CHAPTER 3
911 Words
The music was still loud by the time I arrived at the party.
Voices filled the air,mixing with laughter and flashing light as students crowded around the room.
I adjusted my dress and curled up a smile across my face.
I scanned around the hall looking for someone I could know.
Maybe I was overthinking things.
Noah was here.
He is popular so he could have got invited.
I tried moving close to him but I saw Aria.
She stood near the stage looking shaken as people crowded around her.
Before I could process what was happening, Noah rushed towards her.
“Nina move,” someone muttered while passing by me quickly.
I stayed frozen.
Noah pulled off his jacket immediately and wrapped it carefully around Aria's shoulder.
His expression was filled with concern.
Different thoughts were going on in my brain.
“He is a nice guy he would do this for anyone she mean nothing to him”
“But he wasn't this worried when I was also in this situation”.
“Are you okay?" I heard him ask softly
Aria looked overwhelmed as he guided her away from the crowd protectively.
Something inside my chest tightened painfully.
I tried acting normal but I couldn't contain my emotions any longer.
Before anyone could notice the tears,I rushed out and cried along the hallway.
The hallway outside was quieter, the loud music now muffled behind the walls.
The moment i stopped walking, everything hit me at once
The tears fell instantly.
Why did it hurt so much?
I squatted ,squeezing my eyes shut and wiping my cheeks but the tears won't stop coming
Suddenly…
A warm cover dropped on me slightly.
A black jacket.
The faint scent of smoke and cologne lingered on the fabric.
“People are staring”
Wait!
That scent,that voice sounds familiar.
I quickly removed the jacket to look at the person but he was gone.
But why does he hide himself?
Noah walked up to me jolting me out of my thoughts.
“I'm sorry"he apologized, pulling me closer to him."I didn't mean to hurt you”.
He must have noticed my tears.
For a moment I wanted to pull away
A part of me keeps replaying the moment he and Aria's walk passed me.
But the moment he wraps his arm around me the moment starts to blur.
“He was just being nice like everyone” i thought “maybe i was overthinking it”. “he's kind,caring”.
And honestly.. if our position were switched, I would have done the same.
“It's okay” I whispered , even though a part of me knows it's not okay.
I smile and peck him by his lips but he brushes it off.
“I'm sorry it's my mistake" I apologize , feeling embarrassed.
I shouldn't have done that if I didn't ask for permission.
“It's okay… it's better we take things lightly,” he said, holding my hand as we both walked out of the hallway.
He even looks amazing when angry,the reason I fell for him was so obvious.
I was so lucky to have him.
Dylan stepped out of a convenient store with a small plastic bag hanging loosely from his hand.
He was on his usual behaviour listening to music ,the night air was cold,the street was quiet as usual except for some faint sound coming from behind.
He removes his headphone and rests around his neck as he walks down the empty sidewalk using his side eyes to scan his sides.
Then.
Yo..
A voice stopped him.
Dylan slowed slightly but didn't turn around immediately.
Three boys step out from the dark corner beside the alley, their expression already looking for trouble.
“Well,look at who we found,” one of them sneered, laughing.
Dylan finally looked at them, his expression unreadable, no sign or fear just his calm face.
Another boy stepped closer,cracking his knuckles.
“You think you’re tough after what happened at the party?”
Still no response.
Dylan simply sighed softly and adjusted the grip on the plastic bag in his hand.
That seemed to annoy them even more.
The first punch came fast.
But Dylan moved quicker.
He grabbed the boy’s wrist mid-air and shoved him hard against the wall before the other two rushed forward.
One swung at him.
Dylan ducked and drove his elbow into the guy’s stomach, making him stumble backward with a groan.
The third boy charged angrily, landing a punch against Dylan’s jaw this time.
His head snapped slightly to the side.
For a second, everything went quiet.
Then Dylan looked back at him slowly.
Wrong move.
Within seconds, the fight turned completely.
Despite being outnumbered, Dylan moved like he’d done this before. Calm. Controlled. Dangerous.
A punch.
A shove.
Another hit.
The boys who had approached confidently were now struggling to keep up.
One of them cursed under his breath before grabbing his injured arm.
“Forget this,” he muttered.
The three eventually backed away, throwing one last glare at Dylan before disappearing into the darkness.
Silence returned.
Dylan stood there breathing heavily, a large cut visible near his lip and neck
He wiped the blood away with the back of his hand casually, like it didn’t matter.
Then he bent down, picked up the grocery bag that had fallen during the fight, and continued walking as if nothing had happened.
- Writer
