Past - 4
Elysia's POV:
No!
Please, no!
Why? How?
How could he be here?!
Out of all the people in this school, Ares had to be the one to see me like this. I secretly opened one eye and peeked through the strands of hair that covered my face just to see his shoes a step away from me.
"Did she faint?" Ares' confused voice barely reached my ears as he mumbled under his breath and stepped a little closer when I didn't respond.
My heart raced, and a wave of panic washed over me. In lightning speed, my body moved on its own, and I swiftly stood up, facing down while using my hair as a flimsy shield to hide my face.
Ares, holding a pile of files in his hands, gazed at me with raised eyebrows, clearly puzzled. "Are you okay?" he asked, tilting his head slightly in an attempt to get a better look at my face. I instinctively lowered my head even further, my hair now almost covering my entire face. I nodded frantically, desperate to convey that I was alright and intended to flee.
But before I could make my escape, I sensed another presence beside me. I turned my head slightly and saw Sven descending the stairs, his laughter ringing through the air. However, he abruptly stopped when he took a closer look at Ares. His eyebrows shot up, and his mouth hung open as he pointed at Ares and then back at me, as realization dawned upon him.
"He... isn't he the—" he began to say, but before he could finish, I reacted in a state of panic, stomping on his foot with all my might.
"Ow! Ow!" Sven yelped in pain, hopping on one foot and clutching his injured one. He glared at me, wide-eyed and stunned.
"Oh! Ares, you're here," just then, our attention shifted as we heard a voice from behind, putting an end to the whole embarrassing incident that happened just now. We turned towards it and saw Mr. Mitchell approaching us but looking at Ares only.
"Afternoon, sir! These are the reports for the past cross-grade collaboration projects. Mrs. Brown asked me to deliver them to your office," Ares greeted Mr. Mitchell, his voice steady, explaining his purpose.
"Ah, right! I requested those files from Mrs. Brown. You can place them on my desk. I need to visit the principal," Mr. Mitchell instructed. Ares nodded in acknowledgment and continued to listen attentively as Mr. Mitchell provided further directions.
During their conversation, I sensed Sven moving beside me. He leaned in closer and whispered in my ear, his warm breath sending cold shivers down my spine. "You're going to pay for injuring my foot, clumsy head." I faced him anxiously when he stood straight and extended his large hand dangerously close to me. I froze, my eyes widening, fearing his next move, when he unexpectedly flicked my nose gently and dashed away.
My mouth hung open in shock as I stared at his retreating figure. He turned the corner and shot me a mischievous smirk, making that eerie "I'll be watching you" gesture again before vanishing from sight.
Wait!
I had to make my escape as well.
My mind had been so consumed with the incident just now and Sven that I'd completely forgotten about my own escape. Without further delay, I discreetly stepped back while Mr. Mitchell and Ares were still engrossed in their conversation about some upcoming academic competition.
Just one step away from exiting the main building, I turned my head instinctively and cast a quick glance back in Ares' direction out of habit. My heart leaped into my throat when I found him staring directly at me, his gaze unwavering even as Mr. Mitchell continued to speak.
I stumbled, almost colliding with the school gate. Fortunately, I managed to regain my balance, sparing myself from a second embarrassing moment that day. I practically sprinted to my bicycle and sped away from the school, without even waiting for Ares like I always do.
Even when I arrived home, my heart continued to race, refusing to settle for the rest of the day. Every time I closed my eyes, his deep brown eyes, locked onto mine, dominated my thoughts. It stirred a strange, ticklish sensation in my stomach, making it impossible for me to ignore.
Sitting down at my desk, I retrieved my personal diary from the drawer. Years ago, I had no one to share my happiness, my feelings, my life events. Then, one day, I received an assignment to write about my most beautiful memory for school. I wrote about how I met my best friend, Nova. It felt so wonderful to write about him that I couldn't resist the urge to jot down my thoughts every time something wonderful happened.
Since that day, recording my most cherished memories became a habit. Now, my diary was filled with a multitude of wonderful experiences and most of them were about mom, dad and Ares. I smiled as I reminisced about today's events, and eagerly reached for my pen to document my first eye contact after years, writing about him for the nth time in my diary.
*************
The next day at school, I couldn't shake off my anxiety regarding Sven's earlier threat. But after reaching school, I was shocked to learn that he and his entire group had been suspended from school for a whole week. They had been caught red-handed, engaged in a physical fight with students from another school. The news quickly spread throughout the school, and gossip about Sven's involvement and his alleged breaking of another student's nose filled the hallways. I didn't intend to eavesdrop, but their voices were loud, making it hard to ignore.
I raised my eyebrows in surprise, hearing about Sven's history of fights, his recurrent disruptive behavior, and his persistent refusal to follow school rules. It was clear why he had the reputation of being the campus troublemaker.
My unease dissipated somewhat, knowing that he wouldn't be around for a week. However, I still felt a lingering nervousness about his return, especially after learning more about his reputation. Trying to be brave and engaging with someone like him was not a good idea, and I knew he wasn't likely to let things go easily.
"Hi," Aubrey's voice interrupted my thoughts as she settled into her seat ahead of me.
"Hey," I replied, smiling at her.
"You seem better than yesterday," she observed, turning to face me fully.
I smiled wider at her concern. Aubrey had been genuinely worried about me the day before, and I could sense it in her glances.
"Wouldn't you tell me what happened?" She inquired, her voice filled with concern.
A warm feeling blossomed inside me as I looked at her. Having a school friend was a new experience for me. In the past, I'd watched other kids eating together, talking, and playing while I had always been alone. Now, having someone who wanted to be my friend despite knowing my background and who was concerned about my well-being felt comforting. Mom had been right; my life was starting to have good days.
I recounted everything that had happened yesterday, excluding the part about Sven seeing me outside the school. What I had done for Ares was my deepest secret, and now that secret was known to someone like Sven, it made me highly anxious about what would happen when he returned.
"So, that's what happened," Aubrey said with visible relief, flashing a reassuring smile. "You should have told me yesterday; I would have helped you. You made me worry; I thought..." Her voice trailed off as she shook her head.
"Thought what?" I asked, puzzled. Aubrey gazed at me, and her smile froze.
"I thought he was genuinely bullying you," she admitted, gripping my hand that rested on the desk. "Don't hide anything from me again; I would help you out. As for the prank he pulled on the teacher's car, it's not the first time. Everyone in the school knows it was their group. No one else would have done something like that. They didn't have proof, which is why the principal issued that statement." She reassured me, patting my hand.
I smiled, relieved to know that it hadn't been a serious issue. What concerned me more now was that Sven knew my secret.
The bell chimed just as the teacher entered our class. Students took their seats, and the school day continued.
When lunchtime arrived, I made my way to the courtyard, as was my usual routine. Aubrey would join me later, after her own lunch, as she had mentioned. While eating, my gaze wandered idly, eventually landing on a familiar girl sitting across from me, a little further away, absorbed in her laptop as usual.
Esme Indira Vasquez!
I wondered whether she had eaten her lunch early or if she hadn't eaten at all. I hadn't seen her eating lunch or interact with anyone since I started attending this school. She seemed to have no friends, and it didn't seem to bother her in the slightest.
I watched her with keen interest, taking in her features – her beautiful light gray eyes, a cute petite nose, plump lips, and long, ash-brown hair that gracefully cascaded down her face.
Wow!
I knew she was beautiful just in a glance before, but this was the first time I truly appreciated it. She was undeniably the definition of perfection, especially when it came to her exquisite face. This school seemed to be a breeding ground for exceptionally attractive students, almost like models.
I didn't realize I had been staring at her for quite some time, but the moment she looked up, directly at me and our eyes met, my heart almost dropped into my stomach due to the expression on her face.
Her eyes were piercing, their sharpness locking onto mine. Her face remained devoid of emotion, a blank canvas. The aura she exuded was incredibly intimidating, almost causing me to fall out of my seat. It was hard to fathom that she was just a teenager like me.
I hastily averted my gaze, my heart pounding in my chest. I was so startled by the intensity of her gaze that my sandwich got stuck in my throat, refusing to go down. I quickly grabbed my water, taking large gulps to swallow the food, all the while trying to calm my racing heart with deep breaths.
After a few moments, I mustered the courage to sneak another glance in her direction, cautiously checking whether she was still eyeing me with that intense glare. Fortunately, she seemed engrossed in her laptop now, sparing me from her piercing gaze.
Sighing with relief, I resumed eating my lunch and allowed my eyes to wander toward the building of sixth form block, wishing and hoping to catch even just a glimpse of him. For the first time, I had come directly to school, fearing that Sven might catch me again. That's why, I hadn't seen Ares at all today.
Just then, my heart skipped a beat as I spotted him strolling into the courtyard. It wasn't so surprising that he was here but what did shock me was that he stopped dead in his tracks, and his gaze was fixed directly on me.
Ares!
He... he was looking at... me?!
My bewilderment interrupted my own thoughts when I noticed his steps. He seemed to be heading in my direction. But why? It couldn't be, right?
"It's not possible, why would–" I began mumbling to myself, but my voice trailed off as the memory of yesterday's incident flashed in front of my eyes.
"I think I also saw someone yesterday, filling potholes for a guy." Sven's smug words echoed in my mind.
Could he have heard Sven say that?
Was he coming over to confront me, to ask why I had been following him?
Panic surged through me. What could I possibly say in my defense? I couldn't even tell a convincing lie without stammering.
I don't know what happened but my body seemed to react before my mind could catch up. In a flash, I packed my lunchbox and dashed back into the main building as though I had seen a ghost.
Huddled inside the building, I cautiously peered out at the courtyard, watching as Ares came to an abrupt halt, his gaze still fixed on the spot I had just vacated. His face held a mixture of confusion and surprise.
I face-palmed myself in frustration and sat down on the stairway, my mind in turmoil. I didn't understand why I had run away when all I wanted was to talk to him and befriend him, especially after he had helped me that day when I first met him. But the fear of what I might say if he questioned me about following him was paralyzing. Because in all honesty, even I didn't know why I had followed him all these years.
Years ago, when he had helped me, I had considered him my savior and wished to return the favor. But my lack of confidence held me back from approaching him directly. My low self-esteem made me too anxious to ask him to be my friend, so I did what I thought I could, to protect him from afar, if I couldn't protect him like he did to me.
But as I grew older, I realized it wasn't right to observe someone without their knowledge and it's called stalking. That's why I felt even more afraid to admit that I had been watching him all these years, but I couldn't stop myself to not look after him.
I loosened my clenched palms and stared at the scratches and abraded areas on my wrists; they still weren't healed completely, a telling tale of my previous doing. I softly traced my fingers over the marks, repeatedly blinking back the tears that threatened to fall from my eyes.
My deepest fear was to catch a glimpse of resentment in his eyes towards me; the thought of him harboring eternal hatred if he discovered my secret terrified me.
"I... I just wanted to be his guardian angel." I mumbled softly, lowering my face in shame.
**************
Hey lovely people! I'm really sorry for the late update, just feeling a little under the weather these days so I wasn't able to write. 🤗
I hope you guys remember the announcement on my profile page on Wattpad. Please vote for my story in contest, lovelies, I would really appreciate your support. ♥️
Share your thoughts about today's chapter? 😊