11 ~ When Astrid saw him

|| 𝕰𝖕𝖎𝖘𝖔𝖉𝖊 11: 𝖂𝖍𝖊𝖓 𝕬𝖘𝖙𝖗𝖎𝖉 𝖘𝖆𝖜 𝕳𝖎𝖒 ||

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- 𝓐𝓽 𝓬𝓸𝓵𝓵𝓮𝓰𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓭𝓪𝔂 -

𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐆𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄 last thing on Astrid's mind. Tears threatened to roll down her hazel eyes, yet she controlled herself. The sickening feeling of loneliness surrounded her, and she wished more than anything that she could escape. But that wasn't the only thing she wished for.

She wished for a loving sister. The words she threw at Celeste affected her and she wished to forget them. But they kept haunting her - tears forming in her eyes when she remembered them.

Astrid knew that Celeste hated her existence, but who wouldn't. When Astrid dared to put herself in Celeste's shoes she understood that she would hate herself too. Imagining her father with another woman besides her mother was heartbreaking, and she could only imagine the pain Celeste was going through. She only hoped that her own parents realized that someday.

Celeste was everything Astrid desired to be - her enchanting beauty, astounding confidence, and clever mind was fascinating. She was out of this world and the strongest person she has ever seen. She stood on her own feet when her mother died and she decided to cut off her ties with the new Knight clan.

Astrid just wished that Celeste would forgive her one day and welcome her with open arms.

She just wanted to be loved.

Astrid checked the room number again before she sighed and made her way inside the new class she would be attending. There was no denying the fact that she was terrified - she very well knew that when Celeste says something, she means every single word of it. But Astrid was not going to let this opportunity slip away since being around Celeste means that she would learn her way of dealing with business and then, hopefully, help her father out in handling the company.

Her father, Mr. Knight, was soon turning fifty and Astrid hoped that she would find some way to relieve him of the stress that comes with being CEO of a well-reputed company. She hoped that her father will retire and then, spend the rest of his life with his beloved wife.

She knows the way her father looks at her mother with adoration and she wishes that someday, someone will look at her with the same intense passion.

Astrid made her way to the class and looked around to find an empty seat. Just like in high school, nobody cared to help her or even notice her. But that was a good thing considering she didn't want any attention on her. She finally, found a seat and made her way to it.

She kept her bag on the side of her chair and the books on the writing pad. She didn't look around, instead settling to keeping her head down and playing with her fingers. She wasn't in the mood of checking her phone which was surely blasting with her worried mother's messages. Sometimes, she wished her parents will let her breathe.

She was so lost in her deep thoughts that she didn't hear the chair beside her being pulled out and someone getting seated on it.

A strong smell of pine hit her nose and she controlled herself from getting lost in it. She knew that the person sitting beside her was a guy from the cologne he was wearing and she more than hoped to raise her eyes to have a good look at him.

"You don't need to be so nervous, princess. It is just a class." the guy beside her said.

And Astrid melted right then and there. His voice was so rough and masculine that she could feel shivers run down her spine by the mere sound of it. She raised her head and soon, her eyes met his hazel ones.

Astrid had hazel eyes too but they were nothing compared to his. The contrast developing in his eyes was beautiful - the dark brown color lightning to the color of hazel from the inside to the boundaries. She could get lost in them, forever.

A tattoo was painted on his neck - it was in the shape of Z. There were some on his knuckles and hands but Astrid knew one thing for sure - the guy was trouble. The trouble she wouldn't mind getting in.

Astrid put a full stop to those thoughts immediately, there was no way a good girl like her was falling for a bad boy like him. She was going to college for one purpose alone - to be a successful businesswoman and help her father in managing his companies.

But the guy in front of her was so handsome that she was willing to throw away all the reasons that dare to block her from him.

Astrid resisted running her hand through his charcoal black hair. His black leather jacket gave him a devilish charm and she wondered what was he even doing in a class.

"Are you done checking me out?" the guy finally says, breaking the silence between them.

Astrid blushed as she realized her mistake and quickly, snapped her eyes away from him. She focused on her finger again since they suddenly seemed more interesting to her than the boy with immeasurable charm.

She suddenly felt a hand on her chin and the mysterious guy lifted her chin so that their eyes meet again.

"I need a reply when I am talking to you, princess. What is your name?" he asked her.

Astrid gulped as he tugged a strand of her hair that flew on her face. This guy was affecting her in ways she couldn't even fathom and somehow, instead of fear, her heart was dancing with excitement.

"A-Astrid. My name is Astrid." she managed to reply.

She watched as the guy smirked and that smirk was enough to erupt butterflies in her stomach. She was going gaga over this guy and she simply couldn't help it.

"Well, Astrid, I am Noah. I have to say, you have a beautiful smile." the guy says.

Astrid blushes again, this was the first time a guy was flirting with her. With Celeste overshadowing her at every point of her life, Astrid didn't get much attention from the male population. But she was fine with that until this guy, Noah, came along.

In just a few minutes, he had caused her heart to beat faster and her mind to lose control. He had sprouted a hope inside of her, that she can have her happy ending too. That she is pretty too.

"T-Thank y-you....Noah," she replies. She curses herself mentally for shuttering but with an aura like Noah's she could barely think, let alone formulate sentences.

"Can-" Noah says but suddenly stops as the class turns silent and someone enters.

Astrid's eyes drift to the person who entered the class, wondering why everyone was giving so much attention to the entity. But one look and she knew why.

Celeste was standing in the front, with a frown on her face and her predatory eyes targeted at Astrid. Even while angry, she looked gorgeous with her perfect curves and silky hair. Gosh, Astrid wished that she could be as beautiful as Celeste.

But judging on how Noah tensed beside her, she knew that Celeste's gaze on her wasn't just because she was attending the same class as her. It had something to do with the boy sitting next to her.

Astrid's heart dropped when the realization hit her.

Of course, Noah was dating Celeste. She is an angel, after all. Who wouldn't want her?

A sad smile formed on her face. Did she not deserve love in her life?

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"𝐈 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 to see you underestimate me, Clara. It will be fun." Celeste says, a dangerous warning laced in every single of her word.

Astrid tried to focus on her novel but there was no way she could do that with everything that was going on in the cafeteria.

Celeste had ruined Clara's reputation within a matter of minutes without even trying. Astrid felt bad for Clara, though, but the girl should have thought it through before daring to mess with Celeste.

The only thing that Astrid doesn't like about Celeste is her anger. Celeste is like a bomb that will burst and completely ruin you if you dare to even touch it. The hate brewing inside of Celeste was so dangerous that it made Astrid fear that one day, her own end was near. She was still shocked about how she was breathing after Celeste's mother died.

Her father always used to tell her the tales of his eldest daughter to her when she was young - he used to call Celeste his angel. Their father adored little Celeste, telling Astrid about how she spoke without any fear and dared to take challenges. Little Celeste was a clever child with an undying eagerness to learn - standing first in every competition thrown at her. Astrid developed her adoration towards her elder sister since then and wished that one day, she would teach her to be like her.

But all her dreams were now thrown down the drain.

Astrid resumed her lunch after she watched Clara stomp off the cafeteria. Astrid didn't know much about the Pattisons but she attended a few dinners with them. Her father wanted her and her mother to be a part of his elite community. The change was hard and they were still adjusting. But Astrid would do anything for her father.

She focused back on the book in front of her but she could feel someone's stare at her. She didn't dare to lift her eyes up and check, instead of focusing on finishing her lunch and getting out of here as soon as possible.

She kept her empty tray in the dumping area and then, quickly made her way out of the cafeteria. She didn't want to be near Celeste now that she is angry as hell; Astrid can't imagine what Celeste will do to her just for venting out her anger.

Astrid made her way to one of the bleachers on the campus ground. She enjoyed being outside in the company of nature - it was surely therapeutic. She kept her bag on her side and then sat down with her hands over her head. She needed a break from all this worrying.

"What is troubling you, princess?" Astrid heard the familiar masculine voice again.

She squealed in surprise but quickly recovered when she saw the handsome devil next to her.

"Nothing. I was just trying to relax," she says, trying to sound convincing.

Noah looked at her, quietly absorbing her beautiful features. Astrid just gazed into his hazel eyes and blushed when a powerful urge to kiss him developed inside of her. What was this guy doing to her?

"I want to take you out.... right now," Noah says, breaking the silence.

Astrid looked confused - was the most handsome guy she has ever seen asking her out?

She was scared since she had no idea whether his proposal was genuine. He could be pranking her like all the bullies do in the novels she has read. But if she said 'no' to him then he might tease the life out of her. She didn't want that at all considering she had her share of bullying in high school.

But there was just a small part of her that wanted to say 'yes' to him. She wanted to start new when she joined college and become more daring. She has never experienced anything remotely exciting in all these years because of her attempts of trying to adjust among the elites.

This might be the chance she is looking for.

"Sure. Where to?" she replies. She was shocked that she said those words but the thought of missing a class to go out with the bad boy of college was exhilarating

"That, princess, is for me to know and you to find out," Noah says as he gets up and offers his hand to her.

The way he smiled at her made her nervous and want to scream happily at top of her lungs. She loved the way he looked at her - she just wanted to spend more time with him. Her heart warmed and sparks erupted when their hands touched. Noah smiled at her and led her through the campus.

She was scared that Celeste might burst on her when she realized that she was hanging out with her man. But for once, she pushed that thought away and not let Celeste ruin this for her. From the rumors Astrid has heard, she was sure that Noah and Celeste were just friends although the entire college wanted to see them dating.

Astrid frowned at the thought. Why was she being so possessive over Noah?

And Astrid knew then that she has a crush on Noah.

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