Chapter 1: Get along
"Especially you, White Knight in Shining armor." the glowering rage of his didn't wane as much as a flicker would when you know you're losing; or was it even verifiable, when the glowering rage in, itself, had loss all the reasons possible to bear such grudge on the one who had caused his great downfall? "and your right deeds will be your undoing."
I always kept my cool even in the scenario when I should be haulin' ass like it's the damn currency; of course, I had learnt to keep my temper at bay, and my patience longer that sometimes, failing to comprehend with my dramatic changes at such short time. But I had to breathe in and out several times, and do over the multiplication table to relax, yet I wasn't given much of a leverage that I was forcibly stopped on reacting. What good would it do? As for Connor, the sly smile was an opening; it was the first thing you'll notice that you'll be very glad to wipe out of existence; the withing out kind of stare that you might end up gouging his eyes out, but he was open for it; he's prepared that him, being hurt was the first trap he would set.
"You always sound so antagonistic, would it be a fucking suicide if you gave up once?"
"It would be; and probably, the greatest mistake I would do, if ever."
"Of course." I slyly retorted, fending his smirk off of my glance. "Why would you even give up when you can have an ungraceful exit, and limp away from your walk of shame."
As I had found the right flick of my tongue, Connor was sending me daggers. It was my turn to smirk. He had always gotten his hands with what he wanted, and unknowingly, Nick had stumbled to that line. He wanted him just the same as I did, and he felt the entitlement of being fawned over just with the keepsake reason that Nick was his childhood friend.
"You'll regret meeting me, Marquez!" his fist was turning white, balling it threateningly that was the least of his ill-attempt to intimidate me. "His knowledge of the whole bet might be non-existent, but the greatest thing about the unknown was the shortest margin it had from being known. Watch your tongue next time."
He had walked away; he had taken it slow and lingering; wasn't the least perturbed that I had the ability to attack him right now. He knew he had that tight hold on me, but what can I do to oppose him now? As far as Nick was concerned, the lie I had fortified was the best connection I had when it came down to notches of several levels of intimacy.
That as the enthusiastic fighter in me was nothing but a meek mouse in a lion's den; leering to an exit with the least resolve on going away.
Three Weeks Before...
"To hell with you," he screamed. "and the whole pack of you who thinks that passing this Math Project is unimportant." slamming the pieces of paper in the table. He had a deep scowl entailing each words that made his little rant rather believable, but the cause was something he, himself, could have prevented. The submission of the activity was yesterday, but as far as Josher was concerned, deadlines and due dates were nothing but figures; he hated figures and abiding to it was a tumultuous destruction that'll lead to him being branded as uncool.
To say the least, Josher was the top dog if you'll get your hands in the imaginary list of delinquents at P. V. Lucido Senior High School; he had a notorious reputation to keep, that begging was impossible for him; and if he was up to it, we didn't see Nicolas Avery Ferrer as the nicest dude in the block as he was serious in upholding the rules of Mrs. Arreola; and with that adding, Josher wasn't the fondest when it comes to Nick, and the latter eschewed the advances of the former.
Kevin Lustre rolled his eyes at Josh's outburst; he was uninterested as the rant turned to a full-pledged ad hominem about the certainties of Nick being a flaming fag. Andrew Villanueva didn't do as much as to spare him a half-hearted glance and the several 'ssshh' so he can tone down the insults, while I, Cato Inocencio Marquez, was picqued that I had taken most of his testament to the heart.
"It was undeniable, you little bitches!" he exclaimed. "Nick is the same as they come and go, he loves men, and he'll do anything just give him your meat."
Kevin was first to react: "Then why didn't you use his queer tendencies to your benefit? You could've at least seduced him to submission?" he scrunched his nose in disgust, and turned to his immovable notebook.
"Why should I? I aint no fag!"
Andrew next to him patted him in the back and: "Well, you can always talk to him, you know? I mean--- since Mrs. Arreola trusts him, convincing him would be the best order of motion you could do."
"That plan is so you, Drew." Kevin said, "an ingeniously simple one at that."
But if Josher was to convince Nick, he ought to convince himself on doing so, but with no heart to talk to the flaming fag, and no soul on being the lowest tower for a second was his wrong doing.
"You know I don't like him, right?" he said.
We had said, "Yes." in unison.
"and you know that getting close to him would be the death of me, right?"
And now we're rolling our eyes again. He was like an elementary student whining about the toy he hadn't gotten, and it was wooling on the nerves of the two people I had here. The name-calling, the half-hearted homophobic slurs and the very pinnacle of all annoying rants were starting to lose sense.
"and that shouldn't be my problem," said Kevin who stood up with an outright snobbery. "Keep your manliness intact along with your stupid pride, and fall along with it as well."
Andrew looked at his wristwatch and graced us a small smile. He had kept his composure and was still as friendly as ever. "I could talk to Nick for you but he's really elusive so I'll give Cato the honor to do that. Peace out, niggas!"
I felt the sharp daggers of Josher colliding into my body, and I was left with nothing but to look back and pretend that I'm not getting the gist of it.
But with the continuous notion of what he had said, I didn't know that Nick was exactly the same as what he had stated. He was hard to conquer, not because he's strong or violent, but he's very reticent. Now, I had no qualms with reticence but the air of mystery in him was one of those things that made him so unapproachable; like an ocean in the hands of monsoon, you'll sink deep with the high waves of perturbed glances to come on your way, the monosyllabic slam of his uninterested conversation, and the indolence of his motion was contagious. He's as lax as they had said, but never nonchalant and was usually nonplussed.
So adding that description, if he was unknown. How would anyone be able to bestow a unidirectional judgment? Josher will be Josher, I guess.
Josher pushed a small side smile to his cheeks and looked at me. Suspicion risen, I stood up and planned to leave.
"Now, now! That's so unfriendly of you, hear me out, kay?" he said, bearing the brown-puppy-dog-eyes look.
"If it involves Nick, I want out of it."
"But aren't you curious?"
"I am, but I can live with that curiosity unsolved."
"So am I, but you are a lady killer, Cato." he claimed. "You had a lot of prospects to meet in this place, and as a placating trophy, why don't you try to conquer Nick? Just pull out some 'BAE' smile you have there."
"If you're Mandy, I think I'll be able to accept it, but coming from you. Spare me with this idiotic plan."
"Okay, let's make a bet about this. I'll say you can't make him fall for you, you're way below his standards."
I knew to myself that he was provoking me, but I didn't expect that I'd be this annoyed for being called way below of someone's standards.
"and if I was able to do it, what would I get?"
"Two thousand pesos and a congratulary pat in the back from yours truly."
"You're on!"
I had the lousiest thought ever, but should I really accept it? Why am I always meager when it comes to my ego; yet it's Nick. I don't think it'll be hard to convince him on going out with me for a few days, not really darted to intimacy, but just to know him: the things he had in mind, the manner he thought of things and the way he cope on socialization.
"But there's a catch on this one." he added, kicking me out of my trance.
"What?" I asked, seeing the glint of mischief- no, it's not mischievous. It's haphazardly connecting to mine that two-thousand pesos won't suffice.
"Break his heart; devastate him to such extent that love only knows how possible it is."
I thought so, we had played this game a number of times and I always won, but it's usual to women, and their ability to be desperate for something they can flaunt. But to a guy, this sounded like a mission impossible kind of scenario. I made my mind, though. And I am picqued to unmask him already, and with that resolve made; a broken heart was on its way.
"Make it three-thousand pesos amd we have a deal." I reached my hand out.
"It's a deal then." he shook my hand, and we're both smirking to each other.
To get along with Nick might sound difficult, but I couldn't seem to shake off the excitement to know him more, the jitters of yet to be known result, and as I put my mind into a benign haze to plan for it. I knew that this act would also mean a plunge on the great blue.