TW: Obsessive behaviour, unrequited love285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzmSAhG3uqC
Apologies that the story is too long, but ideas seem to flood my head at midnight.
How does it feel when a stranger is obsessed with you, and you never knew it? 285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcTpqZk0a97
It was devastating.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlD4RAN0ZNl
It has been four years since I transferred to this school. I managed to make some good friends and forged good relationships with my teachers. My grades aren’t bad, and I make some time for my hobbies. My life was normal, just like any other teenager’s would be. 285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡab64a6rZYT
I made memories and enjoyed school life. Until that.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxOoobTVwJ2
All my friends warned me recently, “Adam, you see the girl over there? Don’t talk to her. She’s danger.” They repeated the same words for the past week when we walked in the hallway to our class.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWha1z92Rsl
Not like I ever converse with her, but the reason why I should not was more flabbergasting than their advice itself. Of course, I was called to the principal’s room after that but the miscommunication was soon resolved.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFkBswyrZre
The thing that astounds me is that a stranger whom I had just come across, maybe two or three times in the hallway, decided to involve me in her brawl. It was creepy that something like that had–Oh, I think I see her.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIFbsNC3XwP
The gossip grew louder as she came walking. She looked down at the ground, her hair let down, almost looking like a dark spirit. I gulped down. All I need, after all, is no drama. I would be glad if we got over this awful encounter.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlHSESEwO5v
I looked at the ground as I walked to my class, deliberately ignoring her. I wonder what went on in her mind when she did it.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMBFYlXENJd
—285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwL6hZoUjdL
We weren’t close. He was outgoing; I was introverted. He had friends; I had none. People liked him but were jealous of and despised me. We never shared eye contact for more than a minute, let alone talk. It’s no wonder that girls who see him want him–such was his charm. And unmistakably, I’m also one of them. 285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ10j8ff9Pd3
We sat in the same classroom, just not next to each other. We were in the class study group, just didn’t study together. We both had each other’s numbers in group chats, just never texted. We walked in the same hallway each day, just never talked.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSrNr5Wu28a
We were typically strangers.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe2TFywQTDS
Or not.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfmgaZV8Ipa
Every time he sneaked out of the class with his friends, he smiled at me. Every time we walked in the hallway, he made eye contact. Every time there was an exam coming up, his friends asked me for help. And… as if by a miracle, I got to work with him for the annual celebration.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhRkNS7y87d
The annual celebration was a festival hosted by our school every year to display its students’ proclaimed talents. It was mostly welcomed as being the only time of the year for some leisure. The students forgot about their exams and their parents’ nagging about grades around this time, while the parents had some fun seeing their children do something different.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUaMaNDdQYr
Not to mention, this was metaphorically the time for every girl's debutante ball and every guy’s chance to be an escort. You had a chance to let the entire school know about your presence.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4A1oePAJwn
Being the introvert I was, I chose the job of a technician, controlling lights and sounds in the background, while my prince charming, being the extrovert he was, chose to dance. Dance made everyone in the school crazy, and then when he chose it, it was decided that he was the next heartthrob.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTV41SuDrDq
A week before the celebration, he and his friend came to the studio to decide how to enhance their already dashing performance. 285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTrdjs9XTFp
They danced for the tech team, only the few people who had seen them dance before their actual performance. Suggestions and praises were brought out with roars of applause. We were only five, but the claps were like ten. 285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAME3CYaort
I returned to my desk, while my team leader enquired about their wants and ideas on how the lights could be operated to match their performance.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAAigM805df
He threw in some suggestions but his friend did most of the talking. I bet the leader asked more questions just to get him to speak because who didn’t want to hear his voice?285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdyePJ62APD
“I think we all agree on that,” he finally said, receiving approving nods from his friend and the team leader, “so let’s do it.” He glanced at those behind the team leader for a split second but returned to mine after scrutinising the room.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqQTJ8BK7en
I pretended to focus on my computer though I had nothing going on. I’ll show him that I don’t care so much that he wonders why.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdQb6SW3P6v
“Aria, control the backlights,” instructed my leader, as she designed the role for every one of us until she had nothing left for her to do. She sat on a chair and, “Blue, then pink and violet. A flash after a cue, then the spotlight on Adam, got it?”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡExIdOcSO0r
My brows frowned, my eyes were about to roll and I had to control my urge to scoff. She can dare call his name when I haven’t? She’s got to have some nerve. Has she forgotten I topped her in Science? How is she ordering me around? It must be the other way around.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKCmYmT23g6
“Aria, the lights!” she yelled. Yeah, my slaps aren’t going to be light if you call his name again.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKFfrgctpaU
“Sorry,” I managed to utter while glaring at her.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYOVjflvpSl
“Let’s do it again,” she said. Thinking you’re resolving the conflict? Great pretence.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1V7kLJkMOW
The music blared and others were busy not to screw up in front of Adam, after all, everybody would want to look good in front of a guy like him. He sat on the chair, looked down on the ground, and tapped his feet along the music. Oh, how dashing he is!285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIZioAq1zX7
“Aria!” yelled the devil again. 285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlDR6bOhjq6
Hearing the leader’s shrill voice, his eyes snapped back and forth between me and her, unaware of what had happened.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7QQzL6E7Ki
“Oh, my bad. There’s an issue with the system,” I reasoned.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhGziiygMqH
“Really? Let me take a look,” she said and hurried forward.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG3iXppwccp
“No, it’s fine now,” I said, giving her a disgusted face. She stepped back and stated, “Don’t mess up again.”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQzaWmPuaPv
I gritted my teeth at her warning. She acts as if she has the privilege to order me around. 285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVyP1mxk7aS
I looked at my prince charming, and oh, his innocent pecan brown eyes! They can calm me down so easily. He probably has no idea how I feel but, the way I’m determined to make him see me truly scares even me.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHwgtpe9ZFP
He will fall for me after this.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgC8Ja1olYt
“Red light, now Aria!” said the monster, ordering me once again. But this evening’s going to end with her embarrassment anyway.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgtTyzHOnVh
The background music and the lights were composed and rehearsed for the next two hours. The witch exploited us and our patience effectively. 285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWH9mzTA1qM
When the lights and their timings to the music were finalized perfectly, the boys rehearsed with the spotlight. His black hair sparkled, and his body moved to the beat flawlessly. The lights could have been done better and improved, but all thanks to the witch, it ended up being mediocre.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Y6V28qowE
Nonetheless, the performance was once again greeted with cheers and applause. “Great performance, man!” said Gregor. It’s no wonder all the boys wanted to be him.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3HQ7AKd3Y0
“Thank you for your hard work,” Adam said, “Please watch our performance at the celebration.”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8aS6PqCQ17
He sure knew how to light up my mood.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI9pFV4qVtn
He looked at me and gave one of his most appealing smiles, which I loved. His smile was such a tease just like him.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvQOUOVVVUY
I smiled back, looking at the ground, then at him. He must have picked up the hint.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrQVzxWiWqD
“Okay, then we’ll get going,” said his friend, whose name I can’t be bothered to remember. Anyway, Adam is now going to stop him and say– “Yep, see you guys later.” What?285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8NUcFEGt81
How could he say that? He was supposed to ask me to come with him.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxKdqYJEBh1
He gave everybody else–the team leader–a striking smile and turned his back to leave.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9DngJ0mAex
“Wa– “The evening was quite tiring, wasn’t it?” interjected the team leader. I turned to her, “Oh.”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgccTGm8Dhi
Everyone looked at me now. “If it wasn’t for you, the evening would have been easier,” I muttered.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZYXRpmQOAs
“What?” she said, “Did you say something, Aria?”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1MYV5UyNA8
Someone tell the witch to stop calling me by my name.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Jtjt9VN1E
“As if you didn’t hear,” I muttered again.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo75Z1BgEWn
“Hey, can you talk a little louder, I don’t hear you. And also look– “Shut up!” I yelled smashing a computer down. The room went silent as I felt them staring at me. 285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiExWkSfHGI
I looked at the devil’s eyes with contempt and disdain. 285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbLEYlTzHdu
“Is something the problem? Why are– “You are the problem,” I yelled, looking down.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx56gNrzW0x
“What do you– “Shut up, will you?! Why did you send him off? I wanted to talk to him!”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1SMQtdg2JU
“You mean Adam? I can call– “Don’t say his name!”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH7YTrugCIa
The room was hushed again. “Aria… by any chance, do you like him?” 285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTA131cxmgA
I lifted my head, met her brown orbs, and looked into it to find a reason to hold back. Unfortunately, I couldn’t, “So what if I like him?”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtjykhSvdTz
I strolled to her, “Will you be jealous? Are you going to try to pull him away from me? Tell me.”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcoYa9wrBKJ
“No, no. It’s nothing like that. I have just never seen you and him together before.”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhZyueAuc8v
And that was the last strike.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhPgOit1vEI
“Hey, do you see her? The black-haired one. She caused a ruckus at the studio before the celebration. Heard she was kicked out of her debutante ball,” they giggled.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgqwAlTYTS7
“Oh my, is that her? Ad– I mean you-know-who’s crazy fangirl?”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJVpZdK8057
It’s all lies, you know it too, right?285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvYbjyCWfoN
I saw him come in the hallway. The whispers died down, as he strolled, but they sure couldn’t have slipped off his ears. He must have heard them, but he knows better than anyone why I did it, doesn’t he?285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqlbxTWp01c
He must know that I did it because I loved him, and also that the witch deserved it. Anybody who saw her treat me like that would know it. He knows it, so why does he look down when he walks past me?
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