Ara's POV
Who was he?
His hand was on mine—firm, warm, and kind of illegal in all the right ways. I looked up, and all I could see was… a mask. Black. Fancy-Fancy. The kind rich villains wear in movies before they steal your heart and your inheritance. Oh no, what I'm talking about. Haha
Tall. Way too tall. Better to not to talk about it. He looked like a walking sculpture made by a person who collaborated with a mathematician, to measure every single inch of him. Broad shoulders. Sculpted jawline. Okay, okay, I didn't see the jawline but I felt it. Don't ask how. My brain is dramatic. Let it be.
We danced. He spun me. I twirled like I was born in a Disney musical. And first of all we are dancing in a galaxy. I swear I was glowing. His fingers were magic. His silence? Deadly. And his eyes—those eyes—
Wait.
What is that noise?
BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.
"NOOOOOO!" I screamed like a stubborn child at mall who want chocolate and slapped the alarm off.
Dream. Just a dream.
Of course. Ara's life is just endless suffering with part-time hallucinations everywhere.
Today is Friday. Party is tonight. But before I even get close to glitter and music and shiny food trays, I have to survive… school.
Oh, right. School. That place I haven't seen all week because Mrs. Fever threw hands with my immune system. And guess what? I have to go now. Great. Absolutely brilliant. And if you are thinking why I use Mrs. Fever because my her mr.
I drag myself to the washroom in my iconic zombie walk, brushed my teeth while glaring at my reflection and she looked as tired as I felt, and threw on the least wrinkly uniform I could find.
I'm early today. Wow. I requested a bread from the kitchen and walk out while eating the bread with extra butter.
Then I heard it.
Honk.
I peeked out the gate.
A black car. I repeat, a BLACK. LUXURIOUS. CAR. And leaning against it like he owned the entire solar system… was Aarav.
Sunglasses. Half-smirk. One hand in his pocket like he just finished ruining someone's life and was proud of it.
My brain: short-circuited. My legs: already halfway out the door.
"Why aren't you coming?" he said, casual as always.
"Uhm... I didn't know you were picking me up." I tried to sound normal. I probably sounded like a confused frog.
He laughed. He LAUGHED. Sir, what's funny? Me? Always. I know. You need to thank the fortune that Liza is still sleeping.
In the car, he talked about school. I panicked. Homework? Assignments? Tests? Hello? When? How? Why?
"Don't worry, I will give you mine." Aarav said. Then continue " Are you not going to ask about that injury you give me?"
Just then, the driver is staring me. Did I... did something wrong. Now I have my result, he didn't call me Noor after we met.
"Hmmm... Leave this. Tell me about Yaori." I asked. The words came out on their own.
Of course, Yaori. That mythical creature I haven't met yet because I was too busy battling viruses. Aarav said something about how Yaori's... complicated. Great. That's exactly what I needed. Another mysterious man.
Anyway—
We reached school... Walking towards the class on the very top floor by only talking about nonsense.
And then…
I saw it.
MY SEAT. WAS. OCCUPIED.
By whom? Yaori.
I repeat. YAORI STOLE MY SEAT. Right in the middle of the Goblin Duo™—Sammy and Gaurav. The trio has been broken. We were shattered. History will remember this as the day friendship died. I'm going to cry and tell my new generations about this tragedy caused by that mythical creature.
Worse? Yaori dragged Aarav to the seat beside him. On her right.
Now Gaurav sits behind Aarav. Sammy's on the left of her. And me? ME?
Exiled to the very last row. Window seat. Alone.
This is how villains are born.... Remember i will take my revenge one day.
Sammy and Gaurav kept mouthing "sorry" like I was a broken doll. I know they fought for the seat. I fake-smiled and waved them off, already planning my Oscar winning speech for "Best Suffering in a School called heaven."
During lunch, my two goblins arrived with their food like peace offerings.
"Don't feel bad," I told them, very martyr-like. "I'm okay."
They sat with me anyway, feeding me fries and guilt. They already know about mrs. Fever, They have my number dude.
Then it happened.
Aarav looked at me across the room. Raised his notebook and some assignments. Gestured. I swear I heard violins in the background.
He was walking toward me.
And just then—BOOM. YAORI ATTACKED.
He threw his arm around Aarav like they were K-drama brothers and dragged him away mid-step.
Wow! Aarav is trying to tell her but nope. She's excited by something ridiculous.
Aarav looked at me once. Just once.
And then he was gone.
I blinked. Felt like a new born pig. A soggy, confused, forgotten pig.
What is this feeling? Insecurity? Jealousy? Betrayal? I don't know. I hate it. I don't want it. Somebody uninstall it from my heart.
Because for the first time… I wanted Aarav to choose me.
And he didn't.
-----
I came home like a melted popsicle. My mood? Depressed. Defeated. Ready to evaporate.
I opened the front door expecting peace and pillows.
But instead… chaos. Absolute chaos.
People. Everywhere.
Like ants. Fancy, glittery, overenthusiastic ants. Carrying random tools and shouting things like, "Where's the serum?" and "Did the jade roller arrive?" Huh? What Roller??
Then—
"Leooooo!" My aunt's scream cut through the air like a horror movie intro.
I blinked once. Then again. She was dragging someone by the arm. Wait… was that—?
LEO.
My cousin. The fearless beast. The street-slang king. The emoji spammer. The boy who eats biryani with ketchup. The boy who make speghetti by breaking it from middle.
Getting dragged by his own mother like a toddler refusing to eat broccoli.
"I didn't even do anything!" he yelled.
"You'll do it now!" she snapped back.
Then her eyes found me.
Oh no.
Abort Mission.
But too late—SHE CHARGED.
She didn't even say hello. Just grabbed my wrist like a villainess in a k-drama.
And whoosh—I was inside my room.
Correction: what used to be my room.
Now it was a mini beauty salon. No, scratch that. A glam camp, exclusively for tortured souls like me.... Oh noooo...
There were numerous human beings waiting for me. And they were real. One of them gasped when she saw me. "She's here!" she shouted, like I was some alien baby returned to Earth after a 5 light years.
And then— I saw it...
"Ma'am, this is your dress." one of the women said.
Oh my god. Oh. My. God.
The dress was hanging on the wall like show piece! The reflection is growing colour blind me!
I almost cried. Out of fear. I still didn't know why this was happening.
Suddenly one woman clapped. "To the bathroom!"
I was dragged again.
Another woman scrubbed my face like I was a kitchen tile. And told me I have 15 minutes to freshen up. And as soon as I came out, another grabbed me back in for head wash.
"Whyyy?" I whispered to the ceiling.
No answer.
Once I was towel-dried and left looking like a wet duck still in pond, I was moved back into the room. Where—seven people. YES. SEVEN. Were waiting to simultaneously do my manicure and pedicure.
That's when I understood Leo's rebellion.
Two people were drying my hair like it was a newborn dragon, gently and with holy concentration. The others were clipping and polishing and moisturizing.
I was glowing. Fresh. Confused. Slightly scared.
And then came the horror—
MAKEUP.
"No please," I said.
"I can't. I hate it. I'll cry."
Too late. I was already crying.
They all stopped. Looked at each other.
"Fine," one said. "No lipstick. No eyeshadow. Just skincare and light blush. Natural glow. Royal touch." God bless you lady.
I sniffled. Accepted my fate.
Once it was all done, they helped me into the gown. Tucked. Clipped. Fluffed. Pinned. I was Cinderella.
But more confused.
Because I still didn't know why they were doing this for me.
Leave this... And now I'm fully ready. Roaming around the home. Visit every room and saw uncle was kicked out from his own room. Busy with his phone. And guess what, it will take more than 2 hours for the makeup! of Aunt and Liza.
I'm still thinking why people applying peach coloured cement on their faces? I have no choice but yes to back to my room where the real human beings doing more finishing like I'm their canvas and they are leonardo Da Vinci. Arg..
By the way, yes I'm still nervous for the Gala...