During the whole time we worked for the project, I didn't speak anything irrelevant. I made sure to keep my distance from him and keep my face straight. He called me suffocating and it hurt me really deeply. I won't be forgetting it that easily.

"So? When will we make this model? I am free on Saturday and Sunday." he said after we were done with the basic sketch.

"Whenever you want." I said dryly without looking at him.

"Sunday is better. I guess." he started again.

"Fine by me." I answered.

"What about y-"

"Listen Adam. There is no need for small talks here. You made it pretty clear that how you feel whenever I am with you." I stated, hopping out of the bed.

"It's not you Alicia." he muttered under his breath, following me out of the bed.

"Huh?"

"I said it's not you. It's just who I am." there was a strange disappointment in his voice. "I know you are trying to be my friend but I don't want that. I am happy this way."

"Why?" I spoke weakly, stepping closer to him. Something flicked inside his deep eyes, something like pain, hurt, anger. His eyes screamed loneliness, as if he had been in pain for too long. And he was afraid to ask for help.

"Because I am used to it and I don't want to change anything." he replied slowly and masked the feelings that were becoming too obvious on his face. Saying this, he turned around and exited the room, leaving me dumbfounded.

...

"So have you guys ever been to a club before?" Sophia asked as she took a bite of her cheeseburger.

"Umm... No." Emily replied, looking embarrassed.

"There are still 2 months until I can legally enter a club." I stated.

"Sweetheart, there is a thing called fake IDs." she grinned.

"Well. We don't have one." I told her.

"Leave it on me. There is a new club opening Saturday night. Do you want to join?" she asked, running her fingers through her silky black hair.

"But-" Emily started but I cut her in time.

"I guess we should. I'm really stressed up these days and I want to loosen up a little." I added.

"But it's illegal." Emily countered.

"And so much fun." I added smirking. "I haven't done any illegal thing in months."

"But-"

"Please Em." I used my puppy dog eyes which had always worked with Dad.

"Fine. But we need to buy a dress first." she said and I nodded my head in approval.

After finishing our food, the three of us made our way to our respective classes. I had my AP calculus class so I strolled towards it slowly. The class was already filled to brim, all the seats looked occupied on my first glance. I looked again and an empty seat caught my attention.

There was just a teeny, tiny issue. The seat was in the middle of Adam and Noah, two boys who have made my life miserable, knowingly or unknowingly.

Shaking my head at my badluck, I moved forwards and sit down on the seat. Both heads turned towards me. Noah had his signature smirk on while Adam looked slightly irritated.

Ignoring Noah completely, I turned my face towards Adam and noticed two bandages on his face. One at the angle of his jaw and other just below his left eye. I wanted to ask him about it but he had made it perfectly clear that he didn't want my concern.

"Hi." Noah leaned towards me and asked, forcing me to look at him.

"What?" I spat.

"You look like shit." he whispered in my ears, indicating towards my light brown sweater. "Alicia the Pooper, rocking her nickname since birth."

I scrunched my nose in disgust. "You are filthy Noah."

"I know princess. And there are many dirty things I can do to you." he whispered again, leaning closer. "All you have to do is ask."

My eyes widened at the meanings behind his words and my cheeks heated up. I stabbed the pen in my hand on his jeans-cladded thighs and he winced in pain.

"So kinky Ali." he chuckled and I muttered some muffled curses at him.

"Go to hell Noah. There is a special place for people like you in there." I said through clenched teeth.

"That special place is your bed sweetheart." he retorted, making me seethe in anger.

"If you both can't shut up then go bicker somewhere else. Not everyone is interested in your childish banters." Adam intervened, looking angry as ever.

"What crawled up your ass and died dude." Noah grinned at him and even I couldn't stop the tiny smile appearing on my lips.

"Your brain I guess. It was so fed up of you not using it that it chose to die instead." Adam answered.

Adam's grey eyes glared into Noah's green ones. The latter were filled with mischief while Adam's eyes were brimming with a strange hatred. Their exchange only broke when our teacher entered the class and started his lecture.

After the class ended, Adam was the first one to leave the class, followed by me. We were supposed to buy the material for our project today. He texted me to be there after last class but the way he dashed out, he had probably forgotten about it.

"Adam! ADAM!" I cried out, trying my best to match with his pace.

"What?" he almost barked when he found me following him.

"Umm.." his tone took me by surprise. "We.. We were supposed to buy the material."

"Uh.. Yeah. Let's go." he said and started walking again. We both reached the parking lot where I had parked my car. His bike was nowhere in sight which meant it was broken again.

I offered him a ride back home. Surprisingly, he slided in the passenger seat without making a fuss about it this time. I revved the engine and turned the car towards the stationary shop.

After buying every item from the list, we sat in the car again and I started the drive. "You don't like Noah much. Do you?" I started the conversation.

"What is there to like?" Adam retorted and I nodded in agreement.

"Is it because what he said to me that night?" I spoke when curiosity rose inside me.

The corner of his lips lifted a little and a little humor flickered inside his beautiful eyes. "Don't give yourself too much credit Alicia. Not every thing is about you."

My cheeks flushed in embarrassment and I turned my gaze back to the road."

...

In the evening, Sophia picked up Emily and me for shopping. We went to the mall to buy our outfits. The three of us decided to wear black for the club. Emily chose a red dress for her while I found a cute black dress. Sophia picked black too, just like me, which was right according to her style.

After dress shopping, we sat down to curb our appetite in the food court.

"I am really excited." I said when I looked towards the shopping bags.

"Me too." Sophia added. "It will be fun to spoil sweet, innocent Emily."

"Heyyy." Emily whined. "I am not that innocent."

"And I am Rihanna." Sophia chuckled, taking a sip of her fruit punch.

"Well, I am excited too." Emily agreed. "There will be no Justin there to ruin the night for me."

I felt sad for her. After their kiss that night, Justin never talked to her again. She should be happy that he was leaving her alone but instead, she looked grieved at that. It was my idea that she should visit her grandma. It might help take her mind off Justin and his strange behavior.

To erase the awkwardness prevailing because of Justin's mention, I turned my eyes to Sophia and asked her, "What about you?"

"What about me?" she chuckled.

"Are you really single? It's so hard to believe considering that all the boys at school want to date you." I joked and she chuckled lowly.

"I am not interested in these immature boys. I am more of older guys type." she answered.

"Older as in Old? Like thirty, forty plus?" I asked in surprise.

"No. Of course not." she laughed at my words. "I meant in their twenties."

"Oh." I didn't ask further.

Sophia dropped me to my house and I walked inside. Dad was making dinner in the kitchen. He stopped when he noticed me and eyed the shopping bags warily.

"Is there any function in school?" he asked.

"No. Just a dress and few accessories for.. Umm.. Saturday night." I whispered the last part slowly, hoping he wouldn't ask further.

"What's on Saturday night?" he lifted his eyebrow and asked.

I have never lied to Dad about such matter so I suddenly felt like stuttering. My mind raced to find a lie but I couldn't think about anything.

"C.. Club." I muttered, lowering my head.

"Club? You do know you aren't legal yet?" Dad asked, turning the stove off.

"Sophia said she would give me a fake ID. I.. I won't go if you don't want me to." I answered, ashamed of myself.

"Wait..." Dad stopped. "I'd prefer letting you go with permission than have you stuck in some difficult situation without me knowing." Dad said and I lifted my head to look at him.

"You are very precious to me Ali." he said after a moment. "Just promise me that you won't do such things without informing me first. And no Alcohol."

"Promise Dad." I whispered.

"Send me the name of the club you are going to. I'll make sure the place is not dangerous." he smiled, patting my shoulder.

"Yes Dad." I hugged him and hid my face in his chest. "You are the bestest."

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