"Haha... I'm burned out for today," Cameroon said while resting his head on the wall outside the classroom. Monday was pure hell for him, Science and Math being the subjects of the day? Call it being unlucky. "Why do I even have to find the x of math when it's literally their problem in the first place" Cameroon continued ranting like a child.
Finally, it was time for the students to rest and go home, and the friend group was once again reunited and getting ready to go home together. Royce, on the other hand, would probably go home on his own since he most likely lives in a different neighbourhood from them.
"How do you guys even keep up with those types of lessons, not to mention, every single day?" Royce asked them. They looked at him in response.
"Good question! And the answer to that question is—I don't! I'm about to go insane any time now, " Cameroon said sarcastically with a worrisome answer, not to mention the tears that were about to come out any second from his eyes. "Oh how I wished I was reincarnated as a tree so I don't have to worry about anything!" he added.
"Stop scaring him, Cameroon." Richard hissed to Cameroon, as he turned to Royce to answer his question with something better than a sarcastic joke. "Well, Royce, you get used to it—the school has a different system from other schools in the country but it's quite better if you don't stress yourself much, and as you can see, Cameroon is a bad example of that. The best way to memorise the lesson is by understanding it, a great tip that I got from my parents!" He told him with a smile that seemed to never leave his face.
"You're really good at handling things, not going to lie," Royce praised Richard.
"Just find and find ways until one works. I mean, that's how I do it. You'd be surprised when you find out that multiple students here have more unique ways to study. Ask Johannes; he roleplays as a teacher to his stuffed toys—" Richard was cut off by a small grunt, Johannes doing when he stepped on his foot.
Johannes nervously laughed, timidly looking at Royce, "You heard nothing, Richard here is being such a liar, no?" His face chose right about there to turn crimson red with embarrassment.
Jonathan, who was there the whole time, hiding behind Richard, decided to barge in by poking Richard from behind, trying to get his attention.
Richard finally remembered why they were there, "Ah right! Cameroon texted us two saying we should all go get ice cream after school, Jonathan was pretty excited about it when he saw the message. Let's go get some already!" He tried to get his foot off Johannes' heels, though it was rather pointy honestly.
Jonathan's head perked up when Richard got the message, oh how he craved ice cream at the moment.
Johannes put on his backpack which looked heavy, it seemed to be filled with books that he needed to bring home for tutoring.
"Do you need help with carrying those? I have more space in my bag." Royce offered to help Johannes as he took off his bag.
Johannes nodded, he didn't want the help of other people but the weight in his back is too heavy for him to carry.
Johannes took off his backpack and opened it to reveal atleast 4 books of different topics, all needed for the tutoring.
Johannes removed 2 books and handed them to Royce that grabbed them and put the books in his bag. Two books was already heavy enough, was Johannes' back okay?
When the two finished they both got up and put on their backpacks. Johannes thanked Royce in return.
~~~
"I think I'll go with chocolate instead," Richard said
"Really? Alright, Richard, go ahead and be bland. I'm taking something interesting—Cotton candy with marshmallow toppings." Cameroon ordered
Cameroon turned to Royce. "What about you, Royce?" he asked Royce that flinched suddenly.
"Er, I don't really know. Actually, I think I'm fine. I don't want to use any money, anyways. Not hungry, either." Royce responded
"I can pay for you," Johannes spoke up. He shrunk, turning maroon this time. "..if you um, want to get anything that is."
Truth was, Royce was starving.. He and his sister were getting less and less food by the night, even with their plan of saving. While his sister was getting older, and eating much more.
"I'm fine," he said instead, ignoring the fact that he was starving. He wasn't used to other people paying for him, since years have passed by since the death of his aunt; the last person that could ever take care of him.
"Are you sure, Royce?" Richard asked.
"Yeah, hurry up. The line's short and I see a big group nearing the entrance," Cameroon yipped.
"I uh.." Royce looked at the menu, skimming for the cheapest ice cream. "Actually, I think I want something... Vanilla," he finished, quietly.
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"Alright," Richard responded. "Just plain vanilla?"
"Yeah—yes please." It was embarrassing for Royce but the guys didn't seem to care.
"Jonathan? Johannes?" Cameroon asked the two brothers.
Jonathan, on Richard's side, smiled as he whispered his order to Richard. Jonathan isn't that used to talking out loud, as he usually whispers things to Richard since he never minds.
"Jonathan wants a red velvet in a large cup, small marshmallows, sprinkles and a cherry on top" Richard repeated Jonathan's order.
"Goddamit, I thought I could finally hear Jonathan speak," Cameroon muttered under his breath.
Cameroon sighed, "How about you, Johannes?" Cameroon asked Johannes
"I'll have your mango special in an extra large cup, crumbled brownies and shredded chocolate flakes. Add three fudge sticks too," Johannes said as he walked to the female cashier.
"Also, I'll pay for everything too," Johannes said as he took out a black card and handed it to the cashier.
"Geez, here's Johannes again, always showing off his money again. The Brahms family is really something else." Cameroon joked.
The cashier swiped the card and gave it back to Johannes, "It's only a few pounds, dumbass," Johannes responded, craning his head, probably only to flash a grin at Cameroon.
"You may claim your orders on the next counter," the cashier said as the friend group nodded and went to the next counter where a male worker was found, scooping out the ice cream they ordered.
"Order #2037," The worker said as he gave the chocolate ice cream to Richard, who said 'thank you' in response.
"Stay safe!" The worker said to Richard with a smile.
"#2038, #2039," Jonathan and Cameroon both walked up to the counter and got their large orders.
"#2040, #2041" The worker continued giving out the orders. Johannes and Royce both went to the counter and got their orders. When Royce accidentally grabbed Johannes', and Johannes had grabbed his, he dared to turn another shade of red.
Johannes did the same, turning a flustered pink, blush shimmering by. "Sorry." he apologized.
Royce handed his ice cream back. "Do you um..do you want help carrying yours?" Johannes asked him, eyeing his notebook in his hand and his phone, having no where to put them with a full bag and no pockets. "Er—I'm fine. Thank you," he forced out in response, though his hands were aching and back was hurting. "Okay," Johannes said. He smiled at him while they walked out.
~~~
The friend group went outside the ice cream shop, each of them having their own ice cream. Thank god no one saw, and luckily the two former friends decided to trash it, though Royce was still confused about Johannes' change of tone and mood compared to at school.
Suddenly, Johannes' phone started ringing. Johannes took out his phone and looked at the caller ID.
"Hold on, Mr Colton is calling me." Johannes hushed the group and then answered the call.
"Good afternoon, Johannes! Did you receive my message? I would like for you to take care of my sons, if that's okay with you? Me and your father have to do some business. Your father already left, but I'll be waiting for you and Jonathan here at your house!" The other line said, the tone of the caller was rather joyful; Johannes could only smile in response, Mr Colton is really kind towards him and Jonathan, but he was nice to everyone generally.
"Hey, Jonathan. Let's go home, Uncle is waiting for us."
"Oh and, Royce, follow us." Johannes added.
"See you guys later, we'll have to go now." Johannes waved goodbye as the two followed him.
"Will your dad be okay if there's another person in his home?" Royce asked Johannes.
"I already informed father through text, and as expected, he left me on read so it's fine I guess." Johannes replied.
"Oh, alright," was what Royce could respond with.
The walk was rather awkward, the three were dead silent since they had nothing to talk about, and it didn't help that, one, Jonathan was naturally silent, and two, Johannes and Royce had their 'moment.'
"What're your parents like?" Johannes asked Royce. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to," he quickly added.
"You already know that they died when I was young, but I can tell you something about them." He smiled, remembering his mother's strict, yet still sweet voice, and his loving father..
"My dad was an animal lover and rather soft, my mom would spoil him with new pets every year. Mom on the other hand was always serious and had that stern look. Mom came from a rich family, they didn't own a business, but rather, she came from a family of scientists. Little did they know, that career path got mom killed in the process," Royce shared. Honestly, the burden in his heart has been getting heavier, but it was nice he could talk about something in his family.
"You must've loved them, huh...," Johannes mumbled.
"How about you? Your family was titled 'Perfect' based on what social media saw, right?" Royce questioned Johannes.
Royce noticed that Jonathan started putting on earbuds. Did he not want to hear what Johannes would say about their parents?
Right... Cameroon mentioned that The Brahms Family is nothing close to "perfect" by what social media has mentioned. Royce thought that Johannes wouldn't talk about his parents, but boy, was he wrong.
"Mother... Just like what everyone thinks, thought that my father was kind and perfect. She fell in love the second she met father in person, mother was the type of person that falls easily for someone else. Father on the other hand is..." Johannes didn't know if he wanted to continue any further, as he breathed in and exhaled.
"...A manipulator, he was good with pulling the strings of his target. He's the puppeteer of the family, he wants everything to be perfect. Even my grandfather warned me about him, that could only mean he was like that ever since he was young; a perfectionist, attention-seeker, and always starving for money and power. My father grew up in an average life, but that's until he suddenly wanted to be "perfect" out of nowhere. Honestly, being the 'perfect child' was my role in this life to survive. All I have to do is act it out." Johannes said, without thinking, he had just revealed everything.
Johannes widened his eyes after realising what he just said, he just revealed everything! What if Royce says it to the media after!?
"If you're thinking about me revealing your secrets, I don't post on social media at all. I'm too busy working most of the day." Royce assured which made Johannes sigh in relief.
"About your parents, I have no word. If your grandfather even warned you about his own son, something is really wrong with your father." Royce commented.
"Yeah, you're right... there's nothing I can do about it anyway," he sighed.
"Oh we're here! That's my house over there," Johannes chimed, as he pointed at a big white mansion with a black car waiting outside along with a man around the age of 30 on his phone.
"Holy sweet mother of god. That's your HOUSE!?"
Royce was too stunned to speak, with his life being not even a quarter of the mansion. He knew they were rich, but this was beyond limits. Big gold-coloured gates and perfectly trimmed bushes shaped as animals. Fountains with neatly cut grass surrounding them, and it was crazy how different the other houses looked compared to theirs. The other mansions were little ants compared to what looked like Johannes' and Jonathans' four story millionaire place.
"..Yeah," Johannes responded.