The weekend had passed with one problem. The problem was, of course, Kelit, who found interest in visiting Dante in the afternoons. It was all good. They talked a lot, read together, and Faye wasn’t feeling lonely with just not very talkative Dante at home. All good, except Dante had become aware of the man's presence, and it was all Alicia’s fault. The ghosts didn’t help either. They began their usual shenanigans after Agnes started pestering him to bring Kelit home more often, like the blond man was a stray cat Dante just adopted.

  Monday thankfully started with Bernadette’s lecture, and Dante didn’t have to put up with Kelit and Alicia’s bullshit so early in the morning. He still didn’t understand why the blond man was so antagonistic towards her.

  Before the lecture started, he was literally attacked from behind. Someone, probably Kelit, as he was the only person who would dare to do something like that, put a necklace on him. When he looked down at the pendant, it was in red and black colours, with a little skull in the middle. It looked handcrafted, with real precision. While he was too stunned to speak, Kelit took his place next to him without a word. Dante looked at him, trying to form a question that would work in this situation. In the end, he managed:

  “What is that?”

  “A necklace, what else?” It was like he was trying to brush this situation off.

  “You made it?” Dante nearly rolled his eyes, being pulled by his tongue. With this man, he always had to talk more to actually get any answers.

  “I do handcraft.” Kelit shrugged like it was nothing. “And I'm just paying you back for the cookies you made for me.”

  “Oh,” Dante chuckled. He didn’t believe in that, at least not completely. “It’s gorgeous, thank you.” He meant it, he wasn’t fan of accessories, but this necklace was strangely comfortable just like the bracelet from his sister. Maybe he just liked handcraft.

  For a split moment, he thought that the blond man bushed, but it must have been his imagination when, right after, a big grin formed on that annoyingly handsome face. In that moment, more annoying than attractive.

  “Praise me more, Trouble!” Dante sighed deeply.

  A few moments later, Bernadette stormed inside. A completely normal Monday morning, it seemed.

  “They’ve told me that I have to do a test,” she stated, more irritated by this fact than her students.

  “Ma’am, but who told you?” Asked the always active guy from the first row.

  “I don’t remember the name, to be honest, but his position is higher than mine.” Her tone was so dismissive that a chuckle went through the hall. “I only have a few friends among professors; I’m not a fan of those colleagues from the magic major. But I had to make something. I made it late at night, guess something, most of the questions are about how you feel today.”

  The entire diplomatic major that counted fewer than thirty people, plus Kelit, answered her with laughter. Everyone knew that she always made exams at the end of the year, and they were usually the ride or die difficulty.

  “Ah! And Mr. Kelit, I transferred you to my major when the one with broken legs started throwing a fit that you don’t attend his exams.” She remembered when her eyes landed on the blond man while handing out the sheets. Kelit smiled at her as if it were his first time hearing that he was actually supposed to attend other lectures. “I’m sure Mr. Dante will help you catch on.”

  “Ma’am, it’s like three years' worth of subject.” Dante tried to protest. Kelit was enough without her encouragement.

  “You’ll manage, and it will also help you escape your fiancée,” she was still poking at his engagement, like it was an anthill and she had a stick. Kelit didn’t look happy at the mention of Alicia. Dante became adept at spotting those little twitches in the blond man’s smiles.

  “Still ship it,” Dante heard a whisper from a back row, the same girls from the last time.

  “I’m starting to, but Alicia is still my favourite.”

  “It’s a bet, then,” they giggled, and Dante wanted to bury himself in the ground or help one of them win and then split the money. He was divided between those options. What was worse, Kelit looked at him, clearly hearing what they were saying, and he was smiling.

  The sheets Bernadette handed them had questions about the weather, their well-being, and the one that caught everyone laughing wrote ‘Do you like your professor?’ and all the answers under it were yes. Well, the one who told her to make an exam mustn’t specify what it should be about. She probably wasn’t afraid of losing her job as the only person who actually managed the major that was one of the biggest successes of Gardeniabay Academy, even if not as popular as others.

  Dante should ask her about the inner structure of power among the professors; it would help his and Alicia’s goal. If his friend could put her money, then the problem also lies among them; it was probably true. And who knows better than an actual professor?

  He stayed after the lecture, asking Kelit to go ahead. The blond man insisted on sticking up to him, like a leech that refused to be shaken. Dante somehow managed to convince him. Something was telling him that Kelit would be a disaster if added to that little riot, he and Alicia were planning.

  Bernadette, as usual, gave him a smile that could either mean ‘I’ll give you candies if you behave’ or ‘I know all your secrets,’ and he was never sure how to interpret it.

  “How can I help Mr. Dante?”

  “Ma’am, if I wanted to reach the Headmistress, whom should I seek?” He deliberately phrased the question this way. She chuckled and commented:

  “Clever little minx,” she winked at him. “There’s an Academic Senate, but they’re pretty useless. I would ask the postman, he's the most reliable source around here.” The answer was playful, but she was giving him a lot of information without actually giving him any.

  “Aren’t you a part of the Academic Senate, Ma’am?” She laughed.

  “No, I resigned. Too much wealth and insecurities in one room.” That confirmed his suspicion that most corrupt professors were nobles. “How’s Miss Alicia?”

  “She’s great.” Typical Bernadette. Noisy but in a subtle way.

  “You finally stopped avoiding each other. I wonder if both of you want to reach the Headmistress?” She was still poking that stick at their anthill. He only nodded. “Can’t wait for the good news then and maybe an invitation to the ‘marriage’. I may be old, but I’m still pretty good at dancing.” He nearly groaned. She was subtle, but he would rather she speak plainly and not be ridiculed.

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  “I’ll keep that in mind, Ma’am.” She offered him a goodbye and returned to her documents.

  Kelit, of course, was waiting for him right in front of the doors. He wouldn't admit that it made him happy. I’m too easy to please. – He thought.

  The apocalypse started when they entered another class. Alicia was waiting there with a hairstyle that was supposed to showcase the pin. Some people already started whispering about that; those same people mustn’t have lives without gossip. Kelit once again smiled politely; it looked more sincere than the last time, as if he had been practising in front of the mirror. It was much too polite, especially when the gritting escaped him:

  “Hello there, Flower.”

  “I see you’re in a good mood today, Sunshine,” she answered, matching the blond man’s smile. Dante sat between them, regretting his life choices. “O! What a nice necklace you have, Darling!” She was quick to spot Dante’s new accessory. “I’ll have to dress you up to match it!” She was far too enthusiastic about that. What am I a doll? Thane, you better run…

  Kelit’s face twisted for a moment into something...Dante couldn't say what that something was.

  “It was a gift,” he tried to ease the tension. Very clumsy attempt, but he tried. But it only made things worse.

  “Oh, really? From Sunshine?” She definitely faked ignorance. “Someone tries to steal my fiancée from me.” She made a show of hugging Dante’s arm. It wasn’t unwelcome; her touches were comforting and felt the same when Rose hugged him. The blond man didn’t recoil this time after being spiteful. His finger tapped on the desk, and his smile widened.

  “Steal? I don’t think you have any right to claim a person.” That was new, coming from a guy who was once looking at Dante like he was the greatest mystery to solve.

  “And I think you’re lying through your teeth.” For a second, Dante thought that they would stop at it, but the way their eyes locked looked more like a fight than peace.

  “Flower.”

  “Sunshine.”

  Were those two words even insulting? They must have been, because they’ve been spatting at each other so often.

  “Flower, Sunshine. Quit it.” They both looked at him, equally offended that he had dared to use the same ‘little nickname’ on them.

  Soon, Peter entered the classroom, his posture bent, sleeves covered in black ink. He took a place far from them, constantly looking at the floor, and that was when Dante realised he didn’t have his bag. What meant: his notebooks and books required for the subjects were gone too.

  “Hey Sunshine, do you have books today?” Dante asked, and the blond man looked at him like he just eaten his sweets. What was probably the biggest crime one could commit against him.

  “Please, don’t call me that, Trouble. And who do you have me for?”

  Dante sighed and took all of his notebooks and books, except the one from his major, and putting them on Kelit’s desk, he urged him to go to his room-mate with a quick, little gesture. If a face could shape into a question mark, the blond man would have more than just one on his forehead.

  “Go and ask how he’s doing.”

  Still confused, Kelit took the pile and went to Peter. Very awkward, but it was a step. Dante had a feeling that the blond man wasn’t the type of friend who would comfort others. At the very least, he listened to Dante and tried to change that.

  Alicia nagged him under the table and, putting her arms around Dante’s neck, she whispered:

  “The entire major already knows he’s this semester's target. Professors started paying closer attention to him, or rather, what he doesn’t know or have, people cut him off when he tries to say something.”

  Kelit returned and sighed, deeply displeased seeing Alicia hang on Dante like that, but he didn’t comment.

  “He told me to fuck off.” If it wasn’t deeply concerning, Dante would laugh at Kelit's deadpanned and confused reaction. “Have I done something?”

  “You don’t know a part of it, Sunshine.” Alicia cut in. “It does not look good…” She commented when two guys sat with Peter with fake sincere smiles. She looked like she just made a mental note to hurry up, Thane, with his work.

  “What’s going on, Trouble?” Kelit asked, sitting closer than before. Probably copying Alicia. Dante stiffened for a moment. And what if he is a handsome guy? Get a grip. – He ordered himself, and his body slowly obeyed. And what was worse, his being close made Dante feel warm.

  “You really are like a golden puppy.” Dante didn’t know why Alicia just loved calling men puppies.

  “And what is that supposed to mean?” The blond man retorted, gritting his teeth. Soon, he returned to his polite smile, and Dante could swear that he would rather be between Peter and bullies than between those two. The two very similar people, who for some reason couldn't find common ground. For the young woman, it was a fun game, while Kelit was a mystery for Dante. Why would he act this way?

  The lecture was disastrous. Someone informed the professor that certain people don’t take his teaching seriously, and the man decided to check if everyone had their required books. He didn’t care for notebooks as much. The tension in the room could have been cut with a knife. Many people apparently didn’t take that professor seriously. And no one could blame them; the fourth year, with the most illogical person alive as the teacher, does that to a person. Thanks to Dante giving up his books for Peter, who definitely couldn't afford another set, the boy was spared one more embarrassment. When the professor realised that Dante was among those who ‘don’t take his teaching seriously’, he brushed the situation with a very clumsy attempt at a joke. It was all good.

  All good, until Kelit opened his mouth. ‘Snitches get stitches,’ he simply said, clacking his tongue. Alicia was holding back laughter, and the professor became red, but still tried to brush it off. Then the blond idiot added: ‘We would have taken you seriously, if you weren’t so awfully boring and constantly wrong.’ Honestly, he was right, but it’s not something one should communicate to their professor. When Kelit was getting kicked out, Dante couldn’t help himself and added: I’m pretty sure you have to kick most of us, as we agree with him.” he got kicked out, too, or rather got asked to leave, politely. Alicia, who still held laughter, followed, and a swarm of people moved after her.

  It wasn’t the first time that students walked out of this lecture, but it was the first for something that looked trivial on the surface. Dante was pretty sure most people knew the lecture had been derailed just to humiliate one person, and no one cared. Everyone was ready to go home or to their rooms. In the end, no one stayed for that lecture. What was worse was that Dante couldn't see either Peter or those who sat with him anywhere.

  “I have a club meeting, see you later, Darling,” she hugged him, for a second she wondered if she shouldn’t give him a kiss, but the look on her face says that she would rather gag. “Behave, Sunshine, this is MY fiancee!”

  Kelit smiled politely, but his eye twitched in annoyance.

  “Don’t choke on your tea, Flower!” The don’t in that sentence was a whisper, so the message was rather clear. Why can’t I choose normal friends for once? First ghosts, now this. – Dante sighed, suddenly very tired.

  “I’m going to catch a carriage. Don’t come today, better check on Peter.”

  “But he told me to fuck off.” Kelit protested.

  “Yeah, but do you ever listen to people’s requests?” The blond man smiled.

  “No, not really,” Dante expected that, but it still made his lips twitch upwards. “I’ll check on him...If I find him, those snitches will really get stitches.” The smile that followed wasn’t a pleasant one, but for some reason, it looked more real on Kelit than any other he tried to put on. It made Dante somehow feel better when, in reality, he shouldn't.

  “Don’t do anything that will get you expelled.”

  “Don’t worry, Trouble, they won’t even know what hit them…or just won’t be able to talk.” A shiver involuntarily ran down Dante’s spine. It wasn’t fear…he wanted to beat himself in that moment, when he realised it was excitement for finally seeing a glimpse of something that looked like a real Kelit. He also made a mental note to never make that guy furious.