I SHOT A MAN

"Is she crying?" Ayden wondered, he felt gentle touch of tears moistening his clothes. With a surge of empathy, he instinctively drew her into an embrace, wrapping his arms around her with an unwavering grip, not wanting to let go.

After what felt like an eternity, those girls finally departed, as if they had arrived solely to bad mouth Barbara. As the haze of their presence lifted, Barbara's realisation of the precarious situation she found herself in, she was standing so close to Ayden, hit her like a sudden gust of wind. With a surge of adrenaline, she forcefully pulled away, her eyes ablaze with a mix of defiance and confusion. Without uttering a single word, she walked away, determined to distance herself from the toxic atmosphere that lingered.

Ayden, filled with uncertainty, took three huge strides to catch up with Barbara. As he reached her, he gently pulled her into an embrace, their bodies pressed closely together, just like the day they met at the grocery store. In that moment, time seemed to stand still as Ayden locked eyes with Barbara, his gaze filled with many unspoken words. Barbara was confused but she found herself gazing into his eyes too. Not a single word escaped his lips, his eyes said a lot of things that Barbara couldn't understand.

In that moment, he whispered, "Doll face." The words lingered in the air, leaving Barbara confused, unsure of his intentions. Ayden chuckled softly, a mischievous glint in his eyes, and slowly walked away, leaving Barbara standing there, her mind filled with questions.

When he was gone, Barbara couldn't shake off the lingering touch of his cold hands. Splashing her face with cool water, she hoped to wash the tears that threatened to spill, she thought of how pathetic she looked. She normally didn't cry much, but ever since she cried in Joel's arms, every little thing seemed to trigger tears from gushing through her eyes. She remembered crying over a romcom she watched yesterday and she shook her head, but also the lingering confusion that Ayden had left behind. With each gentle wipe of the towel, she tried to erase any trace of vulnerability from her eyes, determined to regain her composure.

Barbara walked down the hallway, her mind consumed by a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. Lost in her own world, she failed to notice the figure approaching her until it was too late. With an unexpected collision, she bumped into Liam, her body jolting from the impact.

"Whoa, I'm so sorry," Barbara quickly apologized, her hand instinctively rubbing her shoulder where the force had landed. She couldn't help but be taken aback by the sheer strength of Liam's body, the impact it made on her shoulder. It was as if his presence alone had the power to make her feel both vulnerable and strangely intrigued.

Just as the echoes of the bell reverberated through the school corridors, signalling the long-awaited lunch break, Barbara's stomach growled in protest. The hunger that had been gnawing at her since morning intensified as she realised she hadn't even had a chance to eat breakfast.

"Want to head to the cafeteria?" As if reading her mind, Liam asked her with a kind smile. Barbara's eyes lit up with eagerness as she nodded enthusiastically, grateful for the prospect of satisfying her rumbling stomach.

As they entered into the cafeteria, Barbara and Liam found a cozy spot to sit together, their excitement palpable. They reached for the sleek, futuristic phones provided by the school, their screens displaying a mouthwatering array of food options.

Barbara settled on a pizza with cheese, pepperoni and veggie toppings. Beside her, Liam settled for a mouthwatering chicken burger.

As they sat enjoying their meal, Hina spotted Barbara and Liam from across the cafeteria. With a burst of energy, she sprinted over to join them, her eyes instantly drawn to their delectable food.

"Hmm, that looks delicious, Barbie," Hina exclaimed, her gaze lingering on their plates.

Feeling a wave of exhaustion, Hina leaned against Barbara's shoulder. However, Barbara unintentionally shifted, due to the pain she felt when she bumped into Liam earlier, causing Hina's head to slide off her shoulder. Hina dramatically clutched her chest, exaggerating the impact as if Barbara had broken her heart.

"It's looks like I'm not needed here." Hina stood up grumpily and went to sit with Amelia, Joel and Joelle right across the room.

"Hina, I didn't mean to..." Before Barbara completed her sentence, Liam placed his palm on her hand. She blushed, and all she could think of was Liam's palm on her hand. She looked away trying to hide her blushing face.

"You look cute when you blush and even cuter when you try to hide it. La mignonne." Liam said with his warm fingers brushing against Barbara's cheeks. Her cheeks was now burning hot.

"I am not blushing. It's just that this place is too hot." Barbara uttered as she released her hand from Liam's grip and Liam chuckled lightly.

"Do you errm ...want to go to the fall dance with me?" Liam asked eagerly, as he raked his fingers through his hair. Oh right, the fall dance, Barbara had totally forgotten about it. She paused for a while.

"Yeah... Sure." She replied smiling.

"What's up with those two?" Amelia asked with her eyebrows raised in intrigue. With a playful smirk, she pointed her index finger towards Liam and Barbara.

"Oh, Amelia, are you jealous?" Joelle asked teasingly,with a mischievous glint in her eyes. This remark elicited laughter from Joel, who found the situation amusing.

In response, Amelia gestured as if she was about to throw up, expressing her exaggerated disgust. Ayden walked towards them and Hina pulled him to sit with them.

"A-dawg, you are back!" She exclaimed in the most collected demeanour possible. Hina's hand playfully reached up to ruffle Ayden's hair. Since they were little children, Hina and Ayden had been inseparable, their connection grew stronger with each passing year.

"And you are taller now, how was that stupid Math school?" Hina asked Ayden, he chuckled and thought it through.

"Haha, Hina, you've got a keen eye! I did grow a bit taller," Ayden responded, his voice filled with a mix of amusement and nostalgia. He took a moment to reflect on his time at the math school, considering his words carefully.

"Well, it was an interesting experience, I suppose," Ayden began, his tone lighthearted. "But you know what? It was an all-boys school, and I found myself missing my girls so much that I just had to make my way back to where the fun is!" Ayden playfully added, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

"You came back here for girls? You haven't changed a bit Ayden." Amelia uttered and giggled intensely. Joel with a heavy sigh, stood up and walked away.

"He is still angry?" Hina asked with a raised eyebrow that formed lines on her forehead.

"Yeah."

"You haven't apologized?"

"I don't have to apologize, I did nothing wrong."

"You did many things wrong, A-dawg, and you will have to apologize soon." Hina said pulling his ear towards her which made Ayden winced in pain.

Ayden's attention was caught by Amelia's focused gaze, prompting him to follow her line of sight. His eyes landed on "doll face" and her little boyfriend, who were engrossed in their affectionate display in the cafeteria.

"Hey, you two lovebirds!" Ayden interjected, his voice carrying a mix of playful annoyance and amusement. "This is a cafeteria, not a love sanctuary. Spare us the mushiness, go get a room or we might just lose our appetites!" Ayden's tone dripped with a hint of disgust, but a mischievous smirk played on his lips as he addressed them.

The atmosphere in the cafeteria shifted as Ayden's remark broke the tension, drawing chuckles, laughter and amused glances from those nearby. Barbara's cheeks flushed crimson, and she wished the earth would just open up and swallow her in that moment.

____________

Barbara and Mordecai waved goodbye to Liam, expressing their gratitude for the ride. As soon as Barbara reached her room, she collapsed onto her bed, feeling a rush of emotions. With a mix of excitement and shyness, she began to undress, peeling off each layer of clothing. The memory of Liam's touch lingered in her mind, causing a delicate blush to spread across her cheeks. She couldn't help but rub her cheeks gently, feeling a slight warmth and tenderness. In that moment, Barbara pondered just how many times she had blushed throughout the day, realizing the undeniable effect Liam had on her.

Then the memory of how Ayden embarrassed her creeped into her head, ruining all of her thoughts, so she decided to have a long warm bath.

As Barbara immersed herself in the soothing embrace of the warm water, it felt as if every worry and thought melted away. The tranquility of the moment enveloped her, providing a temporary escape from the chaos of her mind. However, amidst the serenity, a sudden recollection resurfaced - the memory of her intimate encounter with Ayden in the girls' bathroom. She shook her head, attempting to clear the lingering thoughts, and reluctantly emerged from the bath.

Wrapping herself in a plush, sky-blue towel, Barbara's damp hair cascaded down her back. With a determined grip, she reached for the blow dryer, the rush of warm air gently caressing her wet locks. As she meticulously dried her hair, the rhythmic hum of the blow dryer harmonized with her racing thoughts, creating a symphony of anticipation and uncertainty.

Barbara's tranquil thoughts were abruptly shattered by a thunderous knock on her window, jolting her from her reverie. With a mixture of curiosity and concern, she hurriedly made her way to the window, her heart pounding in her chest. As she peered outside, a wave of surprise washed over her. There stood Hina, sweating profusely, her once neatly styled hair now disheveled in a mess. Infact, from head to toe, Hina appeared to be a disarrayed masterpiece, she was a mess.

"Hina? What are you doing here? What happened? Haven't you ever heard of a door?" Barbara asked these many questions at once as Hina climbed into the room. She stopped asking the questions when she saw Hina's eyes, they were dark as if all emotions has left them.

"I... I shot a man."

Thanks for reading this chapter ❤️❤️

"I now understand why people hold hands. I always thought it was about possessiveness, saying: "This is mine." But it is about maintaining contact. It is about speaking without words. It is about I want you with me and don't go."

                               – Cassandra Clare.