Even thinking of that possibility added to his already solid resolve.
From a young age, he’d been taught the importance of public perception. Rabbit was constantly in the limelight wherever he went and his official career hadn’t even begun. Forget the planet, the whole galaxy was watching thanks to his being the one and only child of December Trace. If he was weak he’d be stomped on, and having already had personal experience with being berated and told he wasn’t good enough, that was something he was certain he did not want for his future.
The hope had been Void would be level-headed enough to accept Rabbit placing the blame on both of them, that way neither had to lose face in front of the entire cafeteria.
Wishful thinking.
Another man standing just over Baikal’s shoulder sneered at the suggestion, catching Rabbit’s attention with the sound. Though he’d never had any personal interaction with either, like Baikal, his cousin Kazimir was equally famous on campus, and Rabbit easily recognized him.
Both of the cousins had the same dark, inky hair, but Baikal’s was full on the top, whereas Kazimir wore his shorter. The latter also had a set of garnet-colored eyes that would have been gorgeous if they weren’t currently trying to light Rabbit on fire through a mixture of sheer will and fury.
“Watch where you’re fucking going,” Kazimir practically growled. He went to step forward, but Baikal held him back with a raised arm.
Rabbit held his ground, but couldn’t help the hint of suspicion from entering his gaze when he set it back on the man he’d bumped into. Behind him, he heard Sila slowly rise to his feet, but while Kazimir looked over, Baikal kept his gaze locked with Rabbit’s.
“You look familiar,” Void spoke lazily, his disposition the complete opposite of his still-fuming cousin’s.
Kazimir sent Baikal an odd look but then told him, “He’s the campus prince.”
Rabbit grimaced. He’d always hated those stupid fake titles. They were given to the most attractive students—supposedly—and while he was confident enough in the looks department, he was almost certain he’d been given the title based on his social status and not actually due to his face.
A stupid thing to be upset over, and yet he was.
Void tipped his head. “The doctor?”
There were a couple of campus princes, not that Rabbit had ever paid much attention to any of them so wasn’t sure who he was actually referring to other than it wasn’t him.
“Music,” Sila ended up replying, smirking a bit. “Thought you’d be better with faces as the heir to a criminal organization and all that.”
A few hushed whispers cut through the silence of the students, but they died down quickly when Baikal’s gaze darkened and he set it on Sila.
“He’s just a sophomore,” Rabbit said, not liking that his one and only friend was getting involved and potentially putting himself in harm’s way. “He didn’t mean anything by it.”
“Sophomore means he’s been here long enough to understand how things work around here,” Kazimir disagreed. “Respect your seniors is the first rule told during freshman orientation, and I didn’t see him giving you any lip.”
Ignoring his cousin, Baikal stepped forward, placing a foot directly onto one of the trays as if it wasn’t even there. “Instead of wasting energy defending him,” he told Rabbit, “you should be worrying about handling yourself. My shoes are ruined.”
“If that’s the problem,” Rabbit replied coolly, “I’ll pay for them.”
“Think you can just toss money at me and make me go away?”
“It’s not about the money,” he lowered his voice, making sure the words stayed between the two of them despite all the straining ears. “This is about reputation. So, you need me to pay for a pair of shoes? Fine.”
Rabbit wouldn’t lose out. Everyone here would praise him for being the bigger person. Rumors around campus would be that he’d cared so little about the whole ordeal, he’d offered to pay just to put an end to it, and for the most part, they’d be correct.
Except he did care, enough that inside his heart was beating a mile a minute. He was careful to keep his expression detached, however, wearing the disguise of the polite yet unapproachable Rabbit Trace. It was almost ironic, how even here, off the stage, he was still putting on a performance.
They stayed like that, caught in a charged moment for a while before the corner of Baikal’s lips twitched. The look was gone as soon as it’d come, but in the next instant, he stepped back and stooped down, picking up both trays from the ground.
“You have no idea what this is about.” Baikal shoved one of the trays into Rabbit’s chest, forcing him to take it. “See you around, Bunny.”
No one had ever dared call him that before. The odd nickname had his mouth dropping open, but he didn’t get a chance to react further than that.
Void dismissed Rabbit by walking away without another word.
Kazimir swore under his breath, having clearly been in the mood for a fight, and gave him one last glare as he passed, but Rabbit wasn’t paying him any heed, too distracted watching Baikal’s broad back as he wandered over to the discard station and dropped his dirty tray into the pile.
Time, which up until then had seemed to magically freeze, kicked back into overdrive the second he slammed his palm against one of the double doors and exited, the cafeteria erupting the second he was gone as if on cue.
