Giovanni waited outside the classroom for the rest of the group. Class ended a few minutes ago, but Luci was currently getting yelled at and everyone else stayed behind to watch. It didn’t matter if you were a friend, foe, teacher or student, he would find a reason to make you mad. One more minute with that prick and he might actually punch him.

By the time the group finally came out, Giovanni had enough. His feet hurt and his head was pounding. He was hungry, and when his system lacked food, genuine anger came to the surface.

“Can we go already?” He tapped his foot on the ground like a petulant child.

“Whoa, what crawled up your ass, man?” asked Luci. He wrapped an arm around Giovanni’s shoulder and whispered in his ear, his hot breath sent a chill down his spine.

“Fuck! Gross! Get off of me!” Disgusted, Giovanni pushed his no-good friend off and scoffed at him. Behind Luci, Guy and Cyril looked at them with raised eyebrows. Being the quiet ones didn’t make them any less annoying.

“You guys done flirting yet?” Guy thought he was funny, unable to hide the smirk.

Giovanni smacked his fist against his hand. “Keep talking shit, Guy. Let’s see what happens.”

“Anyway,” Cyril interrupted. “I have plans. See you bright and early tomorrow for our project.”

“What? Why are you leaving already?” Cyril was the only sane one out of the four. Giovanni was not ready to deal with the others alone. His head would implode.

“Yeah, I’m out too. I have a hot date.” Luci ran after Cyril’s fading figure, but not before flicking the remaining two off. “Later, losers.”

Giovanni was ready to take off after them, head filled with hot air, when Guy grabbed his shoulder. He shook his head, telling him it wasn’t worth the effort without actually saying it. Of course, he was right. He wasn’t sure why he let Luci get to him like that. Their friendship, years in the making, made little sense to anyone, him most of all.

“Gio, I got a plan. Wanna hear me out?” Guy, obviously up to no good, rested his head on Giovanni’s shoulder. “It’ll make you feel better.”

“Tch. Fine, this better be good.” He flicked Guy’s forehead. “Get your head off me. You’re heavy.”

An hour later, Giovanni found himself in the city’s busiest outdoor mall, hiding around a corner with Guy looking over his shoulder. Fifteen feet in front of them stood Luci and his date, some girl from the biology department. The streets were crowded, the humidity was at an all-time high, and Guy wouldn’t get off his back. Giovanni could feel the sweat pooling on his back.

“Why are we following Luci again?” The irritation in his voice was impossible to contain, but Guy paid it no mind, eyes focused on their friend.

“He’s been acting strange lately, and I want to know why. So, here we are.”

“That’s it? Seriously?” He wouldn’t say Luci had been strange, but he’d be lying if he didn’t think something was up. As a natural homebody, it was weird that Luci had kept himself out all day and night recently. But not enough to stalk him! So, this was all just for his own curiosity? Damn you, Guy.

“Look! Look!” Guy slapped Giovanni on the back, eliciting a groan from his throat.

“The hell, man?” He was about to give Guy a piece of his mind when he saw what his friend had been freaking out over.