Leave Me Alone, Big Brothers! [BL]-Chapter 57: He is Mine

Nathan grumbled as he walked back to Nael’s classroom. But before he reached it, his phone rang.

Nael. And he said he was already in the car.

Nathan clicked his tongue in annoyance. His first day of school was truly extraordinary. Instead of being busy studying, problems kept happening one after another.

But today was only the beginning. More problems would come.

As he walked, the image of Zane’s pale face wouldn’t leave his mind. That figure had been fragile after all, yet still arrogant. Truly unbelievable.

The next day, Nathan was busy catching up on his subjects. He promised himself he wouldn’t cause any trouble.

That day, he withdrew money from the ATM for Eli. And that afternoon, on lunch break, just as he expected, protests erupted when Eli refused their requests. Nathan accompanied him on his first day of freedom from being everyone’s waiter.

He got food for the two of them, and they sat down together. No one bothered them.

He let Nael and his friends sit at the same table.

Jonas looked at Eli. "You aren’t bringing me food?" he asked.

Before Eli could answer, Nathan replied, "He’s my assistant now. He’s mine."

Nael and everyone looked surprised, but in the end, they went to get their own food.

Several days passed. Zane remained arrogant, never greeting him in class. But the disturbed look he’d had on the first day had changed slightly.

Nathan avoided the cafeteria, focusing on his studies. Instead, Eli came to his classroom, accompanied him during lunch, and explained a few things related to the laptop program they were using.

When school ended, Nathan began to feel uneasy about Nael always being late going home. He even asked Louis to take him home first.

He wondered where that boy was. He’d been to Nael’s classroom, but Nael wasn’t there. When asked, he just said he had activities. Nathan was genuinely curious about what those activities actually were.

That day, during the first break, Nathan decided to skip the cafeteria again and head to the library. He needed quiet.

He hadn’t seen David for a few days, probably since the incident. Maybe because he rarely went to the cafeteria, he hadn’t run into him. From what he heard, the boy was still in second grade.

He turned a corner near the science labs, entering a secluded corridor that led to the library.

Suddenly, a hand shot out from an alcove and grabbed his sweater collar.

Nathan reacted instantly, spinning to break the hold. But another pair of hands seized his arms from behind.

"Whoa there, tough guy," a deep voice chuckled.

Before he could react further, Nathan was shoved hard against a brick wall. He groaned, shaking his head to clear the disorientation.

Three boys stood in front of him. They were big, football-linebacker big. Their uniform sleeves were rolled up, revealing thick forearms.

In the center stood a boy with a buzz cut and a face that looked like it had been chiseled from granite. His name tag read: Gabriel Perlich.

Nathan shoved the boy pinning him, causing him to stumble back slightly. The air was freezing, and they had cornered him here.

And again, who were they?

"Who are you? What’s your problem with me?!" Nathan snapped.

Gabriel grinned and stepped into Nathan’s personal space, towering over him. "You’re the new Salazar. The one making noise."

"What?" Nathan frowned. He hadn’t even been causing trouble, he’d been busy studying lately.

Nathan straightened his sweater, trying to look unimpressed despite his heart hammering. "So what, you’re here to welcome me? Like this?"

Gabriel didn’t smile. He slammed a hand against the wall beside Nathan’s head.

Nathan reflexively closed his eyes. His heart pounded loudly.

"Funny," Gabriel spat. "I heard you messed with a Leinster. Normally, I wouldn’t care. I hate those pricks."

"Then what do you want?!" Nathan shot back.

"The problem is," Gabriel leaned closer, his breath smelling of mint and tobacco, "I heard you also ran your mouth about me."

Nathan frowned. "What? I don’t even know you!"

"Don’t play dumb," Gabriel growled. "Calling me a ’dumb watchdog’? Saying I’m just muscle for hire? That’s a lot of talk for a stray dog who just got homed."

Nathan’s mind raced. He had no idea what the boy was talking about. And how did he know Nathan had been abandoned and taken in again?

"I don’t know what you’re talking about," Nathan said firmly. "But right now, you’re definitely proving the ’muscle’ part."

Gabriel’s eyes flashed. He grabbed Nathan by the lapels, lifting him onto his toes. "You got a death wish, Salazar?"

Nathan braced himself. He could throw a punch, but against three guys this size, in a narrow hallway? He was screwed. He clenched his fist, aiming for Gabriel’s throat, the only vulnerable spot he could reach.

Then, suddenly, a voice cut in.

"Let him go, Perlich."

The voice was low and bored, slicing through the tension like a blade.

Gabriel froze. He didn’t release Nathan, but his head snapped to the side.

Leaning against a pillar at the end of the hallway stood Zane Leinster.

He looked as lazy as ever, hands in his pockets, blazer unbuttoned. He was alone, yet his presence filled the corridor more than Gabriel’s entire group.

"Leinster," Gabriel sneered. "This isn’t your business. This stray insulted your brother, actually, though I don’t care. I’m doing you a favor."

"I don’t need favors from you, Gabo," Zane said, walking slowly toward them.

He stopped a few feet away and looked at Gabriel with utter disinterest. "Get out of the way. You’re blocking the path."

Gabriel released Nathan and chuckled. "You know I don’t like people interfering in my business. Are you bored with life?"

Zane stared at him for a long moment before speaking. "You’re still acting up after what happened before? You want to challenge me? Again?"

Gabriel fell silent. His fists clenched. Nathan had no idea what was going on.

"I have a problem with him. And we agreed not to interfere with each other’s business," Gabriel said.

Zane glanced at Nathan. "Not him. I won’t let you touch him. He’s mine."

Nathan frowned. What?

Gabriel looked dissatisfied, but whatever had happened between them before clearly weighed on him. He motioned for his friends to leave.

Before walking away, he glared at Nathan. "Watch your mouth. I’ll let you go today, but there won’t be a next time."

Nathan was irritated. He felt like he hadn’t done anything to deserve this.

Gabriel and his goons brushed past Zane aggressively before disappearing around the corner.

Nathan straightened his clothes, his pulse slowly returning to normal. He looked at Zane.

"Thanks," Nathan muttered, brushing dust off his sleeve.

Zane turned his cold gray eyes on him. He didn’t look friendly. He looked annoyed.

"Don’t thank me," Zane said icily. "I didn’t do it for you."

He stepped closer, invading Nathan’s space just as Gabriel had, but this felt different. Sharper.

"If you’re going to start wars in this school," Zane whispered dangerously, "learn how to win them. Watching you get cornered by Gabriel Perlich was embarrassing."

"I held my own," Nathan argued weakly.

"You were about to get your teeth kicked in," Zane corrected. He stepped back, looking Nathan up and down with disdain. "Don’t fucking look for trouble if you’re this weak, Salazar. Next time, I’ll let them finish you."

Zane turned and walked toward the garden, pulling out a pack of cigarettes, leaving Nathan standing alone in the hallway, confused.