Survival Under Protection - Book One

30: The Unwanted Proposal

Happy Reading :)

"Ria, don't sit like a stone!" Sally whispered to me and Susan eyed me to follow Sally and Sally continued, "Concentrate, well at least act like that if you don't want detention again." I sighed as she was right and I raised my head to see straight to the bored.

"Sodium chloride is composed of approximately 60 percent chloride and 40 percent sodium elements. The pH of sodium chloride ranges from 6.7 to 7.3." Mr Henry kept on going different chemical reactions and their properties in one single pace with a large spectacle hanging at the edge of his nose. One slight nod and it will be gone, crashing the ground.

On other days, I, Susan and Sally would make endless funny comments on our beloved teachers, but today I found myself overwhelmed with the chemical reactions fighting inside my brain. I kept staring blankly at Mr. Henry's lecture and Sally exhaled a frustrated sigh.

Poor Sally, she was too frustrated now and same with Susan. But they helped me a lot when... my brothers left me alone. But that was not all I was heart broken about.

After Sally consoled and helped me up and we headed to our next class, we found Daniel standing all alone by the book locker side. I stood still but Sally pulled me towards his direction, but Daniel saw me, gave a look as if I was a stranger and left. I tried to call him back but Eli came in between. I recognized her as the same girl who met Daniel on our wall painting day.

The memory of wall painting day brought a small smile on my face and I thought of greeting Eli but before that she started bashing with her harsh words that how much I hurt her dearest friend and how shameful I was cheating on her friend.

I gasped and it took me a great deal not to cry again but Sally took my side, told everything she knew, everything that was true and the truth was that I never wanted to hurt Daniel and cheating him was out of question.

Eli did got a little soft, she quiet kept for sometime and then said, "Ria, if you are right and not lying, I will try to explain Daniel the things which you told me now. But I should tell you one thing. I have been friends with Daniel since years. He sure was not in Beaufort but our families were friends. He is the sweetest friend I could ever ask for and I also know his dark side, about his dad and his.. first girlfriend, his heart breaks, charges against him... when he tried to steal once and was also caught in a fight. He is different than other guys. People see him as a Casanova. But that's because he has seen a lot, faced a lot and he was a totally broke when his first girlfriend left him and shattered his heart.   But when he loves someone he loves them with all his heart and that's visible to very less people. He also pretends to be cold and that always takes him off the good list. I am telling you all these because if you really like him, I want you to mean that with all your heart and you have to be patient, because he is out of his mind after.. the party night, and he doesn't even wants to talk about you." Eli said and with a little sympathetic smile, she left.

'He doesn't even wants to talk about you' I could not put this off my head and thankfully all the classes were over.

I still didn't hear a word from Alex or Andy but just a text from Andy saying "Meet us at parking, don't think of going alone. Don't tell Alex that I texted you and don't forget your punishment, you still got to finish my 12 pages assignment."

I chuckled at the last part. The punishments seemed much better than my dear brother not talking to me.

I proceeded towards the door when Mark was standing with his friends. He didn't come to me neither looked at me but kept mocking me that how I pretend to be a nice girl and get other guys hit by my brothers.

I chose not to react and passed that corridor. I found Tim standing, looked like he was standing for me. I gulped down, I had to be ready for his comments and bad words too. I was the person who got him into a mess.

I looked at him, walked and stood next to him.

"Tim, I am sorry, for what you had to face, but I-" I said but got interrupted by him and he said, "I want to talk to you first and not about your brothers, but.. something else.".

"Something else? Tim, if you are worried about my name written on the desk you sat across, don't worry about it. There are guys, who do that, not just with me, but other girls too. So-" I tried to explain but he interrupted again, "Ria, that's not what you think. Actually, it was me... who wrote your name on the desk.."

There was a 5 seconds pause and he continued when no one said anything, "Ria, I have been wanting to say you this since many days, may be months and I want to get it over with.... I know how your brothers are, and how much you are scared of them. Believe me, its just not you but every single freshman guy." He said and chuckled.

"Tim..."

"Please, let me finish. Ria, I want you to know that I am not scared now, not anymore. And... I think I... I love you, Ria." Tim was literally shaking but I saw the sweetest smile I had ever seen on his face.

"Tim! What are you saying?"

"Ria, I am serious and I don't know if you don't love me, but I know that you saved me today and besides, even when I am a dork in the class, whole school knows that, you were the only one who always talked to me so nicely. I am not asking your answer now. Can you atleast think about it? I really love you, Ria..." Tim said and I saw immense hope in his eyes, just like when I wanted to talk to Daniel.

"Tim, this is sudden, please let me finish," I said when he tried to say something and I said, "You are a good friend to me, but I have never thought of you that way. I am sorry, Tim."

I was myself heart broken, breaking another heart hurt me more. But I didn't had a choice, I couldn't let him get hurt more off my brothers' hands.

"Ria!! We are waiting for you in the parking for so long.... Tim...? You here?" I saw Andy and I could feel him getting angry a little.

"I was just coming Andy and Tim, he just needed some notes from me and I don't have those, so I said no to him." I said and turned to Tim on the last part, clearing my intentions.

I started walking and pulled Andy and he put his arm around my shoulders as we left.

I could sense, Tim didn't leave and stood there for long. I mentally said him sorry.

Hope you liked it... Wait for more as there will be twists and the story will be much more than just protective brothers. :)