Travis sneered at the boy hovering over him. "Oh, a dashing prince has come to the princess's rescue!" Mirth filled his gold eyes, aimed at the one who had him pinned to the wall.
"Ethan?!" Dia was surprised to see him as she shouted his name, but he didn't respond. His face was schooled into his usual apathetic mask. But his icy blue eyes burned with hot rage.
"Apologize," the blue-eyed young vampire demanded, making Travis laugh as if he had just heard a joke.
"Me? Apologize? Not a chance in hell!"
This remark earned him a punch to the face. Those who stood on the sidelines could hear a sickening crunch sound as the boy howled, clutching his bleeding, broken nose.
"You bastard!" Travis would have Ethan's head on a platter if looks could kill. Ethan wasn't bothered by the boy's glare, delivering a kick that knocked the werewolf pup on his back before pressing his foot down on his chest.
"I said, apologize, you sleazy bastard."
"Get off of me!" Travis yelled but winced when Ethan increased the pressure on his ribcage.
"Oi, what the fuck do you think you're doing, you leech!?" the gum-chewing girl yelled with anger in her voice.
"Shit! I can sense his bloodlust. He's gonna kill him!" panicked his red-haired friend while the pretty daytime female student trembled with fright and concern for Travis's wellbeing.
Dia didn't know what to do. Too scared to move since this was her first time seeing Ethan this angry. Ethan was ready to crush Travis's chest with his foot when he sensed a presence behind him. A large firm hand gripped his shoulder.
"I don't know what crazy thing my stupid little brother did to piss you off, but for my sake, can you please release him?"
Standing behind Ethan was another boy, a werewolf judging by the colors of his uniform. His appearance bore a resemblance to Travis but he was much taller and broader. The air he gave off was also different, easy-going and mature, which greatly contrasted his egotistical and perverted little brother.
Gathering her wits, Dia walked over and grabbed Ethan's hand. "Let's go," she pleaded with her big brown eyes, causing his anger to melt.
"Since you begged so sweetly." Ethan released his foot from Travis's chest, cold eyes glaring at the pathetic pup with barely any real fighting experience.
Unlike his older brother, Travis was more bark than bite. The type to start problems but did not have the courage or skills to back them.
"If your brother crosses the line one more time, I'm taking his life." Ethan delivered this warning to the oldest of the two brothers, who knew the other meant the vile threat he promised. He was surprised by the look of warmth that filled those icy orbs as he stared at the girl his little brother bullied, squeezing her hand as the two left.
Travis's older brother, Trevor, watched the two leave, gaze filled with questions. 'Since when did the ice prince open his heart?' he asked himself.
"You just gonna let that leech disrespect me!? We should've ripped out his heart and head for daring to lay a hand on me! The next time I see that bastard-"
Travis's rant was cut short when a flare of pressure was released from his older half-brother, whose body was covered in a dark blue aura.
Not even his two werewolf friends could endure it as the girl dropped to her knees in tears, and the boy clutched his throat, unable to breathe. The poor daytime student never stood a chance. Her unconscious form lay resting on the ground.
"Big words for a spoiled pup who doesn't even know how to use his aura and barely trains. Our father and your mother may spoil you, but I refuse to allow you to stir up trouble and get our clan involved in meaningless drama because of your inflated ego!"
Trevor harshly scolded his little brother, wanting to do much more, but couldn't because their father spoiled this punk rotten. If he were to lay a hand on him, their father would release his rage on him.
So he could only settle with scolding and glaring at his brother, whose eyes held fright despite how much he tried to hide it before he took his leave. Once out of sight, the group could breathe again.
"Damnit!" Travis's fist dented the wall, consumed with anger and humiliation. "I'll get back at those bastards for looking down on me!" he swore with a vengeance
Dia was walking with Ethan when the boy suddenly pulled her into a tight hug. He buried his head in the crook of her neck, relishing her sweet aroma that smelled of strawberries and vanilla cream.
"I should've got there earlier. Forgive me," he apologized, frustrated and angry that Travis dared lay a hand on someone as sweet and innocent as Dia.
Whenever he thought of the scene of that punk with his disgusting hand around her delicate neck, his fangs itched to rip out that bastard's throat and sever the hand that had touched her.
"What happened isn't your fault. So don't worry about it. Thank you for coming to my aid again." Dia returned his hug, hoping her words reassured him and, at the same time, hoping to never again run into Travis even though this wish was hopeless.
—
After classes were over, and since Night Classes were only three days a week, Dia decided to take a look at the baking club run by Raven and found herself staring at the same cafe Alice had taken them to last time. Walking through the door, once again, Dia didn't see that many customers.
"Umm, excuse me, but is Raven around? I want to give her my application to join her club," Dia asked the cute boy chatting it up with the girl in the loli goth maid uniform.
"Raven, I believe you finally got yourself a recruit!" the boy shouted, disinterest written all over his tan face.
Dia could hear pots and pans banging against each other from the direction of what she assumed to be the kitchen when Raven finally showed herself. The chubby girl also wore a maid outfit, with flour all over her brown face, colorful stains of icing and cake batter staining her white apron.
"So, you finally made up your mind! With this, we have five members, so the Student Council can not shut us down!" Dia cluelessly watched Raven shed tears as her two friends patted her on the back.
"If a fifth member didn't join soon, those heartless bastards on the Student Council threatened to shut us down. So you're our life savior, new girl." The boy's confession came as a surprise to Dia, who didn't know this lovely place was going to get shut down if she or another person had not decided to join.
The door swung open, and the boy at the counter glared at the one who walked through the door.
"Speak of the devil and she will arrive," he muttered sarcastically, hands folded over his chest.
The girl who appeared was breathtakingly beautiful, which shouldn't come as a surprise based on her red and black Gifted Student uniform. The girl had steely eyes and long, straight ink black hair that trailed after her, uniform primed with no speck of dust staining it.
"Hello, Madam Secretary. What brings you to our humble home?" The boy greeted her with a fake smile, but the girl didn't even put him in her line of sight.
"As I reported before, to be a functioning club, you must have at least five members. If not, the Student Council will shut down your club." The girl meant business and wasn't in the mood for messing around.
"We have a fifth member!" Raven happily pointed at Dia standing across the counter.
"Dia, show her your application!" Dia could see this girl terrified Raven. Reaching into her bag, she retrieved her application and showed it to the girl.
"That's all I need to see from you. The Student Council will continue to sponsor your club. Have a good day!" The girl turned around and elegantly walked out the door.
"I swear I sometimes don't know what scares me more, the Student Council or the Disciplinary Committee." Raven patted her chest, getting her heart rate under control before flashing Dia a smile.
"Since Dia is now a club member, let's introduce ourselves! Of course, you know me! I'm Raven!" Raven happily pointed to herself before pointing to the girl with dull black eyes.
"Kikyo," came the direct response from the girl in the maid dress.
"Hello, darling~! I'm Sasha, the one in charge of the money around here. So if my money comes up short, don't be shocked when I chop off your hand!" The boy with the long and curly lavender hair was pretty but scary, concluded Dia as Raven took her by the arm and led her into the kitchen.
"This is where all our fabulous and tasty desserts are made. Since you'll be working here, I got to get you a uniform!"
"Umm, I know you said I was the fifth member, but so far, I only counted four when you included me." The kitchen was spotless and neatly organized, except for the cake molds and other baking utensils covering the counter that sat in the middle of the room.
"Steven, our chocolatier, couldn't make it today 'cause he caught a bad cold. The reason why Sasha is so cranky!"
"I'm not cranky, dammit!" shouted Sasha. Dia bit back a giggle as she watched Raven mouth the word liar.
"We usually don't get too many customers around, which sucks, since other students prefer the more lavish food places the campus offers. The only time we get swamped is during holidays! But never mind all that, ready to get baking?"