Chapter 18 - Getting Even

When lunch break comes around, Iesa subconsciously followed Teren again.

They ate at the same table. At first, it was awkward since they left off such a heavy topic.

Teren bought Iesa her lunch again and was the first one to talk that broke the silence.

"So... did you read it?"

"Y-yeah..." Iesa shyly nodded.

"Here" Teren slid the meal to her.

"Thanks"

"So... as I was saying. I don't think you would try and tell the police the truth now that you've already lie. I just need to complete the transaction and we can finish this." Teren said while not being able to look at Iesa in the eyes.

'Finish...?' Iesa frowned.

"Later, I'll try my best to think that would return the favor and also, as an apology. We don't need to follow me from now on. I feel like we are attracting some unwanted attention."

"Okay..."

'What am I doing? Isn't this a good thing? I can finally rest at ease.' Iesa talked to herself.

"So you'll just text it to me?" she asked.

"Yeah..."

After that, the table got silent and they just ate their meal. When Iesa finished, she stood up and said.

"I'll go ahead now."

Teren just nodded in reply.

It was still early so when she came back to her room, only a few groups were eating together.

During lunchbreak, air conditioners were turned off so the window was opened. In this one hour and thirty-minute, students can come home too. So instead of using their allowance for an expensive cafeteria lunch, they would just come home.

That is why the school seemed so empty with just a few students behind while some at the canteen.

Feeling bored, Iesa opened her phone and read Teren's message again.

After a couple of minutes, she typed but had yet to send it.

'Should I? Wouldn't it be awkward? Even though he was about to finish, he still hasn't come here.'

She looked at her phone a couple of times again before she hit send. Iesa then dropped her face on the desk.

'Seriously, what am I doing? He's a psychopath for crying out loud! I should really try to get away from him...'

Meanwhile, Teren was just hanging somewhere on the school grounds and killing time pondering what he would do when he felt his phone vibrate.

Startled at first, he nervously opened it to see Iesa's reply to his long message.

[Sorry for replying too late. Didn't have the chance to reply earlier... I also realize that you are not bad. Although you really scared me a lot, I realized that I'm dangerous to you as well. Because you know, I'm a witness. However, although you are not bad, I still think you're a psychopath. If you don't like the bullying, don't try to kill the bully.]

Teren froze at what he just read. It took him a moment before replying.

In the classroom, Iesa was getting fidgety, waiting for his reply. When her phone vibrated, she immediately opened it up and see what's inside while ignoring her classmates' passing thoughts.

'They're talking to their phones again?'

'Teren Hark... just who is he to get Iesa Hun's attention?'

'I'm kind of curious how they started flirting. Are they a couple now or are they just starting?'

Iesa didn't care about these thoughts and read the message.

[Yeah, our phones got confiscated. Good thing, it's only forbidden during class. Or else, we wouldn't get it back... It's fine. I'm aware of my actions and it's consequences. Whether I am or not a psychopath, I'm still doing wrong things. But I should really change. Next time, I'll try and say sorry to Nick.]

'He's... he's considering my advice...'

The reason why Iesa was fidgety was that she thought she was too invasive, telling Teren what to do. However, seeing that he listened to him made her a little happy.

[Hmm... I hope you don't get caught since they will find out about your other doings as well. Are you responsible for the disappearance of delinquents last year?]

[Yeah, I think. Maybe all of them?]

[I will not ask what you did to them. But if you're caught, they're going to link you to all your past crimes. You'll either get a life or death sentence. Both are bad.]

[You're... you're scaring me.]

[You scared me pretty well yesterday too.]

[So you're trying to get even?]

[You grabbed me by the neck. We are far from even!]

[Sorry...]

[But if you do escape, you'll have another cool achievement.]

[You're teasing me again.]

Iesa then received angry emojis again. Seeing it made her imagine what Teren's face should be right now.

'He must be covering his reddened face and typing with one hand.'

She didn't know but she was pretty accurate.

They texted each other until Iesa reminded Teren that it was about time for class.

When Teren entered the room. He saw Iesa and texted.

[What are you smiling for? Is it really that fun teasing me?]

Iesa looked at her phone and her smile disappeared.

'Wait... I'm smiling?'

[No...]

Teren looked at her reply and raised an eyebrow.

'What does she mean by no?'

But before he asked, the first period in the afternoon class began.

At that time, almost everyone in the class knew what Iesa and Teren were doing.

When it's break time again, they didn't eat together but still texted and only stopped when it's time for class. They then went on their way home with their eyes glued to the screen of their phones.

However, as soon as Iesa got home, her mood went limp. Especially when her mother announced.

"My boss called and said I can come there as soon as possible. So by tomorrow morning, I will go. I don't know when I'll return but I'll let you two know once I'm informed."

"Okay, good luck on your new job, dear." Iesa's father said but his tone says otherwise.

But when he saw Iesa, he smiled.

Feeling the creep all over her, she clenched her fists in fear.