Julia had heard everything that took place between Sylvian and Akiel behind the staircase when she stood at the classroom door thinking about it all and thinking Sylvian had every right to be upset at Akiel. He was not the sort of person to meddle in others' lives or spread rumors about others' lives, he was too shy of a person to do that anyway.
By the next few classes, Akiel had been skipping out spending time in the nurse's office while his lips kept bleeding from the punch from Sylvian. When he finally walked out to where Julia was waiting, she stood with her arms crossed and one eyebrow raised.
Akiel blinked, chuckled, and smirked, "Yeah, I think it split open a little. But don't worry, I'll just say I... I don't know... bit my lip while eating or something..."
Julia expressed disapproval, "Are you seriously considering it okay to threaten to out someone's secret? You're being an absolute dickhead. Sylvian was not the one spreading the rumors- you know he was not. What is your problem, Akiel? Is he your next conquest?"
Akiel rolled his eyes and gave her a little shove on her shoulder. "Don't be this way, I'm having a good time. That guy has some nerve; I can't help but hit him every time I see his face... he's just... different. A different type of person from the rest of the different types of people I've met. And unfortunately for him, he's got me now. I've got his little secret, which means he has to do whatever I say. How fun is that?"
Julia said, "Fun? Akiel, you've been doing this since elementary school. Isn't that a bit tiring? If you want the truth, I'll help you find out who leaked it, but only because I know it's not Sylvian."
Akiel tilted his head with that stupid smirk. "Fine. If it was him, you have to lie to my parents and say I'm at a sleepover. If it wasn't... I'll pay you. Deal?"
Julia clenched her fists. She wanted to throw him in the garbage, but she just sighed again. "Forget your deals. I will find out the truth, but if you continue to mess with him, I will seriously tell your nanny."
Akiel gave a dry laugh. "My nanny? Really? What is she, some ghost haunting me into behaving?"
At noon Sylvian sat alone with no desire to eat. No desire for anything, for that matter. He merely rolled his pencil case back and forth on the desk in front of him. His stomach had vanished; his patience had likewise collapsed. Julia returned and knocked her hands on his desk, startling him.
"So. Did you spread the rumors, or not."
Sylvian looked up at her and gave her a glare hard enough to cut her. "I didn't. Leave me alone."
Julia looked at him, appraising him. "Hmm. Okay. Akiel is pretty convinced it was you since you were the only one in the changing room during gym, but like I said, he's also got just about every girl in the school stalking him at one point or another, and one of them, or even more than one of them, could have easily overheard the rumor and spread it. At least so far, we have pretty much no evidence." She was tapping her notebook and writing something down. "I'll need to enlist your help after schools today. You good?"
Frustrated, Sylvian almost declined but the concept of justice-and the prospect of keeping his secret safe-was too good to resist. "Fine. I'm free."
Julia's eyes widened, "Geez, that was easy. You never agree that quickly." She made note to her notebook, 1st point- Sylvian didn't do it. This was all very amusing to watch like seeing someone solving a murder case, it would be, except things were a little too grim.
Then she realized that he hadn't eaten his lunch at all. "Are you not going to eat?" Julia said with a hint of disapproval.
Sylvian shook his head.
"Listen," she said definitively. "I am going to figure this out. Stop starving yourself over something so stupid! Eat something, or I will shove four bites down your throat."
He stared at her in surprise and continued to eat nonetheless.
After a while, Julia was wrapping up after talking with a few students. "Okay... we've got quite a few legitimate clues for the hits. I can't come after school - family dinner - but in a couple of days I will be available again."
Sylvian nodded, relieved that there was someone eavesdropping on his silly conversation. "That's fine. Good. I understand."
--
After school was over, Sylvian put back a few books that he didn't need in his locker before walking home, and that's when he seen the very last person that he DIDN'T want to see again. Akiel.
With his tousled blond hair that glinted with green eyes, he leaned against the wall and smiled at Sylvian as he walked past. "You can keep pretending you're strong, just remember, I hold your secret in my hand. I can destroy you whenever I want."
"Whatever you think you have, you just use it to manipulate me," Sylvian said with eyes aspect sharp as the gold structure. "If it turns out that I am not the one who started the rumors, I will beat you to a bloody pulp. Don't doubt me."
Akiel laughed a real laugh this time. "Oh, how bittersweet you are when seeing me for the first time. But look at you, all fired up. Angry, you hurt your feelings, and honestly... kind of cute. You make me want to fuel the flames!"
Sylvian groaned and rolled away, not wanting to cheat him any longer. Akiel still clung on, wanting Sylvian to at least look back, but after he realized that he wouldn't, even Akiel felt a little embarrassed.
They parted ways—Sylvian took the bus, having to take public transport because his aunt and the nanny left to get his parents at the airport, and Akiel got into his shiny new black sports car. Two worlds apart, two life experiences apart, but together on the same risky timeline.