"Hey coach Darryl" Someone called from my behind.
Coach Darryl? The beast is here?
Hearing his name nearly gave me heart attack!
"Guys, you sure are making a big scene here." We were interrupted by someone's indifferent moan. Seemed it was a student from a San Sebastian.
"Just playing, we were getting bored round here." Ziggy racy answered, swaying Cryzer's helpless body in the air. I noticed that a larger crowd of students had surrounded us now. From where they come from? I didn't have any idea.
I swiveled to face the people who were talking. Yes, they were the San Sebastian students. The ones who were with me earlier on the bus. Beside them was the beast, looking ruggedly handsome with his crumpled coach uniform and messy hair. Had he fallen asleep on the bus while travelling back?
His eyes were fixated on me, as if I was the only visible thing right now. I blushed, feeling frightened at the same time. Did he just hear the words I said? I hope not.
Can I really not eat strawberries now? I just made a fool of myself again, didn't I?
"Give me my Cryzer." I was shocked to hear myself growl. It's just that, I have a bad feeling with this game, now that the beast was here.
"I'm still gonna kill your Cryzer." Ziggy gave me a nasty look. I knew he was just tricking me, however, I couldn't let him mess with my Cryzer.
"Are you kidding me right now? We had a deal!" This time, I was in for another headache.
"I am not!" He barked at me. To be honest, Ziggy was looking like a real felon at this moment.
"I said give me Cryzer!" I demanded.
"890 X 76?" Ziggy retorted ignoring my destitute.
"67640" I answered, like a flash. Hoping his act will end.
"Divided by 8?"
"8455" I answered trying to mean—can we please stop now?
"What do you think you guys are doing?" The beast cut us off. He said in a way imposing the authority he had as a coach.
"Playing a game." Ziggy said tonelessly brushing him off.
"Making a scene." One of the San Sebastian student sarcastically replied.
"Reviewing mathematics?" Another student from San Sebastian added causing everyone into a big guffaw. I never thought mathematics could be this entertaining.
"This place isn't a playground, not even a theater stage, nor a classroom for a crazy team. Look, you are disturbing all the others!" he said sharply cutting all the fun. Everybody went silent in an instant. So everybody is afraid of the beast huh?
Well, the beast did have a point. The commotion we started drew a flock of students. Although I don't think they were disturbed— since they were actually being entertained by our senseless act. They were all enjoying it while I was sweating in fear and irritation.
"And you!" Oh crap! He was pointing at a finger at me like I was some kind of a target. "I can't believe that you consented to these kind games."
"For Christ sake this isn't a game and I don't care what you think about me!" I barked back at him, afraid that my anger would consume me and making me unable to defend myself.
Here we go again. Can't he see I am having hard time coping with Ziggy's game?
"Yeah all she cares for is her favorite stuffy that is about to die." Ziggy stood there, not wanting to stop. Apart from all the others, he was unaffected by the beast's presence.
"So let's get back to business. Pay me a ransom Xhem for Cryzer."
"I don't have enough money right now!" I knitted my brow. What is he upto this time?
"Then he'll die!" He said mercilessly, like killing a stuff toy was a huge crime.
"NOOOOOO!" I shouted feebly. I was losing all hope.
"Stop it all three of you!" The beast scowled and chimed at me.
"Why do you look so gaddam worried about that stuff toy? He is not going to die even if he falls from the stark building to the streets of New York!"
"I never thought you were that dickhead! Of course I know he wouldn't die! I am not that stupid to assume my stuff is living thing." I responded defensively.
"So why do you keep dealing with him." He said referring to Ziggy.
"Are you really intelligent or just pretending to be one? If my stuff animal fell from here to the ground, he will covered in dirt! How I am supposed to sleep with a dirty stuff toy?" What I was saying was true. I have a standard when it comes to something I put in my bed. I don't really think I could sleep with a Cryzer tainted with dirt.
"Nonsense!" He shouted before he flew into the quarters.
Couldn't he see how frail I was right now, locked in Huzey's arms? Huzey hadn't uttered a word and remained quite all this time.
"Pay me ten thousand for his life." Ziggy was up for a monkey business now.
"I'll pay you at home." I would do anything to stop all of this, just so you know.
"I want it now!"
"I don't have enough cash!"
"A cheque will do."
"I don't have a cheque book, I left it at home."
"Hmmmm… then you if can't pay me with money.." He googled his mischievous eyes on me."...then pay me with your body"
Here we go again this game. I already predicted earlier that such game would end like this. As usual. Ziggy was a pain in the butt and would not give up teasing me.
"Like before?"
"Yeah"
"Will one night do?"
" Make it three, I have missed your personal touch!" Ziggy sneered when he noticed my unusual obedience.
"I had not expected you guys to be this daring." I heard someone babble in the crowd.
"Me too, look at that girl she looks so innocent."
"Well these days you can't really tell."
I heard people criticizing me, and ignored them as if I hadn't heard them.
And what were they talking about? What was so daring about my deal with Ziggy? He asked me to pay with my body, body effort. Like doing his school chores, his researches and homeworks. And I have to do it for three straight nights, well that's the only time students do their homework, right? At night?
That was why he was saying he missed my personal touch, it had been so long since the last time I completed his homework for him. Hello? What were these people even thinking?
"Fine. I'm fine with it."
"Okay, it's a deal now."
"Can't wait to take you home." He said mischievously. I think he was intentionally making it appear how the people around thought.
I sighed deeply. The show was over, I was glad the beast didn't interfere that much.
"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?" The beast voice made my knees tremble under Huzey's arm. I thought he was already inside the quarters and wanted to ignore us completely!
He grabbed me from Huzey's arms aggressively. It was so sudden that even Huzey wasn't able to react. He turned me to face him. A flash of fury traversing through his now demonic looking and handsome face.
"Why? What's wrong with what I said? I just said yes to Ziggy, which part of that was wrong?" I tried to explain with questions. I was having hard time supporting myself on my trembling feet.
"I can't believe you said yes to those naughty requests?" He said while gritting his teeth.
"Why care? I just wanted to save Cryzer."
"Just for a goddam stuff toy?"
"What he asked me was pretty easy stuff? What's wrong with saying yes to it?"
"You are impossible."
"Why care?"
"You!" He pointed a finger to Ziggy. "Give me that thing now!"
Ziggy looked—well, there was only one word for it— frightened in an instant. So did everyone who was watching the show.
He obediently handed Cryzer. The beast was so mad this time, no one dared to defy him. Ziggy and I looked at each other confused. What made the beast so mad?
"Here." The beast handed me my Cryzer. "Take that stuff toy of yours and don't you ever say yes to their bets again!"
"It's a ransom not a bet." Ziggy corrected him hesitantly.
"Whatever it is." The beast retorted in return which zipped Ziggy's mouth instantly. "Don't ever play that kind of game again!"
He turned his back from all of us and stormed out. All the students made a way from him in fear. Some even closed their quarters to hid themselves. The beast had frightened everyone!
"What just happened?" Ziggy managed to asked when the beast was not visible in our sight anymore.
"An ogre was roaming around hallway." Huzey said tonelessly, like all of us he was stunned with the beast's fury.
"Whose fault is it?" Ziggy asked.
"Xhemin" Huzey said while turning to me.
"So what should Xhemin do?" Ziggy added tonelessly, as if he had not yet recovered from what just happened.
"Calm the ogre." Huzey answered.
"How?" Ziggy.
"By kicking his ass!" I said irritatingly, why did the beast act weird all of the sudden? He even shouted at me!
"No," Huzey said shaking his head.
"By poking his head." I answered again.
"Definitely not!" Huzey replied in an instant. "Ziggy, your opinion?"
"Let Xhem kiss him I guess." Ziggy answered feeling so certain about his resolution.
"Perfect spell!" Huzey said slowly giving emphasis to each of the two words.
"No way!" I turned my back at the two of them and went for the quarter's doors.
The two boys blocked my way, crossed arms.
"What?"
"What if Darryl will tell coach Gem about the mess we just did?" Huzey asked trying to frighten me.
"We will be hanged!"
"Or burned alive!"
"I'd rather be hanged." I answered.
"There will be no more strawberries!" Ziggy attempted to sway me once more.
"I don't care!" I have already accepted the fact that I cannot eat anymore strawberries.
"Your loss anyway. Remember we are leaving tomorrow?" Ziggy reminded me.
"It's hard to leave when somebody is hurting." Huzey added. "You will not see him again, remember that."
"I said I don't care!" I shouted at the both of them and left. I needed to be alone and the girl's shower room was the best place for that.
The beast and I just had a lovely afternoon earlier and he suddenly got mad. It seemed as if things had gotten immeasurably worse! But I'm leaving tomorrow and I'm looking forward to spending more encounters with him tonight. I don't want to part with him like this. Oh my, how could that stupid game ruin my love life! I mean my prospective love life!