Planning the Promised Celebration

A week passed in the blink of an eye. Eli was overjoyed to find Zeke reaping what he sowed.

She didn't regret leaving her self-study aside and spending extra time in jotting down notes and tips on his study materials for the past days. The young heir, on the other hand, seemed to have been burning the midnight oil while she did so. The rooftop strategy was a great success, either. Both were able to see the fruit of their hard work when news came that he passed the entrance exam with flying colours, consequently pleasing the Chairman as well.

"Congratulations, Ezekiel! I knew you can do it!" Eli enthused in evident elation.

"Thank you! I couldn't have done it without you," Zeke replied while smiling sheepishly.

"That's right, you couldn't have done it," Hal commented with a mocking look.

"What do you mean?" the young heir grumbled, narrowing his eyes at him.

With that, the boys then started to have an intense staring contest.

There's one more notable thing that happened within the past days – that is, Hal and Zeke's sudden closeness. For unknown reasons, Eli started to find them bickering often, with Zeke being the usual object of insults. She didn't mind how they opened up to each other, however. If anything, she's glad that the transfer student was able to make friends quickly, though Hal seemed to see him more like a plaything than a person.

"This calls for a celebration! As promised, let's have a party," she chimed in, pumping her fists before looking at Hal, eyes sparkling with zest.

"Ah, I know that look... I'm sorry to break it to you, but this library is now off-limits. Our tea parties had been busted by the teachers," the librarian replied with an apologetic smile.

"Ehh...? What a party pooper..."

"What's that, Ms. Scholar? You're now turning rebellious, huh?"

Eli looked appalled at that, but didn't back down. She then crossed her arms, flipping her hair and evading his gaze.

"That is 'cause you're a bad influence, Hal," she retorted, earning an offended look from him.

"Why me?!"

"You're the one who'd been carrying sweets around."

Unbeknownst to the three, the Student Council Vice President was standing still behind the library's door like a statue.

Anyone who'd see him right now would suspect him snooping around, but in reality, Noah came for the exact same thing they're currently conversing about. As someone with a giant sweet tooth, he felt his world shattered the moment he heard the news. He then wondered if tea parties would ever feel the same again.

While having these thoughts, he completely forgot he's part of the law-abiding Student Council himself.

"Oh, that's right. We can't have a tea party here anymore."

Noah slightly jumped in surprise at that. He then turned to find his fellow Student Council member behind him. Allen seemed to have already noticed him ages ago as he just beamed at him before adding, "Oh, right. Angelica planned to throw a party for Mr. Zeke since he passed the exam. Care to join?"

"What? Have you been tricked too?" Noah asked incredulously, much to his bafflement.

"What do you mean?"

"You actually fell for that? Even if that girl threw me a bunch of tea parties, I wouldn't careless."

Allen was taken aback by how rubbed off he sounded. It's as if she was some kind of a disease.

Though disturbed by his choice of words, the red head only zipped his mouth. He knew where Noah was coming from since he'd also been there. After all, they had one common enemy, and at the end of the day, no matter whom she shared a body with, they still have those ineffaceable pasts that marred them for eternity. That's why he dared not compare what each of them had been through and how they chose to deal with them at the present.

"Even so..." Allen trailed off, making Noah look at him questioningly.

"I think you should stop seeing her in Angelica. She wasn't the one who gave us all those scars," he continued before walking inside the room without waiting for his response. Noah was too flabbergasted to reply, anyway.

He couldn't believe that even Allen was siding with her.

When Allen entered the library, the three were bustling about something before noticing him. It's Eli who approached him first, a pen and journal in hand. She then greeted him with a smile before saying, "May I get your signature, Allen? I've been wanting to have you guys sign on this for me."

The red head blinked at this in surprise. He then chuckled with amusement, recalling the time when Hal told him that she was their biggest fan. Though he has a large fanbase in and out of campus as the Student Council President, he never met someone who idolized his Aristian knight persona until now. But then again, nobody really knew about it aside from her and a few people.

"Of course, I'd be happy to," he replied before taking the pen and notebook. He then suddenly thought of something, which Eli noticed as she titled her head at him quizzically. Swiveling his head to the door, he smirked mischievously before voicing out, "Oh, I know! Why don't you get the person outside sign as well? You're quite lucky to have three of us here today."

Both Eli and Noah were dumbfounded upon hearing this.

Allen had betrayed him.

He can't believe he'll expose him like this. Indignant, the blonde just stomped away from the door, retreating in fear of being found there. Eli, on the other hand, had a big question mark written on her face. Confused, she just stared at the door while Allen's frame continued to shake with mirth.