CHAPTER 5

We arrived exactly at five o’clock. And the number of members of Catherine’s club is no joke. Three long tables are already occupied and the fourth will be filled with students. That table was actually booked by the club for the meeting to take place. And according to what they heard, it was Lucas who paid there from the rent to the food for all of them. As if the resto bar is exclusive only for them and it is close for customers.

I awkwardly sat in an empty seat while my two companions happily sat on the opposite side of mine. The person next to me was a man and I looked at him a few times because from the moment I sat down, he didn’t take his eyes off me.

“Why are our newcomers beautiful?” he said smiling to his companions.

“Yes, they are grade 11 and Catherine herself choose them,” answered a man next to Urica.

Suddenly, the man next to me was in front of me.

“Miss, what’s your name?” it asked.

“Hey! Bryan, take care of our new member. They’re afraid of you,” Catherine said suddenly, making her suddenly move to her side in Lindsay’s place. This sent the man who was sitting so that they could both change.

“What the hell is that Catherine, just asking for a name, she suddenly avoid me,” he complained.

“Don’t worry because you will get to know them,” Catherine immediately answered the man.

I immediately put my bag on before I smiled at the man next to me who asked me my name. I immediately moved next to Catherine with Urica next to me and Lindsay next to Urica. A few seconds later, someone placed in front of them pine apple juice and snacks in four large bowls. They will just grab a spoon from those opposite their bowl.

After a while, Lucas came and many women turned their heads. He sat right across from me. He handed Catherine the usb they would use for the meeting. And the other copy was distributed by another of them for us. I couldn’t help but look in front of me when I was holding the copy of what was going to be discussed at the meeting. I forgot that this jerk is my counterpart. It stared straight at me, which I avoided and turned my gaze to Lindsay, who was now staring at that face.

While some members were fixing a large flat screen to connect the one on the computer and show them, a beautiful woman suddenly approached the man next to Lucas and whispered something to him. The behavior of the beautiful woman who is on the same level as Lucas is greedy for attention.

I was slightly startled by what I felt because Urica suddenly pinched me. The babe who took over next to Lucas sneered at me. It turned out that the woman who approached and stood beside Lucas was now smiling and staring at the young man. Not satisfied yet, she offered juice to Lucas who immediately refused. But the woman was insistent and she saw that Lucas was holding the glass but he suddenly let go and pretended that he accidentally spilled the juice on the woman. The woman stood up and said goodbye to go to the comfort room.

I can see all the events even its simple smile did not hide it from me. That’s why I smiled smirk at what he did to the girl.

“It’s really different,” I whispered shaking my head.

When I faced Urica, I was surprised by his serious look at me. I was surprised to meet its eyebrows.

“Why?” I asked Urica who suddenly smiled at me and said “Nothing,”

I just shrugged my shoulders and adjusted my seat because the meeting was about to start. Catherine had already spoken on the microphone that they were about to start. And of course Catherine didn’t miss introducing the three of us to everyone.

Everyone applauded except Lucas who had his own world. He was just looking at his cellphone.

“Can we still count on someone like him to be welcomed?” I whispered again.

Our eyes met again but this time I made it difficult.

I want to make that guy feel that not all girls are crazy about him.

When the meeting was over and Catherine was putting away the things she used, a man suddenly shouted.

“Catherine, that’s what we told your uncle. Boss Lucas answered all that,” he said as I peeked to see who it was.

He was sitting at the other table and there were women next to him who were talking to him.

I was surprised who it was that suddenly winked at me. The man who requested Catherine’s uncle is the man who taught her where to find Lucas.

It’s Nicko. Nicko is his remembered name.

I only smiled a little at this, then I couldn’t look at Lucas and suddenly my face soured. I know he was annoyed by what I did because I saw his eyes suddenly narrow as he looked at me intently.

After a while some pizza boxes arrived along with some cans of beer for the boys and light beer for the girls.

One offered me a light beer but I declined it because of my age and I didn’t want my aunt to be angry with me.

Everyone is too noisy with endless conversations.

“Urica, aren’t you going home yet? It’s already eight,” I whispered here. But Urica and Lindsay were comforted in the company of new friends. And another thing is that the boy Lucas is still there. He also drinks beer and only talks to Catherine. Once, Lucas suddenly saw Lindsay while she was taking a picture.

“Erase that,” he said suddenly to Lindsay who was silenced by his friend.

I touched Lindsay who immediately looked at me.

“Aren’t you going home yet?” I asked weakly, but like Urica, she shook her head.

I faced Catherine who was sipping beer like it was just drinking water. It’s obviously well-practiced.

“I’ll go first, Catherine, my aunt might get mad at me if I stay up too late,” I whispered to her, making her immediately turn her head.

“I’ll take you to the exit,” she said to me but I refused.

“No, I can go out.”

“Ahm, do you have a car?” this word again.

“Don’t worry about me, I can take care of myself.” I said smiling at Catherine who was also smiling at me.

“Okay, okay. Be careful,” she said to me, which I immediately nodded. I also said good bye to Lindsay and Urica that I was going first who also told me to be careful.

Out of all the members that were there, I was the only one to leave them first.

Because they were all drowning in what food was served in front of them and in addition no one objected to their drinking beer. Everyone is enjoying it, I am the only one who isn’t.

When I go out the door, I will pass through a hallway where the reception of that bar is. I was surprised when someone tapped me on my shoulder.

“I’ll take you,” said Nicko smiling at me.

“Oh, no more—”

“I insist, I’ll drive you,” he said quickly, interrupting my words.

“No, I’m fine. And then you drank. It is forbidden to drive after drinking,” I explained here.

“I didn’t drink, because I told myself that if I drink I won’t be able to deliver you. I swear even if you smell me. I don’t stink, I smell like a melon.” His words were serious but he was smiling.

“I can do the—”

“Oops! Don’t refuse. And isn’t your name Luna? It is easy to remember because of its meaning which means moon. So I’m Nicko Luna, I’m the cousin of Lucas, that guy—”

“Sociopath and psychopath,” I added.

“Come on! And you called him that? Oh, when you hear that, you’re ready,” Nicko suddenly warned me, which made me smile.

“That word did not come from me but from those who knew him. And one more thing, it’s true that he’s like that why would he be angry?” I said to him who nodded his head.

“So, does that mean you’re not interested in him?” Nicko suddenly asked me, blocking my way.

“No!” I answered without hesitation. At the same time, the sudden appearance of Lucas’ aura at the door where the exit and entrance are, met his eyebrows immediately looking at me.

Both Nicko and I were surprised by its sudden appearance.

“It was inside just now, why is it outside now?” my mind said.

“Man! I thought you were inside—” Nicko’s speech was interrupted by Lucas approaching me directly with anger in his eyes.

“I heard everything you said about me being a sociopath and psychopath. You are too judgmental, you don’t know me. And I don’t like you too,” this serious word silenced both Nicko and me.

I was not silenced by what he said but because of the size and fullness of his voice. Some kind of electric voltage ran through my body when I heard that voice again.

Why does it seem like it’s nice to hear that jerk's voice? It’s like a radio announcer whose voice makes you fall in love.

“I’m sorry for my cousin, that’s really the attitude, eh.” Nicko apologized to me for shaking my head.

“It’s okay, no worries,” I answered.

“Oh, what’s up? Come and I’ll bring you to you,” he begged me again, which I gave in to.

My phone rang one after the other and it was still early morning at that time. I crawled with my hand to reach for my cellphone on top of the side table. I looked to see what it was only to find out that the sound was from Lindsay and I’s group chat.

I lay down and immediately turned off the sound of my chat notification. I lost my sleep with the ringing sound of my phone. I looked at the clock and it was five in the morning, too early to get up. They went to school at eight in the morning that day.

I took a deep breath and checked my phone again. I opened my chat box to find out what that message was from my friends.

“Friend, thank you for joining the club.’ That came from Catherine.

I sat up and rubbed my eyes with one hand.

Did I read the group chat correctly?

I checked the group chat name again.

I frowned when I saw that the group chat was not ours and Lindsay’s but the group chat of our club. The three of us were included in Catherine’s group chat.

“It’s a shame that one of the new members, Luna, went home right away,” Catherine added.

“Nicko took her last night Miss Cath,” a member answered and the account name was Nes and it was a woman.

“Really? How did you know? That’s why that guy suddenly disappeared as well as Lucas,” Catherine again seen by Nes, Urca, JL and many others.

I suddenly felt annoyed because in the morning it looked like they were going to talk about Nicko delivering me, but in fact I only sent Nicko because it was urgent and I took in a van.

“It’s too early to talk about things that have nothing to do with our activities guys. So please stop that nonsense okay?” yield of JL account.

“Wow, you impressed me JL—whoever you are,” I said while clicking on his name. And view his social media account. But it doesn’t have a profile, it’s just an anime cartoon and it’s set to private. I moved the reading to a group chat and to Lindsay and me.

“I was about to enjoy my view when my idol suddenly left, annoying!’ said Linday in the chat that was sent last night.

“That’s why, we’re going to leave, because of you Luna. Because you took him home last night, Lucas suddenly disappeared like a bubble,” added Urica.

“It doesn’t matter friends because Cath said we will be included in their group chat at the club. So that means Lucas’ account is there too!” I feel that Lindsay was thrilled with her chat.

“Hey, oh—” was all I could say. I didn’t even read some of Urica’s conversation on the gc and I didn’t even read the new message on the gc of our club, I got up and moved my bed. I went downstairs to take care of cooking for breakfast. Every day that was my work, especially since my aunt was also tired from work. When it doesn’t work, it will take care of it. She needed to be together because her mother’s brother and her husband who were in the middle of the sea helped her so much. Because my aunt’s husband’s job is a seaman. She doesn’t want anyone to say that my aunt is not good, so I will work hard to graduate. I didn’t need to understand what was being discussed in their group chat, especially in the new group chat in Catherine’s club. I wasn’t really interested, I was only forced to because of my two crazy friends.

 “Why is it that there is still a club known on that campus,” i grumbled.

What are the activities they will do in the upcoming anniversary of the campus?

 As usual, as she expected. There will be a small dine in café for group A and dating with me for group B. The leaders will discuss who is who in the group. It was the first time for me and i had no idea what kind of dine in café they were talking about. And even more I had no idea about dating with me!

When I entered the hallway of building A to our room, I noticed that there was something different about the fellow students I met. Every time I pass by they all look at me which makes me wonder.

“Luna!’ Lindsay called loudly from behind me. As it approached, she took something from my back.

 “Don’t you know this? Didn’t you feel someone stick it on your back? And aren’t you aware that you are the one being talked about here on campus?” she said to me, still panting from running.

“What do you mean? I’m confused by you,” I suddenly asked.

 “Look,” she handed me a large piece of paper that she removed from my back.

Next Target! Word written on a red paper. And Lindsay showed me her phone. Pictures took with someone attached to my back while walking.

“They took a picture of you with that attached to you and posted it on social media that spread around the campus. So when I saw this I immediately looked for you,” Lindsay worried me.

“Luna, it looks like you are their target now Edith.” I smiled mischievously.I didn’t feel afraid of what Edith’s group would do to me.

“Are not you scared?” she asked suddenly.

“No. Why should I be afraid?” I immediately answered and told her to go to our room.

“But—”

 “Don’t worry because I’m strong, no!” I smiled at my worried friend.

That afternoon, her classmates watched me non-stop, even in the hallway, which my two friends were very worried about. Even Urica has been visiting their fellow students whispering when she can.

“It’s really annoying! Instead of sympathizing with you, they will talk about you!” Urica said annoyed when they sat down in the canteen to have a snack.

“Why are you paying attention to those?’ I said to him as Urica suddenly adjusted her eyeglass before looking at me.

“And why will Urica ignore those? Eh, their actions are obviously remarkable.” Lindsay suddenly groaned.

“They can experience being bullied so they know what fear I experienced during five days in that group.”

“When I suddenly pulled us and took us to the garden, I didn't feel like a joke. I was really scared and now we are scared for you Luna,” added Urica who was still looking at me.

 “Why—” I stopped talking when suddenly someone sat next to me and put her arm around me.

Even in the front seat where Lindsay was sitting, there were two women sitting who motioned to my friends to move towards the end.

“If you don’t want your two friends to feel sorry for you, move their seats,” she whispered to me, raising my eyebrows to look at it.

Edith smiling at me and barely moving an eyebrow. I glanced at Lindsay and Urica who were staring at me and I saw a combination of fear and concern in their eyes.

“Guys, just switch tables,” I ordered them.

“But—” Urica suddenly looked at the woman next to them when they faced each other.

“Don’t empathize with them, they will move seats.” I said to the woman in front of me before I signaled my friends to leave.

 I only look formal. I removed Edith’s strap from my shoulder before looking at it.

“What have I done for you to target me?” I asked her without showing any emotion on my face.

“You’re funny! Of all the people I approached, you were the only one with a brave face.” It made me smile. I didn’t pay attention to that, instead I drank juice and bit into a sandwich. Edith’s soft drink was suddenly poured into the juice I was drinking, then she stirred it with her finger.

“Try to taste it, it’s delicious,” she said to me in insulting words.

I smiled a little while staring at my drink mixed with soft drinks and the juice of his finger.

“Why aren’t you the first to taste it? After all, you are the one who did that,” in my insulting words here as well.

 “Is that so?” at the same time she signaled to her companion who immediately stood up so that she could approach her two friends.

“Send your companion back Edith. I told you not to empathize with my friends,” I said firmly here at the same time I went straight to my drink which made him suddenly happy and clapped.

“Good girl, if you’re like that we’ll always get along,” she left my side and motioned to the two companions.

“See you later my beautiful slave,” she even heard their laughter as she walked away from where I was sitting.

That incident did not escape the eyes of others. I closed my eyes tightly at the same time as I clenched my hands because of the anger I felt towards Edith’s group.