Saving the Villain

Cosette gazed at Maxen's back with worry in her eyes while he stood in front of the open window to breathe. She snapped back to the current lapse when Sarah suddenly grabbed her arm and dragged her outside the classroom.

"Cozie, are you alright?" Cosette flinched when Sarah grabbed her shoulders, standing several steps away from the door.

"Huh?"

"Maxen just… just… he didn't… kiss you, right?"

"Ah…" Sarah's question was akin to magic, casting it upon Cosette and opening a portal to realization. Cosette stood frozen, wearing a blank expression, staring at Sarah.

That was right.

Just now, Maxen told her to come to her and planted a quick peck on her lips. Not just that, but Maxen also invited her to go somewhere with just the two of them for a quickie! The quickie part wasn't part of his invitation, but that was how it sounded to Cosette.

Sarah gasped and covered her lips with a quick realization. "You and Maxen… since when?"

"Hehe…" Cosette laughed awkwardly as she massaged her nape. "It's only been like two weeks since we started dating."

"Oh, my…"

"We kept it a secret to prevent trouble. I didn't want to hide it from you girls, but well… I planned to tell you, but just trying to find the right time," Cosette explained, observing Sarah's reaction. Right now, she couldn't describe the latter's reaction, but she was certain Sarah was absolutely shocked.

After all, among her friends (Sarah, Amie, and Fay), Sarah was the most hostile towards Maxen. Cosette didn't understand the reason, but Sarah had always been cautious around Maxen. She asked Maxen one time if he had scared Sarah in a way, but Maxen shook his head.

"Sarah?" Cosette cautiously raised her brows. "Are you alright?"

"Yes! I mean…" Sarah cleared her throat. "Are you?"

"Of course."

"You weren't forced, are you?"

"No." Cosette frowned at the reckless question Sarah wouldn't normally blurt out without thinking twice.

Sensing Cosette's displeasure, Sarah let out a deep sigh. "I'm sorry if that sound rude."

"It's fine, but can I ask why are you always hostile towards Maxen?" Cosette inquired out of plain curiosity. "I mean, I understand ‌you are a bit concerned since Maxen used to hang out with the delinquents. But, we've been friends with him since the middle of the school year last year. It's a bit sad that you don't seem to trust him despite his good conduct."

"Cozie…" Sarah let out a deep exhale, glancing at Cosette's back to see if Maxen would step out. When she was certain no one was listening, she set her eyes back on Cosette.

"I know Maxen is good to you, but he's not always lenient with others." Sarah placed her hands on her shoulders. "Although he hadn't hurt anyone, I always felt he was never happy with you being friends with us. Do you have any idea how it was like whenever he glares at us?"

"..." Cosette was rendered speechless and listened to Sarah's concerns.

The more she listened, the more she realized it wasn't that Sarah disliked Maxen because of his records. But the reason Sarah was scared of Maxen was that she was afraid Maxen would hog Cosette all for himself! And the root of all that dated back to when Cosette skipped classes just to follow him like a duckling following her mother.

"Ha ha…" Cosette laughed awkwardly. 'In other words, it was my fault and Maxen.'

"So…" Sarah huffed. "Be careful always. If Maxen hurt you, I will surely let Fay know so she could beat him."

"Sarah, even though Fay acts boyish, I don't think you should use her as the sacrificial lamb." The side of Cosette's lips twitched.

"What sacrificial lamb?"

Both Sarah and Cosette flinched when they heard Fay's voice from behind. They looked and saw Fay and Amie tilting their heads.

"What are you two doing there whispering to yourselves?" Fay threw another question, furrowing her brows. "Wow… I can't believe you are already drinking all the tea without waiting for us."

"Spill the tea and fill us in!" Amie backed up, skipping her steps towards Sarah and Cosette. "What is this gossip you two are talking about early in the morning?"

"Haha… it's nothing." Cosette glanced ahead, only to see Fay already standing before them.

"Yes. It's nothing." Sarah nodded, feeling sorry for using Fay's name to give Maxen a lesson in case he hurt Cosette.

"Oh, come on!" Fay threw her arm and hooked it around Sarah, causing the latter to hunch in. "Come, tell us! Are we keeping secrets now?"

Amie hooked an arm around Cosette and tugged it. "That's right. You two are so unfair! Are we not friends? Tell us the gossip too!"

Fay and Amie urged the two to spill the tea, so Sarah and Cosette had no choice but to come up with a lame gossip. Fortunately, Amie and Fay weren't the suspicious type and believed them, and even got immersed in the subject as they went inside the room.

Amie and Fay were already used to seeing Maxen whenever Cosette was present. They also knew that those two lived close to each other, so they usually travel to school together. Hence, they didn't pay much attention to him and continued to chat.

As they take their respective seats, Cosette glanced at Maxen. He was still standing in front of the window and didn't move an inch from his spot.

'Now I wonder, what is the main dilemma here?' she wondered inwardly, cupping her jaw with her elbow propped against the desk. Her eyes then fell on the empty seat right next to hers before Fay's seat. It was Luke's spot.

'Will he skip class again?' she wondered again, recalling the state Luke was in when he sprinted away as if he couldn't be in the same room as Maxen. 'He better not or I will drag him back here by means or foul.'

Cosette remained silent as more of her classmates came, filling the room, and giving life to it. But her mood kept going south as the first class started and Luke didn't return.