A.N: the following chapter contains depictions of abusive behavior and Harrasment, please reader discretion is advised - Binah

  On the ground was a blanket with a basket, plates, and glasses on the wall there was light glowing faintly as the afternoon sun was setting, and next to the blanket was a guy I had seen in the hallways and some of my classes he got really happy when I arrived and ran to hold my hands, "I'm so glad you came my tiny bunny" Niko was right that is a vomit-inducing pet name "well... yeah you left a lot of petals on my locker it was hard to miss... am..." I was struggling to remember his name I think it starts with a "P" but I wasn't sure, he pulled my hands and asked me to sit on the blankets "Paolo my name is Paolo, is okay I don't stand out much unlike you bunn" he opened the basket and offered me some food, I may be willing to talk but I'm not dumb enough to take food from a stranger let alone form him, "am... thanks but I actually-" he shushed me by pressing his finger against my lips, this doesn't feel like when Higen did it this feels very off "is okay I understand you don't have an appetite and since you are here I assume you accept my invitation to the..." "Ozwald!"

  Higen appeared on the corner of the building "There you are, my practice finished, and I saw you heading this way, I wanted to see... who is your friend Ozwald? Am I interrupting something?" Paolo took his finger off my mouth and looked angrily at Higen for interrupting his moment, "Get lost gorilla! You are killing the mood!" Paolo snapped at him, "Gorilla? I beg your pardon I do not think I look like one, I will also have you know I took the ever trusty "what animal are you?" personality test and it clearly said Lion" Higen said while showing his phone to Paolo "my bunny I do not understand how can you be associated with this brute" "hey that is not nice, Ozwald your friend seems to be very rude" this is horrible "okay both stop!" I broke the fight that was about to happen, and stood up "Paolo I came to tell you that I am flattered that you made all of this, but I don't feel the same way you do" Paolo was shocked by my declaration he smiled nervously "but... but is there someone else? I assure you there's nobody better than me!!!" he grabbed me by my shoulders and put his face close to mine.

  "don't you get it? Nobody will understand you better than I can! Do you think anyone else would look at you the way I do?" he keeps moving his head closer and closer to me, digging his nails deep and deeper into my shoulders "I will do ANYTHING for you! If you want me to hurt for you, I would; if you want me to kill for you I would! And I expect you to do the same for..." he didn't get to finish his sentence Higen was grasping at his shoulder and that made him release me "That is enough!" Higen pushed him away and put himself in front of me "I do not give a fourth of a darn who thou are or what kind of relationship thou have with Ozwald" he raised his fist ready for a brawl "But if thou dears to lay a finger on him again I will not hesitate to strike thou down! Do thou heard me?" he yelled at him, at that moment I don't understand why I didn't do anything, I know how to defend myself I can get the staff out but why am I shaking and clinging to Higen's back? Paolo looked at Higen and at me behind him he snickered and left, once he was out of sight my legs failed me and I was on the ground shaking.

  "Ozwald!!!" Higen kneeled in front of me "Did he hurt you? Are you okay?" I held my shoulders to stop myself from shaking "No, he didn't I'm just shaken up by his outburst" Higen helped me to my feet "It's okay he won't hurt or scare you anymore what was that about?" I hugged him not because I needed the physical support but I needed the emotional support "he left a note on my locker a few days ago, and I just wanted to let him down without hurting him, I thought I could handle it but... but" he pressed me against his body I could feel his warmth and hearing his heart beat calmed me a little, "your kindness is one of the things I love about you Ozwald, however, there are people that can and will take advantage of it, you did nothing to deserve this" he held me closer to him and I clanged to his body "I should have told you before I didn't want to worry you" he stroked my hair to try to calm me down "I know you are strong but everyone needs help at some point, come on let's go back home, Donna, Niko, and Carter are waiting at the entrance" he held my hand and walked me to the front of the building where our friends and Carter were waiting for us, Niko and Donna ran to see how I was after the exchange, "Are you okey?" Donna asked, "Who was it?" Niko continued "What happened to the pipsqueak, Banna? He seems like he saw a ghost."

  "a mean guy was being very rude to Ozwald, he even called me a gorilla can you believe that Marten? Me a gorilla!" "You do have some gorilla behaviors Banna" "What in the hell do you mean Marten? name three gorilla things I do!" "Well first of all..." Higen and Carter seemed to be closer almost like they were friends, I turned to look at Niko and Donna "It was Paolo... he... let's just say he didn't want to take no for an answer" Donna shook her head slowly and Niko put his hand on my shoulder "Oh my god that's awful! And what happened?" Niko asked, "he assumed I was going with him but when Higen appeared he lost it, he started to yell and demand weird things, and I froze if Higen hadn't been there... I don't want to think about it." Niko sighed with relive "I knew telling Higen where to find you was a good call, he asked me if I had seen you" "Thanks for telling him"

  After that ordeal, I couldn't just sit still I finished Donna's and Niko's costumes and mine was almost done, I was on my bed trying to sleep but "I will do ANYTHING for you!" "Nobody will look at you the way I do!" Paolo's words terrified me, and I couldn't sleep, Higen did say that he would give me a hand if I asked, so I grabbed my blanket and one of my stuffed dolls and marched to his room when I was in front of his door I raise my hand to knock "and what am I going to say?" I asked myself but I don't want to be alone right now, I gathered my courage and knocked on his door.

  "Come in!" Higen said from inside his room, he was lying on his bed with a book in his hands and dark-framed glasses on his face, he blushed and quickly took them off and hid them under his pillow, "I didn't know you needed glasses Higen" I let myself in, he cuffed "I... I don't but... Dr. Cambell suggested these for reading, but anyway, why are you here at this hour?" I scratched the back of my neck and got closer, "Well, I couldn't sleep because of what happened today and... I wanted to see... if you know... I could..." he smiled and lifted his sheets and blanket "Want to sleep with me?"

  "I...I... I don't mean like that... I mean if you want to spend the night in my bed... ahhhh that sounds worst!!! Do you want to sleep in my bed with me tonight... Ozwald just use the staff and turn me into salt please..." I started to laugh all of the worries I had melted with this situation, I jumped into his bed and covered myself with the sheets "Don't worry I got what you mean Higen, thanks for letting me stay the night" his face was so red, he extended his hand and turned the lights off "you can sleep here any time you want" I decided to fluster him a little "yeah you know you can sleep with me any time you want too right?" "Ozwald!!!" "He-He-He sorry it was so easy."

  "Alright, how do I look, babe?" I finished Donna's dress yesterday, she asked me for a little red riding hood custom, so I made her a cupcake dress with a brown corset and the titular red riding hood, it was hard to make it look like a wolf mowed it but I managed, Carter was sitting on our couch with reaped clothes and a headset with fake ears and long claws, they were supposed to be little red and the big bad wolf and he was selling the part he started to howl as Donna came closer, "little red... you look like a snack!" "I bet you tell that to all the girls... and their grandmas" She chuckled and sat next to him, "Ozie you look great in that witch costume, you work fast! You made my dress and your clothing" "and my "charro negro" clothes too" Niko chimed in, I waved my hands in front of my face, "Don't mention it, back at home I get some extra money by making and fixing clothes, my mom taught me so yeah she was great" I made a simple black outfit with a red shawl with a golden embodiment, I picked up a witches hat and sandals at the mall, to bring the outfit together I summoned the staff after I was done getting ready.

  "Greetings and salutations my beautiful friends" Higen came out of his room and my jaw hit the floor, he was wearing his royal knight uniform and his breastplate his hair fixed to perfection and on his back bellowing behind him was the cape of his father, "what are those faces supposed to mean!!!" I snapped out of it "You look great, no stunning!" I said blushed and sat back down, "yeah you look like a king or a prince charming" he hit his breastplate and grasped the fake sword on his waist "More like knight charming in my opinion," said Niko "Okey let go the dance is about to start, Ozie pick your jaw off the floor and let's get moving."

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  Carter joked and as we were about to leave the apartment Higen stopped me, "I heard that is customary here to give this to the person that invited you" he pulled an armband with several red flowers similar to the ones that appear on my barrier when fighting titans "so corny... I also got you this babe" Carter did the same and attached an armband to her hand "Owww a corsage of Lily of the Valley thanks love" For all of his jerk energy Carter does have a softer side, Higen grabbed my hand and attached the corsage to it "I describe the flower to the store clerk and she told me that these are camellias... she said something about them symbolizing passion and you are a very passionate person... and your hair is red so you know it suits you Ozwald" Higen blurred out and looked away he seems to be flustered about this, I caressed the flowers "thanks Higen I really like this" and with that we went on our way to the dance.

  The dance was going to take place in the main auditorium of the school, it had been decorated to look like a fairy tale forest, before we even entered music could be heard coming from the inside, Higen offered me his arm to enter together, I locked arms with him and entered the auditorium, multicolored lights, the buzzing sound of music been blasted by someone behind some weird machines we had never seen before, people were already dancing at the center of the auditorium, some others were eating form the food tables at the sides of the place, some others were on tables illuminated by lamps, this is a dance in the human realm.

  "I wasn't expecting to be this loud... I love it!!!" Higen yelled so I could hear him "Yeah how about we... where are the others?" we looked around, but the rest of our friends disappeared into the party, leaving me and Higen alone "I think they have gone to enjoy the festivity... so just us?" Higen said, I felt my heart racing, but I was more comfortable with it "Yeah!" Higen made a reverence in front of me "Shall we dance Ozwald!?!" I grabbed his hand, and I pulled him to the dance floor.

  The person in control of the music changed the song to a very lively and catchy tone, "Do you know how to dance, Mr. Noble Knight?" I asked He made an elaborate but impressive dance maneuver "Did you really think I only asked Niko for slang lessons mate?" I was not expecting him to be able to pull good teenage dance moves, but he was really good at it, we danced for a few songs and before we stopped, he grabbed me by my waist "He... hey! What are you..." before I could finish my question he threw me into the air so high I could see through the high windows of the auditorium, I wrapped my body around the staff as he jumped and catch me mid-air, he landed on the center of the dancing floor everyone looking at us for a moment the whole place was silent until a wave of cheers and claps filled the place, we both bowed as Miss Orisa walked toward us "very good moves guys, I wow great partnership however, as a teacher I have to warn you not to do that again Higen" she started to wink rapidly with one eye "but if you say it was for art I can't censure that" he got all flustered and apologized profusely to the band teacher, as we took a sit in the tables.

  "I am so sorry Ozwald I didn't know that that was forbidden, god I think that was the first time I have broken a rule in my life" he started to pant, I'm not sure if it was from excitement or remorse "it was fun flying but I would appreciate a head-up next time Higen, do you want something to drink?" He nodded, I went to the tables where the food was located, there was a fountain that spouted chocolate, fruit, and marshmallows to be coated in said chocolate, sandwiches, and beverages, I looked around and picked some cups filled with soda, it was difficult to balance the staff and the cups but I managed to do it, "there you are mon lapin" Paolo was holding my arm he was also dressed like a knight in white armor, "what are you doing here Paolo?" I asked concerned and placed the drinks on the table again "Well I understand that I could have upset you yesterday with my outburst and since I didn't see you with anyone, I assume you reconsider my offer" he tried to pull me closer to him "No... I didn't reconsider anything I came here with Higen, remember? Big, blonde, can probably push your head through a wall?" I managed to get my arm free from his grasp.

  He made a disgusted face as if the mere mention of Higen offended him "What that brute?!? Is he coercing you to come with him? That's the only explanation for this!!!" "What!?! No!!! are you insane? We are..." The thought cough me by surprise I said sadly "Just friends... nothing more" he looked at me scanning my reaction I don't like how he saw me like a snake or bat eyeing his next prey, he was going to speak again but I was not going to let him ruin this for Higen or me "listen!!! I do not like you! I will never be with y... Mufffhhh!?!" he graved my face and forced me to kiss him this is wrong in so many levels I could feel the grasp of Allure growing stronger on me "you should say "disintegrate" no "flay" wait, wait, wait "bend in the exact shape of a mall pretzel" I could hear Allure in my head, I was ready to say any of them "Hey buddy!"

  Carter spined Paolo around and punched him in the face "No means no!!!" he cracked his knuckles "I will make you swallow your own teeth if you do any of that again!" Paolo cleaned his nose and darted out of sight, I was so confused and angry on one hand a creep just shoved his tongue down my mouth and on the other Carter came to my aid the same guy that day one triggered me into a murderous panic attack, I don't even know what to do now "You okay Ozie?" I blinked for a moment "Why?" was all I could manage to say, he rubbed the back of his neck "Listen you and I had our problems, but Donna likes you and Higen is kind of nice to hang around fuck even that weirdo Niko is sometimes funny so truce?" he asked as another teacher was walking angrily at him "Mr. Marten why on earth did you..." "he didn't do anything wrong the other guy assaulted me... Carter saved me... that tested somehow wrong" I informed the teacher he pointed and let him go with a warning and proceeded to look for Paolo.

  "...truce, thank you Carter" he gave me a calp on my back, "Don't mention it... well maybe mention it to Donna, so how is your date with Higen going?" he asked and started to take some food on a plate, I took the drinks from the table "is not a date, we just came as friends that's all" he put a smile on his face "well yeah but that could change easily, Ozie he is also into you but you need to tell him straight to his thick head to get the message across" "what? we just made a truce and now you are Dr. Relationship?" I told him a little bit angry, but he just laughed "Who knows maybe, I've been told that beneath my jerk-ness I give good advice, so go get your Boy Scout dude" Have I stood so low that even Carter sounds reasonable? In whatever case this pains me to think he could be right, but there was something else I have to say today.

  "Carter I'm sorry..." he was confused by my words "Hey come on, why are you apologizing for?" "I..." I felt awful for the way I used the staff at the start of the term, I wanted to say sorry for being weak and letting myself be influenced by a horrible shadow of myself, but I can't say that not without the need to explain the staff, the titans and everything else "Donna told me you had an epileptic attack way back when we started the term" "what, That? Don't worry is not like it was your fault or anything, I went to the doctor afterward relax man, I guess I should also say sorry for day one like I told Higen, but I guess he forgot 'cos you two were angry at each other"

  That picked my interest "What did you tell him?" "Well, I don't know why I did that it was like someone said "throw" and I felt like I should do that, but it was a very dick move on my part I should have waited a few more days to pull something like that... hey does your stick have LEDs? I like the color it is shining" I looked at the disk of the staff it was glowing in a shade of black jade color when I use it generally a faint green aura surrounds it or it makes a green circle with letters "ye...yeah, I probably hit the button by accident" Maybe my emotions got out of hand or maybe I was looking at the culprit of the first-day incident right into its dark and cracked eyes, after defusing the situation I went back to our table where Higen was waiting for me.

  "Ozwald! What took you so long?" he asked me as I took my seat and passed him his drink "The most random thing happened; Carter came and helped me out and even apologized for the food incident" he started to choke on his drink and after cuffing for a moment he regained his composure "what? That is suspicious maybe I should" I held his hand "he was surprisingly honest, and I also apologized for what I did that day, in a way that doesn't expose us" he sat back down and smiled "Well if you say so Ozwald, I'm happy you manage to say what is on your head because by the queen you are not the best at it" my expression was full of indignation, by all means he was right but he didn't have to say it to my face like that "rude! Like you are any better at that!"

  I kept making Ozwald fluster for a moment until Donna ran straight to us "Ozie!!! They are playing boomboyage by BlackPunk next, we have to dance!!!" it was one of those rare occasions that Ozwald's eyes illuminated he stood up quickly but turned to me "I want to but..." I pointed with my head "Go, I'll be here when you are done" he flashed a full smile, left his hat, shawl, and his staff with me, and ran with Donna to the dance floor, he seemed so happy.

  "And now for all of the Blunks in the crowd" The lights dimmed as the person behind the machines talked on a microphone, he pressed some buttons and the brighter lights rained down on the dance floor, there were around twenty people on the dance floor, divided in groups of four I heard someone sitting next to me at the table, "...Niko what's is going on? Ozwald and Donna went there is it different from the other dances?" I was confused since the siren incident I swear off pop music this sounds strangely similar "Has Ozwald been charmed by the forces of evil?" I asked concerned "Relax Higen is not like they are a... cult they are a group of Korean singers and dancers, just watch and enjoy the show" he flashed me a smile and urged me to sit back down as the music started.

  The music blasted from the speakers as the groups started to dance in sync with it, Ozwald's group moved synchronically with one another, changing who was at the center, striking poses as the song continued, I couldn't stop seeing the performance "Higen are you okay?" "I... I think I forgot how to blink" As the music progressed some of the groups dropped to make space for the rest, Ozwald took center stage for a part and I couldn't take my eyes off him, in time with the music he spun for a moment, stop point at me and winked before returning to his formation, I could feel my face growing hotter and hotter, "are... are you sure this is not a charm? I mean Ozwald is shy and doesn't like the spotlight" Niko released a tiny laugh "Well maybe he is trying to impress someone" The presentation ended as they struck a final pose I could see Ozwald still looking in my direction, I felt my heart starting to pound and my brain finally linked the dots, he was embarrassed about inviting me, he kept looking away when talking to me... he wanted to come with me as a date!!!