Chapter 6
Dylan's gaze drifted around the room, his mind elsewhere. Two weeks had passed since he'd last seen Frudi, and he couldn't shake off the feeling that she was avoiding him which was quite true. He had given her a ride home that night, and she had promised to leave him alone. But now, he couldn't help but feel like he was a victim of one of Frudi's schemes.
"Earth to Dylan!" Michael's voice snapped him back to reality.
Dylan cleared his throat, focusing on the discussion at hand. "Yeah, sorry. What were we talking about again?"
Sergio rolled his eyes. "We were discussing ideas for the 'capture the flag' day. You were supposed to contribute."
Dylan forced a smile. "Right. Sorry, guys. I'm just a bit... distracted."
His eyes wandered around the room once more, hoping to catch a glimpse of Frudi. But she was nowhere to be found among the freshmen chilling in the assemble hall. He knew she was a freshman, just like the others they were planning to haze. But he couldn't help but feel like she was the only one who mattered.
"Let's just do something simple," Jackson suggested, breaking the silence. "We can't afford to mess this up."
Dylan nodded absently, his mind still on Frudi. Where was she? And why couldn't he stop thinking about her?
As the meeting continued, the team brainstormed ideas for the "capture the flag" day. Michael and Sergio suggested a trivia game on campus, where teams would have to solve clues and riddles to reach the flag. Elias proposed taking the freshmen on a two-day retreat, where they would have to work together to complete challenges and capture the flag. Jackson simply shrugged and said he was down for anything, as long as it was exciting.
Just then, a thought struck Dylan. He imagined Frudi's enchanting grey eyes sparkling in the sunlight, her hair blown back by the ocean breeze. He pictured her walking along the beach, her feet sinking into the sand and him burying her in the sand forever. The image was captivating, and Dylan knew he had to make it a reality.
"I think we should go with Elias' suggestion," Dylan said, a sudden enthusiasm and a hint of mischief in his voice. "The two-day retreat at the beach sounds perfect."
Michael raised an eyebrow. "Really, Dylan? I thought you'd be more into something competitive, like the trivia game."
Dylan shrugged. "Yeah, but think about it. A retreat is a great opportunity for us juniors to bond with the freshmen. We can get to know each other better, build some connections... it'll be good for team-building."
Sergio nodded, buying into the reasoning. "Yeah, that makes sense. And it'll be a good break from campus life."
Elias grinned, pleased that his suggestion was gaining traction. "Exactly! And we can have some fun in the sun, too."
Jackson just shrugged. "I'm down for whatever, as long as it's not boring."
The group began to discuss the details of the retreat, with Dylan steering the conversation to ensure that it would be a perfect opportunity for him to get close to Frudi. He couldn't wait to see her at the beach, to see if his imagination matched reality. Little did the others know, Dylan's true intention was not team-building, but getting Frudi's attention.
After the meeting, Dylan and Elias left for class. The best friends were both music majors and they had the same classes.
In class, Dylan's mind wandered, his thoughts consumed by Frudi. He couldn't concentrate on the lecture, couldn't focus on anything except her.
Elias, sitting next to him, noticed his distraction. "Hey, Dylan, you okay?" he whispered.
Dylan nodded, trying to brush it off. "Yeah, I'm fine."
But Elias pressed on. "What's wrong? You've been spaced out all class."
Dylan hesitated, then leaned in close. "It's Frudi," he whispered. "She's not pestering me, and it's freaking me out."
Elias's eyes widened in surprise, and he stifled a laugh. "You're worried because she's leaving you alone?"
Dylan hissed, trying to keep his voice down. "Shut up, Eli. Just leave it till after class."
Elias grinned mischievously but said no more.
After class, as they walked out of the lecture hall, Elias brought up the topic again. "So, what's going on with Frudi? You got what you wanted, right? She's leaving you alone."
Dylan sighed, rubbing his temples. "That's just it. I don't know what's going on. She made this deal with me, said she'd leave me alone if I dropped her off at home. And she has. But now I'm worried."
Elias looked confused. "You're worried because she's keeping her end of the bargain?"
Dylan nodded. "Yeah. It doesn't make sense."
Just then, Elias spotted something across the room. "Hey, look. There's Frudi, Alex, and Daniel. Let's go join them."
Dylan's heart sank. "No, Eli, don't."
But Elias was already dragging him towards the table. "Come on, it'll be fun."
As they approached the table, Dylan's anxiety grew. He didn't want to sit with Frudi, didn't want to be near her. But Elias was already pulling out a chair, gesturing for him to sit down.
The cafeteria buzzed with chatter as Elias and Dylan joined Frudi, Alex, and Daniel's table. Dylan deliberately avoided eye contact with Frudi, but she noticed anyway. With a sudden movement, she stood up, her chair scraping against the floor.
"I'm going to sit somewhere else," she announced, her voice firm.
Her friends exchanged confused glances. "Why?" Alex asked.
Frudi's gaze swept the table, her eyes lingering on Dylan before moving away. "I don't sit with strangers."
The table fell silent. Elias raised an eyebrow. "Uh, Frudi, we're all friends here..."
But Frudi's expression remained serious, her face emotionless. "I'm out of here."
Daniel stood up, following Frudi. "I'll go with you. We can grab another table."
As they walked away, Alex turned to Elias and Dylan. "Sorry about that. I have an urgent class after lunch, so I'll stay here."
Dylan shrugged, pretending nonchalance. "No worries. We were just leaving anyway."
But his eyes betrayed him, drifting towards Frudi's retreating back.
Across the cafeteria, Daniel caught up to Frudi. "Hey, what's going on? Why do you dislike Dylan so much?"
Frudi's laughter was low and husky. "I hated him before I even met him. He's just so... complacent. And when I met him, he proved it by hurting that girl who confessed to him."
Daniel's eyes widened in surprise. "Whoa, that's intense."
Frudi's expression softened slightly. "I just can't stand people who don't care about anything. And Dylan's the worst."
Daniel didn't ask any more questions since it looked like Frudi was getting all serious.
"Let's eat then"
Frudi nodded smiled at Daniel. "Do you not have other friends? Why betray your brother with the girl he hates?"
The question made Daniel laugh a bit. "The question is, does he really hate you? And I don't have friends. If you knew Dylan before meeting him, I'm sure it's because of my dad, right?"
Frudi looked at Daniel and nodded.
Daniel leaned in, close to Frudi's ear. "My dad's a mafioso, he's scary and he always makes it known to our friends. His name sacres them away."
"The name 'Tristan Martinez' doesnt scare me. I think he's cool" Frudi said taking a sip out of her drink.
Her words made Daniel smile. " That's why you're my only friend."
"Wait, how about Alex? I thought you also considered him a friend" Frudi questioned, looking puzzled.
Daniel flushed a light shade of red giving Frudi a hint that he had a crush on Alex. "He's cute... " Daniel realized he had said too much so he gets up and hurriedly picked up his things. "I'm going to the studio to prepare for our project. Don't ask further questions"
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As they walked out of the dance studio, Frudi stretched her arms, feeling the satisfying ache of a good workout. "That was fun! I'm glad we're partners for this project."
Daniel grinned. "Yeah, me too. We make a great team."
Alex joined them, yawning. "Hey, guys. What's up?"
Daniel clapped him on the back. "We were just thinking of grabbing a drink. Want to join us?"
But before Alex could respond, Frudi's phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen, her expression changing from relaxed to guarded.
"Sorry, guys. I have to sit this one out," she said, tucking the phone away. "My mom's not feeling well, and I need to head home."
Daniel raised an eyebrow. "Your mom's sick? Sorry to hear that."
Frudi nodded, her eyes avoiding theirs. "Yeah, she's been under the weather for a while. I should go take care of her."
Alex nodded sympathetically. "Of course, go take care of your mom. We'll catch up another time."
But Daniel knew Frudi well enough to sense that something was off. She was hiding something, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
As Frudi quickly said her goodbyes and headed off, Daniel turned to Alex. "Dude, I think there's more to Frudi's story than she's letting on."
Alex shrugged. "Maybe. But hey, let's not pry. Let's just go grab that drink and forget about it."
Daniel nodded, but his mind was already racing with possibilities. What was Frudi really up to? And who was she really?
Alex and Daniel stumbled into the dimly lit bar, the neon signs overhead casting a gaudy glow on their faces. They made a beeline for the counter, ordering a round of shots and beers.
As they drank, Daniel kept probing Alex about Frudi's sudden departure. "Dude, what's going on with her? She's always bailing on us lately."
Alex brushed it off, his expression nonchalant. "She's just got a lot on her plate, man. Don't worry about it."
But Daniel persisted, his curiosity piqued. "Is she in some kind of trouble? You're her best friend, aren't you? You must know something."
Alex sighed, trying to deflect Daniel's questions without arousing suspicion. "Look, Daniel, I've told you all I can. Let's just drop it, okay?"
Daniel raised his hands in mock surrender. "Fine, fine. But you're not getting rid of me that easily."
As the night wore on, they continued to drink, their laughter and banter drawing attention from the other patrons. But when Daniel excused himself to the restroom, Alex was left alone, his eyes scanning the crowd with a mixture of boredom and wariness.
That's when the middle-aged man appeared, his eyes locking onto Alex with an unnerving intensity. "Well, well, well. What do we have here?" he slurred, his voice dripping with sleaze.
Alex rolled his eyes, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, great. Another charming gentleman trying to hit on me."
But the man wouldn't take the hint, his hands reaching out to touch Alex's face, his thighs. Alex's instincts kicked in, his body tensing, ready to defend himself.
He glanced around, hoping to find someone to intervene, but the other patrons seemed cowed, unwilling to confront the man. Alex knew he was on his own. "How about you leave me alone and I wouldn't kill you?