Strong For Too Long Trilogy ✔️

17. Neither Friend Nor Foe

CHAPTER 17: Neither Friend Nor Foe

"What the hell are you doing on that laptop?" Samsara whisper-yells in a hushed tone, right before one of her female classmates give her a pointed glare from two rows below her and I.

I sigh in unclear exhaustion, "It's for my strategic planning assignment." I whisper towards her and she smirks, shaking her head.

"I've known you long enough to know that was a lie." I raise an eyebrow her way before leaning forward in the lecture chair. Her synthetics lecturer at the front of the large room continues, unknowing of the disturbance as she continues writing lecture notes.

"Just focus on your notes." I retort, she nudges my shoe childishly. I ignore it as I focus on running the algorithm around the processor, hoping each slightest change makes a bigger difference, another stupid test Pierce decided would widen my prospects and open new possibilities with but the touch of a few fingers on a keyboard.

"Aren't you supposed to be in combat training with the group?" When she speaks of Aaron and his team. I visibly bristle as she gasps-easily noticing the cringe on my lips and the obvious disgust in my aura, suddenly more interested in me than before, even during a class she loves the most.

"Couples quarrel?" She slithers in dangerous territory as I send her a raised eyebrow instead of a penetrating glare, even though I wanted to use the laser glare that should be directed at a twenty-eight year old male who can't catch a bloody hint to save his bloody life.

"You have to be a couple for that to apply." I retort.

"Why aren't you in your scheduled class?" She asks again, pushing harder this time, ignoring her class altogether.

"Because I'm sick of getting picked on by that brute. He needs to learn when to back off from me, besides, I wanted to ditch anyway." I say, begrudgingly knowing she won't let up until I give her a small slice of the truth, but an important slice nonetheless.

She smiles softly before asking, "Does Pierce know?"

I give her a side-glance, "He's the one who suggested it before promising to go down there and get me a pass from Professor Stanley." I say, stretching the truth a bit.

Her eyes widen then, "Seriously, do I have to be in his class to get that kind of treatment. I would seriously change my major."

I furrow my eyebrows, gesturing down to the monotonic lecturer, "You'd give up all this for grating your upper body strength and focusing on self-defence training, over labs and strange chemicals?" I ask, mockingly incredulous.

She shakes her head at me in silent giggles, "I think I'd give up anything just to get out of this guy's class. Someone must have told him in all his years that he needs to get more creative in his lectures, or we're all going to fail." She notes, gesturing to the robotic lecturer that won't change his voice tone, even in the two hours Samsara normally has with this class.

I silently scoff, "Isn't this one of your compulsory papers?" I ask her, knowingly.

She waves me off, "I've already done the practices, I should be fine for this exam. There's barely anyone in the faculty, so it's not competitive." She excuses. There was at least fifty students in the class as it is.

"Then, this must suck for you." She slaps my thigh when I say this, considerably.

Packing up, we silently slip out of the large room and stepping out, the clouds are out with mild waves of wind and the tornados of leaves around the pathway. The sound of cheers collate from the gym is where both Samsara and I glance at each other, confused as to what's going on.