My frustrations are reaching their peak. Nothing I seem to do gets a reaction out of Jeshan. It's as if he just doesn't have any emotions. I want to know what it is that's making him act like this. I know he must've been bullied and feared a lot in his past high schools, but after over a month of spending time with me, is that still not enough to prove that I'm a decent person and wouldn't do that to him? Does he just not like me? Or does he think I'm annoying and/or a nuisance?
Either way, I just want to know why he won't truly open up to me and show me that he's either happy with me or tired of me. I'm planning on marching up to him and asking what his deal is today when we meet up in our usual spot, but when I arrive and he's not there, I immediately start over thinking. "Odd... Is he sick..? Why would he not send me a message telling me that he wouldn't be here today..? Is he so sick he can't even lift a finger to message me..?! Did I give him something he was allergic to and he ate it without complaining?! Or maybe...has he gotten tired of this job I've given him..? Oh no...what should I do?!"
I'm worried about Jeshan, but what I'm dreading more is the school day. Without Jeshan at my side, my admirers are free to swarm me again, or should I say they now won't be afraid to. I finally think to text Jeshan myself, but just as I'm about to, I hear an all too familiar voice. "Sara Mieko, daughter of the Mieko Corp. presidents and the goddess of this school..." I shiver at the sound of this voice, Vincent Mantiné. Not only is he one of my many admirers, he's one of the pushiest. He has naturally red hair, grey eyes, tanned skin, and quite the athletic build.
He's harassed me on multiple occasions because he's also the son of a rich family, and he believes we should be together because of that fact. He was suspended from school from all the harassment he's given me; sending me many messages asking me out after many rejections, including messages of him shirtless or nearly naked, trying to touch me anywhere he could whenever we were in school when he'd hide among my admirers, and the final straw was when he got me alone in an abandoned classroom where I'm sure he would've sexually assaulted me if a teacher hadn't found us. "You're supposed to be expelled right now... What are you doing on school grounds..?!" I shout at him, somewhat fearfully, but I try to keep up my strong facade.
"Expelled from the school building, not the school premises. I was called to the school today and thought I'd talk to you... I wanted to apologize for-"
"I don't wanna hear anything you have to say." I spit. "Men like you disgust me. I told you I never wanted to see your face after that day, and yet here you are." After the near sexual assault, I told my parents about Vincent, and with their influence, we got him expelled. Thankfully my parents are in higher places than his, or who knows what would've happened.
"I came here to apologize and you talk to me like that? Maybe you really are what everyone else is calling you." Vincent scoffs at me.
"What is that supposed to mean?" I scoff right back.
"People here are calling you 'The Black Fiend's Mistress'. Judging from how you're acting, I'm inclined to believe them."
I ball my hands into light fists. "Don't you dare call him that... Jeshan is a great person, unlike you, you harasser!"
"So you've chosen the spitting image of a black fiend to be your boyfriend?! Tell me, what do you even know about the guy?!" He growls.
"I know more than enough to know that compared to a fiend like you, Jeshan is a saint!" I pause, a thought as to why Jeshan's not here crossing my mind. "Wait a minute...did you do something to Jeshan..?!"
"Maybe I did. If he was around you, I never would've gotten the chance to talk to you, so I might've had a couple old friends of mine deal with him." Vincent chuckles.
"You..." I start shaking in anger. "Can't you see that he's not a fiend then?! If he was, there's no way you or any of your other shitty friends could've laid a finger on him! You'd be dead in seconds!"
This time, Vincent is the one who seethes with rage. "Don't talk to me like that!" Vincent storms over to me and raises his hand, very clearly about to slap me. My eyes widen and I quickly shut them, yelping as his hand comes down. I do hear a slapping sound, but feel no pain. I slowly open my eyes and I feel a tug on my heart when I see who's there: Jeshan, gripping Vincent's wrist tightly and keeping me safe.
I see a look of fear across Vincent's face the instant he notices Jeshan, and I can't see Jeshan's face, but for some reason, I can feel a light aura of anger around him. "Your friends were right. Sara is in trouble, they just got the location wrong, and locked me in the shed to keep me from protecting her. Too bad for them... I got out, and I'm here." I can hear Jeshan's grip on Vincent's wrist tighten as he speaks.
"A-Agh! L-Let me go! Do you have any idea who you're messing with?!" Vincent tries to sound tough, but the fear in his eyes is as clear as day.
"No, quite frankly I don't, but do you know who you're messing with?" Jeshan looks right into Vincent's eyes as he says his next words, holding his wrist up into the air. "I'm a black fiend, and I always keep my promises." Jeshan speaks bluntly and clearly, without a hint of hesitation, making my eyes go wide. Vincent tenses up and I swear I see some tears in his eyes as he starts to tremble.
"Now get out of my sight. And listen to my next words very carefully..." Jeshan mutters, gripping Vincent's arm just a bit tighter and making him yelp. "I don't ever want to see your face again, and if I ever see you anywhere near Sara again, then I'll make sure you never move again. Is that clear?" Vincent tenses up even more and the tears in his eyes threaten to spill, but he nods sharply. Without another word, Jeshan releases Vincent's arm and Vincent runs away faster than I've ever seen anyone run before, screaming his head off all the way.
After that, Jeshan turns to me, wearing the same blank expression that I've always seen. "Are you oka-" His eyes widen just a bit. "What's the matter?"
It isn't until he says that that I feel the tears streaming down my cheeks. I reach my hand up to wipe them, but more and more keep spilling out. "I-I'm just...I'm so..." Jeshan tilts his head, leaning closer to hear me better through my light hiccups. Without thinking, I jump and bury my head into his chest, hugging him as tight as I can. "I'm so happy you're okay!" I cry. "I-I don't know...what I would do...if you had gotten hurt because of me..!"
Jeshan just stands there for a moment, holding his arms up somewhat. I imagine he's quite surprised at my sudden hug, but I just couldn't help myself. I'm so happy to see that he's unhurt. Only a few seconds pass before I feel him wrap his arms around me. "And I'm glad that I made it in time to keep you from getting hurt..." He whispers so quietly I almost can't hear him. It's as if he only wants me to hear those words.
"I can't believe...you would lie...about something you're so insecure about...for someone like me..!" I sniffle and hiccup between my words.
"You asked me to keep you safe...so that's what I'm going to keep doing, no matter what..." He continues to whisper, and his words warm my heart like never before. I can't believe such a kind and sweet boy is being compared to something like a black fiend just because of how he looks. The world really is a cruel place.
I'm not sure how long we stand there for, but I eventually bring myself to pull away and stop crying. "I'm sorry for crying like that..." I mumble.
"It's fine... Anyone would cry after going through something like that." Jeshan speaks clearly once again.
I pause for a moment before looking up into his eyes. "Is there anything you want for saving me this time..?"
He shakes his head. "It wouldn't feel right to ask you for something when I saved you because I wanted to, rather than being asked to."
There he goes again, tugging at my heartstrings. I turn away and grasp my chest, trying to keep myself from tearing up again at his adorable act of kindness before turning back to him. "Then I have an idea." I give him my brightest smile and hold out my hand. "Will you...come with me?" Jeshan just stares back at me before nodding and taking my hand. I then dash off the school grounds, not ever letting go of his hand as we run. The surprised look on his face makes me smile. It's about time I got another reaction out of him.