Chapter 158: Did I forget to mention I had a bad feeling?

Everything went smoothly, except it didn't. 

My head was kind of in the clouds. Maybe that kiss was way more powerful than I thought. 

And for some reason time moved rather fast and before I knew it, school was over and I was free. But I wanted the whole day to be over with. 'But where will we find a private place?'

Needless to say, there was only one thing on my mind. 

Students were getting up and leaving. No one glared and they just ignored me with heavy hearts. I guess I crushed a lot of their dreams. 

The two girls next to me didn't move to get up though. Especially the one on my left- Enira. 

"So, when are you going on the date?" Marg asked, still a bit disappointed. She was packing up her things.

"Around four I think."

My Holo was kind of dead, so I had no way to double-check the message anyway. 

The girl on my left was rather quiet and she hadn't said anything in a while. But now- finally she looked at me. "I'll come with you!" And she was very determined. 

I was also very determined. "No, thank you," I replied in her tone. 

I had no reason to bring a third wheel.

"I promise to be good and stay inside the saber always!" Both of her hands were formed into a fist and she was trying to be cute. 

Unfortunately, I wasn't buying it. 

"Take her," Marg said. "It'd be a drag if you got attacked while you were on a date and suffered because you didn't take your saber with you."

I actually didn't think Marg would be the one saying this. Wait, or was it that there was more to this. Just what kind of attack was she talking about?

Yeah, I had a bad feeling. 

Enira gleamed and winked. Marg winked back.

Yup, a bad feeling, and I could definitely see where this was going. 

Sigh. 

But anyway, it was decided I'd be taking my saber with me. Carrying around a sword was frowned upon but somehow people didn't care about sabers. Apparently, people were morons. 

And I was one of them.

***

I got back to the dorm and went inside my room. Obviously, Enira followed me like a toddler. 

"So this is the girl? Hmm." Merin came over to my side and checked the girl out. A bit too close. 

"Feel free to slug him if he looks at you funny." I started to change. 

Merin clicked his tongue. "Unfortunately, I have my hands full with just one, I don't need half a dozen like a certain someone."

"I'll have you know, I only have eyes for Marg." And half a dozen? Yeah, no thanks. 

"And I'll have you know, people have eyes too." Merin mocked me and went over to his side. 

"You're saying people love me and stuff?"

Merin sighed. "What are you, a thickheaded protagonist? You're even more thickheaded than your version in the 'Helio and the palm adventures!'"

For a moment I'd actually forgotten that I had my own frigging novel with the palm tree. And for the record, I wanted to keep forgetting about that. 

Lately, I actually didn't get reunited with the palm as much though. Which was definitely a good thing. 

I sighed again. "I'm aware people might have feelings for me. But I'd like to stay loyal."

Besides, Marg would turn rather violent anyway. 

"You know. Being loyal and having multiple lovers have nothing to do with each other. You can have ten lovers and still be loyal to all of them if they and you are okay with it. As long as you all respect each other, it's fine."

Polygamy wasn't rare, so I guess he did have a point. 

I kind of grimaced at the thought though. "Pretty sure no girl would be okay with that and do you think I'd be okay with seeing Marg with someone else even if she stays loyal to me?" Because I wouldn't. 

Merin snorted. "I'm sure the girls who have eyes for you, only have eyes for you though."

This guy was constantly contradicting himself and he was giving me a lecture. Talk about hypocrisy. 

"I understand your view-" Enira began. "But your friend is correct. If someone truly wishes to be with you, you should allow them." She grinned. "Love is universal and if there's respect it's fine."

And now she was speaking for herself.

I didn't know why but my life was full of selfish people- and I was probably at the top of the chain. 

"I'll go take a shower."

Lately, I even took three showers on hot days like this. Besides, if I was going to go on a date, the least I could do was smell the part. "Maybe I should wear something nice too."

And then the thought of that sweater came to my mind. 

'Shit.'

***

Everything was done and I was by the gates around 3.55. A little late but definitely on time. 

The purpose of this date was just to hang out with Selene and that was basically it. This was just a way to make up for that incident anyway.

Selene was already there- wearing a jet black long sleeveless dress. Rather fancy, and she looked amazing. 

I took a deep breath, straightened my back, and went closer to her. 

"You look amazing. Where are we going?" I spoke carefully so I didn't stutter. 

"Not too bad yourself but why aren't you wearing that sweater?" Why was she so frigging infatuated with the sweater?

I did carry the sweater in a bag with me just in case but I certainly didn't want to wear it. 

"Can I not wear it? I'm uncomfortable."

Selene frowned a little. I guess she wasn't that bad. But then she opened her mouth. "Nope. You'll either have to wear that or my dress. That was the deal." She grinned and winked. 

Wait, she wasn't actually carrying anything other than a purse, meaning if I said- "If I say no, you'll-"

Selene gave me a devilish grin and didn't say a word. 

Yup.

I cleared my throat, calmed my breathing, and smiled. "I'll wear it once it gets dark. Or maybe cold? You said we were going somewhere cold right?"

I tried to change the subject. 

"Okay. With me." She moved her hand towards me. 

I took a second to process everything but then grabbed her hand firmly and looked at her smiling face. "Let's go then."

Her smile widened a little. 

Selene started pulling and she ran- I also had to run. 

How the hell was she managing this speed with those clothes?

I didn't know and I didn't want to know. 

But maybe this wasn't so bad. 

***

After five minutes of running, we just walked. According to Selene, there was a nice café just a few minutes from here. 

"Are those piercings?" Selene touched my ears. 

"Not really." Marg had gifted me a single earring and since I didn't have a piercing I just used them as it was. 

It was a weird oval-shaped earring though. 

"Aren't they hurting?" Selene grimaced slightly.

"Yeah, they are." I chuckled and now that she mentioned it, it hurt extra bad. 

She giggled. "I can give you an actual piercing if you want."

"Yeah, I think I'll pass. Too scary. Besides, I'll only wear this for today anyway."  For some reason, Marg insisted I did. 

"Wuss." Selene giggled haphazardly and we'd arrived. 

I ignored the insult and looked ahead at the large two-storied building and the couples going in. 

"I had no idea there was a place like this here."

We were exactly at the border of the snowy plains and the forest. This place was a bit cold but not cold like the snowy plains. And it didn't have bugs either. Perfect!

"This is a nice café and they even have a place to stay the night. And now you'll have to wear that-" She grinned. 

I was getting very mixed signals here. Weren't dates supposed to be stuff people did to pass the time and get to know each other better?

Or had my life been a lie?

I sighed and put on the sweater after all this time. I kind of wanted to kill myself but oh well. 

"Are you sure-"

"Put your hand over my shoulder." Selene didn't wait for my confirmation and guided my hand over her shoulder. "This is the etiquette here."

Yeah, I doubted that. 

I again learned just how exposed that back was. 

I could literally feel her bones, though she wasn't skinny. She was a bit on the muscular side though. Well, who cared, this was just for a day anyway. 

I gulped, grabbed her shoulder, and made up my mind. "Let's go."

I got a lot of funny looks from the couples around us. This damn sweater!

But after grinding my teeth for a minute- I calm down and made up my mind anyway. 

I'll grab a drink, chat for a while, and then that'll be the end. After all, Marg would be waiting- ahem. 

If only things went like that. 

Sigh.