The next day at college was just like any other. Bright rays reflected through the glass double doors and struck eyes like a beam of laser, rendering her momentarily blind. Consciousness overpowered her ability to think straight. Eyes locked to her form did more to sweat her palms than the hot summer days of July. She looked different. Very different. Not so much as to stand out of crowd, but different from the Daisy every eye was accustomed to seeing. Hell, even professor Dilan couldn't help but turn around as she walked past!
A white net top paired with jet black jeans added well to the radiant beauty the cascade of silky brown hair and a light touch of make-up offered. And to say this Daisy carried a far distinct aura than the Daisy in baggy clothes and high ponytail, would be an understatement. The looks she received were justly justified_ even that of the old grumpy professor.
However discomforting being at the receiving end of the uncommendable stares might be, last night had taught Daisy better. She had it enough to hide behind the cloak of repulsive beauty. Last night taught her a lesson that was a hard one to enact, but nevertheless, a necessity. She knew it was time to hold on to the pieces of her broken confidence and be who she was, even if fear of being pinpointed was overwhelming.
"Sorry, I'm late." She uttered loud enough for the professor at the stage to nod his head, eyes gleaming with something close to amusement.
" Take your seat, Miss Lockhart."
More like ' I understand why.'
If the encounter she had with the students beyond the four walls of that classroom was awkward, being the centre of attention in an unsettling silent class was haunting! And even more so was the constant realization of being under the hot gaze of special someone. She could feel her skin prickle and hair at the back of her neck rising, yet she clung on to her facade of fake calmness.
Without wasting another second, Daisy began making her way up the room only to be stopped by a similarly low voice.
"Aren't we bold?" Breath hitched in her throat as Allarick brushed the back of his finger across the length of her arm. Gulping down a lump, her eyes wandered to his; an open glint of mockery lacing the evident disapproval.
Amanda giggled by his side as if her uneasiness brought her some twisted satisfaction. Daisy was yet to ponder what made her hate her with a passion that shocked her at times. But then she also failed to understand why she was always at the pointing end of snide remarks-especially that of Allarick's.
Hate... she never truly understood it. If ever asked, Daisy knew she wouldn't have to think much to answer that she has never truly hated a human- anything for that matter.
Her gaze flickered between him and the peers close by who were witnessing the drama with utter interest. Before he could blink twice, she walked past him and up the stairs of the mahogany class to the very back, casually placing her back on the seat next to her before slipping in the navy blue foamed chair.
It had been too much for her to untangle the wreck of her nerves and focus on the words of Professor Charles. Daisy knew she'll regret later in the night for not paying heed to one of the most important and at the same time, confusing topics in the entire freshman year. But that day was just not the one to learn; it was the one where she made sure her roots were strong enough to hold her. The day where she had to bear the worst for the best. The day was the one where she had to build her confidence and stand out as someone different from what she was in high school.
Much to her dismay, the lecture ended at exact one pm. Daisy had just started to come out of her bubble of fear, but before she knew it, it gripped her again-this time tight and firm.
" We shall proceed to unravel more science from the jumble of these lengthy words the day after tomorrow," Mr Charles bid his byes before walking out as briskly as he came in.
"Daz looks... beautiful."
"White truly is her colour!"
"Is that even Daisy Lockhart? Cause if she is, man, I'm gonna ask her out!"
A snort escaped his lips as the class broke out in chatter, or more like in praises of Daisy. As much as girls like Amanda despised her for coming in like a ball of glamour and snatching away their spotlight, the boys_ adults, not to mention_ were at the verge of drooling before the sight presented to them. Oh, how a week at college had done them no good! Signs of teen boy cliche still dripped from their manhood.
Letting out a puff of air in exasperation, Allarick jumped to his feet, making his way to the back. Eyes trailed behind him as if he was something or more of a sight so breathtaking that one forgets to breath.
There was not one thing compatible between Daisy and him. He held a sickening rage towards her in his eyes, while she was a mess of fear and confusion: fear of his motives and confusion about why he would have any against her.
His steps halted next to her, gaze tracking it's way to her petite form. After the courage she had shown last night, she would be a fool to think Allarick would let her go easy. He had warned her but she mistook his threat for a challenge. Now was the time she knew he was a man of words. It was like a modified version of 'you lose, you pay': You defy, you pay.
And she most certainly did more than just defy.
Bowing down so that his head was now at par with her ear, he inhaled the scent those cascade of woody brown hair had to offer, much to her awareness.
"Be at my place tonight or I'll have to be at yours," he whispered with an air of finality, leaving no space of an argument. The argument was in fact, not even in question, considering how he had rendered her speechless with his proximity.
Allarick fell into one of those few people out there who believe in playing the game like a pro. If one enters a match, it should be for the sole purpose of cherishing every bit of it, rather than setting eyes on the glistening silver trophy under the cloak of victory. That way, every second he's in it, it's more fun than it was before-despite when the things go down. So in the end even with the defeat weighing his hands down, he is more filled with satisfaction than the man holding the trophy will ever be. And what better way to enjoy than to know your opponent's every fear and weaknesses he/she holds within.
Daisy was no different for him than such a game. And to say he knew her inside out, would be an understatement. She was like an open book for him. All her weaknesses and everything that scarred her was tattooed on his heart. And he knew exactly when and where to exploit each one of them.
With the first breath of Allarick-free air, her senses jolted back to their sense!
"No," she answered before he could take a step down. As if out of reflex, she stood up, fixing her gaze to his back and waiting for the worst possible outcome.
He wouldn't slap her, would he?
"I see you have been growing quite rebellious ever since the college started." Allarick faced her, the mask of indifference shielding the fumes of his boiling blood. Now that their conversation was no longer in the ear to ear whispers, the whole class had their eyes glued to them. " But for once, I'll let you follow your heart. I forgive you for standing up to me for the mere reason that it is a delightful sight for me to watch you cower through this... whatever facade you have tried creating," he completed.
Humiliation washed over Daisy as soon as the sense of having too many mocking eyes on her, heated her skin red hot.
Allarick gripped her upper arm in his hold, pulling her closer to his chest, " if you do not wish to look like a tomato, I would suggest keeping your mouth shut and go back to wearing what covered you well."
The words were inaudible for others but for her, it rang all the red bells and sirens. One look in those fierce eyes and she immediately interpreted the real meaning of his suggestion.
Allarick took a step or two back, allowing some air to circulate between them. For a moment he searched her face for a comeback or a snarky remark, but soon enough he believed she was too preoccupied to come up with one. But just when he was not expecting it, she spoke up.
"You're a fool to think you can change the track of my life and seal my mouth from protesting-"
"Protesting? Tell me, love, what do you know about protesting beside its standard definition?"
"All I need to know is that protest's seconded by violence and unrest."
Allarick huffed out a puff of air as if her sentence defiled the very law of nature!
"Your one-man army won't stand longer than a fraction of second under my siege of power and tactics."
"What matters is not 'if' I'll make it out, but rather how."
Allarick took a step forward as she took one back. His body held the confidence that seeped out of hers with every passing second.
"Broken and lost."
His step advanced ever so slowly as if he was calculating the move like an algebraic problem.
"Still better than dark and pained like you."
A few gasps escaped the students' mouth but Allarick and Daisy were too busy in their heated exchange of words to notice it.
A smile broke out on his lips, but anyone with a pair of eyes and a properly functioning brain would easily figure out that it was nothing but a mere display of sarcasm.
"Darkness has already taken its root in your heart. It's all about time it'll engulf you in eternal blackness and you'll begin to take solace in it.''
"Solace sounds rather exaggerated considering the sleep deprivation in your eyes."
Before Allarick could say something to that, Miss Anna marched in in her red high heels, but Daisy liked to believe he would have kept his silence even if they hadn't been interrupted by a gorgeous and too-young-for-a-professor professor.
"Forgiveness and apologies aren't my things, Daisy. Think before you're sorry," Allarick stated, his straight face complementing the stretch of his jaws. One thing was for sure, he wasn't messing around.
The rest of the day went by pretty smooth except some obnoxious glances Allarick would pin her with at one time or another. Before she knew, she was collecting her things and getting ready for a walk to her apartment.
"Daz, here's the book you landed me on Tuesday. I'm sorry I made you wait so long for the return." Elena placed the brown book on the desk before making her way to the impatient girls by the door.
"It's fine," Daisy muttered, eyes boring in her mobile. A smile formed on her lips as a message from Jasmine popped up, announcing that she would be coming over at her place for as long as her university re-opens. Even though a surge of curiosity had Daisy wanting to ask what made the university shut down so abruptly, but then deciding against it, she texted back, "Excited to see you" with her favourite upside-down smiley emoji. Daisy knew well that any questioned asked would be equal to an unpleasant gesture at her behalf for Jasmine. She had always been like that-on the meaner side. She wasn't near as sensitive as Daisy, but then, Daisy wasn't nearly as mean as her sister.
A year difference can change a lot when comes to personalities.
Jasmine was the living example of the sibling who wants everything for themselves, even if they have more than enough on their hands already. The type that would choose to get hit by a train than live to see their sibling stand a block higher than them.
But despite everything, a sister is always a sister, and nothing can challenge the bond the two share. And what could be better than having someone to kick the silence and emptiness away?
With a smile dancing on her lips, Daisy carefully placed the mobile back in her pocket and proceeded to pick the book up in her arm, only to have it smashed back down by a hand that belonged to no other than Allarick himself.
"I hope you remember what I have said earlier."
Allarick traced her gaze as it travelled from him to the vacant classroom and then back to him. He was yet to figure out what made her so uneasy around him. Was it his closeness? Or perhaps, the fear? Whatever it was, one thing was for sure; his presence takes away her ability to speak well!
"This is the easiest way I'm dealing with you, Daz," His hand reached out to her face, tugging a strand of hair behind her ear, " you won't like the hard one."
Silence took root between them for a second and his eyes radiated with a sardonic display of compassion.
"Or let me rephrase it," he began, dropping the previously held softness from his features, " you won't be able to stand it."
Dumfounded was what defined her state even as he walked to the door. Her mind was as wild as erratic her heart was. Thoughts rushed in and out of her brain like a hurricane, destroying whatever bit of sense she had in its wake. What could possibly be a reason for a guy to suddenly come up to her and start bossing her around? Allarick was always rude to her-would take pride in his mistreatment of her- but never had he ever confronted her with the hate she had been seeing in him since the start of the college. Ever since he left for a year in last year of high school, he seemed changed.... for the worst.
" Write it down, nerdy!" He laughed, exiting the room.
Nerdy? please!
The day went by faster than ever and before she knew it, the sun had taken its place midst the white foam of clouds. The walk to college was again a mortifying one, not because she had the fear of getting pointed out like the one that had griped her nerves yesterday, but because she was crossing Allarick's path despite knowing of the thorns he had so keenly placed for her.
A vivid hope aroused in the back of her mind. If only by some miracle she arrived earlier than him and somehow merged with the crowd, he won't notice her. Though deep inside she knew the rope she was clinging to was thinner than a string, but if it provided her cracked confidence with a drop of courage, she would take gladly take it.
Tugging a strand of hair behind her ear, Daisy pushed open the door to the class. The professor hadn't arrived yet, so one can imagine how wild the class was.
The first pair of eyes that met her face and then travelled down to take in her outfit had her struggling to keep up the pace to her seat.
"Hey pretty, right here!" Maria waved from the back. Maria wasn't a bit as surprised to see her transformation as the rest of the class. The only thing that had her pondering was this sudden surge of courage in Daisy to actually get back to being herself.
"You don't look quite taken aback. I would take it as your silent disapproval of my change." She added a quite 'also' intending for it not to be heard.
"This is what you are, Daz. The only time I disapproved of you was when you tried to get down in the crowd because of some lowlifes. So maybe 'also' isn't the word to use for me," she uttered, for once her face was void of any humour or sarcasm. "But I can't help but wonder, who's on fire to see you lit a fire in here?"
"Get up."
Before Daisy could form a reply, Allarick's figure loomed over their head. From the look on his face, one could tell he wasn't in the mood of making a scene.
"Excuse me?" Maria craned her neck to meet the almost sinister grey orbs of his.
"Or do you want me to pull you out?" he asked, nonchalantly.
Maria shot a look at Daisy, clearly fueled up by being bossed around. Letting out a sigh in exasperation, she collected her things and stood up.
"Five minutes and I'll be back!"
"Keep your counter ticking," Allarick replied, slipping in the seat next to her.
"Simple words don't stay in your brain for long, do they?" He almost whispered, a few visible creases forming on his forehead.
"Why.. why does it bother you what I wear?" Daisy's tone matched the one he chose to converse in.
"I'll tell you tonight. " With that Allarick stood on his feet, leaving a pale Daisy to stare at his retreating form.
"What do you mean by that!?" her horrified voice touched his ear, yet he chose to kick it away and make his way down to his people.
You'll know, he thought.