Chapter 91 - Courageous
It took every ounce of courage Adrian had to finally put his foot down. He had to make a decision. And that too, real quick! He knew he would have to do it someday. But today, really? She seemed happy today. But it's for her. You know what to do Adrian. You can't let a few moments of happiness ruin her life entirely. You definitely know what is right for the moment. Adrian's mental conflict was quickly soughted out in a very painful direction when Debbie took the boldest step she had ever taken until now. She straight up kissed Adrian on his cheek and looked at Jennifer.
"Your so called man, just accepted my kiss. Stop being so delusional, Jennifer. You mean nothing to him." Debbie's reply broke two hearts at once. Adrian heard his heart break as he heard Jennifer's. The same happened with Jennifer but the only heart she could hear was her's. The paint was too thick to let Adrian's heart's voice reach her ears. "Wrong! You're so wrong Debbie. She means the world to me. She means everything to me. In fact, she is the only thing that means to me." Adrian thought but the reply he gave was quite opposite when Debbie asked him, "Right baby?"
"Yeah! What can she mean to me?" Adrian shrugged. This perfectly reached Jennifer's eyes as she tried making a reply in her mind. "Do I really not mean anything to you?" she asked slowly at first. Maybe it was his 'some reason' that led him to behave like this. "Nope. Nothing." Adrian put about a thousand tons of weight on his heart as he said those words, instantly biting his tongue from speaking anything in contrast to what he was planning to do.
Oh Jennifer! Why did you give me enough power to destroy you? Why did you let me near you? Why did you let me break you down? I am an animal. I knew I could eat you before I met you. The mistake is all mine. I let myself near you. I let you allow me to break you. I let you allow me to be near you. I am the one at fault here. I knew I was the hunter and you were the prey. Why did I still do it? And how come the lion caught feelings for the lamb? Am I crazy?
Adrian was instantly regretting all his life decisions in a single minute. Seeing Jennifer. Meeting her. Falling for her. Confessing to her. Making memories with her. Being near her. He was regretting everything. Every minute. Every breath. But Jennifer on the other hand was trying to find a logic behind his behavior. "Adrian" she spoke with stress on each word. "I don't care about your reasons right now. Do you seriously mean what you said?" she asked again.
Again, giving her heart to Adrian, only to break it all over again. "Yup. How many times do I need to clarify this for you. You don't mean anything to me. C'mon baby, let's go. She's so annoying!" Adrian was unable to face Jennifer anymore. He put his arm around Debbie's shoulders and turned around but then everybody in the hall saw something, nobody had even thought of in their wildest dreams. Master Adrian. The scary Master Adrian was turned around by his collar and slapped on his cheek. Once. Twice. Thrice.
Everybody gasped. Some girls put their hands on their mouth to stifle the noise coming out of their mouth. Some even let a high pitched shriek escape. Master Adrian was slapped by Jennifer, not once but thrice painting his cheek in the same red she was drowned in. "This is the welcome ceremony. You officially entered the long list of people who hurt me and I hate now." Jennifer said this and turned around to walk away but the paint was making it so difficult.
She walked a few steps and fell down on the floor, slipping over the paint and tripping on her own feet together. Jennifer landed on the floor with a loud thud. By this time, Adrian was already at the end of the corridor in which they were standing. He just turned around and laughed at Jennifer. So did Debbie and Kurt. James was also baffled by what happened right now. He looked at Adrian who signaled him to help her. "Just do it on your own. Why do you mess up so much?" his telepathic connection with Adrian sent him this message just by looking in his eyes from across the room.
Adrian did nothing. He just turned around and left with Debbie. The moment they left the corridor, Adrian distanced himself from her. Debbie also didn't ask anything. She just walked in the opposite direction. Adrian was feeling horrible for what he had done to Jennifer. In the corridor, a few students were laughing at Jennifer when James approached her. "Here, let me help you." He said as he tried holding her.
Jennifer refused to take any help at all. "Don't touch me." She breathed. "But you need some help to walk. You might've already injured yourself from the fall." James said. "I did. I twisted my ankle." Jennifer said. She was talking to James but her eyes were still glued to the end of the corridor where Adrian had turned with Debbie. Jennifer could feel tears build up in her eyes but she didn't cry. Not here. Not in front of James. She couldn't show him she was weak.
"See, just let me help you." James said. Once again extending his arm to help Jennifer up but Jennifer chose to ignore him yet again. "Help yourself. Help your best friend who has apparently lost his mind." Jennifer did a 180 degree turn to back face James. Defeated, James had to return back. Jennifer made it to the washroom somehow. She washed her face. The paint and the sorrow. Both dissolving in the water, getting washed away with every drop.
James saw Debbie and Adrian part ways and signaled Debbie to come over. "Thanks for your help." He said as he shook hands with Debbie. "It's okay." Debbie smiled as walked away. James thought of the deal he made with Debbie. He had paid Debbie to do this. He knew Adrian had to break Jennifer but he was taking too much time. This time gap was killing him. Jennifer was as sweet as always, even due to his behavior, he was feeling guilty for hurting her. Many times, he had caught Adrian crying to himself because of what he was doing to Jennifer. James just helped him. He knew it would click to Adrian in that particular moment, and as expected everything happened just as James had planned.