DO YOU LIKE ME?

Lucas' POV

I stared at her blazingly and she stared back at me with a hint of confusion in her eyes. I let my gaze travel down and my eyes caught a necklace I hadn't seen earlier on her. The chain looked like it was made from real gold, and not just any type of gold, but high quality one. I looked at the pendant and I was stunned. Her name in cursive design sat majestically on her chest. It was in intricate and beautiful design. I had to admit the necklace was really stunning. It was obvious Sky had given it to her. He seemed like the person who would be so extra in giving gifts to her. Images of her smiling so beautifully at Sky and how she unconsciously leaned on him flashed in my head and I got pissed off.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?", she asked, I slowly lifted my gaze and focused on her.

"Let me go. If Romeo sees you, he won't take it lightly", she said and my anger increased.

Romeo! If it wasn't Sky, it would be Romeo. There must be someone, there must always be someone who was close to her, who protected her, whom she cared for, whom she trusted and this, this made me angry.

"Oh yeah?", I said sarcastically as I advanced even closer to her.

"What....what are you doing?", she stuttered.

"I don't know", I replied truthfully.

"I don't know why I'm so angry at the fact that that they are always around you, always ready to protect you. I don't know why the fact that you smile so genuinely at them while you show everyone else a fake smile makes me livid. I don't know why the fact that you trust and care for them makes me angry", I said all in one breath as I stared in her eyes.

I saw surprise and confusion in her eyes but they disappeared as soon as they appeared. As expected. She stared at me for a while before I saw a smirk on her face. She smirked at me and I felt her hands slowly make their way up my chest, over my shoulders, till she clasped her fingers behind my head. I glanced at her hands and looked at her, confused. The surprise or confusion was gone. No she wasn't looking at me surprised or confused, no, she was looking at me like a predator looking at her prey.

"Oh really?", I heard her say in a voice barely a whisper, a hint of teasing.

"Does it make you angry?", she asked.

"Does it make your blood boil?"

"Why? Hm? Why does it make you angry?", she asked in a teasing and slightly seductive voice.

I didn't know what she was doing or why she was doing it, but I know I can't control myself for much longer. Not with her looking at me like that. I made to move away but she pulled me even closer to her in an instant, surprising me.

Her eyes never leaving mine, a small smile on her face, she said, "Or do you like me?"

I stared at her in disbelief. She stared back at me with a playful look on her face. She was grinning at me. I immediately pulled away before I lost all control. I glanced at her, she only smirked at me before walking away. I watched her retreating back and shook my head, she even went that far. I snapped out of it and followed behind her.

We had social studies. The social studies teacher, Miss Winston is a young woman in her early 30's. She's very beautiful. She's also cheerful and caring. She's the favorite of most of the students. She was already present in class when I walked in. I greeted her and she smiled at me. I made my way through the aisles, passing by a focused Tiana who didn't so much as spare me a glance, I found a seat at the back and I sat down lazily in a languid posture.

"So today, we'll be doing something a bit different, but still in the scope of world health challenges", Miss Winston began.

"Instead of treating the topics and different issues myself, I'll let you guys talk on what you think is the biggest health challenge the world is facing that has had a large mortality rate but isn't being properly attended to or enough isn't done to control", she said.

"What?"

"But we weren't informed"

There was grumbles all over the class. I sat lazily.

"Now, now, the fact that you weren't informed is also a part of it. I want to see how well you guys can present a talk or report spontaneously if the need arises", she said.

There were fewer grumbles this time.

"Ok, to calm you and maybe give you time to prepare yourself, our first speaker will be, Ms. Almirez", she said and I raised my eyes in interest.

"Ms. Almirez?", Miss Winston invited.

I watched with interest as Tiana stood up. She glanced around, completely calm as if she hadn't just been spontaneously chosen to give a talk in front of the whole class. She had good composure.

"So, Ms. Almirez which health challenge do you feel is having great negative impact on the world but isn't being properly attended to or that you feel enough isn't being done to curtail?", Miss Winston asked.

Tiana remained quiet for a while before finally starting,

"I have a couple of choices, I could talk about cancer, this disease that has taken many lives, millions of dollars invested and yet a cure hasn't been found yet, only chemotherapy and various ways which has several deadly side effects.

I could also talk about, HIV/AIDs, this disease that even after so many decades a cure has still eluded us. But we can't really, truly say not much has been done to control these diseases. But when a topic like this is presented, those are the first topics that comes to mind as it currently has the world's attention and millions of scientists and doctors all over the world investing their time to find a cure.

Thus they leave a crucial health challenge that has an equally very high mortality rate all over the world...."

Her introduction, her diction, her tone of speaking, everything was just so interesting and attention capturing.

It didn't seem like she had been spontaneously chosen, she had everyone including me hooked and waiting to hear more when she paused.

"....mental health", she continued.

Miss Winston and everyone including me took on a look of surprise. She glanced around the class like she had expected it.

"Mental health is a cankerworm that has eaten deep into our society. It has claimed a lot of lives. It's a ugly monster that lives in our society, and yet despite all the damages it has done, lives it has taken, the society and the world continues to overlook it and do nothing about it", she continued and paused letting her gaze roam round the class.

"Depression, anxiety disorder, panic attacks, maladaptive daydreaming, bipolar disorders, these among many others are the forms with which this monster appears in our society. Depression being the highly common. Anxiety disorder and panic attacks following closely behind"

"Depression has taken many lives, suicides are rampant and yet the world is doing nothing. What are the causes? What can the world do?"

"People should know. People should pay attention. Be attentive to the people around you. Don't take any unusual statement or behavior for granted. Depression is not a joke. A single post on social media might be a cry for help. People who face mental challenges are very good at faking their smiles. They can hide their pain, but you, you should know, you who is close to them should know. Offer them help, be there for them. They smile at you but they sob as soon as they turn", she said her voice getting slightly pitched. She was getting angry.

"But, Ms. Almirez, I beg to differ. Humans are not telepathic, we can't know if they won't tell. Isn't people who are depressed should learn to speak out or be encouraged to speak out, a better angle for what the world can do", Miss Winston said.

"But you should know. A mother and a child living alone together, the child has mental issues. She's broken, and in pain, but yet the mother doesn't know?! The child cries herself to sleep every night but she doesn't know?! The child attempts suicide more than once in that same house and yet she doesn't know?! Is that even a mother? If she had paid more attention to her child instead of other things, she might have noticed, been able to help her child lighten the burden, instead of letting that child carrying it all on her own for years. What if the child crumbles? What about when the child isn't able to carry it on anymore? Who would be to blame then?", she asked.

"That mother, her friends, her teachers, the people around her, the world who didn't notice the light die in that child's eyes", she finished.

"But Ms. Almirez....."

"Have you been through it?", I heard myself asking.

Everyone immediately turned to look at me. Tiana slowly turned to glance at me.

"What?", she asked slowly, looking at me, surprise evident on her face.

Everyone else, including Mrs. Winston also stared at me in surprise.

"I asked if you have you been through it before?", I repeated and stood up.

She stared at me, blinking in disbelief and surprise.

"I mean, I just wonder. Don't you think you are getting too emotional and riled up for a social studies class talk", I said as I walked closer to her.

She stood still, staring at me as I advanced. I didn't know why I was doing this. I just wanted to know. The way she spoke, though subtle, there was an underlying tone of anger. I could feel the pain, the anger. She was venting out something. And I just wanted her to say it. I wanted her to tell it, to free herself. Maybe not in front of the whole class, maybe not directly say it to me. But I wanted to see a show of acknowledgement in her. I wanted her to know that someone knew, someone understood her, which was why I was doing this, stupid I know.

"What? Emotional?", I heard her ask.

"Yes, emotional", I said as I advanced towards her, ignoring everybody else in the class, my eyes only focused her. She stared at me too, her eyes never leaving mine.

"It feels like you are getting emotional about your own personal experiences. And I'm worried, as it is not advisable for one to talk about an issue that brings up uncomfortable memories for one's mental health", I said as I stopped just in front of her.

"Hmph", she scoffed.

"Thanks for your concern but I haven't. And even if I have, you don't need to worry because I am completely capable of keeping my emotions in check even if I'm talking about my most darkest memories", she said in a slightly chilling tone.

I stared at her and realized that she was right. Even right here, right now, standing here, she was brimming with anger, anger directed at me, anger from retelling her own story, but it wasn't visible on her face. To everyone else she looked calm, but I could see it, boiling deep inside her, was anger, anger, hatred and pain. But it didn't even show on her face. It wasn't even visible in just the surface of her eyes, only one who had been through something similar would be able to see it. She has accurate and decisive control over her emotions. When people say it isn't possible to control your emotions, they clearly hadn't met someone like her. I wouldn't even be surprised if the saying, 'You can't dictate your heart whom to love', didn't apply to her. She had that much control over emotions, the kind of control that was only possible through series of training and disciplining oneself, when one has completely shut off their heart. And Tiana has clearly achieved that.