17 Being careful wasn't enough

"Did something strange happen today?" Holly turned around to face Ike's back. "For instance, someone approaching you or receiving a weird letter?"

Ike slowly turned around, quirking a brow. "What letter?"

"So none?" Holly secretly heaved a sigh of relief, nodding in understanding. "Then, that's good."

"And why is that?"

"Nothing. It's just that a crazy ex seems to have gotten wind about last night." She shrugged with an air of nonchalance. "Be careful. He might come after you."

"Well, that's nice of you to give me heads... up."

Her already cold countenance turned colder at his sneaky remarks. "I simply hate it when someone is poking their nose in my business."

"Who doesn't?"

Holly drew a deep breath, gazing at him from head to toe. Her lips parted but then she pressed them into a thin line again. Without saying a word, Holly walked away as if there was nothing to talk about with him anymore.

'A crazy ex, huh?' Ike's brows rose, catching Bernis and Ashley turning up from the end of the corridor, walking opposite Holly.

Ike couldn't see Holly's expression, but he noticed the slight change in her gait. Ashley and Bernis didn't give the school bell the slightest attention unlike other students, but Ike felt the tension when the two walked past Holly.

"Ikeee~!" Ashley yelled sweetly, waving to Ike. Her voice was loud enough to echo, causing Holly's steps to falter.

"Were you waiting for us?! Aww, that's cute!" Ashley grinned from ear to ear, casting Bernis a proud look. "He acts like an ice sculpture, but look at him! Waiting for his friends like an abandoned puppy."

"I doubt that's the reason," Bernis replied coldly, glancing over his shoulder where he could feel Holly's gaze.

Holly was darting her eyes between Ashley and Bernis's backs while listening to their conversation.

"Ike?" whispered Holly, lifting her gaze over the two — Ashley and Bernis — to the guy she had a passionate time with last night. She caught Ike staring at her and the moment their eyes met again, he grinned until his eyes were squinting.

"It's just the same name… right?" she mumbled, watching Ashley and Bernis approach this new guy. "It must be."

Holly convinced herself that the guy simply had the same name as someone she knew. After all, the Ike she knew was a total loser. Unlike the guy she spent a night with, that "pig" was simply pathetic. Moreover, there was no way someone like Ashley and Bernis would hang out with such a loser.

'Well… I guess the guessing game still continues?' Ike cocked his head to the side, observing Holly's reaction and how she sauntered off. 'It would be nice if she put two and two together, but I guess she isn't that bright. Understandable. She's already blessed with her appearance. Making her smart would be too unfair.'

"Yo! Who is that?" Ike snapped his eyes back to Ashley upon her call, seeing her point her thumb over her shoulder. "Don't tell me you're dating her?"

"I don't, but would that be weird?" he returned out of pure curiosity.

"Well…" Ashley threw her hand on the back of her head, linking it to the other. "... not really."

Ashley stopped in front of Ike, gazing up at him as he was quite tall up close. Although Ike wasn't as tall as Bernis nor was he as wide as the latter.

"You're quite handsome, you know? It wouldn't be surprising if you managed to charm the school bell. But be careful, though. That girl has some serious personality problem and a crazy boyfriend." Ashley patted Ike's chest with the back of her hand, winking. "He'll bite your head off if he hears that she's flirting with you."

With that being said, Ashley resumed her languid steps, heading to the classroom. Ike's brows rose, following her figure with his eyes before Bernis walked past him.

"Just out of curiosity, my dearest classmate." Ike took a leap, following Ashley and Bernis to their classroom. "Care to share what sort of person this crazy ex was?"

"I just told you. He's crazy," she teased with a grin. "And calling him a person is too much of a compliment. He's an animal -- probably worse."

"Care to elaborate?" Ike's smile stretched until his eyes were squinting, riding along with her mood. "I need to know, so I know what kind of dog will try to bite my head off."

Ashley assessed him for a second before she happily summarized what she knew about Holly's crazy boyfriend. Their teacher for their next subject had to attend a meeting, so they didn't have any class when they returned to the classroom. Thus, they had more time to chit-chat.

According to Ashley, Holly's crazy boyfriend was a notorious bully. She said that aside from knowing the guy as wicked, that guy was crazy about Holly. He was so crazy about her that he would beat anyone who would approach her. However, his notoriety didn't only come from his terrible actions and explosive reaction towards jealousy, which everyone knew about. This crazy, jealous, and insecure boyfriend was also a part of the district rank.

Desmond Larza.

What a coincidence, Ike thought.

That name had appeared many times when Ike read about his own profile the night before. Who would have thought he would hear that name again so soon?

"I heard they broke up. Well, everyone knew about it since both of them craved attention so much so that they made a scene last school year." Ashley leaned back against the seat next to Ike; she swapped seats with the student sitting next to Ike so they could chat. "That guy isn't the only problematic one, though, but the girlfriend as well. Sometimes, she would purposely flirt with others just to trigger that dickhead and put the other guy in trouble. She also used Larza to bully other girls if they ever get attention. She couldn't stand it when someone prettier steals the spotlight."

"Talk about narcissism," she added, cocking her head back while her eyes slid to the corner and onto him. "Those people think and talk with their fists. They like fighting with groups — they're cowards. If they ever ambushed you, call me. I want to watch."

"How reassuring. Really," Ike replied with a tinge of sarcasm, making her giggle playfully. "Well, thank you for the information. I'd be careful, just as you warned."

That was what Ike said, but surely, being careful wasn't enough when trouble itself appeared right before him.