Actions Speak Louder Than Words

The class fell into silence as they stared at the scene. Jaskereet widened his eyes, disgusted at his own actions.

Aaliya was surrounded by her friends, protectively shielding her away from Jaskereet. He swallowed hard, unable to comprehend the fact that he had hurt the girl he loved so much. As anger washed over him, he ran out of the classroom. He knew that if he stayed any longer, hell would break loose.

From a corner of the classroom, a pair of big round eyes were fixed on Jaskereet's every action. Sweeping back her wavy hair, Cheyenne sighed, she perfectly understood Jaskereet's emotions and empathised with him.

'Yeah, there's nothing wrong with him being angry. Kylie was such a bitch. If Aaliya actually cared for him, she would let him beat Kylie! She doesn't deserve him at all!' Cheyenne thought out the scenario in Jaskereet's shoes and felt that Aaliya was very unreasonable.

Of course, her opinion was a little biased. After all, Jaskereet had been her crush since last year. Being infatuated with him, Cheyenne always saw his good side and turned a blind eye to his darker, much more sinister side. Infatuation could really make someone irrational.

She looked around the class, some people had a face of disdain as they watched Jaskereet storm out of the class, while others looked sympathetically towards Aaliya.

"Why is everyone reacting like this? Jas did nothing wrong!" Cheyenne seethed, hoping someone would overhear and empathize with Jaskereet as well.

However, all the class' attention was on a boy who suddenly stood up. His muscular arms slightly flexing as he got up from his seat. He swept his brown hair back as he walked forward.

Who could it be? Of course, it was Aaron, the only guy who's whole presence was worshipped by almost every girl in the whole school. Tall and sturdy built that enticed girls to bury themselves in. A handsome face with an arched nose, soft brown eyes that looked so cosy. Aaron was, in most girls' eyes, a god.

"It's okay, Jas is gone now. Take a deep breath...everything is fine." Aaron sat down beside Aaliya, wrapping his strong arms around her shoulders protectively. His deep voice comforted Aaliya as she quietly sobbed.

Aaliya looked up to Aaron, feeling confused. He smiled gently, wiping her tear-stained face.

Aaliya sniffed a little before standing up, pushing Aaron away.

"I have to go catch up to Jas, if not he might wreak havoc elsewhere. Kylie, next time please don't say those words to Jas, that was nasty." Aaliya said, and walked out of the classroom, meaning to go find Jas. A frown made its way onto Aaron's handsome face.

"Why do you still care for him, even though he has made you cry so many times?" Aaron muttered under his breath as he watched Aaliya leave.

"Fuck! I... I just can't fucking control my anger! I hurt Aaliya! Why am I such a..." Jaskereet roared as he punched a toilet stall door, scaring a poor boy who was trying to take a shit.

Jaskereet ignored the boy, continuously letting out his anger on the door. His fists felt numb after a while.

"Jas? Jas? Where are you?" Aaliya called, frantically searching around.

'Orientation is going to start soon. I hope I can find him before then,'Aaliya thought to herself, while looking at her watch. She had been searching for Jaskereet for the past few minutes, but there was still no sign of him.

After a while, Aaron appeared, "Aaliya, it's time to go back."

With worry still etched on her face, Aaliya responded, "No, wait. I haven't found Jas! There's still time, I can find him!"

"There's no more time! Unless you want to get scolded," Aaron raised his voice," Sorry about this, but we've got to go." He then proceeded to drag her back to the classroom. It was tough since Aaliya kept struggling against the force while screaming, "Stop! Let go!" Let's just say they were lucky no one was around, or this scene might be mistaken for something else.

Sighing, Aaron decided to stop for a while. He turned around and placed his hands on her shoulders, making them face to face.

"What if Jas has already gone back to class and all you've been doing now is for naught?" He confronted her.

Aaliya stopped struggling and kept quiet. Silently thinking about Aaron's words, and they held some truths to it. Slowly realising that there was a chance Jaskereet might have already returned to class, she decided to go back to class with Aaron.

Aaliya hurried back to the classroom, hoping that Jaskereet was also there. As her eyes scanned across the classroom, seeing all the different faces, she realised that Jaskereet was nowhere. Slowly, she slumped down, her soul seemed as to have left her body. She supported her head with her hands, trying to stay awake. Soon, her eyes gently flicked shut.

" Aaliya! No! Stay with me..." Aaron's voice rang beside her ear as she fell onto his embrace.

Gasps of surprise rang around the classroom as the students gaped at what had just happened. The once rowdy classroom instantly became silent. Aaron cursed under his breath, scolding himself for giving her false hope, but it was the only way to get her back to class. Looking around, he found that Mdm Lim has not come back to class yet.

"Kylie! Tell Mdm Lim that I'm bringing Aaliya to the General office and that I'm going to be late for the orientation," Aaron said, while gently picking Aaliya up.

"Oh my gosh! Who is that girl? Why is Aaron carrying her in his arms?" A girl with pigtails whispered to her friend beside her.

"Her? Isn't she the angel of the class of 2B, Aaliya? What happened to her? Didn't we just see her looking around frantically just now? But, woah. Aaron's carrying her, she must be important to him," her friend replied, with a tint of jealousy in her voice.

Aaron continued walking, ignoring the whispers from students crowding around him. All that was on his mind was getting Aaliya to the general office. His eyes sharpened when he realised that he had attracted so much attention.

" Move!"

However, news travelled fast, and soon more and more students crowded around, eager to see what the commotion was about.

"Aaron was seen carrying a girl, who is she?"

"The angel in class 2B Aaliya fainted and is being carried by a hunk! Is this some sort of movie cliche?"

"Heh, she looks so gentle even when unconscious, i look like a pig when I'm sleeping,"

"Oh my gosh! Aaron is taken?"

"Hahaha! Abandoning Jas and going for Aaron? Girl, you came to your senses,"

No doubt, gossip travels fast. Especially to Jaskereet's ears. This reignited the fire within him. Immediately, he stormed towards the direction of the general office. That bastard, Aaron had to pay for touching what wasn't his.

After talking to the teacher about Aaliya in the general office, Aaron heaved a sigh of relief, glad that Aaliya was alright. He walked out, only to be met with a crowd, mostly girls, staring at him. Their eyes bore into him as if trying to see into his soul. Upon seeing this, Aaron was stunned.

"Uhh, what can I do for you ladies?" Aaron asked, sweat trickling down the side of his forehead.

"You can give an explanation to my face, you shithead!" A deep voice roared from the crowd.

Everyone turned their heads towards the voice, despite already knowing who it was. This notorious voice obviously belonged to no one other than Jaskereet!

The crowd parted, to reveal a disgruntled Jaskereet. He stomped over until he was right in front of Aaron. In front of the crowd of spectators, Jaskereet harshly gripped Aaron's collar, pulling Aaron to his face.

"Don't touch something that does not belong to you, prick. Why not go to those girls over there who would just love to throw themselves all over you instead of stealing what's mine," Jaskereet spat out, then he harshly shoved Aaron back.

Aaron stumbled but soon regained his footing. "Yours? Aaliya has been searching for you for so long, yet where were you when she fainted. Were you there to help her? No. So, is she really yours?" Aaron taunted.

The words hit Jaskereet like a tidal wave. The question repeated over and over in his head," So, is she really yours?"

It fueled the fire within him. The more he kept thinking of it, the angrier he felt. "Of course, you piece of shit!" He yelled out, shooting forward with his fists brimming with anger, aiming right at the handsome face that stood in between him and Aaliya.

As if in slow motion, Jaskereet's fist collided against Aaron's cheek, resulting in a loud "thud". Aaron was thrown back and a groan was heard.

The crowd gasped. Nobody dared to stop Jaskereet. The reason? Jaskereet weighed about 80kg. Even if anyone wanted to stop him, his huge build instantly deterred any fool who dares challenge him.

As Aaron smirked and wiped away the blood at the corner of his lips with the back of his hand, he scoffed, "Do you know how horrible you are to her? You say you care about her but haven't you just been hurting her? So what if you say you 'love' her, actions speak louder than words."

Jaskereet almost went crazy. He bared his teeth like an unneutered dog and cracked his knuckles as he picked Aaron up, about to punch him even harder.

Just then, Aaliya stumbled out of the General Office. The commotion outside the General Office had awoken her and she was listening in onto the fight. However, as she heard the cracking of Jaskereet's knuckles, she ran out. She arrived just in time to see Jaskereet punching Aaron again.

Aaron fell to the ground, groaning in pain. A sense of chivalry overcame Aaliya, and she immediately ran to Aaron's side, helping him up.

"Are you okay?" Aaliya asked, her brows were knitted, her smooth hands on Aaron's back as she tried helping him up.

"Yeah, sorry to have made you worry. Although, being in the arms of a beautiful lady like you certainly made me feel better," Aaron coughed, while winking at the end of the sentence.

"KYYAAHHH~!" A series of fangirling could be heard from the spectators.

Smiling as he watched Aaliya blush, Aaron cringed as he accidentally stretched his wound on his lips.

Across them, Jaskereet saw the amount of care and concern in Aaliya's eyes, while she was supporting Aaron.

"Aaliya! Get the fuck away from him right now," Jaskereet said threateningly.

However, Aaliya ignored him and continued to worry over Aaron's injuries.

"Aaliya! You better tell me you're not cheating on me, or else!" Jaskereet bellowed out, seeing that Aaliya did not move from her position despite his previous order, I'm saying this one last time, come here!"

"Shut up Jas!" Aaliya, who was done checking Aaron, shouted. She had enough of this. Enough of Jaskereet controlling her life and what she does.

"Aaron was right! You were so possessive and I bet you never actually cared about me! I tolerated all your fits that you made. You tried hurting my friends and made me cry so many times. I'm sick of your "oh I have anger management issues" bullshit. I've tried to help you, but if you don't even want to help yourself, I'm not! I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS!" Aaliya screamed, venting all her anger and anguish of the past into those words. Tears streamed down her face as she let all the emotion built-up out.

Before Jaskereet could get a word out, she helped Aaron to the General Office. Unbeknownst to Aaliya while she was helping Aaron up, Aaron let out a sly smile that only Jaskereet could see, as if signalling his victory.

Upon seeing that Aaliya was still on Aaron's side, Jaskereet flared up. "You two cheating bastards better watch out!" Jaskereet said while pointing a finger at them, as he saw that a teacher was arriving at the scene, probably called by a student from among the crowd.

As she heard Jaskereet's threatening words, Aaliya silently wiped tears away from her face. Her whole body told her to turn back, to go back to Jaskereet. Yet, her mind was made up. She wouldn't give him another chance to make her cry again. Her eyes hardened as she walked Aaron to the General Office.

"Jaskereet! You better follow me to the staff room and give me an explanation as to what happened here. I heard from the students that you assaulted a fellow student! You better give us a good explanation as to why it happened, you hear me!" A teacher stormed towards Jaskereet and started scolding him.

His anger faded away and was soon replaced with loneliness. Jaskereet hung his head low. His mind was occupied by Aaliya. He had never thought that one day, Aaliya would break like that. The only girl who he cared about had left him.