The Wallflower's Revenge

AWR Chapter 5: Wild of the unknown

"Leylah?"

I was still rolling on my bed when I heard the footsteps of my father. I immediately hid my phone under my pillow and pretended to sleep, facing the door of my room. I felt my heart skip a bit because of what my father is  doing right now.

I felt the doorknob make a sound. When father opened the door, I felt that he only took a glance at me for a minute or two then he slowly closed the door. I opened my eyes and pulled my phone from under my pillow again as I took a deep breath. That was so close! I am thankful that I put my phone in silent mode above all. It saved me from getting busted.

I read my boyfriend's messages to me and I couldn't help but smile because of his sweetness. He is fond of giving me a lot of surprise and sweet messages. I can't stop myself from being touched by his thoughtfulness. The only thing is that his name is "Wilma" on my phone and not Walter.

The next day, we met at our secret meeting place, that is on the rooftop of our science school laboratory. Nobody ever dared to go up there because the building is too old. It looked so creepy that no one was even passing on that way.

I went there at exactly nine in the morning. I just did an alibi to dad that I will be meeting my classmates for a school project. I remembered the time when my dad transferred me to my school right now, a few months ago. The Eagle’s Nest Academy. When we moved here last year, dad decided to stop me from being homeschooled.

It’s for the reason that he’s deeply worried about my social skills and it’s possible decline if he’ll not expose me in a real classroom setup with a lot of students that could be potential friends in the near future.

"Are you sure you'll be alright there? Do you want me to go with you?"

"Seriously, dad?" I frowned that he chuckled a bit. After that, his expression was back to being strict again. 

"I just want to make sure that nobody will ever bully you at school." He looked at me like he’s about to release his special one into the wild of the unknown.

"C'mon, dad. I'm a grown-up now. I can handle myself. Do you trust me?"

"You're my only daughter. I can't help but to worry about you."

"I am a daughter of Carson Hacke. If nobody can ever beat you, that's also the same with me."

"Alright. Call me whenever you need me, alright?" I met my dad's gaze and he smiled while tapping both of my shoulders as we both walked into the vicinity of the school premises.

"Yes, daddy. I will." He waved at me as I entered the school. Many students were looking at me as they shifted their attention to my dad. That time, I didn’t care at all. The most important for me is my dad and how he cared for me all these times from being homeschooled to my first ever real-life school setup. I am proud of him because he made me ready for anything.

I sighed. I closed my eyes because of what happened earlier. Is this guilt this time? I can't believe I am lying to my dad because of someone. Someone who’s very handsome and is beside me right now.

“Hey, don’t ever touch her or you’ll be dead.” He said as soon as he’s over punching the other guys that surrounded  me that time.

“Miss, are you okay?” He asked as he helped me get up after I was pushed by some boys who were also students and enrolled in the same academy. Our gaze met and it was like all in slow motion. It’s like in the movies or any sweet scene where a  guy saved a girl from bullies that he became his lifetime defender. 

“I’m sorry about those bunch of lunatics. I noticed you’re new here. I guess that’s the reason why they are taking you for granted.”

“I-I’m okay, don’t worry about me.”

“That’s good to know. By the way, I am Walter Philsh. Nice to meet you.” 

“Leylah Hacke. Nice to meet you too. Thank you so much for what you did to me.” It was about a month when I started to enroll at Eagle’s Nest Academy. I never thought that bullies are rampant everywhere, including boys and girls alike. My friends were already telling me how it's like to be in that school. However, I never cared because  I am after the quality education this school has to offer.

"Hey, babe." He smiled as he put his shoulders around mine. I took it off me. I sat on a chair that he prepared for me instead.

"How I wish we'll become an official couple." I murmured. 

"You're the only one that never allows me to do that."

"Do you want the both of us to be dead? My father will hunt you everywhere you go, I swear." I replied between giggles. 

He sighed as he sat next to me, too. I could see a sullen reaction from him as he listened to me. He went silent because it's a bit new to me.

"What happened?" I asked. He turned his gaze to me and smiled again. He also looked a bit confused.

"What?"

"Please talk. I don't need dead air here." I said as I frowned. He chuckled when he got what I meant with my stares. He looked into my eyes and put strands of my hair on the side of my ear as he looked into my eyes and smiled. However, I noticed that his smile is rather a weak one, rather than an encouraging one.

"I don't know the feeling of having a father like that. How I wish I could experience having one just like you." I swallowed. My eyes widened a bit when I realized he came from a broken family. Walter and his sister were the only family that were together. Their foster parents were also very busy with their businesses. That's why sometimes, I could feel the emptiness he felt inside him.

"I'm so sorry, babe." I hugged him right away. He chuckled a bit and his facial expression became blank again.

"It's alright." He chuckled as he  caressed my back. I looked at him and straightened his hair a bit.

"No, I mean it with all of my heart. I'm so sorry that I have reminded you about your parents." There was a pause...a minute or two of silence between us before he finally aired his side.

"Let me tell you this again, it's fine. I just realized something."

"What is it?"

"You're very lucky that you still have parents around you. Unlike me, I only have my sister around but she’s also busy making a life of her own."

"Goodness! Yeah, I have parents but they're so strict that sometimes I want to have a break from them. At least, you’re very independent at a young age. I envy you a lot.”

“Don’t be. I may look independent and tough but deep inside, I want someone to take care of me when I am sick or even check on me from time to time.”

“Don’t you wish, you will hate it when you experience it yourself, I’m telling you.” Leylah strongly disagreed that Walter couldn’t help but chuckle as he pulled her even closer to his side.

"At least be thankful. You have someone to tell you the things that you have to do and the things that they don't want you to do."

"Gosh, it's kind of sick sometimes I learned to hate it."

"I'm sure that those things are for your own good as well. I know all parents only want the best for their child, especially you because you’re the only child and the only daughter that they ever have."

"They're so strict that I can't help but unfollow what they say or want me to do."

He chuckled and rested his left shoulder around mine to comfort me.

"I really wish we'll become official and that my parents are okay with it." He kissed my forehead and smiled like he’s the one that got really happy from what he did to me just now.

"I guess it will take time, Ley. Now, all we need to do is to enjoy each other's company as we also enjoy school."

"I'm afraid, Walter." I said as I looked into his eyes. He smiled as if reassuring me this time.

"Trust me."

I hugged him back and when I let go of him, he kissed my lips until I'm breathless. When he let go of me, I laughed as I gasped for air. I chuckled because he even tickled my waist until he would hear my laugh. The laugh that he’s always telling me about. My laugh has become his favorite sound of all.

"You're too bad, you know." I exclaimed between chuckles.

"But you liked it, right?"

"Don't ever…" I tried looking at him in the eyes but he's already looking at me and he's melting me alone with his gaze. He chuckled because I guess my cheeks are reddening in front of him. I covered my face and he laughed even more.

“Try to do it again. Don’t kiss me without my permission or I’ll slap you.” I added shyly.

“You know what? I don’t know, I’m still crazy over you even if you’re too harsh to me.” He replied, not responding to any of my threats. Instead, he’s always trying to make my heart flutter and wild all at the same time.

“I’m not guilty of anything. You’re the only one who doesn’t want to break up with me. You can’t blame me for all these things.”

“Alright, I understand. I will not do it again, I promise.”

“Good boy, Walter.” I winked that he pinched my chubby cheeks. I massaged it right away because he pinched it too hard.

"You know what? Whether you believe it or not, you're the only woman I want to love for the rest of my life." He said without even blinking. I swallowed because his reaction was really priceless and pure. I looked at him and he smiled, showing his most charming, most captivating angle as if  doing a photoshoot right now.

Should I really trust his feelings and words? Given the fact that Walter is really popular in school and many girls liked him so much. Am I the only one that he loves or there are a lot of girls he’s meeting except me? These thoughts alone could make my head dizzy all the time.

“I hope so. I pray that we’ll always be like this til the end.”

“Of course.” He confidently answered right away as he pulled me close and hugged me tighter this time.

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