In the classroom, the chatter ceased abruptly as Conan strode in. Their gaze fell upon Claire who was embraced by Conan quite close.
"Love couple!" Lisa's piercing voice cut through the stupor bursting the bubble. "That's not what I expected of you, Claire. To be intimate with a rapist and a beater!"
Conan's icy blue eyes locked with Lisa's. He shook Steven's ponytail in his hand. "Who else thinks I'm a weakling?"
Laughter broke out. Aghast, Steven lunged towards Conan, only to be effortlessly caught in his powerful embrace. "Yes, buddy, that's great, real husbands don't have to hate each other because of their wives."
As Conan's grip grew ever tighter, Steven's struggles proved futile. Finally, when Conan released him, Steven collapsed to the floor, gasping for air. The laughter grew louder. Conan looked at Claire and, seeing the astonishment and displeasure in her eyes, reached out to Steven and helped him stand up.
"I don't hold hatred for you," he said, his voice surprisingly calm, "and I'd like you to take it all as a joke and be a good friend of mine."
"As for this woman," Conan continued, his eyes sweeping the room. "I would like to know how many here are who have gotten everything they wanted from her without using power and threats."
Hesitant hands rose into the air, five in total.
"They're lying, Steven!" Lisa shouted. "They're just trying to please the filthy, rich poodle!"
"Lying?" laughed Carl, a smirk on his face. "Everyone knows that, we've only been silent so far because of Callan and Steven, who were so blinded by their infatuation with her that they didn't notice any of what was really going on."
"For instance?" Steven demanded, his voice menacing .
"For instance," Carl replied, his words dripping with contempt, "that besides all of us, she's been in a close relationship with at least half the school, not to mention what's going on outside of it."
Steven blinked at Laura like a bull seeing a red rag. The fear and anger on her face testified to the truthfulness of Carl's words.
Conan grabbed Steven's shoulder. "Calm down, deep breath, in and out. You're about to foam at the mouth ."
Steven shaken Conan's hand and turned to Lisa. "You know what it feels like when a person you've loved more than anything turns out to be an iniquitous, lying, degenerated, perverted creature? You can't know that because you seem to be unfamiliar with the most elementary feelings," he took a step closer to Lisa.
The girl stepped back. At this moment, she did not look beautiful. "Don't be afraid, I won't hit you, I don't love to smear my hands with garbage," Steven turned his back to Lisa.
"Friends again?" Conan asked.
"Of course, but only if you teach me that kick from the side up, it was, you know, awesome."
"It can be done only if you complete my assignments for this lesson ." Conan smirked.
The two friends shook hands with each other and went to their seats. The Maths passed without problems. Next was the sports. A small problem arose because Conan had forgotten to take the sports kit that his mom had put next to the mirror. But Conan, who was able to move at the speed of the wind, solved this problem. However, for the lesson he arrived late.
"Oh, look, Winterfell has finally graced us with his presence!" he was greeted by the teacher, Mr Linden, a fanatical former athlete who believed that people who could not pull to the bar thirty times, with a smile on their lips run ten kilometres and ski twenty-five, were not worthy of considering themselves men. By such criteria, there were very few men in the school, and Callan by no means belonged to them. Moreover, this time the shameless Winterfell had missed the start of the lesson and had given a chance to avenge the fact that this useless wimpy wuss was running with pumped-up trainers and an ADIDAS sports suit, while the sports star Linden wears glued cheap trainers and a tracksuit of the same production.
"Well, Winterfell," Mr Linden began wickedly, "since punctuality seems to be an alien concept to you, let's begin with a little warm-up. How about two dozen pull-ups?"