Leave Me Alone, Big Brothers! [BL]-Chapter 70: What’s Wrong with My Background?

Zane entered the classroom, passing Nathan, who had already arrived and was busy as usual with his books. He just smiled slightly. Nathan was so calm that he didn’t notice the commotion outside. He didn’t even realize that he had been slandered.

A few moments later, Franc entered the classroom with a pale face. All the students paid attention to him. Some of the them who entered the classroom after him looked excited, as if they couldn’t wait to spread the news.

Today’s math lesson was just a test, and when Miss Joan left the classroom, the students became more boisterous.

Nathan never had any problems with math, he could do everything well, and he didn’t need to worry. Occasionally, he glanced at Zane, who was typing something on his laptop with a lazy look on his face, as usual. He was curious how could that boy make it to third grade with such laziness?

In front of him, the boy who usually chatted with him, turned around and looked at him.

"Nate, I think I owe you an apology. I thought you wanted to pick a fight with Gabriel, but I was wrong." The boy smiled sincerely.

He seemed relieved to be able to look at Nathan without any burden. Some of them had felt uncomfortable when they heard the rumor Nathan had spread about Gabriel, but who would dare to speak ill of Salazar?

The feud between Gabriel and Franc spread so quickly in just a few hours. Earlier that morning, Gabriel had approached Franc, and several students had witnessed the incident. During lunch break, Gabriel asked Franc to meet him in the backyard.

Meanwhile, Nathan was confused by the boy’s words. "What?"

He didn’t understand what the problem with Gabriel was from the start. He didn’t even know the boy. But the students seemed to be talking about them.

Miko pulled his desk closer and whispered, "I didn’t know your relationship with Franc was that bad, but he’s the one who slandered you about Gabriel."

Nathan frowned. "Franc? That one?" He pointed to Franc, who was sitting quietly, looking tense, his fingers typing quickly on the keyboard.

Miko nodded and explained what had happened.

Nathan couldn’t hide his annoyance. He, the main character in this slander, knew nothing about it. And Franc? Why was he slandering him? What was his problem? What was his intention?

But before he could vent his emotions, the boy in front of him stopped him. "No, don’t."

"Why? He’s a fucking loser!" said Nathan, his voice loud enough that he was sure Franc heard him. But the boy didn’t turn around.

The boy in front of him calmed him down. "Gabriel will duel with him during lunch break. You’d better see it."

Nathan frowned. "What? A duel?"

The area behind the school, on the side of the corridor, was now filled with curious students. They knew Franc as a good boy who was close to the teachers and talkative, but nothing more. His family name made him quite respected, but no one was really his close friend.

Meanwhile, Gabriel was famous for his big body and short temper. The incident between him and Zane Leinster in second grade was enough to make his name known throughout the school.

And now that boy was the center of attention again for challenging Franc Salazar to a fight. Who would want to miss this moment?

"They’d better do something before the teacher comes. I’ll be disappointed if they don’t do anything," they whispered.

Nathan pushed through the crowd, because he couldn’t believe there was a duel in the school and they were letting it happen.

"Perlich?" Franc blinked, his practiced, polite smile faltering. "You know you’re barking up the wrong tree if you challenge me, right?"

"Why? Because you’re a Salazar? You think you can do anything?" said Gabriel. His gang stood intimidatingly around him.

"I don’t know what you’ve heard. But you’ve misjudged me," said Franc. His face was pale. He never expected to be in this position.

He knew he had neither strength nor courage. He had wanted the big kid to beat up Nathan, because his cousin really annoyed him. He would do anything for that, to teach Nathan a lesson.

But it seemed that before Gabriel could beat up Nathan, the plan backfired on him.

Gabriel didn’t waste time with pleasantries. He grabbed Franc by the lapel of his expensive, custom-tailored blazer, dragging him away from his group and slamming him against the wall. The scream echoed.

The atmosphere became tense.

"You want proof?" Gabriel growled, his voice a low, vibrating threat. "I know about the cash you’ve been handing out to spread those rumors about me. I know you paid those kids to put Nathan’s name on it."

Franc’s face turned a pale shade of gray, but he quickly forced a nervous laugh. "Gabriel, you’re being ridiculous. Why would I do that? We’re family. I was the one who warned you about him, remember?"

"You didn’t warn me. You used me." Gabriel’s grip tightened, his knuckles white. "I saw the boy you paid. He spilled everything. Every word was your script."

Franc looked around, seeing the eyes of the entire student body on him. The pressure was mounting. He tried to shove Gabriel’s hand away, but it was like trying to move a stone wall. His "good boy" mask finally cracked, revealing the ugly, entitled core beneath.

Murmurs could be heard. Some of them certainly didn’t care, but they wanted someone to be the villain. Franc’s name stood out for now.

"So what if I did?" Franc hissed, his voice dropping to a sharp, venomous whisper. "You actually believe that orphanage kid over me? You think a gutter rat like Nathan is more trustworthy than a real Salazar?"

The hallway went deathly silent.

"What?!" Nathan, who had been standing a few feet away with Eli, felt the world tilt. He looked at the faces around him, Beatrice’s shocked gasp, Mike’s confusion.

Nathan frowned. Why did they all look shocked? What was the problem with him being from an orphanage? He hadn’t hidden his past because he was ashamed, he just didn’t talk about it. But the way everyone was reacting... he realized something he hadn’t known. Alexander hid it?

Gabriel’s eyes narrowed, his disgust reaching a breaking point. "Orphanage? Gutter rat?" Gabriel repeated, his voice thick with loathing. "I realize who is in the wrong clearly now. It doesn’t matter where he came from, Franc. It matters that he’s innocent, and you’re just a fucking loser pig who frames people. What exactly do you want?!"

Gabriel didn’t wait for a rebuttal. He pulled back and delivered a heavy, calculated punch straight to Franc’s jaw.

Everyone gasped.

Franc crumpled to the floor, clutching his face.

Chaos broke out. Teachers started shouting, and students began whispering frantically.

Miss Anthe, from the disciplinary office, told them to bring their parents tomorrow. Franc, his face bruised, cried and screamed at Gabriel.

"You will regret it! You will rot in jail!" he shouted all the way down the hallway to the school clinic.

Gabriel growled, clenching his fists. He wasn’t satisfied. He still wanted to hit the boy’s head over and over again.

The incident ended several misunderstandings. First, they wouldn’t dare mess with Gabriel, and they realized that most of the rumors were lies. Also, Nathan had never looked for trouble with Gabriel from the beginning.

In addition, a new fact emerged. They found out that Nathan was not a transfer student from abroad, but from an orphanage.

But why? That question became a mystery, and they were very curious.

Nael was overwhelmed every time someone asked him. "What are you talking about? It’s nonsense! He came from abroad. How could Salazar let his son live in an orphanage?" he said every time, annoyed.

Some of them could only conclude that Franc was once again making up lies to bring Nathan down. But there were still those who were curious enough to want to know the truth.

Meanwhile, Nathan completely ignored the rumors circulating around him. He was still busy with his books.

Franc came home early. Miko plucked up the courage to approach Nathan.

"I hope you’re not offended by the rumors. I didn’t know Franc was such a jerk," said Miko, who was one of the students who believed it was all just rumors.

Nathan was silent, but in his heart, he couldn’t ignore this. What was wrong with them? What was the problem with his background?

Nathan looked at Miko. "Why? I’m not offended. I am from an orphanage. Is that so disturbing?"

Miko was silent, seemingly too shocked to respond.

Nathan looked around at the people staring at him with surprised, disbelieving faces, as if they were watching a frog enter an elite palace carrying a suitcase.

"Franc is right. I’m from an orphanage. For 17 years, I lived there with children you probably consider inferior. I’m not going to hide it, because I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that," said Nathan, indifferent to the strange looks directed at him.

Zane took a deep breath and turned toward the window. Who knew what he was thinking at that moment? But he had realized from the start that there was something strange about Salazar’s son. Nathan’s words only confirmed that he was right in his assessment.

Nathan was worth his attention.