Chapter Soundtrack link: Dance Dance Infiltration- RWBY Soundtrack

“But I’m afraid I can’t accept. I like someone else. It wouldn’t be fair to you if I accepted when I’m in love with another person. I’m sorry.” Jackson bowed and left the girl. The crowd made a path for him so he could leave.

“Yo?!” This was news to Celeste. He had never told her about this. And he told her everything. Everything. Even when he bought new underwear. It was a problem. “He likes someone? Who does he like?”

Mark shrugged and looked bewildered. “I have no idea.”

“I’m so confused.” Celeste watched Jackson’s retreating back. “How do we not know he likes someone. He’s an open book normally. Why doesn’t he want us to know who it is?”

“…Maybe he was making it up so he didn’t hurt the girl’s feelings. It’s better when the person you like likes someone else instead of no liking you.”

“Oh! yeah that would make more sense,” Celeste nodded. “Jackson is a really sensitive person. I bet he wanted to hurt her as little as possible.” She paused for a second. “But it would make sense if he liked one. You know how he is, he has such a big heart he’s in love the world. But he’s not going out with anyone and I’m pretty sure he’s not aromantic.”

“Then who could it be? Who would he not want to tell us about?”

The warning bell chimed, interrupted their thoughts.

“Shoot!” Celeste grabbed Mark’s hand and pulled him down the hall. “We’re going to be late!”

The friends had dance next. Since it was their first day back, they didn’t do anything special. Just some stretches to work their stiff limbs after the summer and some information for their upcoming performances from their instructor. Next, Celeste had Pre Cal with JB. That went by quickly in the flurry of first day procedures and before she knew it, it was lunch time with the whole gang.

“CANDY!” Jackson yelled across the cafeteria.

“I TOLD YOU NOT TO CALL ME CANDY, JACKSON WANG! I WILL FIGHT YOU!” Celeste yelled back at him with a scowl.

Before she could yell anything else at him, Jackson ran to her, swept her up in his arms, and twirled her around.

“But you love being called Candy! You told me you did! You shouldn’t let what other people say embarrass you to the point where you don’t want to be called it anymore! Don’t listen to them, Candy.”

“You’re right. Just,” She sighed as he put her down and crossed her arms. “Not so loudly, Jackson. All of Korea could hear you!”

“Jackson, stop bothering her.” Bambam gently took on of her arms and pulled her away from him. “She doesn’t deserve to have a math class and then deal with you right after it.”

“I’m not something to ‘deal with’. I treat Celeste like the princess she is.” Jackson looked indignant.

“You yelled at her across the cafeteria! How is that treating her like a princess.”

Jackson found he had nothing to say to that, shut up, and glared at Bambam. “You know what, Bambam? If you weren’t so cute, I’d hit you.”

Bambam smiled and flashed a peace sign at the older male.

“What are they serving for lunch?” JB walked over to them and joined the conversation. “I’m starving.”

“Chicken or Veggie Alfredo.” Celeste informed him. “Would you mind getting me a veggie? I’ll go grab us a table.”

The boys noted and she waved at them before parting. She found an empty table by the windows.

While she waited for the boys to come back with her food, she eyed everyone that passed he with renewed interest. Had one of the people passing her caught Jackson’s attention? Where they the one he liked? Through out lunch, the boys joke around and Celeste laughed along. but out of the corner of her, she watched Jackson like a hawk, hoping to catch him eyeing someone.

“Celeste!” Bambam latched onto her arm when the lunch bell rang. “We have our next class together!”

“Oh really?”

“Yeah we have the same Korean class!” He widened his eyes slightly and made a cute expression. “If I need help can I ask you?”

“Of course, Bambam!” Celeste reached up and ruffled his hair. “I’m always here to help you with everything!”

“Thanks! You’re the best friend ever!”

“Don’t let Jackson hear you say that. He’ll turn green with envy!” She giggled but paused when a thought occurred to her.  “By the way, when did you get so tall? I swear you’re shooting up the a bean sprout!”

“You just noticed? I’ve been taller than you for about four months now!” He gave her a surprised look.

“Aw man!” She pouted. “What happened to my cute little Bambam that drank strawberry milk with me while we watched cartoons?”

“I grew up!” He looked exasperated. “Did you not notice how handsome I’ve become, too?”

“What?” Her eyes widened exaggeratedly and a hand flew up to as sarcasm dripped from her words. “You handsome? Never! I’ve only known that since you first moved to Korea!”

“Really?” Bambam looked at the floor bashfully.

“Yeah.” Celeste stopped he and made him look her in the eye. “Bambam, I don’t know if anyones ever told you this, but you have this magical ability of looking very handsome and very cute at the same time and that is a skill to be afraid of.”

He smiled and his cheeks grew slightly pink. Then he put his hands on his hip and looked confidently in the distance. “You’re right! I am the most handsome cute guy ever!”

“Easy there, tiger.” Celeste linked arms with him a led him down the hallway. “Don’t be too handsome and cute at the same time. The innocent bystanders won’t be able to take it.”

He laughed. “Cause of death: a boy too cute and handsome to exist.”

“Haha, oh my god. That’s so bad, Bambam.” She adjusted her pink wig and turned to him. “Anyways, we need to hurry to class. What hall are we in again.”

Bambam pulled out his schedule to check.  “The Antoinette hall. We’re almost there.”

“You know, sometimes I can pretend that the school in a normal, everyday private school. It’s not that hard if you ignore that our lunches are actual edible because professionally trained chefs cook them and that the paintings on the walls are just prints. But then someone says, ‘Oh I have a class in the Antoinette hall’ and I remember that, nope, this is a very weird school.”

“I like it though.” Bambam held the door to their class open for her. “I feel at home here.”

“Me, too.” She smiled at him as they found to open desk to sit with each other at.

***

At the end of the day, Celeste waved good bye to the boys at the school’s front gates and walked home with Bambam and Jackson. Since they didn’t have any homework, she let herself be persuaded into playing video games with them at Jackson’s house. The two finally dropped her off at her house, the sun had already gone down and it was time to go to bed. Celeste started the long process of taking off all her make up and clothes but smiled as she did so. Today had been a good day and she had looked pretty darn cute. She put on her pink strawberry pajamas, crawled into bed, and instantly fell asleep.

A/N: Hey Guys! I hope you enjoyed this weeks chapter! The song for today's chapter soundtrack is in honor of Monty Oum's passing. RWBY is an amazing series and it's so sad that the creator died so young. Rest in Peace, Monty,