Everywhere was quiet. He didn't mind it, but amused himself with the thought of how Ada would react if she were around. She'd probably be screaming in frustration and tell him to follow her out.
They were on a two-week break. It seemed the owners of the school wanted to inspect it after there were a few complaints concerning some broken equipment, especially from the science students.
It wasn't bad in Felix's eyes because that meant he had more time to read for their upcoming exams. He had to be prepared and the silence was the best thing for him. His parents called him to come back but he refused, the break wasn't even that long. And it'd be a total waste of transport money.
Marley Gold Private University was 'private' by name, but people still lived outside and came from there to school daily. There were lodges and hostels in the school, but not everyone stayed in the school. Felix often wondered how the officials were able to maintain order when almost everyone was leaving the school everytime. Maybe they had their way of doing things.
A message came in.
Psalm: Where are you?
Felix: In school. You?
He wondered why he was asking. Wasn't he at home? Speaking of home, he'd heard when Ada said Psalm had a lodge, but he still goes home almost every week. Crazy rich kid.
Psalm: Driving to your lodge. To pick you up.
Felix's eyes widened.
Felix: Why? Aren't you supposed to be at home? And why are you driving while texting? It's dangerous!
Psalm reacted with a laugh emoji.
Psalm: I'm not the one driving, don't worry. And I was bored, so I took a drive out.
Felix: Where are we going?
He was quite surprised that he wasn't displeased with Psalm coming to pick him up without asking.
Psalm: Out.
Obviously.
Felix sighed and walked over to his wardrobe to search for something nice to wear. Not that he wanted to impress Psalm or anything.
It took him a few minutes to dress up. He was quite panicky because he didn't want to look bad. Psalm always looked good in everything he wore and he just wanted to put in effort to match his amazingness somehow. If that was even possible.
"You look good," Psalm said when he walked out of the gate.
Okay, the compliment was worth it.
Felix saw that the car he brought wasn't the usual sports car. This one was silver and a… BMW?
"Thanks. You too."
He smirked. "I know."
Felix just shook his head. So humble.
Psalm looked really good though. He'd dyed his hair red and wore a simple black shirt and red pants. It was simple, but expensive-looking. He was so fine with anything.
"Get in," Psalm said, opening the car door of the backseat.
"Guys don't open doors for other guys," Felix couldn't help but say, feeling awkward by his gesture. It was a good thing people traveled because…
Psalm simply smiled. "Get in," he repeated.
Felix obeyed and let him close the door. When Psalm got in beside him, he questioned him.
"What are you doing in school? Aren't you supposed to be home? How did you know I was here? Where are we going?"
"So many questions," Psalm laughed.
"Well?"
"I came to school because I was bored," he said. "I spent some time at home. Besides, my siblings aren't always home. I overheard you telling Ada you wouldn't be able to join her in her travels when you were talking on the phone. Lastly, we don't have a destination. Anything that catches our eyes, Collins over here will stop for us to investigate."
Collins.
Felix couldn't see the face of the driver. He wore dark shades, a freaking facemask and a black suit.
"You were invading Ada's privacy?"
Psalm laughed. He was laughing a lot.
"I didn't even need to because she told me herself."
Of course she did. Ada started making it a job of hers to tell Psalm everything she could whenever it concerned him, ever since that day she forced him to let Psalm drive him home.
They just drove out the school gate. When the security guards saw Psalm through the window, they waved excitedly. He dipped his hand into his pocket and brought out some cash and threw it to them. That made them even more excited.
"That was nice of you," Felix said.
Psalm nodded. "I'm nice."
"You're not always nice though," Felix said. "To your guards or some other people."
Their eyes met.
"I'll be nice to whoever I want," he said. "A lot of people are close to me, or trying to get close to me for selfish reasons and not because they like me. But I don't like people and I know that not everyone deserves my niceness."
"Do you like me then?"
Felix wanted to slap himself for saying such a thing out loud. He was surprised the driver didn't stop the car in shock, but he kept driving like he heard nothing. He definitely heard him.
Psalm's eyes twinkled. "Would you like some suya?"
"What?"
"There's a suya stand nearby. Are you interested?"
"Uh, yeah?"
So he was just going to ignore his question then. For some reason, Felix felt relieved and sad. He wanted to know, but he didn't. That was a smooth way to avoid answering a question though, he'd give him that.
"Great. Collins, we're going to stop at the stand, don't forget."
He felt weird hearing him call someone obviously older than him by his first name. Why did he feel it's disrespectful?
"We don't focus on stuff like that at home," Psalm said. "And he prefers being called by his first name."
Felix's eyes widened. "How did you know what I was thinking?"
"You're easy to read."
You're not.
The car stopped.
"We're here," Psalm announced.
"Should we go ou– "
"Nope."
Psalm bought everything but he didn't step out of the car. He was served first despite others being there.
"Here you go," Psalm said after paying. "Eat up, it's really good."
"Thanks."
"You're welcome."
It didn't occur to him that Psalm would be paying for it at first, but he chose not to argue with him. He'd carried his wallet though, in case he found something eye-catching to buy.
"Drive," Psalm ordered, and so they continued moving.
While eating, Felix took his time admiring the pretty places he was seeing. Ever since he'd entered the school, he hadn't gone out so he wanted to enjoy the outside for as long as he could. It was almost dark anyway, so everything was lit up beautifully. He'd have loved to see it all during the daytime.
"You live in the same place as Ada, right?" Psalm asked.
Felix nodded. "Exactly the same street. My parents would be happy to see her, I'm sure. We've been close for a long time." He sighed. "What about you and your friends?"
He didn't know anything about the guy, he realized.
It was Psalm's turn to look out the window as Felix looked at him.
"Joseph and Jonah are my only friends, any other person is either an acquaintance or works for me."
"How did you guys become friends?" Felix asked, curious.
"We've been friends ever since I defended them in primary school from being bullied."
"Being bullied?" Felix found it impossible to imagine anyone being able to bully the twins. They were intimidating just from their looks.
"Yeah. Haven't you seen their skin?" Psalm questioned. "Not everyone would ignore that."
"But they're rich, right?"
Felix never thought that people who come from money could be bullied. Or was he just ignorant?
"They're rich," Psalm confirmed. "And our school was one for rich kids, so they definitely weren't the richest."
"Who was?"
"Me," Psalm answered. "And that's why they backed off when I intervened, which was good because then I'd have to fight them."
"That's… sweet," Felix said, imagining a little Psalm standing in front of the little twins, trying to protect them.
Psalm's gaze was now on him. "You think I'm… sweet?"
Felix flushed. "N– no! I meant your actions… you protecting them was sweet."
"Oh," he said. "So you don't think I'm sweet."
"What?! No! I– I never said that! I think you're sweet! I mean, nice… Well, I… "
He realized that Psalm was laughing at him. So he glared. The man really enjoyed teasing him, huh?
"It's not funny."
Psalm said. "Of course it's not. Your facial expressions, however, are."
"You put me in a tight spot," Felix accused him.
Psalm shrugged. "All you could've said was either a yes, or a no. It's simple, as far as I'm concerned."
It wasn't simple for him though. Psalm made him nervous and him asking such kind of questions worsened everything.
"Do you want to come to my house?"
Felix almost choked on his food, shocked. "Huh?!"
Psalm gave him a worried look. "I should've bought water or something." He smiled. "Or we could get it at my house, if you want."
"Won't your family mind?" Felix asked nervously.
He barely went to anybody's house. The only person's house he'd been to and had been comfortable was Ada's, and that's because they're close. Going to Psalm's place would be a whole different story because he was rich… wealthy, and because Felix kind of realized that he liked him in a way. And was nervous around him sometimes. What if he breaks something? He'd have to pay with his life! What if his parents were around? How was he supposed to act around rich people?
"My mom's the only one that's usually around. My Dad traveled for a business trip, and my brother went to school. My other siblings don't really live here."
He didn't want to be rude and turn him down. He was terrified but with only one person to face, he'd manage.
"Alright then," he said.
Psalm's smile beamed– something he didn't know was possible.
"Collins, did you hear that?" He asked his driver.
The man nodded and quickly changed directions.
"I hope your Mom wouldn't mind," Felix said. "With me disturbing her peace and all."
Psalm reached out to squeeze his arm, reassuring him. "The house is pretty big, so I doubt you'd be disturbing her peace in any way. And I've never really brought anyone home before except for the twins, she's going to be excited and very curious. Prepare yourself."
Felix gulped.
*****
The house wasn't 'pretty big' like Psalm claimed. It was fucking huge. It was a mansion! With a massive landscape that Felix didn't know what they were using it for.
"How many kids are– "
"Seven."
"Seven?"
Felix didn't know how to say that that was a lot without sounding rude. They had enough money, so that was alright.
"The first were the triplets," Psalm said as they were parked in front of the mansion.
"Triplets?"
Damn.
Psalm smiled. "My Dad's a triplet and my mom's a twin, so I guess that's why."
"Are you a twin?" He wanted to know if he had another him. If he was just as hot…
"A girl," Psalm confirmed.
Nevermind.
"But before us is my brother. After us is the last born," Psalm finished.
"The one you were talking about in the car that's in school," Felix remembered.
"Yeah." He grabbed Felix's arm and walked him into the building.
There was no bodyguard or anything by the door as Felix expected. He'd watched such things in movies so he was kinda disappointed. But there was someone waiting for them in the living room. A woman.
"Good afternoon, sir."
Sir?
"Good afternoon," Psalm said, a ghost of a smile on his face. "Is my mother in?"
The woman looked to be in her sixties at least, with glasses on but dressed in normal clothes. Maybe she was the head of maids or something.
"Yes. In the kitchen."
"Okay. Thank you."
Felix raised a brow. Kitchen??
Psalm noticed his surprise and snickered. "Eating, I bet. My Mom doesn't cook. Never has and I don't think ever will."
"Oh," Felix said, resonating with his mother. Ada was like that too. He only cooked to survive. If he had the money, he'd never step foot in the kitchen unless it's to eat. Oh, to come into money somehow.
"Let's go find her."
Since Psalm wouldn't let him walk behind him, he had to walk beside him, with his arm around his shoulder. Felix didn't feel like he was about to combust into flames like he used to, and he was thankful. Everything was under control.
He was wowed by the beauty of the house. There were picture frames and he could recognize Psalm in some of them. He was quite little, but hard to miss. His parents were both handsome and beautiful. Beautiful people just keep marrying themselves.
"Mom," Psalm called when they stepped foot into another room. "I'm home."
Felix felt himself salivating at the wonderful aroma he was getting from the kitchen. It was a really big kitchen too. Like, as big as –bigger than–his room. And more beautiful.
"Psalm! My baby boy!"
Felix half expected to see some white woman, but was faced with a petite and pretty dark-skinned woman.
"Hey Mom," Psalm said, still keeping an arm around Felix despite his attempt to move away from him. Somehow he was able to hug his Mom properly with his free arm.
"Good afternoon, Ma," Felix greeted when he saw that the woman's attention was now on him.
"Good afternoon, pretty boy!" she said enthusiastically. "Who's this?"
"His name's Felix. From school. A friend."
"A friend who isn't the twins? Noted."
Psalm's Mom was so fucking pretty. Her dark skin was shining and it distracted Felix. Her smile, her flowing dress… everything mesmerized him. Just the way her son mesmerized him.
"I'm taking him to my room," Psalm said, shocking Felix and his mother who were looking at each other silently.
"What?!" They both exclaimed.
Felix didn't know why she was shocked, but he knew why he was.
"See you in a few minutes. Preferably when it's time to eat," he said, unperturbed. "Then you'll have time to bother him as much as you'd like. Bye."
Felix gave Psalm's mother a wave with a nervous smile as he was once more, dragged by Psalm.