Chapter 3- Fallen

“Lara… Lara... LARA!!” shouts Maria, as she tries to pry the sobbing blonde girl off the loner’s body.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, still trying to get her friend to let go. But no matter what she tried, Lara would not listen and tightened her hold onto the boy.

All of the students watching this strange spectacle were all puzzled. ‘What is going on? Why is Lara, the girl of every guys dream, latching onto a dark, creepy loner, like her life depended on it?’

Scott was the most affected by what just occurred. No girl has ever shy away from his touch, or screamed in fear and disgust from it. His face turned ugly as he could see, students whispering while looking at him strangely and accusingly.

Angered by the sudden turn of events, he left briskly without looking back. ‘This is your fault. You damn loner. I’ll make you pay for this and that bitch! Lara.’ He thought wickedly. His eyes darken as evil thoughts filled his head.

His pride was damaged and someone has to pay for it.

“You’re safe” came a low murmur that only Lara could hear. His silvery voice broke the trance she was in, allowing her to return back to reality, breaking the illusion that she was back again with those hoodlums, that everything had been a dream.

“Lara! Lara! Answer me!” cried Maria frantically. Her voice now slowly trembling in panic.

“Maria?” came Lara low murmur. “Where am i?” Lara asked, looking around and seeing the strange looks that the students were giving her. Confused, she was about to ask ‘what everyone was looking at?’ but then her vision tunneled on the figure beneath her. The one she was straddling.

“Oh! God! I’m sorry!” she cried out in shock. Jumping off him as quickly as possible.

Lara could hear the whispers and see the looks they were giving her. Lara could tell they were mocking her behind her back. They probably thought she’s gone mentally insane and was really into dark creepy loners.

‘It’s over! My school life is over!’ she thought. But strangely enough, that didn’t really phase her. Her eyes once again combed over the still wiry form of her saviour. ‘I want to hear that voice again.’

A sudden urge to just brush that mess of a hair aside and see his face and hear him say her name suddenly came over her.

She bit her lips and tightened her fist, trying to control her urges.

‘Damn it! What’s wrong with me?’ questioned Lara.

“Lara, let’s just go and have lunch?” said Maria. Touching her best-friend's hand and dragging her out of the judging stares of their fellow students.

“Don’t mind them. They’re just jerks. This doesn’t change the fact that you’re still the most beautiful girl in school.” Comforted Maria.

Lara smiled at her friend and mumbled a low ‘thank you.’

“What happened to you earlier?” questioned Maria.

“It’s a long story.” Answered Lara tiredly. ‘Things are just happening too fast and out of control ever since last night.’ Thought Lara.

“So tell me anyway.” Encouraged her best friend.

“I- I don’t think I can.” Said Lara apologetically. Shying away from her friend.

Maria just gave her hand a comforting squeeze and didn’t prod further.

*

It was finally the end of the day. Lara had just about enough from seeing people gawk and point at her. Her temper was running dangerously low. It was getting to the point where, she would literally strangle someone to death if it doesn't stop anytime soon.

‘Calm down! Lara, you can do this.’ She said in mantra. She finds herself saying that a lot, this past couple of hours.

Now walking home, Lara found herself staring at a familiar figure. She couldn’t mistake that mess of a hair anywhere.

Looking around, she sees a few students around her and she slightly hesitated.

Taking a big gulp of air. ‘The cat’s out of the bag anyway. I don’t care anymore!’ decided Lara, steeling her fragile resolve.

She walks briskly towards him.

She was going to slap his back in greeting, to make it as less awkward as possible, that would make thanking him go a lot smoother. Who knows, maybe they could start being friends after this.

Her curiosity towards him has peaked, ever since last night. Her mind is filled with nothing but the images of him, fending off the hoodlums and coming to her rescue.

Every time she replays that scene, her heart beats faster and she can’t help but smile at the memory. It was the only thing stopping her from thinking what could have happened if he wasn’t there to save her.

Her hand was about to connect on his bony shoulders, but he moved out of the way just in time, that her hand hit nothing but air.

‘Does he have eyes on the back of his head or something’ she wondered.

Lara decided to try again, but the results were still the same.

“Hey, you!” she called out, confronting him. But the loner ignored her like she was air and continued to walk in the same brisk pace.