20 WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM?

I run full force into someone and this time I fail to save my papers that fly all over the place where I am standing. I look up and of course, who else.

“What is your problem, Hayden?”

“I could ask you the same thing. It seems you just can’t keep off me.” He speaks out venomously.

I bend down and start gathering up my things.

I’m almost sure a pair of hands must have been helping me, and when I don’t spot them, I look up. And find them crossed across his toned chest. So much for chivalry.

“Oh please, don’t stop on my account. And look over for a pair of eyes as you go about it, will you?”

“Well you should have been more careful with them then, I guess. Look for your things yourself.”

“I appreciate the try but it was you, who collided with me.” I stand up and hold my papers together, trying to settle them in a pile. I’m going to have to sort them again.

How could I have even expected chivalry from Zach Hayden? I might as well expect Gwen Stacy to resurrect in The Amazing Spiderman 3, which probably will never even be made.

He looks exactly the same as the last time I saw him, minus the sandwich and plus the sweat. But I don’t complain about that one thing, at least.

“You done with the gazing, sweetheart?”

“For the last time, I was looking.”

“You were staring.”

“I was LOOKING.”

“That’s not really how it works, you know. I thought we were negotiating.” Zach casually puts a stray lock of my hair, that had actually been disturbing me for a while now, behind my ear and I freeze momentarily at the touch.

“Well, we would have, only if you owned sensibility, even one hundredth the size of your ego.”

“So you think I’m insensible?” He puts his hands in his pockets and watches me with an adorable, amused smile.

“Insensible, insensitive, intrusive, invasive, indiscreet, incompete-“

“Alright that’s enough of the in-s.”

“Oh should I present the un-s list? Let’s see, you’re ungrateful, unacceptable, unforgivabl-“

“No thank you. I think I’ll pass. I don’t need a character certificate from you.”

“Oh I wouldn’t bother, considering you don’t have one.”

“And you didn’t tell me what your problem was.”

“You! All of you.”

“I asked what your problem with me was, not who you had a problem with.” He deadpans and I struggle to look for an answer. What do I tell him?

I don’t like the fact that you publicly humiliated me back in high school?

I don’t like that you shattered my self confidence ruthlessly?

I don’t like that you were the only one I had felt so deeply for and you fudging made me feel stupid for that?

I don’t like how you broke my mother’s locket?

I don’t like how I still get affected by you?

I don’t like how you just won’t let me forget you?

I don’t like how you don’t believe in love?

I don’t like how you stick your mouth down anonymous girls?

“Uhm, you- uh, you know, the problem, right.”

“Exactly my point. You don’t have a problem, do you?”

“Uh, I-uh, I do.”

“Which is?”

“I uh, I don’t – like – the way you eat.” The words are out before I can even understand them. What are you even saying, Alanna ?

“Excuse me?”

“Yeah, you eat like a…“

“Human?”

“… uh- iguana.”

“Cut it, okay? You don’t have one reason to hate me. We both know you made that up.”

“What? Why?”

“Because there’s no such thing as not liking the way a person eats!”

“Sure is. I just hate your way of eating this thing uh…”

“Food?”

“And there, I don’t like you making gross comments all the time.”

“I just asked if we were talking about food-”

“And I don’t like your blatant sarcastic taunts.”

“Again, I was just asking a question.”

“And I don’t like your relentless arguing and always believing that you’re Mr. Right.”

He scrunches his eyebrows and looks silently at me, while I mock my inner self for the pathetic defence it has been putting up.

Zach has been staring too long and it starts to put me at unease.

“What?” I ask him and hope I’ve not upset him.

Why? Because I’m a nice person, that’s why.

“No go on. Tell me that you don’t like the way I’m breathing.” He speaks up casually though I can spot a tint of humour in his hazel eyes.

I bite my lip in a strong and desperate attempt to hold back my smile.

However, like every other effort in front of Zach, it fails as I smile away, which slowly turns into a full blown laughter. He smiles dazzlingly and I actually feel the long lost bubble of happiness float inside of me.

“I’m late.” I manage to say between laughs and see him chuckling while still smiling.

“I can tell. You know how I can tell?” My laughter subsides and an amused smile remains on me as he mirrors my expression.

“Because you’re still standing here.” I chuckle to myself and shake my head.

“I, uh, am leaving.”

“I can see you trying to do that.”

I look at his amused chocolate brown eyes for one last time before finally leaving with my lips up in a happy smile and I look down to find my assignment.

I feel happy. I feel like laughing yet again. Just what I was looking for, and it turned up without even my trying.

I meant the paper.

The needed assignment that somehow ended up on top of my pile.

“Excuse me? Adalanna Callister?”

I turn around to find a young , blonde boy asking me, with a hardboard in his hands and a few papers.

“Uh yeah? That’s me.”

“You have been asked to visit the administration wing after school.”

He doesn’t even wait for a reply and walks along and I stand there confused. I have been called? Well it must be about the subject change. At least I hope it is.

I managed to complete the assignment in time and submitted it as per schedule. Thank goodness. I don’t like to run late or score a bad remark from any of the professors.

The last period ends and I let out a deep sigh as I remember Lily. Fudge. hope she doesn’t leave me today as well.

I pack up hurriedly and make my way over to the administration wing. I reach the desk and the same bored lady looks up at me with her same bored eyes.

“Adalanna Callister?”

“Yes.”

You called for me woman. You know I am her. We just met the other day. I groan mentally

“Wait here.” She leaves, slightly annoyed and I have to admit I don’t really like this woman. She is being paid to do this wor-

“Alanna?” I turn so sudden, I almost get a whiplash. I really have outrun my quota of being called today. I find a pair of kind and somewhat happy eyes looking back at me.

“Ms. Xavier? Good afternoon.”

“Evening, almost. But what brings you here?”

“Uh, I applied a change so it’s probably something regarding that. I guess.”

“Right. Claire doesn’t really come off as the industrious worker does she?” She chuckles as I nod my agreement with a smile. So her name is Claire.

“Anyway, the Revealing is tomorrow. You must be knowing about it, yes?” Of course, she’ll be knowing about it. I honestly don’t want to talk about any of it anymore. Why did I have to get into this?

“Yes, though I’m not really convinced to participate, to be honest.”

“You’re going to negate?” I see her face fall and I almost feel bad about having to do so.

“I’m afraid so, Professor.”

“Dear, dear. I was so looking forward to seeing you as the chairperson. It is of course your decision, though I can’t deny I am disappointed.”

“Yes, I know I’ve disappointed many, but I didn’t really want to get tangled up in all this.”

“There’s nothing to get tangled up in darling. It’s sheer privilege. And you would have done beautifully. Though I do understand your point.”

I smile sadly as I hear my name being called out.

“Your subject change has been accepted. This is your new schedule.” I take over the new papers from Claire and look up towards Ms. Xavier.

“I have to go, professor. And I’m sorry, I really am.”

“Of course.” She gets busy with some paperwork but I don’t fail to note the fall in her voice and her earlier excitement.

I walk out of the wing and sense that its almost dark.

Which means Lily must have left. Again.

I let out a sigh as I look up to find small stars starting to appear. I wonder how many people I am going to let down. I walk through the hallway, now almost empty. I think I’m going to have to take a cab aga-

“You thought I would have let you go so easily?” I hear a muffled rough voice, apparently from one of the classrooms and from the sound of it, I have never heard it before.

“After all you did? We can’t be over, right? You love me.” I walk closer to the voice as I smell a lurking danger.

Something isn’t right, I feel anxious. I ry to control my breathing as I fight back nervousness.

“Da-n, let m-e go!” Dan. I have heard that name before. And the very next moment I recognise the voice to be Brit’s!

I walk into the room full force and get my breath knocked out to see a crying Brit, hands tied behind her and mouth almost gagged with some sort of clothing.

And a somewhat tall, well built guy standing very close to her is holding her forcefully.

“What the living hell?”

Brit starts crying in muffled voices as soon as she sees me and I immediately get that she’s in trouble. Big time.

“Oh God! Brit.”

I run towards her swiftly to free the hands and just when I reach her I feel a strong forceful grip on my neck throwing me backwards.

I stumble and turn my eyes to find the guy, seething in anger and his bloodshot vehement eyes

“Get out of here, you bitch!”

“No, leave her! Don’t you dare touch her!” He turns back towards Brit and I run once again making a desperate attempt to withdraw his hands from her but he grips my head by the hair, too violently and hurtfully. I gasp out and almost scream.

“I have nothing with you. Don’t make me hurt you.”

“I can’t let you hurt her! How can you-“ He pushes me abruptly, this time even more forcefully and I fall down on the concrete with a sickening thud.

“I’ll do you once I’m done with this one.”

My head bangs against the table leg and an awful pain shoots up. I clutch it tightly as the pain overtakes me and I feel my eyelids getting heavy.

Author's note:

No matter how much you wish to hate, it seems some people just don’t have to try to make you happy.

Alanna ’s fighting expectations while our Brit, fights trouble.

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