Chapter 23

Author's POV

Lan shook his head in disbelief at him. He frowned in disgust.

"You're such a moron"he scoffed.

Damon glanced at him, his lips pulled up in a smirk.

"Tell me, how do you leave your house this late and don't get caught? " Lan asked curious.

Damon folded his arms behind his head. He smirked " Do you want me to teach you?" He asked.

Lan immediately shook his head.

Damon's gaze harden as he stared at him "Then don't ask."he said harshly.

His cold voice sent a chill down Lan's spine but he shrugged it off.

Something about Damon feels mysterious. He had this dark secretive air around him that keeps pulling him in.

"Does you mum know you sneak out at night?"Lan continued his questions.

Damon's face changed" She can't do anything about it even if she wants to" he said.

Lan could see anger, sadness,rage,pain, hatred and alot of emotions pass through his eyes.

"Your house is oddly quiet" Damon said shutting his eyes.

Lan raised a confused brow at him "That's cause it's actually late" he said.

Damon hummed his eyes still closed "Mine is always loud"he mumbled.

"Do you--"

" Shhhh..let me sleep,I hardly sleep" Damon muttered immediately falling asleep.

Lan stared at his face conflicted within himself.

His face looked so peaceful as he slept a contract to when he is awake. He looked different right now. He looked relaxed. Something Lan felt he never was when he was awake.

Although he acts cool, somehow he could always feel that he wasn't as cool as he acts.

Lan laid beside him and shut his eyes welcoming the darkness that followed.

The next morning the blaring sound of the alarm clock woke him up. He angrily murdered the alarm clock as his fist made contact with it.

He sat up on his bed. The night's event flashed before his eyes making him turn to his side but like always Damon was gone.

He wasn't surprised anymore. He didn't expected to wake up and see him.

The ringing of his phone distracted him from his train of thought.

📞 "Good morning" he mumbled with a soft voice. His lips stretched in a smile.

📞"Good morning. Did I wake you up?" Mark asked.

📞"Nope. You called just at the right time" Lan said smiling.

📞" How was your night?" Mark asked. His voice rough as he just woke up.

Without his approval his mind went back to when Damon was over and all that happened. Somehow he felt like he shouldn't be telling Mark about Damon's midnight visit.

📞"Boring and full of sleep"he said pouting.

📞Mark chuckled "It's supposed to be full of sleep babe that's why it's called night" he said.

📞Lan could hear the humor in his voice making him smile. He felt warm inside hearing his voice. "I guess so" he said.

📞"Wanna go out for lunch with me to-"

📞"YES!"

Lan cut him off making Mark chuckle in amusement.

📞"You have to let me finish babe"he chuckled.

Lan's cheeks reddened in embarrassed.

📞"S-sorry"he stuttered out embarrassed.

📞"You don't have to apologise, I'm glad you're excited. So today at 4 after school?"

📞Lan nodded." Yes"he replied once he noticed he couldn't see him.

📞" See you at school babe" Mark said.

The nickname suddenly registered in Lan's mind. His eyes rounded in surprise. He was jumping inside of him but outside he was a nervous wreck.

📞"Y-yes"he stuttered out facepalming himself in the process.

The line got disconnected but he still clutched the phone to his ear as his ears reddened.

He immediately jumped out of bed getting ready for school.

After he was done preparing he ran downstairs to the dinning. Nate was already sitted with two bowls of cereal beside him.

He pushed one to lan which he pulled to himself and sat down.

"What about mom?"he asked concerned.

"She's in her room, wants to be alone" Nate shrugged.

All the happy eccence he was releasing died down.

He stood up ready to go to her room.

"I think you need to let her be for now. She needs to be alone and process" Nate said halting him in his tracks.

"...plus we are going to be late" he completed.

Lan scoffed"Since when do you care if you go to school late?"he asked sitting back down.

Nate smirked a cocky look on his face "Since when Matilda decided to go on a date with me"he said.

" Matilda? Ray's ex?"Lan asked with a raised brow.

" I don't care whose ex she is" Nate replied with a grin.

"And here I thought you don't date people's ex" Lan snickered eating his food.

" Oh brother.. brother we have all dated people's ex's at some point. It's not a big deal" He smirk.

" I pray this one lasts" Lan mumbled under his breath.

After breakfast they left the house for school.

~~~~~

It's already lunch and the cafeteria is fully packed with hungry teens. Lan eyes scanned the cafeteria looking for where to sit.

"Lan!" Pearl called out.

His eyes scanned the place before he spotted her. She was waving at him as she sat with her boyfriend at his brother's table. He clutched his tray hard promising himself to do a better job at guarding his meal.

He navigated him way to their table and sat down with them specifically beside Mark.

"Seems we are all a group now?"he asked quizzically staring at Pearl.

Pearl bit her lips mumbling out an apology to him.

"But isn't it fun. We are all one! Now the only person missing is Damon" she said smiling with excitement.

They all hummed engaging in separate conversations within themselves.

Mark and Lan kept playing tag with their legs under the table. Smiling cheekily at each other every chance they get.

Mark pulled out his phone and typed a text nodding at Lan secretly to check his phone.

Lan pulled out his phone curiously.

It read:

Meet me at Mr chef's by 4

He smiled sweetly at him nodding his head.

"Is their some inside joke we were not aware of?" Luke asked drawing everyone's attention to them.

Lan's eyes widened as he stared at all the eyes directed at them.

He suddenly felt nervous as his heart pounded in his chest.

Mark held his hand under the table drawing circles on his palm calming him.

"I was just reminding Lan of the day you all ate his lunch" Mark said smiling.

" We all? You talk as if you weren't among." Jacob said sounding offended.

" I wasn't" Mark scoffed.

"You sure were" Luke snickered.

" If I can remember vividly he was licking his fingers after having a taste" Nate said making everyone chuckle at Mark's expense.

Even lan couldn't help but chuckle.

Mark frowned looking offended "That's so not fair Nate. You're such a big lier" he said.

"How can I be a lier when everyone saw it too"Nate shrugged grinning from ear to ear.

They were all having their lunch making jest of each other when Matilda walked towards their table with her crew.

She banged her hand on the table. Lan jolted frightened.

Their eyes turned towards her.

"What does this bitch want now" Pearl mumbled under her breath.

Matilda who heard her glared at her "Your boyfriend" she said.

Pearl scoffed pulling Ray closer

"Too bad, you can't have him" she winked at her.

Nate smiled at Matilda's presence. He opened his mouth about to speak.

"Hey ba--"

Matilda raised her hand halting him.

"I didn't come here for you." She said glaring at him.

"Ooohhh..." Luke and Jacob exclaimed bumping their fists.

" Burn...."Lan completed as he covered his mouth trying to hide his chuckle.

Nate was burning with rage and embarrassment. He has never been shut up by a girl before so he felt insulted by the treatment.

Matilda gaze went back to Pearl. She smirked lazily at her.

Her eyes turned to her friends as they all chuckled.

"What if I tell you I have already had him? Twice." she grinned.

Pearl stared at her confused. Her gazed directed back at Ray who just shrugged.

"What trick do you want to play now?" She rolled her eyes at her.

"Oh it's not trick honey. You see,you and I know that I hate you alot and honestly anybody in this school can have what was mine but not you. I won't even let you have my trash and keep it" Matilda crossed her arms glaring at her.

She brought out her phone from her bag handing it to Pearl. A mischievous glint in her eyes.

Pearl stared at the phone in doubt but took it from her hand.

She stared at Ray before her eyes directed at the phone.

Her eyes rounded as she kept swiping and swiping. A cruel laugh broke out of her mouth.

She dropped the phone on the table giving everyone a chance to see what was on it.

Pictures. Pictures of Matilda and Ray in bed.

"Oopsy did he forget to tell you?"Matilda exclaimed a grin on her face.

She high fived her girls as she took her phone and walked away.

The table was silent.

At one end Nate's fuming at being insulted by a girl and at the other end Pearl's relationship was at it brink.

"Look Pearl you have got to believe me she is lying. Nothing happened between us" Ray said desperate to make her believe.

Pearl chuckled in disbelief. She turned to stare at him anger boiling in her eyes.

"So that's where you were when I went on the trip" she said.

Ray shook his head. He held her arm pleading for her to believe him.

Lan stared at Pearl waiting for a sign any sign from her to punch this dude in the face.

No one hurts his best friend.

Pearl stood up and glared down at Ray. She was ready to walk out when he held her back.

"Please believe me, she's lying I-"

A loud slap landed on his right cheek. It's force was so great that his face turned to the other side.

"Woah...."Luke exclaimed staring at them in shock.

"That has got to hurt" Jacob whispered.

The slap had already drawed the attention of everyone as they watched the scene unfold. Including Matilda who was grinning in excitement.

"If you ever touch me again, I will punch you in the face" Pearl said. Her gaze hardened making him run away.

She sat back down and sighed wiping her eyes

"And here I took crushes lasts" She pouted continuing her lunch.

Lan and the rest stared at her in shock. She raised her head and stared at them confused.

"What is it?"She asked raising a brow.

"That was so badass" Mark said his eyes sparkling in surprise.

Everyone nodded in support.

Pearl chuckled "He deserved it for trying to play me" she said shrugging.