Page 36 of The Commons

“Who does that?” the brunette girl says, concerned.

“Technically, she can’t stand forever,” the olive-skinned boy counters. “If a Patron doesn’t stand in two minutes, she has to leave. Look at tosh!”

I look up to see tosh ticking in the air. Patron Lenon puts a pen behind his ear, scrolling through a tablet. Ciaro looks toward his direction for a second, then sighs in disappointment, looking back down at the floor.

“Dang,” the redhead whispers. “I guess she’s getting ignored.”

Ciaro swallows hard, then lifts her chin up. With only five seconds left, her legs drive forward to leave. Just as she is about to walk away, Patron Lenon stands up, dropping the tablet. He begins to walk toward her.

Everyone congregates closer in utter shock as Ciaro instantly stops. The other Patrons watch Lenon with an uncanny gaze, except Pesh. Pesh does not react, not even with a hint of care. He simply stares at Lenon with an intense edge, unfazed. Patron Suzandrick reels with enjoyment and eyes Pesh periodically, seeking his attention, but he does not turn her way.

Patron Lenon walks up to Ciaro with a haughty gaze. He flicks her bright blonde hair to the side like it’s dust off a carpet. He stares at her with furrowed brows. I notice her legs quiver, but she approaches him, nonetheless. He tilts her chin up with one of his fingers and she now looks into his eyes. Her eyes sparkle, staring at him in veneration merged with wonder, rising to her tiptoes. The other Patrons scoff among themselves, whispering something to each other.

Except Pesh.

Pesh looks away and focuses on writing on a tablet screen, unbothered, as if he’s alone and can’t hear anything going on around him.

The students around me gawk in disbelief. Their eyes stay glued on them like a hawk.

Ciaro stares at Lenon, her mouth open in anticipation. Lenon tilts her chin further, not reciprocating her excitement.

The girls next to me hang their mouths open, drooling like they are watching a show. If only I could roll my eyes a thousand times, I would.

In a sudden turn of events, Lenon begins to kiss Ciaro with an enormous aggressiveness from the tongue. I hate this guy so much. He must think he’s God’s gift to earth.

Next to me everyone watches, wondering what he is about to say, just as he stops.

He stares at her with a stern gaze, stating blandly, “Disgusting. I expected better. Get out of my sight.”

Patron Suzandrick and the other Patron laugh. Ciaro opens her mouth to say something, but Lenon leaves before she can. She gasps, blushing, then instantly leaves. On her way out, she smiles to herself. In a hidden corner, she exhales, satisfied, her mouth open in shock.

Lenon glides his hands through his hair, taking Pesh’s bottle of water, drinking as he sits.

Patron Suzandrick slams her snack to the table. “Well, that was new.”

“Dang!” the brunette girl near me says. “Imagine Patron Lenon’s lips touching yours.”

“If that’s what favor looks like, then bring it on,” the red-haired girl beside me exclaims. She immediately struts off, walking the Chemistry Hallway.

Upon her appearance, Patron Suzandrick speaks in a mutter, not even looking up. “Urgh! They just keep coming. Send her to the dark dungeon.”

A file flies to her from Suzandrick’s desk. She sprints out, humiliated, her cheeks turning bright red.

“If they know we’ve all been hiding here, they’ll send us all to detention, one by one,” the brunette girl says. “If we want to do this, we might as well just go.”

“Yeah, I know. But who’s gonna go next?” the olive-skinned boy asks.

I turn away from them and listen to the Patrons’ conversations to see if I can hear anything useful.

“And I was like, you know what, it’s not this chick’s fault,” Patron Suzandrick says. “Let’s set the lad straight first, then unto her if he doesn’t comply.”

“What did you do? Give him a demerit?” The other Patron smiles.

“Not quite. I sent him to the dark dungeon. He’ll sit there for the next twenty-four hours and contemplate his love life. If I could send him to The Seventh Zone, I’d do it right now, except I do want to see his ugly Lumiere face in The Commons a little longer.”

I almost choke—she’s talking about Zavish. And me!

“De Londe probably does too, seeing as he’s a Lumiere!” the other Patron adds.