Bubble Gum Kisses
CHAPTER 54

**Kapittel 54**

**Vanessa**

**" de Vries,** you will be grouping with Hatherne and Revel," Mr. Mosbey announced.

"God, not again." An exasperated sigh mirthfully escaped my lips. I ran a hand through my hair, biting my lower lip. We were groupmates again!

"We've been getting into the same groups lately," he said, winking at me. "Fate's crazy, don't you think?" he goaded, relaxing on the backrest, and putting his hands behind his head.

I only ignored him, scowling. Not that I was complaining but I was afraid he might pull off something heinous again as he did with the performance earlier. Who knew what shit he'd pull off to torment me? I admit, his cooperation during Mrs. Birmingham's class was good, but what if he wouldn't be as cooperative now?

I have trust issues, but the current situation hit differently since this one was pulled out from my gut feeling. Every part of me was screaming not to trust that he wouldn't act up. Good things don't come without anything bad in return. I didn't believe in the saying about getting your cake and eating it. Plus my gut feeling was never wrong.

God, I should stop letting this unwavering anxiety get to me, and prepare for the worst. Hopefully, I still had the energy to put up with him, if any energy was left.

"Your preliminary project for this subject is to make an interactive book about any topic we discussed this entire prelim. But neither of the groups should be having similar topics, so make sure to communicate with the other groups about your respective subject matters... It should be the size of a B5 notebook and is made from scratch." My eyebrows scrunched as the woeful moans invaded the room. "... After that, you need to provide a group report..." Scribbling on the whiteboard, Mr. Mosbey continued to explain the specifics of the quest while I listened carefully and jotted down notes.

I bit my lower lip, thinking about how to make this project successful. I've made a few scrapbooks, but never an interactive one. I once heard that they were a bit the same in some sense.

Unfortunately, I couldn't do the thinking for long since the archfiend beside me began poking me with the eraser bud of his pencil. Okay, I know the silent treatment wouldn't be the best course of action, but I'd be hyperventilating if I give in and provide him what he wanted. I grunted internally when he booped on my arm again, then put his arm over my chair. Here he was again, acting as if there weren't any space meant between us, breathing down my neck with his immense figure towering over me like a deity against an insignificant being.

We were at our usual book-sharing chore since Friso didn't bring his books for the nth time. Textbooks were mandatory and freely provided, I've even read in the student handbook that they have their own attendance. It had been considerably long since I first transferred here, and Friso had never brought one single book with him.

I knew his dad was the largest shareholder on the school's board, so the teachers might be leaving him off the hook because of it. If given that factor, then he doesn't bring his books since it was either: he couldn't care less about them or he was deliberately leaving them behind. With the near month-long history of torment I had with him, the answer was probably the latter so he could bug me. My grudges against him were going knee-deep at this point.

I closed my eyes and sucked air through my teeth when I felt him poking my cheek. God, give me strength, I prayed as I swatted his hand away. I couldn't even ask the others to take my place and share with him. Just one glare from him equated to them cowering away. It seemed like he was not only fond of bullying me but also making me a social pariah. I wouldn't wonder if a potted plant falls over my head one day. I guess he had a knee-deep grudge against me too, but his was probably deeper than just that.

"I will give you all 45 minutes to do a group meeting and discuss what needs to be discussed. Remember that the project has to be cost-effective, so no excuses for mommy and daddy to ask for their credit card. Next, it must be durable so that it lasts even after the Open House, wherein we will showcase your work. Finally, you must submit this project on time. I will not be giving a grace period after the deadline. Hear me? Deadline, not due date. "Also, I hope that I won't be hearing anything from your parents about me suggesting to you to fly to Los Angeles so you could do the group project in the Valley. I hope the incident from last year will never happen again." Curious, I raised a brow. What outrageous thing could have happened last year that it was worth noting?

"Wanna hear about it?" As if he read my mind, Friso cooed into my ear like a summoned demon tempting me to sell my soul for all the world's riches.

"No," I declined, drooping my head as I began to write down the things I had in my mind for making the project.

"It's a pretty interesting story. Even the police got involved." My ears perked as he continued, his voice is deep and smooth as if he was a snake slithering his tongue smoothly on a blood-red apple. "I heard that a body was discovered." Fuck, the crime documentary fanatic inside me was aching to know about it as soon as he mentioned the word body. Like what, a student from this school turned out into a sadistic serial killer? Or was it that they just plainly discovered a dead body after blundering their parents into a trip for a measly group project?

I had so many ideas in my head about what it could possibly be, the intrigue was getting to me like a plague. I tightened my grip on my pen, rubbing the tip so furiously it seemed like it was burning on the thin parchment. The temptation was grueling and I wanted to give in, but I will not let myself get carried away.

You don't care, Vanessa. You don't give a fuck. Don't feel intrigued.

"Go and meet with your group," Mr. Mosbey suddenly announced and everyone began to stagger and shuffle from their seats.

"Hi, Drew and... Vanessa, right?" a guy suddenly appeared before us. He looked approachable with his average figure, clean-cut hair, and smiling eyes. This must be our groupmate with the last name Revel.

"May I sit?" he asked, pointing at the abandoned chair in front of us.

"Sure!" I immediately replied. Gosh, I hadn't noticed that I had been gawking for quite some time. Through the corner of my eye, I saw Friso nod at him cordially. "Help yourself." "Thanks," he thanked and pulled a seat for himself.

"Stop it!" I glared at Friso who poked the pencil's blunt end on my waist, triggering a funny feeling on my side. Would it hurt him not to be annoying for just a single day? "Uh..." Revel pointed at himself.

"No, not you." I feigned a wide smile and pointed at Friso, immediately defending myself from a probable misconception. "I was referring to him," I added before glaring daggers at Friso who was entertaining himself with the scene I made. "Your attention should be on me, babe," enemy number one whispered, his arm on the backrest suddenly got close to my shoulders, his wide palm enveloping my deltoid. "I lose it when you look at another guy. Am I that unattractive?" he continued in a voice so coarse yet deep like how male TikTok thirst traps do. It was cringy, downright at that. But he seemed to have cast a terrifying spell at me that the hairs on my nape stood and my toes curled.

"One, I'm no slut just like you. Two, shut up and cooperate like last time," I composed myself calmly for a swift reply.

He chuckled. He fucking chuckled, his hand gripping mine reverberating that my shoulder blades also slightly moved."Do you think I'll follow you just because you told me to?" My heart did an Olympic-worthy summersault when he asked, suddenly leaning his face on mine.

"If..." I was at a loss for words for a second, my soul almost taken from his ghostly irises. "...you don't want any trouble then I suggest you shut it." I turned away. Be still, my heart!

I have been dandy- no, looney since earlier. Was I suddenly going crazy? Why was my heart thumping with just the mere scrutiny of him? I knew this familiar feeling. I never thought I'd feel this way again, especially with his 360-degree personality change.

"Oh, baby girl. I am trouble."

"God, you sound so cringy calling me that." I winced at him.

"You guys are one heck of a cute couple."

"Thanks." "No, we're not!" We replied in unison to Revel's statement. I grit my teeth and gave Friso one last deathly glare before scooting my seat closer to the former to make a circle-like formation.

"So, uh..." my expectedly affable classmate trailed off, probably observing the animosity between Friso and me. "Any ideas for this project?" he asked, lazily resting his thighs spread apart.

"Oh yes, right!" I jumped on my seat, hastily picking up my notebook. "I haven't made an interactive paper myself, but I've seen some on Pinterest and heard about it from seniors so I got some gist on how to make it. I was thinking about..." I began to share with them my ideas about the project, saying each idea and material that I had written down earlier, and even making several drawings to give them proper illustrations of the things I had in mind. "And the materials?" Revel asked after I had shared all my ideas.

"I was thinking if we could use scrap papers." I confidently answered. Surely, it'd be okay, right? Mr. Mosbey said that the project should be cost-effective. And this is the one I thought to be the most suitable option. "Do you really think that'll work?"

** **

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