? That's why Jeffty's name sounds familiar to me because I've heard his surname before. Williams. Brett referred to Lendon Williams as "the arrogant jerk."

He was accompanied by the twins and Ashton. Ashton appeared to be carrying the world on his back and on the verge of collapsing. His eyes were aloof, as if his mind and soul were wandering somewhere in the world. I remembered what I'd heard in the exit way. What are they trying to hide? Is he thinking about his argument with Victoria?

Jeffty and Lendon exchanged some bro fist bumps and awkward handshakes. I shifted my weight to my other foot and tried to pull down my jean, which was completely unbelievable because it was hooked on the pot wire sticking out from the botanical area's fence. Talks about jinxes and unfortunate circumstances.

I pulled my jeans again but to no avail. Oh come on! I just want to be out of here. I side step and bent down to have a better access on the stupid wire and start to unhook it. "What are you doing?"

I took a deep breath and turned to face them. Jeffty and Lendon both had a puzzled expression on their faces. Ashton, on the other hand, appears bored. I hadn't realized the twins had gone until now.

"Nothing," I said with a closed smile. Their gaze was drawn to my hooked jeans, but I was quick to angle my other leg and position it forward. "It's nothing," I said again.

"This is Lendon," he introduced the man standing next to him. "Len, this is Annathea."

"Hello," I said. Lendon simply nods in acknowledgement. No shake hands. No first talk. He veered and continued to talk to Jeff as if I were nothing here, which was fine with me. I shifted my heed back to unhooking my jeans from the wire. For Pete's sake, why was this wire so difficult to remove!

"Why don't you move backward, bend down, and straighten that thing?" the cold voice suggested. Do you believe I haven't done so? I don't need to look up who the owner of the voice is.

"I can handle it," I manage to say. Of course I do. It's a simple problem that even a child can solve. This, however, are my favorite pair of jeans. It holds sentimental value for me because I purchased it during my first summer job last year.

"Right," he grumbled dryly. "Just so you know, I'm not going to help you."

"Just so you know too that I'm not asking for your help." I replied. Suddenly a wave of annoyance passed on my face.

He faced me with unknown emotion on his face. His gaze fall down on my leg and raised his brow.

"Even you're bleeding?"

My jeans did have a blood stain on them. Look at that, the wire managed to wound me. But it didn't hurt. It's not close to my internal organs, so there's no need to be worried.

"Even I'm–"

"The two of you!!" I was cut off by a shrill male voice. He has plump arms and legs, and his uniform appears to be too small to fit his chubby belly. He has a whistle on his lips and a mustache covering his chin and chubby cheeks.

He was the school's security guard. He was running towards us, holding a night stick in his hand. He blew his whistle and bellowed. "Stay where you are!"

I pointed myself."Me?"

"Lovely." The guy next to me grunted.

"Is he referring to us?"

"Do you see anyone aside from us?"

I looked around us and the place was deserted. Where did Jeffty and Lendon go? My gaze returned to Ashton, who was walking calmly away from me as an approaching guard ran in my direction.

"Hey, where are you going?" I asked Ashton. I looked between him and the guard then on my situation. Panic built up in my system when the guard was yards away and pointing his night stick at me, and I couldn't even run for my life because I was stuck in this place and didn't know what to do.

"Hey, came back here!" I exclaimed.

You are my only hope.

He really took his time to turn around. A devious grin smeared on his face. "What for? You don't need my help as you said." He said and turned.

"Okay fine. I need your help."

"What?"

"I need your help." I said louder.

"I can't hear you." He mocked.

"I said I NEED YOU!!" I shouted.

In an instant, he was standing in front of me, bending down to unpin the jeans from the wire. "Please do it faster... he's coming," I cried. As Mr. Guard approached us from behind, I exclaimed. "Why is he running for us? I've done nothing wrong,"

I was caught off guard when Ashton's face appeared in front of me. His gaze fixed on mine, and the hair on the back of my neck tickles as his breath flutters across my cheeks.

"I did." He murmured and clasped my hand into his and dragged me in who knows where direction.