Hymn of Ame (COMPLETED)

[06] The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

CHAPTER SIX

PENELOPE

PRESENT

BEADS OF rain, as big and heavy as bullets, are throwing down unendingly from the rayless sky, making the window inky black. No matter how much I want to stay tucked in bed, I need a class to attend.

I changed into my uniform. I have learned my lesson the hard way, but I will make sure today that I wear a thick jacket. Ame's words are still echoing inside my head, like a broken record.

I love her. I love her.

He left last night after saying that. Like he didn't want me to hear it. It is just a slip of the tongue. I don't know, but there's prickling pain in my chest that only grows stronger whenever I think of him. Maybe I'm hurt because he hides something big from me like that.

I'm not sure how I did get involved in this fiasco. Why should he protect me? What did I do wrong?

Our ENG09 professor doesn't come to our class, and so we're spared one and half hour of our time. I don't have anything to do. Fritz declines rudely to my invitation to visit Aroma Mocha. She doesn't actually decline. She doesn't say anything at all. She acts like she hasn't heard me.

I haven't reached that far yet, but I already regret leaving the room. My original plan is to relieve some stress, to forget everything about Ame, but then I cross paths with Sir Guvat. He is on the list of people I don't want to see today. After he stoops down so low as to threatening to fail me on his class, I have now little to no respect for him. I am determined to act as if I don't see him, but he stops in front of me.

"I told you to stay away from him," he says. He looks restless. "Aren't you afraid to fail my subject?"

"You know him," I say factly. "I saw you two. At the gymnasium. Why did you pretend as though you didn't know him in your class?"

"No one must know," he says dismissively, lowering his voice in hush because there are other students walking down the corridor. I notice no one even bothers to greet him; instead, they walk as far as they possibly could from his body. "Stay away from him."

I take a step back, inclining my head upwards as though egging him on. "Why don't you ask him yourself, sir? Maybe he will listen to you."

He snorts. "He never listened to me. That's why you are the one whom I am asking this to."

"I'm sorry, sir," I say, "but I'm not much of an obedient person as well."

Sir Guvat leans in me, and though we're just almost the same in height, he's towering over me. His aura does the trick, I think. "You think I'm just antagonizing you and him. But I'm actually saving you here."

"How is threatening your student become saving now?" I say in disgust. Bravado paints over my face, refusing to be stunned. I hold his gaze. "You know something, don't you? Tell me. It might convince me."

"All I know," he said infuriatingly, "is that the more you associate with him, the more you put yourself in danger."

That makes me avoid his eyes, turning my head sideways, clenching my fists. "He said . . . I am already in danger. So, if you may excuse me, I have to go."

AME IS standing outside the gates, across the street. This time, he is wearing a jacket that is unzipped at the neck to the chest. It is an unusual sight, because the past few days I have seen him, he looks tough against the cold with just a shirt.