Chapter 9

"There is something insanely weird about her. I am automatically attracted to her" Ayaan informed Nicholas while walking to his locker. He noticed Ashlyn standing by her locker. She had loose fitting long sleeve white chiffon dress with a heart shaped pendant around her neck. She wore brown pointed toe t-strap heels and had a sling-bag on her shoulder. Nicholas noticed him eyeing towards her. He shook his head, "Don't. AK, I sense trouble"

Ayaan smirked and shrugged, "I can't help it. It is like she is a magnet and she is pulling me"

Walking towards her, he cried, "I am being pulled, I can't help it"

Nicholas laughed as Ayaan gave him thumbs-up. Ashlyn was unlocking her locker when Ayaan tapped on her shoulder. She turned around with a smile but it was quickly faded away. She exhaled, "Oh, you"

Turning back to her locker, she stuffed her books in it. He asked, "Yes, good morning and welcome to the school"

Shutting her locker, she said, "I don't want your welcome. See, I have heard that the last time you welcomed a new student, you humiliated her in front of whole school. It is better you stay away from me."

His smile was gone, "It..."

She shook her head, "No, don't try any excuse. I have heard so much about you. It is like I know you. And after knowing you, I don't think I will be able to stand close with you"

He wanted to protest but words failed to come out of his mouth. She continued, "Also, I heard that your girlfriend is very possessive so I should get going before she sees me even talking to you"

Saying this she walked ahead. He called out, "Good day to you too"

Ayaan found Nicholas waiting by the stairs. He asked, "So how did it go?"

Ayaan smiled, "It went great. It was totally great. She... I think she likes me"

Nicholas stared at him, "Now, the truth. I know you are telling a lie because from your expressions, it looks like somebody died"

"Yeah, my confidence. I just said hello and she... She asked me to stay away" he replied. Nicholas laughed hysterically, "There is first time for everything. Even rejection"

He stopped laughing and pointed to back of Ayaan, "Your love is here"

Turning around, Ayaan saw Zara walking in the school with her friends. She waved at him before she came to him. Did he ever fell in love with her, he wondered. Nicholas whispered, "I should go"

As he left, Zara kissed Ayaan. She locked her fingers behind his neck. He smilingly commented, "You look happy even though you didn't get selected yesterday"

She nodded, "I am happy because it is a new day and our cheer practice starts today. I have lots of work to do and I don't want to waste my energy on some silver fox."

He pressed his lips together and faked a smile. Taking his hand, she said, "Let's get to the class"

Ashlyn slipped in the empty seat at the cafeteria when a guy from the school's basketball team walked to her. He said, "You are like super-hot. Want to go out tonight?"

She stared at him before returning to her food. He coughed, "I think you didn't hear me right. I would really like to take you out"

She shook her head, "I don't want to go out with you"

With sad expression, he returned back to his table. The incident played in her mind again. Her first day at school had been the worst. Everything replayed in her mind. The room was same. People were the same. The only difference was she was invisible that time. Now, everyone wanted to know her, to talk to her and be friends with her. The people who laughed became the admirers. Even though, no one made fun of her, she felt incomplete. She was sitting in cafeteria alone, again. Cursing Charlotte for making her do this alone, she started fishing beans out of the salad.

"If I be with you, Zara will get suspicious. She'll know. And I want Ashlyn to surprise her" Charlotte said with a devil smile on her face. Pretending to be sick at home, she enjoys watching the drama series and develops new ideas for Ashlyn. Ashlyn Cortez, a myth who was created because of a stupid challenge was the girl who could survive this school, not Inaaya. Being the grand-daughter of a millionaire who was a friend of the principal, it gave her the opportunity to play this dress-up.

Suddenly, a man with red roses came up to her. As she accepted them, he left. She plucked out the card:

'Welcome to Chicago High

AK'

She found him standing beside the food counter giving a big smile. Walking over to the trash can, she dumped the flowers in and faked a smile at him. He gaped with sadness. Returning back to her table, she took out her phone and started texting.

Ayaan watched her from his table as she walked out of the cafeteria after a few minutes. Nicholas nudged him asking, "Did you send those flowers?"

He nodded. Unexpectedly, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He found Zara standing behind him. She had her arms folded her across her breast as she squinted her eyes. She asked, "You sent her flowers?"

He raised his hands in defense, "I just wanted to welcome her to the school. Being new is tough"

"Since when do you welcome new students like that?" she asked putting her hands on her hips. He tried to calm her down, "Babe, it is just some flowers. It was just a joke"

"What joke? Unless that bouquet was supposed to explode in her face, I don't think that was a joke. I never got "some flowers". You know I hate her, why did you do this? And what is up with people here?" she argued. As he started to say, she stormed out of cafeteria. Nicholas commented, "You made the volcano angry"

*****

Zara was practicing her cheer routine with her team when she noticed Ashlyn talking to their coach. When she was about to leave the ground, Zara and her friends rounded her. Zara walked to her saying, "Hey, I don't think we have met. I am Zara. You must have heard my name. I am like a celebrity in this school. And, I am AK's girlfriend. So, stop running after him. Or else, life in this school will not be easy for you"

Ashlyn gave a laugh, "Okay, let me ask you something. Does being a celebrity mean you have to cheer boys wearing short skirts? I would rather be on stands and have boys cheering for me. And second thing, it is not me who is after your boyfriend. He is the one who needs to be kept in check. Also, if you are so scared of losing him, you should think through about this relationship. I feel so sorry for you. I think you should get your life on track instead of thinking about mine"

Zara gritted her teeth and clenched her fist, "Who the hell are you to give me advice on my relationship?"

She smiled, "Just a mirror showing you the flaws in your life."

She was about to turn when Zara held her hand tightly, "You don't get to say all that stuff and walk away like that"

Ashlyn shrugged her hand off saying, "You can scare people but you will never get them to respect you"

She walked past Zara who was fuming with rage.

As the bell rang at the end of the day, Ashlyn walked to her locker texting on the phone. Even though Charlotte was not in school, she wanted to know everything happening. She heard someone jog up from behind. She noticed it was Ayaan. He asked, "How was your day?"

She rolled her eyes, "What is your problem? Why are you behaving like a dog chasing after a new bone? You clearly have more important things to do in your life like bully someone or go on date with your girlfriend"

His smile faded, "Enough, I am trying to nice to you"

"I don't want you to be nice with me. That is clearly not you. Be the person that you are. Stop acting like you are a very nice guy who just has bad reputation"

He came closer, "You don't even know me"

She half-smiled, "Oh, I know you. The only reason you are being nice to me is that you don't know me"

The hall was deserted. He started decreasing the gap between them, "You know why I am being a nice guy to you? There is something about you that makes me want to know you. There is something which makes me want to see you smile. I know you have a beautiful smile"

She was against the lockers with Ayaan only centimeters away. She snapped, "Is that supposed to make me feel better? You take away that smile from my face and then tell me that my smile is beautiful"

He looked into her eyes which were welling up in tears. Those eyes were familiar. Something clicked in him. He backed. He knew her now. He felt his world go spinning, "Inaaya?"

She blinked away her tears, "Just stay away from me"

She took off as he was left stunned.