The Incubus System Chapter 139. Are You Still Doubting Me?
Ethan's PoV
8:56 AM
A breath escaped from my mouth as I stepped my feet down Diamond College's corridor in casual steps. My eyes swept across the students who were standing and chatting around me. I decided to spend my time in the library, waiting for my class to start. Actually, I didn't plan to go to the college this early, but I had no other choice since Ruby suddenly came.
'I wonder if she'll follow me again tomorrow,' I thought. To be honest, I was quite surprised by Ruby's persistence. At first, I thought she would leave me after she got bored, but it looked like she was planning to follow me to the College.
'I don't know what would happen if she followed me here,' I thought again. There were Olivia, Emma and Diamond here, who knew what Ruby would do if she found out about them.
My hand opened the library door, my foot stepped to enter and went straight to the bookshelves to pick a book. After I got it, my feet walked towards the reading area, my eyes swept over the room to find an empty seat. A second later, I stopped as my eyes caught Olivia and Emma who were sitting next to each other. An open laptop in front of them. They spoke in a low voice in serious expressions. Occasionally Olivia's hands moved to type on the keyboard.
'Isn't their class still 2 hours away?' I remembered we had the same schedule today. Besides, I rarely found Emma and Olivia coming to College this early.
'Or ... Did Emma decide to ask about Olivia' s family?' I guessed.
Noticing someone watching them, Emma peeked over the laptop at me. As soon as she realized it was me, she waved her hand to call me. Meanwhile, Olivia looked panicked and nervous when she realized it. Her hand tugged at Emma's as she told her something in objection. But Emma calmed her down.
I walked over to them.
"Morning, Ethan." Emma greeted me with a smile. While Olivia slightly lowered her head to cover her blushing face.
"Morning," I smiled in response. My eyes quickly fixed on the laptop screen in front of me since I studied the same thing as what was written there. Apart from that, I also noticed some mistakes in it.
"Are you guys also learning this topic?" I asked.
Emma turned to Olivia.
"See? I told you he learned about this."
Olivia glanced at me in embarrassment.
"That's not the problem ..."
I shifted my gaze at Emma and Olivia alternately.
"Are you studying a different topic? Aren't you in the same class?" I asked in confusion. They should have learned the same thing.
"Our professor allowed us to choose different topics for this assignment and I think you understand more about this than us," explained Emma.
I turned to Olivia since I guessed she was struggling to finish this assignment.
"Let me help you," I offered my help without hesitation. From the date of the assignment, she should submit it today. I knew it must be difficult for her to concentrate with her home current state.
"You don't ---" Olivia was about to reject me but Emma got up from her chair and gave it to me.
"Olivia, accepting someone's help is not a bad thing. Let him help you," said Emma in worries as she gave a soft tap on Olivia's shoulder. Then she turned to me.
"I'll take another seat."
I answered her with a nod and sat down on her chair.
After Emma left, my eyes fixed on the laptop screen. My hands moved over the keyboard to correct some mistakes there. Occasionally, my finger moved on the mouse pad.
"Are you still doubting me? Even after what we did two days ago," I asked straight to the point. I realized my impudence to do this without her consent. But I knew she had been through a lot in just two days since I could see her drastic change in less than a minute. She looked unfocused and her face looked tired, her eyes that used to look fierce, looked more wistful today, like a jewel that lost its lustre.
Olivia grabbed my wrist, stopped my movement and made me turn to her.
"It's not that I don't trust you. It's just ... depending on someone is not my character." Her eyes looked at me with a serious look.
"Pretending to be strong is not a way out." I also looked at her with the same gaze.
"And letting someone to help you doesn't mean you are weak," I added.
Olivia was silent for a while before lowering her head and releasing my hand slowly.
"Did something happen? You look pale today," I asked in worries.
Olivia just opened her mouth but she pressed her lips again.
"Nothing ..." she replied soberly. But despite her answer, her eyes looked sad.
My eyes looked at her deeply.
"I know you aren't okay and I wanted you to tell me but I respect your privacy and decisions. But at least let me ease your burden." Forcing her to tell me would only make things worse. Besides, I already knew why she didn't want to tell me.
Olivia looked at me and smiled.
"Thank you."
"How can I help you?" I felt calmer after seeing her smile.
She took an open book nearby and showed it to me.
"Can you teach me about this?" Then we started working on her task.
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An hour had passed, the library was getting crowded. Since Emma ended up taking an interest in this topic as well, after I helped Olivia complete her assignment, I taught it to both of them. My position was in the middle of them, while their bodies were very close to mine since the laptop was in front of me. Occasionally, they leaned closer to type something on the keyboard. Of course, it made our 'small group' attract other people's attention and made the other boys jealous. Some started whispering and smiling at me, while others ... gave me a murderous gaze.
"Is there anything you want to ask?" I asked in a calm tone, my gaze shifting to Emma and Olivia who were sitting on my sides as I endured the heat on my back due to the other boys' ferocious stares. I wondered if their eyes could shoot a laser beam or something.
'Hah... Great! More enemies...' I could hear some people's whispering voices behind me and I could already guess what weird gossip they were talking about. Luckily, Diamond didn't mind that I had another partner besides her, just like Pearl.
"I think that's enough. Thanks for explaining it to us," Emma said politely.
While Olivia's face looked brighter.
"You sure know a lot about this. You know, your 'beloved' friend should have learned a lot from you." I knew what she meant was Larry.
While Emma covered her mouth with her hand to prevent her giggles from escaping her mouth. She didn't deny it because she thought the same as Olivia.
I tried to defend Larry since I remembered what had just happened yesterday.
"Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. I'm sure Larry--" Before I finished my sentence, a hard tap landed on my shoulder.
"Yahooo!" Larry's excited voice came from behind me. His voice startled the entire library.
I turned around in reflex and saw Larry standing with a happy face.
"Oh! As I thought! You're the only one who dared to sit between the princess and the crazy body ---" He paused as he realized Olivia was looking at him with a death glare, while Emma staring at him with displeasure.
"I mean, our strongest female martial artist." He grinned innocently.
As he rambled on, I already found out why he looked happy today from the status above his head.
[Name: Larry Grandroar]
[Level 12]
[HP: 258/258]
[MP: 101/101]
'Ah! He's just levelled up. '
"Ethan, that's why I said he should have learned a lot from you," Olivia said in a cynical tone without taking her death stare away from Larry.
Larry smirked in confidence.
"What do you mean? Of course I have learned a lot from him. If not, do you think I can complete my final assignment alone? Wahahaha!" Despite his words, he said it pridefully.
I cringed and facepalmed myself after hearing his words.
'Seriously? How can he tell everyone about his incompetence without shame? '
"Ehem!" Another man's voice came from our side.
We turned to where the voice came and a librarian was already standing with a murderous gaze. Likewise with the people around us who stared at us with the same gaze since we were too noisy.
I was just about to apologize.
"I'm so ---" But the librarian interrupted me.
"If you guys can't keep your voice down. Get out!" he snapped.