When Cynthia arrived, she noticed it too. Why I was just alone in my own computer, while Sarah and Gino were inside their own bubble.
"Hi... I'm here to finalize my membership." She said with the same gentle voice.
I looked up from my screen and smiled. Leaving my station and walked over to Cynthia.
"You're here quite later than expected." I put and arm around her back, gently leading her inside.
"My last class ends at 4:30, so...I came in a rush when you said club activities ends up at 6 pm."
"All good. You're already here." I gestured for her to sit on the chair across mine and handed her a form from my drawer.
Cynthia looked to Sarah and Gino's side, seeing them suddenly turned silent when she arrived.
"Is something wrong? Am I unwelcomed?" She said. Quite enough for them to hear it.
"Not at all. You're imagining things. It's even better for you to be here till we're sure you're....not expecting anything."
I made sure Gino heard it. And he did.
He looked at me like he was done. Totally done with me.
Gino stood up with such force that the chair scraped way too hard on the floor, and went my way, grabbing me by the collar.
"What's your problem?!" He growled, his face was inches from mine.
"You. What's your problem? Did I say anything wrong?" I retorted with the same intensity as his.
The girls flinched and the first one to move was Cynthia, gripping my shirt from the back.
"Hey stop that. What's wrong with you two?" Cynthia said, nudging me.
Sarah moved and grabbed Gino's hand that's on my collar, trying to make him let go.
"Gino let go of Anthony." She said, pulling his hand away from me.
But I just let out a dry laugh.
"Gino...was my words hitting a wound? Too sensitive."
"No. You're insensitive. It's not like you didn't know what exactly happened. You kept repeating it like you wanted to prove a point!"
"I'm just stating facts. If Cynthia's pregnant with your child, what happens then? She'll stop attending classes till she gives birth. That's her future. Her studies will be delayed. You know that." I sounded like I'm defending Cynthia.
"This matter has been settled. You're acting petty. Or you're just too jealous because you weren't able to fuck a girl!" Gino burst it out without holding back.
It made me pause then growled at him as I pushed him away from me.
He staggered a bit then recovered landing a punch on my face. And I wasn't one to back down.
Mythical creatures were one thing but humans? I fight back.
I stood up and with all my might ready to punch him in the face. But...
[HOST. YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO HURT HUMANS. YOUR CURRENT STRENGTH SURPASSES AVERAGE HUMAN STRENGTH]
Yawaaa! Tang ina! Gino's able to hit me but I couldn't strike back.
I paused mid punch and slammed it on my desk, causing it to break.
Woah.
Well.... that's.... that's something I didn't know would happen.
Thank God the system stopped me..
Everyone was startled by my display of strength that made Gino instinctively rub his cheek.
"Puta, if that punch hit me, I'm dead." He said, still in disbelief.
"Guys, you two should talk it out." Cynthia held my hand that was now bleeding and looked around. "Where's your first aide kit?"
Sarah pointed on the mounted medical supply storage, and Cynthia hurried to it and grabbed the med kit.
She made me sit back in my chair, while she tended to my wounds. And I was so out of it..
I just let Cynthia do what she wants. Blowing on my wound as she applied antiseptic. Then put a gauze around it.
Gino pulled a chair and placed it across me and seated there observing my expression.
He sighed when he saw my face bruised by the punch he did.
"You're lucky, I have self control." I lied. It wasn't me. But the system stopped me.
I took a deep breath, glaring back at Gino, but Cynthia's grip on my face was shockingly firm.
"Stay still. I need to put an ice pack on your swelling cheek."
That when my gaze shifted. She was super duper close.
Her face was inches from mine, as she guided my head towards her. So that she could tend to my bruised face with more access.
Cynthia's shirt was a v-neck that I could see part of her cleavage and bra at the opening.
I looked away. Because it was the right thing to do so.
Cynthia noticed it. Not just her but Gino and Sarah too.
The unexpected temptation was there but I chose to look away.
Cynthia cleared her throat and finished up tending to my cheek.
"All done. Now let's finish my membership and we could have that talk. We need that. Don't you think?" She sat back in the chair and cleared up my desk with all the cotton she used up.
I just nodded and spun my chair towards my desk, preparing Cynthia a pen to use.
"Just fill this one up and you're officially part of the club."
Cynthia took the form and started working on it, while Gino stayed just right next to me.
Still staring.
Still don't have the slightest intentions of giving me space.
"What?" I asked without looking at him.
"Talk." Gino answered immediately.
"About what?"
"About this whole damn shit. Why are you like this?"
I looked at Gino, finally meeting his gaze and sighed.
"Nothing much. I'm annoyed at you." I said truthfully.
Gino smirked, like he was expecting it already.
"I think so too. Why? Is it because of what happened between me and Cynthia? I swear dude, I like Sarah. What happened with Cynthia... You know exactly what."
Cynthia stopped her scribbling like, she was offended by it. Like her existence was merely a stepping stone to his love life.
"I know. And it's not that." I grunted, I felt like an idiot.
"Then what?" Gino kept pushing it out of me.
Like he wanted to get to the bottom of this. Which agitated me more.
"I like Sarah too."
There. I said it and all three of them stopped at the same time.