River was interrupted by a hushed and worried voice. River closed his eyes in exhaustion, nothing was going as he planned and now he has to sum up this mess he created to Sage. What a great way to start a day. River turned to face an anxious Eve with a fresh face and clothes.

River tried to muster up a big smile, but before he could he was pushed away.

Sage didn't wait for him to utter any fabricated words to Eve, and directly approached Eve. Eve gasped as Sage gripped his wrist.

"Let's go," Sage said as River watched them walk away.

Eve puzzledly looked back at him and then back to Sage, not knowing what had happened between them. He wanted to ask Sage why he was crying, but didn't want to be too noisy. River growled and rubbed his face with his hands.

When they arrived at the principal's office, Sage let go of his hand and turned his gaze, his eyes now dry but puffy. Eve looked at him, innocently but worriedly. River had also caught up to them by this point. Eve's gaze shifted to him, and he let out a small smile.

“It's alright, we’ll be here for you until you get back,” River encouraged him with a gentle smile, sensing his nervousness.

He peeked at Sage with his side eye who kept his eyes on Eve, ignoring everything else around him.

Eve’s moist eyes turned to Sage and felt his heart skip a beat when the shorter guy nodded at him with a small smile. This was the first time Eve saw him smiling. He nodded back and entered the office with a heavy exhale.

"Sage!" River started but a firm voice stopped him. "No, let's end this. I want to change dorms."

Eve nervously fidgets with his fingers as he enters the principal's office. “Yes?” The man's deep voice made him flinch.

“I-I’m here for the batch,” Eve awkwardly told them.

In response, the principal sighed deeply, his face twisting in dismay. He rose emotionlessly from his seat and strode towards Eve.

"You're the last one to arrive for the batch. What took you so long?" Eve stiffened, when the principal walked past him and opened an almirah.

'But it's just second day, technically my first day. And still early in the morning. So,

how am I late

?'

He wondered how others were so fast, or if he really did sleep till late.

“Since you didn't come yesterday with others I thought I need to deliver it to you personally, because you're supposed to be the main star of the show.”

Yesterday?

Eve frowned at his words. Didn't he arrive yesterday? How did the others get theirs yesterday? Didn't the principal tell everyone that their batch would be given today? The harder he tried to speculate himself, the more chills he felt.

He felt like he was forgetting something really important, but his heart was telling him that it'll be better for him if he keeps those thoughts hazy.

The principal eventually returned with a batch.

"I see you've already made accomplices with the wrong kids; well done on successfully becoming everyone's target," Eve took a step back when the principal stood in front of him with a black tiny object. The batch appears to be a pure black gleaming stone, and can be used as a brooch.

Eve stared at him perplexedly. The principal looked him in the eyes and suddenly the office felt more suffocated to Eve.

“Rumours spread faster than any virus in Sunford.”

"What?" Eve asked and he couldn't comprehend why everyone keep telling him that he is becoming everyone’s target, it's not like he wanted it that way.

"Nothing, here's your batch. Use it wisely, just because you have the most

powerful batch doesn't mean you're free from trouble. Big positions bring big problems," He pats Eve’s shoulder and points towards the exit. “All the

best.”

Eve hurriedly got out of the office with weak knees and as promised his rumoured accomplices were waiting for him.

They both smiled at him at the same time, causing Eve to freeze as his heart melted. He returned their smile, his sapphire eyes glistening as he

approached them.

“I did it,” Eve excitedly stated, Sage laughed while River ruffled his hair

“Aww, I feel like a proud mom,” River teased, wiping his fake tears away. Sage rolled his eyes.

He turned to Eve. "He will take you to your room. I'll be leaving first," He told coldly, not even glancing at River.

River perked up, getting the sense that Sage was indeed serious about leaving the room and..

him.

But before he could say anything Sage was already rushing away from them. Without a second thought, River ran after him leaving a clumsily awkward creature behind.

Not sure how much River cares about his roommate's sadness, but he sure as hell doesn't want to lose his one and only sleeping partner.

Eve didn't understand what just happened.

Standing in the hallway, Eve found himself stuck to the ground thinking how he should move from there and to where. He gathered up his non-existent courage and made his way out of that place but as if bad luck is his best friend, it follows him everywhere.

Some boys stopped his way.

"Nice to see you again, newbie," The boys snicker arrogantly, making Eve stiff. Eve remembered him. He's Knox, the one River warned and punched, and who told Eve they'd meet again.

So, he's here for that friendly meeting.

Eve was unable to flee as his friends surrounded him. "Uh-huh! You can't escape today." They all laughed, proud of their mockery. "Grab him and throw him inside before River returns."

Soon Eve finds himself being hurled into the swimming area before he could understand anything.

"This is your punishment for messing up with us. Now let's see how would you come out alive from there," They snickered and bumped their fists, shutting the door behind Eve.

The area was dark and creepy. The water in the swimming pool appeared to be frozen in time, but it was clean. Eve gulped in fear as he moved forward with small steps. He cursed life for always being so cruel to him.

It was silent everywhere, the more he walked the more chills he felt. And then-

"How the fuck did you get here?!"

A terrifyingly dark voice growled behind him.

When he turned around, he was confronted with a shirtless boy. The lights were dim, but Eve could still see his defined body, which was tall and broad. And the boy had a natural snarl on his face.

Eve didn't recognise this muscled beast since that drug made him forget everything about yesterday including this boy, but he unconsciously felt terrified.

Anyone could tell the boy doesn't like people invading his territory just by looking at him. He appeared lazy and bored, but that's not what scared Eve.

No, it was the screwdriver in his hand and the fresh red liquid dripping from it.

His silver brown eyes made Eve paralyzed with his heart pounding in his chest threatening to come out of his throat.

But then suddenly his lips curved into a blood-curdling smirk and Eve stopped breathing.

"Fucking speak little lamb!"

---

"I'm fucked! I'm fucked! This time I'm really fucked! What should I do to convince him this time? Should I ask Alpha to smuggle some nail paints for him like last time? Then I'll personally apply it on his nails. He always gets excited when I do so! Yes! This will work I'm a genius–" he bumped into someone, grabbing the boy's collar he barked in his face. "Do you have buttons instead of eyes?! Fuck off before I pluck those buttons out and attached them to your balls!" Throwing the petrified boy away he continued his jog. "No, I don't think that idea will work. I have already used it. I need to come up with something new."

He tried to come up with something as he directly barged into the dorm.

"What the fuck are you doing? Don't you know how to knock?" Sage cried out in anger clutching the shirt against his chest that he just stripped to wear another one.

River suddenly inhaled deeply, his eyes refusing to dare blink and miss any of the second as Sage stood motionless and half-naked.

"I–"

Wait, what did I come here for? Fuck I'm tripping

. "Ahem! Why do I need to knock it's my room as well. I'm your roommate," He said after a long time without taking his eyes off that soft body, but he was still not able to get a full look because of the shirt that was hiding half of the frame.

I must tear that stupid shirt.

Sage, on the other hand, appeared to be in favour of the shirt as he spread it wider, covering himself further much to River's discontent.

"I don't care if your fucking queen Elizabeth! Fucking knock!"

And waste my chance to caught you naked? Never!

"I'm not knocking, Ziggy."

"Oh, how silly I am, you don't have to since I won't be leaving here anymore," Sage laughed dryly which was a mockery to River's sanity.

And he flinched when River groaned in frustration. After seeing the burning look in River's eyes, he knew that River was mad again. But not wanting to hear those painful words again, he turned around to continue changing...

....unknowingly exposing his back.

"Anyways, what are you doing?" He heard River, he could still hear the desperate irritation in his voice. It hurt Sage's heart because he was

expecting River to try to stop him from moving out, but maybe he's damn so annoying that River even resents him now.

I shouldn't have yelled at him. Now he won't use me anymore.

"Changing into something seductive so it won't be difficult to get a place in someone's room," But he has made up his mind because he had enough of River's bullshit.

You don't need to change to seduce anyone, your gorgeous face and fuckable petite body are enough for that.

He was practically drooling at that milky and smooth hourglass shape waist

. I want to grab that waist and squeeze him down on my dick.

River shook his head.

What the fuck am I thinking of instead of consoling him?

Taking a deep breath he sucked up his questionable desires and slid his hands around that creamy waist and settled his strong hand on Sage's belly causing his heart to race. Sage tried his best to endure the sensation coming from the big body behind him.

"So you're telling me you're not doing this to seduce me but someone else, huh Ziggy?" River whispered in a temptingly raspy voice, burying his face

into Sage's neck and inhaling deeply, making the latter's body overwhelmed from the sudden irresistible impulse to submit into the lure.

He understands what River is doing. But hell if he didn't want to give in as well. The dangerous attraction he feels for River scares him the most at times. It's frightening how Sage knows River is only using him for his own greed, yet he never complains.

"In your dreams," He squirms to break free before he gets hard and loses himself in his roommate's arms.

But River only adds to the pressure and tightly squeezes Sage, causing him to exhale an enticing breath. River smiled in his neck, opening his mouth and biting down on the soft and warm skin, his hands sneaking upwards to play with the already hard nipples. Sage moaned, unable to fight any longer. When River's hot and thick wet tongue soothed the bite, Sage closed his eyes and let out those blissful breaths.

"You can't even imagine how wild we are in my dreams, Ziggy. Wilder than you could ever imagine, want me to make you experience it?" River's breathy voice tingled over Sage's cheek as he gently kissed him.

As rough as his words were, his actions were completely opposite. River, after all this time, knows Sage doesn't like brutal things; mere roughness is fine but he's not built for severe aggression. So, instead of changing the

person, River changed his preferences. "Tell me what I should do to change your mind. I'm really sorry Ziggy, I never wanted to make you sad. I will do anything."

He got abruptly pushed away this time. Before he could react Sage exhaled out in shock. "Anything?"

"Yes,"

"On your knees," Sage ordered firmly, looking directly into his eyes.