Chapter 4

"I love Eve," Train declared to Sven. Sven looked slightly peeved at this. Eve watched them nervously wondering what was going to happen next.

"I know you do," Sven stated, lighting a cigarette. "It's rather obvious that you both love each other and if I had my way, I wouldn't be allowing you to court her at all, Train. But I trust you."

Train's face lit up and he turned to Eve. He ran to her, wrapped his arms around her, and leaned down…

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Eve groaned and pulled the pillow over her head. That didn't, however, stop the clock from announcing that she had to get up and get ready for school.

CRASH!!

Eve snarled at the now broken clock. Well…she was still half asleep….

"Stupid clock ruining my dream," she snarled.

She heard snickering behind her. Who dares laugh at my misery? She thought. Turning slowly, her heart jolted and she was instantly embarrassed. Train was fighting an urge to stay upright while laughing.

"Is it a habit of yours to wake up and destroy your furniture, Princess?" He asked once his laughing fit ended.

"No," Eve muttered.

"Oh…did the clock offend you?" he joked. Eve gave him her ice cold stare and Train stopped jesting.

"Sven wants me to be your escort to school," he stated, wisely changing the subject.

Eve nodded, inwardly sighing with disappointment. She really didn't want to go to school today. Never the less, she pushed Train gently out of her door so she could go take a shower and such. Once she was out of the door, Train bounded to the kitchen.

Once she had finished getting ready, Train was more than eager to leave.

Rotten clock woke me from one really pleasant dream, she inwardly muttered.

"Somethin' wrong, Princess?" Train asked.

Eve jumped slightly and shook her head. "Everything's fine, Train," she answered.

Train raised an eyebrow, unconvinced.

He let Eve go in front of him and lead the way to the school. Usually, Eve would read on her way, but she figured Train wouldn't stop bugging her even if she did: he kept asking about her teachers and classmates and even when school was due to end at least twice…

"For the last time Train, I get out at three PM."

Train shrugged and Eve entered the school grounds. When she looked behind her to see if Train was still there, she felt a stab of disappointment that he had left so quickly.

Eve's homeroom teacher, before school started, pulled her aside.

"Miss Volfied, what happened yesterday? Where were you?"

Eve pondered how she was going to explain this to Sensei. She couldn't very well say that she missed school because she was kidnapped. She had to come up with something fast.

"My Dad came home a couple days ago. He needed my help with a case he was working on. I think he has an idea of how to capture the bounty now, but it was a very tricky catch that involved extra cunning and a lot of planning."

Sensei sighed, and Eve wondered if he wasn't convinced. Anyway, she was let off the hook and she entered the classroom, followed by Sensei.

As she approached her seat, she caught the whispers of others.

"Great, the genius is back."

"I don't want to be here when she is!"

"Why can't they just send her off to college already?"

The bell rang and the whispers subsided. Eve bit her lip to keep her composure. The whispers were from Gail, Layla, and Aden. They, as well as most of the class, persecuted her because of how smart she was.

It was stupid!

She wondered why she had to go through with all this, but never the less; Eve put gave her full effort to the lesson plan and was glad when the lunch bell rang. The day was sunny and bright, so she figured she'd go outside to eat her lunch.

She looked through her back pack only to realize that she forgot it.

Damn, I guess I'll see what I have, she thought. She opened her money pouch and pulled out one thousand yen. Enough to buy a sandwich, I hope.

She headed to the cafeteria.

Before she reached the door to the cafeteria entrance, someone punched the wall she towards. Turning to her assailant, she tried to keep her emotions, and her nanotech, under control. Aden smirked at her.

"Oi, Volfied, glad to see you're alright."

Eve glared at him. "Get out of my way, Aden."

Aden whistled. "Should I be scared?"

"I'd say you should," Eve snarled. Her hands were shaking from trying to keep them under control. Aden shrugged and disappeared into the crowd.

He was planning something—that much was obvious to Eve. She entered the cafeteria and paid for a sandwich and a bottle of water. She left the cafeteria and went outside.

Taking a seat at a bench in the court yard, Eve silently ate her lunch without interruption. When she stood to throw out the trash she began to feel as though a pair of eyes were watching her. She made sure that whatever, or whoever, made her feel uncomfortable couldn't get her, she hardened her hair into spikes, but kept them looking natural in case someone noticed that her hair became sharper than knives.

When she disposed of her lunch wrappings and the now empty water bottle, she scanned the court yard for eyes that were on her.

There was no one outside, so she started scanning the windows. Nothing seemed out of place, but she kept her guard up as she reentered the school.

For the rest of the day, Eve was on her guard, even when the snide remarks from Aden and the others reached her ears.

The final bell, signaling the end of the day, rang and Eve went outside to wait for Train. She saw him coming up after a few minutes, walking atop the brick wall.

She began to feel the eyes on her again. Her nanotech crackled within her, ready to transform again if need be.

She felt as though someone was about to touch her, so she turned around only to see Aden's annoying, smirking face.

"What do you want?"

Aden pulled something out of his pocket and approached her. Eve stood her ground, ready to attack if need be. With his other hand, he gripped her neck and pressed the object to her neck. It was a blade, she realized.

"Kiss me," he demanded.

Eve sneered, and looked around, was anyone noticing? Maybe, but she couldn't see enough let alone turn her head.

"Did you hear me, Volfied?"

"I heard you," she answered. "However, I'm not allowed to kiss assholes."

Aden's smirk disappeared and he crashed his lips to hers. Eve slammed her fist into his jaw. Aden fell to the ground and the knife nicked her neck. Now she saw that there was a steady crowd that had gathered to watch and had done nothing.

Why should they? Eve thought. They're a bunch of cowards. They never saw what I've seen; to them I'm just an annoying genius.

Aden wiped his chin as if it was bleeding, and glanced at Eve coldly. "I'd at least think that you'd be willing for such attention since no one else is willing to even give you—"

"Hey, Princess, what's this, a fight?" Aden blinked and turned to Train.

"Hello, Train," Eve greeted, exiting the school gates and latching onto Train's arm. Not the best idea she could come up with, but effective if Train helped her play the cards right. He gave her a baffled look, but after glancing at the others again, he got the message and smiled. "Thank you for coming to pick me up from school today."

"No problem, Princess. You busy tonight?"

"Only a little bit of homework, after that, I'm free for the rest of the evening."

"Good, because there's this very nice place I'm thinking of taking you to for dinner. You're dad's busy making a new weapon, you know him and all that stuff he likes to do in his spare time."

"Of course Dear," Eve answered. The mock conversation continued on as such until both Eve and Train were laughing at the doorway, having progressed to ten coarse meals and flaming desert, as well as an after dinner swim.

"Thank you, Train," Eve said, once they had calmed down. "For helping me back there at school."

"Not a problem," Train replied. But his smile vanished. "Why didn't you tell us you were bullied?"

"Why do you think? Do you think that I'd actually tell you I was being bullied?"

"No," Train sighed, "I guess not. But, Eve, really, you need to tell us these things. You need to tell Annette. It's not weak protecting yourself from a group of bastards."

"I can handle it, Train. There's only a few weeks left of school anyway and then summer vacation."

Train sighed and nodded. Eve entered her room to do her homework, all the while wondering if Train was watching her. If so, what was his expression? Worry? Longing? Maybe not…

Eve finished her homework quickly, as usual. When she finally packed her things away, someone knocked at the door and she bade the knocker come in.

"Eve-chan!" Rinslet squealed, engulfing her in a hug. Eve was used to such gestures from Rinslet, and this made her sorry for ever comparing the girls at her school like her. Rinslet was much more bearable than she remembered.

"When did you get here?"

"This morning. I ran into Sven in the market and made him invite me over," she said, getting onto Eve's bed. "So," Rins began. Eve was a little too frightened to ask her what she was going to say next. "Let's go shopping! I'm sure you need a wardrobe update."

"Uh…"

"What?" Rins asked, looking slightly put out; Eve didn't want to offend the thief, but she didn't really want to go shopping. Well, it couldn't hurt.

Eve shrugged. "Why not," she said. "Let's go."

Rins lightened up instantly, grabbed Eve's hand and practically flew out the door.

Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up, school piled up and all...grrr...Anyway, I ought to clarify that Aden doesn't love or have a crush on Eve. He's just a downright Ass and trying to take advantage of her (quote on quote) "friendlessness" let alone that she doesn't have a boyfriend and is the school genius.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it!