Act One: Untimely Invitation

The prodigy stared at his phone screen, the sound of his foot's impatient tapping catching the attention of his classmates, stray glances observing him with curiosity. He pursed his lips in anticipation, hands clenching around his device to control his impulses. It was like tolerating a persistent itch having to wait for a reply, one he wished he could get rid of as soon as possible.

A ding reached his hearing. His brows rose in surprise, eyes rushing to absorb the content of the message.

If the gray-eyed Hunton looked up at that very moment, he'd see how most of the students around him paused whatever they had been doing to watch him be uncharacteristically expressive. One girl stopped ironing her hair midway, red curls looking like a convoluted mess, and another had popped gum on her face, the sicky situation going completely unnoticed as they all observed—completely fascinated by one of the most known yet mysterious guys in school.

Terrance typed down a response to Henry's long awaited message, the boy's childish encouragement about asking Ambrosia out on a date filling his screen. He was glad that Henry turned out to be eleven-years-old because at least his writing abilities were comprehensible, despite the plethora of typos he made.

The older of the two had asked about dates—the planned ones that he often saw in the media—and questioned the more experienced child, an unfortunate dynamic, whether it was appropriate or not to ask a girl out to a club culmination festival.

Terrance felt an inkling of shame having to run to someone who'd barely gone through puberty yet, but he had no other choice. In terms of male friends, Henry appeared to be the more trustworthy, well-meaning option.

Not to mention, it was the little boy who insisted on giving Terrance his number just in case he needed all kinds of advice for his romantic endeavors. It wasn't Terrance's fault for using something the way it was intended to be used.

Upon receiving his answer, Terrance was left conflicted, his bottom lip a victim to his newfound habit of nervous biting. His eyes rapidly flew from one message to another, contemplating whether to listen to his eccentric friend.

He wasn't unrealistic. He knew his chances were slim. However, his senior hadn't rejected his advances so far. So if he took a leap of faith, although it was unlikely, it wouldn't be impossible for her to meet him in the landing point.

That was all the prodigy needed—a chance—regardless of how probable. He needed to take a risk every now and then and it wasn't as if he was leaping into a lagoon full of bloodthirsty crocodiles, he was just gonna ask Ambrosia if she wanted to spend the culmination day together, preferably alone.

One of the girls in his class, her name completely unknown to Terrance who couldn't really put his mind in matters other than Rose, pointed out the blank expression on his face, quite literally, with the tip of her finger directed at him.

"Hey Terrance, are you okay?" She asked, voice pitched higher than it usually sounded. It was a clear effort to get into his good graces, from the way her body leaned into him and from how flirtatious her gaze had been—at least to Terrance's classmates. In the perspective of Terrance himself who knew near nothing when it came to romance, they were just talking, no ulterior motives present.

"Huh?" The expression on his face must've been horrendously glum because those surrounding him suddenly sported expressions of pure shock mixed in with intimidation.

Realizing his mistake, Terrance was quick to revive the practiced smile on his face. "Oh yes, thank you for worrying about me."

His response seemed to have satisfied the girl, her mouths agape and a gentle flush on her face, shocking the other onlookers carefully spectating their interaction. The power of looks became clearer to him as the days passed and although the prodigy himself couldn't comprehend traditional attractiveness, he was sure he'd react the same way to one of his senior's bright smiles.

"Who are you talking to?" The girl probed.

He felt a bit tense, realizing he'd bitten off more than he could chew with his new persona. He didn't really want to answer, but telling his classmate to mind her own business was completely off the table.

Terrance didn't think maintaining a kind expression, and even more so an approachable personality, would be so draining, but in a matter of days, his cheekbones had already developed a vendetta against him for all the forced smiling.

He was starting to become like Hugh, which was an entirely humiliating thought, but it had its benefits so far in pursuing Ambrosia. Taking advantage of the opportunities given his way, getting to perform in front of her eyes, taking her attention, and eliciting such a heated look on her face—it all made it worth it.

"Just a friend." He answered, cutting the possibility of elaboration by briefly ignoring the girl. He was stern enough not to be misinterpreted, but polite enough not to be hated.

Terrance was left alone moments later, his mind racing as he stared at the ticking wall clock, allowing the day's lessons to pass through his other ear.

When class ended, he was quick to shove things down his bag and head towards Ambrosia's classroom. He'd never been so bold before to come directly to the source of his happiness, but Henry's encouragements got to his head a tiny bit. The conversation had been effective, embarrassingly enough.

Arriving there, the prodigy was disappointed to find that his senior already left, desk cleaned empty and void of her presence. He pouted, head hung low in disappointment.

A hand pushed him forward, his entire body whipping towards whoever committed the assault.

"Your bag's open." Rose pointed out, a teasing smile on her face.

The contents of his bag spilled all over the floor, his face reddening in embarrassment. His hands shook in the air, attempting to look cooler in a moment of clumsiness.

His senior crouched down before he could, her delicate hands collecting his notebooks in her arms. Terrance followed suit, halting when Rose's eyes widened at the sight of a particular envelope.

She looked like she just discovered a new species of mushroom, eyeing the fancy letter container with a sparkle in her eyes, intrigue reflecting in her eyes.

"Where did you get this?"

He paused, letting a withered breath pierce through the silence, "I don't know."

Ambrosia's gaze flicked towards every corner of his face, trying to sense deceit. "Are you sure? Absolutely no idea?"

"No," He shook his head in denial.

"Can I open it?"

Had it been months later, he would've eagerly agreed, wanting to please her without any hesitation. But then he let his cockiness take over, meekly looking to the side as he spoke his next words, "Do I... Do I get something in return?"

Ambrosia's blush expanded to her neck, hands clenched around the letter.

"What do you want?" She asked, hoping her voice wouldn't falter under the pretense of Terrance's bargain.

"Anything," The prodigy answered, much too quickly for him to be sane. "Like— like a date."

"Pfft. Okay." The girl looked away, avoiding the adoration in his gaze to protect her rapidly beating heart. "You're so horrendously down bad, Terr."

The younger out of the two couldn't care. He couldn't possibly, not when he was frozen in shock, adrenaline invading his senses. His beloved agreed to a date—a date, like in the movies.

"I have good reason to be."

"Ugh. Stop flirting with me. Just because I agreed, it doesn't mean anything, okay? I still like who I like!"

Terrance nodded, not in the slightest disappointed by the opportunity.

Rose took a glimpse at his face before directing her attention towards the letter. She read through the contents—date, time, and place.

"Terr, can you do me another favor?"

"D— depends..." He stuttered out.

"What if," The girl jumped closer to his body, her hands placed on his chest to keep her balance. "I rewarded you, my junior?"

Rose inched closer to his, lips lightly grazing his, their proximity barely enough to be considered a kiss. Terrance's entire body jumped, his body's hairs rising like a porcupine's.

"I— okay." He tried his gulped down his saliva, struggling as he choked, coughed, and unintentionally backed away from perhaps what could've been the most heavenly moments in his life.

"You're getting so demanding, Terr!" Ambrosia's laugh worsened the tingling in his spine, reminding him of where she had been minutes ago. "I might have to up my game."

"What— what's the favor?"

Rose pursed her lips, "It's a bit complicated, but the gist is— you accept the invitation."

"Huh?" He tilted his head. "But why?"

Brown eyes, gleeful and full of merit, met sharp grays, dissimilar in almost every way. The young Hunton's cold-heartedness melted away by his beloved's warmth, resembling a puppy more than a snake in moments like those.

"We're gonna help Hugh bust a bunch of bad guys."