17 You're Cute, I Like You

"Have anyone of you heard from Ria?" Alec was anxious when Ria did not come to campus for the last two days.

She was fine, right?

"I have no idea where she is and who is she with," Sofia out of a habit said without thinking about the consequences.

As expected, Alec's eyes darkened and his fists clenched as the despair fell over him. 'Someone?'

His friends all gave him a look filled with pity.

He told himself again and again that he was happy as long as she was happy, but his heart was not contented.

He was a mortal. A selfish being.

His heart was empty.

Sixth grade was the time he first saw her.

Alec Williams belonged to the affluent family of another country, the third and the youngest child of the Williams'. He was brought up in a strict environment where he had to be perfect in everything he did.

His mother did not let him act like a boy of his age.

Whether it be the sports, the academic performances, or any extracurricular activities he would like to take part in:

He had to do his best. He had to be perfect.

He hated it.

He did not want to live a life full of restrictions, a life full of reprimands and judgemental eyes.

He just wanted to live freely in a carefree manner, but his family background did not allow him to do so.

It was a good thing that his parents sent him to live with his grandparents. He was grateful that he could breathe fresh air.

A little girl bumped into him when he was walking toward his classroom. She was wearing pigtails and a baby pink frock as her dress with a pink bow settled on her head as an accessory, her hair bangs fallen on her forehead.

It was her fault and he expected to apologise as people always would even if it were to be his mistake, but she did not.

Instead, she looked at him with her big brown eyes with an accusatory gaze and complaint, her lips pursed as someone had greatly wronged her.

"See what you did to me! You damaged my new pretty dress. Say sorry." He stared at her with his mouth gaped open.

This little girl was so arrogant. She hardly reached his shoulder, yet she wanted to hear an apology.

In front of his bulky bodyguards, she expected him to say sorry? He never said sorry to anyone.

"What are you staring at? If you can't say sorry, then don't. People are petty with their apologies nowadays," the girl pouted as she looked at him, her eyes shined, "As everyone knows that I am a magnanimous person, take it as I have forgiven you already. Consider it as me being kind." With a cheeky reply, she winked at him and escaped.

Alec was left flabbergasted when he watched her running away.

'Such big words, just who does she accompany every day?'

"Should we bring her back to you, little master?" One of his bodyguards asked.

He was staring at her back. This was the first time someone had talked to him like this.

It did not feel bad.

Rather, it was invigorating.

His lips twitched.

"No." He also took his leave for his classroom. On his way to his new classroom, he only thought to meet this interesting lass again.

Maybe, he could have a good time enjoying life here in this known yet unknown place he would get accustomed to in the future years.

"Class, welcome our new student. He is Alec Williams and he is going to be here with us from now on." He looked at the class with apathy, but his eyes lit up with interest when he saw someone he knew sitting there, chewing a pencil in her mouth without paying any attention to him, lost in her thoughts.

He suddenly wanted to have her attention focused solely on him.

"Hello, everyone. I am Alec. Nice to meet you. I like the colour of trees, green just like my eyes. I want to be friends with you all. Please take care of me in the future." Alec's voice was loud and clear, hoping that he could draw her attention to him.

With his good looks, he received the attention of the girls from his new class. Boys also were curious. All now were looking at him except for her.

Zaria was busy in her world of Elian.

'What games are we going to play when I reach home?'

'Would he tell me to tidy up his room again?'

'Why is she not looking at me?'

Alec's face dimmed.

One of the bodyguards who were with him since his childhood, teared up.

This was the first time his little master had initiated a conversation and interacted with people willingly and with this much enthusiasm.

He should tell the Williams household about it.

"Alec, take a seat wherever you would like." The teacher had a sweet tongue with him.

She was already informed by the principal that a rich child was going to study in this class and whatever he wanted should be provided to him were special instructions given to her.

Girls were looking at him in expectancy.

'He should sit with me.' A girl glared at the other girl.

'No, he should sit with me.' The girl glared back with intensity.

It felt like a battlefield to him, so he went where he found himself safe and where he wanted to sit.

He sat beside her and smiled a little, waving his hand.

"Hi." He anticipated that she would greet him back, but she looked at him strangely like she did not know him before.

'Has she forgotten our meeting of this morning already?'

After a long pause, she said, "Why aren't you sitting with them?" She pointed at the girls.

He followed her direction of pointing and saw that all the girls of his class were staring at them, or rather at him which made him awkward with all that unwanted attention.

Zaria arched her brow at the girls and they all averted their eyes faster than a rabbit running to its hole.

Alec's smile widened as he gazed at her.

Was she the boss of this class that was why the girls were afraid of her?

"I want to sit next to you. Do you not know me? We just met this morning."

"Have we?" She asked and wondered.

He nodded without a stop, his cheeks bright red. Zaria smiled.

"Umm... sorry for bumping into you." He looked down. He apologised for the first time in his life for a thing he did not even do. Zaria Smith stared at him.

He was cute.

She liked cute things.

"My friend Sofia is not present, so you can sit here for today. You're cute, I like you." Ria nodded at him with a calm expression and started doodling on the pages of her notebook.

Did she like him? Was this not too early?

He coughed, his cheeks again got rosy.

This was the first time a girl openly confessed to him.

Of course, he was shy.

"I am Alec." He talked again when he saw how she was gradually losing interest in him. He brought his hand for a shake.

"Zaria, but you can call me Ria. All my friends call me that." She shook hands with him with a smile.

Alec stared at her, mesmerised.

Her smile was really beautiful and it was for him.

This friend liked him.

He liked this friend, too.

Both the children then started to talk about their hobbies.

Again, he felt grateful that he was sent here, and that he could meet her. 'Maybe, it was fate.'

Maybe his restrained life could finally become unrestrained.

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