The Hardest to Tempt

He's still not talking to her. And she's not talking to him, she's still hanging out with Xander.

The reason Gabriela and Hope fought,the reason they're no longer friends, Xander is the reason Hope's blood could boil to unnatural heights.

Xander stole his best friend, his childhood friend. He stole his crush. Not like Hope cares anymore, Gabriela picked so he'll just have to deal with it. Deal with awkward interactions anytime he sees her in the library.

" You guys are still not talking?" Noah asked, snapping Hope back to reality. Hope just nodded as he closed his locker.

"That's unfair." Jasmine said as she adjusted her red beanie. Hope just shrugged as he stared at his two friends.

"Life isn't fair. But we just deal with it." Hope said as he walked down the hallway, but something was nagging him. Xander still didn't seem right, at first Hope thought he had been jealous but even after still not talking to Gabriela, he still has a bad feeling about Xander.

Hope sat down at his classroom's desk thinking about this nagging feeling. The last time he had a feeling like that was when he refused to go for a neighborhood party due to a bad feeling about it and he was right: a shoot out happened. Suddenly a paper ball hit his head, confused Hope opened the ball only to see a message inside:

"Yo, Gabriela here. I need to talk you after school. If you're free after school that is .

•G•"

Hope stared at the paper for a while, his expression unreadable. He turned to see Gabriela at her seat watching him with anticipation, he could honestly feel his heart beating faster. Finally he sighed as he gave a thumbs up, Gabriela's widened in delight as she hi-fived herself while grinning broadly. Hope stared at her with a smile, he didn't even know he was smiling.

He really wanted his best friend back.

"So what did you want to talk about?" Hope asked Gabriela as the closing bell rang. Gabriela stared at him as she tried to formulate an answer in her head.

"I wanted to-" Gabriela started when she was suddenly cut off by another person's voice.

"Gabriela! There you are!" Xander exclaimed as he shoved Hope aside to hug Gabriela. Hope stared at Xander in disbelief, firstly did he just shove him away? And secondly, how did Xander know Gabriela was still in the classroom.

"Xander? What are you doing here?" Gabriela asked surprised. Xander grinned as he wrapped a hand around her waist.

"Oh, a little birdie told me you were here and I want to walk home with you." Xander said cheerfully before staring at Gabriela with a look of hurt. "Or are you busy?". Gabriela stared at Hope, then Xander wondering how to reply.

"She is busy, she was talking to me before you came to rudely interrupt us. So could you leave?" Hope rudely replied, he could feel something inside him tick like a bomb ready to explode. He's going to be honest: he had a strong, passionate dislike for Xander.

"I wasn't talking to you." Xander said.

"Well I am." Was Hope's reply. Xander's jaw clenched as he glared at Hope.

"Can't I talk to my own girlfriend?" Xander asked. Hope folded his arms as he scowled at Xander.

"You can, but not when she's talking to other people." Hope countered.

"I'm her boyfriend for crying out loud damnit." Xander said.

"And so? I've known her for ten years. Who do you think she should be talking to then?" Hope asked annoyed. Xander kept quiet for a while, slowly a grin appeared on his face as he stared at Hope.

"Oh I get it. You're jealous." Xander said with a wicked grin on his face.

"Get over it, you and Gabriela aren't friends anymore. So quit being a bootlicker." Xander added with a hint of malice in his voice. Hope could feel his blood boiling, his fists clenched.

"Just do it. You know you want to punch him." A voice whispered in Hope's ear. Hope glared at Xander but all he could see was red and yet he was frozen to his spot. First of all there was no way he would stoop low to Xander's level. Also he did not need a detention or worst suspension. Slowly he picked up his bag and put it over his shoulder as he began to leave the class.

"Hey Gabriela, if you want to talk. I'll be at Professor Maxwell's place." Hope said as he left the class.

MEANWHILE:

"How hard is it to punch someone?!" Satan growled in annoyance as he slammed his fist on the table. Asaroth rolled his eyes at Satan's tantrum.

"You seriously expected to punch him?" Asaroth asked Satan who nodded.

"Unlike you, Hope is smart." Asaroth said. Before Satan come reply the door swung opened with Mammon entering while exclaiming:

"Ayoooo, let's play a game."

Everyone paused to stare at him with confused expressions.

"What kind of game?" Asmodeus asked, Mammon grinned before replying:

"We tell eachother the scariest angels we've met."