Chapter 3: Light & Darkness

Selah sat uncomfortably on the cafeteria chair, trying to avoid Archer's eyes. He's looking at her with such a curious expression, but she doesn't have the courage to sit with him and say hi. Archer looks very cold, he aggravates Selah's shyness, which is not like her at all. She's assertive and brave, she doesn't get so easily intimidated. But those auburn balls of mystery seem to dive deeper than her soul.

The tension just eased when Archer stood and left the cafeteria. Whispers started to buzz. The subject of the past days' gossip already appeared for the entire school to see. And apparently, he just drove girls even wilder. Anna just sighed and turned to her friend seated quietly beside her.

"Look at these little crazies. I'm betting Archer is already annoyed with them," she said, looking around with a contorted face. "They've been hounding him since this morning. Especially that Olivia. She's really getting on my nerves. First, you. Now, Archer."

Selah was a little surprised that Anna was familiar with what happened two weeks ago. No one knows except Olivia and her gang. Selah didn't want to tell anyone, especially Anna, since she'd surely lecture her about patience and peace. But she defended herself. She defended her faith. Maybe not in the way that Anna would defend hers, but she defended it like she was supposed to.

"What of me?"

"Oh, don't deny it. I know what happened. I also know you didn't want me to know. And I want to tell you that if your faith causes you to get into fights, you're doing it wrong. We don't fight back, Sel." Anna's voice was as soothing as the expression on her face. "But you already know that, don't you? Keep it in mind. I'm just concerned right now about Archer."

"It looks like Archer doesn't care," Selah answered absent-mindedly. She didn't want to argue anymore. She's expected Anna's lecturing already, and there's nothing much she can do about it. She'll just assume her friend was right, being older in faith. "He's too absorbed by his own thoughts."

"Yeah, he doesn't care about anything but you." Anna didn't bother to filter her words. Her friend turned to her with a raised eyebrow. She chuckled mildly. She knows everyone noticed, and that would give Olivia more reason to bully Selah. And she also saw how the young Christian looked at the new guy with such wondering eyes. "I must warn you about two things, dear little Selah. First, interest grows. And it is not bad in itself, but if misplaced, it could be dangerous. Second, never be unequally yoked. You're already set apart. Don't immerse yourself in the depths of human depravity."

Selah looked at her friend, astonished. Anna sees things that she fails to see in herself. But for her, those words mean nothing. She's not going to get unequally yoked, nor is she going to immerse herself in something that might corrupt her. She's had enough already with Krouen bruising her every now and then, and people mocking her because she's a ʼwar freak Christian.ʼ

It's just a little interest. That is all.

That should be all.

~~~

The students went back to their classrooms and have their review for the upcoming quizzes. Olivia and her squad were sitting in the first row, and just like what they always do when the teacher isn't around, they would backbite anyone whom they see as their rival. She was aiming to be on top of the class, however, Selah is not allowing any spot for Olivia's rivalry.

"Did you just see that earlier?" The girl giggles.

Her friends cracked a little laughter and they proceeded to discuss what happened earlier. "He's the new boy in class, right? I bet he's gonna court you!" Says one of her friends, Fiona.

"He's so cool, I think I just fell in love." Hera blurted which made Olivia frown at her.

"Stop it, he's mine!"

"Well, let's see about that."

"How about the competition then? Whoever catches his heart first, then she win."

Upon hearing the suggestions of Olivia's friends, she felt challenged. She is somehow confident that Archer would be hers, all she has to do is display her charm and seduce him. But her thoughts are way too risky, and she is unaware of that.

When the class began, Selah in the middle row was reviewing her study notes. A top student like her has to study from time to time, or else, Olivia and her minions would get in the way. She hates it when she finds herself dying over academics. She wants to do it without breaking any sweat.

"Hey, Selah. Have you finished your artwork recently?" Anna brushed off her feet toward her friend's direction, and teasing Selah has become part of her daily routine. She is aware that her friend has short-tempered and she likes it when she is teasing Selah.

"I haven't lain my fingers on it for days now, why?" Selah continued to flip over her pages not laying a single eye on her friend, Anna.

With a little surprise on her face, she raised her brows at the young girl who has been trying to stay focused on her study. "Wait, what? Are you having some kind of artist's block or something? Much similar to writer's block."

"Maybe I lack motivation," Selah mumbled. Her heart says the opposite because right now, she felt this sudden urge to sketch something or someone.

"Haven't you found something motivational these days? I thought Archer would be enough though." Anna cracked a teasing smile at her and poked her friend's cheek.

"Stop it."

When Anna Harper noticed that Selah seems not in the mood, she decided to stop annoying her and changed the topic. "Oh, right. We will be having a bible study at home tonight. You're coming, okay? I'm going to invite some of my friends too. It'll be so great."

"Yeah, who's sharing this time?" As expected, she grabbed Selah's attention.

"Probably Hayes, my cousin. Oh, let's invite Krouen too!"

With a glare, Selah shut her friend. "Are you being serious? There's no way I'm going to invite him over for a bible study, he doesn't even know what kindness or love is. He can't listen to us."

"You're being judgmental, we won't know unless we try. Besides, it's not us who change people, it is God."

Unable to go against Anna's thoughts, Selah kept quiet and fixed her gaze on the notebook she has been checking on. However, her mind got distracted, and her eyes accidentally landed on Archer Evanz at the window who sat one seat apart from her. His attention was on his phone screen, probably checking something yet Selah seems surprised when he averted his eyes and end up looking on her way.

Their eyes met, and Selah couldn't compose a single sentence about how she felt.

Emptiness. Darkness. Danger.

But she is certain that something ticklish was inside her stomach. Butterflies?