Chaotic Colors

Avoiding

Liham's P.O.V

"What's wrong with him all of sudden?" I talked to myself as I entered the hallway of the school and mumbled my heart out.

Why am I even trying so hard? Even though I thought about protecting him, I still just can't comprehend why I always act differently around him. Did he make-make me eat something, witchcraft? Black Magic? Mana?

As to how hard I try to piss and annoy him every day in school, I somehow always find myself looking forward to it; seeing his bored expressionless face, his angry eyes, his death glares, and how he curses at me. I find it adorable and annoying at the same time. He makes me want to bully him, but, of course, also to protect him. I want to be the only one who bullies him because I love his expressions.

I can't wait to see his smile so that soon enough we can be close, but for heaven's sake, he suddenly changed yesterday when I almost thought he was slowly opening up to me. I don't even know why I desperately want to be at his side, to see his precious lost smile, and to protect him.

I already kissed him the first time, damn thinking about it again still makes me red as pepper! My face went red when I remembered the scene. I kissed him, it was an act of myself out of consciousness. I caught up for the moment, but I kept it cool and went with the flow because I didn't want to look uncool to him.

For the record, I can't forget how warm and soft his lips are, and how his lips taste like caramels and strawberries. weird right? Yet it was so addicting.

Every night since the first day, we talked formally, casually, and were friendly to each other. I can't bring myself to sleep. It always reminded me of his presence and just where I found out how fond I had become of him.

"Grr. why am I thinking of him even now?!" I said angrily to myself as I howled my frustrations out.

"Hey, is that Liham? Why is he talking to himself alone?" I heard the girls chattering as I passed through them.

Nosey!

I know how dark my aura is to them, though I don't have any ill intentions towards them. I can't adhere any words to them if they keep feeling scared around me, or awkward, or fake. They are all just the same, they only believe what others say, you can't say anything, no one will believe me.

But...

"Kale!" I heard Kiesha's voice across the hallway I was walking to and saw how she ran forward to Kale.

But.. Kale made me want to trust someone again, he made me open up and let myself be true in front of him. He did not judge me through the fact that we're always bickering, but I enjoyed bickering with him all day long.

"Hi" She stopped in front of Kale smiling and all excited, as Kale also stopped from walking, heading to the... back building hallway and facing Keisha's direction.

Is he sorta thinking of cutting classes again?

I left staring at them walking, heading to our room, and kept on thinking. How lucky of her she has a friend. She always feels free and feels excited to see them. While here, I am standing and staring away from them, being confused as to why Kale suddenly acted like that yesterday and being so cautious around me, even there, Kale just let her be close to him.

" Hey, are you okay?" I heard Kiesha's voice as it slowly faded because of the noises of the students. I was stunned at how mysterious he was looking with his hoodie on. Something feels so off with him today.

Hmm.

Maybe I can annoy him today and make him buy me food... yeah, that's right. I'm suddenly hungry.

with all the excited nerves in my body, making me half-run with them made me feel ridiculous but happy at the same time.

I can't afford to see how sad his face looked yesterday. It annoys me seeing him in that state too. I prefer him to be all beasty and angry than to be sad. Though he always looks so gloomy, yet that's what I like---

"Come on Dude! What the heck is wrong with you?!"

HUH!

He was the one who bumped into me!

"Shut up!" I said without even looking at him and was about to head to them and call Kale, but when I even tried to utter a word his eyes glanced at mine and my body felt chills all over it, he was so cold that he got me frozen. I smiled at him and was about to, again, say a word, yet he turned and left half running like he was avoiding me real hard.

What the hell is wrong with him?

His reaction was readable

'Why did he show up?' That was his look shouting at my face, his eyes were empty after looking at mine. I thought he said he'd see me today?

Is that bastard playing on me because I'm going easy on him?

Who the hell does he think he is? For I don't know the reason my blood boils and it made me really angry to the point I was annoyed by the noises.

"Hey! I am not done talking to you-" His hands were gripping my arms and let me face him, yet I did not look at him, because I'll go berserk if he argued with me today. The slow, heavy beating of my heart made me go insane.

Not this time!

"-let go of me," I said, pretending to be calm with gritted teeth as I stared at his filthy hands gripping my arms.

"Dude let it slide, it's Liham Jones!" The other boy with some high red lights in his hair stops the baldly big guy from blabbering.

yeah, that's good, get him out of here! You rascals!

"Shut up you Dumb! I don't f*****g care if he's 'THE' Liham or a loser! I am not scared of him. He's just a wimpy little trouble-maker boy", he said, provoking me, he did great.

I just felt a clicking on my nerves and all my surroundings turned dark as I felt him belittling me.

"If you wanna have a beating, leave us out," the black-haired guy said and they ran away off when I soon laid my eyes on them, threatening to leave me alone. Everyone in the hallway was quiet. I feel them tensing whenever I move.

"These useless brats!" He exclaimed as he loosened his grip, leaving his attention on his boys running away with just stares.

As the warm sunny morning encompassed the place, I calmed myself and controlled my emotion as I deeply sighed and gave patience to this big guy in front of me who was muttering and murmuring curses to his friends.

"Again, I said. Let go of my damn arms, jerk!" I said again as I tried to calm myself more, I wanted to run and catch up with Kale, I wanted to punch that brat's face for who knows the reason.

But first I need to take these filthy hands off of me.

" What crap are you-"

He froze as soon as he turned his glances at mine and met the devil hiding inside of me.

Well, I just glared at him with no reason to be scared.

He slowly let go of my hand and stepped back as his shaking feet kept his distance from me and withdrew all his threats,

"Geez, just watch where you walk dude, we're all good here," he said nervously as he tried ditching glares.

I want to punch this guy, acting tough and now withdrawing?

"Tell that to your ugly face!" I said to him and ran after Kale, but he was already gone.

As soon as the bell rang, I was hoping he was in the room but he was not in there either, so I was forced to attend class and just waited for a break.

I messed my hair as I felt frustration filling up my head.

Hours had passed and I couldn't stop staring at the window hoping to see where he was.

Wait, why am I even hoping? I thought I was angry.

This feeling I am feeling. What is this? Am I this shallow? I think I became lame after acting like this all morning.

I brought myself back to my senses as I stood and walked towards Keisha's desk and saw her hiding dumbly on her table. Boy did he not even notice I was approaching her.

" Hey!" I called her out as she was surprisingly surprised and shaken by it. The noises of desks and chairs dragged by students who walked out of their places and hanging outside the room to eat were heard all over the room as I waited for her to speak.

"L-Liham?! You scare the hell o-out of m-me" she said, stammering, being cautious of her surroundings.

Is she crazy? No wonder Kale hangs out with her.

"Where's Kale?": I asked her but she ignored me and continued to hide herself from the table. That made me irritated.

I lost my temper and felt like my head was aching for annoyance. I am impatient!

"Answer me, you bit-"

"Shut up for a sec, okay?!" she whispered with gritted teeth as she stood and pulled me closer to her.

"H-hey Are you c-crazy!" I said to her, confusingly. There were students left in the room that left us to stare at each other and be scared.

"Just let us stay like this for a while. I'm hiding from someone, he's a monster, no-more like a demon," She said crazily.

"what are you saying?" I asked out of disbelief. I can't believe she's seeing something we normal people can't see.

"Well, at least answer me, you bastard!" I said to her and fixed myself as I stand normally not bending anymore.

"What?" She said with an irritated tone.

What-- so this is the true Keisha, huh?

How great. The audacity is killing me! Never mind her. If she would just answer the question quickly, I could finally go.

"Where's kale?" I asked her as she abruptly reacted to my question and turned her head to me.

"What's- Where's kale? I thought... I thought he was here" She said, panicking as she roamed her eyes finding Kale from his empty seat.

"What do you mean you thought? You were with him this morning Kiesha, you crazy girl", I said.

She's talking nonsense.

"Well, before the bell rang, a demon was chasing me, so I kind of left Kale in the hallway but I was sure he said he'd just catch up, so I just ran and hid from Jackson", She explained.

Demon?

Where on earth does she think she is-wait did she just say, Jackson? Whatever!

"You! are you mentally stable?" I asked her but she just glared at me, maybe I offended her? I shook my head and dealt with this madwoman.

"Okay... okay... Let's say you were chased by this damn demon you're saying, but where on earth would that brat go- *gasp* oh wait! Right! now I know" I started talking to myself as an idea popped into my mind, seeing where that bastard would be at.

I turned my head on Kiesha, who was staring at me, flinched, and cautious with a confused face

"You're the one who's more crazy Liham Jones," Kiesha said as she let out a wry chuckle, but that chuckle disappeared when a demonic voice appeared.

"This Brat!" Jackson's voice was heard, which left me cautious and let Keisha hide on my back. He's a friend of Kale. That brat will beat me if I'll let Jackson eat her.

I glanced at Jackson who was staring at me badly as Keisha protected herself by baiting me in front.

This damn girl! Just you see...

"What are you doing here?" I asked with a clenched fist and teeth gritted to show how unwelcomed he is.

"I'm not here for you..." He said. That surprised me.

" What?" I asked, confused.

On normal days, he'll come and find any reason to have a fight with me. What's in his head now?

"I'm here for Keisha, right... babe?" He said sarcastically and tilted his head with a threat in his eyes, glancing at Kiesha.

What's with these two?

"Babe?!" I exclaimed. I was so shocked by what I had just heard. What's with this day?!

" Set up you maniac!" Keisha shouted as she glared at Jackson, whose mouth sneered.

"I'm confused," I said in the middle of their bickering.

"You retarded lizard, we don't have time left! Let's go or I'll drag you out of here", Jackson warned.

"No, I don't want to! And you can't force me to!" She said, gripping on my shirt more tightly.

Damn, she'll tear my shirt at any moment!

"What are they talking about?"

"Liham! I'll make a run. Please stop Jackson" She said and escaped from me and Jackson, who gasped with unbelief.

The hell?

"That brat!" Jackson exclaimed as he was about to run after Kiesha." Why do I need to help her out?

"Get out of my sight, Liham! I'm not in the mood to play with you!" He said as he was desperate to run after her.

Am I a toy to his eyes? Guess he still did not learn his lesson!

" f**k Off!" I said and was about to make a fight but...

"I know where that lame kid is". When I was about to punch him down, he said the magic words.

However, how can I believe a mere enemy?

I looked at him with disgust on my face.

"What the heck is that expression, you bastard?! He's wearing a black hoodie and he looks like a freak as usual, right? ...he is, he's on the rooftop" He said seriously and looked at me in the eyes, convincing me.

I still did not faze and doubted letting him pass but...

" Just go and chase that damn kid. I have to get that girl now or else you'll regret not going after him, seeing him in his state just a while ago? I think anytime now he'll be dead". He said, which left me dumbfounded and frozen. Without any hesitation, my feet moved on their own accord and ran.

"I'm sorry Keisha, I need to see Kale!" I shouted to Keisha who was still running, damn she's so slow! As she finally heard me, about not far and Jackson chasing after him away, she abruptly faced me and, even at this distance, I can still see her face giving me an unbelievable look at her face.

Pfft.

It's payback time, baby.

"You're a traitor Liham!" I heard her screams at the top of her lungs.

I don't care... I need to see him today!

I want to see him, badly.

I ran as fast as I could not give a damn towards the people I bumped into.

He's more important than anyone--

As I ran upstairs, my mind was only telling me that I needed to see him...

But I also ask it: Why?

Why do I have to run? What has he done to me?

When I reached the rooftop, I was relieved to see him with his head held up while standing there covered with his hoodie. I can't tell what his expressions are, but I can sense emptiness in him.

I guess he didn't notice someone barging in, so I slowly moved my feet, walking towards him as the smell of freshly sunny heat made me feel warm and forget the anger and frustration welling up in me.

I am now standing behind him, and he still did not notice me. I could hear his breathing as I got closer to his hoodie and smell the fading scent of Marigold flowers, a scent of pain resonating all over him. Even his breathing sounded like agony.

"Hey" I called out, as I did not move and stay as close as I could.

"Wh-" He was out of words when he turned his face and body facing me with eyes wide open as he was surprised how close we stood to each other.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He asked as he abruptly avoided me as he turned his head away from me and took three steps away from me.

The hell?

"Are you avoiding me?" I asked with all the questions and frustrated tones slipping out through my damn throat.

"What?" He asked without even turning his head and looking at me in the eyes.

God, I can read through him!

"Who said that? And... in the first place, we're not close", he said as he again turned his back at me and walked out.

"You jerk?! Who the hell cares if we are close? I was asking you if you were avoiding me!" I exclaimed as I felt all pissed.

He stopped and faced me with his unusual look on his face, his mouth twitched, and faked smiling at me.

What was that smile?

"Silly, I am not avoiding you or anything, Jones." He said as he stood in front of me with his hands in his hoodie's pocket pockets, sounding so hoarse and tired.

What has happened? I-

"What happened--"

"The papers. I finished it all and passed it, no bigger. If you may excuse me now, I have something to take care of", he said, as if he was running something so important.

I stopped him by grabbing his back and bringing him closer to mine.

"Wh-what are you doing! Let go off of me!" He said, shoving me off, yet I remained still and embraced him.

"Are you okay?" I asked out of nowhere. That made him stiff. I guess he was surprised? He slowly tapped my hands to loosen them and he turned slowly to face me as his hoodie's cap covering his face ran down over his head and the wind blew off his silky caramel brown messy hair that made me want to touch him. I was caught up by the moment when I ran my fingers in his hair as I felt intoxicated by its smoothness and aroma.

With my eyes closed, I trailed my fingers down to his eyes, down to his nose, and down to his lips that felt ethereal. I can almost feel our breathing as one as I push him closer to me feeling all this unknown tension between us.

Why-

I grasp.

"Liham..." His voice lingers like a gentle instrument ringing on my ear.

Ahh~ I feel so intoxicated now...

But what he said next rang a bell in my head.