Adalina's POV.
It's been a week since that incident of girls having a fight. Ever since that day, I haven't seen Aslan and his gang.
It's so weird how they always disappear for like weeks randomly.
Ayla and I were at the bubble tea shop near our school to get drinks during lunch.
We were both discussing about our favourite kpop groups when we saw Miran getting in the shop.
"Not him again" Ayla sounded annoyed to see him.
Just when we thought it was only him coming in, the whole gang joined as well.
I met eyes with Aslan for a second before turning my head away remembering how he didn't care about me the last time that I saw him.
"Hey girls, didn't thought we would see you here!" Miran exclaimed.
They stood in front of us while we were waiting for our drinks to be served. Zahara and Ahmed were also here. She was giving me glares.
"What do you guys even want?" Ayla asked them rolling her eyes.
"Chill girl, we're also here to get drinks okay?" Miran reassured.
"You better be" Ayla responded in full confidence.
"Here's your drinks" the lady gave us our drinks.
We grabbed them and made our way out of the shop. As I was following Ayla, I felt someone grabbing my arm, making me turn and pulling me to them. I collapsed in Aslan's chest dropping all of my drink on him and I.
Why did he pull me like that?! Ya Allah!
He looked a bit surprised about the little incident but I was mad now. My drink got spoiled and I messed up his shirt.
Ayla looked my way and her eyes got wide.
"What the hell?!" she said about to get in front of me but I stopped her.
"It's my fault" I lied to her.
"Oh- really?" she asked as I nodded.
"I'll go clean myself in the bathroom" I told her before going into the girl's bathroom.
I cleaned myself quickly and I was about to get out of the bathroom when I met with Aslan once again who was standing right in front. He scared the shit out of me.
"Can you stop appearing like that?" I said placing a hand on my chest.
"Can you help me clean my shirt?" he asked me.
"What?..why can't you just clean it yourself?" I asked him not believing what he just said.
He showed me his hand that had a bandage wrapped around.
"Ya Allah! What happened to you?!" I asked concerned taking his hand in mine.
He wasn't saying anything so I asked him again but all he was doing was stare at me.
"Help me" he said.
He got in the girls bathroom because there was no one else but us two but also because I need to clean his shirt with water and soap.
"Don't move, I'll clean it for you" I said.
While I was cleaning it for him, I felt his intense gaze on me.
"There you go, it's done" I said washing my hands.
Once I was done, I was about to walk out the bathroom but he stopped me by getting close to me.
"W-what are you doing?" I asked stuttering. I could feel my heart beating a little too fast.
I am pretty short comparing to him therefore I was facing his chest while I could feel him looking down at me. The closeness between us was real and the butterflies in me were insane.
He wasn't saying anything. It's as if we were both just letting the silence create a tension and let it speak for us.
"I don't think I can hold on for too long" he said.
What... is he talking about?
I got to my senses and moved away from him. I looked at him one last time before getting out of the bathroom. It felt like I could finally breathe properly.
No,this is not right, why is my heart beating so fast?
Why do I feel butterflies in my stomach and why am I blushing?
Do I...LIKE HIM?!
No way! Ya Allah! Adalina!! Get a hold of yourself! You can't do this!
He bullied me first. His friends laughed at me. Zahara, who's his friend almost wanted me dead and...here I am...thinking I could possibly like him?
My best friend has tried her best to have my back and help me. I was scared of them. They made us feel so uncomfortable.
How could I ever like him?
***
The next day, I got into the bus to my way to school when I met Fazal.
"Oh- hey!" I said joining him.
"No way! Have we always been taking the same bus without even knowing?!" he exclaimed.
"I don't know but it's nice to have a friend to go to school with!" I replied.
We talked the whole bus ride until we arrived at school as we got off together.
"Oh my god, have you seen this TikTok it's hilarious!" I said giggling and showing him.
He took a look at it and we both started laughing out loud.
"I'm sure this is living in your head rent free huh?" he asked laughing.
"How'd you know?!" I asked him chuckling.
We got inside the school and were about to separate our ways when Aslan appeared in front of us.
He was looking at Fazal in a strange way. He got close to him whispering something in his ear. Fazal looked at me quickly and then left.
"Wait Fazal-" I tried to call him but he didn't turned his back.
"No need to call for him when I'm already here" Aslan said.
"Are you seriously going to do that every time I'm with him? It's getting very annoying" I said annoyed about to leave but he stopped me.
I still don't understand why he seems to hate that guy that much.
"I thought I was clear about not being around him" he said.
"I don't care Aslan, who are you to tell me what to do?" I said that although I didn't mean to say it. It just came out.
I could see his jaw tightening as he was staring into my soul.
"I'll show you really soon who I am to you" he said in a cold tone before walking away.
What does he mean? I'm so confused.
I made my way to my locker trying to forget what he just said. Then, I went to my first class of the day. I'm not with Ayla for this class but for the second I'll see her thankfully.
I took my seat as I was waiting, just like the others for the teacher to arrive and start his class. Suddenly, the lights went off.
It's as if the whole school had let out a scream before turning into a bunch of crowds laughing and talking.
It was all deep black. Everyone took out their phone's light to see around. Damn it, I forgot mine in my backpack which is in my locker. I was a bit worried.
How can the lights go off like that?
Out of nowhere, a tall person came my way. I couldn't really tell who it was, wether it was a girl or a guy because not only it was too dark for me to see but also because I was sure this person was wearing a mask covering their face.
The person grabbed my hand and dragged me with them out of the class.
"What are you doing? Who are you?" I asked alerted but I was ignored.
I was dragged into another classroom that was empty far away from mine. As soon as we got in, I jerked the person's hand away from me.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"Chill" I think I know who this is.
He took off his mask and now I was face to face with Aslan.
"Aslan? Why did you bring me here?" I asked him.
"I had to tell you something" he said.
"Couldn't you just say it there?" I asked.
"No I couldn't so listen" he said taking a step close to me.
"Stay away from Fazal, I won't kick his ass if you stay away from him" he said.
Hold on, is this a joke?
"What do you mean? He is my friend" I stated.
"I will restrain myself from doing anything to him only if you agree to stay away from him" he said again.
"Did you hear what I said? He is my friend and he respects me..I don't see why I should stay away from him" I honestly said.
What's his point? I don't get it.
"You have to stay away from him! You have to! Because I can assure your safety if he's around you all the freaking time! Do you get that?!" he was yelling at me.
Ugh, I hate this.
I just want to cry now.
I can't even bare it even while trying my best to be tough. Being sensitive is annoying sometimes.
"Why are you yelling at me?" I managed to ask him.
He stroked his hair in frustration and then took a breath.
"I just need you to understand me Adalina" he said in calmer way.
"I don't want to talk to someone who yells at me" I said about to leave but he stopped me by grabbing my arms and pinning me to the wall harshly.
"You can't be friends with him no more!" he yelled once again.
"Let me go!" I said trying to free myself from him but he wouldn't let me at all.
"I'm not letting you go until you promise me that you won't be with him again!" he said.
"Why do you hate him so much? I don't understand you at all Aslan...why do you care that much about me being friends with him?" I couldn't help but ask him.
I am really confused. Why is he acting this way with me? I know something must be going on. He has been acting different towards me lately and I find it odd. I don't know how to trust or believe him in any way.
I don't even know how to feel towards him and how to treat him. Sometimes he's the meanest person ever and sometimes he's nice to the point where I can't tell if he's the guy I've been knowing as Aslan all this time.
I need answers. I need to tell me who I am to him and why he switches all the time with me. I can't handle this no more.
Because I know what's bound to happen and I am not ready for it.
"Because him and I are nothing more than enemies, do you hear me? Enemies, and I cannot let what's mine stay in that territory " he said.
What is he even saying?
"What does it have to do with me? Who am I to you? Why should I even consider what you just said when we're nothing to each other?" I asked him.
I don't know why but I felt upset stating facts.
His hold on me got tight. I could see the vein on the side of his neck showing.
He was slowly approaching his face to me. My heart was racing again because of him. I was feeling something I've never felt before. It felt weird but I wasn't complaining.
It took me a few seconds to realize what he was about to do before I pushed him away and moved away from him.
"Stop it Aslan!...you're crossing the line-" I said before running out of the classroom with my teary eyes and confused heart.
I feel like I'll go crazy because of him.
***
Ayla's POV.
I've been trying to understand what is wrong with Adalina but I have no clue and she doesn't want to even talk about it.
She has been feeling down and upset. I thought maybe it might be my fault but I know it's not since she clearly told me that it wasn't.
It makes me sad to see her this way. What could be the reason of her being this way?
It was lunch time and usually we talk and laugh while enjoying our food but right now, there's no conversation between us and she's silently eating.
"Adalina, what's wrong girl? I'm getting worried about you seriously" I told her.
"It's nothing really.." she said spacing out.
"Stop lying already, look at you huh? You look sick and tired" I told her honestly.
"It's just..." she looked unsure.
"Hey...you know that..you can tell me anything right? I won't judge you, I won't kill you even if you disappoint me because I'd rather have you tell me what's wrong than you keeping something from me that I should know" I told her.
She gave me a smile and took a breath.
"It's about yesterday" she said.
"Yesterday?"
"Yeah..during the blackout.."
"Yeah..what about it? Wait I just remembered! I was looking for you but I couldn't find you after they dismissed us" I said.
"Actually, I was with Aslan and he said some strange things to me and now I'm so confused and it's killing me!" she said in frustration.
"Wait...okay calm down and breathe in and out.. then explain in details" I told her.
"It's been a while that he has been nice towards me and I find it so weird because why would he be nice to me for no reason? ...anyways on top of that he says weird things like "stay away from Fazal" all the time and I feel like he always has an eye on me and it makes me uncomfortable" she explained.
"You said he was nice to you? How nice?" I asked.
"You won't believe this but he asked me to tutor him and he doesn't take his lunch from me anymore..see? He didn't come today.."
She's RIGHT!! Ya allah! What does the guy even want from my Adalina?
"Did he come and see you today?" I asked her.
She nodded no.
"You think he will show up to you again?" I asked her.
"No- well..actually- UGH!" she hided her face.
"What's wrong?! Are you scared?! Don't worry I'll teach him a lesson!" I tried to reassure her.
"Okay fine, I'm about to tell you something but PLEASE don't kill me okay?.." she said.
"Okay I promise, spill" I said getting myself ready.
"I think...I think- I like...him" she said.
"WHAT?!" I couldn't believe what she just said.
She LIKES HIM?!
"How can you like the guy who bullied you?!" I asked not catching it.
"I don't know, I just feel different when he's around" she said.
"Ya Allah!" I had no other words.
Is this what they call hate love?
But wait, does he like her too?
"You think he likes you?" I asked her.
"I'm not sure but it's killing me-I just feel like telling him as soon as possible until I stop thinking about it" she said.
"Are you really sure? You know what kind of guy he is..." I told her.
"I know... Ayla I swear he's different when no one else is around" she said.
"If you say so...what are you going to do now?" I asked.
"Of course I can't tell him, I have to avoid him at all costs no exceptions" she said.
"Is that what you really want to do?" I asked her.
She nodded. What if that only brings you both closer?
I should ask Miran to confirm Aslan's feelings first. I don't want my best friend to get hurt in any way.
No matter the decision she takes, I'll support her but I still want to make sure everything is okay.
If he doesn't like her, it's better to let her know now so that she doesn't embarrass herself.
After lunch, we both left each other and went to attend our classes. During the break, I took the chance to look for Miran.
I was looking for him for about 10 minutes when I finally found him with his gang talking.
I went to them interrupting them.
"I need to talk to you" I said.
"Me? Sure" he said.
He followed me away from his friends.
"What's up?" he said.
"Can you just do me a small favour?" I asked.
"Depends what it is?" he said.
"I need you to find out if Aslan has feelings for anyone" I told him as he chuckled.
"What? You think I'm joking?" I asked.
"I mean..isn't it obvious who he likes?" he said.
What is he trying to say?
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Come on Ayla! I thought at least you knew!" he exclaimed.
"What? What are you saying ?!" I asked him not understanding a single thing of what he was trying to pull off.
"Oh my god, obviously he likes your bestie" he said.
NO WAY!
"How can you be so sure?!" I asked not believing it.
"Honey, I knew it from the start...I know that guy since childhood he never even looked at a girl the way he looks at Adalina" he confessed.
So this is really happening now?!
I still can't believe this. When did the plot changed like that?! I wasn't even ready for this.
"Damn..okay then if you say so" I said about to leave but he stopped me.
"Why were you asking though? Did Adalina say something?" he asked me.
"None of your business" I said before walking away. I saw the look of betray in his eyes and it made me laugh.
It's good that they like each other but why do I have a bad feeling about this?
How can Adalina be sure that Aslan is sincere with her? Does he really like her?
Ugh, I hope everything goes well. The last thing I want, is for her to get her feelings hurt.
***
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