Knowing Sang: Moments from the Blackbourne Boys' Persective

A Violin and a Necklace

A/N: Omigosh I could not BELIEVE the amazing responses I got on "Polaris." That was a trial run, but you guys are just SO awesomely sweet! Your comments continue to encourage me and make my day, so thank you so, SO much! I'm still learning about the boys and their unique personalities and voices, so I feel like I really can't figure how they sound as I'm writing. So do let me know if anything sounds "off." As always, your votes/comments are much appreciated :D

Victor

I'm running late. Sang's most likely making her way through the halls by now. The bell rang a while back, but the number of students in this place make it impossible to maneuver through. I don't want her to walk alone. I wonder if she'll know to wait for me. To understand that we stick together. But she's nowhere in sight, so I follow the hallway down until I hear a couple of loud catcalls.

My head whirls in their direction, instinctively searching for signs of trouble. There are a couple guys lounging against the sides of the hall, making noises and leering, faces tilted towards the cluster of girls in front. I see Sang among them, and our eyes meet as she also turns around.

"Sang!" I cry out, and hurry forward. I hate the way those guys are looking at her, at the other girls. It's disgusting. She sees me approach and her eyes light up in a way that makes that something flutter inside me. It happens whenever I see her now, ever since the first time I jumped on her in Kota's bed.

"You should've waited by the door," I tell her as we begin walking. "I was coming for you."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Blackbourne . . ."

Ah, I see now. "Oh, yeah. No need to say more. But next time wait for me. I'll come get you."

"Sticking together?" she asks.

Da-dum. It takes everything I have not to grin like an idiot. She's getting it. So instead I go for a shrug. Casual. "It's what we do."

That makes her smile. "How was your day?"

"It's not the Academy."

Sang blinks at me. "Isn't it supposed to be a secret?" she asks.

"No one's listening," I reply casually. But I don't admit it surprised me how easily that came out, when before I would've been so cautious. I'm getting too used to Sang.

Slow down, Vic.

I turn back to the girl in question, only to see her nose crinkling up in a frown. She's adorable without even trying. Every emotion is written so clearly on her face, yet those eyes sometimes make it impossible to decipher precisely the direction of her thoughts.

This is really going to drive me crazy.

Instead I resort to what the rest of my brothers and I are all skilled at doing. I change the subject quickly.

"So how was Mr. Blackbourne?"

"I need to get a violin by tomorrow, or I can't go back."

Sounds like him all right. I resist rolling my eyes. Barely. "Yeah, he's strict. Can you get one?"

Sang frowns again, and this time, the place between her brows pucker slightly. Don't look at her lips, Vic. Do not look at her lips! "It's kind of short notice but I'll have to ask my parents. My mom isn't too happy with me right now."

That momentarily distracts me. "I can get you one," I say.

Sang shakes her head. "Victor, you can't . . ."

Again with that! Argh. This girl is frustrating me to no end. When will she ever understand? Yes, I can, dammit! My family's filthy rich. I can spend money however I want, and I choose to spend it on my family.

The fact that I now consider Sang as part of my family is something I don't want to address right now, but there it is, right in my awareness, and I suddenly realize how quickly this girl can turn me into a blubbering, idiotic mush.

From the moment we met, that's all Sang's been doing.

I want to shake her shoulders and shout at her to tell me what she wants, to ask why she doesn't like me spending money on her, why she refuses every single damn time, when that's the exact thing all the other girls before her ever asked of me. It was all they ever wanted of me. They were such callous creatures. And here's Sang, another girl, yet unlike the rest of them, not wanting what they all wanted.

But I don't say any of that. I can't. Firstly, I can't shout at her in a school hallway. Secondly, I don't think I could shout at her period.

So I change the subject yet again.

"Is this the right way?" I ask, gesturing in the general direction of where we're supposed to be heading. She and I both know it is, and I have a feeling she's smart enough to figure out what I'm doing. But she says nothing more as we make our way to the trailers for AP World History.
North's there already in the back. Sang sits in front of him, and I take the seat in front of her.

"I'm in the middle again," she cries. "If I didn't know any better, I'd assume you guys planned this."

"Baby, we plan everything," says North.

Except for her, I think. We clearly couldn't plan for her. I sit back in my own chair with a huff, waiting for the teacher to show up, when I hear Sang whisper something near my ear. Then I feel something soft trail at the skin of my neck, and jump. What the—!

"What is it?" I say.

"Sorry. Your necklace. The clasp didn't look like it was holding on very well."

Damn it. I can feel my cheeks burning. "I thought it was a bug or something."

Sang laughs. "I wouldn't have touched a bug."

"Well, thanks."

"Turn around and I'll fix it."

I pause to glance around the room, wondering if anyone will notice. When I see that everyone's busy, I swivel around, waiting. Even though I'm expecting it this time, Sang's light touch still sends shivers down my spine, that I try to keep it bay by fisting my hands against my legs.

Then her fingers move away. "You're going to lose it," she says. "Be more careful."

I smooth over the surface of the medallion, my mother's words ringing in my ears.

Protect your heart.

I think it's a little too late.