Chapter 42: Chapter 42

Ghea sat on one of the park benches at her school as she looked around, trying to find the person she was waiting for. Ten minutes before arriving here, Ghea had told Rian that she wanted to meet him and talk to him one-on-one. At first, Rian refused, but Ghea insisted on talking to him. Rian finally agreed after Ghea dragged Inez's name into the conversation.

Sighing softly, Ghea smiled bitterly. Inez was so precious in that boy's heart. Ghea was willing to bet that Rian wouldn't have met her here if she hadn't mentioned Inez. Actually, it was Inez that Ghea was going to talk about.

But that's okay, Ghea can't force that boy's heart to like who he likes. Until a few moments after that, Ghea's eyeballs saw Rian, who was walking towards her with his hands inside his pants.

Ghea's smile spread perfectly, and she shifted her seat when Rian stopped and stood tall in front of her.

"Sit down first," Ghea said in a friendly tone of voice. She patted the empty spot beside her.

Rian nodded, then turned his face towards Ghea. "What do you want to talk to me about? Inez is fine, right?"

Ghea smiled slightly and shook her head. Very to the point, even though Ghea wanted to relax and make small talk before getting to the main topic. But what the heck? It was a little too much to ask.

"Inez is fine," Inez replied.

"So?" The look on Rian's face was so focused. It made Ghea feel a little hesitant to share information with him. She felt sorry for him, but she also had to inform Rian immediately. Isn't that right? At the café yesterday, Ghea agreed with Rian as soon as he asked her to go out with Inez. But it was impossible for Ghea to get them together. Inez is very hard to persuade.

Even though what Ghea is about to say now is far from her promise. Still, if anything related to Inez came up, Ghea would try to let Rian know about it, just like this current information.

"Rian, promise not to get angry, okay?" Ghea said while biting her lower lip. She looked at Rian with a pleading look on her face, making Rian chuckle.

Rian shook his head, and he patted Ghea's shoulder lightly. Rian didn't know that his touch gave Ghea goosebumps.

"Am I mad at you, Ghe? No way."

"Yes, I know."

"What are you going to say? What's wrong with Inez, Ghe? Don't make me more curious."

"Okay, okay." Ghea took a deep breath, turned her head, and focused on Rian's face. Rian himself was the same, he looked at Ghea with no less focus.

The clashing eyes made Ghea a little shaky. She felt like she was being stared at in such a way by Rian. No, Ghea had to focus.

"So this is it." Ghea sighed softly. "Actually ...."

"Actually?"

"Actually, Inez is...

"Inez, why Ghe?" Rian pressed. "Nothing bad happened to her, right?"

"No, that's not it." Ghea shook her head firmly, her lips somehow having trouble saying the words. She had already planned it out in her brain, but her tongue felt uncontrollable.

Rian, who was already curious, was getting impatient. He moved his feet repeatedly, unsettled.

"Ghe, you need to focus." Rian suggested, his hands now on Ghea's shoulders. "Okay? You need to focus and speak slowly."

Ghea could only nod in compliance.

"Now take a breath."

Ghea followed Rian's advice. She filled her lungs with fresh oxygen.

"Exhale slowly."

From her mouth, Ghea exhaled the breath she had inhaled earlier. It worked, Ghea felt less nervous than before.

"When you're calm, explain it to me, Ghe. Take it slow, okay? Don't be nervous, just relax."

She swallowed her saliva with difficulty. She nodded firmly. Her lips parted again, and the words began to emerge, forming a sentence.

"Inez is now with Cakra, they're both dating."

Silence.

There was no response at all from Rian. He was still staring at Ghea as if he didn't understand what she had just said.

"Rian?" Ghea called out. But Rian remained silent, there was no response at all from the boy. A panic attack immediately hit Ghea.

"You're okay, right?" Inez spoke again. Inez shook the boy's body. "Are you angry with me? You talk to me. "Don't make me panic."

"You ..."

"Yes?"

Rian's lips were trembling. "You're not lying to me, right, Ghe?"

"Sorry," Ghea regretted. "I was afraid to say this myself, but I had to tell Rian. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize to me, Ghe." Rian replied with a sweet smile. A fake smile—Ghea knew it. Rian's heart wasn't in a good place right now after Ghea revealed that information.

"Are you okay?"

Silly, Ghea felt that she was so stupid for asking such a question. She regretted it and wanted to retract her words, but it was too late because Rian had, of course, heard her. Ghea cursed herself in her heart. It was obvious that Rian's current situation was not good, his heart was hurt when he found out that the person he liked was dating someone else.

"I'm fine, Ghe, just relax."

" Rian, don't lie to yourself."

Rian smiled slightly. "It's not funny if I cry in front of you, Ghe. Where would I put my face?" A soft chuckle escaped from Rian's mouth.

"What about you now?"

Rian shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know yet. By the way, thank you, Ghe, you've taken the time to talk to me about this. You don't need to apologize, you're not wrong. In fact, I'm the one who thanks you a lot, Ghe."

"Yes, you're welcome."

"If I may know, when did they start dating?"

"I don't know, but definitely not long ago. Maybe last night or yesterday. I don't know, I don't know about that. I didn't ask either." Ghea said it honestly. Before Rian could ask another question, Ghea had already continued her speech. "Inez also seems really happy."

"Oh." Rian nodded slowly, indicating that he understood. "Where is Inez now, Ghe?"

"I was in class, but I must have come here to meet you."

"I think I want to meet her."

"Do you want to talk about this?"

"I see."

Ghea nodded. "Okay, keep up the good work! Don't just give up. I know that you love Inez to death. But you also have to be able to let go of Inez if there's no sign that she's interested in you. Sorry to say this, but I care about you. There are many other girls who want to be your girlfriend."

"What about you, Ghe? Do you want to be my girlfriend?"

"What?" Ghea blinked her eyes. She couldn't have misheard Rian's words. No, her ears were fine. "What do you mean?"

Rian chuckled softly. "No, Ghe, I was just joking."

Ghea laughed softly, just now she felt that she had been flown high into the sky, but had been dropped to the bottom of the cliff. It really hurt.

"Just relax."

"Oh, I'll go first, okay? Thanks again."

"Yes, you're welcome."

Rian stepped away from Ghea, who was still sitting on the chair. Ghea let out a long sigh. Wishing that she was really dating Rian—was that a prohibition? Ghea wanted to, but it seemed like it would be difficult. Rian was really hard to reach.

***

"Why Nez? What am I lacking that you don't want to be with me?" Rian said it loudly right in front of Inez, the veins around his neck popping out.

Their current whereabouts are far from the public's knowledge. Rian deliberately dragged Inez to the school rooftop because he didn't want this conversation to be heard by others. Although Inez struggled to be released along the way, Rian didn't care until they finally arrived here, and Rian was furious.

Rian was angry, he ruffled his hair in frustration, and his face reddened. "What am I lacking? Answer my question, Nez? What's been missing that you don't want to be with me? Why do you prefer Cakra, who obviously doesn't know his origins? He's just a new boy in this school."

Inez smiled wryly, still silent, as she watched Rian's anger boil over at once. Inez turned her face to the side, her laughter sounding low.

"Answer me, Nez!" Again, Rian raised his voice, urging Inez to speak up.

"How am I going to answer if you've been yelling all this time?" Inez said it with a lopsided smile. Her hands were folded in front of her chest.

Rian growled in annoyance, his red face covered with anger that was bubbling over. He gritted his teeth, and his hands clenched tightly into fists. This was the first time Inez had seen Rian this angry.

Rian kicked a pile of broken chairs not far from him to vent his anger. "Arrrgghh ...."

No doubt, Inez had begun to feel afraid of Rian like this. Her emotions were so out of line that Inez stepped back, occasionally swallowing her saliva violently.

Rian turned his head towards Inez. His chest seemed to rise and fall due to his irregular breathing.

"I'm asking you and Cakra to break up, Nez!"

"Break up? You're crazy!" Inez shouted back. "Who are you to tell me to break up? Do you have the right to control my life?"

"I like you, Nez."

"But I don't have any feelings for you. Can you stop talking about this? Get up and find another girl. I don't want to be with you. Don't force me, Rian. This is my life, only I can manage and control it, you're just an outsider!"

"Why does it have to be Cakra? If you can't accept me, then don't be Cakra."

"I don't care about you anymore, I'm too sick of you, Rian. You're crazy, I'll never fall in love with you."

Inez looked at Rian sharply, her jaw hardened. Catching her breath for a moment, Inez intended to leave the rooftop. But her steps were suddenly stopped because Rian prevented her. The boy blocked Inez's steps, standing right in front of the girl.

"Move aside, will you? I'm leaving!"

"I haven't finished talking to you, Nez."

"I don't want to."

"I'm better than Cakra."

"What did you say? Better? What?" Inez scrunched up her waist as she laughed widely. Inez shook her head. "Everywhere, other people can judge us. And I'm getting suspicious that you're actually in a relationship with Cakra. Both of you are showing your dislike for each other too clearly."

"You don't need to know."

"Then my guess isn't wrong, there's something between you and Cakra."

"There is," Rian replied, not thinking twice about saying the word. "And you wouldn't know it."

"Are you challenging me?" Inez's lopsided smile returned. "I'll find out sooner or later. I'll ask Cakra about it."

Now that it was Rian's turn to laugh, the boy looked at Inez more closely. "And I'm willing to bet that Cakra won't give in to your demands."

"I would know."

"Whatever you say." Rian didn't seem to care much. He moved his shoulders. He walked slowly, approaching Inez with a flat face.

"And one thing you have to remember, Nez. If you can't be mine, no one else can be yours!" The emphatic words slid freely from Rian's mouth, making Inez immediately glare in disapproval. Meanwhile, Rian smiled wryly. "Cakra is no exception."

"Don't mess with me!" Inez spoke quickly. "Until I see you doing something reckless and bothering Cakra, see what I'll do to you, Rian!"

"Why should I obey your wishes if you can't be my girlfriend?"

"You're crazy, Rian."

Another lopsided smile played on Rian's lips. The boy chuckled. "I'm crazy, yes, I'm crazy, Inez. AND IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF YOU, INEZ!"

Rian immediately turned around when he finished saying that sentence. Rian's steps were so wide that it only took a few seconds for his body to become invisible to Inez's eyes.

With mixed feelings, Rian quickened his pace. His face was flat, but his gaze was sharp and intimidating, making the students who passed him feel scared themselves.

Rian intended to approach Cakra in his class. Collect his half-brother's promise. According to him, Cakra had broken the promise he had made to himself that he would not date Inez. But now...

Rian didn't even want to say it. His pace quickened. Fortunately, time is currently on Rian's side. Now it's still resting. Making Rian even more excited to meet Cakra, and maybe give lessons to that guy will be exciting.

It didn't take long for Rian to get there. His presence was greeted by silence in the class. Everyone seemed shocked and confused by the presence of their seniors.

Especially Cakra, his confused face was immediately visible. Rian must be looking for him here, Cakra had guessed that. Their gazes finally crossed, and Rian rushed over to Cakra's bench.

Rian pounded the table with both of his fists. His eyes were glowing. All the students in the class were immediately excited. They gathered together at the back of the classroom as if forming a colony.

Cakra stood up from his seat. "What do you want?" he asked in a low voice. "Don't make a scene in someone else's class. If there's a problem, it's best to talk nicely."

No one could hear Cakra's words other than Rian, who stood very close to him.

"Rant!" Rian swore loudly. He managed to land one on Cakra, right on the boy's jaw, causing Cakra's face to be thrown to the side.

Stifled screams and shouts from the students rushed into the classroom.

Cakra didn't reply to Rian's lunge. He knew the position, at least for the time being, he had to hold back. Cakra is looking for safety.

The corner of Cakra's lip was torn until fresh blood came out of it. Without Rian saying the reason why he acted brutally like this, Cakra already knew it himself. Everything was clear.

The reason was Inez.

Rian smiled wryly. "I'm sure you know the reason why I hit you. This is nothing, I'll do anything to let you know what it means to take something that belongs to someone else."

Rian immediately walked out of the classroom after successfully saying that sentence. Cakra was forced to swallow his words again when he was about to say something.