Excited would be the understatement of the century of what I felt right now. Muffin had decided to sing and I couldn't be happier.

I still remember the days, weeks and months that had Ali cowering from mere attention and I wanted to beat the crap out of the people who even dared to say a word against her.

My passion towards soccer made me opt for a different path otherwise I would've stuck to her side. I still hate the fact that I can't hang out with her in the school without anyone judging us.

But I think it might be for the best because of the fact that my body decides to perform different chemical reactions when I'm near her, doesn't help one bit.

"Get up Aaron or you'll be late for sch-," my mom stopped her yelling mid-way when she saw me tying my shoe laces, almost ready to head out.

"You're ready! You're going to school right?" She asked skeptically.

I chuckled. It was hard for her to believe that I'd gotten up this early for school. But it was Muffin's day today. I needed to make sure she got an extra size of confidence for tomorrow's performance.

"I'm gonna guess this has something to do with my dear Alyssa," she said, holding a smug look on her face while leaning on the door frame.

I tried to appear unaffected by what she said but suddenly the brain decided to turn my stomach into a very experimental chemistry lab.

I could feel my face getting hotter but I didn't want to give mom the satisfaction of thinking that she was right so I shrugged and turned away from her scrutinising eyes to pick my bag up.

"Oh dear. And you think mothers are clueless," she said dramatically.

I chuckled and turned to leave the room. I gave a small peck on her forehead since she was shorter than me.

"Goodbye, my dear drama queen," I said in a thick, fake idiotic accent and gave her an equally dramatic bow.

She laughed at my antics which had most probably come from her.

Shaking my head a little at our little exchange, I jogged down the stairs, ready to go to school.

*****

"Ugh! You have got to be kidding me!" I exclaimed the hundredth time within ten minutes.

I had my car parked outside Shelly's house for the past ten minutes. Apparently her lipgloss wasn't enough with the first three coats.

She had texted me fifteen minutes ago that she needed a ride because her car's tires were flat.

They were not. I checked.

I was ready to bang my head against the steering wheel once again when she showed up, looking all cheery and happy.

It made me question her motives. From her over-cheeriness, I could tell that she had something planned and whatever that was and for whoever it was, god help that person.

"Hey Aary baby," she cooed as she sat down in the passenger side.

I hid back my scowl at 'Aary'. What kind of nickname was that? Instead I gave her a grin, like I always did. However today it was a little less forced since I was already happy today.

"Let's go," I said starting the engine of the car.

"Wait!" she nearly yelled just a second before I hit the accelerator.

Annoyed, I asked,"what?"

She pouted, or attempted to at least. This may have seemed sexy or hot to other guys in the group, but to me it just looked like a big protruding glob of shiny lipgloss. Unfortunately for her, my heart was already beating for someone else.

"What about my good morning kiss?" She whined.

My eyes widened. I was not having a big sticky stain on my lips for the whole day.

"Uh, how many coats of lip-gloss do you have on?" I asked.

"Oh, just five," she said nonchalantly, as if she had just told me that a cow gave milk.

"Five?! I thought you put three," I exclaimed, on the basis on previous information.

She giggled. "I did put three. But then, they weren't shining enough so I put three more."

"That's six!" My eyes widened even more as I glanced at her lips then at her.

"Oh well, who cares?"

I do. I wanted to say that out loud but I didn't. I couldn't say it.

It was indirectly because of her that my parents got even better jobs. If she had not taken me as her date to the big, ostentatious parties her dad threw, I may not have met the President of a big company, where my mom and dad are working, at a quite prestigious position, might I add.

So I kept quiet. Even though I had to miss Muffin and my movie nights together twice.

I didn't even tell her about it, which made me feel guilty. But I knew she would've worried too much if I told her about my parents' situation.

"Why don't we go to school first and then we'll do whatever you wish."

She giggled and agreed.

I let out a silent sigh of relief before driving away from her house.

****

"Am I clear boys?" Coach roared as he ended the meeting.

There was a chorus of yes and we were dismissed. I was yet to enter the school building and see Ali and I was getting impatient by every passing minute. Coach had to call in last minute meeting the moment he saw me getting out of my car.

"Good. Now I want you all see perform your best in the Hunt. Good luck and now you're dismissed," he said and I nearly bolted out of the ground.

I hurriedly took my bag and jogged towards the entrance of the school. I could see everyone giggling it chuckling about something.

I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Hey Aaron! You've got to see this, man! This is hilarious!" Jester shouted and motioned for me to come and join him.

"What's it all about?" I asked. I hope they didn't bully another nerd. It was getting a bit out of hand.

"Why don't you come and see it for yourself?"

I increased my speed and went towards him.

The moment I saw a big poster with a very familiar photo on it, I wanted to explode.

Anger came over me faster than anyone could say 'hi' and I wanted to beat the crap out of the person who did this.

I pushed past the laughing crowd, only to see the posters sticking on every locker, every corner of the school.

"Oh my god. She's such a loser!" One of shell's minions exclaimed and I wanted to punch her.

"I wish people like her just vanish for the face of the earth," another one exclaimed, giggling like a maniac.

Never in my life I've wanted to hit a girl so bad.

The moment they saw me standing there, their eyes turned flirty as they faced me.

"Oh hey Aaron! Isn't it a wonderful day today?" She winked at me.

Wonderful my ass.

I controlled my rage and asked, as sweetly as possible. "Where is the girl?"

"What girl?"

"The one in these posters?"

"Oh she is busy shedding a mile river in the girls washroom," she said, as if this was the best news she had received in a long time.

All I saw was red. I rushed to the girls washroom. I had never experience this kind of rage until now.

As I neared the washroom, it got more and more crowded. People were laughing hard and I wanted to punch each and every one of them.

"Shows over. Get to your classes," I yelled.

Everyone looked at me wide-eyed.

"Come on man! We were having a lot of fun!" A jock whined.

My glare reached him and he nearly flinched.

"Oh yeah? I'll say the same thing when it's your girlfriend in this position," I sneered at him and he shit his mouth.

"If anyone doesn't move after this last warning, he/she will be suspended from the Hunt," I announced, controlling myself from saying something hateful. Being a popular had its perks. Especially when you were the in charge of the Talent Hunt's first round.

Right now Muffin needed me.

Hearing that, almost everyone scrambled.

And without wasting any more time, I burst into the washroom, not caring that it was a female one.

What I saw, broke my heart. There she stood, gripping the sink, her eyes blurry with tears.

Without a second thought, I slipped my arms around her waist and held her close to me. She sobbed into my shirt, gripping me for her dear life.

I held her like that for around two minutes before something came over her and she pushed me away.

Shock followed by pure, deep hurt flashed across my face as she tumbled back, crying.

I tried to question her but she rambled on as to how we wanted her to participate.

Seeing her like this was hurtful. It was worse than being run over by a truck.

"GO. Please. You're attracting more attention by being here, anyways," she cried. Her knees buckled underneath her as she slid down the wall.

She was right. Whispers were echoing in the halls of the school. Leaving her wasn't something I wanted to do. But seeing her like this also wasn't a thing I wanted to do, so I backed away.

Each step was a painful one but I couldn't let her hurt because of me anymore.

I rubbed my eyes furiously to prevent any sort of wetness that could be there.

Once I was out of the washroom, I put on a poker face to hide the storm of emotions brewing inside me.

The lingering people stared at me as if to judge and scoop out what happened inside the washroom.

I simply looked ahead and walked towards my locker. I was going home. I didn't feel like sitting through the day.

I was lost on my own emotions so much so that I didn't even realise Muffin's friend Sam beside me.

"You like her, don't you?" She asked. Even she was a mess of emotions. It was written on her whole face. The only difference was that she could openly display it while I couldn't.

I let a bitter chuckle escape my lips. "And she hates me, now," I said, not answering what she asked.

****

❤️😘