The Enemy Beside Me + The Liar Beside Me (Book 1 and 2)

Chapter 10

MISS AIDA IS TELLING US THE HISTORY behind the temples, which I don't give a single thought about. They are pretty and nice. I guess.

Nothing much is going on, so I decide to have a nap. Thankfully, Aida made me sit at the very back with Noritaka, Fumihiro, and Declan. We're too tall, Aida said. Alasdair insisted on being seated at the centre. Although he's smaller than the four of us, he's taller than the rest of our classmates. Aida, of course, agreed to his request. You don't say no to the son of the man who pays you to teach.

'Do you think she'll notice me?' I whisper to Declan, who is busy taking notes, which puzzles me since he doesn't appear to be the bookish type.

He hums. His pen is dancing on the pad. 'If I were you, I'd at least try to look busy. They grade those who seem to be working hard.'

My eyebrows shoot up at his remark. I lean closer to his desk, squinting.

Oh. Declan is not jotting down notes. He's doodling. And not very good at it. He's been doodling two stick figures, a tall and a small one. Above each head are circles. At first, they may look quite similar, but the circle above the tall stick figure is wavy, whilst the circle for the short stick figure resembles a breeze.

He catches me, so he snaps his notebook closed. 'Mind your own business,' he hisses.

'Sorry,' I say. Declan must be embarrassed by his awful drawing skills.

Fumihiro clears his throat. He stares at me intensely. Getting the message, I duck my head, mumbling another apology.

Noritaka has his own world. He focuses his eyes on the window. There's so much longing in them it's almost palpable. I've been meaning to talk to him, make him at ease with me, but he always slides to the corner as if by doing that, he'd be invisible. It's useless, of course, but he does it anyway.

* * * * * * *

JOIN OUR CLUB OR WE WILL DISOWN YOU! 'What? Was that the right translation?' I ask Cupcake, scanning the poster with my phone again.

'I'm sorry. The right translation is—'

'I haven't used Cupcake since I was five.' I whirl around, facing the redhead. He's holding two steaming cups of coffee. 'Care for some?' he says, offering me one. I nod and take it from him. It's pure black coffee, the way I like it. I am about to ask how did he know but then I see that his is also pure.

'Sorry, you were saying?'

Alasdair sips his coffee before answering. 'I said, I haven't used Cupcake since I was five.'

'Must be nice. To be bilingual, I mean.' Alasdair pauses, then corrects me, that he's a polyglot. 'Oh,' I say. I almost spill out that I don't care, but I remind myself that this is a Yamato. 'You must be a genius then.'

He gives a shy smile. 'That's what people say.'

'Are they wrong?'

'I'd rather think I'm studious. Besides, I have no choice anyway.'

'What do you mean?'

He takes a long sip. I'm lost for words. At least blow it or let it cool first, you plonker. 'I have to be perfect.'

A simple, 'Oh,' is my answer. This isn't new. His dad is rich. He's the only son. What else do we have to know?

'So anyway, have you had joined a club yet? It's best to join when you're in your first year. But since you're new here, I believe some clubs will still accept you.'

I shake my head. 'No, but I'm looking for one now.'

There's a long pause between us; his hands, smaller than mine, gripping his cup. He coughs as my forehead wrinkles. 'Pardon me, but you seem the type who likes sports clubs.'