Bubble Gum Kisses
CHAPTER 61

**Kapittel 61** ***Vanessa***

***Quite a bold move right there,** don't you think?" It was Friso. He was gripping Laz's quivering wrist firmly so tightly that I could see the veins on his hands bulging.

"Drew," Laz said with gritted teeth.

"Trying to score again?" Friso asked when they pulled away. For a moment, I saw a fulmination crisply crackling between them.

Since the bully was distracted, I called for the redhead's attention, mouthing him to escape. Seeing his chance, he immediately scurried on his feet upon seeing my signal. The former was quick to notice and cussed in anger when he realized his prey had gone.

He immediately turned to me. I froze. I could tell that he was skinning me raw and alive in the back of his mind. "You just had to be a nosy bitch, don't you?"

Suddenly, I came in face to face with someone's broad back. "Hey, you're talking to me." Friso was covering me behind him, growling at the scowling scourge like a wolf barring his teeth at an unworthy contender.

"Fuck off." This Laz guy wasn't one to underestimate at all. It was as clear as day that he wasn't afraid of the campus king.

Even though my vision was partly blocked, I could see Laz's eyes move from Friso's face down to his feet, then go back to face him in the eye again. "Didn't know you were sniffing on others' business too. Like that nosy bitch." I felt his glare when he said the last sentence.

"Oh, I am." That sure popped a vein. The restraint on Friso's velvety voice was evident. "Part of that would be telling your older brother that you've been sneaking around for shit again," the grey-eyed beast threatened.

I saw the former's ears ring when the latter said the word "brother" like it was some kind of acid. Whoever Laz's brother was, using him as a means of threat was definitely effective since he started to back away from us, slowly turning on his feet, his eyes strictly on us, unmoving.

My chest started to loosen in relief. "Hey, blondie," he called.

I immediately flicked my head, knowing that the only blonde in this area was me. My chest tightened. "Don't be too cocky just because Drew's been defending you this whole time," he seethed before finally walking away.

Now I was left alone in the crammed hall with no one else but Friso. I remained on my spot, taken aback by Laz's statement. This devil incarnate named Friso de Vries had been defending me? For the record, he was the one insinuating in tormenting me!

"Here." I was startled when Friso suddenly spoke. I hadn't noticed that we were side-by-side. I looked over in his direction and saw that he took out a bag from out of nowhere, offering it to me.

I stared at the thing for five good seconds, my mind processing. "What's this?" I asked absentmindedly, the red lights in my head preparing to ring danger incoming.

"Shoes," he answered. "Thought you needed new ones." He pushed the thing closer to my end like he was asking me to take it.

What was with the sudden gifting? At some point, I did think that his head was blown away by some strange wind during the rain a while ago since he was acting unusually, but now, I was completely convinced that it was. Or maybe... my words really did have an effect on him. Holy geez.

Skeptically, I glanced at his face and saw that he was looking at me, his eyes slightly widening. "My shoes are doing fine now, Friso," I responded, looking at him with unease. Part of me was saying that he was acting out of goodwill, but I still couldn't help but be wary.

"Sure, they look like they're gonna fall apart all over again," he retorted, looking at my shoes.

His words rendered me to look at my feet's garment. They look perfectly fine, though?! "This-" I expelled a breath, trying to contain myself. The gift was generous, but I must not accept it. Reject it politely, Vanessa. Another bicker was equal to a problem.

"I told you, didn't I? The last was the only time I was receiving a favor from you." Urgh, now it gives me a pain in the chest when it dawned on me that I just received another favor from him. I might need an antacid at this rate. "Hm, a shame," he said, looking at the box blankly, tilting them slightly as if he was observing it from different angles. "If you don't like them, I'll throw them out," he said and turned on his feet to walk away as well.

I remained on my spot, watching him walk away. Now, there was a small part of me regretting declining it. I didn't need new shoes. Mine were perfectly fine. But he'll throw them out if I wouldn't accept them. Friso may be an asshole now but I believe he's still a man of his word. When he said he'd do it, he would. Plus, what's up with the good samaritan act? It's confusing and weird and raised all my defenses. The distrust was irrevocable, like shards of broken glass. Still, I couldn't let the shoes go to waste.

"Wait!" Okay... I think I said that too loud.

Friso halted immediately. "Taking it?" he asked, a smirk spread on his face once he turned around to face me again.

Biting my inner cheek, I walked to him in quick steps. Meanwhile, he remained on his spot, watching me going to him. It was as if every step I took, every inch I made were scantily observed. What made things worse were his eyes. His tempest- like eyes were looking at me like I was some sort of puppy trotting back to its owner. For some reason that made me feel conscious.

"If you were gonna throw them out, then I'll take it," I said when the distance between us finally decreased.

He was hanging his head low to get a clear view of my face, while I craned my neck to do the same. It irked me for some reason. I was intimidated by our significant height difference. One swing from his arm could swing me to the nearest hospital, while mine would be a mosquito's bite. Wait... why was I having that kind of thought right now?!

I grabbed the box from his hands. "But I won't be wearing it."

"Suit yourself." He shrugged cooly, looking away before turning on his feet His smirk got wider. "But it's good that you've been easy to convince today," he remarked and finally walked out.

Dumbfounded by his statement, I stared at his broad back as he disappeared from my sight. With my mouth agape, I looked at the box, then realization struck me like a stubbed toe. Did I just... got manipulated into accepting this thing?! "What the fuck?"

"And that was all you can say?" Georgia asked, stifling a cackle. "Girl, you just got fooled!"

Red-faced, I gave my friend a side-eye as she proceeded to laugh. It seemed that me being a fool was so funny to her that she was clutching her stomach and was now close to rolling on the ground.

"I never knew you can be a dumbass at times," Asher commented. His pursed smiling lips, puffing red cheeks, and eyes forming the shape of a crescent moon were pieces of evidence that he was stopping himself from laughing as well. "Asher!" I interjected, embarrassed.

"What? He's not wrong, though." Now here was Georgia to defend him. I swear, these two seemed to have gotten closer more than we have been with each other.

"Urgh, I came to you guys for some comfort and here you laughing your asses out." I couldn't help but pout. I was irritated over the fact that I got bluffed. I wanted them to pull out the frustration choking my neck and maiming embarrassment slapping me in the face by ranting, but their reaction compelled me to dig my grave and bury myself in it.

"Here I thought you were some sharp smartass. Who thought, someone can just play with you just like that."

"I know Friso. When he says he's throwing them out then he's gonna throw them out," I immediately resorted to giving my excuse. "It'd be a waste to just see it in the trash, you know."

"Makes sense," Asher remarked. Finally, someone understood!

"But that still doesn't change the fact you got fooled! Haha!" Georgia still hadn't stopped clowning me. My face got hotter than Florida's summer. "But hey, Drew's got god-tier manipulation skills. I'll give you that."

"So, what are you gonna do with the shoes now?" my guitar-wielding friend asked in utmost curiosity. I looked at him, watching how he was strumming his fingers on the instrument smoothly for an eargasmic lick.

What people say was true, a master shows difficult things in an easy manner. I was a little envious of how he could pull that off so effortlessly. But I believe it was a result of hard work, I've seen how callous his hands had gotten. While I tend to be invested in one thing, then forget about it the next. Worship could be an understatement of how he should be praised.

I fell silent at his question. "I don't know... yet." That was all I could answer.

** **

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