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The Caramel Pudding

"Do you have a death wish or what?" The grumpy sloth scowled, firmly gripping the collar of Jack's jacket, but the mischievous boy only laughed, amused, with Ethan joining in the mirth.

As an awkward tension filled the air, I can't hold back my bemusement at Jack's ridiculous behavior. "I cannot even fathom how you came up with this absurd opinion. How can you even put the two of us together in such a sense!"

The grumpy sloth seemed offended by my words, prompting him to retort, "Yeah, no one could ever wish to be around her anyways."

Ethan, always the peacemaker, interjected, "Come on, you two. Can't you see Jack's just trying to help in his own weird way? Let's keep the drama to a minimum, shall we?" He glanced around at the other students, who had turned their attention to the unfolding scene.

I shot Ethan an incredulous look since he is the reason for all of this. "Oh, you're one to talk, Mr. Prankster Extraordinaire. You should join a circus with all your clowning around."

"And you should stop sticking your nose where it doesn't belong," retorted the grumpy sloth, targeting me for no apparent reason. Maybe I shouldn't have taken a seat beside Ethan after all.

Feeling a bit frustrated, I gathered my belongings and moved to an empty seat, leaving the others to their amusement and curious gazes from fellow students.

...

The cafeteria is packed with students, all talking and laughing loudly. The smell of food wafts through the air, and the noise level is just deafening. Looking around the bustling cafeteria, I search for a quiet spot to enjoy my lunch, but every seat seems to be taken.

Groups of students fill the space, from the confident seniors to the energetic juniors, the sports enthusiasts, serious geeks, and the popular cheerleaders.

Amidst the vibrant crowd, the most eye-catching group is undoubtedly the seven lads from Edencrest Gardens as they are the centre of almost everyone's attention. As I pass by their table, Ben calls out to me, offering an empty seat, "Hey Lila, if you have nowhere to sit, you can join us."

I glance around, and the only available chair happens to be at the corner, right beside Mr. Grumpy Sloth. "Much appreciated, Ben, but I doubt someone will let me have a moment of peace, let alone enjoy my lunch," I remark, giving a side-eye to the grumpy sloth, who I'm sure is about to retort. However, Ben quickly takes charge of the situation, preventing any confrontation.

"I don't think anyone opposes the idea," Ben states, looking at everyone on the table. Though it's evident he's directing these words at the grumpy sloth, I can't help but want to smack Ethan for stirring the pot, is he going around telling others what happened between the grumpy sloth and I?

Or maybe it's just the two of us being very obvious about our mutual dislike.

Ben's presence commands respect among the boys, including the grumpy sloth, who remains silent. Perhaps it's because he's the oldest among the group or because of his genuinely good character.

With some hesitation, I take the seat beside the grumpy sloth, who visibly shifts slightly to the left, acting as if I'm about to infect him with something dreadful. I roll my eyes at his dramatics, feeling exasperated by his overreaction.

Although it is awkward sitting beside the grumpy sloth, everyone is eating their lunch in peace, and the silence is broken by none other than the over-enthusiast of the group, Ollie.

"What extracurricular groups are you guys going to join?" Ollie asks, reminding me of the orientation where we were told that we would need to join a club for at least five semesters or more as compulsory.

Ollie doesn't forget to tell me that he and Seb are from the arts and crafts club, Nick is from the sports club, and last but not least, Ben is the vice president of the student council.

Jack says he wants to join the broadcasting club, while Ethan says he is torn between the tech enthusiasts and the AI club, their choices based on their majors in media sciences and engineering, respectively.

"Student council," says the grumpy sloth, and not only I but all of the boys are also staring at him with wide eyes in shock, he does not have the personality for that. "It's what my father wants," he says nonchalantly while continuing to munch on his sandwich, while the others nod their heads, understanding his situation.

Now they all look at me in anticipation, well all except for the grumpy sloth, who couldn't be bothered. I clear my throat and say, "I have yet to decide, nothing really catches my attention, but I will most probably join the student council as well."

"Miss beautiful, if you'd like, you can join me in the broadcasting club. I have an amazing taste with love songs," Jack says, winking at me. I can't help but pinch my nose bridge. When is this guy going to stop with his flirting antics? They're starting to get boring and annoying.

"Behave, Jackson," Ben comes to the rescue once again, but Jack mumbles that he's just playing around with a pouty face, which makes me chuckle. "Both of you are welcome to ask for any kind of instruction for the interviews," says Ben as the vice president of the student council, and I give him a thumbs up. Having a senior as your acquaintance sure has its perks.

I hear a scoff from my side, and I'm sure the grumpy sloth is just trying to mess with me, but he has already messed up my mood enough for today. I just ignore him and ask, looking at the other boys, "Why aren't Emily and Evelyn sitting with you guys?" I only notice them now as they have just entered the cafeteria, but those two head straight for the group of girls that exude big trouble energy.

Before anyone could answer me, the grumpy sloth just had to intervene, "Because they know their place and do not poke their nose just anywhere," he says, boring his blue-gray eyes into my soul, and I swear to God, he's reaching my limits.

"Okay, Mr. Alexander Williams, what is your problem? No! What is your problem with ME?" I ask with my arms crossed and eyebrows furrowed, and he just shrugs his shoulders.

"Maybe your whole existence," he says, then turns to look at Jack. "I will meet you after--" He's not able to complete his words as I dump my caramel pudding over his oh-so-neatly styled jet-black hair.

The cafeteria erupts into gasps as he stares at me in shock, pudding dripping down his hair, and I feel a sense of satisfaction at having finally stood up to the grumpy sloth.

"This is for insulting me in the morning," I say with a mischievous glint in my eye. I tilt my head and point my finger at his torso, and just as he follows my gaze, I boop his nose a bit harshly. Call me childish, but I find these tricks to be more effective than spewing bitter words. "And this is for being a jerk in general."

A chorus of chuckles erupts from the group as the grumpy sloth raises an eyebrow and prepares to retaliate. But before he can unleash his wrath, I raise my hand up in a dramatic stop gesture, and with a playful smirk, I declare, "Time, please!" Ethan, Ollie, and Jack burst into laughter at my spontaneous show.

Not to be hampered, I quickly grab a tissue from the table and dramatically stuff it into his left hand, as if presenting him with a peace offering. "Don't take it to heart, okay?" I tap his chest gently, pretending to be the voice of reason in this absurd situation.

He jerks my hand away, trying to maintain his stoic demeanor, but I can see the rage building up in his eyes. Mission accomplished.

With a wink, I hike away from the scene, not even caring if he's fuming behind me. The adrenaline coursing through my veins makes me feel alive. Who knew fighting back against the grumpy sloth could be so entertaining?

...

It's been a few days, and I've been learning how to drive. Although I'm not exactly skilled at it yet, I'm slowly getting the hang of things.

Today is a big day as the results for club interviews will be announced, and I'm super jittery. I keep glancing at my cell phone, nervously refreshing the website for any updates.

"OMG! YES!" I can't contain my excitement, and suddenly all the students turn their attention towards me. I curse silently in my head and thank my lucky stars that Ethan isn't in this class, or he would never let me live it down.

The female professor raises an eyebrow and asks, "Yes, Dalilah, do you have something to share with the class?" I chuckle nervously, shaking my head and apologize for the interruption before quickly sitting back down.

From the corner of my eye, I catch the grumpy sloth smirking at me. He's sitting on the opposite side of the room, but somehow he still manages to stick out like a sore thumb.

I roll my eyes and playfully stick my tongue out at him. If he didn't make it into the student council, I might just do a victory dance in the cafeteria out of sheer happiness.

But, of course, fate has other plans. As I stand in the student council conference room, along with other three newcomers, I see him again—Mr. grumpy sloth. Seriously, why is he everywhere? It's like he's haunting me, and I can feel my patience starting to wear thin already.

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