Jace left when she settled into her seat, not giving Keira enough time to thank him for his help.
All eyes were on her, scrutinizing her from head to toe. Loud gasps and whispers didn't bother her in the slightest.
"I'll leave this in the back. Let me know if you need to go anywhere, I'll accompany you." Angela's seat was in front of her, making it easy to turn around for conversations.
Keira could see the curiosity in her gaze. She didn't bother humoring the girl as she once did, merely muttering a 'thanks' as she busied herself with stationaries.
"Why did you change styles all of a sudden? And what's up with the makeup? You never liked wearing or even trying it on."
Again with people questioning me about makeup.
"Is it strange?" Keira looked up from her pencils, glancing at the other with furrowed eyebrows. "You don't like it?"
"No, that's not—."
"I don't care what you think, Angela."
"Everyone to your seats!" Keira had to thank the teacher's impeccable timing for cutting short the unwanted conversation. Angela gazed at her with slight apprehension before turning back. "I will pass along some earplugs, make sure to use them if you're someone who gets distracted easily. This test will determine your future, getting into the best University will grant you a life of prosperity!"
Hearing this made Keira's heart rattle with excitement. This will be her first time taking the exam. She had spent the last two days brushing up on everything she had learned, memorizing it to the best of her abilities.
She didn't hope for top results, rather she just wanted to experience the excitement of trying her luck and seeing where it takes her.
"90 minutes will begin now! Good luck my dear students!"
The first test was Science, eliciting groans from most the moment they glanced at the questions. Keira put in her earplugs, blocking out all noises as she focused on finding the answers.
As she sank deeper and deeper into the papers, her awareness of the surroundings faded. Her eyes never once looked away from the questions, answering them all with ease.
The eyes of many drifted towards her. Her upright posture and elegant movements of her hands greatly complimented her new style. She looked more mature than most, greatly contrasting the other girls in her class with her gracefulness.
The classmates couldn't help but glance at her change, taking notice of her unique beauty they had once ignored. Many felt their cheeks redden the more they stared, unable to focus on the exam.
Keira wasn't aware of the chaos she was causing them, only looking up at the teacher once she had finished filling in her answers. Noticing her gaze, the teacher stood up and walked over.
"Is there an issue?" The teacher herself had been captivated, openly staring at the student. She asked once Keira removed her earplugs.
"No, Ma'am. It's just that I've completed them already and was wondering if I could hand it in early."
"Oh, done already?" Taking her papers, the teacher smiled. "I'll take them since you injured your leg. Feel free to sit here…or you can leave the classroom."
"Well…" She looked behind her, finding the crutches placed in the back. "I'll just sit here. Thank you." Nodding, the teacher let her be.
There were three exams on the first day, starting with Science, followed by Reading, and ending with Writing. The second day had only one test, which was Math.
Between each test was a 30-minute break, offering the students ample time to relax and study for the next test. Science was 90 minutes, Reading was 30, and Writing was 30, totaling two and a half hours.
Keira didn't move an inch throughout the entirety of the exam. During each break, Angela would occasionally talk to her about mundane things. Keira didn't pay much attention to the gossip she was spilling. She would often be lost in her thoughts as she stared out the window.
The exam ended at 11:30 am, allowing students to take the rest of the day off.
"Man! I nearly cried from the headache I got from all those questions!" Angela stretched in her seat, twisting and turning to release the build-up stress and stiffness. "We should head to the karaoke for some release!"
"I'm down!" At her suggestion, others quickly joined in. "Angela, you should invite Selene as well!"
"I'm on it!" She fiddled with her phone, eyes beaming with excitement.
"I'll pass."
"What? Don't be so boring, Keira!" Angela pouted, ordering one of the guys to grab Keira's crutches from the back. "Selene agreed to go, so you should as well!"
Why? What does Selene going have to do with me?
"Sorry, I'm under house arrest so I truly can't."
Keira wasn't lying when she said that. At her begging to leave the hospital and wanting to take the exam, Lucas and Dylan agreed to it, with the exception being her having to be near them at all times.
"Oh…what did you do?" Their hungry gaze made her uncomfortable.
"Keira didn't do anything. Sister keeps getting sick and injured, so Brother wants to monitor her closely." At the arrival of her mortal enemy, Keira nearly rolled her eyes.
"But she looked fine during the broadcast…" Murmurings of others slowly filled the room. They had all eavesdropped on the conversation, hoping to catch a new topic of gossip.
"See? It's only been ten minutes since we finished and Brother is already calling?" Selene pointed at Keira's phone. "Aren't you glad that Brother loves you so much? I'm a bit envious…"
Snake…
Keira wasn't sure of how to respond. She clutched the crutches silently, hoping Selene and the others would leave quickly.
"Is there a meeting or something? What are you all crowding around for?" Jace entered the room with his usual cool posture.
Keira watched as Selene and Jace locked eyes. A spark of love…perhaps?
She wondered if Jace's heart was pounding uncontrollably by the sudden eye contact, or if maybe his mind was blank at the sight of such a beauty. Selene greatly captivated his heart in the novel with a single glance.
A lovesick fool.
"Move." Contrary to Keira's expectations, Jace rudely walked over, bypassing Selene. He didn't look like a person enchanted by her beauty. Neither fascination nor interest was shown on his face.
"What are you doing?" Selene stood still for a brief second before quickly blocking his way. "What business do you have with my sister?" Her eyebrows furrowed and her tone was severe.
It was the first time Keira had seen Selene act in such a way. The usual polite and soft attitude had been replaced with a slight hostility.
"So the beauty can frown." His words had a hint of sarcasm. "You're in my way."
Keira didn't understand what was happening.
Are they playing mind games to attract each other?
He bypassed Selene yet again, walking right up to Keira and picking her up from the chair.
"I have crutches for a reason." Keira was baffled by the weird situation, only able to blurt out a few sentences. "Why are you carrying me again, Stranger?" She wanted to remind him that they weren't familiar with each other.
"Because I injured your foot?" His words caused a sudden stir in the eavesdroppers. Only a few knew that Jace saved her from nearly falling down the stairs, resulting in her injured ankle. His vague wordings caused others to have weird imaginations.
They glanced between Selene's open hostility and Jace's casualness with an understanding forming in their minds. Oh…they must be dating. Knowing how much Selene cares for Keira, she must not like their relationship.
If Keira heard their thoughts, she would have been fine dead.
"Why are you putting your hands all over her again!?" Angela shouted. She grabbed the crutches and followed them out of the classroom. "Don't worry Selene! I'll give him a taste of my fist if I have to!"
His long legs were a blessing, arriving at the entrance with record speed.
"Hey. Stranger, which one is your car?" Jace mimicked her words. They didn't need to find the car, because Dylan was already walking towards them.
"I didn't know the second son of the Bradleys took up servitude. An interesting career choice if I dare say." Dylan's smile caused goosebumps to rise throughout Keira's body. "You don't look like you want to come home with me, Keira. Having a blissful time?"
Keira didn't speak. She bit her lips and beckoned Dylan to quickly come and take her from Jace's arms.
"I don't speak sign language."
How annoying!
"I want you to hold me. Can't you?" She didn't have to look in the mirror to know how red her face was. Jace refused to put her down, and her brother was being a psychopath. She felt the embarrassment gnawing at her bones.
She didn't know what kind of face Jace was making. His hands were still tightly wrapped around her.
"OH GOD! JACE, YOU SON OF A BITC—!" Angela swallowed her words the moment she noticed Dylan. Her face blanked as she stammered out a greeting. "Oh! Ah…I ah…Hello, Brother Dylan!"
Dylan didn't pay her any mind. He had his sight on Jace's hands, eyebrows twitching.
"Your brother?" Jace asked her for confirmation, seeing her nod, he handed her over to Dylan. "For a second I thought a creepy old man was trying to kidnap a student, turns out it was just a brother." With that, he turned and left.
What is wrong with these people?
"Grab the crutches, we're leaving." Keira failed to notice the assistant standing by his side. Their walk to the car was silent. "You don't seem to need your phone anymore."
Keira glanced at her phone, noticing a few missed calls from Dylan.
Is he angry?
"Are you close to that boy?" Seeing that she had no intentions of speaking, Dylan broke the silence.
"No."
"Do you casually engage in PDAs with strangers? This is the second time already, Keira."
"Are you angry?"
"What do you think?"
"No." Yes, you're angry…but do I dare answer that? No.
"Oh? You will be a great actress."
It would have been better if it was Lucas who picked me up. Why do I have to talk with this walking riddle?
"I don't engage in PDAs with strangers." She could hear him chuckle.
"I would be surprised if you scored well on your exam. That brain doesn't seem to be functioning correctly."
"It's a family trait." Out of annoyance, she retorted.
"Is that right?"
"No, I was joking." Once she realized what she had said, Keira quickly backtracked. She didn't have many interactions with Dylan growing up, but the few times they did, she was always punished if he didn't like her answers.
"Hm." Keira didn't dare to look at him. "I heard something interesting from Matthew."
She could hear the sound of his shirt moving.
"Something about you liking Eren Adler." Keira turned to face him, seeing that he was leaning against the island that separated them. His eyes were gleefully watching her reaction.
"Yes, I like him." Keira didn't feel a need to lie. She was fond of Eren Adler, but whether or not it was a romantic fondness was still debatable.
She could see his eyes narrowing in contemplation at her words. He seemed neither pleased nor angered at the answer she gave.
"Then you would be happy to know that you're starring in the same drama as him."
"What…? Isn't he an idol?"
"Apparently, he's interested in acting now."
"Why?"
"I suppose it has to do with your romantic outing inside the bathroom."
"…"
"What? You're not going to say that he was a stranger you just happened to engage in PDA with?"
Does he have to be so insufferable?
"He's a stranger—."
"Do you see a problem with this, Keira?"
"…"
"Strangers aren't supposed to be touching you so casually."
"Even if they were trying to help me?"
"No means no."
"Okay."
"What does your 'Okay' mean?"
"No touching strangers. I understand."
Dylan looked at her with utter disgust. He let out a loud sigh and massaged his forehead.
I'm the one that's getting a headache here…
"It's the other way around."
"Oh. Don't touch strangers. I get it." Seeing him getting worked up at her stupidity made her act even more like a dimwit. It's not that she didn't understand his meaning, she just felt it to be meaningless in her situation.
Eren Adler helped her from falling, Austin helped her return to her room, and Jace helped her up and down the stairs. None of these people had malicious intentions behind their actions.
"Are you purposely trying to anger me?"
"I won't let strangers touch me. No means no." Seeing that he might truly be angry this time, she quickly conceded. Keira obediently smiled at him, repeating the words he had said earlier. "Does that mean Brother can't touch me also, since we are like strangers?"
"Forget home. Bring us to the company." His lips twitched, voice strained as he ordered the driver. "It's time we change from strangers to brothers and sisters. I'll make sure you spend every waking moment getting to know me, Keira."
That's it. I angered the Devil.