Her Inamorato's Obsession

"You want to break up with me?" he scoffed, a devilish smile dancing on his lips, amusement flickering within his eyes.

"You promised you'd stay with me... forever," he continued, his eyes reddening as his anger seemed to escalate, his expression darkening with each passing moment.

"I ... I" Lily hesitated. Her heart racing in her chest and her breath quickening. She shut her eyes tightly, mustering up a split-second's worth of confidence.

"I didn't know! I didn't know that you were like this!" she finally yelled at the tall figure before her. Her voice trembled with a mixture of fear and anger. "You deceived me. I thought it was all real, I thought we were real." Her voice softened, tears welling up in her eyes.

"I hate you, I hate you, I HATE YOU!!" she screamed, her emotions overwhelming her as she looked downwards, her voice reverberating with her pain.

But her outburst was met with an unexpected response. Hysterical laughter suddenly filled the air, and Lily's eyes shot up to him, her expression a mixture of shock and confusion. He was now laughing manically, his shoulders shaking with the force of it, a wide grin on his face, his eyes burning with twisted amusement.

And then, as suddenly as the laughter had started, it stopped. His shoulders ceased their movement, his expression shifted. His laughter faded into nothing, replaced by a cold intensity.

He turned around and walked casually to his desk, his movements calculated and deliberate. He pulled open a drawer. "I never imagined it would come to this," he uttered, his voice carrying an unsettling weight. From the drawer, he retrieved something, concealing it behind his back.

"You leave me no choice."

His words sent a shiver down Lily's spine. She remained frozen in terror, unable to tear her gaze away from him. He slowly advanced towards her, their proximity closing to just inches apart. With a sinister smirk, he revealed his arm, raising it in the air and then swinging it in front of Lily, revealing a roll of duct tape.

But before Lily's mind could fully process what was happening, he took action. In a blur of motion, he charged at her, throwing her onto the bed. Panic surged within her, and she began to struggle, fighting against his hold. But his movements were swift and practiced. In mere moments, her hands and legs were secured, bound together by the unforgiving grip of the duct tape.

"No!" Lily screamed, her voice breaking with desperation as she writhed and strained against the restraints. "Stop this, please! This isn't who you are!"

"You see Lily, that's where you're wrong. You don't know who I am."

He sat down on the bed beside her, his hands reaching out. Lily froze in terror, her body trembling uncontrollably. His fingers dug into her hair, slowly it ran along its golden locks, satisfying his fiery longing. "Now Lily, will always be by my side," he whispered, his voice carrying a maniacal edge as a smirk tugged at the corners of his lips.

When had all of this begun? The answer echoed within Lily's thoughts: The first day of senior year.

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Internal curses swirled in Lily's mind as her gaze fixated on the massive sign atop the school building, boldly proclaiming, "Willow Brook High School." She questioned the world's cruel design, forcing every teenager to endure this hell. Nevertheless, she felt relieved to have reached her final year, graduating smoothly with no issues as her sole remaining task. Not knowing that this was merely the beginning of a life-altering series of unforeseen events.

"Lily! Lily!"

"Y- yes, what's up?"

"Are you even listening to me?" Sarah, who was next to Lily asked. She had been lecturing Lily and Emily on why they needed boyfriends, but they didn't even care, not paying attention to whatever she was saying.

"Isn't it obvious? I don't like anyone here, Sarah!" Lily said, as they finally passed through the entrance of the school, entering a hallway crowded with students sporting different expressions. Some wore broad grins as they caught up with their friends, while others had gloomy faces like they didn't want to be there.

Lily, on the other hand, didn't exactly want to be there either. She hated school and studying, but at least she had her friends to make her school life a bit more enjoyable.

"No, it's not, Lily!" Sarah shook her head from side to side aggressively. "You and Emily have been single for too long...and I seem to be joining you guys," her last sentence barely above a whisper.

"But why did you break up with him? I don't get it," Lily asked Sarah.

"Because I hate long-distance relationships! He's literally in another province."

"But he loves you," Emily chimed in.

"Okay... okay! Let's stop talking about him, okay? It was better when he was in the same school, but now he's in college... that's what you get for dating a senior."

"Sarah, are you sure you're okay, or is there something more?" Lily asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Whatever it may be, this is not the right time, Lily," Sarah let out a sigh. "This is senior year. We finally made it, and we have to make the most of it!"

"But we don't need boyfriends for that," Lily said.

"That is true Lily, very true, but just imagine all the drama we would experience if we did."

"..."

Conflicting ideas on Sarah's comment raced through Lily's mind. Her life had zero drama with absolutely nothing special about it. She always remained the good daughter, obeying her parents' strict rules, making her teenage years be spent in solitude, doing her own thing. Though she found it peaceful, sometimes she felt she was missing out.

"Aren't you two sick and tired of your boring life?" With her black coily hair bouncing on her shoulders, Sarah exclaimed as she spun around in front of Lily and Emily.

"Before I met you two at this school, my life was boring, but now I'm happy," Emily added.

"Oh, shut up, Emily," Sarah said as she eyed her up and down, then facepalmed. "You know what? I'll go find new friends. Y'all can go to hell," Sarah spat before storming off.

"Wait, Sarah!" Lily said, chuckling as she reached for Sarah's hands. "Having a boyfriend happens naturally. It's not some kind of mission. Plus, Emily and I are not like you, who can talk to anybody anytime."

"But we-" The sound of the bell interrupted Sarah. The number of students in the hallway started to reduce.

"Here we go again," Lily let out a sigh. "Bye, guys."

"Bye!"

Lily and her friends went their separate ways-she had art classes while they had science classes. The school was great until she had to part ways with her friends as she wasn't as close to anyone in the art class. With a sigh, she hurried through the gradually emptying hallway until she reached the front door of her classroom.

"Okay, Lily, you can do... this," she whispered to herself before entering the class.

Stepping in, the classroom was filled with students' smiles and laughter. A few eyes briefly glanced her way before returning to their business. "Miss Davis?" the teacher, Mr. Chuck, greeted her with a smile as she stood at the door.

"Uh, good morning, Mr. Chuck," she quickly replied.

"Good morning to you. Please take your seat."

Lily nodded and made her way to an empty seat in the middle of the second row.

Nervously, she sat at her desk, her eyes glued on the clock. The seconds ticked by, and although the class was filled with chatting and conversations in the teacher's presence, Lily remained quiet, not engaged like the others.

She glanced around the classroom, recognizing the familiar faces of her classmates-some she had known since she enrolled, while others had become acquaintances over the years. Just then, the classroom door swung open, revealing a boy she had never seen before.

He entered with an aura of confidence, instantly commanding everyone's attention. The once bustling room grew quiet as all eyes turned towards him. With his height, he would probably tower over most students. Broad shoulders emphasized his lean frame, creating a captivating presence. His long, dirty blonde hair fell in casually tousled waves, adding to his effortless charm.

"Ethan Landry," was all he said when the teacher, Mr. Chuck asked him to introduce himself. His voice lacking emotion.

"Uh, okay, Mr. Landry, take your seat," Mr. Chuck said, laughing away his unease.

Not just Lily, but the entire class was amused as they observed Ethan making his way to his seat. Though it was his first day, he exuded confidence and calmness, giving off the impression that he never needed to worry about anything.

Lily continued to watch him throughout the lesson but got nothing out of it, as his expression and aura remained the same. She wondered what sort of person he would turn out to be. Friendly, aloof, or perhaps even cold? She couldn't wait to find out.

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The bell finally rang, ending the class. Lily packed her books into her backpack and headed out of class into the already crowded hallway. She caught a glimpse of Ethan's long, blonde hair among the students. He stood out because of his tall and trim build and was obvious from a distance.

In an effort to catch up with him, Lily started to walk faster. She hoped he would speak to her first because she was too nervous to strike up a conversation. But just as she was about to reach him, her friends blocked her path.

Sarah, Lily's best friend, a stunning dark-skinned beauty with long, black coily hair that framed her face elegantly. And Emily, who wore glasses over her dark brown eyes with her long straight black hair cascading down her back.

Since sophomore year, Lily, Sarah, and Emily had formed a close-knit trio, supporting each other through life's ups and downs.

"Woah, woah!" Sarah exclaimed. "Where are you rushing to?"

"To you!" Lily's face brightened as she saw her friends. But she still scanned the hallway with her eyes but couldn't find Ethan, like he had disappeared into thin air.

"Hey, Lily!" Emily said. "How was your class?"

Lily shrugged. "It was fine, I guess. But there's this new guy in class-his name is Ethan. He looks...different."

Emily raised an eyebrow. "Different how?"

"I don't know," Lily admitted. "He just seems...normal in a weird kind of way."

Sarah grinned mischievously. "Ooh, sounds exciting! Maybe he'll turn out to be your sweetheart." Her smirk hinted at playful teasing as she poked Lily with her fingers. "Aaahh, finally!"

"Stop it" Rolling her eyes but smiling at the thought, Lily replied, "Yeah, right. Like that would ever happen. He's definitely out of my league."

Ethan had certainly caught Lily's attention. For the first time in a while, she found herself genuinely interested ... in a boy!

"Girl, don't say that. Have you seen yourself?" Sarah exclaimed.

"Yes."

"Nah, you haven't."

Lily wasn't the average shy girl or nerd. In fact, she wasn't even a nerd; though she studied a lot-a task she despised-she never achieved exceptional grades that would earn her praise. Instead, she was known for her shyness and introverted nature, despite her beauty attracting unwanted attention.

She possessed a slim figure with subtle curves that had only recently developed, which made her more self-conscious, as the eyes on her doubled. Her light hazel eyes complemented her long and wavy blonde hair that gracefully framed her face.

Lily's appearance drew the attention of those around her. However, she avoided it as she hoped to graduate her senior year without any unnecessary drama-the kind that had followed her since 11th grade, all because of that one person.

Lily, Sarah, and Emily made their way to the cafeteria. This had been their routine since sophomore year, when it was just Lily and Sarah until Emily joined them in junior year.

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The three girls entered the already bustling cafeteria, filled with boisterous laughter echoing from every corner. They grabbed their lunches and scanned the room for an empty table to sit at.

Sarah's eyes lit up as she pointed to a table at the far end. "There, next to MJ's table," she exclaimed with excitement.

"Seriously, guys, we're starting to look like stalkers," Emily teased.

"We better hurry before someone else snatches it," Sarah said, grabbing Emily's hand and leading the way. Lily followed closely behind as they made their way to the table.

As they settled down, ready to enjoy their lunch, Sarah suddenly gasped. "Guys, they're coming this way," she whispered, pointing at three boys walking towards a table right next to them.

Lily looked up to see the trio of gorgeous and handsome faces that never left each others side.

There was Mark, the boy lily had a crush on at the beginning of her freshman year. He had always been tall, but he seemed to have gained an extra two inches. He had a bulky physique and strong facial features that made girls swoon over him, alongside his dark brown eyes and hair that appeared different every day. As if he would simply roll out of bed and showed up at school the way he was.

Walking with Mark was Jace, a brown-skinned boy with stylish short light brown locks. And Justin, the tallest among them, had striking black hair and piercing green eyes, which contrasted with his white skin tone. The three of them were often seen together, and while others assumed Mark was the leader, they were actually just a close group of friends.

Lily noticed that Mark never seemed to officially date any girl, at least not publicly. He would often be seen with different girls each week, but they were always older than him. In sophomore year, he hung out with junior girls, and in junior year, he was often seen with senior girls. Now that he was a senior, who would he be with?

However, Lily realized that Mark wasn't the ideal crush. His cold and arrogant personality became obvious, overshadowing his looks and charisma. Her admiration for him quickly fizzled out, spending her sophomore and junior years without a romantic interest.

As Mark, Jace, and Justin made their way past the tables, their laughter filled the room.

Mark carelessly held his smoothie cup, sloshing the contents around. And just then, Jace's foot caught on something, causing him to stumble and bump into Mark, his cold smoothie splattering all over Lily's blonde hair, which was right next to Mark, leaving it drenched and sticky.

"WHAT THE!!!" she screamed with widened eyes.

The cafeteria fell silent as all eyes turned towards the scene. Lily immediately stood up in shock, her hands flying to her head. Jace and Justin tried to stifle their laughter, but it burst out uncontrollably.

"What the!"

Lily's face flushed with anger, a feeling she hadn't experienced in a long time. "Hey! Watch it!" her voice rose in anger. "And what the hell is so funny?" Her narrowed eyebrows conveyed her annoyance as she glared at Jace and Justin.

Mark scowled. "Excuse me," he retorted with resentment in his deep voice. How dare she- a nobody raise her voice at him? "You were the one in my path."

"Your path?" she repeated in anger.

"Wha-what?" Lily finally snapped out of her anger, realizing she was shouting at Mark! And getting on his bad side probably wasn't a good idea. But regardless of who he thinks he was, it was only basic manners to apologize.

"Quick, Lily, let's go clean it up," Sarah interjected, whispering, "Let's not attract more attention."

"Uhh Lily, sorry... sorry," Jace said. "It's actually my fault," Jace said, stretching out a napkin he had brought out of his jacket to Lily.

But Lily, consumed by her fury, continued to stare at Mark, waiting for an apology. However, he only returned her stare with a glare and a stupid smirk on his face. The look he gave her was nerve-wracking and uncomfortable, yet she still stood there, waiting for his apology, something he would never do even if it was his last day.

Sarah swiftly snatched the napkin from Jace's hands. "That's okay, thanks," she said.

Emily nudged Lily with her elbow, snapping her out of the staring contest with Mark.

Finally aware of her surroundings, Lily glanced around-from Mark to the crowd of people observing her. Until her eyes met Ethan's, who was sitting at a table at the end of the cafeteria with some other students. His eyes locked on Lily. No, her hair? He seemed fascinated, particularly by her hair. Why?

Emily suddenly spun around, gripping Lily's hands, and guided her towards the exit.

"Bro, she's hot," Justin said with a smirk on his face.

"Shut the hell up!" Mark immediately said, then they went to their table. The eyes of students in the cafeteria finally started turning to their business, some still following Lily as they walked towards the exit.

As Lily walked away with her friends, Lily couldn't help but turn her head back to where Ethan sat. His gaze remained fixed on her, and it sparked a fluttering feeling inside her. But the fact that Ethan saw her in such a state was very embarrassing.

Her heart still sank at Mark's rude reaction. How dare he blame her for his and his friends' carelessness? The memory of his rude glare still haunting her as they walked toward the exit of the cafeteria.

But little did she know that Mark was also staring at her from where he sat. His eyes followed her until she left the cafeteria with her friends. Maybe there was a little bit of guilt in his eyes. Wait-No, he's literally 'Mark Evans'. He has a total lack of empathy for anybody. There's no way he can ever feel guilt over something that was clearly her fault.

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Lily, Emily, and Sarah were headed to the girls' restroom. Sarah used her jacket to cover Lily's head to prevent others from seeing the mess.

"I guess the rumors are true. He is really rude," Lily said, her voice filled with disappointment. "it's not something to be chill about."

"Isn't Jace dreamy?" Sarah jested, completely ignoring Lily, as she clung onto the napkin tightly, her eyes shining with infatuation, lost in her own world.

"Handsome face with an arrogant personality. Why do girls like that?" Emily said with a grimacing face.

"I don't know, he's just too handsome," Lily said, wondering why she was once drawn to him despite his bad behavior.

"I definitely hate him now!" Emily said with a clenched fist. "I'm so sorry Lily, this is very ... embarrassing, I don't think the school will forget this."

"Haha," Lily laughed away her unease, "I don't care... I don't care what others think, as long as I have you two... I'm okay."

"Aww, that's so sweet," Sarah squealed. "I'll tell y'all something, Mark does not have a sweet spot," Sarah said, clenching her teeth. "Only if you're older, maybe he will look at you... a little."

"I know, but why, though?" Lily asked.

"But guys, isn't Jace dreamy?" Sarah ignored Lily again, smiling at the napkin, being insensible to the conversation happening around her.

"Okay, we get it - this is not the time," Emily hissed, rolling her eyes at Sarah.

"You know I'm meant to use that, right?" Lily said, trying to snatch the napkin from Sarah's grasp, but Sarah held onto it tightly refusing to give in. Letting out a sigh of resignation, Lily let go of the napkin.

"Mark totally hates me now," Lily whined, the cold stare still haunting her.

"Of course," a voice Lily had been avoiding all day echoed in her ears.

'No!'

Three girls came from behind and blocked her path; it was the so-called popular girls from her class, led by the queen bee herself, Madison Walker.

She and her friends stood in front of Lily, Emily, and Sarah, blocking their way from entering the girl's restroom.

"Of course he hates you," Madison repeated, her voice dripping with disdain. "Who would like someone like you? I mean, take a look at what you're wearing. What were you thinking?" She giggled.

"Move!" Sarah said, sounding like she was ready to throw punches at Madison.

"Why would Mark ever like you? Seriously, what were you thinking?" Madison said, ignoring Sarah's threat. "I'm glad you decided to stop copying me, maybe we could be friends now," her words dripping with sarcasm.

"Why would I want to be friends with someone like you?" Lily rolled her eyes at her.

"Huh, why? Wasn't it you that begged me to be your friend?" Madison said. "You thought I would forget that pitiful, lonely girl." She eyed Lily from up to down.

"That was years ago, when I knew nothing of the trashy hole you are," Lily spat, her voice filled with venom.

"Now move before I make you," Sarah said, walking closer to Madison, her fists clenched.

"Pfft," Madison hissed as she and her friends laughed, mocking Sarah.

Yes, Lily once liked Madison. Everyone did. She was pretty, rich, and most of all, they looked alike – the same hair, eyes, height, and clothes. Lily thought they could be the best of friends along with Sarah.

But as Lily approached her, Madison told Lily that she was too ugly and she couldn't be friends with someone like her.

Sarah overheard Madison talking to her best friend about Lily. Madison complained, "I can't stand it! They keep comparing her to me. I want to kill that girl. There can only be one queen in our class, and it's me. Why can't she just leave this school!" after Lily heard it, she knew that it would be impossible to be friends with her.

Madison gave Lily a cold smile and said, "Hey, Lily. Did you see the new guy? He's so hot, don't you think?" She giggled, glancing over at Ethan, who had just walked by.

"What now, Madison?" Lily asked, trying to sound tough, but her face grew hot with embarrassment. She had barely spoken to the new guy, let alone formed an opinion about him.

Madison continued, "I mean, I'm sure he's just dying to hang out with the likes of us, right?"

The other girls laughed, and Lily felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. She and her friends had always been the targets of their cruel jokes, but she had hoped that this year would be different. Now, with the arrival of the new Ethan, she feared that things would only get worse.

Madison eyed her again before they walked away.

Lily watched them go with a heavy heart. She knew that they would never stop bothering her.

Every word Lily said and the movement she made was compared to Madison. They said things like, "Oh, she's copying Maddison. Is she trying to be Madison?"

Lily and Madison were so alike, showing up to school with the same purse or jacket like they were twins, and, then comparing started. Everyone saw Lily as a 'Wannabe Madison' and this made the sophomore school year dreadful for Lily. She had to change the way she dressed because she didn't want to be compared to Maddison ever again.

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Lily, Sarah, and Emily finally entered the restroom. Sarah quickly turned on the water, bending Lily's head over the sink to wash the smoothie out of her hair and Emily tenderly stroked Lily's hair, trying to remove every trace of the sticky mess.

"Why did we sit there?" Emily lamented.

"It's totally my fault but......" Sarah trailed off.

"Come on, Em, let's look on the bright side," Sarah said. "At least they know who we are ... now they can say, ooh the girl that we got smoothie on her hair." she chortled, then added, "And did you see Ethan? He was totally checking out Lily!"

Lily felt a blush creep up her neck at the mention of Ethan's name. Despite the embarrassing incident, she was weirdly happy she caught his attention.

Emily let out a frustrated sigh. "This is going to take forever. We need shampoo."

"I'll go get some and a towel," Sarah suggested, making her way out of the restroom, leaving only Lily and Emily, along with a few other girls, retouching their makeup.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't say anything back there," Emily said.

"It's not your fault, Emily. She will always be like that," Lily reassured her.

Emily always thinks she is the reason they get picked on by Madison, but she isn't. Madison hated Lily even when Emily hadn't enrolled in school.

Emily looked at Lily with a frown on her face. "But you changed your style because of her, didn't you?"

Lily hesitated, not wanting to admit the truth. "No, it's not just because of her,"

Emily definitely saw through her facade. " You know I'm probably not the best person to be telling you this but ... you changing your style won't make a difference, it simply just means you backed down, or she won. She'll always find a way to pick on you," Emily added, " that's why she is getting more confident ... Stupid bitch!"

"Don't worry, Emily, she will never win over me." Lily laughed, feeling a bit embarrassed,

"You can't let her win, Lily. You have to be true to yourself," Emily said.

Lily nodded, feeling a sense of empowerment. Emily always knew how to make her feel better. She knew that Emily was right, but it was easier said than done. Madison's constant comparisons had worn her down over the years, and Lily felt like she had no choice but to conform.

After a while, Sarah returned with shampoo and a towel. They worked together to wash and rinse Lily's hair, making sure every trace of the smoothie was gone. Lily was so grateful for her friends' support, life without them at Willow Brook High would be hell.

As they left the restroom, Sarah grinned ear to ear. "I love your new hairstyle, Lily!"

"It's not that bad," Emily added.

Lily smiled, feeling a little better about the whole situation. Thank God for her friends being with her.

As the first day of school was finally coming to an end, Lily's mind raced with thoughts. She couldn't believe the day she was having - first the smoothie incident, the drama with Madison, then the arrival of the new boy, Ethan.

For the first time in a while, Lily found a boy in willow brook high attractive and she was determined to find out more about him.

"Can I sit here, if you don't mind?"

Lily looked up to see the owner of the sweet yet deep voice; it was Ethan, the tall, handsome boy she had been secretly admiring, piercing her existence with his blue eyes.

"Huh, uh-okay," she stuttered.

Quickly gathering her things, feeling flustered, she moved to the empty seat beside her. Ethan took his seat, flashing her a small smile before turning his attention to the front of the classroom, leaving Lily to wonder why she was so affected by his presence.

But her thoughts were soon interrupted again by the arrival of Mark. He barged into the classroom with a scowl on his face, his eyes searched the room until they landed on Ethan, then it slowly moved to Lily they immediately looked away.

Taking huge steps, he took a seat right behind Lily, throwing his backpack onto the floor with a loud thud, causing Lily to flinch, feeling intimidated by his imposing demeanor.

"Mark," Ethan said, nodding in his direction.

"Eth," Mark replied shortly, his tone icy and hostile.

Lily watched the exchange with curiosity. There was definitely a history between them.

As the class went on, Lily kept stealing glances at Ethan. His aura pulled her in and she did not know why. But she was not the only one focusing on someone that was not the teacher.

Mark too.

Lily was so sure of Mark's intense stare from the back, she could feel his eyes blasting lasers through her soul. She looked back a few times and they ended up making eye contact, which she was always the first one to break. It made Lily uncomfortable and jittery throughout the class, knowing that Mark was watching her every move.

The bell finally rang. Relieved, Lily hastily gathered her things before making her way out of the classroom. She was about to pass the entrance, only to be stopped by Mark.

"You're Lily, right?" his voice froze her at the spot, "the smoothie girl," he walked from behind her to her front.

Lily nodded, feeling nervous under his intense stare.

"You should watch your back around Ethan," Mark said, his voice low and menacing.

"Huh?" Lily furrowed her eyebrows; she hadn't even spoken to Ethan.

Mark leaned in.

"I noticed you staring at him during class." Lily's eyes widened as she felt her face flush red.

His words made Lily silent. She had been caught, and she knew it, I mean obviously, when he stared at her throughout the class.

She felt a chill run down her spine as Mark made another quick move, leaning in even closer. Her eyes widened and the scent of his cologne intensified, giving her an unfamiliar. She tried to back away, but he followed her, whispering in her ear, "He's trouble."

What?

But before Lily could respond, Mark turned and walked away, leaving her stunned. Her heart drubbed, trying to make sense of what he had just said as she watched Mark slowly disappear into the crowd.

As she made her way through the crowded hallway, she kept wondering what Mark had meant by "He's trouble." Was Ethan really someone to be afraid of? And why was Mark so concerned about her?

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Lily had a free period, but she had not seen her friends all day, considering they were in science while she was in art. As their free periods weren't the same, she had nothing to do during her free period. So, she went to her music teacher and took the keys to the music lab to play the piano.

She sat on the piano bench and started to play a song she had been taught during her piano lessons. She was so immersed in the music that she didn't realize anyone was in the room until she finished playing and heard someone clapping. The sound came from the front of the piano, and Lily stood up to check who was there.

As she peeked, Lily saw that it was Ethan. She immediately recalled Mark's warning about him.

Letting out a small gasp, Lily caught Ethan's attention. He looked up at her, and smiled. "That was cool."

Lily blushed and replied shyly, "Ahh, thanks."

Ethan was holding a book. The cover was covered with cardboard paper as if he didn't want anyone to know what he was reading. Curious Lily asked, "What are you reading?"

Ethan looked at Lily and then held up his book, swinging it without saying anything.

Lily was a bit flustered, but decided to start a conversation. "What's a guy like you doing here alone?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

"..."

"I was on my way to the library when I heard the sound of a piano, so I was curious." He said.

"Oh," Lily said, unsure of what to say next.

"When I came in, you didn't even notice me," Ethan said, standing up.

"I must have been too focused," Lily said, letting out a nervous laugh.

Ethan walked over to the piano and began touching the keys randomly, producing a noisy sound. Lily laughed at the sight of a novice.

"Can you play?"

Ethan stopped and looked directly at Lily's eyes. "Why? Would you like to teach me?"

She let out a shy and nervous laugh. "Uh, if-"

Ethan scooted to the side, tapping the space he had left on the bench, indicating he wanted her to sit with him.

There?

She was wary, but Ethan noticed, "Why? You don't want to?"

"No ahh-"

Lily hurriedly made her way to the chair, trying to keep a distance from him on the small bench, but she was not comfortable. Ethan realized it "Come closer. You might fall." His voice, sweet yet commanding.

Lily immediately obeyed as she moved closer; their bodies were now squeezed on the small bench. Her heart pounded in her chest mercilessly. The universe was on her side today. The feeling of the heat emanating from his body, the scent of his cologne intoxicating.

"Soooo," Lily tried to relieve the awkwardness that only she felt. "Place your fingers like this," she said, as she placed her fingers on the keys of the piano.

Ethan did as she said. He looked at her, but she avoided his eyes as it obviously would make her more nervous than she already was. Ethan placed his fingers on the wrong keys. Lily corrected him. "No, D-sharp, E-Flat, and C-sharp."

Ethan chuckled and placed his fingers on the wrong keys again.

"No!" Lily was now getting impatient. "Here, this one," she said, grabbing Ethan's hands and placing them on the piano. Then she took his other hand and placed it on the right keys. Lily was now holding both of Ethan's hands, but she didn't realize it as she was too immersed in him getting the right keys.

Ethan's eyes met Lily's, and she felt a jolt of electricity run through her. His eyes were so blue, so captivating. He chuckled, "You're a good mentor," his lips curved a little, as his eyes sparkled.

Lily hesitated but looked at him again, and now there was an alluring smile on his face. Her hands gently squeezed Ethan's as butterflies filled her stomach. Immediately she realized that she had been holding onto him for much longer than necessary. She quickly dropped his hands and looked away, trying to hide her blushing face.

Ethan laughed at her reaction as he thought she was cute, "You're done?" he asked Lily, who stopped teaching him mid-way.

"No uhm..." Lily said, placing her hands on Ethan's again as she guided him to the correct keys.

Lily's fingers tingled from the sensation of holding Ethan's hands. Her heart pounding in her chest as Ethan's hands were now locked in hers. She tried to steal a glance at him, but their eyes met yet again, and her knees weakened. His eyes were the most beautiful shade of blue, she found herself getting lost in them.

"I'm getting better at this..." Ethan said, his lips tipping off to a smirk as he started playing the piano effortlessly.

Puzzled, Lily watched in shock as he played the same song she had just finished playing, but so much better. Her jaw dropped in awe as she felt a twinge of jealousy.

Ethan continued to play smoothly.

Feeling a pang of embarrassment, Lily had been so sure that he was a beginner, but now she realized he had just been playing along.

"How... why... you-lied," Lily spluttered, her lips upside down.

"Lied?" Ethan tittered. "I only asked if you wanted to teach me. I never said I didn't know how to play," he said, getting up from the piano bench.

"But... but you acted like you didn't know the keys and all," Lily said, unconsciously pouting.

"Yeah... I was just wondering how you would teach someone, and you're surprisingly horrible at it," Ethan snickered.

She rolled her eyes at his teasing. Lily had never been good at teaching, and Ethan had clearly seen through her act.

"I'll be leaving now," Ethan said, picking up his book.

No!

Lily nodded, feeling disappointed that their time together had come to an end. "Yeah, me too," she said, looking at the wall clock. "It'll be over soon, anyway."

As they walked towards the door, Lily's heart raced with anticipation. She didn't want this moment to end, but she knew it had to. He opened the door for her, and she quickly passed through, not realizing his gesture.

She turned to thank him, feeling foolish. "Oh no, uhm... thank you, thank you... there was no need."

Ethan closed the door and smiled at Lily reassuringly. She felt her heart skip a beat as she met his gaze again.

When they came out, Lily's friends Sarah and Emily appeared, rushing towards her. They were in awe as they saw Lily and Ethan walking out of the music room together. Sarah and Emily clung onto Lily, barely containing their excitement as they both waved hi to Ethan.

"Hi!" Emily and Sarah smiled brightly at Ethan.

"Hi," Ethan replied shortly, then pointed in the hallway and nodded at them before taking a leave.

Sarah rushed over to the door of the music room, peering inside to see if anyone else was there. "Are you sure nothing happened there?" she asked, a mischievous glint in her eye.

Emily let out a squeak. "Were you guys alone in there?" she asked, eyes wide.

Lily felt her face growing hotter by the second. "Yes, we were alone," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Sarah rushed back to Lily. "What happened? How is he? What were you guys doing in there?"

"Tell us!" Emily pleaded.

Lily's heart skipped a beat. "Nothing happened. We were just playing music."

Sarah and Emily exchanged knowing looks, but Lily didn't want to think about what they might be thinking.

"We were just playing the piano. That's all," she said, rolling her eyes at them, hiding the fact that she felt something more with Ethan.

"We should get to class," Lily said, trying to change the subject.

The bell suddenly rang for the next class. Lily rushed off, her head filled with the images of the way Ethan looked at her. Was there something more? Something that went beyond just playing the piano.

As Lily walked towards her next class, her eyes caught sight of Ethan and Mark standing outside the Economics classroom. She watched them exchange a few gestures, wondering what kind of friendship they had. Mark tapped Ethan on the shoulder before they both disappeared into the classroom.

Disappointed that she wasn't having the same class as them, Lily entered her own classroom, her mind drifting to Ethan and Mark. There was obviously something off between them. Perhaps it was the way Mark looked at Ethan with a mix of admiration and envy, or maybe it was the subtle tension she felt whenever they were in the same room.

It was later that afternoon she finally got some answers.

֍ ֍ ֍

Lily intentionally missed the bus to enjoy a walk home in solitude, and she also had nothing to do at home, so why rush? As she walked home alone, a car suddenly pulled up beside her. Her heart raced as she kept a safe distance, wary of the vehicle's intentions.

It was a grey car with tinted windows which prevented Lily from seeing who was inside, making her even more uneasy. Despite living in a safe neighborhood, the horror stories she had heard about kidnappings and assaults lingered in her thoughts.

The car's engine revved, and Lily picked up her pace, only for the car to catch up with her again. Her fear turned to confusion as she heard her name. Her heart stopped beating for a second, her feet glued to the ground. Whoever it was, he knew her name and that could be good or bad news.

"Lily, is that you?" An unrecognized voice called out.