TW: Obsessive behaviour, unrequited love352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3HayLSyHDX
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? 352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdlwP87CuxW
It was devastating.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTVF7RQAPov
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. 352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdWk4jGsPlg
I made memories and enjoyed school life. Until that.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1zMMyMTfnp
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.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAJppYhbVq9
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.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6rcXhIsfdX
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.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbJs2jZ3yrT
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.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGLQdKjbvdE
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.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBruvw83P9U
—352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu3jTIgqVPh
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. 352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgPG6Qccc6S
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.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7HiIgFzKTz
We were typically strangers.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaFs8BHmJ7r
Or not.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡondVNhWehl
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.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrGLjIk0oPI
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.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Ey0cuz0Xj
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.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG0gHochcOy
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.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ387izoWg2T
A week before the celebration, he and his friend came to the studio to decide how to enhance their already dashing performance. 352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNWw980YsL4
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. 352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx1xNUYWwlS
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.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtnB8BHR8zl
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?352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRBmIjbce6T
“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.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8BBZx0BKwC
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.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN04TnNzvpt
“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?”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHMr5eIC1K9
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.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEgMVVt71t2
“Aria, the lights!” she yelled. Yeah, my slaps aren’t going to be light if you call his name again.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPU2WVwDp7h
“Sorry,” I managed to utter while glaring at her.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsUdOv2AGB0
“Let’s do it again,” she said. Thinking you’re resolving the conflict? Great pretence.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqAVvXT1gX0
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!352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBOuqXTGB7Z
“Aria!” yelled the devil again. 352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡclWecqG7g1
Hearing the leader’s shrill voice, his eyes snapped back and forth between me and her, unaware of what had happened.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLVFbLY6du7
“Oh, my bad. There’s an issue with the system,” I reasoned.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvUo2N9mMql
“Really? Let me take a look,” she said and hurried forward.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9o4cOO0kJl
“No, it’s fine now,” I said, giving her a disgusted face. She stepped back and stated, “Don’t mess up again.”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlGOjwpL59K
I gritted my teeth at her warning. She acts as if she has the privilege to order me around. 352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQIlVFLafIS
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.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzpMuM02ySD
He will fall for me after this.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5VPPyQGyXm
“Red light, now Aria!” said the monster, ordering me once again. But this evening’s going to end with her embarrassment anyway.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOE64ni5Hng
The background music and the lights were composed and rehearsed for the next two hours. The witch exploited us and our patience effectively. 352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJA4DxMZkbX
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.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3PwGSwJ5wi
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.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEhfcu4GM0k
“Thank you for your hard work,” Adam said, “Please watch our performance at the celebration.”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5uZdFqK5Az
He sure knew how to light up my mood.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ2B1JE5tNw
He looked at me and gave one of his most appealing smiles, which I loved. His smile was such a tease just like him.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiqazMin4XI
I smiled back, looking at the ground, then at him. He must have picked up the hint.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFQEsUHLt7x
“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?352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIUOIJMyMz2
How could he say that? He was supposed to ask me to come with him.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡecTDqKKxsL
He gave everybody else–the team leader–a striking smile and turned his back to leave.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1EhWOfBryM
“Wa– “The evening was quite tiring, wasn’t it?” interjected the team leader. I turned to her, “Oh.”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1rKMPaMOS7
Everyone looked at me now. “If it wasn’t for you, the evening would have been easier,” I muttered.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdd1UfqPDZ7
“What?” she said, “Did you say something, Aria?”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP6wi0i3InY
Someone tell the witch to stop calling me by my name.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNdeZcdE30v
“As if you didn’t hear,” I muttered again.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkEGetXMx1Z
“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. 352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmMu0gSOU6n
I looked at the devil’s eyes with contempt and disdain. 352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW1mqsC12d8
“Is something the problem? Why are– “You are the problem,” I yelled, looking down.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtHm0RbRSQy
“What do you– “Shut up, will you?! Why did you send him off? I wanted to talk to him!”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnZNrfptejm
“You mean Adam? I can call– “Don’t say his name!”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo5DBLN8Bxe
The room was hushed again. “Aria… by any chance, do you like him?” 352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgwJBZYaisz
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?”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0rrB8nCklz
I strolled to her, “Will you be jealous? Are you going to try to pull him away from me? Tell me.”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡitOZwBWXml
“No, no. It’s nothing like that. I have just never seen you and him together before.”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ00gcCJGVUH
And that was the last strike.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXPmjPi0fVt
“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.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡggyYwuZnlJ
“Oh my, is that her? Ad– I mean you-know-who’s crazy fangirl?”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Pgqdmqk0G
It’s all lies, you know it too, right?352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyan4iL7mXB
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?352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa4e7zBLff8
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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