บท 96: Sharing Worries is Better than I Thought
In the Pentoran High, almost noon. Renir was staring confused as to why he couldn't spot Imee anywhere in that class. He took a step back and saw that it was the right classroom [Class 2-1]
He then looked again, which this time, garnered attention from the insides which gave him a glare from the fat and stern teacher that was supervising the class for testing.
Receiving the glare, Renir backed off and scratched his head.
'Maybe she's in the canteen?' he then turned around. The reason he couldn't believe that Imee might've been at the canteen was that he was sure that she would go finding him first when she could.
It just hurts to think that Imee would eat first before trying to meet up with him after what happened last night.
That was why Renir had a slightly dismayed expression with his every step, unsure, towards the cafeteria. However, to his surprise, the cafeteria was filled with delinquents who didn't care much about the exam so they finished earlier.
Standing in the doorway, Renir also garnered their attention. Knowing that Renir was close to the Idol, these delinquents that wanted to mess with him didn't do a thing.
Renir didn't care about their eyes and stares and was only focused on finding one person. But in the end, he didn't find her there. This made his brows knitted, thinking, 'Where is she?'
He turned back again and went back to Imee's classroom which received him another glare from the chubby teacher. But Renir just walked in and asked in a low voice, "Ma'am, do you know where Imee is?"
Hearing the question, the teacher's expression softened from anger since Renir just barged in, "No, I want to know too. Because this is now her third consecutive absence." she sighed. It was of worry. What if something happened to their school's precious student president whom they brag to other schools all the time?
When Renir heard this, it took him a while before he asked, "Imee is absent?"
"Yes, and didn't I required you to bring an excuse letter..."
While the teacher was scolding him, Renir's mind was in a haze. His chest got heavier and the world around him seemed to spiral and disappear.
'Huh? Imee is absent? Did she get sick? Did she get sick from worry?' at this thought, he felt guilty for feeling the joy that Imee would worry about him so much so that she would be sick. He thought this because there is no other thought that could explain her absence. He knew how serious she was in her studies.
It could be that she got sick, thus, her absence or something happened to her. Renir wished it was the former. At least, when he meets her again, he can ease her worries by just showing that he was fine. Although he has to get permission from his Uncle Ernanfo first.
He really wished he had a phone at that time.
"nir... Renir!"
Renir then woke up from his daze after the chubby teacher called him with a loud voice that made the students taking the test frown and complain in their heads.
"Ah, thank you, Ma'am, I'll be going now." Renir turned around and left the teacher who reacted,
"What? Wait, that is so disrespectful!" she shouted but couldn't stop Renir. It was like a slap on her face in front of her students for a terror teacher which made her fume in anger.
The frown on everyone's face lightened, 'I can't believe Renir just did that! That's so hilarious!' was what they thought.
In the hallway, Renir was walking slowly while he ponders.
'How do I go to Uncle Ernanfo? Should I take a bus or just run? I don't their specific street even though I was just there. If I walked by myself, I think I can find that place again by simply retracing my steps.' and that was when someone called out to him.
"Renir, is that you?"
Renir then looked and saw his supposed "rival", Harvie standing in front of him. He was a bit shocked that this man who had an arrogant and annoying image in his head spoke to him in a friendly manner.
"Yes, what is it?"
Renir answered while not knowing what tone he should use since, first of all, he wasn't good at socializing, and second, he had a lot of things in his head which lead him to speak with a dull tone.
Harvie was standing just in front of the door to his class, suggesting that he just finished his first half of the test.
"How did you do in the test?" Harvie asked with a confident smile but a bit friendly voice.
With open windows, even though their voices weren't loud, it could be fairly heard from inside the classroom, and so, eyes were on them. The teacher that supervised the class wasn't calling their attention, because she too was interested.
"I think I did fine." Renir answered and paused before coming up with something to follow, "You?" it wasn't noticeable but he was having social anxiety as of the moment. Speaking in an open area with numerous people listening to him, isn't that the same as a public speech?
Harvie smiled widely and answered, "I did it perfectly." his voice full of confidence.
"...."
Renir was silent and the others were also impressed. To say that you did perfect is a high-risk low return thing to say. If he indeed perfectly answered the exam then it would be everyone's expectation, but if he didn't, there will be a disappointment even if he was just one mark away from having perfect marks which are already hard to reach. After all, the exam uses standardized tests for public high schools. Meaning, only a person who had absolute confidence would say such a thing.
But being confident was one of the few traits that made Harvie charismatic which made him earn his reputation. He was, after all, the Alpha.
On the other hand, Renir was under a little bit of pressure. He knew there is a high chance of him having perfect marks but he wasn't a hundred percent sure about it like Harvie does.
'This man is pursuing Imee too...' Renir felt a sense of danger, '... popular guys are on a different level.'
"Hey, hey, don't be so shocked." Harvie began to walk towards Renir, "This is only natural. Maybe, you can get a chance this afternoon." he then passed Renir, "That is if I get a number wrong."
Renir knitted his brows again. Anxiety was piling up within him but it took him a deep breath to ease himself, 'I can do this.' he thought optimistically.
"Oh yeah."
Renir heard then heard Harvie's voice and turned around to see him pointing at the cafeteria.
"Did you already eat?"
"No...?" Renir sounded unsure because he wasn't expecting that question.
"Why do you sound unsure? But since we're both finished, why don't we go grab lunch together?"
"....." Renir's eyes slowly squinted.
Everyone who heard this had the same reaction, faces filled with doubt.
But after a pause, Renir's face turned to normal and he responded, "Why not?"
'He's not a bad guy, after all.' Harvie's image was changing in Renir's head.
Harvie then frowned for a second since he didn't know Renir would take the offer but since he did, Harvie just went with it.
Renir and Harvie went to the cafeteria side to side. Upon entering the cafeteria together, the delinquents immediately transformed. Now, they looked like proper students from being barbaric in just a few seconds. The cafeteria staff wanted to thank the Alpha for that. But when they realized Renir and Harvie were ordering their lunch together and then sitting at the same table, their jaws dropped.
Oh, and the shock faces the delinquents were showing were exactly the same as classmates Harvie left, especially Travis whose jaw virtually smashed the ground.
Once seated, Harvie thanked for the food and began to feast before asking Renir, "Why the long face?" in a friendly manner.
Renir couldn't comprehend why Harvie was acting so friendly all of a sudden but he was comfortable about it, "Well, Imee is absent today so I'm kind of worried."
After hearing that, Harvie didn't know if his eyes would widen out of shock because of what Renir said or squint because of how Renir said it. Renir mentioned Imee in a manner that suggests the two were close in front of him. For Harvie, that is purely unacceptable!
But he kept his cool.
"Hmm, I did look at Imee's class this morning and I thought I was just too early. But I didn't think she would be absent." Harvie looked down at the table.
"Yeah, me too. She wouldn't go absent without any real reason, especially on exam day, and that really worries me."
'Hmm... I invited him since I know well that I already won but why do I feel like I am still losing?' Harvie was getting irritated thinking about this.
"That's why I'm also thinking if I should visit her apartment since I finished early and her apartment is not that far away from here..."
"....."
Harvie just stared with a smile but deep inside him, 'HMMMM!!!??' it was the first time he learned that Imee was living nearby the school.
Renir then took a spoonful of his meal, calmly chewed, gulped, and continued, "But I can't do that since her father will get angry."
'Her father, of course, he will get angry. That monster of a father of her seemed so overprotective.' Harvie inwardly sighed with great relief, 'I thought he was getting ahead of me. Heh, of course, he wouldn't. After I win, he has to respect our unspoken wager. If he tries to sly out of the bet, I'll just beat some sense to him.'
For them, it was obvious what the bet should be. Two men battling against one another for a woman. The prize should be a no-brainer but since Imee is not an object you can just win anytime, then the loser will just have to give up pursuing her.
"So the real problem is how do I contact her father to ask permission. But I don't have a phone."
"Heh!" Harvie laughed, "You think you can get permission from that monster?" he found it hilarious. Even after keeping it cool, he just let out his emotions when Renir said that.
Renir thought it was rude for Harvie to call Imee's father a monster so he said, "Although Uncle Ernanfo is ridiculously strong, don't call him a monster. But yeah, he did say that I should get his permission first before meeting up with Imee...-" after saying that, his eyes widened while not noticing that Harvie's eyes did too,
"Wait, he did say that I should meet up with Imee. Maybe I can use that reason to visit her then just let Imee call him." Renir whispered as he continuously nodded.
Meanwhile, Harvie couldn't process what Renir was saying. Not because he couldn't hear it clear but because he couldn't believe it.
While Harvie was still dumbfounded, Renir ate all his lunch quickly in one swift manner and chugged the bottled water which he quickly stood up and hastily said, "Sorry, but I have to go now."
"Eh...?" Harvie still couldn't follow. When Renir quickly walked out, Harvie was confused but also ate all his lunch and took the water with him.
"W-wait!" he ran towards Renir, "Where do you think you're going!?" he shouted.
"Eh? To Imee, of course." Renir just walked with long and fast strides without looking back.
Harvie stopped for a moment and stared at Renir's back before shouting again, "Fuck! if you're bluffing, I'm going to beat you up!" he ran to Renir.
The delinquents that looked like proper students and the staff looked at each other with confused faces.
Old Roger heard that shout and saw Renir just walking out which he tried to stop, "Hey-!" but seeing that the Alpha was following Renir, Old Roger just shut his mouth.
"Why are you following me?"
"I want to beat you up after you show me your lies!"
"Lying? Why would I lie?... Okay, but you can't enter if she didn't want you to enter."
"So she's going to let you in and not me? AHHHH! You're really pissing me off!"
"And when you're annoying image is changing in my head, you're acting like a child!"
"What!?"
…
"Huh?" Old Rogers rubbed his eyes as he saw a pair of youngsters' back side by side, leaving together, "Are they friends?"
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