'What did you get yourself into, Hunter?'

His head was bandaged, and he had a band-aid on a swollen cheek. His hair was, surprisingly, more messed up than normal, and overall his whole body hinted, or rather yelled out, a gang fight.

He avoided her gaze and looked away. 'It was a fight.'

She closed her book, left it in the grass and stood up. 'Obviously, what I mean is what happened? You're not the type to get into fights.'

'Maybe I am,' he said.

She frowned and said, 'If you were, I would've noticed.'

He didn't reply and turned a cold shoulder to her, but he knew Lea wasn't blind and that she knew what happened.

'It was them, Hunter?' she asked.

'Seems they got angry. You need to be careful yourself. I came here to tell you that,' he said and walked away.

He said that, but he wouldn't leave her alone. He never told her to just 'be careful' and actually let her alone.

Anybody would say he had a sister complex if she was his real sister, but that wasn't the case. He was just that protective of her.

###

He woke up with a stiff body and a throbbing head. Mark didn't want to rise because of how heavy his head felt. He thought his head would fall off if he did.

'Water,' he thought, but he couldn't remember if he left a bottle there the night before or not.

He couldn't remember anything from the night before.

There was this disturbing dream about a fight he had with Ian the day before, along with a couple of more unrelated dreams, but even though it felt real, it was too unrealistic for him to take it seriously.

It took him a couple of minutes for his body to loosen up and to get hungry enough to leave his bed even though his head was still throbbing so much, he wanted to bang it against the wall.

Mark looked at his dishevelled image in the mirror and hoped Ian would let him stay home that day. He didn't feel like going, especially with his brain break-dancing in his head, but he remembered Ian never let him stay at home. He also remembered having a maths test that day even though he didn't study for it at all, not like it actually mattered. Studying for Calculus was too much hard work. He left it all to fate.

'What happened, Hunter?'

He heard that name in a dream, and he didn't like it.

Mark didn't think too much about it though. It was probably only him overthinking things.

Lea would probably spam him if he mentioned the dream to her, so he decided to keep it a secret. It wouldn't be fun having a stalker.

Then, there was the possibility it was real, especially after that thing he felt from her.

'I'll think about it downstairs,' he thought as he set towards the washroom.

###

He looked at his watch as he entered the kitchen and noticed he was getting late. He couldn't spend his time relax in the kitchen, might as well just eat a toast with something along.

' 'morning,' he said as he opened the door.

Ian was in the kitchen beside the coffee machine filling a mug for himself. He looked up from the machine when Mark entered and furrowed his brows when he saw his attire. Mark had his white school's shirt on and navy trousers. His blazer was hung on the bag he was holding with his hands as he entered the kitchen.

'Good morning,' he replied in an unsure voice.

Mark didn't take notice of Ian's confusion and walked in as if nothing was happening. He stood beside Ian and opened a cupboard above. Silence prevailed the kitchen for a couple of minutes as he took out some bread and put it in the toaster.

Ian stared at his mug, trying to process the situation as Mark laid his bag on the dining table and headed towards the fridge.

Ian broke the silence and asked, 'You're going to school today?'

Mark took out a milk bottle from the fridge and raised an eye. 'Yeah...'

He wondered why did Ian wear that confused look as he took out a mug from a cupboard. Ian always made him go to school.

'You're fine with it?' he asked. 'You can go?'

Mark nodded as he poured himself some milk. 'Yes, why are you asking?'

Ian was taken aback and scratched the back of his head. 'I thought... you know... I thought you need time to let everything from last night to sink in,' he said.

Everything that happened last night...?

His heart sank to the lowest pit in his stomach and he suddenly didn't want to go.

It wasn't a dream.

He stared at the cup he had filled. 'I don't know.'

Ian just noticed that Mark probably forgot what happened the night before, but he didn't feel too bad about it. Better remember now than later in the day.

'Listen, Mark, call it a day off and sort everything in your head.'

The idea was tempting. He didn't care about the other things he had to do that day, but was that really the best? What after he stays? He knew himself well enough to know he wouldn't help himself in any other way by staying.

'We can talk it all tomorrow at school.'

She got him interested.

Mark shook his head. 'I need to go,' he said and gulped the milk he had in his hand. He heaved his school bag over his shoulder, making sure his blazer wouldn't fall off, and snatched two pieces of toast ready from the toaster. 'I need to talk to someone,' he said as he darted towards the door.

###

He said he needed to talk to her, and that was true, but why was he so hesitant to enter? He managed to get to school before the bell, so he had the chance to speak to her without interruptions, but once he got beside the classroom, he suddenly felt too scared to enter.

Katherine waited patiently behind him. She tapped the floor with her feet as she waited for Mark to go in, or at least move aside.

She noticed his fist clenching and relaxing and raised her brows.

'Is he nervous or something?'

Every time he raised his foot to go in, he would change his mind. After a couple of minutes of doing so, Katherine pushed Mark inside.

He didn't notice Katherine was behind him, so the push was surprising. He stumbled inside and almost fell on his face. When he regained his balance, he looked back at Katherine.

'What was that for?' he asked.

'You were dawdling there for some time now. I was getting impatient.'

She walked past him and was on her way to her desk when she saw Mark's shoulders tense when he looked at Lea.

Katherine was a naughty girl, you might've noticed this by now.

She sat on her desk and took out a hankerchief from her bag to cover the smile on her face as Mark passed by her on his way to his desk on the pretence of coughing.

He thought Lea would speak to him, or at least raise her head in acknowledgement, but she didn't. She had a novel in her lap and was engrossed in reading, with an amused smile on her face. Mark sighed when he realised she wouldn't notice his presence and slumped in his chair, setting his mind on sleeping till their form teacher showed up for homeroom.

'Good morning, Mark, Katherine,' said Lea, her eyes still glued on to her book.

Mark stiffened and looked at Lea with raised eyes.

'Good morning,' Katherine didn't hide her smile as she said that. Nobody would know why she was actually smiling then.

She was basically acknowledging him, but not acknowledging his existence at the same time?

'Good morning,' he replied. It was better to do that to not look rude.

Lea didn't say anything again, and Mark resigned himself to mind his own business until they can actually discuss this. He was smelling something wrong with Katherine, anyway.

Their teacher barged inside the classroom and Hunter was interrupted again. He looked upset and was trailed by three girls inside the classroom. Hunter groaned as he grasped his blazer from the top of his bag.

'Better wear this before he complains,' he thought.

'Please, sir,' one of the girls said, 'we need a little extra time. We're not ready for the test yet.'

He sighed as if trying to contain his temper. 'You've had two weeks.'

'It's not enough.'

'It's enough to conduct four tests if you ask me. Now, I don't have time to deal with you. Go back before I send you with a warning slip.'

Their faces fell and they dragged their feet outside in disappointment. Mark knew he wasn't in a mood to mess with, so he made an effort to wear his blazer quickly.

'Homeroom starts!' he boomed and threw the files he was holding on the teacher's desk. 'I want your report on the carnival.'

The classroom was immediately filled with groans.

His eyes narrowed to slits. 'Don't give me that,' he said. 'I want to know your progress.'

Nobody volunteered to say anything, but Katherine was gathering some papers on her desk. She was ready to raise her hand when he picked someone else

'Derek,' he faced a guy in the first row, 'how much did you guys accomplish?'

He scratched the back of his head. 'Nothing...'

After shooting him a very unpleasant frown, he looked at the row behind him. 'Summer, what about your group?'

An excited looking girl shot upwards from her chair with a proud look on her face. 'Yes, sir, we got the roles sorted out for our booth.'

His face fell, if possible, even further. 'You told me that three weeks ago.'

Summer raised her brows. 'Oh, you're right,' she said and sank back to her chair.

'Katherine, I picked out your group members specifically. I hope you guys have something done.'

Katherine stood up while holding some papers in her hand. 'We're almost done with the script and started checking the available props.'

His face suggested agitation. 'I was hoping you listed the missing props you need ready by now,' he said. 'Today's your last chance and next time you can order is the day before the carnival.'

Katherine didn't know of that. She furrowed her brows in confusion, trying to remember anything like that, but she couldn't.

'If you can't order today, you'll have to rehearse without props that might be necessary.'

Maybe it was because of the girls that chased him inside the classroom, or the fact that no one made meaningful progress, but he looked obviously upset, too upset. Katherine wanted to calm the mood, but she screwed it up.

Lea stood up from her desk. 'Sir, we checked half of the list. There were things we couldn't find at all. Can we place an order for those?'

He raised a brow. 'You do...?' he sighed. 'That's not enough, though. You'll still end up having to practice without anything you didn't order.'

'I'll hand over the list after breaktime. I'm positive they're all the necessities.'

'Well, that's fine,' he said and ushered her to sit down. She did. 'I'm pleased you guys did something at least,' he told Katherine.

The rest of homeroom, though, was a disaster. Only one other group took their project seriously. Katherine was happy that group wasn't Cherry's group. After asking each group, Mr Huston grew more and more frustrated. It was as if Lea's intervention did nothing at all to smoothen his mood.

'Right,' he said after asking the last group, 'this thing you're supposed to be doing is also a school project, so I'm aware you guys know it will affect your grades.' He picked one of the files he threw on the desk and searched the papers in it. 'I'll have to deal with you some other way.' He pulled out one paper and hung it midair in front of everyone to see. 'I was supposed to hang this on the notice board for everyone who wants to volunteer for cleaning duties after the carnival, but I'll have to get dirt-'

'NO!' Cherry stood up and exclaimed, her eyes wild. She guessed what he would say next, and she didn't like it.

'Yes, I'll do it. Now, sit down. I'll just list the names of everyone who took this lightly for cleaning duties.'

The bell rang.

Mr Huston packed his files. 'See you after the carnival's over,' he said and left the classroom.

Katherine stood up hastily and hopped to hug Lea. 'Thaaaaank yooooou!!!!'

'It's no problem, Cat,' said Lea while Katherine squeezed her as hard as she could. 'It was dut-'

Cherry zoomed like a rocket from her desk. She kicked away Katherine and squashed Lea in an even tighter embrace.

'LenLen, I wanted to spend time with you after the carnival!' she cried out. Her voice was so loud some students turned around from whatever occupied them to know the source of distraction.

'Don't worry, Cherry. I can volunteer for cleaning duties, too.'

Cherry's face brightened. 'Really? Thanks, LenLen. You have no idea what this means to me!'

Lea stole a glance from the side amidst the confusion and Cherry and Katherine's clash, and sighed when she saw Mark sleeping... again. It wasn't like she could actually discuss anything with him in that moment.

###

The bell rang and she breathed out in relief. The first three lessons felt like a lifetime, and she was pleased she could speak with Mark about what obviously disturbed him when he entered the classroom. She needed to move fast, though, because Cherry might come back from the restroom soon and won't let her talk with Mark.

'Lea, I need your help,' a classmate approached her and said.

She looked up at the speaker. 'What?' Lea didn't expect that.

She slammed a giant maths book on Lea's desk. 'I didn't study a thing and I need help to cram.'

She didn't have time for that.

Lea stood up. 'I'm sorry, but can't you cram yourself? I have some-'

'Calculus is a nightmare. I don't get it, but you look good at it.'

'Then, why didn't you study?'

Derek from the first row pushed her away. 'Lea, want to hang out with us after school?'

'I'd love to,' she said, 'but can we fix this later? I have-'

'Great! After school directly at Burger King's,' he said.

That was one distraction done with. She excused herself to leave, but another classmate stopped her before she even took a step. 'Lea, I need you at the gym, now.'

'I'm occupied now, Brea.'

She honestly didn't have the time.

Briana laughed it off. 'You can't be so busy that you can't come to the gym. Besides, it'll only take a second.'

It wouldn't take a second.

Mark woke up because of the bell and sighed when he saw Lea bombarded by an increasing number of students. He thought she wouldn't lend an ear to him then she made eye contact with him and nodded. Mark stood up as Lea excused herself from the crowd and marched outside in haste. He had to quicken his pace considerably to catch up with her.

'Why are you in a hurry?' he asked.

'Cherry left to the washroom. We need to run away before she finds us.'

They were a couple of steps outside the classroom though, when Lea spotted Cherry walking in their direction from the end of the corridor not too far away. She smiled when she saw Lea and skipped happily in a quicker pace.

Lea's mind gears turned and whirred. She had to find a way to get rid of her.

'Lea, why did you run away like that? You're fine roaming alone now?' She heard Katherine's voice ask.

Lea got an idea.

'Mark, move aside,' she said as she turned around to face a confused-looking Mark.

'What sort of mess did you get into?' he asked as he took a step to the right.

Katherine was right there behind him. She just left the classroom.

'LenLen!' Cherry called out.