Cleo felt hands on his body. These hands were massaging his face in slow circular motions. He could feel another set of hands massaging his feet.
His mind jolted him to wake up, that this was all too unfamiliar. He opened his eyes wearily but in his drowsy state, he could only make out the bright light shining above him. He couldn't make out faces since he could barely move his head in the direction of the person who was touching him.
He felt his temples massaged and with its soothing motions, he couldn't control the urge to close his eyes and fall back into sleep.
DING
Cleo's eyes snapped open once the chimes of what sounded like a grandfather clock met his ears. "What the" Instantly he tried to recall what happened and closed his eyes in thought for a second. I remember walking to Urahara's from school… some thugs grabbed me… and then… what the hell? Did I just get kidnapped? 
Unsure of what he'd find, Cleo peeked through his eyelids for his surroundings. What he could make out from his peripheral was that he was in some room with what looked to be very fancy wallpaper. Upon widening his vision further he saw an expensive-looking couch, a fireplace, and a lengthwise mirror in his view.
He scanned his eyes over the mirror but did a double-take once he saw himself in it. "What am I wearing?" He yelled out in disbelief.
He stood up from his seat, which he noted to be very comfortable, and went over to the mirror to fully inspect his clothes. He was decked out in a full black suit with a black dress shirt and white tie. It fit him perfectly, like nothing he had ever worn before. The shoes he had on seemed to be made of fine leather and shined with the utmost cleanliness. He took off the jacket to further inspect it and read the finely stitched brand name on the inside: Giorgio Armani.
His eyes almost bulged out from their sockets. This jacket must have cost more money than his entire wardrobe back home! He absolutely couldn't believe this. Who in their right mind would kidnap him and weirdly enough, dress him in these expensive threads? He decided he needed to get out from wherever the hell he was and find his way back home.
Carefully putting the jacket back on (it was too expensive to just leave lying around), Cleo proceeded out the only door in the room. He slowly peered out with his head and found a long brightly lit hallway with a deep maroon carpet. There was no one in sight so he figured it safe enough to venture out.
He chose the left pathway and passed by a few doors. There was another turn up ahead and this time he decided to go right. This was confusing him and he desperately just wanted to leave this huge place. Randomly he decided to choose a door, figuring that he could find someone and ask them where he was.
Unfortunately there was no person present in the room he chose. Stepping in, Cleo took a moment to marvel at the finely crafted furniture and art that he never saw so exquisite. He walked over to the mantle where a few framed pictures were set.
In some of them, he saw a young girl around 8 or 9 who looked vaguely familiar to him. She had an almost tiny frame, to say the least and her raven black hair was cropped short, ending just above the nape of her neck.
She was also present in what looked to be a family portrait. In it were three other people, two Cleo assumed to be her mother and father and a tall, older boy whom Cleo assumed to be her brother. He took notice of her parents and her brother's faces since they shared an expression that looked snooty and tight-lipped, to say the least. The little girl was the only one who genuinely smiled.
His eyes roamed over each frame until they abruptly stopped at one particular photo. It was a recent shot of the B4. Azumi was standing proudly in the middle, Calex next to her with a goofy grin, Ashley at Azumi's other side with a cheery smile, and Lucas next to Ashley with his arms crossed and a superior look on his face. It didn't take too long for Cleo to realize who the little girl in the other photos was once he looked from one photo to the one of B4.
"Azumi Grace Wanton?" Could it be possible he was in her home at this very moment? He didn't take the time to think about it twice and pivoted to get out of the room as quickly as possible. But when he opened the door, he jumped back in shock at the very person who stood before him. The Azumi Grace Wanton.
Cleo pointed a finger at her accusingly and stuttered to get out his words. "I-I-I-it was y-y-y-you!"
She grinned and Cleo couldn't help but see the evilness behind it. "I know it was me,  Cleoberry Idiot. I finally found you." She took one step toward him which made Cleo take one step back. She continued walking toward him as he backed up. He eventually hit the couch and fell backward, ending up in an uncomfortable sitting position.
"What did you do to me?" He demanded to know, still inching his body back on the couch.
She didn't answer him until she was standing in front of him with just about an inch or so away from her knees touching his legs. "I made you look better, of course. Those school clothes you were wearing before were just… ugh. What you're wearing now looks much better on you. It even makes your Cleoberry tolerable."
An uncontrollable blush flushed Cleo's face at the thought of her taking his clothes off to dress him in what he wore now. He shook his head to rid of this thought. "You're sick! What the hell did you want to see?"
Azumi blinked in a surprisingly innocent way. "I saw nothing. My maids did all the work. I just told them what to do." Cleo blushed even further.
"That suit you're wearing is at least  597,366 pesos." Cleo's jaw dropped at hearing the price.
"You can also thank me for the massage therapy and spa treatment. I'm sure you feel like your bruises are less sore and your pores are clean and non-clogged." She quickly placed a hand on his cheek to feel his skin but he swiped her arm away.
He glared at her. "What do you want from me? One moment you get guys from our school to try to beat me up and the next you kidnap me only to seemingly pamper me. I told you this was war, Grace, I'm not taking back my word just because you did this."
She held her head high and peered at him confidently through her soft eyelashes. "Hah, you do not need your war declaration. It's useless, Cleo. You've proved your worth to me already."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Cleo asked, fully frustrated with her now. He had no intention of impressing her or proving his worth to her in any way.
"You passed my test." She simply put. "Never in my life has anyone fought back with so much boldness and self-assurance as you have shown. I always encounter the most pathetic people. But you, you're not the least bit like those weaklings."
She bent her back forward so that her face moved closer to his face. It was yet again at a proximity like their previous encounter. Cleo could feel her breath on his face but he could not inch back any farther into the couch. "So I demand that you come here to spend time with me. But don't tell anyone at school. I can't possibly be seen around with a peasant."
Azumi continued. "Therefore… you have my approval."
Cleo took in her words and couldn't believe it. He didn't want to believe it. "I don't need and don't want your approval." He said through gritted teeth. He moved his body sideways and threw himself off the couch, away from her.
Getting back up quickly, he sought to finish this quickly. "I'd appreciate it now if you give me my clothes back and tell me where the nearest exit is."
She turned around toward him with her arms crossed and scoffed at his request. "You want to rid of what you're wearing now? You can have that suit."
"I'm not accepting your demands," Cleo answered quickly. "I don't want to take this if it means I'm automatically your little guinea pig or something. These clothes don't make me who I am."
Azumi rolled her eyes thinking what he said was the stupidest thing ever.
"What you're wearing does make who you are. Look at me." She spread her arms out and did a little turn, modeling the expensive pink dress she had on. "This is a one-of-kind name-brand dress that arrived today from Milan along with your suit. This outfit tells people of my status in society. You could use that suit." She pointed at him in an up-and-down motion. "People wouldn't suspect that you're poor."
Cleo tried to control the anger that was quickly arising within him. He didn't want to yell. He didn't. So with as much control as he could conjure up in his body, he calmly retorted: "Name brands may show the world what you're worth, but they don't define my worth. I'm not shallow for something as insignificant as my clothes to tell people who I am."
He made his point by taking off his jacket and throwing it to the ground. Giorgio Armani or not, it wasn't his for the taking and it meant nothing to him. Just a failed attempt from Azumi.
"I know who I am and I don't need you to tell me. I am a no-brand man!" He stood there confidently hoping his little monologue had an effect but didn't fully quite understand the glimmer that was behind Azumi's eyes.
"Now… my clothes?" He would have taken what remained of the suit off right then and there just to get rid of it quicker but had a feeling that probably would have satisfied whatever Azumi wanted further.
A small smile of approval crept upon her mouth when he asked her. She pointed a thumb toward her left. "It's in the next room."
Cleo nodded curtly and turned to go out the door, taking a glance over his shoulder to make sure she wasn't following him or planning some sort of surprise attack. She was still standing there, arms crossed, with that closed-mouth smile on her face intact.
Azumi wasn't lying, much to Cleo's joy when he found his International School uniform neatly folded on a table inside the room along with his book bag. He figured his clothes were washed and ironed when he caught the faint smell of laundry detergent and saw no signs of visible wrinkles the uniform had before.
He left the Giorgio Armani suit on a chair in the room. Before he left the room, there was a faint voice in the back of his head that told him to take it with him and run. Cleo slapped himself mentally for thinking that and walked out at a fast pace.
When he was out the door he was greeted by a young maid who introduced herself to him with a small curtsy. "Hello, nice to meet you, Mr.Cleo. I am Rika Reyes. Ms.Azumi around told me to escort you off the premises. Please follow me." She swiftly turned and started walking down the hallway at a normal pace.
Cleo followed her throughout the mansion. He finally understood just how huge the place was when it took Rika eight minutes to take him to the foyer. She stopped walking once they were there and turned toward him, bowing once again.
"The door to go out is right there." She motioned her hand to a set of large oak doors. "Ms.Azumi will be looking forward to your visit again." Cleo scoffed mentally when she said that but returned a small nod to Rika before she left him.
Cleo took one last look around him, figuring it would be the last time he would see a place of grandeur, and then made his way over to the oak doors. Yet they opened outward quickly and Cleo stopped in his tracks when two men in black suits entered. They looked like security guards and eyed him suspiciously as he stood there.
The person Cleo assumed there were security guards for entering. Cleo instantly recognized his face, the way his head held high, and the way his lips were pursed together. It was the same boy in Azumi's family portrait who he figured was her older brother. But he was a boy no more, but a tall man in expensive professional business attire. He strolled along inside with an entourage of people behind him.
The man was closely followed by a tall and svelte woman with her hair tied back in a bun and black framed glasses. She held a ledger in her hands and was saying something to him while he walked in front of her.
As Cleo stood there he hoped for the love of spirit that they would go along their way and not notice him. Even though their path swerved away from him, it didn't stop Azumi's brother from stopping in his wake. His entourage stopped along with him and he turned around toward Azumi.
His eyes gleamed with disgust when he looked Cleo over. "And who might you be?"
"C-cleo Montenegro." Cleo couldn't help his slight stutter. This man looked intimidating. "I'm a student from International School."
"Why are you here?" The next question came out quickly.
"…" Cleo didn't know what to exactly say. Should he tell Azumi's brother the truth and say he was kidnapped, brought to this mansion, given special treatment, and offered a proposal that he declined from his sister? No, too risky. "Grace invited me here." Close enough to the truth.
Azumi's brother's mouth seemed to stiffen slightly more. He turned back around toward his path. "Guards, take this boy off my property." He ordered and continued on his way with his entourage.
Cleo stood there in disbelief. This was not a welcoming home at all. The two guards roughly took hold of his arms and dragged him out. "Hey, I can get out myself you know!" He tried struggling out of their grasp but they were persistent and managed to get him outside and threw him down on the ground.
Cleo softened his fall by landing on his hands and knees but it didn't help much on the hard gravel. He got up and wiped his hands on his clothes, dirtying his clean pants in the process. "Aw, damn it." He cursed under his breath.
Exhaling a long breath of air from his lungs, he examined the mansion in front of him. "Shit, this mansion is ridiculous!"
The front of the stone-walled mansion spread out in front of him, the length of it almost the size of two cruise line ships placed side by side. There was a large circular driveway with a stone fountain in the middle of the circle.
The fountain was a masterpiece, to say the least. Placed in the center were cherub angels facing outward and encircling two figures of a man and woman who were enclosing their hands together in still motion. Their bodies were formed like ice skaters with one leg raised behind them in a graceful stance. The water streamed out in an arc from the horns that the cherubs were raising. Cleo had never seen something so amazing as this.
I should get going. Cleo thought when he checked his wristwatch. It was 6:30 PM and the sun was gradually making its descent on the horizon. He walked along the driveway toward the metal gates. After a few minutes of walking, he saw the gates open and a sleek black limousine entered. "Oh spirit, not again," Cleo muttered.
He was surprised when it slowed down and stopped right beside him. The window from the back opened and when Cleo had walked his way past it, he found Ashley inside waving at him. "Cleo! Azumi has finally invited you to her home! Oh, this is great news!" She clapped her hands gleefully.
"Um… yeah," Cleo said and waved goodbye. "I've got to find my way home now. See you at school, Ashley."
Ashley pouted. "Hey, wait! Why are you leaving so early?"
Cleo stopped again and blurted it out quickly. "I wasn't invited to her home and I don't feel comfortable around her."
She had a look of slight disappointment when he said this. "Ano… Cleo, give Azumi a chance. I feel bad for asking, but could you try to…" Ashley paused and looked away, her index finger placed upon her lip. "…please her?"
Cleo almost choked on his spit. "Wah-what?"
Ashley smiled. "Azumi is a good person. She shows you over time. I think she sees that you're just being yourself even though you're the only one who's different at International Schools. You're a great person. I see it too, Cleo."
Cleo's face turned a light shade of crimson at her comment. "I'll think about it." He said just to end the conversation and waved goodbye again.
"Oh, Cleo! The nearest bus stop is down the corner from here. You'll get home much faster that way!" Ashley yelled out after him as the limo drove toward the mansion.
"Thanks, Ashley!" Cleo yelled back. He waved at the limo one last time and for a lingering moment watched as the limo stopped in front and as Ashley came out and walked up the steps into the mansion.
Once he arrived home, Cleo was greeted by a hysterical David. "Son! Mr.Martin called me four hours ago asking where you had gone and that you didn't go to work! What happened? Did you and that girl go on a date?" He changed his tone and suggestively winked at Cleo.
"Where the hell do you get these ideas?" Cleo spat out to his father and immediately went to his room.
"I am right then, aren't I?" David yelled out before Cleo shut the door.
Cleo threw his book bag on the bed and immediately changed out of his school clothes, the fresh laundered scent still lingering on them. He blocked out all thoughts from the day and got out his things to start homework.
His hand briefly felt the pocket where his mp3 player was in. But as his hand felt another object, something in one piece, he scratched his head in confusion. He didn't remember placing anything inside besides his MP3 player. Taking a quick peek inside, his eyes widened when he spotted a foreign object.
Placing his hand inside, he took out the object and examined it fully. It was a new mp3 player with a much nicer design and perhaps even more snazzy features than his previous one. But it wasn't his. And he knew instantly who placed it there.
The next day Cleo entered the International school grounds and again, was met with whispers he knew were about him. This time was a bit different though. There were a few stares sent to him disgust which only fueled him to glare menacingly at the person who sent it.
"Hey Cleo! Did you go to the doctor yet to check for those STDs?" One idiotic student yelled at him when he passed by.
"What the hell…" Cleo looked back at the speaker who quickly hid among the crowd. "STDs?"
He shrugged and continued walking toward his homeroom until another student passed by and said, "You have some gross taste, man."
A vein almost popped out from Cleo's temple as he turned and grabbed the student by the collar. "Would you at least tell me where you're getting his information from?" He said through gritted teeth.
The guy nodded nervously. He pointed to the dining area. "R-right there."
Cleo released his grip on the guy's collar and made his way into the dining area. As he entered he spotted a crowd of students gathered in front of the glass window, many of them laughing or gasping in surprise. He pushed his way through the crowd until the very end when the students yelled out that he was coming. They cleared a path for him and he finally saw what was on the window.
On it were red painted words with what Cleo read:
Cleo Montenegro is a dirty womanizer! He has STDs caught from the many prostitutes he slept with in middle school! Stay away from him or you might catch herpes or crabs!
"Ugh, gross, be careful not to touch him!" Some girl next to him said and scooted away as if she would catch something from skin contact.
Cleo's adrenaline rose as his anger doubled. He had a feeling the culprit of all this was Azumi Grace Wanton. He made his way back into the crowd who scrambled over their friends so they wouldn't get touched by him.
He walked a short distance to the stairs that led to the second story. He peered up to see all of B4 present, sitting around a table. He didn't take notice of the sign before him that said "NOBODY PERMITTED ACROSS THIS LINE" and stomped his way up the staircase.
Calex had been aware of the ruckus beforehand and quickly stood at the top of the stairs to block Cleo from entering. "Get your ass back down there!" He spat out and readied his stance.
"Don't fuckin' block my way!" Cleo snapped back. He charged at Calex and managed to tackle him hard to the ground.
"OW!" Calex yelled out in pain, landing a foot away from the B4 table.
Azumi and Ashley got up from their seats while Lucas sat casually watching with his hands behind his neck. Ashley went over to give Calex a hand up while Cleo stood and dusted his clothes off. Cleo went over to Azumi, noticing the smug expression painted on her face.
Cleo had every urge to punch that smugness off her face but he decided long ago that he would never in his life strike a woman, even if she was a bitch.
"Have you come to"
"Don't you say anything, Grace!" Cleo cut off her words before she could finish. "You don't know shit about me! For your information, I have never slept with a prostitute or any girl for that matter! I don't have STDs because I'm a fuckin' virgin! So before you go slandering my name, get true shit!" Cleo was fuming from the ears as each person of B4 stood there in shock.
Azumi covered her mouth in shock. "I-"
"I don't want to hear it." Cleo interrupted her again. Before leaving, he fished into his pocket for the mp3 player. Once he got it out, he slammed it on the table. "This is yours." He pivoted and nodded slightly to a confused Ashley who was standing next to an equally confused Calex. Before they could say anything, Cleo hastily walked down the staircase.
"What the fuck is his problem?" Calex questioned once Cleo was out of earshot. "Who wants to know that kind of stuff?"
Azumi thought about it for a moment. A blush crept its way to her face once she realized what he told her. "He… told me he was a virgin…" She giggled, causing Calex and Lucas to form sweat drops at the awkwardness. "Hahah, he told me he was a virgin!" She went over to Ashley and grabbed her hands while jumping in place. "This is unbelievable!"
"I know, Azumi! I know!" Ashley chimed in happily and joined in on the jumping.
"The ways of women I'll never understand," Calex commented as he took in the scene.
Lucas grunted in agreement.
This is the worst week of my life. Cleo grumbled in his thoughts during class. The teacher's lecture felt longer than usual and due to the uneasiness he started to feel from the students around him, Cleo wanted to get out of the class as fast as possible.
He waited until the first break was given and blew out a sigh of relief. He walked over to his locker to return some books but when he arrived, he found certain people standing there. The three boys who were ordered to gang on him earlier were waiting in front of his locker. They saw Cleo and immediately smiled in the friendliest light. Cleo could still spot the fear behind their eyes as he approached them.
"What do you want?" Cleo asked when they moved so he could open his locker. One of the boys pushed Ichigo's classmate to the front and nodded toward Cleo.
"Hello, Cleo. We, Bobby Montefalco, Sean Torres," He gestured to the boys behind him, "and I, Harold Liam want to apologize to you for our actions."
Cleo stared at them in disbelief. "Apologize? Hah, stop fooling around."
"No, no, we mean it." Harold shook his head. "We felt bad that we were forced by Azumi to do something we never wanted to do. We never had any feelings of contempt toward you. Please accept our apologies." As if on cue all three of them bowed their heads.
Cleo sighed. "Fine, apology accepted. Now just leave me alone."
"But wait!" Sean said and moved Harold out of the way to go to the front. "To show that we're truly sorry we want you to come to a… casual party we're having at Harold's place." He handed Cleo a lettered invitation. "Harold always has the best parties of the year. Nobody misses out on this. Nobody." He emphasized.
Cleo eyed the invitation and looked back up at the three stooges. They all nodded their heads in agreement as Sean forcefully handed the letter to Cleo. "There will be great food and good drinks. You'll have the best time of your life, trust me."
Reluctantly, Cleo accepted the invitation and slipped it into his shirt pocket. "I'll consider it. Now, could you please leave me alone?"
Sean and the others grinned, stepping back and leaving Cleo to contemplate...