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Chapter 30: The Long Week

And so, the week of third term exams began. Keanu had English first on Monday morning while History on Wednesday. Science for Tuesday morning while Art and Architectures for Thursday. While Keanu would enjoy a full Friday quietly at home, he had that group project to do and could not just leave it behind his groupmates.

Hunter had math that morning alone and hardly had seen his friends today. He was ready for the other exams and so was History and he thanked Keanu for helping him.

Keanu was refreshed and had a nice cup of coffee from the vending machine this morning before walking into class. Students were half-awake and held their own caffeinated drinks.

"Please, finish your drinks, I know you all, and so as myself, are half-awake, but I don't want any stains on the exam papers, and let's begin with the test," said Professor Lovett of English class.

...

Well, it went well. Once students finished, they could leave the class. Keanu finished the exam at ease, it wasn't that hard, so he was one of the first students to leave the class within a half-hour. After he left, Robin Rains came out shortly after.

"Hey, Keanu, how was the exam?"

"Uh, just fine, it was easy."

"Easy? Easy as pie!" He chuckled.

The corridors were empty as they walked to the main entrance. Robin then spoke beside Keanu, "Hey, about last Friday, I'm sorry if I interrupted your... you know."

"Oh," Keanu looked away a little annoyed, "it's okay, we were just making-out."

"You sure? Your date seemed like he was about to unclothe..."

"Stop it, please!" Keanu raised his voice with a small growl.

Robin was taken aback and raised his hands in defense. "Okay, okay! Sorry! My bad."

Keanu sighed annoyingly and spoke calmly, "Just don't mind other people's business, okay? He's my boyfriend."

"Oh, since when? I mean, when did you start dating him?"

Keanu exempted this question; he was just curious. "You know I won that Halloween prize, right?"

"Oh, yeah, now I remember, so you asked him out, that's nice."

"So, how did you meet Hunter?"

"Oh, didn't I tell you? I think you were there when you were studying with him at the library before. Well..." Robin made an uncomfortable face. "Wait, I only said the happy version. I don't tell anyone about this, but when I met Hunter, I was pranked by his friend Sol."

"Oh, Hunter told me about it. He played as the bait."

"Huh, he told you about it, are you cool with that now that you're dating?"

"He's too embarrassed to talk about it, and besides, that was like before I asked him out."

"Hmph, I like your reasoning. Well, at least it'll be less awkward to talk about it." They stopped by the building's entrance. Robin crossed his arms, recalling the event was just humiliating and horrifying he ever felt in his life. "I'll admit, the guy was hot and all, so I made a move on him, and he felt for it, though he was pretending he was enjoying it as part of the prank. Ugh, I should have known better from the way he was keeping me steady from doing anything to him, and I'm not sure what was wrong with him, but he could not hold a simple nut. I'd never been so blue balled in my whole life when Natasha burst inside the room to attack me."

Keanu was weird out with his way of words but got an idea of what he said. Maybe it was to keep it simple and less obscene. And the last part about not holding a nut explained Hunter's embarrassment to talk about it. Now he understood Hunter's uneasiness about the whole thing after the prank. Might as well let it pass as if he were capable of cheating on him, let alone a prank he volunteered.

Speaking of Hunter, he had already entered the building and heard Robin's ordeal and he stood frozen in place and his head flushed a bright red. From a short but far distance, he listened.

"Tsk, I feel sorrier for Hunter than that piece of shit of Sol," Robin continued. "He was testing on me if I was capable to cheat on him. Real fucking genius!" Robin grunted annoyingly. "How could I be so stupid."

Technically, Robin cheated, he was crushing on Sol and had interacted with him online with enthusiasm. And they were about to meet in person in his dorm room, but instead found a half-naked hunky wolf and made a move on him, thinking he could get away with it while Sol wasn't present.

Keanu could not do anything about it, but he finally expressed his perspective. "Sorry you went through with that, but you really hurt him. Duct taping him on the wall was far worse than what you went through."

Robin turned at him surprised. "How did you know?"

"I'm friends with Hunter's friends. I was hanging out with them on Halloween. You're lucky he wasn't badly hurt when we found him taped on the wall, and that was very cruel of you to blackmail Sergio's personal secret to help him with the prank. Just what kind of person are you?"

Robin was speechless, he never saw it coming that Keanu knew, but it made sense that he was acquainted with some of these people he had met.

"I was honestly starting to like you as a friend but seeing the real you, you're not worth it." When Keanu finally turned around to the exit, he noticed that the bystander was Hunter. "Oh, Hunter, what are you doing here?"

Hunter shook his head to clear up his mind and paid attention to Keanu's question. "I finished my calculus exam and... went out to pick you up..." He rubbed the back of his neck and looked away, he felt exposed for some reason. "Y-you know... to escort you to your next class."

"Ah, right... come on, let's go. I had enough of today."

The wolves left together to the exit, leaving the raccoon alone.

Robin stood there as if he actually lost a friend. They only saw each other numerous times as classmates and helped each other with homework but hearing words like that from the least expected person really penetrated his head. He felt angrier than ever, his hands clenched tightly. It felt like talking to Topher. Nobody was on his side, distancing from him and his ego.

Robin muttered, "Who needs him anyway." He quickly picked up his phone and texted someone hastily.

Hunter and Keanu walked together quietly through the campus, but Keanu only had History in the afternoon, so he was free today, but Hunter had his English class later at ten in the morning.

"Hunter, are you okay? Did you hear what Robin said?" Keanu spoke.

"You're not mad at me, are you?" Hunter hastily said. He was embarrassed and ashamed.

"No, why would I be? Didn't you say it was a prank?"

"Yes, it's complicated, but I didn't tell you much about it, right?"

"Yeah, apparently you did more than just kissing, right?"

"Yeah, it was stupid like I said, and you could say I kinda lost control of my lust."

"Well, that kind of stuff happens. If you have health problems, you could..."

"Oh, no! There's no need for that! I'm healthily fine! Just... please, can we please leave it behind us?"

"Sure, and I'll forgive you."

"Wh-what? It's not like I cheated on you."

"Isn't that how you feel?"

Hunter sighed, shoulders sagging. "It does feel like it, you know? I was starting to be interested in you for some time and... Sol came to me for the prank and, well, I thought I had it in the bag, but it came out sloppy than I was expecting, even though the prank technically went well." Hunter gestured the quote-on-quote with his fingers.

"I see, well, might as well leave it behind then."

"Sure, thank you, but... are you sure you're not mad at me? I mean, I kinda told you the half of the truth of it."

Keanu sighed and to show he was not mad he gave him a hug, his head resting on his upper chest and arms wrapping around his torso. Hunter relaxed and hugged him back with a pat on his lover's upper back, letting a good exhale from his breath. "Thanks for listening. I'll be honest with you from now on, okay?"

Keanu split the hug and smiled at him. "Sure, just don't do anything stupid like that, okay?"

"Hehe, sure thing!" he saluted with his hand as an order. "So, where would you like to take you?"

"I don't know, you know I only have History at two in the afternoon."

Hunter thought carefully, feeling more relieved and with energy. "Ah, I know, Broderick and Xavier are probably at the recreation room in the cafeteria."

"There's a recreation room?"

"You never been there? Man, you really have been very busy."

"You gave me a quick tour of the campus and didn't mention it before!" Keanu retorted with a smug.

It was then that Hunter just got burned.

Hunter dropped Keanu at the recreation room which was on the second floor of the building. Keanu noted to himself to go here if he ever got bored. There were several games to play here; board games, pinballs, pool tables, hockey tables, ping-pong tables, and more.

Hunter had to leave, he had English class at ten in the morning and waved to Keanu. "I better get going, so have fun, Keanu."

Keanu nodded and waved back as Hunter walked away to his next class. Now inside the recreation room, he was impressed about this room, there weren't many students but there were Xavier and Broderick playing pool table.

Keanu approached them. "Hey, guys."

"Hey, Keanu!" Broderick smiled. He still had one horn left which looked weird on him.

Xavier was focusing on his target and rehearsing his shot with the cue stick at the white ball that was pointing at the number 3 ball. He shot the white ball and struck the red ball, rolling and striking at other of Broderick's striped balls and stopping before it could fall on one of the holes.

"Ugh, so close," said Xavier and noticed Keanu. "Morning, Keanu, how was your first exam?"

"Just fine, I came here to relax a bit."

"You're just in time then. Uh," Xavier glanced at the door entrance, "was Hunter with you?"

"He dropped me off here, so I won't bump into Terrence," Keanu explained. "He has a class to attend. He thought I should hang out in here with you guys."

Xavier shrugged. "Sure, have fun."

It was Broderick's turn and swiftly shot his maroon striped ball into the hole. "Do you want to play with us after we finish our round?"

"Sure!" Keanu looked at the pinball games with interest. "Wow, there're some classic games in here." Keanu walked up to the five pinball tables.

"Those are some relics of the past from the eighties and nineties," said Xavier as he lowered his cue stick. "They're really well kept."

Keanu picked the one that he remembered the most named New York Taxi! and inserted two coins and pressed the start button. The pinball table came to life and sang high-tempo New York-themed music with cars honking in the mix. On the bottom right of the glass table, a shiny ball came out in the spring launcher. He pulled out the grip and let it go and the ball ricocheted out, crashing into the bumpers and dozens of colorful lights that marked a dozen of points that Keanu could not keep track of, he just kept playing. The ball slid down through the slope and Keanu quickly pressed the buttons on both sides of the table to swing out the flippers to keep the ball from falling at the bottom. It flew out upwards and entered a ramp and rolled through a tunnel that gave him points if he kept sending the ball multiple times there.

He had fond memories of playing this at the arcade with his cousins. The only difference was that he got taller and had to stand on a stool to play when he was young. Also, he forgot how good he was playing pinball!

...Until the ball went under the bottom after avoiding the flippers.

"Oh, shoot!"

Later, he joined Broderick and Xavier to play a match after the pair finished theirs. Broderick won. "Think you can beat me, Keanu?" Broderick as usual sneered challengingly while adding blue chalk to the tip of his cue stick.

Keanu picked his cue stick from the wall. "I'll try, but just remember, my cousin beat you at SkyRiders."

Xavier laughed. Broderick dropped his act and grunted. "I still want that rematch."

"You will never let it go, won't you?" Xavier rolled his eyes.

"It's still on my to-do list."

"I'll ask Jack if he is into it after school."

The three started the game by who will start the break shot by shooting the ball the closest to the end of the table. Whoever got the closest could start the game.

Keanu got the ball close to the end of the table and did the honors for the break shot, pointing with his cue stick at the white ball to the fifteen balls in a triangle formation. The balls dispersed apart in different directions like a firework, going everywhere until black ball number eight fell into the hole...

Keanu was stunned.

Broderick laughed victoriously. "Ha! No way! You just lose!"

"Calm down, let's try again," Xavier said and picked up the balls into a triangle form. "So, did you find out more about the background?"

"Fuck, man, I cannot believe that kind of shit exists! I compared both pictures and have the same seat which is actually just a leathered sofa."

"And don't forget that is too wide for an actual fuselage of a private jet. It's wide as 737's, but don't take it too personally, Broderick, she is just an aspiring model who is trying out her skills."

"Wanna do the break shot, Keanu?" Broderick asked.

"Sure, I'll try again." Keanu laid the cue stick once again and shot the cue ball to the triangle. This time not one ball fell into the hole.

"I also searched at other of her pictures and some left me questioning more..."

"What did you find?"

"There's a picture she claims she went to Acapulco, Mexico where people jump from some cliffs, right? There's a picture of her in a boat with the cliffside in the background, but it's too clear to be Acapulco's and looks suspiciously to Costa Blanca's cliffside hill where the lighthouse is."

"How can you tell?" Xavier leaned and adjusted the cue stick to the white ball and pointed at the solid blue ball number two.

"There's a particular boulder that's wedged on the cliffside, anyone can see it from afar. See?" Broderick pointed from the large bay windows.

After Xavier made his shot and sunk ball number two, he walked up to the glass window. From the second floor, they could see a bit of Rexville City's skyline, but they focused on the seaside and the rising cliffside hill with the tall and wide lighthouse. Below it, they could see a giant boulder sitting close to the lapping water and standing dramatically tall, almost reaching the top of the cliff.

"Wow, I never noticed it before," Xavier said impressed. "It's huge. So, what's your conclusion about Whitney?"

Broderick had grown with doubts all over his face. "I don't know who she even is!"

It was Xavier's turn again after sinking a ball, he pointed at the solid green ball number six. "Well, she's a student here, and you're soon dating her this weekend, right? I'm sure you'll get to meet the real her." He shot the ball and hit the green ball but didn't make it to the hole.

"I hope, I don't wanna date a liar. Wh-what if-if she..."

"Ahem!" Keanu cleared his throat, waiting for Broderick's turn to strike a ball.

Xavier continued. "Take it easy, I didn't mean to feed you with this information, but you should be wary of things like this. Be glad you have a head start, but what if everything we had learned isn't true?"

Broderick really wished that was the case and shot his cue ball to the solid orange number five ball, hitting the black ball into the hole and losing the game. He gulped.

...

The day went on, Keanu, Xavier, and Broderick went downstairs to the cafeteria for lunch. Keanu reunited with Hunter for a nice lunch together with friends.

"Did you talk to Xerxes about Terrence?" Keanu asked.

"No, I haven't, after this I'll be going to the gym, and I'll talk to him there," Hunter answered. "That's where I usually see him."

Keanu nodded and continued with his lunch quietly. "So, where are you..."

"Oh, you can stay at the library before history class, since Terrence spends his routine at the gym in the early afternoon before our history lessons."

"Oh, okay. That's better."

After they finished their lunchtime. Hunter went to the 800 Building facility. He dressed up in his green and black workout outfit. He had three different outfits for the week, so he didn't have to clean them up after use. A full-green short-sleeved t-shirt with a black paw print on his left chest, black trousers with green lines on the sides, and black running shorts. All this compressing his formed body, minus the running shorts.

Hunter had managed to find the pink-scaled dragon training with dummies for blockage while wearing his shoulder pads and helmet. He was a huge lug that could tackle anything in his path and had given plenty of opportunities for the quarterback to reach the end of the field.

Once he was done, Hunter could have a private chat.

Xerxes was resting and drinking cold water on the bench across from the dummies. Hunter filled him in about the restroom incident.

"Terrence wanted to talk to him?" Xerxes said.

"That's what Keanu said. He was shaken up about how he spoke to him."

"I know Terrence is not good at apologizing, but I guess he was just trying."

"That's what I thought, but Keanu was too afraid of him, and there was that time he yelled at him for ruining his game."

"Jeez, if he keeps it up, Coach Herrington would suspend him for another game, and we're playing against the Conquistadors this November after Thanksgiving... Oh! I think you should know; I was with Terrence doing homework at the library and Keanu was there sitting next to me in the computer room and the moment when Terrence took his time on the computer, he hastily left."

"Huh, Keanu didn't tell me about that one." It made sense since that little encounter did not stand out more than the one from the restroom.

"But nothing happened, and I saw him doing the usual stuff about that plane crash on the computer," the dragon sighed. "He still could not let go of the death of his girlfriend."

"Wait, his girlfriend died in that plane crash?" Hunter did hear that Terrence's former lover died in an accident but didn't know it involved flight 8085.

"Yeah, just found out about it a week ago, and he is doing some weird research like trying to find out the 'truth' as he said."

"My father was the leading investigator of the crash; it was caused by bad weather."

"He seemed to know that, but he is looking for something else and I have no idea what it is."

"What do you think it is?"

Xerxes shrugged. "I don't know, but I do know why he behaved with his previous girlfriends. Now I understand why. He had been kind of possessive and he fears losing a girl like before, but... damn."

"The death of his late girlfriend really affected him?"

Xerxes nodded. "Hey, I have to go; Coach is training us hard these past weeks."

"Sure, I'll start my workout. See you."

"See you later, I'll talk with Terrence again later."

Before Hunter would start his routines, he texted Keanu about his talk with Xerxes. "I talked with Xerxes. He'll deal with it later. I hope this time Terrence would leave you alone."

Keanu texted, "Thank you." And a smiling emoji wolf.

That made Hunter smile and motivated to work out.

On two of the afternoon, their history exams were until Wednesday, so they were rediscussing what they had covered in the past weeks in class. Hunter was ready for his exam, so he winked at Keanu with a handsome smug to his lover.

The week moved, on Tuesday, Keanu had a Science exam. He did well while Hunter had his dedicated programming classes exam that day. They both did well and soon they would get their results later. Finally, on Wednesday, Keanu and Hunter worked on their anticipated exams in silence during the session. Keanu curiously glanced at Hunter to see if he was struggling, but he saw his pencil against the paper, scribbling with confidence.

Keanu waited outside the class after finishing and later saw Hunter coming out of the class with a satisfied look on his face. "Nailed it!"

"It wasn't that hard, was it?" Keanu chuckled.

"A little, but it was all thanks to you!" Hunter hugged him and kissed him multiple times on the cheek which tickled Keanu.

Keanu chuckled. "Stop! It tickles!"

"I can't help it!" Hunter cried in joy. "You're so kissable!"

The last Thursday's exams went on smoothly. Keanu had a small project for Art class which was a full body of the muscles of the wolf anatomy which kind of scared Keanu when he first saw a render for reference but did a great job detailing the muscles of the body and easily got an A, and later then he got his architectures' exam which took a long while, but he passed it with little difficulty. The same went for Hunter's last exams and he did well in the end.

They had a date this Saturday to be free from their hard work which Keanu looked forward to. He had the group project meeting this Friday morning. His groupmates were eager to finish it before Thanksgiving, but the work on the model was slow, so Keanu had to help to continue to build it.

The time and effort were worth it, and the model looked fantastic and well detailed. Their proposed skyscraper project was a 150-storied building that was full of typical purposes like offices, residential, hotels, and entertainment for tourists. And the final touch was turning off the lights in the study room and the model lighted up with multi-colored neon lights.

"Nice, love it!" cried Urwin.

"That's so cool! I don't know you added that, Yestin," Keanu said.

"I told you, neon lights sell," Yestin was pleased.

"It would qualify as a, like, skyscraper in Hong Kong," said Joseph as he took some pictures with his phone. "Come on guys, let's take a picture together."

Urwin turned on the lights. Keanu and the boys gathered around their project and smiled. Joseph placed his phone with some books to support it firmly, so it won't fall off as he set the camera to countdown in five seconds.

"Alright, flash ready, and... here we go!" Joseph ran back to his spot and smiled.

They waited five seconds as the standing phone wedge between two books flashed at them for a picture.

Meanwhile, Hunter took his Friday once again at the gym, he had a routine to keep, now that he finished with the exams he could finally relax and ran on the treadmill with Sol. The wolf and the leopard were huffing as they jogged for a one-mile session.

"A second date, you say?" said Sol as he jogged smoothly on the conveyor. "This time you asked him out, right?"

"Yeah," Hunter huffed, "I'm going to take him to that local restaurant my family went to this Saturday."

"The Lighthouse Grill?"

"Yeah, they make good seafood. I'm sure Keanu has never been to that place before."

"Oh yeah, he moved here, right?"

"Right, I don't think they have explored much of the town."

Then a maned wolf stepped into the treadmill next to Sol's as he adjusted the speed and mileage. Sol nodded at him as a greeting as Topher gave him a cheerful smile.

"Hi, Sol, mind if I join you?"

"You already have."

"Great, I could use some time away from my teammates. They are all expecting me to shine this upcoming match the week after Thanksgiving."

"Who are you playing against? The Conquistadors?"

"No, the West Coasters and their weird mascot."

Sol laughed as he jogged carefully from tripping over. Hunter watched their interaction which was a nice change for Sol in meeting someone new. Topher seemed sincere, friendlier, and... possibly interested.

"And who are you playing against, Sol?"

"The Conquistadors as their visitors. We're going to San Diego after Thanksgiving."

"Awesome, I'm from San Diego, you're gonna like it."

"I already been there, Topher, I'm in my third year. I have souvenirs from it. Hey... what year are you in?"

"Second, I haven't been here too long and I'm still eighteen though." Topher laughed. "Well, not anymore, my b-day is this December."

Now that Sol thought about it, he first heard about Topher last semester and won second place in the baseball tournament from word of mouth and everyone who was a baseball lover talked about their newest rising star. Sol had to admit that he achieved a lot at a young age as he did.

They moved to the weight machines, Sol helping Hunter with the barbell as he laid down on the bench press and lifted for 50 reps.

"Sometimes I wonder why you put yourself in pain like that, Hunter," said Sol as he securely held the barbell. "Isn't 50 a lot?"

"If you adjust the right weight, you can make fifty or more." Grunted Hunter. "I can already feel my arms and chest working."

"Everyone has their own ways to workout, Sol," said Topher lifting small dumbbells in both hands. "If it works, don't change it."

As Sol kept steady the barbell, he struck a conversation with Topher. "Uh, Topher, you know Robin, right? Hunter told me he saw him hanging out with a dragon at the make-out spot. Do you know anything?"

Topher almost stopped lifting and continued with a dismissive smile. "Ah, so it did happen. I honestly don't know what he is doing but I guess he is coping with the empty feeling you left in him."

"How is that my fault? He technically cheated on me with a baiter I set up. He sounded so enthusiastically to meet me, and I would have given him a second chance if you both didn't kidnap me."

"You know what I think, Sol? I feel like he doesn't know it, but he learned his lesson but doesn't realize or admit it."

"What did he learn?"

"It's kinda vague, but simply put it, never sleep with your crush's roommate."

"How is that for a hard-earned lesson?"

"I know Robin since the start of the semester, and he has some personal issues before he rolled here. I think he had a rough high school. This is going to sound stupid, but have you at least tried to talk to him and properly apologize?"

"Tsk, I tried, right after the prank, and the next he duct-taped me on the wall."

"Yeah, not my proudest moment."

"Hmph, at least you have feelings and sympathy. I'll rather date someone who isn't a huge dick all the time and playing hard-to-get is not my style. Oh, and we know Robin blackmailed my friend Sergio to help you with the prank."

This time Topher stopped lifting his dumbbells with a look of shock. His maroon eyes widen. "HE DID WHAT!?"

"Did he ever tell you? You know that Sergio was involved too, right?"

"Yeah, but Robin never told me about that! He just paid him to help him with the revenge. But what did he threaten with?"

"Trust me, that's a secret between me and Sergio, I just found out in a weird way and Sergio is not gonna leak it."

"W-wait!" Huffed Hunter. "You know his secret?"

"Shut up and keep lifting," Sol ordered. "So, what do you want me to do? Talk to him and make amends with him? That little raccoon is like talking to a brick wall or worse... a sensitive glass wall."

Now that this was happening, Topher confessed. "To tell you the truth, I been trying to tease him that I'm planning to go out with you and make him jealous, but he really put you on his personal blacklist."

"I can already tell that you're into me, and I'm flattered, but what the hell are you're doing?"

"I was just testing him to see if he had some feelings for you left in him." Topher smiled guiltily but sighed in defeat. "But playing with his feelings is a no-go. But could you at least do me a favor?"

Hunter finished his reps and placed the barbell in its base, sitting upright as he shook his shoulders.

Sol sighed. "You want me to talk to him? How?"

"I'll talk to him; I know him well. But, as I said, I don't know about his personal issues. And..." Topher's face frowned. "I'm going to talk to him first about blackmailing Sergio. That little bastard really went too far! How dare he."

"Oh~, I like it when you're angry," Sol said.

"Thank you, I'm flattered, but not now, Sol."

Hunter laughed, and much to his surprise, Sol laughed. They were going to get along well in the future.

...

Keanu bid goodbye to his groupmates as he adjusted his backpack and left the library. One of them was going to safe keep the model in his dorm room for the little exhibition in December.

Keanu was starving and he could not wait for Hunter to escort him to the cafeteria. Just then in a stroke of luck, Xavier the parrot came out from the restroom.

"Hi, Xavier, are you going to lunch?"

"Oh, hi, Keanu. Yeah, Hunter told me to escort you from that stalker."

"I don't think he's a stalker..."

"Oh, really? If someone is after you, following you around and we're keeping an eye on you then it's definitely a stalker."

"Y-yeah, you're right. He's still upset for being suspended."

"What a weak a-hole."

The parrot and the wolf made it to the cafeteria with no problems on their way. They sat and ate quietly together across each other.

"So, how's Milagros? Is she feeling better?" Keanu asked. Yesterday on Thursday, they had to hand over their art projects to Prof. Zamora and Milagros didn't turn up and Xavier had to bring in her finished work in her will to get her grade.

"She's fine, she got an awful cold and could not get out of bed," Xavier assured him. "Natasha and her roommate are checking up on her."

"Okay, that's nice, let her know I wish her to get well."

"You know can text her."

"Ah, right." Keanu sheepishly said.

"So, how were your exams? This had been a busy week."

"Oh, very good, and Hunter told me he got an A-minus in his history exam." Keanu's tail wagged.

"That's great. Last year, Milagros and I had to help him with American history. He got a C plus in the end though. So, got any exams left to finish?"

"No, I just finished, and so as my group project today."

"Nice, I had to continue with my geography exam today this morning since I hadn't finished it yesterday, we were covering the continent of Africa. The professor was nice enough to let us finish the half of it, but I nailed it."

"What are you studying?"

"I'm studying tourism, and after I finished college, I'll roll in flight academy. There's one here on Rexville, so--"

"Are you sure that's a good choice for your career?"

Xavier looked at him in disbelief and confusion, stopping his half-bitten sandwich. This was so sudden. "Excuse me?"

Keanu's voice sounded serious as he grimaced. "Just think carefully about what you want to decide to be--"

"What are you insinuating?" Xavier interrupted. For the past few months, Keanu had been fair with Xavier throughout their art classes together and got along just fine, but all of a sudden, he was questioning his choice of career? Xavier had to stand on his ground.

"Isn't being a pilot a dangerous job?"

"Dangerous? Pfft, if I join the Air Force. I want to be an airline pilot, Keanu. Flying is the safest mode of transport in the world. Thousands of planes are flying right about now, and the chances of an accident are rare and low. You know better that we're more likely to be in a car accident than in the air."

Keanu's gray eyes narrowed and darkened. "Up yours!"

Xavier's brown eyes widen. "What?"

"Don't talk to me." Keanu stood up from his seat and took his food tray with him and walked away from Xavier.

Xavier was so confused, holding his sandwich, what words did he use to offend him? No one had questioned his career choice before. He was so confident about what he was going for.

Xavier softly spoke astounded, "Que carajo acaba de pasar?" What the hell just happened?

Keanu walked out of the building and sat down on a table with a parasol alone, eating his burger in peace and away from that chatty green parrot. He munched slowly and angrily at every bite of it and slurped his lemon-flavored ice-t.

Just as he was about it finish his food, someone sat across the table. "Is this seat taken?"

"No," Keanu answered until he looked at the ferret across...

His heart jumped through his chest and so as his ears pointing up straighter than ever.

What's he doing here!? Keanu thought. "I... I'm just about to leave." Keanu stood up and realized Terrence didn't have a food tray or anything in front of him on the table. Keanu picked up his eaten food and went to the nearest trashcan and placed the tray on top of it.

Keanu had finished his today's agenda, so he was free to go back home or hung out with Hunter. He decided to go back home and walk to the station, but the ferret was walking behind him with a steady stride.

The feeling of being followed was heavy, Keanu never felt anything like this before. It was the feeling of danger and anxiety that was pumping his blood and heart. He stopped in the middle of the cobblestone path, breathing steady for balance and to find a way out of this.

Terrence touched his shoulder and Keanu jumped, turning around to face him, and yelled, "Wh-what do you want from me!? I didn't do anything to you! Why are you following me? Does missing one game really matter to you?"

Terrence was taken aback but kept his composure. "I am not upset about a suspension. I came here to reach you because I have some questions about you."

Keanu was so confused about what he was up to, but he did not like one bit of that menacing stare from the ferret.

"Wh-what do you want?"

Terrence spoke. "You were a passenger on that crashed plane, right?"

Keanu's felt pale, ears lowering. "What?"

"You're the only survivor. They found you on the back of the plane. I need to know something, just to clear my conscience and close ends."

Keanu's voice stuttered in fear. "I-I honestly don't know what you are talking about! I'm leaving!" before Keanu could run away from the ferret, Terrence grabbed his wrist tightly. He could feel the claws pressing on his skin. "Let me go!"

"You're Keanu Winters, your name is on the manifest, and you're not an arctic fox either, the media messed that up, you're a wolf."

"This is just a huge misunderstanding," Keanu tried to shake him away from his grip, "I'm not that passenger!"

"Yeah, keep denying it! I need to know who you were sitting next to during your flight."

Keanu was heavily distressed, shaking off his strong grip. He was bursting into tears and cried out loud. "HELP!"

"Would you quiet down, I'm not going to hurt you!" Terrence shushed him loudly.

"PLEASE! SOMEBODY HELP ME!" Keanu screamed out loud.

Someone shouted from the outdoor tables of the cafeteria. "Terrence? What are you doing, Terrence?" It was Xerxes running frantically towards them. "Let go of him!!!"

Terrence let go of Keanu's wrist, but the young wolf didn't run away, he fell back onto the palm tree, slumping on the ground, and sobbing helplessly.

Terrence saw a face that he never thought he would face against the dragon. Xerxes was furious as the devil.

Xerxes grabbed the ferret and shoved him against another palm tree. "The fuck is wrong with you, Terrence? Can't you see he cannot defend himself!? Do you want to be expelled?"

"I must know!" Terrence shouted desperately, "He's the only survivor of that plane! He was sitting next to my girlfriend!"

"NO, I'M NOT!!!" Keanu covered his ears, denying everything he was shouting, and sobbed.

Xerxes ignored Terrence's remarks and looked at him angrily. "Look at what have you done, man?" Xerxes said seriously. "You pushed him too hard. Leave that boy alone, he's a freshman!"

"Let me ask him one more time and I'll leave him alone!"

"No!" Xerxes roared. "Do not get near him! You have tormented the kid enough. You go straight to your dorm, right now! Or do you want me to report about this to the coach?"

Terrence was quiet, he had never seen this side of Xerxes before and obeyed him as if the spell finally broke him free. He was tearing up and quickly closed his eyes and angrily obeyed his order. "F-fine! Let me go!"

Xerxes let go of him from the tree and Terrence shoved him out of spite and walked away.

Xerxes didn't retaliate and made for the shaken wolf hugging his own legs on the other palm tree, he kneeled him up closer with the softest voice he could muster. "It's okay, Keanu, I'll go get Hunter." Xerxes picked up his phone which was phablet because of his thick fingers and called Hunter who was just finishing his gym routine.

He knew he wasn't going to like this.