Angelines POV:
The coach calls a break for lunch.....
Coach- alright then, tryouts will continue after lunch....you are all free to leave for now.
Hiroki and Joy , who were watching from the sidelines, now make their way to us with curious and worried expressions...
Me: ...well, no use in hiding it any longer, plus , a promise is a promise....."
I look at Carlo one last time before finally telling him what he wants to know....
Me: ok, so basically, I knew Tazuki senpai since-
Tazuki: again with the 'senpai'!
I was now getting annoyed....
Me : GEEZ! what do you want me to say then?!
Tazuki: back then when we were rivals, you'd always call me by first name....I preferred that. Besides, aren't we friends now? Then wouldn't it be natural to call me by first name?
Me: why should I listen to the likes of you?
Tazuki: because , like I said earlier, we are in the same boat! I left Ayato too! You leaving the student body made me realize the reality of the conditions of the school under his jurisdiction....or rather....his monarchy.
Carlo: wait wait wait!!!! You were in the student body as well Angeline ? And who's Ayato??
Tazuki: yup!well technically, she was in the disciplinary committee....She was the first first-year to ever be elected as president of the disciplinary committee!!! ...but more importantly, Carlo...don't tell me , you haven't heard of Ayato....?
Everyone stiffens....
Joy and Hiroki who were silently watching our conversation till now, are the first to break the silence.
Hiroki: well, I guess that's enough for today, maybe we can talk about this another time-
I interject before Hiroki finishes.
Me: Hiroki, thanks but, I think we should just tell him.....
Joy: Angeline...alright then! Hiroki, you're up!
Joy slaps Hiroki on the back, almost knocking him over!
Her playful gesture helps ease some of the tension in the atmosphere.
Hiroki: ok, so....
Hirokis expression becomes serious once again, as he speaks.
Hiroki: Ayato Ichigo is the 3rd year who rules at the top of our school, the ex student council prez-
Tazuki: Also known as the FIRST prince of our school.....
Tazuki senpai looks over at me....
Me: .....He's my ex-boyfriend.
Carlo:
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Your WHAT?!
Carlos shock is expected, but he quickly schools his features...
Carlo: "ah.... I see now.... That explains why everyone was so hesitant to talk about him....."
He looks at me....but he doesn't seem to be angry at all.....he only looks curious.
'Why was I ever afraid of telling him? It was in the past and besides.... I always knew that Carlo would never look at me differently even after he found out.....I love that about him.'
I find myself subconsciously admiring Carlo.....
'Wait.....did I just think that?'
Confused by my own feelings towards Carlo, I grow immersed in my thoughts...
But I am interrupted by a very irritated Joy...
Joy seems to have finally exploded after listening to such a serious conversation for so long...
Joy: OK!!!! why don't we all go for lunch! All This serious talk is making me hungry!
Joy elbows Hiroki and puts her arm around me.
Hiroki: o-oh! You're right! Let's go get some lunch Carlo!
Carlo, taken off gaurd by their sudden change in disposition, responds instinctively....
Carlo: o-ok....?
Hiroki and Joy then look at me....
'Ugh.....I know, I know.....'
I direct my attention to Tazuki senpai.
Me: um...Tazuki.....san...
Tazuki senpai immediately looks at me in surprise.
Me: .....you should join us as well.....
He seems shocked for a second by my invitation.....but he immediately starts grinning.
Tazuki: ....I'd love to!
And so, the 5 of us go to the cafeteria , whilst ignoring curious stares....
-----time skip------
After getting our food, and sitting at an empty table, a very uncomfortable silence settles amongst us....
I look up to see Tazuki and Carlo sitting next to each other, across from me.....
'Well, Joy and Hiroki took the seats on either side of me so they didn't really have a choice in the matter.....still.....'
Tazuki and Carlo eat in silence.... Neither speaking.
Just then, Joy gets up from her seat and tries to steal Hirokis dessert....
Hiroki notices and almost catches her, but she ducks away last minute....
'She must be trying to quell the strange atmosphere....'
I internally thank her.....but that was a bit to soon.
This time aims for my dessert instead....
But as she does, she looses balance and tumbles onto me, knocking me off my chair, and sending us both tumbling to the floor.
I brace for impact.....
But it never comes.
I open my eyes to see both Carlo and Tazuki.....apparently the two of them had reacted at the same time and held me up to prevent my fall.
Hiroki had grabbed Joy just in time as well....
I immediately heave a sigh of relief...
Me: that was a close one, thanks guys!
I stand up on my own feet.
Carlo pats me on the head with an expression made of a mix of exasperation and relief, while Tazuki just gives me his signature princely smile.
Me:.....both of you, I'm sorry for putting you in such an awkward situation.
Tazuki: no, no! It's fine! I'm just happy that I finally got to talk to you after all this time !
Carlo who was quiet until now, finally speaks...
Carlo:....*sigh*, well now that I know how you guys know each other.....Let me confirm....Ryu senpai, were you just following Angeline so you could try to talk to her?
Tazuki senpai seems taken of guard.
Tazuki: urk!! But, as embarrassing as it is....yes, that's true...well now,I couldn't exactly waltz up to her and talk to her out of no where cuz of my popularity....do you even know what would happen?! The girls would go crazy and itd become a huuugeee scandal.....not that I'm against that.
He says the last part a little flirtatiously whilst winking at me.
Carlo: ahem!
Carlo glares at him.
Tazuki:...fine! It's also because I wasn't really sure whether she'd even talk to me after that incident with Ayato, so I wanted to clear the air...
Carlo: so that was it? Senpai, please don't scare us like that in the future.
Tazuki senpai gives Carlo a Cheshire Cat smile.
'Thank goodness, things seem a bit better between them...'