Chapter 9 - Lunch And Conversation

"Yes, bribe." Teren took a bite of a chicken.

"Why...?"

Iesa could not understand this man in front of him.

"Because... I don't know. Maybe, I...?" Teren's voice shirked at the end.

"What?"

"I said, bribe or threat? You pick, just to shut you up."

"Bribe!"

Iesa immediately said. It was like a light at the end of the road. But her guard was still raised.

'But he can also be just playing with me.'

Teren nodded in satisfaction, 'I feel a lot better now.'

"Also, don't cry. It's not like I'm going to hurt you."

"I... I don't know that..."

"Of course. I searched it up on the internet one day. Psychopaths are unpredictable..." Teren then looked at Iesa in the eyes.

"Do you think I'm a psychopath?"

Iesa immediately nodded.

"Oh... I guess that's that. My guess is that I'm not. So let's compromise, let's say I'm a half psychopath. Maybe I'm an opath?" Teren awkwardly laughed at his own joke before realizing, "Actually, that's pretty cool. Opath. It sounds a bit rigid at first but when you get used to it - opath. Sounds cool, right?"

'What is he talking about? He became really talkative.' Iesa felt a little bit more at ease. But that doesn't mean she trusts Teren one bit.

The more she knows about Teren, the more she is at ease.

'Maybe because I rely too much on hearing people's thoughts. Now that he's just spouting whatever comes in his mind, I'm getting more familiar with it again.'

She realized so to cling onto that one thin rope to keep her calm and sane, she replied.

"I... I think so too."

"..." Teren looked at her, seemingly shocked.

'What? Did I do something wrong? I just agreed to him.' Iesa was about to panic when Teren smiled.

"You finally calmed down, huh. Sorry for earlier. I may have been a bit too harsh."

"Ah... i-it's fine..." Iesa went with the flow and slightly bowed, 'Is he talking about grabbing me by the neck?'

"It's because I have a life to protect. I know it's kind of bullshit coming from me but I don't want my family worrying."Teren explained.

"What if they saw one day that I'm a magnet for bullies? They're already given so much to me."

'I don't know if he's saying the truth or not. I can't read his mind, after all.' Iesa nodded as if she understands what Teren was babbling about.

Lunchbreak is thrice longer than regular break time between classes. So even though they have finished eating, they still have an hour or so before classes start.

"What can I do, I'm really awkward towards socializing. I don't feel this sympathy. When someone talks to me, I just get bored pretty quickly. I am thinking of getting a hobby and enter a club or something..."

Teren kept talking and talking, Iesa was only nodding at first until she began being responsive.

"I think what you need to do is strike the conversation first. If you let them initiate the conversation, they have control over the topic. But if you're the one who initiated it, you could choose a topic you know about."

Teren contemplated on Iesa's words and nodded.

"Yeah, I think you're right. But what should the topic be? Of course, I can't just say something that others don't know, right?"

"Umm, it depends on what you have in common. For example, if it's your classmates, it can be school-related or something that you are sure they are aware of."

"Oh!" Teren made an "o" expression in realization, "That's true, that's true. Hahaha, remember when I told you I looked up the meaning of psychopath on the internet one day and found out that they are actually intelligent. A point for me, I guess, I'm right for not being a psychopath. How do I not know this common logic?"

Iesa awkwardly laughed. Although she can keep up with the conversation, she was not enjoying it.

No matter how normal their conversation is, Teren, in her eyes, is still a murderer who just threatened her.

'Although he apologized for that, how can that be enough? I am far from trusting him, much less being comfortable enough to have a talk naturally.'

"You've been standing there the whole time, don't you want to sit?" Teren asked.

Iesa looked at where she will sit. They were at a staircase and she has been standing on the flat turn.

She wants to sit since her legs were getting tired from standing for an hour now.

"I don't think I can." she shook her head.

Teren saw that wherever she sits, it will be an awkward position. Unless they will on the same level or she sits with her back facing him.

'Which she will never do.'

He then stood up and said, "There are only thirty minutes before the class begins. We can just continue this later."

'I have no choice but to nod, huh...' so Iesa did as she thought.

Before Teren turn around, he remembered something, "And about the bribe... I'll think of something later. I hope you'll like it. But if you do break the promise, the option of bribe will disappear." he said it so casually that Iesa needed time to process what she heard.

When Teren left, Iesa stayed for a second more.

'That's still a threat, Teren.' she sighed before climbing up the stairs with the leftover garbage from what she just ate.

But as soon as she came out of the emergency stairs, she unexpectedly saw Teren still standing there with another girl.

'Prez?' Iesa was surprised, 'I'm too focused on Teren that I didn't hear her thoughts coming.'

"So, Teren, what are you and Iesa doing in the forbidden the teacher just told us about?" Lina playfully said.

"Um... we just ate. It's quieter here."

'He's composure suddenly changed.' Iesa frowned and observed Teren.

'Earlier, he's so aggressive and domineering. He was like that too yesterday. He only changed so much when it comes to important things... I guess?'

Since she cannot hear Teren's thoughts, Iesa is thirsty in knowing and understanding him. After all, if she understands her in and out, that would almost be the same as hearing his inner thoughts.. This would bring her advantage back, she thought.