Chapter 3 - Has he finally appeared!?

That was just awesome, what a festival! A blushing Alcestis in a ferris wheel, winning against Enkido in a paint balloon contest, and newbie won at the street vendor tournament! It was a young San Salvadoreña and won with pupusas.

-“With my pupusas, I shall win and pu-pulsating your very senses every single time!”, she said when she won with a declaration to win next year too.

Wow! I am so excited, what if a newbie wins again!? The great thing this festival is open to the public. Oh well back to Government class, which my literature teacher also taught. Alcestis, Enkido, Maira, and I came to the class. When we entered, there was a heavy and awkward atmosphere. There was Mark who had this shock face while looking down and grabbing his seat while standing up, and an exasperated Pauline. This felt way too awkward and serious, so I did the correct thing to do, and I try to leave such an uncomfortable scenario with godspeed. Eh? Why? You think I shall enter a problem which does not concern me and act arrogantly and say, ‘I can solve your problems, you ignorant mass of people’. I am not that arrogant or curious even though my name is Icaros. If it was Miss witch, whether she intervened or not, I bet she would enter the room waiting whether it would turn up interesting or not. I bet if she thought it was interesting but needed a bit more of a spice, she might try to escalate the problem. It’s not that I am acting sensible for other people, but if you are a stranger or just an acquaintance, why should I welcome awkwardness into my life? It's not like I needed to survive, so I will deal with it with the people that are close to me. I try to leave but the teacher stops me, ‘Wait! Maybe you can solve this!’.

-“Ah...?”, I confusedly stop in the middle of my tracks.

I thought, ‘ you are a teacher, you solve this! And if you think it's not something you shall intervene, then either get them to the office or silence them and tell them to solve this later on! Why are you asking a student to help you!?’, then for some reason my classmates said in different turns.

-“Yes, please Icaros, help!”, said random excited student A.

- “Do you have the heart to let this happen and just leave”, said a doubtful student C.

- “Icaros we believe in you”, said a female student B that is not from this class.

-“I believe in all my classmates, I think we are all friends here that have gone through so many struggles together. So if one of us suffers, we suffer together, we are here for each other!”, said an incredibly passionate student with incredible charisma.

Everyone nodded, some cry, some applauded, I felt a bit moved and proud to be their classm-.....wait, what!? Why are you shifting responsibility to me, is it because if I fail then I am someone to blame? Humans like to do that all the time, it does not matter whether it solves the problem. Sometimes the burden is so heavy that life itself becomes a problem and there are many who wish to escape it. My classmates seem much more into it thanks to the last guy. What is up with him and his charisma!

He has white hair, an eyepatch, a red eye, and brown skin, with some black boots and ....a cool hoodie sweater!? He does not have the obligatory jacket! They make us wear that jacket every day, no exceptions. I know because I have tried so many times in the past, especially during the summer, how did they let him in? A character with so many things that make him stand out like green and red lights flashing and blinking in the darkness, how have I never seen this guy before? I do not remember any transfer students besides Maira last year. Someone this flashy and with such great charisma, I would have noticed since the very first meeting with him for the rest of my life! Why is he looking at me like he believes in me? On what basis does a stranger have any trust in me? I do not know your name. I do not know that your name is Protagonista.....how do I remember out of the sudden!? Also is it not Protagonista, Spanish for Protagonist? Could....he ....be the main character!?

- “I believe in you Icaros!”, said Protagonista, and for some reason, he seems like he is shining.

Also a song playing somewhere, like one of those hero kids’ shows, where the rival comes to assist the hero when he is about to be defeated and a bunch of flashbacks run through my head at the same time he said those words out of nowhere. Like when we studied together for the tests last week. Like when we were laughing for no reason. Like when we play rifle shooting in today’s festival. Like when we were in 2nd grade in elementary school in the courtyard while there was a yellow banner with the Tsar’s emblem, and we were fighting. In the flashback, we were seriously fighting and I was winning, and punched him so hard in his left eye that a lot of blood oozed off.

-In the flashback, he stood up and said, “I won’t give up. I won’t give up on Alcestis! I will fight for her to the end, my love rival!”.

All these flashbacks must be delusions created by his powerful charisma. What a dangerous talent. I’m sure because first of all, I met Alcestis when I was already a teenager.....and....I have never been to Russia! Plus what is up with that flag, I’m sure that flag was Russia’s national flag in the 1800’s! How do I know it? Daedalus had a weird hobby of liking flags. Also, there was no rifle shooting in today’s festival, the most shooting-like thing was throwing balloon paintballs at a target, and I did that with Enkidu. And more importantly, according to the flashback, I might have been the cause of why you use an eyepatch, should you not have a grudge on me instead!? Alcestis holds a Sherlock Holmes hat, and presses to me, and says while being really excited like she has waited for the sequel of a novel that has not been written in years while fidgeting around.

- “You have to do it! Your love rival that you met in your freshman year in college is believing in you! You cannot let Profesionista down”, she exclaimed excitedly.

I knew his charisma created delusions! Alcestis, we are still in high school, please remember. And you got his name wrong, is not Profesionista is Protagonista.

-“Such a worthy foe that defeated me in nationals is in believing in you. He is to be respected even though I caused him that wound on his right eye, he still continued and won. I know you avenge me in the finals but you cannot betray his trust in you”, says Enkidu like the typical opponent that was defeated by the main character and now respects him.

It seems for his delusion he did not won flawlessly in nationals and I somehow won....but I am in the cooking club.... Also, Enkidu, you mentioned the wrong eye. His charisma is much to be feared, he is so charismatic that his influence makes delusions in your memories. If it was a certain academy, he would be the Super Duper Level Charismatic High School Student. I give up. When you are in Rome, you do as the Romans do.

-I grab the hat and say, “There is only one single truth!”.

Everyone gasps at my epic line.

-I reply, “But before I can reach such truth...um...could someone tell me what in the world is happening? If it would help it you could tell me what I have to solve...”, after that, the audience looked so disappointed. Alcestis and Enkidu raised their hands and stated, ’Yeah we do not know either’, in unison voice. After that, my classmates calm down and realize that I barely enter the classroom.

-Protagonista exclaimed, “ Of course you are indeed right my love rival since sophomore year in college, I shall explain everything!”.

Thank you but I am not your love rival and also you got that from Alcestis and she said freshmen year not sophomore year.