TW: Obsessive behaviour, unrequited love324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgNT1TtfU7S
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? 324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHH0cysDWVk
It was devastating.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgNG36z9jvW
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. 324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4MJOR8FUVD
I made memories and enjoyed school life. Until that.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4XBaLArrdq
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.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBSCitxWtfa
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.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxjvoVWKvvH
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.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaL2fvGt7C7
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.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJrHehnIF9
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.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWH1K7mkNCo
—324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFavEM62IjF
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. 324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEk1rQL9uo7
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.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFXAR3DUQOH
We were typically strangers.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsgO5Fe4m0z
Or not.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvSu00EZGTW
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.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ2x1GfzAPm
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.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzAq7Ln064H
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.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVjQVmT32vI
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.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3A2abBcRIC
A week before the celebration, he and his friend came to the studio to decide how to enhance their already dashing performance. 324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdOB5nH2Kgj
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. 324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ZZfoNUfpf
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.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ25126XS7Kq
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?324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5aMtCgYhiX
“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.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoKIY6AYU7A
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.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvQqVThB3h3
“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?”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZdqvG2XA2w
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.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0PIgZEPeZV
“Aria, the lights!” she yelled. Yeah, my slaps aren’t going to be light if you call his name again.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpvUBez3fH0
“Sorry,” I managed to utter while glaring at her.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡavKAbX8pCa
“Let’s do it again,” she said. Thinking you’re resolving the conflict? Great pretence.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ9uP3FfxXU
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!324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAe4q7wZySl
“Aria!” yelled the devil again. 324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBlUiY68mAT
Hearing the leader’s shrill voice, his eyes snapped back and forth between me and her, unaware of what had happened.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw4AYI2ciAd
“Oh, my bad. There’s an issue with the system,” I reasoned.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOjzpby5fKC
“Really? Let me take a look,” she said and hurried forward.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMTw4ia7cTC
“No, it’s fine now,” I said, giving her a disgusted face. She stepped back and stated, “Don’t mess up again.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT67bbAYP8b
I gritted my teeth at her warning. She acts as if she has the privilege to order me around. 324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB08cDsQ9XU
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.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡutEH4gqO7J
He will fall for me after this.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqQI473Qgum
“Red light, now Aria!” said the monster, ordering me once again. But this evening’s going to end with her embarrassment anyway.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYLQe0JbotW
The background music and the lights were composed and rehearsed for the next two hours. The witch exploited us and our patience effectively. 324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUYOvTbclRt
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.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnQ27CBW3B3
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.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnDW2fh6Zz3
“Thank you for your hard work,” Adam said, “Please watch our performance at the celebration.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo6AqGx8QUA
He sure knew how to light up my mood.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLsENNR1hGy
He looked at me and gave one of his most appealing smiles, which I loved. His smile was such a tease just like him.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe1Za2gnOO9
I smiled back, looking at the ground, then at him. He must have picked up the hint.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtsKiZHItjw
“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?324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Y7yslsOyB
How could he say that? He was supposed to ask me to come with him.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeB4do52yQf
He gave everybody else–the team leader–a striking smile and turned his back to leave.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaiYgisoAUo
“Wa– “The evening was quite tiring, wasn’t it?” interjected the team leader. I turned to her, “Oh.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhb1yPIXSst
Everyone looked at me now. “If it wasn’t for you, the evening would have been easier,” I muttered.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLdBcblsBVD
“What?” she said, “Did you say something, Aria?”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdz0MNbOZ3l
Someone tell the witch to stop calling me by my name.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8DHlI6Pwht
“As if you didn’t hear,” I muttered again.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3KfUkBvjSH
“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. 324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1P7xqqAr9G
I looked at the devil’s eyes with contempt and disdain. 324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkNWvdW4KpK
“Is something the problem? Why are– “You are the problem,” I yelled, looking down.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe1MlV4Kk6Y
“What do you– “Shut up, will you?! Why did you send him off? I wanted to talk to him!”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX8SjwvJ4bD
“You mean Adam? I can call– “Don’t say his name!”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPQPrOIlz8d
The room was hushed again. “Aria… by any chance, do you like him?” 324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDDIFtLW2JJ
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?”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoBcnxpRrQN
I strolled to her, “Will you be jealous? Are you going to try to pull him away from me? Tell me.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ51sV4cOMqs
“No, no. It’s nothing like that. I have just never seen you and him together before.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr8pEZ6JATP
And that was the last strike.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJ3zXc5grI
“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.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU9KLprQaWc
“Oh my, is that her? Ad– I mean you-know-who’s crazy fangirl?”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyiPJUFIAGr
It’s all lies, you know it too, right?324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoyf34BpeVc
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?324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXIkCATi1OX
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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