Chapter 36: XXXV

Now that revelation was something Laia definitely did not expect.

"The asshat?" Laia couldn't help but ask again.

Niel rolls his eyes. "You already asked me three times but yes, my answer doesn't change even if you ask for the fourth time,"

Laia sheepishly smiles. "Sorry. I guess he wasn't who I had in mind to talk so openly about the rankings,"

True that the asshat didn't seem to be one bit concerned about getting second place this quarter, but maybe he was hiding what he really felt behind a facade?

Just like me?

Laia shakes those thoughts away. There is no chance in hell that she has the same way of addressing problems with the asshat.

"Well," Niel briefly drums his fingers on the table's surface. "I don't think he meant something bad about it though? He just happened to talk about it after he was asked--"

"Asked by who?"

Who was the asshat with? Someone from another school, perhaps?

Okay, maybe not. Niel would've told her immediately if the asshat was with a classmate or a schoolmate of hers.

But it's not like Niel knows everyone that goes to Laia's school.

Or did he?

Niel seemed to notice how the girl in front of him was completely lost in her thoughts and he snaps a finger in the space between them, making the girl blink twice. "Hey, your head's up in the clouds,"

The short-haired girl waves the boy's concerns off. "I got distracted,"

"Distracted by the boy you call your asshat?" Niel teases with a playful grin.

Laia feigns to barf. "I don't refer to him as my asshat," Niel didn't look one bit convinced. "I refer to him as an asshat who effectively and continuously ruins my days,"

"Don't you mean making your days better and less boring?"

"What do you mean by that?"

Niel shrugs. "Well, no offense," Laia rolled her eyes. She's certain that she'll be offended by her friend's next words. "But let's face it, you only had a single friend before he transferred to your school, you spent all your days studying until Sundays and you always end up here reading the most boring of books. I mean, classics, really?"

Okay, that was definitely offensive.

But it was true, Laia couldn't help but think. Her days before the asshat were monotonous because she felt like her path was just straight ahead and it had not one obstacle to challenge her.

It also didn't help that nobody really openly challenged the girl before. Andrei doesn't count because he never really spoke up against any of Laia's ideas nor did he openly disagree with any of her thoughts, especially with all the opportunities given to him whenever they had those debates in their History class.

Even if Laia denies it, the asshat did spark a fire inside of her. A fire that made her motivated again to do more than what she could before. A fire that sparked motivation in her to be the best not only among her classmates who did nothing to compete with her but with a worthy opponent.

"I'm right, aren't I?" 

Sometimes Laia thinks that Niel can read minds. 

She's hoping she's wrong.

"And no, I cannot read your mind," Niel answers the girl's unsaid question. "Your face just happens to be easily read, especially when you're thinking of your so-called asshat--"

Laia glares at him. "I already said he's not my asshat."

"Not yet--"

"More like never," Laia cuts the boy off. "Now can we please go back to our initial topic which is who was the asshat talking to?"

Niel chuckles. "You do realize the topic we're about to talk about is still related to your asshat right?"

Laia ignores her friend's teasing grin and repeated her question. "Who was he talking to, Niel?"

"Gimme a sec, I'll get us some coffee," Niel abruptly stands up from his seat. Now Laia was sure the boy was trying to evade answering her. "I'll be back."

"Where else would you go?" Laia sarcastically purrs.

Niel shows her his middle finger before disappearing inside the kitchen. Keith returns to where they are after the customer leaves. "What were you talking about?"

Laia replies curtly. "The asshat."

Even if Keith hasn't been a part-timer for long, Laia is almost certain that the boy knew about who she was referring to.

Courtesy of Niel's loudmouth, of course.

Keith's eyes widened. "Oh, the guy who's always here whenever it's not your shift?"

What the boy said was new to Laia's ears. Niel did not mention that. "When you say always, do you mean it?"

The boy nods. "Yeah. He's almost always with a girl, too. I actually thought he was cheating on you but Niel told me you weren't together," Keith grins boyishly. "Well, at least not yet. Maybe after he breaks up with the girl he's always with?"

A girl the asshat is always with?

Was the girl the same girl that the asshat had an argument with back at Laia's house?

Laia actually thought they broke up that time, especially with how the asshat was particularly in a bad mood after their conversation.

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Looks like Laia was wrong. Again.

"We're never going to be together," Laia narrows her eyes at Keith, who laughs at her aggression. "I'd rather date a frog than be with him,"

"Why, though?" 

The short-haired girl looks at the tall boy, puzzled. Why what?

She decides to ask that. "Why what?"

Keith shrugs. "I just think you two seem to fit each other--"

"I'm back!" Niel sits down on his original spot, effectively cutting Keith off whose mouth was still open. "Dark roast coffee like your soul if you continue to study even during Saturdays,"

Laia couldn't help but shake her head in amusement at her friend's jab. "My soul's definitely dark already by now."

Niel pushes another mug towards Keith's hands who flinches at the probable hot temperature of the beverage. "I don't know if you'll like what I made you, but whatever,"

Keith smiles at the shorter boy. "I like anything you make me."

"You're disgusting," Niel flicks the other boy's forehead making him yelp. "Don't you dare spout such cheesy nonsense especially in Laia's presence, god, can you imagine if she'll say the same words when she finally confesses to Samuel?"

"Confesses to who now?" Laia scowls at her friend who grins back.

"To Samuel," He even imitates a kissy face which makes Laia unable to stop smiling. "Duh, who else?"

Laia looks away to stop herself from smiling which will only add fuel to the fire. "Ugh, don't mention his name anymore, it makes me want to barf--"

"She's more likely to enjoy the conversation more," Niel whispers to Keith who snickers. "Anyway, let's go back to the topic before Laia's cheeks explode from all the blushing--"

"Who's blushing?!" Laia glares at her friend but momentarily checked her reflection on her phone's camera.

It was a relief that she wasn't blushing like what Niel said.

Not that she would blush because of the asshat in the first place, disgusting. Horrendous, even!

Thinking about it gives Laia the chills.

"As I was saying before you decided to overreact like what you usually do," Niel winks at Laia who glowers at him. He pointedly ignores her. "I didn't get the girl's name, but I did get a bit of information you might need if you decide to stalk your asshat's current girlfriend--"

"I am definitely regretting asking you about this--"

"Shush child," Niel places a finger near Laia's lips who recoils with another glare. "So your asshat's current girlfriend goes to that prestigious university, hmm, what was it called again?"

"Avenstone Ria University?" Keith supplies.

Niel nods. "Yeah, that one."

Laia lets out a low whistle. "So that means he's dating someone older than us,"

Avenstone Ria University was one of the most prestigious universities in their city. Not only was it known to house intelligent and well-known students from prominent families but it was also rumored to have a tuition fee that could buy Laia and her mother food enough for at least two or three years.

Laia never had the interest to try out for that university even when she does admire their prominence when it came to connecting and referring their students to bigshot companies and figures all around the world.

Alas, Laia's wallet can never afford that kind of university. Even if it did promise her a bright future ahead.

No amount of scholarships can probably let the girl stay in that university for at least four years or more, depending on the course that Laia will set her mind on.

"Looks like your asshat's into rich and older girls," Niel sips from his coffee. "Emphasis on the rich part."

"He's rich too so it would make sense," Laia replies. "Anyway, did you happen to hear anything related to whether the asshat was backstabbing me, or was he just flexing how he got second place to his girlfriend?"

Keith grins wolfishly. "Careful Laia, your jealousy's showing,"

"And my hand's about to throw my hot coffee to your face Keith if you don't stop yammering about irrelevant things," Laia threatens. "Niel?"

"I don't think he was backstabbing you, it was more like he was stating a fact. He didn't even mention anything more related to you, so don't worry much about it."

Laia sighs in relief. Well, at least that mystery has been solved. The girl honestly didn't care about the extra details entailing the asshat and his mysterious rich and older girlfriend.

Well, maybe just a bit. 

Just enough to gossip with Brie.

"The girl was really pretty, though," Keith suddenly adds with a dreamy look on his face. Laia noticed how Niel nods in agreement. "And she was really nice,"

"True."

Laia frowns. "How'd the asshat make her fall in love with him, then? Is love really that blind right now?"

The girl's coworker sighs dramatically and flicks the girl's forehead. "Honey, you do realize he's handsome, right? Handsome boys get all the girls even if their personalities are bad or they have more issues on their plate than ours. Girls do love fixing unfixable things,"

The short-haired girl rolls her eyes. "Are you saying the reason why he's being an asshole is because of some... things on his plate?"

Niel smiles mysteriously. "Who knows? It's not my place to say."

Her coworker's words bugged the girl until she went home for the day.

Was Niel right? Was there more to the asshat than what he lets everyone see?

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