💘RECLESS LOVE 🌸

Chapter Two

Now the scream is louder.

• Dorian!!!

• It's a lie!!!

• That's Dorian Wesley, the Metal Soloist Singer?

• Fûck, yes! My Riri!!!

• Dorian!!!!!!

• Isn't he supposed to be in San Francisco?

• What's Dorian doing in Los Angeles? What's he doing in RIDE?

• Goodness! Don't tell me he's here to school!!

Dorian stood on the stairwell of his helicopter, taking off his black shades before flashing a boxy smile at the students who went more insane immediately.

He's of average height—buff. Kissable thin lips, hair dyed maroon, attractive fingers, well-sculptured nose, beautiful smile, gorgeous face.

There's a dark tattoo of a guitar on his left forearm.

He habitually bit his lower lip, and they screamed harder. Even students who weren't in the field before ran inside to behold him.

Reporters filled the campus, running their ways into the airfield. No idea how they heard about his arrival.

The helicopter was surrounded. No space for him to even come down.

Angela—his manager, came out behind him, and she gasped, calling for guards to protect him.

Dorian maintained the sweet smile, and at the same time, his left hand went into his pocket to get a cigar.

Before he could pull it out, Angela stopped him.

"You can't smoke publicly, Riri. I know you're loved by your insane fans, but at the same time you've got haters who're waiting to drag you. You're only just returning to public after a year. Don't jinx it." She whispered in his ear gently.

"Genuine thank you for the reminder," Dorian replied, his voice melodiously deep.

Then... questions from the reporters.

• Dorian, you took a one year hiatus from music last year. Are you finally back to your fans?

• What was the reason for the one year break in the first place?

• You left for a year, and still...no one could take your place. You're still the richest—most popular metal singer globally. How do you feel?

• Why did you come to Los Angeles?

• More importantly, why are you in RIDE today?

• Is it true that you're one of the two Special Transfer students the school is expecting?

• Are you really gonna become a Mass Comm student here?

• It's rumoured that you're hosting a concert tonight. Is it true?

As Dorian answered the questions, the girls stayed paused at their side of the field.

Stacy nodded, lifting her polished fingers.

"That's him? The first Special Transfer student? And he dared to come in that helicopter?"

"Bold," Tania's head titled.

--

[Mass Comm Lounge, An Hour Later]

The lounge at the back of the mass communication building is dry.

First day of the semester is majorly for getting schedules and listening to boring orientation at the big RIDE hall, but the girls didn't do any.

Their schedules were sent to their mails directly by their lecturers, and the orientation?

They didn't attend during their first year, so it's not their cup of tea this year again.

All the girls are Mass Comm students except Zendaya who's in Computer Science, and she's the only one who's not here as the girls made clean checks on Dorian.

"He's a Ultra Elite like us," Tasha nodded.

"His mother owns Wesley Global Network in San Francisco. A Private Banking Network." Kehlani said.

"But his family Net worth is below Stacy's family with two million, so why the hell is he already behaving like the richest?" Tania made faces.

"Sometimes, dogs would wanna be foxes too, disrespectful. I'll teach him a lesson." Stacy muttered, drinking from her glass of sparkling water.

Zendaya joined them at this point with a tricky grin.

"Guess what, homegirls. This semester is already so unconventionally promising! I just saw the second Special Transfer student. He's so darn hot, but too cold at the same time." She announced.

"Cliche," Stacy muttered, lowering her cup.

"He's in my Major. A Computer Science Wizard. They call him Silent Wizard in his former campus like I heard. Dude has been maintaining a 5:00 GPA since his first year!" Zendaya continued.

"Sounds engaging," Kehlani scoffed.

"Silent Wizard? Cringe." Stacy smirked.

"Tell me about it," Tania sighed.

"Say more, Zen," Tasha encouraged.

"So he's arrogant as fûck, and the sickest news? He's a scholarship student!" Zendaya finished.

Stacy choked on her water.

"Wait...girl?"

"I'm telling you! He's a scholarship student! A complete street guy! He works in a repair garage!" Zendaya laughed mockingly.

"Like...a mechanic?" Kehlani gasped.

"Exactly!" Zendaya grinned.

"Eew!" Tasha pulled back, closing her communication handout.

"What the fûck? Like the actual fûck?" Tania dropped her leg from the table immediately.

Stacy turned on her electric handfan, fanning herself.

"Whatever the fûck is going on this semester is yuck. A scholarship student in RIDE? When did they start taking cheap people in? I'm gonna have to fuckin call my dad, tell him to call a board meeting with the authorities. I can't breathe in the same air as a mechanic!" She ranted, picking her phone.

"No. That should come after we take care of Dorian. He has to pay for flying the same copter as you," Kehlani said.

"Right," Stacy lowered her phone, a sinister smile on her lips. "He has a concert tonight, doesn't he?"

--

[No Sleep Garage, 12pm]

Trevor was already waiting outside the garage gate, watching the way for any sign of Cove.

He has been waiting for ten minutes now cos Cove promised to return from campus before 12.

And he didn't wait longer before he appeared from afar.

Trevor smiled.

Cove is tall, nose attractively pointed and brows full. He's got attractive fangs too—the most beautiful set of white teeth and deeply dark hair.

His face is muted.

Trevor isn't his family, he's a 15 year old boy he met in this repair garage.

They both started apprenticing under the owner of this repair garage last year, and they've grown so close.

Trevor spread his palm forward, and Cove placed a concert ticket on it.

"You actually got it? Silent Wizard, you did?" Trevor jumped.

"Not ready for your childish hums," Cove replied briefly and entered the garage where Matteo sat.

Matteo is their boss—owner of the repair garage.

"You got him the ticket? Waste of money." He yawned, removing his working gloves.

"Waste of money? Matteo you have no idea how much I love Dorian's music!" Trevor gushed.

Cove frowned at him.

"Stop doing that! Your face is already naturally frowny," Trevor complained.

"How much did the ticket cost?" Matteo asked.

"Regular, $150." Cove replied cursorily, going inside to change into his work clothes.

"Hurry and come check the carburator of this damn car, Cove," Matteo said tiredly.

Trevor followed Cove inside.

They don't live here—they live in a studio apartment together down the street, but this small room is their changing space here.

Cove took off his shirt, showcasing a single hand tattoo around is waist.

All fingers in the hand are folded except one which is stretched up, meaning FÛCK YOU.

His packs were moving under his skin as he took a tray, washed a pineapple and picked a knife.

He began peeling.

"You really bought it for 150? Why so expensive!" Trevor came in.

Cove didn't reply.

"You're gonna follow me to the concert, right? You know I can't handle crowd alone..." Trevor said.

By now, Cove has finished peeling the pineapple.

He diced it, poured the dices in a plate and picked a fork to eat it with.

"Coveee....say something!" Trevor whined behind him.

"Follow you to the concert?" Matteo peeped in from the door.

"Why do you sound....scared?" Trevor blinked twice.

"You know the reason he avoids crowd is cos of his crazy anger issues. Don't drag him there and cause trouble." Matteo replied and left.

Cove stabbed a pineapple dice with his fork and brought it to his mouth, eating while staring into space.

--

[8pm, Magik Arena]

Even with the 15 thousand capacity of the hall, it's filled.

Cove eventually followed Trevor here despite Matteo's warning.

They're part of the converged crowd in the regular, but their spot is good enough to see the front.

The hall is filled with rich students, rich youths and addicted adults who're die-hard fans of Dorian.

Trevor is the happiest. He's currently snapping pictures with Cove's phone.

Obviously, Cove is uncomfortable with the crowd, but he stood there silently, staring around like a mute.

The crowd of fans pressed forward, bodies vibrating with anticipation, their roars merging.

Glowing towering luminescent tubes lined the hall, casting streaks of blue, red, and violet across the sea of fans.

Smokes drifted in thick clouds from the machines, curling around the lights like ghosts.

A sharp hush fell in the hall suddenly, then the floor shook.

From the center of the stage, a massive structure began to crack.

It looked like a giant egg, black metal with fissures glowing orange.

Sparks shot upward, and a low rumble vibrated through the audience’s bones.

Every eye was glued to the breaking shell. And then—he emerged.

The spotlights cut through the smoke, catching his silhouette first, haloed and untouchable.

Dorian!

He lifted his guitar, and the first scream erupted—hundreds of voices blending together.

The luminescent tubes pulsed with the beat. Flames spurted from the stage edges, reflecting brilliance.

Fans pushed forward, some jumping, some on shoulders, their hands reaching toward him like they could pull him into the crowd.

• I love you Riri!!!

• He's so divine!!!

• Anyone seeing his guitar tattoo on his forearm? He still has it!!

• My personal Rian!!!

The drummer slammed the opening beat, drums rattling through the floor. Dorian threw his head back, his shinny hair flying, the guitar screaming as loudly as the audience.

The hall shook as the first verse entered from him.

Dorian: ♪City’s bleeding neon veins,

I walk alone through the after-pain.

Your name’s a scar I never hide,

Burned in my chest, alive inside,

Shadows talk, they sound like you,

Every lie I swore was true,

I tried to drown you in the light,

But you rise louder—

♪At night.

He removed the microphone from the stand and pointed it at the crowd. They sang the pre-chorus.

Crowd: ♪I bite my tongue, I lock the door, but silence screams your name once more!!!

I’m losing wars I never fight

When the world goes black—

♪At Night!

Dorian returned the microphone to himself, time to sing the chorus, but that was when it happened.

A louder roar slammed across the arena, nearly ruining everyone's ears. Louder than the music.

It shook the grounds and everyone held their ears except Cove.

Even Dorian dropped his microphone and held his ears on stage.

Angela got on stage with his guards, and they covered him protectively.

"What's going on!!" Trevor shouted beside Cove.

Then...the sound suddenly stopped, and four known figures jumped on stage immediately.

Tasha, Tania, Kehlani and Zendaya.

They definitely did it.

The crowd gasped.

• Glitz Society?

• The fûck is wrong with these girls?

• Holy s**t!

Kehlani picked the microphone from where Dorian dropped it.

"This is what you get for being a helicopter show-off, Dorian Wesley!" She announced, passing the microphone to Zendaya.

"How about you go back to San Francisco?" Zendaya snarled.

Then she passed the microphone to the twins.

Tasha and Tania talked at the same time. "What she said!"

Then Tania threw the microphone into the crowd.

Everyone went down for the fear of getting hit by the microphone, but Trevor wasn't fast enough.

It hit his head, but before it could fall, someone caught it.

Even as Trevor winced, the person only cared about the microphone.

It's Stacy.

She lowered the hoodie on her head and zipped down. She took off the hoodie, leaving her in a thin singlet and belt-like skirt. So skimpy.

She's nearly bare.