Khan chatted with Buck and Fernando about the game later that day as he changed back into his normal school clothes. He was always excited to get to spend time with the team, but away games were special. Something about going on the bus to another school made Khan feel proud, like the team was representing the school. It made him feel important. Fernando's mood had brightened up, so he was excited as well, but Buck seemed strangely subdued. Khan didn't feel like prying, especially after what happened early with Fernando and Koga. Instead, he and Fernando said goodbye to Buck, reassuring that they would hang out later, and left for math class. As they made their way to class, Fernando rambled about trivial matters, and Khan nodded and made an occasional comment. Eventually, they walked into the classroom, and were surprised at the changed seating arrangement. The desks were facing each other in groups of four, instead of in rows like they usually were. This could mean one of two things: that there was a group assignment or a competition. Either way, Khan was excited—he loved socializing with his classmates, especially Fernando. The two sat down across from each other.
"This is different," Fernando commented.
"It's nice, though," Khan replied.
"Alright class, we're going to be playing math jeopardy in your groups because we need to review some older topics," Barik interrupted. Some students groaned, others silently celebrated. A group challenge it was. Khan turned to the other faces at his table. Fernando, who had pulled out his phone, an empty seat, and a pink-haired girl whose name he did not know, but he could tell by the way she sat and scratched at her skin, she wasn't exactly the most engaged student. It's not for a grade, it doesn't matter, Khan told himself.
"But this isn't like other group competitions," he continued, "The winning group gets extra credit points on the next test." Heads perked up. Extra credit? Fernando looked up from his phone.
"Mierda, points? I could use some of those."
"Tell me about it," the girl piped up, "At least we've got Khan." He raised an eyebrow.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Khan asked.
"You're smart, you can win us this thing," Fernando added.
"Quit chatting!" the teacher yelled. After the students stopped talking, he continued.
"Everyone take out a piece of paper and a pencil. One person will answer each round, and you, as a group, will give them the answer you agree on. They will raise their hand when you are ready. Whoever's person raises their hand first gets to answer first." The class nodded in understanding. People started getting out papers.
"Who wants to start? We can rotate," Khan asked his group.
"I guess I'll go first," Fernando said. He got out his own paper and pencil.
"You guys ready?" Barik asked.
"Hell yeah!" the girl said.
Barik quickly jotted down the first problem on the board. A trigonometry equation. Fernando and the girl shot each other a look of confusion, while Khan tried to remember his trigonometry to the best of his ability. Unfortunately, his skills were diminished and he could not come up with anything, so another team got the first point.
"It's okay guys, we can get the next one!" Khan commented.
"You mean you can get it," the girl corrected. Khan fell silent as Barik wrote the next question. Once again, he could not recognize it, and neither of his group members attempted to solve it, so they lost the point again. The game went on like this for a couple more questions, but soon enough, Khan recognized a particular question, so he solved it with ease. Then, he raised his hand, his group perking up.
"Khan, you were first, what's your answer?"
"Six times pi," he answered quickly. Barik nodded. "One point for Maeve, Fernando, and Khan." He put a tally under their group's number.
"Ay, nice job, Khan," Fernando remarked. Khan smiled silently and looked towards the board. Shortly after Barik jotted down a problem related to conic sections, Fernando let out a short gasp, practically leaping from his seat in excitement.
"I know this!" he exclaimed, writing the problem on his paper. Khan watched Fernando work.
"The height is… forty-three feet," he answered, "Right?"
"Yes." The girl, Maeve, nodded and raised her hand.
"Group four again? Alright, your answer?"
"Forty-three!" the girl shouted.
"Correct. Another point for your group."
"See, I don't need to get points for you, you guys can do it," Khan reassured.
"Well, if it weren't for you I wouldn't have been able to solve the problem. You taught me conic sections, remember?"
"You're correct." They drew their attention to the board once again. This time, it was a logarithmic equation. Maeve and Fernando quickly cracked down on the problem, while Khan simply glanced over their work, looking for any errors. After they confirmed their answer, Fernando raised his hand. However, he was too slow, and Barik called on another group.
"What's your answer, group six?" he asked.
"Uh, five," one of them uttered.
"That's incorrect," the teacher responded, shifting his gaze to Fernando, "Group four?"
"It's three," he said. Barik nodded slowly, and added a third tally to their score.
"Group four takes another point." They celebrated once again, the other students wearing expressions of boredom and defeat. How did the group with one person missing and two of the dumbest people in the class keep beating them?
For the rest of the class, they proceeded to gain more points, but they were no match for the brightest students, who all sat at one table in the front. Still, Khan and Fernando left the class feeling proud of themselves, their group having come in second place.
"You've really improved a lot in math," Khan noted as they left the classroom. Fernando let out a quick chuckle, putting his hand on the back of his head.
"I've never been good," he replied, pausing for a moment. "Gracias," he uttered quietly.
Khan returned a smirk, hiding his surprise at his success in flattering Fernando. The two proceeded in the direction of the locker rooms continuing to chat. Some teammates and cheerleaders were already lingering in the are, chatting. Khan scanned for Lian, for he had not seen her and was starting to worry. She was nowhere in sight. He sighed and headed for the locker room, and Fernando, who was still at his side, perked up.
"What's on your mind?" he asked.
"Nothing, it's just Lian," he answered.
"What about her?"
"I haven't gotten to talk to her. We didn't exactly end on good terms last night." Fernando's face changed from curiosity to worry.
"Last night? What happened last night?" he asked, almost frantically.
"We got in an argument, that's all." The Spaniard exhaled in relief.
"Oh. I'm sure she'll get over it," he answered nonchalantly, as they walked into the locker room. They walked to their respective lockers.
"I'm not sure, I think I made her really upset," Khan continued. He began to feel insecure, for they were alone in the locker room and speaking about a sensitive topic.
"Why do you say that?"
"She…" He paused, facing away from Fernando. Do I tell him she slapped me? What if he makes fun of me? He was snapped out of his worries when he faced his friend and saw that he had moved much closer.
"What did she do, Khan?" he grumbled, a hint of anger in his lowered voice. Khan could see the darkness in his face and realized that there was no avoiding this.
"She hit me." Fernando furrowed his eyebrows.
"Hijo de puta!" He slammed his fist against the locker.
"Fernando, calm down," Khan placed his arms on his shoulders, then continued, "It's not that big of a deal!"
"No, it is, she abused you," Fernando continued, his face reddened with rage. Khan fearfully looked back towards the door of the locker room, then turned back to Fernando.
"Fernado, please don't tell anyone, okay? It's kind of embarrassing," Khan pleaded.
"But you should prioritize your safety over her," he argued.
"Fernando, don't worry about me, okay?" Khan moved one hand down Fernando's arm, and the other to his own face. "It didn't even leave a mark." Fernando, crossing his arms, sighed.
"Alright, I won't tell. But you seriously need to put her in her place," he said, almost in a scolding manner. His face still flushed, he walked back to his locker and started to change into athletic clothing. They were both changing when Buck and Viktor came in.
"We heard some noise in here, you guys good?" Buck asked.
"Yeah," Khan responded slowly. Khan could feel his face turn warm out of embarrassment. What if he heard what we were talking about? Viktor glanced at Buck, then shot a look at Khan, smirking.
"You can admit you were fu-" Buck socked him before he could finish the sentence, and Fernando groaned. They both glared at the Russian, who smiled mischievously. Fernando's face darkened as he quickly turned to his locker. Khan rolled his eyes and continued to change into his clothes. Fernando sat down on a bench after he finished changing and Khan joined him, leaning against the wall adjacent to Fernando. More football players piled into the room, stripping their clothing, changing, and talking noisily. Eventually, Viktor and Buck walked towards the two.
"You guys ready to head out?" Fernando asked.
"Yes, we're ready," Buck said. The four of them headed for the door. A crowd of cheerleaders had accumulated outside. Khan searched white-haired girl in the crowd, but it proved futile. Fernando noticed his increasing anxiety.
"Don't worry about her," he reassured. Khan opened his mouth to protest, but no words came out.
"Hey, want to sit with me on the bus?" Fernando asked, changing the subject.
"Yeah, sure." Fernando nodded.
"Alright then, let's go," he answered as he started towards the parking lot. Khan followed behind, not paying attention to the crowd of cheerleaders they were cutting through. He collided with a familiar red-headed girl's shoulder. Cassie turned her head.
"I'm sorry," Khan apologized.
"It's okay." She glanced towards Fernando, who had stopped walking and turned around. He returned her gaze.
"Hola C-Cassie," he stuttered.
"Hey," she greeted, "How are you?"
"Good. I would love to talk, but we have to go," Fernando said quickly. She nodded, and before Khan could react, he grabbed him by the hand and pulled him away from Cassie. Fernando rushed through the crowd, taking Khan along with him through an alleyway to the parking lot, where athletes and cheerleaders began to board the buses. He and Fernando reunited with Buck and Viktor, who briefly questioned their disappearance. The group chatted and ascended the steps of the bus. Fernando chose a seat towards the middle of the bus, and Khan sat next to him. Buck and Viktor sat in the seat behind theirs, and Khan stared blankly out the window past Fernando, still hoping to find Lian amongst the groups of cheerleaders. He thought he saw white hair and gasped, prompting Fernando to look up. He frowned when in realization of what Khan was doing.
"¡Oh dios mio! Stop worrying about her already," he scolded, frustrated, "Here, have this," he said, handing him an earbud from the pair that he had plugged into his phone. Khan hesitated for a moment, then put it in.
"What do you want to listen to?" Fernando asked.
"Whatever you want is fine."
"Fine. Don't complain if I blast salsa music." At that, a reggae song started playing through the earbud.
"This will calm you down," Fernando assured with a smile, "It works on me." Khan nodded, then leaned back in his chair. After a couple of minutes, the bus started moving, and Khan stared at the street lights and trees as he listened to the upbeat tunes of Jamaica. Next to him, Fernando nodded his head to the beat.
/
Khan felt like he had a fever. Screeches of joy echoed through his head as rested in the dark bus. The air felt heavy with the musty scent of sweat and sports drinks, and everytime he took a breath, he could taste the sweet flavor of victory. He turned to Fernando, his sweaty face shining in the yellowish hue of the streetlights. His thick biceps were wrapped around his chest, his eyes were shut, and his earplugs were in. Khan wanted to chat, but did not want to wake his friend, so he turned backwards towards Buck and Viktor.
"Oh, hi Khan. How are you?" Buck asked.
"My mind is racing," he replied.
"We were thinking of playing a game to wind down," Viktor added, "Care to join us?" Khan raised an eyebrow.
"What type of game?" he asked suspiciously.
"Truth or dare!" He shouted. Buck struck his arm and shushed him. Khan knew this could be dangerous. A game like truth or dare, with someone like Viktor? However, he was rather bored and needed something to shift gears. What's the worst that could happen?
"Sure, why not?" Viktor let out a victorious chuckle.
"Good. Get Fernando to join, then we can start," he continued.
"I think he's asleep."
"We'll wait for him, then." Khan nodded, then faced forward. A white light from his side caught his eye. He glanced over and saw Fernando, texting away.
"Oh, Fernando, you're awake?" No response.
"Fernando?" He leaned over, taking a quick peek at his screen. He could have sworn he saw Cassie's name and picture at the top of the screen before Fernando moved his phone away and looked to Khan. Is he texting Cassie?
"What is it?" Fernando asked, rather irritated.
"Do you want to play truth or dare with us?" Khan asked.
"Not really, why?"
"It'll be fun." Fernando rolled his eyes, then took out his earbuds.
"Fine." Khan nodded, then turned back around Viktor and Buck.
"He's in. Who's going first?"
"You," Viktor answered. Khan didn't know what to do at first. Eventually, he decided he wanted to see Buck do something rather silly, and since he would almost always choose dare, he had his opportunity.
"Buck, truth or dare?" he asked.
"Dare."
"Okay, I dare you to stick your head out of the window and shout at someone on the sidewalk."
"That's so ridiculous, what the hell, Khan?" Buck questioned.
"You have to do it." Viktor insisted. Buck rolled his eyes, opened their window, and stuck his head out. Since it was dark, not many people were on the streets. It took a minute to find someone.
"Hey! I like your shoes!" he shouted quickly. Then, he withdrew his head and closed the window.
"You happy?" he asked. At this point, Viktor and Khan were both chuckling. Fernando had turned around to witness the act as well.
"Yes. Your turn now," Viktor said.
"Viktor, truth or dare?" Buck asked.
"Truth."
"Alright, let me think," Buck answered, pausing. "Do you feel bad for Skye? Like, do you wish she wasn't expelled?" Viktor's face turned white.
"That's two questions!" Buck chuckled.
"You have to do it," he answered in a mocking tone.
"Yes, and yes," Viktor confessed, "Now I get to choose someone. Fernando, truth or dare?"
"What?" he responded.
"Truth or dare?" Fernando contemplated for a moment.
"Dare." Viktor jumped in his seat and Khan gulped, scared of the power he had over his friend.
"I dare you to cuddle with Khan!" Buck gasped. Khan felt his face turn hot.
"Hijo de la chingada- what the hell, Viktor?" Fernando shouted.
"Do it!" Fernando sighed.
"Lo siento, amigo," Fernando uttered as he leaned into his chest and laid his arms around Khan's shoulders. Khan felt his warm body against his, and his heart began pounding. Viktor started to laugh hysterically, and Buck rolled his eyes.
"It's okay, we're just two bros, cuddling, totally normal," Khan assured shakily. Fernando chuckled into his chest. The temperature in the bus seemed to increase as Fernando's muscular arms weighed down on Khan. His dark hair tickled the bottom of his chin, and he could feel his friend's breath on his chest.
"Can we stop now?" Fernando asked, his voice muffled in Khan's shirt.
"Yes," Buck answered, for Viktor was now laughing too much to speak. He moved his arms away from Khan and lifted himself off of him. Fernando's warmth lingered on him, and Khan's arms now felt empty. It had felt like an eternity, yet a short moment.
"I don't like this game, can we stop?" he asked. Khan nodded in agreement. Viktor, still too consumed by laughter to respond, shook his head.
"We should," Buck answered.
"No, please," Viktor protested through gasps of air, "At least let Fernando have a turn."
"Fine. Khan, truth or dare?" He thought for a moment, then responded.
"Truth." Fernando nodded slowly, and his eyes narrowed. His intense eyes, which shone in the dark, focused on Khan, and Khan only.
"Do you really love Lian?" Khan's heart dropped. How could Fernando ask such a personal question? Khan wanted to say yes, he loved Lian. It would make her so happy if he said he loved her, if he stood up for her. But she wouldn't know, and he had to tell the truth, the truth being that he did not love Lian. He never felt romantic attraction towards her. She was only a friend, a good friend, nonetheless. But love? He looked towards his friends. Buck and Viktor both stared at each other in awe. Fernando was still fixated on Khan.
"No." Fernando nodded.
"Alright. Game over." He put his earbuds back in, then returned to browsing his phone. Khan stared blankly at Fernando, intrigued by his calm demeanor after the exchange.
"Hey, what the hell?" Buck asked, after a long pause.
"I don't know. He confuses me," Khan answered.
"Confuses you, huh?" Viktor butted in, chuckling.
"Now is not the time for your innuendos, Viktor," Buck protested.
"Whatever. That was a fun game, though."
"Easy for you to say, all you had to do was confess something everyone already knew," Buck answered.
"Hey, shut up! All you had to do was compliment a random stranger!" Khan phased out as the two continued their banter.
For the rest of the night, he was stuck in a haze of awe and confusion. After arriving at Realm High, he congratulated his teammates and bid them farewell. He wanted to talk to Fernando, but the time he had finished with everyone else, he was long gone. Khan walked to his house almost aimlessly, not bothering to check if his neighbor, Lian, was home. He took a long shower and then tucked himself into bed, not having enough energy to work on homework. He tossed, turned, and tried to explain everything going on in his head. He recalled feelings about Fernando and his mysteriously charming nature. He realized that he had not seen Lian all afternoon, and began to worry again. He felt like he was missing crucial facts, something about Fernando, something about Lian, but he didn't know what they were.