“Tiara, are you getting picked up?” Ivanna asked.
The two of them walked side by side down the first-floor corridor of the tenth-grade building. School had let out, so plenty of students were streaming past with their bags slung over their shoulders. Ivanna and Tiara were no different.
“No, I think I’m going to take a rideshare. You’re going with Bro Rayden?” Ivanna nodded, confirming it.
“I kind of want to go home with you,” she said softly as she gazed at the evening sky.
Birds could be seen flying across the sky. Glancing at her white wristwatch, Ivanna tugged the corners of her lips upward. It was already 4:10 p.m., yet she felt as though she’d only just arrived at school. She must have been enjoying herself immensely.
“Ivanna!” She immediately turned at the sound of a boy calling her name.
“Bro Rayden’s over there,” Tiara informed her, pointing toward the path leading to the school gate.
Ivanna could see Rayden smiling and waving at them. The dark-haired girl’s lips instantly spread into a bright smile. Rayden was practically her personal energy charger. Ivanna jogged over to him with Tiara.
“No need to run,” Rayden scolded as he also walked toward Ivanna. The girl only grinned shamelessly.
Rayden’s attention shifted to Tiara, who was staring at him in admiration. Earlier, Tiara had often talked about how much she admired the student council, especially Rayden, whom she considered the most charismatic. That was why she could probably spend ages looking at him.
“You were the one from this morning, right? What’s your name?” Rayden asked, flashing his friendly smile.
*Dear brother, couldn’t you ask normally? Your smile is enough to make someone else’s kid swoon.* Ivanna thought.
And Tiara’s cheeks, flushed bright red all the way to her ears, proved her right. “Ti-Tiara, Bro!” she blurted out unconsciously.
Ivanna giggled at the sight and nudged Tiara with a mischievous, teasing expression. Tiara covered her face in embarrassment.
“Oh, Tiara. That’s a pretty name. But do you have a fever? Your face is red,” Rayden asked jokingly, wearing a playful expression. Tiara wanted to disappear even more.
“Idiot.” Someone’s mutter made Ivanna realize there was another person standing behind Rayden. Her mouth fell wide open.
Her black hair gleamed in the light, cut just above her shoulders, with messy bangs that refused to stay in place. Her eyes were a flat grayish black as she stared at others. A sweet little beauty mark adorned the area beneath her left eye.
Yeah, Ivanna remembered exactly how the author had described this character. The girl who always carried pineapple candy in her shirt pocket. That was…
“Good afternoon, Sis Dira!” Ivanna gave the girl a brief bow as she looked at her.
Adira Mahesa, vice president of the student council and one of Rayden’s closest friends. The female lead of this novel—sadly, their relationship remained nothing more than friendship until the very end. It never developed beyond that.
“Oh, Sis Dira?” Tiara, who had previously covered her eyes, now stared wide-eyed at the arrival of her upperclassman. She quickly bowed in greeting, just as Ivanna had.
“Good afternoon, Sis Dira!”
Adira gave a brief nod. “Afternoon,” she replied, making Ivanna and Tiara smile happily.
To Ivanna, Adira was the character she admired most after Rayden. An incredible woman—women’s supremacy! But to Tiara, she was the female students’ idol and the male students’ dream girl. She wasn’t the kind of person who smiled warmly and pleasantly, nor was she an obnoxious girl who loved playing pranks. She was Adira, a 160-centimeter-tall woman who always wore a blank expression.
“Idiot,” she cursed suddenly, making Ivanna and Tiara freeze. Was that insult directed at them? But… her gaze was fixed on Rayden.
“Dira, it’s not nice to insult your underclassmen. As an upperclassman, you should—”
“You’re the idiot.” Final. Adira’s brief remark cleared up the entire misunderstanding.
Rayden smiled weakly. Ivanna could see four sharp creases forming at the edge of the boy’s forehead. Yeah, no wonder he was annoyed in the presence of someone like Adira Mahesa.
Unlike Rayden, Ivanna desperately pressed her lips together to hold back her laughter. Tiara was doing much the same.
“Looks like your driver’s here. Go on, it’s not nice to keep your parents waiting.”
Rayden seemed to be getting his revenge, indirectly driving her away. Adira glanced at the expensive watch fastened around her wrist, then left them without a word.
“Tch, she’s like a Jelangkung.” It was faint, but Ivanna and Tiara could still hear her.
“Please be patient, Bro Rayden.” Ivanna patted Rayden’s shoulder familiarly, making the boy flinch in surprise.
The moment Ivanna realized what she had done, she pulled her hand back. She’d forgotten that Rayden was still awkward around her.
“S-sorry, Bro. Reflex,” she said guiltily.
Rayden must have felt uncomfortable, which was why he’d been so startled. Ivanna’s thoughts descended into turmoil.
Tiara, once again caught in an awkward moment between the Razaputra siblings, could only stare at them in confusion.
“It’s okay, Vanna. I was just surprised,” Rayden said with a gentle smile.
When Ivanna didn’t respond, Rayden began to feel guilty. He hadn’t meant to make her misunderstand; he’d only been startled because he still wasn’t used to the girl touching him. It was different with Izora, with whom he’d always had a good relationship.
Until a few weeks ago, Ivanna had been an extremely withdrawn child. She always avoided Rayden, so he’d assumed she was uncomfortable around him. But ever since the last time she collapsed, Ivanna had been acting differently toward him. She seemed to want to get closer, to repair their relationship. Of course Rayden was happy, but he didn’t want to get too confident. That was why sudden touches still startled him.
“Are you ready to go home?” Rayden asked carefully.
Instead of answering right away, Ivanna glanced at Tiara worriedly. The rideshare the girl had ordered still hadn’t arrived.
Tiara fumbled, feeling bad about keeping Rayden waiting. “I-I’m fine, Vanna. My ride should be here soon. You go ahead.”
“You’re sure you don’t need me to stay with you?”
Tiara nodded and took both of Ivanna’s hands, reassuring her. “Yeah, I’m fine. Don’t worry.”
“Why don’t you come with us? We can give you a ride too.” Tiara was startled by Rayden’s offer and nearly became flustered all over again.
“No, thanks, Bro. I’m really fine. Besides, I already ordered a ride. It’ll be here any minute, I’m sure,” she declined politely.
Ivanna let out a heavy sigh. “All right, but if anything happens, you have to call me. Understand?”
Tiara flashed a broad smile, revealing a row of teeth. “Yeah, I understand. Bye.”
The two girls waved at each other. “Bye…”
“We’ll get going now.” Tiara nodded once when Rayden said goodbye, then followed as he led Ivanna toward the parking lot.
Tiara’s heart warmed as she watched their backs grow farther and farther away. It had been a very long time since she’d felt anything like this. Before, she always went home from school with dirty clothes and a miserable mood, but today she was incredibly happy. Could this happiness last?
“Having a great day, are we?” Tiara’s body went rigid when a hand landed on her shoulder.
Tiara knew that voice. She glanced to the side and saw Angel’s crooked smile aimed at her. Her heart pounded with fear. Her body even began to tremble.
“Had enough playing with your new master? We still have business to settle, don’t we, servant?” Without waiting for an answer, Angel roughly hooked an arm around Tiara’s neck and dragged her toward the school’s back garden. Her two lackeys obediently followed behind.
Who knew what would happen to Tiara that afternoon? Hopefully she’d be all right by tomorrow. Otherwise, all of Ivanna’s efforts today would have been for nothing.
To be continued…