Chapter6:Mina

;It had been a mistake. Her heart had told her many times. She wished to go back in time and change everything that happened. Her night had begun beautifully. After after some time, she had woken up. She woke up due to the dreams, the never stopping dreams that would always wake her up. She had woken up with a start when the dream stopped. It was as if she did not want it to end. But then as soon as she woke up, the dream slipped away from her mind as water seeping through a sieve. It was a hot night. Unable to sleep, she went out of her bed and had walked toward the front door of the house without making any sound, in order not to wake her foster parents up.

She then opened the front door and went out of the door to get cool, night's air. Her first and worst mistake of that dreadful night. Then she began walking on the street in front of her house. She had felt unusual chill in the air. But in order get sleep, she had to get tired of it is by walking outside. The chill had seemed to be drawing nearer, when she felt sudden warmth behind her. Just then she heard a clear manly voice say something. Not expecting anyone out at this time, she shrieked fearing it to someone dangerous. When she had recognized the person, she realized that she was face to face with the most dangerous person she had ever met. The one she had sworn to stay away from.

It was Jared. Seeing him stand close to her, she stumbled back and had almost fallen down. Jared had caught her effortlessly as if he had done it many times to many other girls. Just thinking about that, sent a pang of jealousy to her heart. She felt surprised at her mind's reaction to a stranger, whom she had just met yesterday in the class. Jared suddenly let go of her. Wanting to know whether he remembered her, she had whispered his name, Then suddenly his face filled with sadness and his eyes looked bright as it were filled with tears. Her heart went out to him. His sadness filled her as if it was her own sadness, even though she did not know why he was sad. She saw the pale Jared standing before her and she for the first time saw him as boy of her age filled with incredible sadness. Jared looked at her for a moment. For the each moment he looked her, her heart began beating faster. He then, with a lot of emotion had asked her name. She had answered "Mina", at which she could swear that a part of him was disappointed and that another part was relieved.

She could understand Jared's body language as if it was her own. This scared her. She looked at him again. His eyes on her face made her heart go crazy. She blushed. He saw this and suddenly he turned cold. The warmth he had brought when he first came had dissipated, bring in the cold more fierce than the first. He asked for some directions. Her fear came again. She hastily said him the directions and ran back home.

This incident enforced that Jared was actually a dangerous person as she could not control her feelings at all. Never again would she walk outside at night. The next day she considered whether to go to school or not. Of course, I have to go,she thought, she was not a coward. Taking a firm resolve to ignore him, she left her house and began walking to school. On the way, she met Stara, who was eager to go to class. "Come on, let's go, we can not let go of Jared today. I will not let Ashley steal him from me.," Stara said. Mina could not reply anything. She wanted to tell about her encounter with Jared to Stara, but couldn't bring herself to do it.

Stara pulled her to their classroom only to see Ashley sitting there, having come early. Ashley looked at them and sneered, "Are you here to take my Jared? Well you are already late, Jared is mine. Do you think he will fall for someone like you? I think he had higher standards than that." Suddenly Sid came in, hearing Ashley's words, he looked dangerous. Mina held him back fearing that he would do something reckless. Ashley looked at his anger and smiled saying, " Coward. "

Then Jared entered the classroom, he looked a bit weary. Suddenly Ashley changed her tone and talked to Stara, Sid and Jared as if they were friends for life. Disgusted they sat down at their respective places.

....

Monster entered the class. See all the girls looking at Jared, he sighed. He wanted a girl who was not interested in Jared. He was about to give a two member group project. If he assigned a girl interested in Jared, it would not go well, both for Jared and the girl, especially with the topic he was going to give. Looking around the class, he suddenly saw a girl not looking at Jared. Thank God, he thought.

Mina was keeping her promise well. I must not look at him, she thought. It took all of her will power not to look at him. She did not even turn or look up fearing that, she would somehow see Jared and lose her resolve.

Monster cleared his throat. Everyone looked at him. "Today I'll be assigning you a group project. A project that is supposed to be done in groups of two. As you know, we have in this semester the play 'Romeo and Juliet'. The project is , you must analyse the love Romeo and Juliet had for each other and write your own thoughts about love. I need both the male and female thought, so each group will have one boy and girl.." ,seeing most of the girls looking at Jared, he quickly said, "...which I will be assigning." There were a lot of mumbling on this but it ended when Monster started randomly pairing off a girl and a boy. Stara got Sid. Both were unhappy over this because Stara wanted Jared and Sid knew that Stara wanted Jared.

Mina waited for her turn. She was okay with anybody as long as it was not... ,"Mina and Jared", Monster said. The girls collectively turned and looked enviously at Mina. Mina was numb. All that decision to ignore him for nothing. The blood drained from her face. Monster continued his pairing. Mina Sat like a stone, afraid to look at Jared. "I give you two weeks to finish this." Two dreaded weeks. Everyone left the class except Sid, Stara, Ashley Jared and Mina.

"You got lucky, doll. The stars are with you." Stara said. " Hey, it's lucky for me, you will introduce me to him. Won't you? ", Stara asked. "Mina, ...earth to Mina, what happened to you?" Mina suddenly snapped out of her reverie. "What happened you look as if you saw a ghost." " It's nothing", Mina said shakily packing her bag.

In the next table, Ashley out her hand on Jared's and said, "You are sad that I'm not the one in your group right? Instead, you got a stranger right. Even I'm sad that we did not get assigned together. Shall we go and ask Monster to let us be a group? "

Mina heard this. Even though she did not want Jared as her partner, she did not want him to chose anyone else after being assigned to her. She was sure that Jared would go and partner with Ashley. She heard the sound of the chair drawing back and saw Jared getting from his seat. Instead of going with Ashley, she saw,with dread, that he was walking towards her. Beside her, Stara stiffened.

Jared stood in front of her desk, until she looked up. Again she got lost in his stare. "Why don't we meet and discuss the project in the library at 6? Is it okay for you?" , he said and waited for her answer. Feeling nervous under his gaze, she squeaked, "okay." He turned and left the classroom.

Ashley sent her look of poison. Stara also obviously looked at her. But no one knew that she would be happy to exchange her place with any one of them.She

She was dreading the time they would meet.

.....