I visited Austin again after my last TTH class that ended at 3:00 o'clock but his mother looked at me sharply so I retreated, pretended to leave and waited around until she left the room. It was hard, being surrounded by the smell of blood and human flesh but the smell of disinfectant was also distracting so I focused on that instead.

I slipped inside after I was sure that the woman's not coming back and placed a stack of papers on his bedside table. There was a vase filled with expensive looking roses so I made it a paperweight.

"That's from yesterday's handout, then the mock test from our other subject," I said but he just rolled his eyes.

"You're really creepy, inviting yourself in and pretending that we're friends. You can drop the act and leave me alone, Magno, geez. Get a life."

I ignored his statement and settled on the couch like I always did. No matter what he says, we're past the point of being friends and he's painfully aware of that. Because if he wasn't, he wouldn't be throwing tantrums at me like we've known each other since kindergarten.

"Why's your mom always leaving?"

"She's staying at a hotel nearby."

"Hmm."

"You're here because you're hungry right?"

"To be honest, I don't have any idea why I'm here."

He sat up, face crumpled in pain but he's still pretty as heck. He extended his pale arm towards my face. I see his bluish veins and I hear the frantic beating of his heart.

"Bite me and don't stop until I'm dead. Please. . ." he said with his eyes shut real tight. I looked at him and grabbed his hand. He's warm and soft and so, so small.

"You know, if you're really not afraid to die, you'd watch your death through my eyes," I said with a small chuckle. He opened his eyes and tried to pull his arm but I didn't let go of his wrist. "And you're smart, so you should know that if you want to die, you'd offer me your neck."

I patted the side of my neck I believed where my carotid was. He blushed so hard in embarrassment.

"Fuck you! Leave me alone, you creepy bastard!" he shouted and next thing I know, the vase came flying to my face and it shattered, making a shower of water, broken ceramic pieces and rose petals. His eyes flew wide after realizing what he'd done.

"You seem energetic enough. Get well soon," I said and took my leave.

*

"The rumors were crazy," Champion whispered to me when I wandered to the pool. I found his note on the table. Usually, I'd ignore his invitations but I wasn't in the mood to study and stay cooped up in our room all alone so I went to the university pool with a thermos of steaming coffee. I can't seem to let go of my coffee addiction even in the afterlife.

"What did you hear?" I asked him. He's still warming up so I directed my gaze at the women's team where all the hot girls are. I wonder which one belongs to the Champion.

"You know, stuck-junk Magno."

We laughed. It was clearly a compliment, if what happened was true. But it doesn't mean I enjoy being at the receiving end of it.

"Men have it easy," I said while pouring myself a steaming cup of coffee. "We get those fake reputations while women get the bad ones."

"True, true."

"And it wasn't what really happened, you know," I said. "If they only knew what really happened."

I already told Champion the truth of what Austin did, minus his gender and the other thing about me. He sighed and told me that maybe I was meant to find her. That Austin should be thankful that it was me and not someone who despises her guts, because what she did was a sensitive issue.

Champion makes me wonder how he really sees me because he talks like I'm the most reliable person in the world. Which I'm not, because I nearly killed Austin. If only I could tell him that part.

"We can't really say, bro. They might label it 'attention-seeking' and drive the knife even deeper. Women have no way out."

There's that too.

"If it were you, girls would've been flocking in to ask if you're okay or if you needed some sort of emotional support," Champion said while pushing his hair up his tight swimming cap. I let out a snort.

"You're talking about yourself."

"Nope," he said and gestured to his ears. It meant he was wearing earplugs and couldn't hear me anymore. He turned to his fans and gave them a cheerful wave before approaching the pool.

Girls were cheering when Champion finally hit the water. I stood up to see him better and understood what his teammates meant when they say Champion's born a champion. He's a beast underwater. I don't think I can describe it any other way.

He's not the usual smiling good guy but a fast and furious shark tearing through the water like he's a predator chasing his meal. Even an amateur like me can feel his focus.

I lick my lips as I imagine the taste of his blood. His must be fizzy with a kick, like a caffeinated drink. I know it's ridiculous, because blood isn't soda.

"Hey, Genesis! What do you think?!" Champion called me when he dragged himself out of the water, panting but grinning like an eager golden retriever.

"Why are you asking me? I don't know shit."

He laughed and took off his swimming cap so I picked up his towel and threw it towards him. He caught it mid-air and buried his face on it before dragging the thick cloth up to his hair.

"You seem like a highly critical dude so you might see things that others don't."

"Wait a minute, Champ. I don't think that's a compliment."

"It is a compliment. So what do you think?!"

"You felt different in the water. Like you're an angry sea lion."

"Really?! I swim good right?"

Good? It wasn't just good swimming. He intimidated the heck out of the pool water that it seemed to push him forward instead of pulling him down to drown. But maybe great athletes are like that and I was just too stunned by his ability to outswim the others.

"Heck yeah. Everyone was mesmerized."

"Were you?" he asked, still excited.

I nodded and he beamed at me like a little kid. Which was funny because he's a six foot five tall giant.

"Didn't know you're friends with a celebrity," Champion's teammate said. "Hey there, stuck junk."

"Hey, that's not cool, Franco," Champion said. I noticed the minute change of his stance, like he's ready to bite when provoked.

"We're roommates," I quickly said before sipping my coffee. "You want my autograph?"

Champion relaxed. Yeah, down boy.

"Nah man," Franco said and held up a hand. "Good job handling the fame."

I received his hand while mine was still warm with the coffee in my cup. Champion watched us, this time with the same amused expression he always has when he's in a good mood.

"They'll forget about it," I said. When Franco left, Champion ruffled my hair as if he's proud that I did an awesome job.

"Just look at that. You made a new friend!"

"I can make friends if I want to."

"Hey, but I'm still your best friend okay?"

"Okay, okay," I said just to shut him up.

As if the great Champion Coletta needed to be my best friend for anything.

*

As if I wasn't famous enough, a video of me getting beat up by George, whose real name was Christopher, went viral even my mother called to ask if I was okay. I told her some truth about a bullied classmate but she still berated me for spouting all those provocative remarks that started the whole thing. But the way she spoke sounded to me like she's kinda proud of what I did.

So much for lying low.

I visited Austin in the hospital but a nurse informed me that he'd been discharged but left something for a certain Genesis Magno. I showed her my school ID and she handed me a fancy calling card.

"He could've just scribbled his number on a tissue or something," I murmured and the nurse smiled like she knew something I don't know.

"You know, girls care so much about how boys see them. Think of it as wearing makeup," she said and pointed to the matte, black and gold card.

"Oh. . . Oh!" I said as my lightbulb lit up. I turned to the nurse with my huge, winner, smile. She giggled and left me alone to do her rounds.

*

I waited for Champion to go to his part-time job before calling Austin and he immediately picked up on the first ring without saying anything.

"Uhmm. He-hello. . .?" I said, unsure of how to start or what should I tell him.

He stayed silent on the other line so I sighed and leaned on the wall with my elbows on my knees.

"I'm sorry, Austin," I told him in the sincerest tone I could muster. "I wanted to approach you, to let you know that not everybody hates you. I'm sorry for being such a coward."

He chuckled but the way it sounded in my ears I could taste in my mouth. Bitter. I'm beginning to doubt my ability to reach him and we've just started talking.

"Dude. I know. I mean, I know not everyone hates me. There's always an opposite faction to every cause." Austin paused and I held the phone closer to my ear. "And you were obviously such a stuck-up."

"Please listen."

"I am listening. That's all I've ever done because I wasn't given a chance to explain myself," he sighed. "Just watch me die, Magno, and don't forget to wear your earphones and your fucking sunglasses at my funeral, you pretentious vampire."

"You really like being cruel, don't you?" I breathed, helpless and unable to say all the right things.

"Because you can handle it. And it's true, you are a stuck-up jerk, swaggering around in your sunglasses and looking down on everybody on your high horse. Now I know why."

"I don't swagger!" I said loudly, conscious of my building irritation. I closed my eyes to let it subside. "And I don't think of everyone as food! But I'm always hungry, okay, and it's hard to deal with people when you're so hungry you could go mad."

It sounded like an excuse but I didn't have the strength to think about what comes out of my mouth.

And if we're talking like this, I might as well be honest, even if it makes me sound lame.

"So you're apologizing to me now because you're no longer hungry?"

"No. I'm still hungry. But if I don't tell you what I feel now, I might lose the chance and I'd regret it for the rest of my life."

"That's grand. It's not as if I matter so much to you."

I groaned in frustration.

"That's right, you still don't matter as much, but I'm still doing this to see what happens if I choose the path I take. I have an infinity and I'd hate to spend it regretting not being friends with you."

"You're fucking selfish, Magno."

"I know. I know that. That's why I only watched you suffer and didn't do anything. But please, give me a chance and I'll make it up to you."

"Don't blame yourself, Oh Mighty One. It wouldn't make a difference anyway, even if you did."

I fell silent. I can hear him sniffing on the other line that I didn't realize I'm pressing my phone so hard on my ear.

"But you're still an asshole. If you cared so much, why'd you have to silently watch and not do anything?! Why'd you have to let me take all that shit? If you honestly paid any attention, you would see that I needed help --- any help, because it was so painful!"

"I'm so sorry, Austin."

"We pass by each other but you won't even look at me! You could've sat with me or asked me to be your groupmate, but you didn't! Just sat there like a lethargic fuck, while our classmates were tearing me to pieces."

It was strange listening to him cry on the phone. My chest wanted to burst, half in sympathy while the other was in anger on the things that were making him miserable. I wanted to run as fast as I could and go to his house to give him a hug that he obviously needed badly. But I don't know where he lives.

I closed my eyes so tight, wishing for something to happen. Anything!

I want to make it up to him. I want to make it up to him. . .

I want to be where Austin is.

"What the fuck, Magno!" I heard him over the phone but I can also hear his voice loud and clear. "What the actual fuck?!"

I opened my eyes and I'm sitting on a huge, purple bed, right in front of a gaping Austin.