Chapter 7

Lars walked away from headmaster's room and headed to his classroom as soon as he finished with his business there. There were so many girls had already lined up on the outside, waiting for him to show up. Most of them held their cell phone up high and took Lars's picture with the phone's camera.

When he was halfway through the classroom, Lars blocked by three girls. One of the girls stood right in front of him while brought her hands to her waist, typical attitude of mean girl. 

He sighed. Then furrowed his forehead while biting his own lips out of frustration. A Second later, he showed his poker face, trying not to let his annoyance at having his walk interrupted show on his face, and confronted them patiently. 

 "Is there anything I could help, miss? Pardon my rudeness, but you are blocking my way." he said with calm voice.

The girl swayed her long loose hair and then took a slight step ahead to face Lars. "Let me introduce myself, I am Angel Wings. I'm the most famous student in this school as well as the daughter of this school's owner." said Angel Wings while reaching out her hand to Lars, asking for a handshake.

Lars turned his sight to Angel Wings's hand for a moment. He then shrugged his shoulder before he responded to her. "I'm Lars. Lars Af Dracas. Nice to meet you, miss Angel Wings.

Angel smiled brightly and started blushing, feeling content after her hand touched by him. There were many girls who wanted to handshake with Lars but unfortunately they were not as lucky as Angel who was able to do it without having trouble. 

"So would you step aside and let me go to my classroom or there is anything else you want from me?" Lars asked as his eyes fixed on her like he was staring into her soul. or so Angel thought, and that made her fluster. 

She bite her lips while brought her point finger to Lars's chest, like a naughty girl. other girls who could only watch as Angel did that instantly grew rage. They were all envious and wanted to be in her place so badly. They wish they were her.

"I'm sorry, miss Angel Wings. Let me tell you that I come here only to focus on my study and not to play with you. Besides, we just met so there's no way our relationship would go that far or maybe there would be nothing between us at all." he said evenly.

He then walked passing Angel without glanced at her, acting like he did not care with her anymore. A minute later, he was already in the classroom and helped himself onto teh seat in the first row.

"Guess I'll be sitting here." 

He muttered to himself while dropped his bag to the table. The reason he chose the first row near the window so as he could breath a fresh air. 

The girls started to come inside the classroom one after another and stood up in front of the class, following him into his classroom. They were so eager to see Lars and wanted to be near him no matter what to the point that they would follow him everywhere.

Soon after, the bell which indicated the start of the lesson rang so loudly that it could reach the entire school area. Despite that, the girls still did not leave the place and kept standing right in front of Lars while taking picture of him.

The teachers started showing up and walking straight into each classroom and so was the one who charged in Lars's classroom. As soon as the teacher appeared, he immediately dismissed them who still insisted to stay and asked them to return to their own class.

Even though they did as the teacher asked them, they chimed a sigh of resignation as they started to leave the class one by one. However they did not feel discouraged even a bit because they could see Lars again the next day.

"Bye." Lars said happily while waving his hand. And again, his action had successfully made all the students in the classroom into commotion. 

And with that, the class  begin as the teacher started introducing himself in front of the students and continued teaching the class.

****

The first day of school had passed splendidly. He was filled with joy knowing that he was welcomed by his new friends at school. He could not remember feeling so content.

He got back from school with a feeling of happiness welling up inside of him. He could not hide his excitement. A smile painted on his face and never disappeared since then, making Fanny lost in question when she saw him.

"Looks like you are satisfied with your new school, do they treat you well?" Fanny asked in a gentle tone. She was sitting on the sofa next to her 'son'.

Lars lied down on sofa and leaned his head on Fanny's lap. Their eyes met. Fanny stroked Lars's hair like she frequently did since Lars was a kid. It was her way to show her love toward Lars.

Fanny's genuine feeling reached him and having a mother who always gave full attention to him made him the happiest person in the world because he knew that there was no other love in this world like the love of his mother who took care of him and raises him well.

"They accept me and treat me well, mom. I am being warmly welcome and I'm so grateful for that. There's nothing more satisfied than that, I'm so happy today. I can't even describe my feeling right now, I'm lost for words. I'm glad that I came to my new school today." Lars told his mother enthusiastically.

"That's good to hear. I'm relieved that you won't feel lonely because you have friends now. I have a feeling that you will be the most popular student in your school especially among the female student. You're such lady-killer, aren't you?" Fanny said in a manner like she was teasing his son while still stroking his hair. 

Lars's gaze wander a bit after hearing that and responded, "I don't expect to be a popular in my school. The only concern I have now is to focus on my study and continued my education which was delayed. I really hope that I can finish my three years study and then go to college." 

A hopeful voice echoed through the living room. He dreamed to be a normal person his age who went to college and enjoyed his free time with friends.

Fanny stared at him for a moment while holding her breath. The moment she heard Lars's response, Fanny was unable to hold back any longer, and tears started streaming from her eyes, falling down on Lars's cheeks. Seeing Fanny cry, Lars immediately got up and changed his sitting position.

"Why are you crying, mom? What's the matter? Did I offend you with my words? I'm so sorry I made you sad." Lars asked with a worried tone. He was panic the moment he saw the woman he treasured the most suddenly shed tears.

Hearing the unrest in Lars' voice, Fanny quickly wiped out her tears with her hand. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down before she finally answering Lars's question. She had hard time to formulate a suitable respond, but she tried her best.

"I'm not sad, my sweet boy. These were tears of happiness. I'm so happy my lovely son has finally grew up that I could not help but breaking out in tears."

Lars had no idea what that meant, but he knew one thing for sure, there was a proudness that could be spied about her from behind that words alone could not express.

"Are you sure, you're okay? I feel guilty for making you crying, mom. I'm so sorry, I really am." He apologized once again. 

Lars came closer and leaned his forehead against fanny's head so that their foreheads touched each other. He then put his arms around her shoulders and gently embraced her. 

"I love you, mom. I will never make you shed tears again and I will make sure to always make you smile and live happily. These are my promise to you and I I'll keep it."

Fanny's eyes rounded after hearing Lars words. She tried to put her arms around Lars's shoulder who was hugging her but she was hesitant to do it until Lars finally let go off his hug to face her.

"Ah that's right. Now that I remember, I want to tell you about something. When I was on my way home, I saw someone watching me from afar. That person looks so different from others people I ever met, like he is radiating strong aura." Lars stated, quickly changing the subject.

"Radiating a strong you say? What do you mean by that?" Fanny asked as she frowned, repeating the last words that Lars told her. 

Ever since Lars brought up about this matter, Fanny's expression changed. A slight crease formed between her eyebrows, giving an unreadable expression. Somehow she knew that she had to face it sooner or later. 

Lars found himself unconsciously shifting into a more presentable position, sitting up straighter, tilting his chin down to hide his anxiety that suddenly came when he remember the person he met at the school.

"Yeah, his stared at me with scary looking eyes. Unlike the other student who look so happy and cheerful on the first day of school, the first impression I get from him is gloomy and cold. I grew tense and felt frightened when I saw him. It's as if he radiated an evil aura from inside of him. I know this sounds such a nonsense, but I don't know how to tell it and make you understand. I don't know what his intention and I don't even know who he is. He could be a bad person or good one."

Lars gave strained smiles. At first, he felt good with how his friends treated him well at school. However, the moment he remembered about the strange student he just told his mother, he suddenly felt scared. Somehow he had a bad a feeling that the strange student wanted to do something bad to Lars. That was what bugging him the most now.