DEATH'S HEART

Chapter 7 (Radish Fiction Version)

Stupid. That was what Asha had been mentally screaming at herself over and over. Stupid! Her jaw tightened at the embarrassing encounter earlier. Why do I do this to myself? she asked herself painfully as the memory of his mocking laughter rang in her head.

The apologetic expression on his handsome face, the dazed look of panic and concern–they didn't last long. As soon as he recognised the girl in the pool, any indication of guilt faded. The smirk that took over taunted her misfortune.

"It's you, Madamoiselle Strauss!" she repeated in an animated voice, which matched the comical, but annoyed expression she had. Her face relaxed into a pout. "Jerk!" I should have stayed home! Maybe this was the reason why her emotions were flashing red.

Asha recounted the events of her sheer bad luck. Zach would have been in complete hysterics deep inside while he his blue eyes looked down at her drenched state from a crouching position by the poolside. She struggled to push herself out of the pool. With her soaking wet clothes weighing her down, she must have been a funny sight to watch as she squirmed and wriggled in the water like a hooked worm. He was definitely more entertained than anything else.

"Here, let me help you out," he offered between snicker.

It was tempting to finally feel what it was like to hold his hand. "No, it's fine," she declined coldly. With palms flat on the pavement, she managed to push herself up and out of the water. She squeezed the hem of her top, wringing as much water out as she could. Asha could feel a lot of eyes on her. From her periphery, she noticed two guys staring at her, studying her. She shifted her eyes on the water, hoping to spot her eyeglasses floating about. When she inadvertently made eye contact with some girls, they instinctively pulled their boyfriends close. She knew exactly what they were thinking and how they felt. It was almost mind-blowing how superficial men and women could be. This was not new to her. A scowl lined her face when she saw a redhead challenge her with a staring match–a warning for her not to even come close to her man. Asha's eyes glared at her in return. She wasn't in the mood for such possessive behaviour, nor did she have the time. It didn't take a full second before the redhead shuddered, and looked away in defeat.

"I'm really sorry about this," Zach said to her, bringing her glowering attention back to him. His eyebrows furrowed with concern upon seeing the dark expression on her face. Suddenly, everything that was happening was no longer funny. She was angry, and it was quite unsettling. His tone became more serious. "Really, I'm sorry."

She was about to say something to him when she felt a towel wrap over her shoulders. She turned around and saw Lark Mizushima towering over her five-foot-eight stature. Her expression softened. Whatever fire that was ignited within her was immediately extinguished by the gentleness of his touch upon her shoulders. "Thank you," she said softly.

Lark was the captain of the basketball team. She had seen him play a few times. The man played better than any professional team she had seen on TV. He made more three-pointer shots than anyone did free throws or two-pointers. When he went for the basket, he didn't jump–he flew!Not only was he a god on the basketball court, he was also the president of the Student Council. With him standing right in front of her, she was certain she'd just stare at his exquisite face for ages. The smile he gave her was generous–generous enough to melt a girl's heart with its warmth. It was a smile that lit up his eyes...His eyes! Big, almond-shaped, brown circles which slightly slanted at the corners. Every detail on his handsome face was beautifully framed by his straight, black hair that fell past his lean shoulders. Athletic, a born leader, and bloody attractive! It's no wonder Cat can't get enough of you!

"That should keep you warm," Lark said, resting his hands on her shoulder.

"Thank you," she repeated, wary of her tone and her body language to protect herself from malicious interpretation from any scrutinizing gaze. She glanced towards Cat's direction, wishing that she wasn't around to see Lark paying attention to her.