Page 74 of A Dead Man's B-Side
Most times, I didn’t want to. Other times, I tried to find that well of goodness but came up empty.
I guess it didn’t work out.
“Miroslav, if you’re done staring at Miss Jett, please focus back to the front.”
Ms. Ransom’s words knocked me back to reality as my eyes snapped to the young and sharp professor when she raised a single perfect brow. I narrowed my eyes into a near glare before straightening my head from its tilted position. She didn’t seem to mind my reaction, nor did she care about the students shuffling in their seats and craning their necks to watch the scene unfold, only for the silence to be interrupted by Ajax.
From across the room, I could hear the snort that pulled Ms. Ransom’s attention towards him. Under her gaze, he held up a hand before bringing both to hide his face as he wheezed out another laugh. “I’m sorry–sorry–I’m sorry, I’ll stop.”
The nasty look I sent him seemed to catch his attention as he glanced back, however the moment he did, he fell back into a fit of giggles.
I could feel Wolf and Rain’s eyes ping-ponging between the pair of us in passive confusion, but Ms. Ransom didn’t let the moment go on for too long. “Alright, the two of you can step outside and rejoin us when you’re ready to learn.”
I threw my hands up with a strained groan and shook my head before I could think to school my reaction, shoving myself out of my chair and walking out the door, Ajax not far behind.
Once the door closed, Ms. Ransom sending us both a stern look in the process, I turned on him. “You liar!”
Ajax held up his hands with a barely held back smile. “IswearI wasn’t lying. You’re the one who can’t control his actions. What were you even thinking, ogling her like that? You have no loyalty to your own friend?”
I shook my head in annoyed confusion. “What are you talking about? I wasn’t ogling, and Wolf and I aren’t friends–”
Ajax paused. “What are you talking about? Of course you are.”
I glared. “No, we aren’t.”
“You can’t possibly–oh, come off it.” He shook his head like it was obvious, but I only curled my lip in further confusion, wondering when he’d had the time to notice all of that. “Oh, for God’ sake, Wolf doesn’t have friends.”
I opened my arms. “You’re saying one thing and then saying another.”
Ajax curled his hands before wrapping them near his throat in exasperation, mockingly choking himself. “Wolf doesn’t have friends because he doesn’t like having friends. He thinks he’s some type of social pariah, the self-pitying twerp. But if he’s asking me to wake you up for class…”
I blinked at him, his words settling in as he shook his head at the obvious insinuation.
Did Wolf really see me as a friend or…?
Or what?
Wolf had too much honour to try anything below the belt. If he had to steal out of hunger, he’d probably let the store owner know he’d be leaving with a few unpaid items in his bag.
“I… actually don’t have to talk to you about this. I was just caught by surprise by what you told me earlier, that’s all. Just trying to understand it.”
Ajax shook his head with a mournful expression. “And you never will, my poor friend.”
“Do you mean that literally?”
“The poor part? Not really… Do you get offended–”
“Jesus, I’m ready to rejoin the class.” I ran a hand over my face and moved to shove past him.
Chapter Thirteen
Alexandr Miroslav
1982
“You know, it’s going to be cold tonight.” Wolf said from his reposed position against my windowsill, the cigarette smoke twisting out into the concluding September air. If I were to voice my opinion, I’d say he looked like a debauched prince, too careless of his responsibilities to stand up straight.
I didn’t look up from the French assignment Madam Lavoisier, our foreign languages professor, assigned for tomorrow, only adjusting my cap over my ears. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
