LUCA AND EMILY AWAITED BESIDE THE BLEACHERS, looking at our batch mates. They both seem deep in thought, though they frequently whisper to each other. While Alda talked with the Brycens and scolded them about their fault for playing inappropriately—I didn't know where else to go, the knowledge that all of my friends seemed busy and preoccupied with their own discussions and activities.

I sat on the available seat and propped my elbows from my knees, discerning the people around me.

Maybe I'm being too invisible. And the students barely recognized my presence because I decided to stay out of the spot. The crisp sound of the dribbling ball complemented my flooded thoughts, and I put the strands of hair behind my ears, closed my eyes, and took a deep breath thoroughly.

I flinched when someone traced the navel of my neck with his index finger. I turned around, and my relaxed state turned displeased when I saw the triplets smirking deviously behind my back.

"We just wanted to entertain you. Since you looked so sad," Darius muttered.

Their deportment was too poor, seeming that the bleachers were too small to support their tall frame. The three of them wore the plain white T-shirt and their black sweatpants, as their dark brown hair hung lowly from their forehead and their dark red eyes gleamed with amusement. Their elbows were also prop at the same angle as mine. They were taller than my sitting height, cornering me with Darius and Enrique on my back-right and back-left side, with Calvin in the center.

"I am not sad; I just wanted to be alone."

Enrique grins.

"Why did you seem so cold to us? We didn't even do anything wrong." He said ominously, tracing his red lower lip while fathoming the details of my eyes.

I tried to stand up, already reaching my limitation, but Calvin brought me back from my seat and clicked his tongue disapprovingly, "Not so fast, lamb. We just wanted to help, anything wrong?"

Darius played with my hair, and Enrique stared at me deep in thought—I wanted to get away from them and lock myself inside of the bathroom. But Calvin was pushing down my shoulders every time I decided to escape.

"It's nothing; I already said what I needed to say."

Calvin was starting to look impatient, and he raked his hair before leaning over my shoulders, fanning his hot breath across my ears. "You have the same fragrance as Dominic. Are you sleeping with him?"

"Yes."

The three of them stopped abruptly from what they were doing, seeming to be now serious and focused on the current situation—I found no flaw in what I'd said, and I knew that there was nothing wrong if I said the truth.

"But Dominic was selfish, he didn't like to share and be out of control. You will be soon bored with him, yet he'll continue to keep you for himself; trust us, you will be more entertained if you're by our side."

My eyebrows furrowed, and I stared at Calvin, baffled by what he had said. "What did you mean?"

"Oh, lamb," Darius fussed. "Our youngest brother might have been too good in persuading; you see, he's making you fall from his trap. Dominic's not what you think Dominic is, trust us. He will do everything just to keep you by his side. But the only thing, though, is we haven't seen our Dominic act that way before; you might have been something important."

My scope of knowledge was starting to get blurry from their unfathomable statement, crossing my arms over my chest while getting their point. But it seems that they are only teasing me to get my attention.

"Why do all of you hate Dominic? All of you were his brother. But it turns out that not even his blood relatives understand him the way I perceived him—I already came to understand why he decided to isolate himself from the people in his surroundings,"

"You're wrong."

Enrique gave me a mischievous smirk and leaned closer, "If you think that it's the reason, you're wrong. Because Dominic is much deeper than what you've imagined. He's a possessive little devil that makes girls beseech from their knees—you should have seen what he was like two years ago. And he's far worse than us."

The hair behind my neck stood up, feeling that I was starting to know what I shouldn't have.

WHEN THE CLASSES WERE OVER, I directly go to Sir Alfred's classroom and saw him setting down his belongings, preparing for my tutor's lesson—he seemed to be tensed and worried while starting up the projector, frequently brushing his ash gray hair while shaking his head disapprovingly.

I have the urge to ask him what's wrong, but then I might cross the borderline of etiquette. So, instead, I just observed him with uncertainty, trying not to look so wary and obnoxious.

"I will go somewhere important tomorrow, so expect that we might not see each other after dismissal. You just have to have some advance reading on chapters 24 to 27 for the next lesson." He tried to explain calmly. But failed when his voice shook instead and started to sound unprofessional.

The projector turned on, and I pretended to be aware of the paragraphs in bullets, though my main priority was how I should confront Dominic after what Enrique had said to me. If you think that it's the reason, you're wrong. Because Dominic is much deeper than what you've imagined. He's a possessive little devil that makes girls beseech from their knees—you should have seen what he was like two years ago. And he's far worse than us.

If I could ask Dominic, would he tell me the truth just like what I always do?

After the tutor lesson, I proceeded to walk in the hallway, and the shivers started to crawl up against my skin. The turmoil folded itself on my chest when I got closer to his room—it was not because I was afraid to see him, just because of what I'd heard. But it's because of the nervousness that I got when I found out that there were still many things that I didn't know about Dominic and how surprising that I managed to give my complete affinity to a stranger.

The lights above the ceiling flickered, and I fastened up my pace, clicking my heels against the polished tiles before I finally reached his door—it felt like someone was watching over me and noting every action that I did, and the uneasiness sickened my stomach.

I open up the door and close it as soon as possible, taking deep breaths before I re-open my eyes and see that Dominic is nowhere to be seen.

My curiosity started to ignite, and I walked around the room just to see if he left a note. But my disappointment was forced to be pushed aside, thinking that he was not here when I needed some security—I could seriously feel that someone was watching me. But I couldn't point my finger to tell who it was.

I tried to calm my chest and sat on top of the bed, putting my hands on top knees while steadying my short intake of air. Just breathe, Mary Jane. I could imagine the soft, tender voice of Sister Diana whenever I started to hyperventilate, starting to be fine before putting the strands of my dark blonde hair behind my ears.

When I finally recomposed myself, I stood up from the bed and heard the crisp sound of a supposed to be puckered paper on where I had sat, looking down before taking a beautiful and well-written cursive letter.

My dearest Mary,

I have something to take care of—but I will be returning to our room before nine—I prepared the bath for you—and don't forget to eat the supper that I have made.

Ever yours,

Dominic.