"Theo... Please, speak?" Ophelia pleaded.

I pouted and turned my back to her on the lounge suite.

"Miss, don't waste your time with shrimp, if he wants to sulk like the girly toddler that he is, let him." Shotgun replied from the dining chair that he was sitting on.

Did I forget to mention that he and Bullhead had moved into my backyard while I was still unconscious? Oh did I not? Oh, sorry, seems like with two mafia and my housemate refusing to tell me what had happened to my ex-lover, I don't seem to be able to keep up with my life. There, I said it. I turned back to face Ophelia and glared. The slightly hurt look on her face made me feel guilty. Well, that was her own fault for not telling me the details of Serah's death. And for hiding a secret lover named Jared from me. Though the latter angered me more, it was not her fault. I mean, why did she have to tell me about her lover? Even though I was technically eavesdropping and only awoke yesterday to puke all over the floor, causing Shotgun and Bullhead to glare at me while cleaning up the mess, the least she could do was to tell me this. I thought we were... Were... What was this relationship between me and her? Friends? I doubt I would go so far for any of my friends.

"Theo..." she pulled on my arm.

I dragged it away from her and pouted further.

"Miss, it is time to go, the car is ready." Bullhead declared from the front door.

She hesitated, noticing the even darker look on my face.

"Theo?"

I remained silent, much to the amusement of Shotgun.

"Miss?" Bullhead called again from the door.

"You will be okay, right?" No response. "Shotgun. Take care of him."

"Shrimp can- Of course, Miss. Utmost protection for the child." he changed his sentence mid-way upon noticing her glare.

Throwing one last worried pleading glance at me, she left the house. Shotgun sipped his coffee and sighed, satisfied with the large mug of caffeine.

"There is a limitation to where jealousy ends, ya know, kid." he called from the kitchen.

Jealousy?

"Miss might not realise what the hell is wrong with you, but it is pretty plain evident based on that pout." he went on, chuckling to himself.

I am not jealous and I am not going to speak. I am not jealous and I am not going to speak. I am not jealous and I am not going to-

"Yes you are jealous; jealous as hell. And you should be. Miss and Jared had always had a special relationship since they were in diapers."

I AM NOT JEALOUS AND I AM NOT GOING TO SPEAK. I AM NOT JEALOUS AND I AM NOT GOING TO SPEAK. I AM NOT JEALOUS-

"Why can't you just confess? I am sure Miss would love it," Pause and he sipped his coffee again. "Oh, are you scared of rejection? She might set one of us on you to kill you. I know I would love to, shrimp." he laughed once more.

"You never know what might be happening now, since Miss is going to meet up with Jared. The two-"

She was meeting with him? What? Why doesn't anyone tell me anything anymore? Freaking bastards they all are. Her confession rang in my head once more. Those simple three words. Really. She made it seem so easy to say them, like Hey, I would like that apple. Or, Hey, I would like that drink. Just like that. Easy. So why didn't she say it to me?

Heck.

Heck.

Heck.

Was this jealousy? What, now I, I, the one who was voted hottest guy in high school is acting like a teenage girl? This is ridiculous. I am not going to speak. Never.

"Shut up. Where are they meeting?"

Hey, was that just me or did that sound like my voice? Damn.

The man laughed. Seriously, what was so funny about this? I would punch him, but I think he would kill me.

"Classified information, shrimp. Miss's orders." he placed a finger on his lips.

Damn him. Damn it all. Tricking me into this, huh? Well, two can play at that game, man. Bring it on. I attempted glaring.

"Not working." he said in a sing-song voice.

"Are they lovers?"

Damn, what was it with my mouth and speaking without me actually programming it to? What the hell is wrong with this?

He smiled at me, and mimicked zipping his lips and locking it. With a wink, he threw the key away then proceeded to rinse his cup.

"Come on..." I whined.

Yes, I know that I am now acting like a child, but who can blame me for it?

"Shut up, shrimp, get ready for school."

"I am not going to school until you tell me." I folded my arms and gave him my best intimidating look - which was hard to do since his mien had suddenly turned dark the way only mafia could do - and frowned.

He glared. Quite fearsome it was, given his tall and large build. Rippling muscles, and sharp bright blue eyes in a strong face that most would call handsome. If he wasn't a mafia.

"And then what? You would go chase after Miss and cause her trouble, and in turn, she would kill me. And do I want that? Do I want to die for a shrimp? No. Especially when I am a trained fighter, and a mafia, and am now reduced to babysitting a frigging kid."

He seemed angry enough. Now seemed the time to inch back to my room to change. When I got down the stairs, I caught his silhouette on the porch smoking a cigarette. He turned around and snubbed out the glowing stick, proceeding indoors to grumble at me to go to the car and wait for a minute.

"I can make my way to school-"

"Miss' orders." he grumbled, turning to walk up the stairs.

Miss' orders. Miss' orders. Everything revolved around her orders.

Well, at least it was a cool car. I climbed in and sighed in happiness. Now this... was Heaven. Black and sleek, the engine purred satisfyingly under my maneuver. Wonderful. I stroked the steering wheel, admiring the cool touch and the leather seat that I was seated at. Amazing. A rap on the window and the glaring face of Shotgun peered down at me. Shifting to the passenger seat, he clambered in and slammed the door shut.

"Don't touch anything, and you might just arrive unscathed." he threatened.

"Won't it defy your Miss's orders?" I taunted.

He glared at the unfortunate elderly that was crossing the street. Got him, I smiled. The drive to school continued that way. He honked at random pedestrians, shouted profanities out the window and flipped them the finger occasionally. Well, wasn't someone in a bad mood. His phone rang and he glared at me as though I was at fault. Flipping the phone open, he trained his eyes to the front.

"Y'ello." he growled.

Silence and he glanced at me briefly, the look soften somewhat and I could just about guess who it was. Do not ask for me. Do not ask for me. Do not ask for me.

And yet, a small part of me seemed to yearn to get her attention and hear her voice by my ear.

"Yes, in the car to school, Miss."

Shotgun sighed and waved the phone in my face. I didn't know whether to be happy or annoyed.

"Miss is asking for you."

I shook my head. Take it, you idiot. No, ignore her and her call. Take it. Ignore it. Take it.

WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH ME?!

"Listen to it."

I shook my head once more.

"Listen or I shall force it down your ear." Shotgun threatened.

Okay, okay. Lighten up, man. Geez. I took the phone and placed it by my ear. At least he made the choice for me, one part of me is now happy. Geez.

"-told you many times not to threaten him. Shotgun, you-" she paused and I briefly heard a deep voice speak next to her. It must have been close as I could make out a few words.

Jared. I clenched my jaw and that did not slip by unnoticed by Shotgun who laughed, amused.

"Jealous?" he mouthed.

I flipped him the finger and told him to keep his eyes on the road.

"Theo? Is that you?" she asked.

"Theo, please, listen."

I sighed, mumbling to speak fast and then scram, there was static, and I wondered briefly where they were. Must be secluded. Much to his liking, huh, that bastard. Damn him, if he dares to touch her, I would-

"Sorry, I know that you want me to explain Serah's death. But you had just woken up yesterday, and I did not want you to faint again. You understand, right?" she asked.

I hated myself for thinking that her voice was soothing. I was going to forgive her, but a deep chuckling was heard next to her.

"Faint? This is your beloved Theo we are talking about here? A boy?" the voice asked.

"Shut up, Jared." she mocked. "Sorry, that was Jared."

I waited for her to introduce him further, as to tell of their relation with each other. Silence and she called my name again. Really, one could never tire of her speaking one's name.

"Who is he?"

"Jared?" she repeated.

"Yes, who is he of yours?" I braved to ask.

Static was replaced with words, though her voice slipped through it occasionally. How coincidental, one would say.

"Finally asking, lover boy?" Shotgun mouthed from the driver's seat.

"Sorry?" I asked after mumbling a profanity at the man.

"Uh... Did you not catch me then?" she asked.

Was it just me or was she avoiding my question. Guess that bastard thought so too as he said something briefly in a gruff voice to which she denied profusely to.

"Ophelia, it is either this, or Serah." I urged.

"This is putting me on the spot, Theo."

I could almost see her combing her fringe to the back. Classic nervous move.

"Yes, I know. You forced your minions into my house."

"The backyard is not inside your house."

"Part of it though."

"Theo-"

"Stop saying my name!"

"Fine. Fine. Hell. Maybe you are a shrimp." she sighed, then mumbled something quickly at the end.

"Pardon?"

She mumbled again, twice the speed as before. What was this now? A competition to try to speak of your relations with a guy faster? Heck.

"Ophe-"

"Fiance."

Fiance. The look on my face must have matched the one when they told me about Serah's death, because even Shotput stretched a hand towards my forehead.

"You okay, shrimp?" he asked, parking the car by the sidewalk to glance at me.

I nodded.

"Theo? Are you alright, do you-" She must have had heard our conversation. She must think me so weak now. So much for my talk to protect her and all. There was now static.

"Hello? This must be the Theodore that my fiancee seems to be lodging with," a deep voice replaced her worried ones. I could hear her shouting for him to pass the phone back to her. I supposed that he was standing on a ground higher than hers. Or... Have her pinned down. No. No. No. The first one. Stick to the first one.

"Yes," I hoped my voice did not come out as squeaky as I had imagined.

He chuckled, signalling that it most likely did.

"I see. Well, truth to be known, I am not very happy with the arrangement either," Who shared the same views as you, jerk? "And I would love for my sweetheart to stay with me," his voice oozed confidence and danger that were like drugs to women, no wonder Ophelia wanted him. "But I live too dangerous a life for my dearest to stay with me."

What did he mean by that? Dangerous? Right. He must say this to all the partners he had ever had. Dangerous. Ha ha. My pulse quickened despite the previous talk. This was undoubtedly a test of strength.

"Jared! Pass it back!" Ophelia shouted.

"And so, I want to take this opportunity to thank you for taking such wonderful care of my lovely fiancee. Thank you, Theodore. I hope to meet you someday."

That signaled the end of the competition. Hundred-nil. A shiver went down my back.

The blood in my body had ran cold when he said my name. It was like a snake had just bit me. I mean, I don't know how it would feel, but I would liken it to this feeling. You know? Paralysed, pulse so fast it had to be about to jump out of my chest. I could briefly hear Shotgun shaking me and calling my name - if you call my name shrimp, anyway - and I knew that I was about to faint again. I do hope that I am anemic... At least I have a reason for fainting so much, like those girly cartoons where they swoon for the prince or the knight. Idiots. I used to enjoy laughing at them when younger. Now I guess they are just laughing at me now.

"Jared!"

Another static and Ophelia's voice was all I heard before I slunk back to darkness. So much for being confident and powerful to show my worthiness of her. Because, you know, cool guys faint twice a week.