Volume 1: The Story Of Their Life

Chapter 2: A Little Too Often...

Gasping for breath, we struggled through the throng of onlookers, smartphones capturing the fight from every conceivable angle. The atmosphere was eerily familiar, a sense of déjà vu lingering in the air.

A hushed exclamation escaped my lips as Dheeran's piercing gaze briefly met with mine, his grip unyielding on Aiden, who seemed strangely passive. "Not again," I muttered, my voice barely audible. Stepping closer, I implored, "Let him go, Dhee, enough."

The two locked eyes for a brief moment before Dheeran slowly released his hold and laid down, exhaling deeply. The other dude dusted off his shoulder and walked out of the arena as if nothing had happened, leaving the flustered crowd in his wake.

With the situation settling down and the students gradually scattering, a familiar face emerged from the crowd, casually rolling up his sleeves, adding a touch of nonchalance to the charged atmosphere.

"That's right Xen. Show up when everything is over." Scarlett remarked. A smirk played on his lips. Turning around, he let out a piercing whistle that grabbed the attention of everyone in the arena.

"Bet you can't do that." A familiar voice whispered from behind us.

Scarlett sighed, instantly recognizing the voice. "There you are." She replied, tugging her 6-minute older brother by his neck. "What the heck were you doing?"

The other redhead slipped away with a casual ease, fixing his hair as he replied, "Watching."

Meanwhile, in the midst of the chaos, Xen took charge, giving a heads up to the JD players who had filmed the brawl. The SD players were the least of our concerns; after all, we were a seasoned team, bound by years of trust, unlike with the newcomers.

"Listen up, folks. Whatever went down here... stays right here," he announced, locking eyes with a guy to our left who quickly lowered his phone under Xen's intimidating gaze. "Is that clear?" The JD players nodded in unison as a silent pact forged. No one dared to rebel him, or any of us for that matter. It wasn't out of fear, but rather respect, and the trust that we would have a reason for everything we do.

Now that all of them are in the picture, let me tell you about my rather famous clique.

Let's start with Dheeran Sena, the eighteen-year-old heartthrob of Sanbrix Academy. I know it's a bit much, but it's true. His endearing presence, captivating personality and charisma have made him the darling of the academy, not to mention that he's the heir to Sena Industries, a global industrial giant.

Our paths crossed through a family connection back when I was seven, after Hendrix Industries, owned by the paternal side of my family, formed a partnership with his company. We've been close friends ever since. Sure, we've had our fair share of ups and downs, but when it comes down to it, he's the anchor I can always rely on... no matter what.

Next, we have Xen Takeshi; one of the best things I got out of my friendship with Dheeran. Mr. Shiro has been the secretary of the Sena family for over a decade resulting in Dhee and Xen sharing much of their childhood. Xen is sincere, trustworthy, and always has our back through thick and thin. Aside that, he has a stellar reputation among SASS students for his inadvertent charm.

And then there are the Tarian twins, whom I was introduced to eight years back during a social event for Ziva Hospitals' faculty members, managed by my maternal side. We sorta hit it off, and they eventually became part of the SASS family, joining as scholarship students upon our recommendation, like Xen.

Exuding warmth and support, Scar always steers us toward what's best. As an athlete, she graces the school HB team alongside drawing a crowd of admirers. She also happens to be my PIC when it comes to cleaning up after the boys and their mess in contrast to her brother who is often the main reason behind it all. It's uncanny how those two are alike and yet so different at the same time. Ro, on the other hand, is our mood lifter. Super smart, intellectually and looks wise, and has some serious swag. I'm not kidding when I tell you that his witty and sarcastic one-liners have garnered him a dedicated fanbase.

Lastly, there's yours truly. I've got a bunch of great qualities, but I'll spare you the self-promotion and let you unravel it all as the story unfolds.

Anyways, while this was happening on one side, Dhee rose to his feet, walking up to an adjacent bag. He extracted a water bottle from one of its compartments and passed it to a guy on the side. (I don't really know his name so let's just go with Jack.) It seemed pretty random at first until realization dawned on us slowly after we noticed the blood trickle from the corner of Jack's lips, a sight that stirred a twinge of concern.

Simultaneously, Dheeran pulled one of his hands back, reaching for the broken phone on the ground. His bold eyebrows arched for a fraction of a moment in reaction to something on the tiny screen. I had no idea what he saw but I didn't give much thought to it 'cause at that moment, I had other concerns...

You see, it wasn't the first instance that involved Dheeran head locking someone to the ground, and the last time it happened, things didn't end very well.

So basically, around three weeks ago, Dheeran found himself in a heated altercation with an elite student named Skylar, sparked by the latter's abrupt disregard to Xen, in our school cafeteria.

Now, I personally can't claim to know Skylar but I do know that he is not the type who randomly insults people. He's usually a pretty chill guy. Besides, Xen never really had any bad blood with him. As a matter of fact, those four, including Dheeran and Rowan, were pals. However, things changed after Skylar's dad's unexpected passing. He distanced himself, clearly going through a tough time, and the boys respected his need for space.

The short break they intended, however, lasted longer than they expected. The friendship began sinking gradually and the cafeteria incident was the final crack that made it drown.

The news of a clash between the heirs of two prominent companies broke the internet, casting an unwelcome spotlight on our school. SASS found itself embroiled in controversies, and the disciplinary committee had to step in. The four main figures, including Xen and Rowan for some reason, were handed two months of community service, with a proviso of expulsion for any repeat offenses. And after all that, here we are—once again.