Chapter 8 I fall in love

"Why are you asking such questions?" Helena asked.

"Just tell me, don't ask questions, Helena," Aria said, embarrassment evident on her face.

Helena smiled knowingly. "When you fall in love, first, you think about that person most of the time, like they occupy your mind all the time. Second, you blush when you think of the person. Third, which is usual for all, your heart beats fast and loudly, especially when he's close. Sometimes you even dream about the person, and sometimes you feel shy, especially when he looks at you. You feel happy and magnificent when you think of him."

Aria listened intently, her mind racing with thoughts. 'Does this mean I've fallen in love with my school bad boy, Ace?' she asked herself.

Helena finished speaking, and Aria remained silent, lost in thought. Helena stretched her hand and touched Aria's arm. "Are you there?" she asked.

Aria snapped back to reality, looking a bit pale. "Huh, yes, I'm good," she said.

Calming herself down, Aria took a deep breath and decided to confide in Helena before their teacher arrived. She checked her watch; they had ten minutes left.

"Helena, let's talk outside," Aria said suddenly.

"What is it that you can't say here in class? I really don't want to go out," Helena replied.

"It's important, Helena. Let's go," Aria said, dragging her friend out of the classroom.

Standing outside, away from prying ears, Aria confessed, "Helena, I think I've fallen in love."

Helena's eyes widened. "You've fallen in love with who? Like, who is the person, and since when? Did you ask me that question because of this?" Helena asked, her curiosity piqued.

Aria's voice trembled. "Yeah, I think so. I don't know whether it's a crush or love, but I couldn't get him out of my mind, Helena."

Helena comforted Aria. "Calm down, Aria. Let's figure this out together, okay? You're not alone in this. Who is the guy? Is he in school?" Helena asked.

Aria's eyes locked onto Helena's. "Yes, Helena, Ace."

Helena's expression changed, and she became pale. She was thinking of whether they should confront Ace or make him fall in love with Aria. Helena knew her friend had no feelings for her, but she was surprised that Aria had fallen for the notorious school bad boy.

"Humm," Helena exhaled, releasing the air she had been holding in her lungs. "Aria, you love Ace, the school bad boy. Aria, in this world, you didn't see anyone to fall in love with but Ace, the damn horrible bad boy."

Aria nodded, her eyes cast downward. She knew she shouldn't have allowed herself to fall in love with him, but since their first encounter, everything had gotten worse.

Helena asked, concern etched on her face, "Aria, are you sure it's love you feel toward him?"

Aria's voice was resolute. "Yes."

"Hundred percent?" Helena pressed.

Aria's eyes locked onto Helena's. "Yes, hundred percent."

Helena nodded. "Okay, we'll see what to do." Helena made her way back to their classroom, Aria following closely behind.

Unbeknownst to them, Ace had been grinning ear to ear as he listened to Aria's confession from behind. "So, she's already fallen into my trap. How cheap."

Ace walked out of the classroom, a sly smile still plastered on his face.

Meanwhile, in a grand mansion, Diana sat in her room, sipping orange juice from a glass cup. She twirled the cup in her hand, her mind consumed by thoughts of Aria.

"How can she and Ace...seriously, I've been here all these years, but here he is, falling in love with another girl without even batting an eye toward me?" Diana muttered to herself, anger rising in her voice.

"I will never allow this to happen," Diana said, determination etched on her face.

Ace lay in his bed, looking at the ceiling. After a while, he sighed, his mind drifting to Aria and Helena's conversation. Ace didn't realize he was smiling, not because Aria had fallen into his trap, but because he found her confession funny.

As the days passed, a week and a half went by. The school buzzed with the news that the beautiful girl, Aria, had a boyfriend, and Diana's accusations were false.

In the school lunchroom, Aria sat with her friends, including a new guy, eating their meals peacefully. Across the room, Ace sat with his friend Manson, his eyes looking at the guy who sat next to Aria and his eyes narrowed at the way he looked at her.