ALIN

I was lying down on my bed reading a book when my phone beeped beside me. I kept my book aside and got my phone. The name ‘SEBIAN’ blinked on the screen. Are we on the status where we can text each other? Since we exchanged our numbers, I guess we can.

‘Hi there. You’re not asleep, right?”

‘No, tell.’

‘We are meeting tomorrow??’

‘Yeah. When are you free?’

‘In college, after college. You tell.’

‘I’ll call you. Good night.’

‘Good night.’

I am going to work with Sebian for the science project. I, the weird, nerd girl of the town have Sebian White as my partner. As insane as it sounds, it is true. I can’t believe it myself either. The person I wanted to run away from the most is now the one I have to work along. It’s just for a month though after that I am sure none of this will continue. Was I feeling sad about it? Well, isn’t it a human tendency to feel bad during goodbyes, I am no different.

He is again missing classes today. I know he will be there in cafeteria during lunch but I don’t want to talk to him there. I know I am being a scaredy cat but you won’t understand how it feels when people start picking on you. I have seen what happens and definitely don’t want to go through it. If I see him in the cafeteria then I will text him to meet me outside.

I didn’t see him or any of his friends in the cafeteria so I just went and sat there with my lunch tray. I was about to get up and go when the group of five entered the cafeteria. I was going to sit back and take out my phone to text Sebian but suddenly I saw a silhouette in front of me. I lifted my head and when I saw the person standing there, horror flashed inside me. “Hi” Sebian said as he dragged a chair out. What was he doing? Was he going to sit here? “I was looking for you in the class” he smiled. At that moment I just closed my eyes. I didn’t have it in me. I can’t talk to him here. I got up and left from there. Behind me I could feel the prickly looks and hear hushed tones.

I locked myself inside the bathroom. What do I do now? Oh God, the cafeteria went so silent when he came and talked with me. Everybody was looking at us. Why did he have to do that? Idiot! I started panting, I started panicking. I need to get out of here. I have to leave. Somehow I gathered my courage and unlocked the door to get out of the toilet. I didn’t even walk two steps when someone grabbed my wrist. I turned abruptly with a squeak, Sebian had caught me. Was he waiting here for me to come out? How did he even know I was here? Before I could tell anything or do something he started dragging me with him, out of the college. The whole hallway was filled with students looking at both of us. I didn’t dare to look at them. I just wanted to disappear right now, vanish into thin air so that no one can see me. Sebian didn’t seem bothered at all. He kept on walking and stopped when we reached near his car. He opened the door and gestured me to get in which I obliged. I can see his friends standing near the gate looking at us. Natalie seemed ready to pounce on me right now if she can. I didn’t want to leave here with him in front of everyone but that was my only way to escape so, I sat in the car with head down when Sebian got in and drove us out of there.

“Why did you do that?” I asked him on the way. “You tell me, why did you do that? I went there to talk to you and you just got up and left. Why Alin?” He sounded angry. “I didn’t do it to hurt your ego or anything okay. I didn’t want anybody to see us together. I didn’t want trouble for both of us, for me.” I replied him. “What trouble Alin? We had a reason to talk to each other and what is it to anyone who you talk to or not, nobody cares.” “Yes, nobody cares who I talk to but they do care who you talk to. Nobody will tell you anything because you are a God in their eyes but I am nothing. They will step on me and it hurts.” I started crying and somehow I didn’t want to stop. I wanted to tell him that he is the trouble for me and I want us to stop talking to each other but I can’t bring myself to say that and I don’t know why.