#Chapter 12: Really?!

Jack's POV

My friends and I gathered under a shadeful apple tree around the campus field, it was a ritual since I joined them. Merida and Anna wiped off apple juice from their lips after a few bites of the fruit, before climbing up a branch to talk some more.

Punzie inched closer to me, batting her eyelashes and smiling big. I could see the powder on her face and lipstick lingering her lips. She asked me of a flower on her hair. I told her it looked nice. In all honesty, I knew she was trying to flirt with me, and I didn't really like it. At all. It grinned my gears. The way she acted all fake and pretended to be perfect. I did my best to avoid her and chattered with Eugene and Hiccup about their progresses in college.

My eyes caught a whiff of platinum blonde over the distance. It was Beth. She was reading a book that was balanced on her palm while the other tucked a few more. This was how you would always see her. Such a busy, admiring girl

"What if we asked Beth to join our group?" Anna suddenly suggested. Most nodded in agreement. Though, one didn't have the same opinion.

"Have some class, Anna! Beth? You can't be serious! We don't invite nerds who act all right in their little world full of space bars and closed curtains!" Rapunzel sneered.

I shot her a glare."Beth is not like that," I said boldly

"She's pretty friendly if you ask me. I should know. I knew her since we're in collage in Japan," Hiccup said

"Besides, she's way better than your clowny friends," Merida said, causing Rapunzel to frown darkly

"Ugh! Fine! She's in!" Rapunzel scoffed. "Now, who'll ask her to join?"

"All of us together," Anna said, a suggestion that raised every brow

Beth's POV

I paced around the corridor to get to my locker. My whistling abruptly stopped as I bumped into someone's shoulder. I lost my grip of everything I was holding.

My books were scattered all over the floor. I lifted my face to see the culprit, and my eyes met with a mop of brown and waves of black. Hans and Vanessa both looked down and me, snickering like a squirrels that sniffled too much gasoline

Although I was pissed as heck over what they did, I shouldn't be surprised. The two were notorious for bullying. And nerds were their favorite targets.

"Hell! She can't even hold her ground over that! So weak!" Vanessa snorted. Hans chortled along. "I know right! She's always bitching over everyone 'cause she got grades, but that's about it!" I rolled my eyes at their statement.

Hans seemed to notice it, a smirk stretched a corner of his lip. He kicked one of my books on the ground. One flew to my face like a baseball. I felt something burn on my cheek hotter than the Sahara desert on Venus, followed by a wet, electric sensation that skated all across the side of my face. I touched it, and winced. A drop of blood from my ripped cheek ran down my finger. My cheek. Ripped at the flesh

Heat rushed to both them, and it wasn't pain, not this time.

That's. Enough

My hand found the heaviest book I had, and swung it to Hans. It hit him in the head first. The strong force pushed him backwards to the cold, tiled floor. His sister witnessed the incident with wide eyes.I stood up, chuckling evilly. I had learned Japanese martial arts. I got the upper hand, no worries for me.

"You want to play this kind of game? Very well then, be my guest!" The two looked to me darkly. All the nerds from the hallway cheered against Vanessa and Hans. They loved to hate them

The two charged to my directions, right and left, ready punches beside their hips. I grabbed Vanessa's reaching fist before ducking under Hans's blow that was meant for my face, but found itself harshly tipping Vanessa's little nose.

I hit Vanessa away and I swung a leg to Hans's face. The two had their backs to nearby lockers. Vanessa touched her plum-purple nose. Hans kept rubbing his shoe-marked cheek as if it might go away through just that. He was lucky I didn't decide to wear heels today.

"Want more?" I taunted, holding up a fist. Hmph, I even haven't pull out my combat strikes, this two bitches already whimpered in pain. A few security guards and teachers arrived and cleared out the students. Unsurprisingly, they were alarmed at the sight.

"Who started this?!" a teacher boomed. Hans and Vanessa pointed at me. The rest pointed back at them. Heh, karma's real."Who witnessed the entire thing?" the teacher asked again.

No one raised their hands since none of them truly saw who began the very grueling quarrel. Until a heavy voice spoke behind me, "We are." I turned to see Jack, Hiccup, and a handful of other students that I don't know. They all raised their hands.

"Vanessa! Hans! Go to the detention room! Honestly... Oh, and the witnesses shall go to the teacher's room to evaluate today's...incidents. Mr. Overland will help Mrs. Winters in aiding her injury," the oldest teacher said. The two misfits were dragged away to the detention room by the security. Hiccup and the rest of his friends were led off by the teachers.

I dusted off my clothes, trying to hurry so I could ease the pain on my cheek. A tug pulled me back after my third step. The hand belonged to Jack.

"Where do you think you're going?" he said

"Home, why?"

"With that kind of injury? No. Now follow me to the nurse's office. No buts or ands, that's an order." His voice was strict and one to obey. I sighed and followed his demand to the said location. I sat on one of the beds and watched as the guy looked over cabinets.

"Where's the nurse herself?" I asked

"She's having lunch." Jack stood in front of me took a glance at a mirror behind him, and understood the wide eyes and gaping mouths from the teachers earlier. My cheek was ripped to the side at about five to eight centimeters. Slits of blood ran down my face. Gosh, did it hurt

Jack dropped beads of alcohol to a cotton and raised it to my cheek. My hand then laced around his wrist, stopping it from coming closer, taking him by surprise. It's not like I don't want his help but I really didn't need any help especially when I'm in this emotional condition. I just want it to be done on my own

"I'll do it myself, please. It's not something I can't do on my own," I said. He stood silently for a moment, before grabbing both my hands tightly and pressed the cotton to the wound.

The sudden motion made me flinch and the burn felt twice as painful. Jack looked a little sorry for his act and began to gently brush my cheek from the red fluid. He leaned in to clean better, his bangs brushed against my forehead. After he's done, he released his grip and flattened out a bandage on the side of my face, then sat beside me.

"Thanks for the help," I said. I gave him a Mona Lisa smile. The teacher let out a chuckle

"Something funny?" I questioned. He turned to me with a smile

"Now you look like some sort of street kid who likes to cause trouble," he said. His words made me albeit self-conscious over the bandage.

"You can't blame one to protect herself. Defense, then attack so the opponent won't mess with me again," I said bitterly. Jack nodded in understanding. I thought I heard a gulp, then silence prevailed, until he spoke again.

"You don't talk or go around much with other people, huh?"

"Hmm? Why do you ask all of a sudden?" He did nervous rubs on his neck.

"Well, whenever I say hi to you, all you do is smile slightly. And whenever I ask you a question, you answer so shortly, it's as if you're doing it on purpose. All of that makes me curious," he said. I was surprised he paid attention to all those little things.

"I see no reason to say more than necessary, and I like to be alone...it gives me times to think." I responded, whispering the last sentence.

"Huh..." he mumbled, glancing to his watch. "Welp...it's already the end of the class now. C'mon." He helped me up and we headed down the corridors. Along the way, he kept asking me questions and I would answer as short (or as long, depending on which logic) as necessary.

From afar, I saw Hiccup and his small posse again. It was then that I noticed that he had made friends in such a flash. They reached towards me.A strawberry blonde put a warm hand on my shoulder. "Are you okay?" I nodded and she smiled in return.

"I'm Annabeth Overland," she said sweetly. "It sounds kinda funny though, so just call me Anna!" A brunette aside from Hiccup stood behind Anna.

"Eugene Fitsherbert's my name. My pals call me Eugene."

A girl with golden blond hair who stood the farthest from me only took another small step back. She seems a fabulous one, from her outfits. "I'm Rapunzel Corona. Rap or Punzie is fine."

A girl with extreme red curls rolled her eyes at Rap before she smiled towards me. "And I'm Merida! Just call me Mer though!" She's so strong and brave, I think we'll get along well later.

"It's nice to meet all of you. I guess you already know me," I said. I supposed as much since I was quite famous for my grades.

"Umm, Beth. Actually we want to ask you something." Anna said. She took a deep breath

"Do you want to join us, 'The Big Seven'?"

I bit my lip in panic. I couldn't accept her offer, I just couldn't. My head reminded me of whatever my sensei told me, about the risks there would be if I were to grow my social circle. But it was too tempting. Deep down, I wanted to know what it felt like to be around a group of friends. Ones that weren't a part of a deadly secret. Being friends with normal people.

I thought if I did that, I would feel normal too. However, it would only be fleeting. That much I knew

I stood there silently, my confused blue eyes upon hopeful orbs. 'Wait, those eyes looks familiar...why?'

"Would...would it be okay if you guys give me some time to think about it?" that, in the end, was what I said.

"Oh, okay," Anna mumbled. The rest plastered smiles. Were they..disappointed? I spotted Tadashi from distance waved his hand to me.

"Sorry guys, I gotta go. See you later!" The group nodded and I ran to Tadashi. I gave him a fist bump and we went home. I rushed to my room as soon as we arrived. I locked the door, dropped my backpack, and threw myself to my bed and massaged my temples. There's so many things I had to consider. And my sensei's words keep repeating in my head didn't help at all.

Gosh, Why was today so complicated?

Anna's POV

I was sitting in my room, staring at absolutely nothing. A ridiculously huge smile stretched at my face

It's a no wonder why Jack kept babbling about this Beth girl! She was so nice, so cool, so pretty... Gasp! M-Maybe he...he had a crush on her?! EEEEEEEKKKKK! Finally! Finally! finally! Bro found someone perfect for him! Gosh, I think I'm fangirling a bit too much though...

I squealed as I heard a creak of the door. It was Pippa

"Sis? Is there anything wrong? I heard a scream," she said. I told her to sit beside me and I told her the entire story. She gleed almost as loud as I did. We both loved to ship Jack with Beth

"Get ready, big brother. Cause I'll make sure you'll get your girl." From there, my mind thought happy thoughts of blonde, dyed white, and wedding bells. Far fetched? Heh, I don't care what you say.

Pippa stared as I sang happily to a wall with a huge smirk that wouldn't come off.