TW: Obsessive behaviour, unrequited love208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkfKNu2UICy
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? 208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdX09KUQ3kZ
It was devastating.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡajS02d7Pta
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. 208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0a7fgbIedY
I made memories and enjoyed school life. Until that.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf857XpRO1q
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.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxKeADI3cy9
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.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMRqWyVaOhJ
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.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0NQXonNldI
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.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM6dBmPQGsG
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.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK2gHJzdVdo
—208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ13irpSbY3t
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. 208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5EfHOvZTRv
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.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNYT3n5wFM0
We were typically strangers.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI37duwTA7a
Or not.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgkfi2VUPgC
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.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFnrCUuKOtB
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.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoV5eVEs6Vu
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.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJwIx76NJcC
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.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDYywh9YpQe
A week before the celebration, he and his friend came to the studio to decide how to enhance their already dashing performance. 208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVbNOyEI40E
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. 208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwnFcbLR4VO
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.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo8ImqQJmNv
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?208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEfj4aPbyRC
“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.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4SQyxWBWLT
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.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaemdMTAOLB
“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?”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrtLQeB1YQY
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.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbmmeEa874y
“Aria, the lights!” she yelled. Yeah, my slaps aren’t going to be light if you call his name again.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRL4QDhp44G
“Sorry,” I managed to utter while glaring at her.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGCfZOdrSly
“Let’s do it again,” she said. Thinking you’re resolving the conflict? Great pretence.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIoeTbfVv0Z
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!208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0MXQjBXcHS
“Aria!” yelled the devil again. 208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ25ejQ7uPzZ
Hearing the leader’s shrill voice, his eyes snapped back and forth between me and her, unaware of what had happened.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhDOHgzY86W
“Oh, my bad. There’s an issue with the system,” I reasoned.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuMCbFvnNxr
“Really? Let me take a look,” she said and hurried forward.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXfns1KkOvU
“No, it’s fine now,” I said, giving her a disgusted face. She stepped back and stated, “Don’t mess up again.”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ4ErIFBjMh
I gritted my teeth at her warning. She acts as if she has the privilege to order me around. 208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnPv2u3bYIh
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.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTaDuoZQYaT
He will fall for me after this.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuDRg4SOITr
“Red light, now Aria!” said the monster, ordering me once again. But this evening’s going to end with her embarrassment anyway.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh2qkxwsRuc
The background music and the lights were composed and rehearsed for the next two hours. The witch exploited us and our patience effectively. 208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡni8gh3BmfR
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.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYKeqiA3smE
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.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡno58WdoRiw
“Thank you for your hard work,” Adam said, “Please watch our performance at the celebration.”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzc2TlTePqs
He sure knew how to light up my mood.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3KqVxcAII8
He looked at me and gave one of his most appealing smiles, which I loved. His smile was such a tease just like him.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3vlNMXk167
I smiled back, looking at the ground, then at him. He must have picked up the hint.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYWwV6JcFf3
“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?208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡENYb8r7w8t
How could he say that? He was supposed to ask me to come with him.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIxta2zLFAT
He gave everybody else–the team leader–a striking smile and turned his back to leave.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhtjrimg4fQ
“Wa– “The evening was quite tiring, wasn’t it?” interjected the team leader. I turned to her, “Oh.”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOeDciN85xf
Everyone looked at me now. “If it wasn’t for you, the evening would have been easier,” I muttered.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTPWJUpFRpa
“What?” she said, “Did you say something, Aria?”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8yeRxk1S5d
Someone tell the witch to stop calling me by my name.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9PQsYgyrrv
“As if you didn’t hear,” I muttered again.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUA2zPf0aWs
“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. 208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hK6tGpzuH
I looked at the devil’s eyes with contempt and disdain. 208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJgz08q0c9s
“Is something the problem? Why are– “You are the problem,” I yelled, looking down.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Zmq7U3iEv
“What do you– “Shut up, will you?! Why did you send him off? I wanted to talk to him!”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡojI1Lz4bOQ
“You mean Adam? I can call– “Don’t say his name!”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8y9jlYNKBp
The room was hushed again. “Aria… by any chance, do you like him?” 208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlAC6jp0I4v
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?”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0R1USGYMAK
I strolled to her, “Will you be jealous? Are you going to try to pull him away from me? Tell me.”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWKmiDE4K8e
“No, no. It’s nothing like that. I have just never seen you and him together before.”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIA28Q8Cgw1
And that was the last strike.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ39Hsq8YS0w
“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.208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrdVwMJ0pqC
“Oh my, is that her? Ad– I mean you-know-who’s crazy fangirl?”208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpHbvKvsyhG
It’s all lies, you know it too, right?208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFCauRgXzxY
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?208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIFiQkcuMmE
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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