love or loyalty

impressions

My mother woke me from sleep with persistent knocking, urging me to get ready for my first day at college. Though I was filled with excitement, my weariness hindered myself from fully showing it. Reluctantly, I got out of bed and emerged in my pyjamas to join my family for breakfast. The aroma of freshly cooked bacon and eggs wafted through the air, tantalising my senses.

I noticed dad on the sofa, who was watching the news while sipping coffee.

"Good morning, dad," I said.

He added with a huge smile, "First day at college, wow, must be excited."

"Uh, sure," I replied with a subtle smile as I walked over to the little kitchen where mum was.

"This year, sweetie, why not make an effort to forge new friendships... or perhaps even find yourself a special someone," mom suggested with a shrug, and an innocent smirk playing on her lips as she winked in my direction. At the mention of a boyfriend, I couldn't help but ended up choking on my bacon.

"Mum, I already have friends like Andrew, and this year I want to concentrate on my studies. Having a boyfriend right now would only serve as a distraction," I explained earnestly.

My sincere intention was to prioritise my academics and help build a bright future, especially given that our family wasn't financially well-off.

Attending college was made possible for me solely because of my mum's humble culinary business, and not to mention my scholarship. Despite her exceptional baking skills, she never had the chance to showcase them until she started selling her delicious creations in our small local neighbourhood.

To support my parents in funding my education, I took on a part-time job at a book shop in the mall. It was a personal commitment I felt compelled to make. Meanwhile, my father has been striving to establish his own business, but progress has been slow and challenging.

I stepped into my room to prepare for the first day of school, savouring the final bite of bacon. I proceeded to brush my teeth, tidy my hair, apply makeup, and dress up for the day.

...

After gathering all my necessities and saying goodbye to my parents, I walked out the door and hopped onto my Vespa, heading towards school. As I peacefully rode, my attention was drawn to something in the far distance.

As I glanced up from my motorcycle, I saw a figure in a black hoodie tugging a bag from an elderly woman. Swiftly, I stopped my bike at the curb and rushed onto the sidewalk to help. The bag was subjected to a tug-of-war until abruptly I received a forceful kick to the face from the assailant.

As I looked up, nursing my left cheek, I noticed a younger guy coming, throwing a punch at the man. I turned to see the lady encouraging me to get back on my feet.

Now sprawled on the ground, the man glanced up at the boy who had struck him, hastily scrambling to his feet and stumbling as he fled from the scene, leaving the bag on the floor. As the situation calmed down, he grabbed the bag from the floor and gentle passed it to the old lady. The boy's face became clearly visible to me.

His face had a captivating effect on me as I stood there, utterly mesmerised. He seemed almost flawless until he opened his mouth to speak.

"What are you staring at?" he retorted arrogantly, his tone dripping with cockiness. "I just saved you, where's my thank you?"

I was taken aback by his rudeness, especially considering he had just helped me and the elderly lady. Giving him a disapproving look, I ignored him and asked if the lady needed any further assistance. As the realisation of being late for school hit me, I hastily bid the lady farewell, and without delay, I sped away as fast as I could.

His pov

As I observed her standing up for the elderly person, I found myself captivated by her actions. There was something intriguing about her that drew me in. However, I couldn't help but feel anger when the old man slapped her across the face. Without hesitation, I stepped in and punched him. In that moment, I couldn't help but to feel proud of myself.

I anticipated her to come over and shower me with praise for my heroic act, but instead, she remained standing there, looking surprised. I panicked and I blurted out, "I just saved you, where's my thank you?", hoping she'd be impressed by my courage as the girls from my school usually do. However, she simply ignored me and shot me a bitter look. It was an unfamiliar feeling for me, I had always been the center of attention when it came to girls. This new experience of being disregarded left my ego feeling a little bruised.

Nevertheless, there was something unique about her that intrigued me deeply. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but she had an allure that was almost addictive. As she eventually left, I realised I was running late for class, snapping me out of my thoughts about her.

Reader's pov

Arriving at school in a rush, I hurried through the corridors, drawing everyone's attention. The room fell silent as the teacher noticed me and addressed my tardiness on the first day of school, remarking that it hardly made a good first impression.

I quickly apologised, hoping to divert the focus away from myself. Escaping to where the rest of students are, I found a seat next to a girl. As she noticed the red mark on my cheek, she expressed concern, exclaiming unexpectedly, "Oh my gosh, are you okay?" For a moment, I was dazed, momentarily forgetting the incident that occurred just ten minutes ago. She pointed out that the redness was only on one side of my cheek, and I realised I had to regain composure.

I was trying dismiss it as nothing, yet she gently insisted, "Look, I may not know you, but I can tell that was not nothing." Her kindness and concern were evident, and I greeted her in return. Her name was Xochitl, and we quickly struck up a smooth and pleasant conversation. It seemed we got along effortlessly from the very beginning.

...

As the class finally ended, Xochitl and I left the classroom and approached Finn, who was waiting near our lockers.

Upon seeing me, Finn gave me a comforting hug, and both Xochitl and Finn introduced themselves to each other. Concerned, Finn noticed my redness and asked about what had happened. Finn and I share a strong bond as close friends. We've been friends since high school, and I can vouch for his genuine personality.

Just as I was about to describe the incident, the corridors suddenly fell silent. Finn and I noticed that everyone, including Xochitl, staring in the same direction. Turning around, we saw a group of four boys. Among them, the middle boy appeared to be a familiar face...