Bad Boy!? My Foot!

"Don't waste my time say what you want or I will leave," Charlie Swift, a nineteen years old college student with a daunting personality, long fringe eclipsing his grey eyes, stood in the middle of an empty basketball court wearing his uniform and the basketball in his hands.

"Ah! Umm... I-I wanted to tell you that..." Elisa, a timid girl, barely able to speak a word stood before him.

Charlie rolled his eyes and started walking away.

"Wait! I-I..." Elisa stopped again.

"I said I don't have time..."

"I love you!" Elisa shouted.

Charlie stared at her blankly for a few seconds and then walked close. Elisa was too nervous to lift her head.

"I-Love-Myself too," he said and started walking away.

"B-But! I love you a lot. I want to be your girlfriend." Elisa said gathering all possible courage she could.

"I love myself too, but that doesn't oblige me to date you. Don't waste your time. You are not my type. Don't show me your face again. You are irritatingly irritating." Charlie threw the ball in the air,

Elisa flinched, and the ball straight away went into the basket.

She stood there crying bitterly as Charlie picked up the ball and side passed her.

"Cry all you want and then go find someone who will love you better. I didn't want to hurt you, but I don't want to give you false hope too. Nothing is lacking in you, nothing is wrong with you, it's just that you ain't my type," he said and left.

Charlie's gang waited for him outside the basketball court.

"What happened?" Henry, the same age as Charlie, the tallest on the ground with pitch-black eyes and bleached hair asked.

"What was she saying?" Jacob, the boy with the most brain and logic in the group asked.

"Why is she crying?" Daniel, the most illogical and aggressive of the group asked.

"Nothing. She confessed, I rejected, she irritated me, I made her cry. That's all. Let's go," Charlie said and all four of them left for the locker and changing room of the college.

The sound of the shower, fog of foam and the smell of maturing men engulfed the boys changing room. The four most handsome boys of the college were taking a bath with no eyes to adore them?

Rubbish!

Eyes through the binoculars and telescopes invaded the boys' privacy from the girls' changing room. All the girls were crazy about the four bad boys, who were the boys who didn't care at all.

Every time a girl approached any of them, her confession was smashed like a boiled potato.

Potato? Yes, a potato! Well, that reminds me of a new entry in college. A boy.

No! Not a bad boy, but just a boy who is a...

Potato!

Well, that's what he calls himself. A bit sluggish, absolutely useless potato, well that is what he says. Ok.

"It's already lecture time. What is he doing? Why is he sleeping in the class? Who the hell is he?" Song, an eighteen years old average student, asked her friend, judging the boy with spectacles and a book used to shield his sleepy face from the viewers. "I think he is the new transfer student, right?" Song asked.

"Yah! Whatever! None of our business. Well, did you hear how Charlie just rejected Elisa?" Her friend, Sing, squealed.

"Yah! He is such a macho. I wish he was in our class. That would be so nice," Song joined Sing in her squeal.

What a headache? A normal student can't even sleep peacefully in a classroom when the lecture is about to start. These girls are so nosy and noisy. Huh! I wish I got a seat in the backbench. But no! My great, uselessly rich family had to fix my seat just where the teacher could see me. I hate this. I just wanna sleep.

The class began and ended while Alan Rush, a nerdy-looking guy with huge spectacles on his face, hair messed up, fulfilled his sleep. He was casually dressed in a white shirt with a jacket paired with jeans. He wore the comfiest clothes he could find in his wardrobe at college because he came to college to sleep.

The whole day Alan was a sluggish student in the whole class, but as soon as the classes finished, heavens sent in him energy like no other and he dashed out of the cage before others could even blink.

"Freedom smells like freedom. I am too lazy to even make dialogues right now. I am a potato after all. I only sleep, hahaha. No, there is one thing that excites me like no other. And that's painting. I love painting," Alan cheerfully walked outside the college where a royal car waited for him.

While Alan's car crossed the play zone of the college, he peered out of the window.

Stupid kids! Wasting their precious energy being enthusiastic about a ball. Huh! How can a ball turn them on? Chasing after it as if it was their love life. Well, I wouldn't even chase for my love like this. Huh! I love painting. I am happy colouring a blank page, even if I leave my life pages blank.

"Charlie! Pass the ball to me," Henry said, panting.

"No, to me!" Jacob said.

"Huh! I will choose Henry this time. Jacob! Bro, this time, you are no good," Charlie passed the ball to Henry, who caught it and bam!

Into the basket.

"Woah! Well done, Charlie!" Daniel howled and the three of them jumped on him.

"Let's go back home, I don't wanna take a shower again, this was the last round, let's play tomorrow," said Charlie and picked up his bag.

"Hey Charlie, how are you going back?" Jacob asked.

"My bike, of course, wanna join?"

"Of course! Drop me to my after college classes."

"Jacob, how many classes do you attend? Is the college not enough to annoy you?"

"Come on! He loves studying, don't you know. He will be a billionaire one day," Daniel and Henry joined the chat.

"Appoint me as your secretary, Mr future billionaire," Charlie chuckled.

"Enough! Stop pulling my leg, will you drop me or should I call a cab?" Jacob squinted his eyes.

They reached the parking area of the college while chatting, Charlie stood near his bike, grabbed the extra helmet and handed it to Jacob. "Don't be an angry bird, come on hop-on," he started the bike, Jacob sat behind him and he raced his bike outside the college campus.

"Can't you ride slowly!" Jacob held Charlie's shoulders tightly.

"Slow! That's not in my dictionary!"

A traditionally styled room with canvas, paints and brushes, elegantly arranged on the round tables. A group of twelve students attended the painting class. Governed by a beautiful, well dressed and charming tutor.

Alan Rush was dressed properly, it was only his painting classes when he dressed elegantly in expensive clothes otherwise he was generally found in rugs.

Money, excessively rich people don't know where to spend their money so they spend it on things like this. Well, all I care about is the knowledge that I get about painting, otherwise, it would be a waste of my precious energy, Alan thought.

"Painting isn't just filling up a lifeless canvas with a mix of colours. Painting is an art that involves your gentle strokes, affection in your eyes, passion in your blood, rush in your adrenaline and yearning of your heart. A perfect blend of your emotions as colours reflects in your abstract art," Mona June, the teacher of painting class flowed like a gentle breeze as she explained the art that she worshipped.

"Teacher. Your explanation of painting is more like explaining your love," a boy said.

"Hm. Indeed it is. Art is love and if you want to learn painting, you have to make it your lover," she said, "Now! Let me know how all of you define painting."

"Painting is the ability to bring reality to reality and even fantasy to reality."

"Painting is..." every one of them put their thoughts in front of her. Soon Alan's turn came. The boy who rarely opened his mouth spoke about painting something he adored and worshipped.

"Painting..." Alan was in deep thought, "painting is what makes my heart pound faster. It's like the origin of a new world and creating every small detail of that world. You are the God of your painting. You create, you cherish and you destroy."

Mona was flabbergasted, "No words for this explanation. It's just beautiful. Best way painting could ever be defined."

The class looked at Alan, who was spacing out.

"Well, your classes have just started, but I want you to find something for yourself, that makes your heart pound and your eyes linger on it. Find yourselves a model," Mona said.

"Yes teacher," students in unison said and the class dismissed. Once again Alan was the first one to leave.

A model huh! A model! Hmm. What can it be? What makes my heart pound? Except painting it's nothing else. Well, the next class is a week later until then I will find my inspiration, Alan thought. The painting class was just a few hundred steps away from his bungalow, so he just walked back home.

The way was connected with an abandoned metro, known as Bermuda square. Although it was scary and lonely that is what Alan liked, he loved being lonely, with no one to waste his energy on, except himself.

----

"Charlie! Watch out!" Henry shouted and he dodged the bat that was about to hit his head.

Ripped jeans, messy hair, leather jacket, silver accessories and sports shoes influenced his charm and dark, shady contrast made his milky skin glow even more. Charlie scuttled and kicked the boy, knocking him down. Jacob, Henry and Daniel took over the other boys.

"You lose. Accept your defeat and just fuck off. Don't ever come in front of me again," Charlie said, placing the last punch on the one who led the group.

"We do..." the other boy came and supported his injured leader to walk out of the abandoned metro.

"Bermuda square was and will always be our area. The dogs that come to take over will be torn off by wolves," Daniel said, shooing off the defeated.

"Let's go!" Charlie said and the silhouette of the group of four was seen disappearing into the light that entered the metro's exit.

Meanwhile, Alan Rush walked in through the entrance once the storm had subsided in the Bermuda square. "Woah! That's creepy and I like it," his voice echoed. "Hoho! Echo. I like this place. It's just my ideal place, aloof from the world, no one to disturb me, no voice, no studies, nothing." Alan took out his canvas and paintbrush and started drawing the entrance of the metro.

It was evening and he lost track of time, drowned in colours, brushes and the painting. It was already late at night when he completed his painting. He looked quite happy, he packed his things up and ran through the metro.

Just when Alan dashed out of the exit, a silhouette of someone came out and looked at him.

The next day in college.

"Charlie! What happened? You look as if you didn't sleep last night," Jacob asked.

"Hm. I didn't," Charlie yawned.

"What were you doing? Don't tell me some girl approached you again," Henry chuckled with the rest.

"Huh! My virginity is precious to me. I can't just waste it on random people. The thing that's bothering me is about...Bermuda square."

"What happened to it? Did some other boy group challenge us?" Daniel asked.

"No. Yesterday, I quarrelled at home..."

"Again!" Jacob interrupted.

"Yes! Again! Don't interrupt me when I am speaking. So after the quarrel, I went to the Square to calm myself, but I saw someone running through the square."

"Who?" Daniel asked.

Charlie glared at him, "I said don't interrupt me when I speak. I am not going to speak, I won't tell you now."

"Ah! Ah! Wait! Wait! No one will interrupt you now. Tell me, what happened?" Jacob said, dragging Charlie to sit again on the stairs that led to the roof of the college.

"I don't know who that person was. I don't know what he was doing there so late. I don't even know what he looked like. He had a bag on his back and a bigger one in his hands," Charlie stopped and looked at the three idiots looking at him. Awkwardly, he stared at them with a done face, "what?"

"What?" the three said in unison stupidly looking at Charlie. "I have a group of idiots. I am leaving," he got up again.

"Where are you going?" Henry asked.

"When I was speaking you kept on interrupting me in the middle, but now that I am done speaking, all you do is look at me like stupids," Charlie said and walked down the stairs.

The three of them jumped on him together, "oh come on! Why do you have to be worked up on mundane things like that? What matters now is knowing who that person is?" Henry said, keeping his hand across Charlie's neck.

"And what are his intentions? We are protectors of Bermuda square," Jacob said.

"Yup," Daniel nodded.

Charlie faintly smiled and walked in the corridor with his gang to the canteen. Just when they entered the canteen, Alan walked out of it. Their eyes met for just a fraction of seconds and they walked on their ways.

Those eyes were rebellious. Just like mine. I felt as if I was seeing my reflection in whoever he was. Who is he? Why those eyes? Why that warning?

Even though he didn't say a word, I read him through because he is no different than me, actually more dangerous. It's righteously said a rogue always recognises the other rogues. Not to befriend them, but to prove who is more powerful, Charlie thought reminiscing about his little encounter with Alan Rush.

"Charlie! Where are you lost? Why aren't you eating?" Henry pulled him out of his reveries.

"It's nothing. Just something is on my mind," Charlie said.

"What?" Jacob asked.

"Nothing, just some random things," Charlie said and started stuffing food in his mouth.

"Let's go to the Square after classes. I plan to find out who that mysterious person is?" Daniel said.

Everyone nodded and finished their lunch.

***

Don't come to me. Don't approach me. Get lost. I don't want to talk. Talking is just a waste of energy and time. Just go away, Alan thought, putting his head down when Sing came closer to him. He hid his head in the temporary well of his hands.

"E-Excuse me! I am Sing. You are in our team for the art project. We will have a group meeting. Can you give me your phone number?" Sing asked Alan, who was pretending to be asleep.

Go away. Just don't disturb me. I will do the project alone. Why isn't she going away? Ah! How do I reply? What should I say? She is a girl. I must be respectful.

"Excuse me!" Sing tapped on his shoulder.

He jumped up all of a sudden, gathered his stuff. He looked straight into her eyes and said, "I will do the project alone. Don't disturb me from now on." He didn't want to be rude but when he is confused about how to react he generally reacts with an impassive face that makes him look disrespectful. Not that he deliberately did it, it just happened. He walked out of the class.

"Huh? Huh! What the hell was that? He is... Aaah! Fine! Do it alone!" Sing shouted.

Useless! All this is just so useless. I wish I could dig a hole and bury myself in it or a better idea. I wish I had a shell like a snail. I would crawl whenever I wanted and then hide in my shell when people approached me. Alan kept on thinking when he bumped into a typically tagged bad boy.

Ah! That hurts! Blinds! Can't even see and walk, Alan thought massaging his forehead.

"Can't you see and walk?" Henry said.

"Charlie! Are you ok?" Jacob asked.

"This boy! Let me handle him," Daniel walked angrily towards Alan.

Here they go again. Bullying the weak. Huh! I hate such people. Minding everyone else's business except their own, Alan thought.

"Let him go. I am in no mood to fight," Charlie said.

Useless! All this is just useless, Alan didn't say a word and walked outside the college.

"Charlie! Why did you let him go?" Henry asked.

"Was there a reason to beat him up? From when have we become bullies? Remember, I just don't mind until something that's against my value is triggered. Let's go to the Square. I don't want to waste my time on trivial matters and let that boy who sneaked in our area escape." Charlie said and all of them set off to the Bermuda square.

Alan didn't have a painting class that day, so he headed straight to his house.

"Hm. Are you sure you saw someone? It's almost midnight and no one has come," Henry said, lying on an old, discarded sofa that was brought by them in their Square.

"I think it could be a ghost," Daniel said.

"Ghost my foot! I said it was a boy, so it was a boy. I will find out who he was," Charlie snapped.

"Probably, he just came here once and might not come again," Jacob said.

"By the way, how did your parents allow you to stay out?" Charlie asked.

"Well. I said I will have a group study at your house tonight," Henry said.

"Exactly! I said the same thing," Jacob said.

"Me too," Daniel said.

"What! And I said I am going to Henry's house," Charlie was pale as if blood dried in his veins.

"What! My mom is a good friend of your father. What if she calls him?" Henry said.

"I think we should go back before our parents catch us," Jacob suggested.

"What! Why? We aren't doing something wrong. We are just at our secret hiding place. What's wrong with that?" Charlie said.

"Charlie, don't be stubborn. Your father can allow you to go out on your will, but our parents are conservative. Papa will break my legs, if he finds out that I am not studying, instead of waiting for someone whose existence is a question." Daniel said.

"Let's go! Charlie! Go to your house. Come on now! Don't be stubborn..." Henry pushed him out of the square. Just when they reached the exit, the phones of all four of them rang at once.

They looked at each other horrified. Gathering a lot of courage, they looked at who was calling and were astonished to see that each one's father called them.

"Gone now! It's all over. My parents won't even let me meet you guys for ages," Henry said.

"My father will break my legs," Daniel said.

"My father will scold me and no money for a month," Jacob said.

"Huh! What is there to be afraid of just telling them the truth? Tell them you were with me at Bermuda square," Charlie said looking at them, not able to understand why all of them were so worked up.

"Bro. You go. We are not as daring as you. We can't even open our mouths in front of our parents. Guys, I am going. Bye," Daniel hopped on his bike and headed towards his home as soon as possible. Henry and Jacob headed back home as well.

Charlie dared and picked up the call, "Yes."

"Where are you? Come back home you punk! I will block your credit card if you don't come within half an hour," his dad shouted and hung up.

Call ends.

Huh! What a headache! Why does he always block my card? Huh! I hate this man.

Charlie parked his car in the parking area of his house, which was a multistorey building.

The guard at the reception of the house called the main hall of the apartment, "Sir! Young master is back and is heading to his room."

"Ok," his dad hung up.

"Just let him come. His wings have grown too long. I will cut them into pieces," Blake Swift, Charlie's dad, got up from the huge, imported sofa that occupied the entirety of the first floor of the building.