The Strange One

7 - Fighting and Distancing

(Jackson's POV)

It's been a few days since I told Saiki about my plan and declared war on Teruhashi. In all honesty, I don't really want to put Saiki through this, but if I want her to leave Saiki alone, I have to. Actually, there are multiple ways of doing this, but some are either inefficient, illegal, or things Saiki wouldn't do. My first thought was to get Saiki to convince her that he can't be attracted to her, but that could only make things worse.

This declaration of war is a crucial step in one of two plans. If I'm in the mix, then convincing Teruhashi that he can't be attracted to her because of sexuality will kill her passion because she wouldn't want me to do the same as her to win him over. She'd be trapped by our bet. I know for a fact that she values her reputation more than love. She's not worthy of Saiki.

My other plan is to make her think I've won him over. If she thinks I'm dating Saiki, then she won't even try to take Saiki away from me. She'd also think I'm his type, as well, knocking her off the board for this. If she changes herself for him, then it's definite proof that she's nowhere near perfect.

Today, we have an art lesson. We're supposed to draw someone. Out of spite, I'm sure, Teruhashi chooses me. We sit across from each other with our notebooks ans sketch in silence with a tense air around us. Anyone in the room can feel the intense hate shared between us. But her hating someone would tarnish her reputation. She has to pretend to like me. Just the thought of that makes me smile.

"I'm finished," she says. "What about you, Jacqueline?"

"Almost," I respond. "I just need to add the imperfections."

She gives me a hateful smile. "What do you mean by imperfections? I'm perfect."

"Every face has imperfections," I say. "That's just science." I take a closer look at her. "Have you been getting enough sleep, Teruhashi?"

"Of course I have."

"You have bags under your eyes. It's like you didn't sleep all night. Is something wrong?" I may dislike her, but I do get concerned for everyone, no matter if I hate them or not. "You should be getting a sufficient amount of sleep. It's good for your skin and your mental health."

She looks mildly confused. "Yeah, I'm okay. I just stayed up late studying, that's all."

"Don't do that too much. I can get you some melatonin to help you sleep if you need."

"Melatonin?"

"It's a supplement that helps relax your brain so you fall asleep easier and helps you wake up rested."

"I'm okay, thanks." She gives me a bright smile.

"You know I have to draw those eye bags, though," I tease. She may not be all that bad. Still a stuck-up prick, though.

(Saiki's POV)

"But, Saiki, be aware that doing this could seriously affect your relationship with them. You might not be able to be friends with them again in the future. You have to be sure that this is really what you want."

Why did I hesitate? I want to cut tie with those nuisances. They're annoying and make my life into a disaster. So why... Why is this so hard? It's so easy to say no to them, but seeing the disappointment on their faces after I turn them down is the hardest part. Maybe I should stop...

No, I've come too far to turn back now. This is what I want. A quiet and peaceful life without those annoyances. I want normal friends and a normal life. I don't want to stand out as a freak or anything because of them. I don't want their affection or pity.