Chapter 12

I am pleasantly surprised when, after crossing the school gate, I am grabbed by the hand and land in my boyfriend's arms. He greets me with a sweet kiss, not caring that we are in the middle of the playground. I feel curious stares on me, but the worst are the ones burning a hole in my back that belong to jealous girls.

I can hear my friend breathing somewhere off to the side, waiting for me to finish greeting my beloved.

I look into Felix's eyes as he tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear, looking at me with tender eyes.

- It's only been a night, and I couldn't wait to see you again," he declares, stroking my hair. Out of the corner of my eye, I see that Eve is pretending to vomit. - If I recall correctly, you are starting a lesson with Baba Yaga.

I'm clouding up because I hate this woman. I would love to go on a truancy with Felix. I could spend a day with him in the middle of nowhere, far from the city. Just the two of us and no one else.

- My stomach from stress begins to hurt when I think about lessons with this woman.

- If she makes you sick, I will give her hell," he declares, hugging me and kissing my forehead. I look at him with puzzled eyes, as he pushes his face away.

- Are you serious? Would you be capable of that? It's Baba Yaga.

- And so what? You are the most important to me and for you, I will do anything. Whoever is your enemy, I automatically become my enemy.

I smile at the corner of my mouth, looking at him with love in my eyes. He is like the most beautiful gift I have received, and I would rather not let him out of my hands, ever.

Putting an arm around my shoulder, we head for the entrance of the school. Eve, who is walking beside us, is staring at her phone, texting someone with such fierceness that she doesn't even look at what's going on around her. Mike, who emerges from the crowd in the corridor, takes advantage of this and embraces her.

- Are you crazy? - yells at him, which causes the boy to laugh madly. - Let me go!

Mike leaves her alone and shifts his gaze to us.

- The bell for lessons rings in five minutes, so you won't coo any longer, lovebirds. - Satisfied crosses his arms on his chest. - Bro, we have training, so I advise you to be quick.

Felix puts his hand on my hair and looks into my eyes.

- I'll see you at the lunch break.

I nod and grab my friend's hand, who is still fiercely texting with someone. I drag her with me, because if we are even a minute late for Baba Yaga's class, we will be called to the blackboard on "good morning."

- Who are you writing all these messages to? - I ask her a question when we finally sit down in a bench, being in class a minute before the bell rings.

- To Sebastian. I asked where he was, and he wrote me back that he wouldn't be at school today because he would rather not see me. He intends to accuse me of sexual harassment.

I roll my eyes because their conversations are at the elementary school level. I feel sorry for our classmate that he fell victim to the witch, but who knows? Maybe she is his destiny. They say opposites attract.

- Perhaps give him some breathing room. You tire him too much. That way he'll hate you faster, Eve said.

- But I want him. I have come to the conclusion that it is him I want. I like him.

I don't have the strength to explain to her that this is not how you deal with a person you like. This way she is unlikely to win his heart.

I hope she will eventually understand it herself.

*

During a long break, we sit in the cafeteria, eating lunch. Felix feeds me his rice, thinking that I should eat a lot to have energy. Mike looks at us with a smile on his face, and my friend continues to barrage poor Sebastian with messages.

At one point everyone's attention is drawn to Hannah, who appears at twelve o'clock at the school. She heads to the buffet, ignoring the sights and whispers of the people present in the cafeteria.

Previously known for "dressing like a tomboy," she is shocking people with her makeover. She looks like an entirely different person. Her hair is no longer short and frayed, but waist-length. The makeup is not strong and vulgar, but delicate and girly.

- I preferred her in an earlier edition. Now she's too common," Eve declares, then returns to texting with Sebastian. She is clearly past her infatuation with our classmate.

- What are you talking about.... she's lovely. - Mike nudges Eve's shoulder, with adoration in his eyes as he looks at Hannah, who is walking towards us. The blonde snorts under her breath, as she lifts her gaze from the phone and looks at his face.

- You guys don't see anything in women apart from their looks. She is no longer a tomboy, and suddenly every boy in the cafeteria is spilling saliva out of his mouth at the sight of her. Pathetic.

Mike nudges Eve's shoulder once again, telling her to shut up.

Felix and I are looking at the whole situation, silently. Perhaps this is because my boyfriend is still feeding me food, meanwhile also clogging his stomach.

Hannah appears at our table. Enchanted, Mike pushes away the chair Eve is sitting on with his foot and puts an empty one, wanting his new crush to sit on it. The blonde is outraged by his behavior, but does not express it out loud.

- So... Hannah, why the sudden change in appearance? - he asks, placing his hand on the back of her chair. The girl takes a bite and looks at him with bored eyes.

- I was dumped by somebody I liked. I had to unwind," she replies.

- How could he do this to such an angel?

I feel like bursting into laughter. Felix's friend always manages to make me feel better. He doesn't know the word "stop" and says anything that comes to his tongue.

- Because he was the devil. - Her answer is even funnier.

- This is what happens when good girls fly to the bullies.

- I am not a good girl.... - The gaze with which she thunders at him would undoubtedly kill him, if she had such power. - In the sixth grade I stabbed a classmate in the hand with a knife," she adds, taking the cutlery in her hand. - That's because he teased me with his badmouths.

She didn't mean it, but Mike had such a look on his face that I have no doubt he believed her. It looks quite funny, when he pushes Hannah away and slides Eve back in her place.

- You are definitely a good girl," he turns to the blonde, "... and I have to take care of my beautiful hands.

- Therefore, remember that a woman's appearance is not everything," she replies to him, still staring at the phone.

- I will take your words to heart.

*

After class was over, I sat on the bleachers in the gymnasium, watching basketball practice. I promised Felix that I would wait for him for half an hour because he insisted on driving me home.

I look around and see that there are quite a few people watching the training. Most of them are girls, sighing at the team members.

- Felix is so perfect. No one can manage to take his place in my heart. - The schoolgirls below me don't seem to realize that I am behind them and can hear everything.

- You don't have a chance anymore anyway since he's busy, but Mike is still free. I have to do something to get close to him before it's too late.

- Why do you think I have no chance? Such times have come that even a married man can be obtained. A girlfriend? The next day, the man may not have her anymore. I ask you.

If I had the character of Eve, I would immediately react to these words and attack this cunning vixen, yet I feel a strange lump in my throat that prevents me from speaking up and notifying her presence.

- You will not succeed in getting Felix. Everyone is talking about the fact that he is staring at this first-grader like a picture. I'm curious what she did to make him so smitten.

I can feel my cheeks starting to burn from nerves. Inside I'm boiling all the way from anger.

- Trying a spin is always an option.

- Then try to turn the corner, bitch. Maybe you'll fall down, bruise your stupid head and wise up. - I have no idea how long Eve has been sitting behind me or what she's even doing here, but I only become aware of her presence when she speaks up.

Both girls turn around as if on command and look at me with terrified eyes.

- Before you start groping someone, first figure out who is sitting around. Aren't you embarrassed? - I ask, feeling safer when a friend is with me. - Well, yes. Nowadays, some girls don't have a dime's worth of shame if they can pick up a busy boy," I bite back.

They say nothing more. They rise from the stands and run away, as if they had committed some crime. Eve goes lower and looks at me with proud eyes.

- My girl. I wonder if you would have heard from them if I wasn't here?

- Well, exactly, and what are you doing here? After all, I told you I was going home with Felix.

The blonde snorts under her breath.

- Do you think I came here after you? Since you are going to coo in your company, Mike and I are going to MC'Donald's for a joke. I'm waiting for him," she replies.

I furrow my eyebrows, looking at her suspiciously.

- I beg you, just don't tell me that you're getting down to it now.

She puts her hands to her chest and bursts into artificial laughter.

- He is like a friend to me — gay. There is no way I could feel sexually attracted to him. No offense, but I feel that he is my soul mate. The only one I intend to eat is Sebastian.

I feel like slapping myself on the forehead. Occasionally, she says such stupid things that I wonder how is it possible that we are still friends.

- As long as this sex train doesn't change track and arrive at the station: Mike. - I love to tease her. Watching her annoyed face in a strange way makes me happy.

- You better worry about making sure your sexual attraction: Felix, doesn't get derailed.

My face pales. This is another time he bites back at me like this, and I can't defend myself.

- I wish you a delicious meal. May you get fat from those burgers.

Felix, accompanied by Mike, approaches us. Both of them are already bathed and fragrant. My boyfriend grabs my hand, and a sweet smile adorns his face.

- I'm ready. We can go home.

We come down from the stands, and I turn around and see Eve throwing her arm around Mike's shoulders. She enthusiastically tells him something, and he nods.

I shouldn't think so, but if my friend could, she would have screwed the whole school.

- My parents are not at home, so if you're going to go with me, why not stop right away for dinner?

I notice that his eyes are taking on a glow.

- Fantastic. You're finally inviting me to join you. I've been waiting for this for a long time.

I smile and hug his arm as we walk down the corridor toward the main exit.

I feel like spending this evening only with him. I want to take advantage of the fact that I am alone until twenty-two.

Who knows what will happen?