credits: DemigodXXIII

credits: jhetootski

Dara’s POV

‘Tell them you’re just a kid I have to protect because I owe a lot to your father.’

I really don’t understand Jiro. He’s just one year older than me but why is it that he always treats me like a toddler? My dad told me that Jiro’s parents passed away when he was young and he has been living by himself ever since then. He has no siblings too and has no other relatives to support him. We could’ve been friends but why does he always act so distant?

“Hey Dara! Whoah! The uniform looks good on you!” Namee exclaimed and ran towards me. She then twirled me around in the middle of the hallway, checking my clothes.

“Isn’t the skirt too high?” I asked. The InterSAT uniform for girls is admittedly very cute – with a checkered necktie matching the checkered skirt. But the skirt I received is a few inches above my knee and it makes me wonder if it’s even acceptable to wear it in school.

“Oh, come on. Look around you”, she said. I roamed my eyes around and noticed that the other girls’ skirts barely reach half of their thighs. I was still observing the other students when suddenly, a brawl broke out just a few meters away from us. I stepped back in fright and grabbed Namee’s wrist, but this crazy girl just curiously glanced at the ongoing fight and smiled at me, totally unfazed.

“Oh my gosh, should we call the teachers?” I asked.

“Are you kidding? Just let them be. You should get used to this kind of setting Dara.”

Huh?

“Let’s go. One of our classmates in our next subject is the leader of Fire 39. You have to familiarize yourself with this school so you won’t get into trouble.” Namee dragged me towards the direction of the classroom while giving me another round of lecture about InterSAT gangs. Wow, she’s really a chatterbox. almost never stops moving.

“The leader of Fire 39 gang is Arden Lee. His alias is Bullet. Unlike your boyfriend-“

“Jiro is not my boyfriend! Jeez…”

“Whatever. Unlike Ice Lord, Bullet is more sociable. He smiles a lot and greets his fangirls. But he’s really good in fighting too.”

Ugh. Migraine. Why do I have to listen to this crap?

“There he is! Look! The cute guy at the back. That’s Bullet!” Namee nudged me as we sat on the chairs near the window.

I looked at where she’s pointing and saw a guy smiling broadly at the enthusiastic girls surrounding him. Well, yeah, he is cute and charming. Honestly, he doesn’t look like a gangster at all. He looks like the type who can sell anything just by smiling.

My lips curled up in a tiny smirk as I watch the other girls who are ready to abandon their souls just to be near him. I really don’t get what the fuss is about. When I darted my eyes at Bullet, I saw him staring directly at me. He then smiled and waved at me, making me avert my gaze in surprise.

“Hey there, new student!” he greeted and started walking in my direction.

Acckkk!! What the hell?! Why is he approaching me?! Go away!

“Hi, I’m Arden Lee. But I’m known as Bullet around here”, he said. “You’re Dara Ramirez, right?”

“Huh? Uh, yeah. Hello”, I simply said and didn’t even bother asking how he got my name. When I glanced tentatively at his fuming fangirls standing at the back, I can almost feel the laser beams shooting from their eyes.

OMG, Arden Lee. Please go away!

“Some people are saying that you’re Ice Lord’s girlfriend. Is that true?”

“Yes!” Namee interjected.

“No!” I exclaimed, my eyes widening in disbelief at Namee. Seriously, of all the girls here in InterSAT, why did I end up being stuck with Namee the MOUTH?!

“Which is it?” Bullet pressed on while smiling.

“No”, I repeated just as the bell rang.

“Oh. Okay. I thought…Nevermind. Nice meeting you, Dara”, he said and lightly pinched my cheek.

Eh? This guy is