Chapter 3

As I reach the library, I try to take a book from the book shelf, but I can't reach my hands there. I begin to jump to take that book. However, I feel someone wrapped their hands around my waist from behind. I flinch from the abrupt touch and turn to see. The moment I see that person's face, my lips widen in a big grin. 

His dark brown eyes match with mine, the black leather jacket he has worn over the white tee—is adorning his features. His hair neatly combed and polished back, leaving a stand of hair in front of his right eye. He winks at me. As tears well up in my eyes, I grasp his t-shirt and pull him for a hug. It's my boyfriend, my Aiden. 

“Missed me?” he asks. 

I nod as tears start shedding from my eyes over his t-shirt one by one, recalling the moments of morning when Ethan told me that he likes me and wants to date me. I am not feeling good about it.

Aiden pulls me away from him and cups my face, furrowing his brows.

“Hey! Mad girl. Did someone say something?” 

He wipes my tears with his thumbs.

“No.” 

I shake my head, staring at my feet. I'm feeling under the weather because of Ethan's proposal. Thousands of boys have proposed to me, and I've always rejected everyone without feeling bad about it. But this time I'm feeling strange. I'm feeling bad about it.

“Then why are you crying? Missing your parents?” he scowls. I look into his eyes.  “A boy proposed to me today,” I admit. 

I don't like any other boy seeing me and liking me. I only want my boyfriend to look at me, not any other boy.

“So? Is that a thing to cry over?” he asks and chuckles. I gasp and gaze down. He doesn't understand how I feel when a random boy proposes to me. I hate that thing. 

“Hey! Baby. Don't cry. You are beautiful, that's why he proposed to you. You should be happy. I'm taking you on a date tomorrow. Don't cry, otherwise your eyes will turn puffy till the morning.” He embraces me in a tight hug. I chuckle at his words as he continues. “Your tears hurt me most. Please, don't cry.” 

I nod as I wipe my tears. 

“Now give me a kiss,” he says as he pulls me away from him. 

“No!” I widen my eyes and shake my head.

“Why not? Every girlfriend does that. Are you not my girlfriend?” he asks, raising his brows. 

“I don't feel comfortable for now,” I say and look into his eyes. He gasps and kisses my cheek. “I'll wait for you,” he whispers against my skin.

I flash a wide grin, hearing that. I cup his face and start caressing his soft clean shaven cheeks. He wraps his hands around my waist. 

“What are you doing babe?”

“Why do you like me?” I ask in curiosity. I've asked him thousands of times but he never tells. I want to know why he likes me. Is it just because he found me beautiful just like other boys or something else? 

“Because you are sexy. I always wanted to have a sexy girlfriend to flex.” 

He grins showing his teeth. My mouth drops wide as I start taking rapid breaths in fury. So, it means he's the same as others. Nothing special.

“Bye!” I push him slowly and turn to leave. He grasps my wrist tightly and pulls me for a back hug. 

“Do you really not know why I like you?” he whispers in my ear. 

“No,” I utter. He turns me to face him and cups my face into his big hands.

“Because almost every other girl has shown interest in me, but you…you rejected me. You've done something that I thought no girl could ever do.” 

I furrow my brows and stare at him.

“What did I do?” I don't know what he's talking about. What did I do to him? I did nothing. 

He chuckles and pulls me closer more. “Made me fall in love,” he murmurs. My heart beat increases as he leans on me. “I love you,” he whispers in my ear, his breathing brushing against my neck. 

As my cheeks heat up, I glance away briefly and smile. 

“Someone is feeling shy. Huh!” he mocks playfully. I chuckle and shake my head. “Someone will see us, Aiden. Let me go now,” I beg him. I don't want anyone to see us this close, otherwise they'll get to know that we are couples.

“Let them see then,” he whispers, as he trails over my neck and begins planting soft kisses on my neck. “Aiden, please,” I insist. He pulls away quietly. “Why do you not want people to know about us?” he asks, his eyes searching for mine.

“Because…so many girls like you. If they get to know about us then they will start bullying me. I don't want to risk my life. It's better to keep it private.” 

I gaze down at my feet. I know he might not like my demeanor but I really don't want people to know about us. I don't want to lose him at any cost. 

“You don't need to worry about people. I love you and I won't let anything happen to you,” he announces, cupping my face. 

I look into his eyes and I grin shyly as my heart starts pounding in my chest. He really cares about me.

As he leans on me to kiss my lips, I push him and walk away from him. “Bye. Good night,” I murmur.

I hear his laugh. My heart is beating very fast. I didn't want anyone to hear its sound so I ran away from him in a hurry. Why do I feel like this? I never felt like this before. Whenever Aiden is around me, I feel butterflies in my stomach. Why's that?

I am walking down the corridor lost in thoughts of Aiden; and all of a sudden I encounter someone. That boy's books fall down. I sit on my knees and start picking up his books. When I raise my head to say sorry, I see that it is Ethan. Our gazes match and we get lost in each other's eyes for a second. I glance away as I struggle to breathe. 

“I'm sorry.” 

I give him his books and glance up into his eyes again. I swallow nervously. Today his hair is open and it's falling on his face. His steady gaze at me always makes me feel anxious. 

“It’s fine.” 

He moves his hair away from his face as we both stand up. I gulp my saliva down; and as I walk away from him, I hear, “I really like you Belle.” 

I stop and turn to see him. He's staring into my eyes.

“Make me your boyfriend,” he insists. I gasp and gaze down. “Look, Mr. Wilson…I've already told you that I have a boyfriend.” 

He takes slow steps towards me. His one hand inside his black baggy cargo pants pockets and his gaze fixed over me.

“So you are worried that you have a boyfriend. Fine. I'll talk to him.” I gawk at him, my eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets. “Tell me who he is,” he adds. I puzzle over the situation, my brows furrow deeply. 

“What!” I scowl. 

He nods and takes more steps towards me. I swallow hard and start walking backwards. We both are glaring into each other's eyes. I flinch as my back touches the wall. I start taking rapid breaths as he puts his arms on the wall. 

“I'll tell him that I like you and I want you. I'll ask him to break up with you. Tell me who he is,” he demands.

I grit my teeth and start breathing heavily in anger.

“Why do you think that I'll tell you about my boyfriend?” 

He squints his eyes. “Why can't you tell me? Are you scared that I'm more good looking than him?” he says with a proud smirk on his face. I give him a death glare. “Who said that you're good looking? He'll beat you after knowing that you are troubling his girlfriend,” I growl, with a tight jaw holding my anger back. I am frustrated with this boy. 

“Fine. Then I will invite him to have a fight with me,” he says and smirks at me. “Are you mad? You want to fight with him,” I scream aloud. My eyes pop out in astonishment. I'm stunned by his words. How can he think of fighting with my boyfriend? 

“Yeah. Why not? If he wins then I'll never show you my face again but if I win…” He leans over me. Our bodies are just an inch away. My chest heaving up and down in cadence as I glance at my feet briefly. “Then I'll take you with me in front of his eyes,” he whispers slowly. 

I widen my eyes and look into his eyes. His gaze makes me nervous. He stares into my eyes silently everytime and doesn't even blink. Something is truly strange about him. He's strange. 

“I'm not any competition that you'll win by fighting with others. I'm a human. I have a boyfriend and I love him. Please, try to understand. I don't want to involve him in any kind of fight.” 

“Leave him then,” he demands. 

“What! Are you serious?” I blink in disbelief.

“Yeah. You are worried for him. He'll be safe if you take this option.” 

My mouth drops open. I gasp and grit my teeth. 

“I'm not worried about him. I'm worried about you. He can literally kill you in anger. You don't know his anger yet.” 

He smirks at me all of a sudden. “You are worried about me. Wow!” A pink tint forms over his cheeks. My jaw drops. I didn't mean that. How delusional he is. 

“But don't need to worry. You don't know me yet. No one can fight with Ethan. No one means no one. You should be worried about your boyfriend.”

“Look mister. I am not interested in any other boy because I already have a boyfriend.” 

I grit my teeth, glaring into his eyes. 

“Leave him. End your relationship with him,” he demands and clenches his jaw.

What kind of person is this guy? How can someone be this stubborn?

“You want me to leave my boyfriend. For you! Huh! I will never leave him for anyone.”

As he squints his eyes, he smirks, staring at me silently. “You will leave him and obviously for me.” As he leans on me, I shut my eyes close, clenching my fists tightly. “I promise that,” he whispers in my ear.

I don't think I can talk to him anymore. I don't want to talk. He thinks he can make me leave my baby. No. That will never happen. I love Aiden. And no third person can interfere between us.

“That will never happen,” I challenge, giving a death glare to him. 

“Are you challenging me? I always win Miss Dubois,” he states. He's glaring into my eyes steadily.

“And I don't know how to lose Mr. Wilson,” I announce, determination fueling in my eyes. 

He smirks at me. “I'm Ethan……Ethan Wilson. And Ethan Wilson can do anything in this world. Remember that Miss Dubois,” he says. 

He stares at me one last time before walking away from there, and in a few seconds—he's gone. He's behaving like he really loves me. I know boys very well. In a few days, he will get tired of all this and back off the idea of dating me on his own just like other guys. I hope that day comes sooner.