Reckless – Episode 21&22

RECKLESS

Reckless – Episode 21&22

→ Out•Of•Control ←

[Book 1 in The Untamed Duet]

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No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied, or reposted in any form, or by any means without a BOLDLY written permission from ME.

Copyright © 2025

Naomi Cindy B.

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★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

Stacy’s eyes dipped low, giving Zendaya a thick look of disbelief after that malodorous sentence dropped from her mouth to the air.

The other students look like they’ve forgotten about them now as everyone is gushing around about the insane pairings.

Even Kehlani and Tasha are gone too, and now it looks like Zendaya and Stacy are the only ones left stuck in this hallway—the students hollering around are just white noises.

Zendaya’s eyes are still wet, and her jaws are still soaked, too—from tears.

“Holy fuckin sin,” she stepped closer to the crying girl. “You’re threatening our friendship cos of a guy, Daya?”

Zendaya hiccuped, and Stacy nodded, pointing a finger forward.

“Do you know what that means? If push comes to shove, you’d chose a male over me! Over everyone of the girls!” She slammed.

“I love him! It’s my first crush so try to understand me!” Zendaya slammed back, grabbing Stacy’s arms. “Please don’t say no.”

Disappointment settled in Stacy’s eyes, filling her pupils. Obviously, Zendaya is too far gone now.

“You choose a guy over the Society, who am I to say no?” She nodded, taking her arms from Zendaya’s grip.

“Have him. Be the Tango Dance Queen for the Mixer.”

“Really?” Zendaya wiped her tears. “Do you mean that?”

Before Stacy could talk again, an announcement came from the campus speakers studio…

“There’ll be no switches or changes in the Mixer pairings. From the Tango Dance Queen and King, to the other date partners!! No one is allowed to complain! The school made the choices, and if you feel you can’t follow, then there’d be a penalty!”

As the announcement rang around the campus, Zendaya gasped.

Everyone else in the hallway froze, ears attentive as the announcement continued…

“Your performance in the Mixer will account for ten percent of your GPA this semester. By performance, it means; How well you socialize. There’d be no chaperone so how well you comport and compose yourself will also be a part of it, and the most important one is how well you do the dance. All these would account for ten percent of your GPA for this semester. Wish y’all the best!”

Another shrill ran through the blood of everyone as their gushing continued.

Stacy faced Zendaya with a blank face, and Zendaya sniffled.

She’s not crying anymore, but her eyes are still red. In fact, every part of her face is coloured.

Her makeup is ruined.

Stacy said nothing to her, she just walked off to class.

Zendaya rushed out of that hallway, making her way to the formation manager office.

Despite the fact that it was specified that no complaints would be entertained, students are waiting in front of the office including Tania.

Zendaya waited with them.

She was trembling till the door of the office opened, and the manager came out. He’s a black man who looks American.

The students followed with strings of complaints immediately, but the man raised his hand, meaning order.

“I made it clear in the announcement that no complaints would be entertained. Your complaints won’t make the pairings change.”

“Ok so why am I paired with Remo of all people?” Tania pushed forward. “I already concluded that I’d just skip this year’s Mixer, but you had to announce that it accounts for ten percent GPA and we can’t switch partners? What the fûck? I’m not dancing with Remo! No one likes Remo and I top the list!”

“Tania Delgado? Sort it out with Remo. There’s no solution here.” The manager said.

With a dangerous stump, Tania left.

Seeing there’s no hope, the other students began leaving too.

Zendaya waited till she’s alone before talking to the man.

“Why did you pair Covey with Stacy? Everyone know they both hate each other…” She asked.

“Have you forgotten the purpose of the Mixer?” The manager spoke up. “It’s for students to socialize and get used to each other…make friends! Pairing enemies is the whole point,”

“The initial plan was to pair Stacy and Dorian, but she apologized at his concert and they’re cool now, so it left us with Cove. You do not have a say in this, Zendaya… just like other students. There’d be no favoritism.”

Afterwards, he returned into the office, shutting the door and leaving Zendaya standing outside.

Even as the morning sun peeked out from under the immaculate clouds, she didn’t leave there.

Soon, tears wet her eyes again.

—

[9AM]

Since ten minutes ago, Kane caught the vibe that he’s being followed, but he kept it low and just kept riding through the road with his sunglasses on and his radio blasting his best of Dorian’s song — Crawl To My Hell.

He should be in campus by now, but he made a detour at the accessories store to get the sunglasses he’s wearing, then another detour at a restaurant to eat sushi since he didn’t eat before leaving the house.

Now he’s driving straight to campus with no plans to detour again, but the people following him are making him wanna change that now.

He turned up the volume of the playing music, moving his head to the hard tempo and singing along.

The car chasing him suddenly began speeding, obviously in an attempt to doublecross him.

Kane stepped on the gas, speeding off. Houses and other cars flew by through his window, and his eyes twitched darkly under his sunglasses before he made a U-turn.

The chasing car made the turn with him, but Kane was sharper.

His car tyres screamed under the rims when he arrived at an abandoned building down the road.

He jumped out of the car and entered the building. Now he’s hanging the sunglasses in his pocket.

A second after he entered the building, the chasing car halted too, the tyres screamed louder.

Scott, Remo and Frank came out of the car. Max was unavailable during their coming, so the three came.

“Your pretty stepbrother is a good driver, but too bad he can’t run faster than his shadow,” Remo snorted.

“I love it when you’re poetic!” Frank laughed, pulling up his sleeves.

“Wheelchair, don’t forget.” Scott reminded.

“Something worse than a wheelchair, dude. I chose coma.” Remo declared.

He was the first to enter the building, then Frank and Scott followed.

They expected to meet Kane in the building, cowering like a starved dog, but they met an empty building.

The building has just few stacks of pillar metals and roofing bolts.

They stood in the middle of the emptiness, nothing in progress except their harsh breathings.

“Did he enter the wall or sum?” Frank muttered, his eyes following every corner and angle inside.

“I bet he’s hiding in a corner, waiting for us to search shallowly and leave so he’d crawl out and escape like the little loser he is,” Remo said.

He dragged his belt out of the hoops, folding it and swinging it to the air. It made a wicked swoosh.

“Right there,” Scott pointed at the only staircase in the building.

He picked one of the short pillar metals lying down and climbed the staircase fast.

Frank almost followed him, but Remo held him back.

“Don’t keep your eggs in one basket. Go that way, and I’ll take that route,”

The guys split, going in different directions.

While Remo held his folded belt, Frank held a rope.

Like scoundrels, they searched, and things went awkwardly silent for the next two minutes except the sound of their faint footsteps.

Then…Frank came crashing like a downpour.

His body swept the air from the right angle till he hit the ground with a sickening thud.

His body swept the ground too, and his blood stained the cement.

He was stabbed on the arm, and the white he’s wearing made it seem like all blood has been drained from his body. The blood spread fast.

“F+..k!” He groaned.

That brought Remo out of his own angle, and Scott rushed downstairs too, both flabbergasted at the sight of Frank bleeding on the ground.

“Guy!” Scott’s voice was loud.

“Dude!” Remo followed.

“That corner! Right there!” Frank used his eyes to point out the way, and the two looked that route.

Remo moved first, then Scott followed…to that corner.

For the first one minute, nothing happened, but the second minute changed the atmosphere.

Kane jumped down the staircase, landing in the middle of the two and catching them clean.

One knife stab to Scott’s arm, and another stab to Remo’s.

Remo’s body staggered, but he quickly used the wall as support, his arm spitting blood that soaked his white just like Frank’s.

Scott got the deepest stab, so his blood was dripping to the ground from his arm.

His knees are bended, and he couldn’t even hold the stab. He was groaning as his eyes rolled in their sockets, pain mixing with shock.

Kane was smiling malevolently, and despite the fact that he just stabbed three people, his white didn’t stain. He still looks clean.

Even his hands aren’t stained. It’s like he used some blood-repelling mojo.

“Considering what y’all did to me, I should kill everyone here today and then bury y’all in the dark roof, but of what use would that be?”

Even his voice changed from the frail innocent tone to dulcet.

“Wait…where is your fourth person? Where’s Max?” He pointed the bloody knife suddenly at Remo who’s still leaning on the wall.

Remo’s eyes are still so shocked.

“I guess he’s somewhere fuckin Kehlani, or Elmira?” Kane sighed with a nod, lowering the knife.

“I’ll make sure he gets his own share of this knife, and y’all are so dumb it’s hard to witness everyday. You should have run a background check on me, Kane Dax. Oh wait…I guess I’m Kane Young…now that my mom is getting married to your dad… Scott.”

He faced Scott, and Scott looked up with a sweaty face.

“But still… Kane Dax. Run some researches. When I was in Germany during my highschool days, my classmates loved talking down on me cos my mother married my father—a man old enough to birth her. I was constantly ridiculed,”

“At first, I wanted to ignore it cos, um.. they’re teens, but it got annoying when they began writing curses on my locker. I couldn’t take it…”

Kane laughed shortly, walking a few meters around the building before continuing like a narrator.

He faced Frank now.

“I invited all my classmates who ridiculed me to an anonymous party, and they all attended… fortunately. They attended without knowing who organized it… isn’t that foolish?” He laughed shortly again.

“At 10pm during the party, I made the lights go out and locked them in the hall, then I released a gas inside. They all inhaled and went blind, deaf and dumb… everyone of them. I mean…if they can’t see and hear and talk, they’d mind their business, right?”

Kane stopped in front of Remo.

“Right, Remo?” He smiled devilishly.

Remo threw a punch at his face, but Kane didn’t hesitate before returning the punch to Remo on his stabbed arm, and Remo finally fell on his arse with a pained growl.

Now Kane’s fists are stained. He looked at it and let out a snort.

“I’m stained, that’s…bad.”

He took off his white shirt and wiped his knuckles with it, then threw the bloodstained shirt at Remo’s face.

He actually wore another blue shirt beneath that white shirt, so now he’s left in the blue shirt.

He went ahead to take off his white pants too, and just like the shirt, he has black pants beneath the white.

He threw the white pants at Remo, and Remo grunted.

Lastly, Kane faced Scott who’s still trying to stay on his feet.

He gave him a big smile and went closer, taking a look at his freckles. He held his chin roughly, and Scott breathed in, his chest denting.

“I meant it when I told you to stop hiding your freckles. I wanna see them everyday from now on. Any day you fail to let the freckles show, I’ll give you another stab.” Kane said, a clearly dangerous warning.

He let go of his chin and began walking out of the building, but towards the door, he looked back, his smile still bright.

“Y’all got stabbed on the arm, it’s like a friendship souvenir…the scars will always remember, isn’t it cute?” He pouted. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep to my promise and stab Max too—to complete the souvenir.”

And then he swaggered out of the building, leaving pain in it’s wake.

Scott finally released the groan he has been gatekeeping in his throat.

The three guys pushed themselves up from their knees with difficulty, and they all dragged their feet out of the building, bleeding and groaning.

—

[RIDE University, Mass Comm Lecture-Hall]

It’s 10am, and the second class is already ongoing though it’s about to end now. It’s a thirty minutes class.

The timetable wasn’t a joke cos after this class, they’d only get a thirty minutes break before the next class.

Remo and Frank are absent, but no one noticed—they’re fond of missing classes.

Kehlani and Max sat beside each other, and throughout the class, they kept stealing kisses.

But on the side, Max kept trying his friends line. They aren’t picking, so he’s worried.

Tasha and Tania are side by side, and while Tasha is focused on the class, Tania is still fuming about her pairing with Remo.

Stacy wants to focus. She really wants to listen to the brilliant lecturer talking in the front, but she couldn’t.

The fact that she’s paired with Cove for the King and Queen shii is driving her crazy.

The moment it was announced that it’d account for ten percent of their GPA, her nerves got hit.

Cos now she has to find a way to make him attend the Mixer.

That sharp-tongued guy doesn’t seem like someone who’d do a dance.

Covey Fabio, tango dance?

Those two in one sentence sounds barbaric it’s sour to the ears,but somehow, she has to make him attend or she loses ten marks.

How to make him attend?

She has no idea.

This is someone who dislikes her so much and even threatened to break her bone if she comes close.

She sighed out, running her fingers playfully on her laptop keys.

“You should try and listen well in class, it works.” A known voice whispered behind her.

She paused, then turned to look behind. Dorian sat there, comfortably with a flirty expression.

He has been sitting behind her since last week.

“No talking during classes,” she said with a warning glare.

“You don’t look like someone who follows the rules, Brat. You bend rules instead.” He inched closer.

She rolled eyes then faced front, but he wasn’t done.

“Do you even understand what the lecturer is talking about? You look lost, Brat.” He whispered softly behind her neck, his breaths fanning the hair on her skin.

“Rian!” She looked back sharply.

“Hmm,” he smiled.

“For the last time, it’s Stacy, not Brat, and you’re not listening too, jerk,” she remarked with a scowl.

“I don’t have to listen. I mightn’t be a genius, but I’m brilliant in my own way. Otherwise, how would I have been maintaining a 4.55 GPA since my first year?” He replied.

“You’re a Ultra Nepo baby like me, so you paid lecturers?” She scoffed.

“Nepotism doesn’t work in my academics. I run my shit myself. I just read extensively and set questions for myself every night, and I do well each time, simple.” He shrugged.

“Oh you’re bragging again,” she smirked, and he chuckled.

“You once said you hated my braggadocio, I love what you hate, somehow.” He winked.

She shook her head with a very cringed look.

“So…you want tutorial from me?” He leaned on his desk.

“So your fandom can have a field day dragging me again? I’ll pass.” She rolled eyes again.

“We can use my spot. I have a hidden selfcon inside the city, designed for my deflection.” He said.

“You’re talking like you have been planning this for ages,” Stacy frowned, looking more interested.

“Always ready Jackie Chan, I don’t procrastinate,” he shrugged.

She didn’t talk again for a minute, as if weighing her answer.

And for that one minute, Dorian had a good time staring.

“I’ll give you a call if I later wanna do it. For now, I’ll think about it.” She muttered, getting her phone.

“I have your line already. Even texted you last night, no reply.” Dorian said.

She got her phone and really saw the text sitting in her messages.

• Hey, Brat.

“Don’t ask how I got your number, I hate that question.” He quickly said.

Stacy bit her lip unconsciously before talking…

“Outdated question…don’t underrate me, jerk.”

She saved his line as ‘Jerk’

Then she finally faced the front, and that was exactly when the lecture ended, so the students dispersed to hang around till next lecture.

Dorian left with his guards.

He’s supposed to leave campus now cos his TV appearance and photoshoot is in Palm Springs which is an hour flight from here, but he still doesn’t wanna leave without seeing Cove first.

“I’m gonna stop by Computer Science hall,” he told the guards.

They didn’t argue.

They led him, but Kane chose that moment to appear, looking as innocent as ever.

“Hey, Kane!” Dorian smiled.

“Hey…” Kane smiled back, pocketing his hands casually.

“Got no class this morning?” Dorian asked with concern.

“That’s impossible. Everyone in this campus have packed timetables this week, and that includes me, but we have a 20 minutes break now, so I’m on a stroll.” Kane said.

“Oh…cool. I’ll see you around, have to go see my friend,” Dorian gave him a pat and left.

Kane left the hall, and as he made his strides out, his phone buzzed.

He checked and frowned a bit. It’s from the search agency in San Francisco who’s in charge of searching for Scott’s sister.

Since he arrived at Young mansion with his mother and heard about it, he took great interest in the case.

He’s a law student after all.

The message from the search agency is that…

• No lead yet.

“Tight case huh?” Kane muttered, still staring at his phone as he walked.

—

[Footballers Bathroom]

Before the end of her class, Elmira already received the text from Max to meet him in this bathroom, and she had to leave her class immediately.

She came here and has been waiting for two minutes now, and she’s even getting impatient already.

She was chewing her own lips, typing a fast one to him.

Elmira: You’re taking too long!

And the door opened roughly immediately. Max popped in.

“I was trying my guys line, got worried they weren’t in class.”

“Are you for real? They’re not babies! C’mon!” She pulled him in and shut the door carefully.

She pulled down her bum shorts and panty together, and they both hung at her ankles before she faced the wall, resting her palms on it.

Max’s c+k sprang free from his pants too, and her mouth couldn’t close when he inserted it into her booty hole. He didn’t go for the p+xxy this time. He went for the arse, and Elmira welcomed him with her muffled, choked cries.

She closed her palm on her mouth, her b00ty hole expanding as the thrusts got wild.

Max’s hand came to the front, rubbing her p+xy as he crushed her arsehole.

She broke for him, uncontrollably squirting on the bathroom floor.

Max’s phone rang in his pocket with Scott on the ID, but he’s too busy to feel or hear it.

He spanked her arse, and the BBL clapped, swallowing his c+k.

“Jesus f+kin Christ… you’re all mine Elmira. All mine..” he groaned, holding the two parts.

They filled his palms completely.

Elmira smiled bî+chily, bending lower for him.

—

[Computer Science Major]

The Major is definitely the busiest one today.

It’s 11am, and they’re already on the fourth class. No breaks.

And all the classes are programming shit and all.

As usual, Cove took his seat beside the window, surrounded by desperate girls begging for attention including Zendaya.

Trinidad sat in the middle of the class. It’s safe to say she’s the only one listening to the lecturer among the few girls in the major.

The rest are looking at…him.

Cove has a pineapple flavor sweet in his mouth, and he’s rolling it around on his tongue as he followed every of the lecture words.

They have these much brilliant lecturers here and they allowed that fish to enter the class last week?

Pfft.

All the lecturers that has been teaching today are A-grade, and he’s enjoying everything.

The class could go on for days, he doesn’t care at all.

But the fourth class ended at 11:30, and they’re having an hour break before the next class.

The students dispersed, and Cove received a text immediately.

Wesley: Wanted to come see you before leaving, but you were in class. I’m off to Palm Springs, will be back before 4pm though.

Cove pocketed the phone, and only then did he realize he’s surrounded by girls inquiring.

“Cove, are you coming to the Mixer?”

“Are you really gonna dance the tango with Stacy?”

“Even if you don’t go, you can still have 90 in your tests and exams and get your A… you’re still safe.”

“Can’t you ditch her? Let that bîtch fail alone Cove.”

Different suggestions.

Zendaya tried not to act desperate. She remained on her seat, but her ears are listening well.

Cove finished packing his stuff, and he was bagging them when one of the girls mistakenly marched him.

He jerked, and that girl went down to start wiping his sneakers with the sleeve of her blouse.

“Leave it,” he said calmly.

But the girl won’t stop.

“I said leave it! Do you f+k with your ears? Are you deaf?” He hissed harshly, and the girl flinched, shifting back quickly.

He picked his bag and left the class for the library…that’s where he’s gonna spend the free period at.

As he left the class, Trinidad carried her bag and followed him.

“Ice prince, looks like you have a handful of fan girls here,” she teased.

He gave her a bland look, and she smiled intentionally.

“My free period is for football, see you back in class at 1pm,” she stepped back.

“Break a leg,” he replied, and she grinned before leaving.

Cove wanted to move, but he saw a shadow down the hall, and he had a quick look, but he just turned gwhen he saw nothing.

Then he left.

Zendaya stared out of the lecture hall window, looking downcast.

She saw Cove talking to Trinidad, and even if it was just a little line he said to her, he still talked to her.

Also, how he yelled at the girl who marched him earlier.

It’s scary, and now she can’t even get close to him and ask if he’s really gonna go dance with Stacy.

Tasha appeared by the window suddenly, and she jumped.

“You scared me!”

“What are you thinking about?” Tasha touched her cheek.

Zendaya pouted.

“You know who.”

“Cove?” Tasha sighed, dropping a ice cream cup for her.

Zendaya picked and began eating.

“Seriously, babe. I think guys like him are likely to fall for a girl who won’t chase after him.” Tasha said.

“But I can’t stay still. Every girl in our Major are crazy about him!” Zendaya complained seriously.

“Just the way all girls in Mass Comm are obsessed with Dorian. It’s like a cult at this point…those two…” Tasha grinned, eating her ice cream too.

“Where’s Tania and Kehlani?” Zendaya asked.

“Tania is at the stadium, Lani is changing her pad at the washroom.” Tasha muffled. “You didn’t ask of Stacy? Did you both…clash?”

“Nothing serious,” Zendaya said.

—

[RIDE Stadium]

When Trinidad arrived, Tania was already present with their other several teammates.

But even Tania isn’t practicing despite the fact that she’s already wearing her regalia jersey.

She just stood somewhere, watching the other team practicing.

They should be practicing now, but their captain Scott and the assistant captain Max are nowhere.

They’re not even picking calls.

“Where the fûck is Scott?” Trinidad asked Tania.

“Are you seriously asking me? I didn’t swallow them,” Tania said savagely.

“Your captain isn’t around?” Roxy’s voice came as she entered the stadium with Elmira.

“Even Max isn’t here? But we f+ked in the bathroom earlier.” Elmira said quietly when she saw Tania is here.

“I swear to gawd if we don’t get a good goalkeeper this semester, we’ll lose all our matches to the second team!” Trinidad shouted. “Look at them, they’re practicing, working out, but us? Scott and Max are lazing around like fowls!”

“Should we be prepared to see Scott’s team lose for the first time?” Roxy laughed loudly.

“I’m somehow eagar to see the losing game. Am I sick?” Elmira laughed too, her arse still stinging from the ramming of Max’s d+k.

Trinidad looked at the busy stadium again, and now Tania is practicing alone on a spot, using her chest to raise the ball in repeat.

Trinidad picked a ball too, entering the field and dribbling with herself.

Soon, the other members of their team joined them, and the intense practice started.

Even without Scott and Max, they did it, though Tania and Trinidad didn’t stop giving each other death stares.

—

[Palm Springs, 1PM, Louis Vuitton Studios]

The TV appearance happened first, and immediately they got done with it, Angela and the crew drove Dorian straight to this studio.

One of the big brand he models for.

He’s currently in the Glam Room, getting ready.

He’s already worn makeup, and he’s already wearing the suit with open buttons throughout, showing his layers of manly packs on his chest.

Now the stylists are adjusting the suit while he sat, and he’s eating croissants gently.

As they adjusted his suit, they made sure there’s enough space for him to eat too. Respect is important, else Angela might get anyone fired.

Everyone knows about her temper, and as she stood behind the table, her hawk eyes stared around till they landed on Dorian.

First thing she felt was jealousy. She’s jealous of these stylists who have the opportunity to touch him like this while styling him.

That gorgeous body.

She gulped.

The brand CEO entered with his team, and the stylists instantly put a pause to what they’re doing.

“Glad to have you back after your one year break, Riri. The magazines and medias are starving to have you, and we miss selling out completely each time you model. Welcome back, Ultra Nepo baby of the music industry.” The CEO said, and Dorian chuckled.

He picked his teacup and drank to wash down the croissants, then his stood. Now his bare chest is flexing.

Angela couldn’t blink.

“Your TV appearance an hour ago is everywhere already. Your influence is magical, I must say.” The CEO complimented.

“What if I have a friend who can slay with his insane face card? I already told Angela to forward his profile to you. He’s not a social media person so the profile might be a little bit rough but if you don’t mind…. consider it.” Dorian said with eagerness.

“Trust anything you say, Riri. I’ll check it out, but why don’t we go for your photoshoot first?” The CEO nodded at him.

“Sure,” Dorian smiled.

Angela and the crew led him to the studio, and the hot photoshoot session began.

—

[RIDE, Cove’s Tutorial Hall]

Rows of laptops glowed like fireflies in the dimness of the hall, and the air reeked faintly of coffee and overheated processors.

Students leaned forward, eyes fixed on Cove like he was something more than a broke scholarship student tutoring for cash.

The tutorial started thirty minutes ago, and it has been peaceful.

Trinidad did a good job gathering the right students.

She’s aware that Cove dislikes desperate girls, so she only accepted five girls through the link.

The rest are guys who’re serious about getting tutored.

Zendaya is one of the five girls, and Trinidad intentionally took her cos she’s aware she’d embarrass herself.

Trinidad herself is the number twenty. She sat at the far back, listening to the tutorial attentively and jotting on her laptop like the other serious ones.

Topic: Time and Space Complexity in Algorithm Design (Big O Notation)

Cove stood at the front, one hand in his pocket, the other scribbling asymptotic curves on the whiteboard with sharp, impatient strokes.

“Big O is not just theory,” he said, voice clipped. “It’s the difference between your code running in a millisecond and your app freezing like your GPA.”

A guy in the front row raised his hand. “So, if I use a nested loop, is it always O(n²)?”

Cove didn’t hesitate before answering.

“Only if you don’t know how to optimize. Two loops doesn’t automatically mean quadratic time. If one loop doesn’t depend on the other, you’re looking at O(n), not O(n²). Learn to read dependencies, not patterns.” He said.

Another student asked raised his hand, and Cove tilted his head at him to ask his question.

“What about binary search? Why is it O(log n)?” The student asked.

Cove sketched a halving tree on the white board before replying.

“Because each step cuts the problem in half. You’re not walking the whole list like a lost tourist—you’re teleporting through it mathematically.”

Murmurs of understanding spread among the students.

Then Zendaya lifted her hand, brows knitted. “I still don’t get it.”

The hall went quiet.

Cove turned exhaled like patience physically pained him.

“Then you weren’t listening,” he said flatly. “I simplified it to first-year logic. If that still doesn’t click in your slow brain, then computer science isn’t for you. Try something that doesn’t require thinking in patterns. You can switch to Agric.”

Zendaya’s mouth hung open.

A few students winced, but Trinidad chuckled silently at the back.

“Dull head,” she muttered, typing away on her laptop.

Zendaya’s eyes burned with unshed tears, and she hid her face behind her laptop as she sniffled.

Must he always talk like this?

By the window of the hall, Stacy stood, alone.

The window isn’t open, and the hall is soundproof, so she can’t hear what’s going on inside, but she’s sure the tutorial is ongoing with Cove.

Time is running fast. Friday will soon be here. How is she gonna convince him to attend the Mixer?

Should she .. visit his place?

She went down the staircase, remembering what Dorian discussed with her in class earlier.

She texted him.

—

[Dorian’s Mansion, 5pm]

Dorian returned from Palm Springs few minutes ago, and Angela was preparing to cook something for early dinner when Dorian entered the dance practice room.

“Why are you here?” Angela entered with him confusedly.

“Wear your sneakers, you’re practicing tango dance with me,” he replied, navigating through the songs in his playlist.

“Tango?” Angela blinked. “But you weren’t in the list of pairings for the Mixer cos you were against it, why would you practice tango? You’re not even gonna attend the Mixer…”

“Wear your sneakers, Angel.” Dorian insisted, and Angela just knew he’s standing on his words.

Three minutes later, they’re both ready to dance.

The mournful strings of “Oblivion” by Astor Piazzolla filled the private practice room, low and aching.

Dorian stepped towards Angela with quiet authority.

His hand settled at her back, firm and professional.

No warmth. No hesitation.

Angela inhaled anyway. She breathed him in greedily…his lavender.

When he led a pivot and her back brushed his chest, Angela stiffened slightly, pulse quickening.

Dorian noticed and respectfully increased the space between them.

“Focus, Angel,” he said evenly, eyes fixed on their reflection on the mirrored walls of the room.

Angela was dying… even with the space between them, she could feel him…feel his manliness.

The same boy Kaylee birthed right in front of her is now very manly with this irresistible body and….

The music swelled.

Dorian guided her into a measured dip. He supported her spine, then brought her upright without lingering.

His touch is steady — almost protective.

She looked at him a moment too long, and he stepped back first.

The song faded, and Angela rushed out of the room.

He turned off the speaker, and his phone bleeped.

When he checked, his features softened.

It’s a text from Stacy.

Brat: We start tomorrow—the tutorial. Text me the selfcon address (frowning emoji)

“Cute,” he muttered, texting the address.

—

[Remo’s Mansion]

Max is still in utter shock.

It’s been hours since he heard the news, but the alcohol he has been downing isn’t even enough to down his shock. It’s still full.

Kane? Stabbed the guys?

All of them on the arm?

No matter how long he thinks, it’s not making sense, and Kane said he’s still coming to stab him too?

F+k.

Because of this, he and Scott even missed football practice, and he’s sure Tania and Trinidad will wanna eat them alive tommorow.

Kehlani has been calling, he couldn’t pick. Elmira has been calling, but he can’t pick too.

As he sat on the sofa, swinging his beer bottle, he looks distraught.

All the guys are around him with bandaged arms. They’re all shirtless.

“Kane?” He repeated.

“He was like a different person entirely, like he swallowed a rock.” Frank said beside the TV.

“We couldn’t possibly stab ourselves and come here to spit lies for you, right?” Scott said on the other sofa.

Remo is silent, just holding his blunt between his lips…

Smoking.

“Killing that bastard would be too merciful,” he said, facing the guys, hard lines forming on his crazy face. “I’m going to hunt him. He’s a maniac? I’m one, too.”

—

[No Sleep Garage]

It’s another rainy night in Bel-Air, but rain has never stopped operations inside this place.

Trevor is fixing the carburator of a car. Matteo is fixing a radiator.

Cove himself is working under a car, so he’s laying on his back under the car, working with his work-glasses on

Everyone’s busy.

A delivery guy entered the garage with a paper bag of burger which he dropped on a chair.

Matteo ordered it for them. It’s gonna be their dinner.

Matteo payed, and the delivery guy left as fast as he came in his motorcycle.

“There’s a visitor here!” He shouted as he drove out of the gate.

Trevor left the carburator he was working on and went to the gate.

When he came back a minute later, he came to Cove.

“Covey, she’s…here again.”

Cove slid out from under the car, and by the look on Trevor’s face, he knew who came immediately.

“Who’s it?” Matteo asked, looking at Trevor questioningly.

Cove stood and didn’t bother to drop his leather gloves before going to the just-repaired gate.

Getting there, he met who he suspected there for real.

Stacy.

She stood there behind the gate, holding an umbrella over her head in the rain, looking same.

She still wore the bum shorts from the morning, and the thin singlet.

“I just wanted to ask if you’d—”

Before she could finish, he swung the gate open, getting a hold of her shoulder and squeezing it tightly.

He’s gonna break her bone??

For real???

A low yelp left her lips when his fingers pressed that shoulder back, but he let go of her just when the bone nearly broke in two.

“Get lost,” he muttered.

“Come to the Mixer on Friday. I’m trying to make my GPA shoot up this semester so I definitely can’t lose ten marks. You have to come. Please.” She begged humbly.

Cove threw the gate close, and a heavy wind blew, carrying her umbrella away from her.

She didn’t try to chase.

She stood there behind the closed gate like a criminal.

—

Inside the garage, Matteo and Trevor are already eating, but Cove is still busy under the car, working.

It’s been an hour since the start of the rain now—one hour since Stacy has been waiting out there.

She’s really still waiting cos Trevor went to peek at her thrice already.

Matteo and Trevor exchanged glances, not daring to tell Cove about it. They just kept eating their burgers and fries… drinking juice.

Ten more minutes, Cove got up from under the car, peeked off his gloves and took his own burger to eat.

“She’s still…there.” Trevor said.

“Her choice,” Cove replied icily, taking a large bite from the burger.

Trevor went quiet immediately, and Matteo didn’t even border to talk.

When Cove took a second bite from his burger, thunder slammed the dark sky, and a storm started.

Harsh, terrible form.

Matteo quickly pulled the trampoline down to cover the open cars, and Trevor pulled the door to close it as they all entered the spare room.

But Cove suddenly pushed the door open, he left the room and walked down the gate.

She’s really still there, squatting in front of the gate and backing the metals with her head hanging low.

“Death must look attractive to you, Bad Idea.” He said.

She stood slowly, her legs already so cramped from squatting too long in that cold rain.

Just that she’s now wearing a pullover on top of that thin singlet.

Seeing that, Cove’s features didn’t soften, but he gave her a weird look and returned inside the garage.

But this time,

He left the garage gate open….

For her.

TBC