Chapter 5 Not Afraid of Trouble

Fox and Peterson arrived at the school gate and immediately saw a crowd gathered around. Jenny and Rocco were surrounded by a group of tall boys. “It’s the basketball team. This should be interesting,” Peterson said with a smile. Suddenly, the boys parted, and two particularly tall ones stepped forward, holding flowers in front of Jenny. “Huh? Is this my lucky day? One for each of us?” Rocco, excited by her imagination, jumped up a few times. However, the boys only handed the flowers to Jenny. “What a surprise! But with two guys, how do I choose?” Jenny said with a shy smile. But Fox could see the delight deep in her eyes. He realized that, in his past life, when he constantly showered her with gifts, she probably had the same look. “Bro, you’ve got competition. The basketball team guys are tough,” Peterson nudged Fox with his elbow. “Are you still going to read your love letter?” Peterson looked worried. “I told you it was a joke. I don’t feel anything for Jenny anymore,” Fox said nonchalantly. He decided to continue walking. “Miss Jenny, we’re not here to pursue you. We’re just delivering these flowers,” one of the basketball players said. As exams approached, graduation was also nearing. It wasn’t unusual for students to come up with unusual ideas. “Hey, your approach is outdated,” Rocco said to the basketball team. “Jenny is very popular. Someone even said they would read a love letter to her every day,” she continued, clearly unhappy. She felt embarrassed and was trying to cover it up by shifting attention. The basketball players looked at each other, confused. “Hey, idiot, what are you looking at?” Rocco spotted Fox. “Aren’t you the one who said you’d read a love letter every day?” she taunted. She intended to embarrass Fox in front of the basketball team. If he really started reading, the consequences would be dire. In such a situation, Fox's response was… He slowly pushed his bike closer to them. “Bro, don’t do anything rash. At least let me find something to use in case of a fight,” Peterson, ever the loyal friend, was ready to back him up. But Fox had no intention of causing trouble. “Rocco, this is all a misunderstanding,” he said, deciding to teach her a lesson. “I didn’t expect you to not notice my feelings after all this time,” he sighed dramatically. “?” Rocco tilted her head, feeling something was off, like she had lost control of the situation. Something serious was about to happen. “Actually, that love letter was for you. You’re the one I truly like,” Fox said, spreading his arms wide with a deeply affectionate look. “I pretended to pursue Jenny just to get your attention,” he continued, pulling out a piece of paper from his backpack. “This is the love letter I wrote for you, dear Rocco. I dream day and night about our future together,” he said, using the same sickly sweet tone. It was school rush hour, and everyone was watching the scene unfold. People started whispering, excited by the drama so early in the morning. “Wow, it’s a love triangle. Amazing.” “This is like a superhero’s entrance. So powerful.” “I think his confession is stronger than the basketball team’s flowers.” People murmured, and Rocco was furious, her face turning red. As Jenny’s best friend, Rocco was used to being the sidekick, the “leaf” to Jenny’s “flower.” While she wasn’t unattractive, standing next to Jenny made her look plain. Rocco had never faced such a scene. She just wanted to stir up trouble, not get caught in it. If the confession had come from a school celebrity, a rich kid, or a basketball star, she would have happily accepted it. But from Fox, the school’s bottom feeder? His public confession was humiliating. “Say yes! Say yes!” Peterson started cheering. Others joined in, making Rocco even more embarrassed. “Fox, you jerk!” she yelled, running away. Fox spread his hands in a gesture of helplessness. He didn’t want to cause trouble, but he wasn’t afraid of it either. Having been in prison, he knew that showing fear could be dangerous. Fox had learned this well: If someone messed with him, he would retaliate fiercely. Jennifer, hiding her smile behind a book, found Fox amusing. The bell rang, signaling the end of the spectacle. The students reluctantly dispersed. Fox went to park his bike. “Bro, so that’s how you handle things? Impressive. I’ll see you in class,” Peterson said, laughing as he walked quickly to the classroom. “Thank you for the flowers. I’m happy, but I need to focus on my studies, so I can’t give an answer,” Jenny said to the basketball team, flashing her perfect smile. Then she chased after Fox. “Fox, listen, the flowers weren’t my idea.” “Don’t be mad at me,” Jenny said, trying to grab Fox’s shirt. Fox jumped back, putting distance between them. “Mad? Why would I be mad?” “Jenny, you’re the past,” Fox said, shaking his head and walking away with his bike. Jenny stood there, stomping her foot. This disobedient dog was ruining her mood. “Are you worried about the basketball team? I can clear things up,” Jenny said, still pursuing Fox. “If you could clear up anything, clear up our relationship.” “Exams are coming, Jenny. Stop distracting me,” Fox replied. He wouldn’t let a woman affect his decisions anymore. He had more important things to do.