TW: Obsessive behaviour, unrequited love210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrTk7lvXxHd
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? 210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoQvLzQQZR8
It was devastating.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ91OtHNBUI5
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. 210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCkd9GEH7Ag
I made memories and enjoyed school life. Until that.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeIL0OgpflZ
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.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDImt0mZHdv
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.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgraFPqYNIP
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.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgkWLk9UvAj
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.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8NQIP5wFet
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.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDPIMycZT6Z
—210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxfG5xDn5Ib
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. 210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdVr4osHFCw
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.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQs90pw4Ohw
We were typically strangers.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrj6odjp1ug
Or not.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKTj1X7CwYt
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.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfBKTe2QYIT
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.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNPFEUWY9YW
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.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsVvctxRwE4
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.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1Ydu6NdeG
A week before the celebration, he and his friend came to the studio to decide how to enhance their already dashing performance. 210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrQBvS7rfd7
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. 210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDxzm0Lmf8U
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.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPz2wFpY5hT
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?210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrYB4zkklr0
“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.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw6F6fXIBZb
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.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPmNuc5kYZX
“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?”210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4iMgXWelJl
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.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyjBgdRPTaa
“Aria, the lights!” she yelled. Yeah, my slaps aren’t going to be light if you call his name again.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ46uel0joEe
“Sorry,” I managed to utter while glaring at her.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmox7ZaEhGe
“Let’s do it again,” she said. Thinking you’re resolving the conflict? Great pretence.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdGsBHDEpY9
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!210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhhnuoyNEwK
“Aria!” yelled the devil again. 210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsRDQSGxTzw
Hearing the leader’s shrill voice, his eyes snapped back and forth between me and her, unaware of what had happened.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf5FaX4WaLj
“Oh, my bad. There’s an issue with the system,” I reasoned.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsZbML2FN5q
“Really? Let me take a look,” she said and hurried forward.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡECCorTX44j
“No, it’s fine now,” I said, giving her a disgusted face. She stepped back and stated, “Don’t mess up again.”210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTH1gKWacAG
I gritted my teeth at her warning. She acts as if she has the privilege to order me around. 210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbaumvGiYNk
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.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJpazIHAeca
He will fall for me after this.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvsPPjTjbbG
“Red light, now Aria!” said the monster, ordering me once again. But this evening’s going to end with her embarrassment anyway.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4T6aJ8bx4B
The background music and the lights were composed and rehearsed for the next two hours. The witch exploited us and our patience effectively. 210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwrVZ3ycEzL
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.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0TdlOjUVZK
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.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnCIMRtVrI7
“Thank you for your hard work,” Adam said, “Please watch our performance at the celebration.”210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkVDxvkBmRh
He sure knew how to light up my mood.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkVhrfukCDp
He looked at me and gave one of his most appealing smiles, which I loved. His smile was such a tease just like him.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2eHyjeRmwV
I smiled back, looking at the ground, then at him. He must have picked up the hint.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPYBqpvdC2n
“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?210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTtYCgtv391
How could he say that? He was supposed to ask me to come with him.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtnzSHL2DsA
He gave everybody else–the team leader–a striking smile and turned his back to leave.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdWnp2cbQtb
“Wa– “The evening was quite tiring, wasn’t it?” interjected the team leader. I turned to her, “Oh.”210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF28tiiWJtl
Everyone looked at me now. “If it wasn’t for you, the evening would have been easier,” I muttered.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOMQcrxWUOZ
“What?” she said, “Did you say something, Aria?”210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ucRe07hXC
Someone tell the witch to stop calling me by my name.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ2LGIccEiZ
“As if you didn’t hear,” I muttered again.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡztsNbtj5gG
“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. 210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRvfc8TPjmZ
I looked at the devil’s eyes with contempt and disdain. 210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0M92S2vuAJ
“Is something the problem? Why are– “You are the problem,” I yelled, looking down.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡel0vUIAyrn
“What do you– “Shut up, will you?! Why did you send him off? I wanted to talk to him!”210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQai9tFCcNP
“You mean Adam? I can call– “Don’t say his name!”210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPRGlT5tTEs
The room was hushed again. “Aria… by any chance, do you like him?” 210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdJUB8zHh3l
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?”210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUTvdRARx5G
I strolled to her, “Will you be jealous? Are you going to try to pull him away from me? Tell me.”210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMkHziPkG3c
“No, no. It’s nothing like that. I have just never seen you and him together before.”210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtX3vUpow5a
And that was the last strike.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwlBKFoRXlt
“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.210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCYinX6G1Et
“Oh my, is that her? Ad– I mean you-know-who’s crazy fangirl?”210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnhJifmcKvn
It’s all lies, you know it too, right?210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa1vL9GnExD
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?210Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ48E9eK14dV
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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