Julian was sitted, with a worried look on his face. He came as soon as possible, just to comfort Natasha, well, if she needed it, and if she would let him near her.
His gaze was fixed on the door. He watched as some of his classmates came in one after the other, or in groups.
He looked away for a second, and let out an exhausted sigh. When he heard the door open, he was quick in returning his gaze to the door. And walking in was
A different Natasha.
His lips came apart and there was this look of confusion on his face as Natasha walked into the class, being indifferent to each and everyone in the class as usual.
Most might not notice it, that difference. But how could he not notice it. Afterall, all he had done the day before was stare at her. So, he could tell there was a difference, in her appearance, her attitude. Just the day before, she did look moody, but upon a closer look, there was a smile on that moody face. Ain't that good enough a difference.
He watched her as she walked energetically to her seat. She sat down, and he smiled.
'Maybe she just thought of a good memory, that probably was what made her smile.' he thought to himself.
He kept the smile on his face, well, a sad-loving smile it was. He waited for her to place her head on the desk, but that moment never came.
What came next, as soon as she sat, was her putting her bag away and bringing out her phone.
While staring at her in shock, he felt a pat on his back, turned and saw his friends, giving him a look of 'whats gotten into this guy.'
"What's with this face, guy?"
Julian shook his head gently a few times, he took a deep sigh, ignored them both, and resumed his duty of watching Natasha.
Tharn and Max followed his eyesight, and they themselves were a bit surprised.
"Whoa, just what do you think she is watching that is making her smile that wide?"
Julian really wasn't ready for Tharn's teasing, to be sincere, he had had enough of it, but he knew Tharn was just that way, he really meant no offense.
"You think she is watching a video her boyfriend sent her?"
Julian turned to face Tharn, and he definitely was looking worried.
"Her boyfriend?"
Tharn smiled, seeing such a look on his friend's face was really amusing.
"Yes, her boyfriend, the biker who stopped right in front of her yesterday."
"What boyfriend? Didn't seem so to me, she didn't look at him with lovely eyes or an angry face, even though she walked out on him."
"Oh! Really."
"Yes." he replied and returned his gaze to Natasha when something felt missing to him. "Wait, how the fuck do you know?"
Tharn whistled playfully as he moved to the back a bit, just in case, in case if Julian tried to hit him, he could escape easily.
"We followed you."
Julian scoffs "Why?"
"Thought this lover boy would have not been able to hold it in anymore, and would have confessed to her."
"So?"
"So, we would take a video of it of course, why else would we want to follow you."
Julian just laughed it off. They all returned their gaze to the smiling girl.
"Come to think of it , don't you guys find her smile weird?"
Julian and Tharn looked at Max, both looking confused.
"Weird?" they both said.
"In what way?" Tharn asked.
"I don't really know, but it looks like she's up to something bad, don't you think so?"
Now, this made them much more confused as they looked at each other, before returning their gaze to Natasha, but this time around, it was scrutinizing.
*****
The bell rang.
Natasha got up from her seat as soon as she was done packing her bag. She walked past her classmate's desk, although she didn't look at them, she could tell that they were all giving her strange looks. She walked out through the door, out of the building and was approaching the one place she knew she could find them.
She had made her research. Those crazy bastards who had harassed her friend were popularly known as the handsome maniacs among the students . No doubt, they all were handsome, brilliant both in academics and sports, and they all had one more thing in common. They all had a crazy way of thinking, did crazy things, knowing they definitely would always get away.
Even though they all were not in the same class, she knew just where to find them all. After school hours, all seven of them would go to their various sport club for practice, but before they do, they would all gather at the roof of the senior's building. And if it was something indecent they wanted to do, they had another spot for that.
Natasha stepped into the first floor of the senior's building. The expression with which some seniors looked at her, she could not explain. But she was sure of one thing. She didn't see a single senior look at her with pity.
'Of course.' she screamed in her mind. 'I definitely do not need your pity in the first place. Just don't be too surprised, when I drag those dogs in the mud.'
After a while, she completely ignored the stares and whispers as she walked up the stairs. She was not in a rush, cause they also might just be on their way up there. She didn't want to walk so fast, for fear she might get there before them or bump into them. She didn't want her plan getting ruined.
She pushed open the door, her fists ready at the go. But right in front of her, was no one, she looked around, but she was the only one on the roof.
*****
Natasha kicked the air in anger, she had searched around, but those idiots were no where to be found. She didn't want to wait for them, since they all didn't usually go up all at once, and she was not ready to face them off one after the other, facing off all seven of them was preferrable to her.
Face them off?
Not necessarily. But if there really was no other option, she was not gonna back out from a fight.
She was just a few distance from the door leading to the stairs, when she heard and saw it open, and stepping out were seven tough looking boys, or rather maniacs.
Natasha chuckled to hide her nervousness.
The boys also chuckled, a bit surprised, the chick they had planned to go after was right in front of them.
"I really have no relation with Mother Luck ." Natasha mumbled to herself.
"Are you lost, pretty lady?" said one of those five boys she saw back then, who had walked out of the bathroom.
Natasha scoffed when she noticed the sneer on his face.
"I'm very sure I'm at the right place." she replied, looking at him right in the eyes 'but at the wrong time.' she thought to herself.
True, things didn't go according to plans, but she definitely was not backing down now. Even if she wanted to, it was too late.
"Be a bit nicer Carl." Henry said as he gave Carl's right shoulder a pat, before walking closer to Natasha.
He was a bit surprised, seeing the girl not move backward, even though he was just an arm's length away from her. He smiled, then put his hands into his pockets.
"What are you doing up here all alone?"
His voice was a bit deep and nice to hear. Quite a lot of girls had fallen for his voice, even before falling for his handsome looks. Well, his voice came first, since he was used to covering his face with a nose mask. The only time he never had one on was whenever he was alone with his friends, or his girlfriend, or whenever he was at home in his room.
And here was a girl, who he had completely no relation with whatsoever, and she had seen his full face two good times, but she had never looked at that handsome face with loving eyes, nor had she shown any sign of falling for his deep voice. This alone was enough to make him just hate her, afterall, he loved it when people just fell for him, he loved being loved by all and was used to it, not being given a hate-filled look that the girl in front of him was giving him.
*****
It was a peaceful evening, at least, for Riley who was busy searching for the documents he would need at one point or the other. He placed them on the bed, and when he was done bringing them out from wherever they were hidden, he sat on the bed, and went through the documents one after the other.
This he was busy with, when he heard a knock and followed by it was a soft voice calling his name. He sat still for a second, trying to recognize the voice. He smiled as soon as he knew who the voice belonged to.
He jumped happily to open the door.
"Auntie, we're you able to make it?"
He asked with a big smile on his face.
"Not yet Riley." said the old lady
"I came to tell you, you have a visitor."
His smiling face soon turned to a questioning look.
Just who was the so-called visitor?
*****
Riley walked down the stairs, wondering just who might be asking of him. Walking down the stairs, he saw someone sitted with their head down. He could not tell if the person sitted was a boy or a girl, since the person was on trousers, and the hair was short. Now thinking of it, he knew someone who dresses this way, but just what was she doing at his place.
"Natasha?"
He saw the person raise up their head, and he was not a bit surprised that the person ended up being who he had guessed them to be.
He saw a faint smile on her face, and he guessed she still could not bear parting ways with him. But there was no other option. He didn't want her to end up in trouble, which she definitely will, if she insisted on protecting him. Maybe he just had to make her hate him, just as he made Richard angry at him.
"Why are you here?"
He asked as he sat in front of her. Her smile became much more evident on her face, but this was only making him feel sad and angry at himself.
"Can you not leave yet?"
"Uh!"
'I should have expected that. The way she looks at me, it's obvious she still wants me around.' he thought to himself.
"Can you stay for a while, at least, till the case is settled?"
He really could not understand what was going on. The pleading look in her eyes felt strange to him.
"What case?" he asked, doing his possible best to remain calm.
"Those bastards, I finally got them arrested."
He leaned back into the chair, a bit surprised at her capability. Even though he felt glad that those maniacs were finally getting what they deserved, he was still worried about her safety. What if those bastards get away with their crime as usual, they will definitely come back for her, and might do even worse to her.
"Natasha, I think you should protect your...."
"No, this matter will be presented at court. With the evidence we have, and if you are willing to come testify, trust me, they won't get away with it this time around."
"Just what evidence do we have?"
Exactly, just what evidence. Was it the video of them harassing him? They blurred their own faces, so just how was that counted as evidence, if he could not prove that they were the ones in the video.
"I got them to confess, and I got a video of it. The police were also able to get their faces through the video they posted on the school group."
"How?" he asked in a solemn voice.
"I don't know, all I know is that they got it. And I got those bastards to confess without them knowing I was recording it all."
Riley's shoulders fell, he really was tired of acting tough. The tears came pouring out of his eyes as he cried out loud.
*****
Natasha got up from her seat and rushed over to Riley to comfort him.
"It's okay. Don't cry, you should be glad. Those bastards will finally get what they deserve." she said as she pulled him in for a hug.
Riley remained in her arms for a while. Truth be told, he felt useless, he felt like he was nothing but a pain to others, didn't see a reason why others should sacrifice themselves for him, infact, he didn't want anyone sacrificing themselves for him. Ever since he was young, he was used to being bullied and bullied alone. He looked pretty, which made males beat him up since girls seemed to like him more. And he was not exempted from being bullied by the females, all because they believed if he was to ever get near their boyfriends with that soft feminine look of his, their boys would stop loving them. And funny enough was the fact that they never waited for such a thing to happen, before beating him up. They had beaten him up for such stupid beliefs.
Those who tried befriending him, were forced to unfriend him, since they also got blacklisted alongside him. While those who proved stubborn, ended up in the hospital or in misery. Even changing schools didn't help.
"Riley."
The tears had stopped. But hearing her voice made him want to cry again, it was such a pity that his eyes were tired. He smiled, sadly and happily, a happy sad smile. Just when he had thought he would get bullied all through high school, and would remain alone and lonely, that smile that gave him chills the first time he saw her, ended up being the smile that gave him peace. That smile, and the owner of the smile, meant a lot to him now.
He rose his head up and looked at her face, eye to eye.
"I will stay and fight those bastards alongside you."
Natasha smiled, seeing his face with a burning hope, and a cheerfulness that had been lost for a while. She hugged him tighter, refusing to let go, afraid if she released him, that cheerfulness would be gone.
They both remained that way for a while, until.....
"Ahem."
The two of them let go of each other, looked at the old lady, then looked at each other, and they both let out a soft laugh, even the old lady smiled.
"The cake is ready."
"Oh!" was all he could say, as he was feeling embarrassed at the moment.
"Should I have it served at your usual place?"
"Yes, please."
The old lady left, leaving the two youngsters.
Riley shifted uncomfortably, embarrassed, wondering how much of a sissy Natasha would think he is.
"Uhm, would you like to..."
Natasha got up and was walking towards where she believed to be the dinning.
"Huh!" he was a bit surprised.
'she definitely didn't need my invitation.' he murmured to himself.
"You are going the wrong way Natasha." he said as he also got up.
Natasha paused and turned to face him.
"It will be served outside, by the garden."
Natasha smiled, walked towards him, then took a stop just some distance away from him.
"Lead the way then."