TW: Obsessive behaviour, unrequited love368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU4t4uDH5NV
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? 368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzeu74jb5zi
It was devastating.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP8rBSIC5kU
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. 368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhxgBBfVAkG
I made memories and enjoyed school life. Until that.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR4sS5FgUVQ
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.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDCtY3BJ9gz
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.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOWDz2aor3x
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.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGSQDmLWTVX
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.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxDTNBcNHG3
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.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbYWAjcW2zz
—368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaPQmcuAISe
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. 368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwAtsEcnuiy
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.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvb19LVE8sr
We were typically strangers.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv6IDuibFNN
Or not.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbFCaQXiwIt
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.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAzohOveN3Y
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.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHr6TXZ3vq
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.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcf1Hoqiyss
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.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9lHCPcCWXO
A week before the celebration, he and his friend came to the studio to decide how to enhance their already dashing performance. 368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdSDxhbdG3A
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. 368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWwwbMFWVCe
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.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVhjjsNWSON
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?368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡciue2HZkZn
“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.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvtNQFj6Zz5
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.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6LMKRrwrSI
“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?”368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrciG1E6CZq
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.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXC8f4sVMVP
“Aria, the lights!” she yelled. Yeah, my slaps aren’t going to be light if you call his name again.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡncW8Nm60AM
“Sorry,” I managed to utter while glaring at her.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVMi6m5x6rq
“Let’s do it again,” she said. Thinking you’re resolving the conflict? Great pretence.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEQFUXMarmP
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!368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh0yDwYpjUj
“Aria!” yelled the devil again. 368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpUQNESIcPA
Hearing the leader’s shrill voice, his eyes snapped back and forth between me and her, unaware of what had happened.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuhNOP8Avk5
“Oh, my bad. There’s an issue with the system,” I reasoned.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBtZp0HzMrM
“Really? Let me take a look,” she said and hurried forward.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHt967CLng9
“No, it’s fine now,” I said, giving her a disgusted face. She stepped back and stated, “Don’t mess up again.”368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKhNXHrFBMb
I gritted my teeth at her warning. She acts as if she has the privilege to order me around. 368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyV0jYRYSgq
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.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeURUcBcSqH
He will fall for me after this.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ57hKqF1dof
“Red light, now Aria!” said the monster, ordering me once again. But this evening’s going to end with her embarrassment anyway.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY57bVJUQFc
The background music and the lights were composed and rehearsed for the next two hours. The witch exploited us and our patience effectively. 368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLAYmA4e7cb
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.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfCuLf6J6Yo
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.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ55CHudOz4E
“Thank you for your hard work,” Adam said, “Please watch our performance at the celebration.”368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi65bgO0ABl
He sure knew how to light up my mood.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdSvpuc1XN9
He looked at me and gave one of his most appealing smiles, which I loved. His smile was such a tease just like him.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEYo4jZvAtL
I smiled back, looking at the ground, then at him. He must have picked up the hint.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPdhtRfESfB
“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?368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtuaUkzaaon
How could he say that? He was supposed to ask me to come with him.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrw7hFXb78F
He gave everybody else–the team leader–a striking smile and turned his back to leave.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPdxOzHiiRf
“Wa– “The evening was quite tiring, wasn’t it?” interjected the team leader. I turned to her, “Oh.”368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCR9Div7deX
Everyone looked at me now. “If it wasn’t for you, the evening would have been easier,” I muttered.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡotg9fMMclX
“What?” she said, “Did you say something, Aria?”368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPXVC06ZgtD
Someone tell the witch to stop calling me by my name.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN6oWVnl9vH
“As if you didn’t hear,” I muttered again.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcmEiAQVyo7
“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. 368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL8ykzySaMI
I looked at the devil’s eyes with contempt and disdain. 368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK4HFxO8Hqw
“Is something the problem? Why are– “You are the problem,” I yelled, looking down.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3h2AV1Uowq
“What do you– “Shut up, will you?! Why did you send him off? I wanted to talk to him!”368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsbm2fahnKM
“You mean Adam? I can call– “Don’t say his name!”368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt7vaK5rcqr
The room was hushed again. “Aria… by any chance, do you like him?” 368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQLeKcOzrj7
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?”368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMg0XVkYy2C
I strolled to her, “Will you be jealous? Are you going to try to pull him away from me? Tell me.”368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn5JxvtP24g
“No, no. It’s nothing like that. I have just never seen you and him together before.”368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL3Ud4KNIhC
And that was the last strike.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9w99dDyeWA
“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.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi4P2qulTe4
“Oh my, is that her? Ad– I mean you-know-who’s crazy fangirl?”368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9tJUV6G0XU
It’s all lies, you know it too, right?368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfo7Hb6ixhG
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?368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT9tVLzzyGV
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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