Chapter 50: The Ice Prince and the Pathetic King

Monday.

School.

Hell.

I walk into class. I am back in my uniform. My 'armor'.

I have my 'Bloody Twilight' face on. My aura is so cold that students literally flatten themselves against the lockers as I pass.

Nobody talks to me.

Good.

I sit at my desk. My stomach is a rock.

I wait.

My heart is pounding. I hate it. I am 'Bloody Twilight'. I do not 'get nervous'.

But I am.

The bell is about to ring.

The door slides open.

Fuji Kenji walks in.

My heart does that stupid jump.

He looks... perfect.

As usual.

His uniform is crisp. His white hair is perfect. He is the 'Prince'.

He walks past my desk.

My hands are clammy.

I brace myself. For a smirk. A 'Rival'. A 'Good morning'.

Anything.

He doesn't look at me.

He doesn't even glance my way.

His eyes are forward. Cold.

He doesn't acknowledge my existence.

He sits at his desk.

He takes out his book.

He starts to read.

It's... it's like before. Before the 'panda cloud' texts. Before the 'lunch table' incidents.

It's like I don't exist.

No.

It's worse.

Before, he 'competed' with me. He 'watched' me. He knew I was there.

Now...

It's ice.

He is treating me like he treats everyone else.

Like I am 'nothing'.

It hurts.

It hurts more than a cramp. More than drowning.

I stare at the back of his head all morning.

He never turns around.

The lunch bell rings.

He stands up. He leaves.

He still doesn't look at me.

I am a ghost.

My appetite is gone.

I stay at my desk all of lunch.

Toujo and Rika try to talk to me.

"Aoi-chan... he's just being a 'brooding' idiot..." Rika whispers.

"Yeah! He'll get over it!" Toujo adds.

"Shut up," I mutter.

They leave me alone.

The rest of the day is torture.

Finally. The last bell.

I am the first one out of my seat. I need air.

I grab my bag. I storm out of the classroom.

I don't look at Fuji. I can't.

I power-walk through the hallways. I get to the school gates.

I just want to go home. To my cave.

And he is there.

Leaning against the wall.

Daiki Hanata.

He's wearing his stupid black hoodie in the middle of the day.

He's not a student. He looks so out of place.

A bunch of first-year girls are whispering and pointing at him.

('Is that... Deception?')

He doesn't care.

He is just watching the gate.

He is waiting for me.

He sees me.

He flinches.

He remembers me throwing him on the ground.

Good.

He straightens up. He looks... pathetic. And scared.

He takes a step toward me.

"Twilight... wait..."

I am so done.

I am so tired.

My heart hurts from Fuji.

My head hurts from this liar.

I don't stop walking.

I look right at him.

I give him the full... undiluted... 'Bloody Twilight' glare.

The one that says 'I will end your entire bloodline'.

He freezes.

The 'King of Gamers' literally freezes in place.

I walk right past him.

I don't slow down.

I don't say a word.

I hear him mutter something behind me. Probably a curse.

I don't care.

This is my new life.

My 'peaceful' life is gone.

But my 'chaotic' life is gone, too.

Now it's just... this.

This awful, cold, silent war.

The 'Hero' who hates me.

The 'Liar' who is scared of me.

And me.

The 'Fool' who messed it all up.

I look up at the sky.

I will fix this.

I don't know how.

But 'Bloody Twilight' doesn't 'lose'.

And I am not going to lose ... him.

This war is not over.