Sword 5: Partner

SCARLETTE'S POINT OF VIEW

"Hello, my niece," she greeted after she answered my call.

"Aunt Cecilia," I bit my lower lip, trying to suppress my upset self, "do you know someone stalking me?"

"Stalking you? Who?" 'Just go on, my aunt. Use your acting skills on me.' "Do you know Asher Lucero? Right?"

"Asher Lucero?" I inhaled deeply. "Come on. We both know that he is one of your friends." Silence. "Aunt Cecilia, come on!"

"My apologies. Yes, I know him."

"Uh, Aunt, please, do not be too overprotective to me," I pleaded as I sat down at my study table. I heard her sigh. "Okay, but let Asher be your friend." My mouth gaped open. "And why is that?"

"At least, I know you're safe with him."

"Aunt, I can protect myself."

"But why you were in danger that night?" I did not answer. She was right. I could not protect myself. I clenched my fist at that thought. "See? You cannot protect yourself. It is better if he is on your side."

"Got it, Aunt." I ended the call before pressing my eyes to close. 'Yeah, Scarlette. You are weak.'

I felt my phone vibrate that was why I looked at it. "Disturbance," I muttered when I saw a message from an unknown number. I was about to ignore it when it vibrated again. "What now?"

I could feel my eyes narrow into slits as I read the messages, "From being a good stalker, now, I am already your friend. Save this number. - Asher Lucero".

I walked faster when I noticed what time was it - 7 o'clock! I was running late!

I automatically frowned when I saw the familiar car of Asher outside my house. I wondered, 'What is he doing here?'

I immediately wore my backpack after I ponytailed my hair. I knocked two times on his tinted window for him to open it, and gladly, he did. His smiling face greeted me.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. "To give you a free ride. Come on. Hop in!" I raised a brow.

"You know that my house is just a few meters away from the school, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then why give me a free ride?"

"Because, as a friend, I must help you."

"Friend, huh?" I mentally rolled my eyes. "As far as I can remember, I do not have any." The curve on his lips faded. He shifted his gaze ahead.

"We are running late," he coldly reminded. "I know."

"Then, step back."

"Why would I?"

His serious face became darker. "There is a bomb!" he shouted all of sudden. I froze upon hearing that word. "B-bomb . . . "

"Step back!" Out of panic, I stepped backward.

At first, I thought there would be an explosion but he just opened his car's door and pulled me inside. He drove his car fast.

"W-where's the b-bomb?" I asked nervously. My face turned to him when he laughed. "W-wait, did you trick me?"

"You got it right, partner."

I gritted my teeth. "You scared me!"

"Your fault. You forced me to do it."

"Still, you scared me!"

When the car stopped, I got out of it. I walked faster when I felt his presence behind me.

"Hey! Sorry! I did not mean to!" I stopped and faced him. "Scaring . . . is that how you treat your friend?" His eyes widened in surprise.

"D-did I hear it right? Y-you accepted me as your partner?"

"H-huh? Partner?"

"Partner – my term for friend." Still, I gave him a confused look. He smiled and lowered his head to level mine. I could feel my breathing stop. He was too close!

"Now, we are friends, I shall call you 'partner' and you must call me using that, too," he told me as he pinched my nose. "That hurts," I uttered.

"Let us go. We are already late." He held my right hand and pulled me into a run.

"W-wait, where is your classroom?" He smirked as he answered, "In your room, too." So, he was the new student that our adviser told us about yesterday. "Welcome to our school then." He just smiled in response.

"We are not just friends, we are also classmates," he said cheerfully.

"Yeah, you are right," I commented, which had a hint of sarcasm. For sure, my aunt was the one who was behind this setup.

I lowered my face to avoid the sharp gazes of my female classmates. This was Asher's fault! After introducing himself in front, he asked our adviser to sit beside me! Specifically, on my right side! I should be glad of what he did because it could lessen my aunt's worries but I could not. I could not be happy. My inner self was getting rampant. 'Rhode is still beside me plus, I receive sharp gazes from my classmates! Well done, Asher. Well done.'

"Partner, do you want your neck to be bent permanently?" Asher whispered. I glared at him. "Of course, not."

"Then why do you hide your face like that? You are not ugly so, why hide?"

"This is your fault." He gave me an 'I-do-not-know' look so, I rolled my eyes in annoyance. "Dumb. Look around me." He did what I said. When he returned his sight on me, the side of lips moved upward, forming a smirk. "Correction: it is my handsome face's fault," he proudly told me. "Whatever. Your face is also a part of you. So, logically, it is your fault." I just sighed when he laughed. I swear, I would bury him later.