III

With first-day wishes, the Dean dismissed the class with an ear-to-ear smile. It was a beautiful day except for an unexpected encounter with the rude seniors. The classmates were cool. The atmosphere looked suitable, but they didn’t know what awaited them at the next moment. 

As the Dean went out of the class, the seniors entered with a grimace on their faces. “Sit down, all of you,” Victor announced in a firm voice.

“Good afternoon, everyone.”

“I hope you all had a wonderful day, but now it’s time for the real college.”

Everyone looked at each other with confused faces.

“Let’s introduce yourself. Who wants to go first?” another senior said.

They did what they instructed to them. One after another, they introduced themselves, giving seniors time to make fun of them. When the introduction ended, the seniors announced the rules. And the condition might develop if they don’t follow it.

The whispers of consequences filled the room, and Xander entered the classroom. Everyone cocked towards him as the man captured everyone’s attention. Pin-drop silence was in the air, as every girl’s eyes were on this handsome hunk. He knew he had the power to control them all; he loved it.

He scanned every face with his piercing gaze as Victor moved toward him and whispered something.

“The girl on the second last bench. She was the one at the canteen.”

Xander tilted his body to get a good look at the girl; Aoife didn’t understand what happened as everyone gawked at her face. “Everyone, get out,” Xander thundered without breaking his gaze from Aoife’s face.

Precipitously, everyone started putting their stuff and walked out. “Except you.” Xander pointed to Aoife.

Aoife looked at Luka with wide eyes. Something told her she had made a big mistake. “Luka.” She rolled her lower lip into her mouth. “Be quiet. Don’t talk back; look down,” Luka instructed in minimum words before he headed out of the class.

There were only senior students, and Aoife left in the classroom.

~Xander~

‘New birdie,’ that’s what I called her. After all, the information I collected about her told me she was new to the city. That excites me when I see the fear crawling in those eyes, which were new to this place. 

I decided to play with this new girl, thought I would make her feel vulnerable about herself, but I didn’t know what was waiting for me in that classroom. I entered the room with the full strength of freshman meat, waiting for us to scare the hell out of them. I was enjoying myself till Victor came and pointed my visions towards my new toy.

From where I saw her, she looked scared. A well-knitted smile played on my face like a kid wanted to play with his toy. But when she stood and took her calculative steps toward me, my inner beast was startled by her perfect curves aligned with her jeans and tank top. I saw many girls who wanted to show their bodies to lure boys, but I could see she was casual with her clothes.

She seemed like a treasure underneath those casuals, and the first instinct that clicked was to see her without it. Am I a bad guy? No. It was not only me; everyone looked at her with the same carnivorous peer. She walked towards me, keeping her gaze down.

Indeed, she is a beautiful piece of art. It gave me more chances to explore every bit of her body. Her long legs and tiny waist caught my peer while my eyes traveled over her flawless skin. Her ponytail exposed long could make a man beg on his knees.

But did I forget, I am XANDER BASTON?

“Ah.. em,” I gulped, suppressing the beast inside me.

She stood there like a mannequin, and all I could feel was her fragrance at the top of my nostrils. 

“What’s your name?” I surface my voice.

“Aoife Marshall,” she whispered.

Her big eyelashes blinked twice behind her spectacles, but her eyes looked down.

“Do you know why I stopped you?” My eyes shifted from her lashes towards her pouty pink lips. A Black mole complemented her lips when she sucked her lower lip. Her cheeks could give competition to the tomatoes.

 I didn’t know if she answered my question or not. I was busy exploring her beauty. She lifted her hand as she rested her hair strand behind her ears.

Suddenly my eyes caught on the tattoo on her wrist.

“El Amor Nunca Falla- N.M.” (Love Never Fails-NM)

“What’s that?” I questioned.

She creased her brows at me. “It’s personal,” she answered.

“Ok, Miss Aoife Marshall. I am here to warn your senior. Follow the rules. Otherwise, these people here will make your life miserable. And this is your last warning after what you have done in the canteen.” I jeered, looking at her.

“But...” she whispered and stopped herself.

She looked at me with her intense gaze.

“Did you just answer me back?”

“Take out those,” I signaled her to take out her spectacles.

She took it out, and her big blue sapphire eyes gawked out at me. It took me a minute to scan those beautiful orbs hiding behind those spectacles. “It was not my mistake. One of your friends called me baby girl,” she murmured.

I stood as I darkened my shadow on her, tilted near her ear lobes. God! I wish I had wanted to touch this doll, but I had to stop myself. “I don’t care. Better be careful, little birdie. Otherwise, I have to chop your wings.” 

She gulped the fear and looked at me from the corner of her eyes.

“And next time, keep your eyes down,” I added. I came back to my old position without breaking my vision from her face.

“Did you understand me?” I said in a pissed voice.

“Yes,” her voice distorted.

“Yes, what?” I ruffed again at her.

Tears rolled from her eyes as she answered in her distorted voice.

“Yes, Sir,” she wiped her cheeks.

“Can I go?” She added immediately.

I didn’t answer her as I watched her red cheeks flush out.

Everyone started laughing at her. She waited for my answer and closed her eyes with all this humiliation.

“Go,” I answered.

She immediately grabbed her bag and ran away, leaving her spectacles behind.

~Aoife~

What was I thinking of choosing this college for my studies?

These are animals. They humiliated me in front of everyone. I am going to file a complaint against all these bullies. I wiped my tears as I remembered I forgot my glasses on the table.

Should I go back and ask for my glasses? Or should I leave? After waiting a while, I mustered some courage to go back. I didn’t have extra spectacles for me, and it would be difficult for me to get a new one in such a short time. I exhaled my pain and walked back. Keeping my eyes down, I knocked on the classroom door.

From the corner of my eyes, I saw they were playing a blind game, keeping my glasses on them. “Can I take my glasses?” I whispered. Victor headed towards me, but Xander stopped him.

He took the glasses from his hand and closed the gap between us. I didn’t know why he did that, but I hated him for the humiliation he gave me.

“Here, take it,” he whispered in a lower voice.

I extended my hand, and he slowly touched my hand and placed the glasses on my hand. His touch gave me a shiver for a second, but I shook it away when I realized everyone was looking at me. I could feel he was watching me with his piercing eyes.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

He stood there watching me, and I left the room without looking back.

Tomorrow, I will file a complaint against them.

I will teach them a lesson.