Strange behavior

Damien Morgan leaned against the wall of the locker room, a towel draped around his neck, his post-practice adrenaline still surging through his veins. Soccer practice had just ended, but instead of the usual high of competition, he found himself staring into nothingness, his mind far away. The rhythmic clatter of lockers opening and closing and the camaraderie of his teammates faded into a dull backdrop, merely white noise to an overwhelming thought that had taken root in his mind, Gabrielle Park.

How annoying it was. That fiery confrontation with the curly-haired girl replayed in his mind, over and over like a broken record, pulling him into her world. Her bright hazel eyes, vibrant with indignation, and that untamed mass of curls bouncing with every passionate word tugged at something inside him. It was strange, an odd sense of warmth filled him whenever he thought of her, and that warmth made him uneasy. This wasn’t how things were supposed to be for him.

He shook his head, attempting to clear the thoughts pummeling him. “Get a grip, Morgan,” he muttered to himself. “She’s just a naive girl, totally not your type. What are you thinking?” He felt irritated, almost offended by the way his body reacted to the mere memory of her.

He remembered how she had stood there, fists clenched, red cheeks highlighting the determination in her gaze. “You think you know me,” she’d challenged, and somehow it bothered him to think she might be right. Was he really the kind of guy who was just here to wreak havoc with no regard for moral codes?

Yet, behind that naïveté, lay a pure fire that intrigued him, unlike the superficiality of the girls who typically threw themselves at him. Damien had always attracted attention, he was the bad boy, the rebel with messy hair and a inclination for trouble. It was effortless to charm his way into dates, and his reputation ensured he was always surrounded by admirers. Yet that allure had become tiresome. Flings that promised excitement faded into dull disappointment, a carousel of giggles and fake smiles that felt so far removed from anything real.

Now, thoughts of those hazel eyes nudged at his conscience like persistent taunts. He found himself zoning out during soccer practices, the adrenaline and cheers of his teammates lost on him as he mentally replayed their encounter. Was she really so blind to the reality of their world? Or was her lack of experience a refreshing counterpoint to the plasticity that often extended throughout Green Valley? Damien found himself thinking more about that hazel eyed girl with wild brown curls, his heart vibrating ever so loud in his chest every-time he thought of her.

One minute, Damien would scold himself for finding her so captivating, her innocence seeming like a fantasy in the face of their ruthless social hierarchy. The next few days, he felt oddly comforted by the sheer simplicity of her presence, consumed by the thoughts of her.

There was something refreshing about the way she hadn’t been interested to play around with him, normally he would have been offended, like which girl did not know who he was, which girl did not want to step into the fame and clout of being associated with the Morgan family, even if it was for a day.Then there was her…,this rattled him. It was shaking up the status quo he had grown settled into.

“Hey, D! You’re daydreaming again!” his teammate Leo’s voice sliced through Damien’s thoughts. Damien grunted, rubbing the back of his neck and forcing a grin. “Yeah, whatever. Just thinking about strategy.”

But Damian wasn’t thinking about any strategy; he was thinking about a girl. The way she stood up to him, the way her curls framed her face, wild and untamed, just like her spirit. He found himself subconsciously searching for her throughout the school day. The moment class ended, he’d cast glances into the halls, hoping to catch another glimpse of that girl who had somehow imprinted herself in his thoughts.

However, every time he spotted her, he found himself trailing off. His focus would leave practice, questions of soccer strategies swirling in his head, but he’d rather linger on thoughts of how she’d scold him, how she had push back against his overwhelming confidence. It had become a puzzle he didn't want to solve but couldn’t help wanting to play with.

He chuckled bitterly to himself. What was happening to him? Damien Morgan, the “bad boy”, daydreaming about a girl who had scolded him for his nonchalance. Yet he found solace in the earlier conversations echoing in his mind. Her laughter had a different timbre, more genuine and light than the tainted giggles of the flirtatious girls who usually melted under his charm.

Despite his discomfort with the notion, he found himself contrasting Gabrielle with Katrina , a second-year girl with similar curls and caramel skin. Katrina was attractive, bubbly, and an easy distraction with bright hazel eyes that made him double-take.

But even as they chatted, shared laughter, and flirted innocently, all he could think about was how she wasn’t Gabrielle . In moments of casual flirtation with Katrina , a dull void pulsed in Damien chest, reminding him of the one he couldn’t shake.

“Dude, you coming?” Leo called out, his brows furrowing at Damien’s apparent daydreaming. The team was heading out for a late lunch in the cafeteria, but Damien hesitated. The thought of his usual surroundings seemed mundane, uninteresting without Gabrielle’s fiery spirit to disrupt the monotony.

Suddenly restless, he muttered, “I’ll catch up with you later,” and made his way outside, brain racing, searching for some semblance of clarity. He needed air, he needed to think, to think about why someone so earnest could get under his skin so liberally.

As he wandered around the school grounds, he scanned the area, hoping…unreasonably to catch sight of her. With every failed glance, frustration drummed in his chest, the faces of other girls blurring into one. There was no allure in them; they all felt the same: eager to impress and dress up with painted nails and perfect hair, just so they could gain attention.

In the midst of his searching, he spotted Gabrielle sitting under the old oak tree, textbooks spread across her lap, curly hair bouncing in the gentle breeze. She was muttering to herself, brow furrowed in concentration, completely immersed in her world, oblivious to his presence.

It was the image of her fully engrossed in learning that sculpted a grin on his face, unveiling something he had not felt in years, it was full of admiration and an unexpected shade of longing. But the moment faded when a flock of his classmates approached. Damien couldn’t help but cringe as they veered closer to where Gabrielle sat, effortlessly pulling her attention away from her studies.

“Hey, gorgeous,” one called, flashing a blinding smile that turned to arrogance when directed at her. “Want to join us? We’re discussing the soccer practices and how the team is crushing it!”

Gabrielle, caught off guard, looked up with surprise. It was as if she was being thrust into a world she didn’t quite belong in. Damien felt a wave of annoyance crash over him, his fists clenched, watching as she glanced from one smirking face to the next. Why did it bother him so much? Why did he care?

“Um, thanks, guys, but I really have to study,” she replied shyly.

“Oh come on, don’t be boring! Join us!” another teased, leaning down closer while others chuckled knowingly.

He couldn’t take it any longer. A protective instinct surged through him, unexpected yet undeniable. “Hey!” he snapped, approaching them with a scowl plastered on his face. “Give her some space!”

“Relax, D. We’re just trying to be friendly,” one of them smirked back, but Damien could see the way they eyed Gabrielle. A sense of protectiveness rose in his chest, compelling him to take a step closer to her, causing the other guys to back off.

“Friendly, huh?” he spat, glaring at the cocky group. “She said she’s busy! Back away.”

“Wow, Damien. Did you finally decide to be a knight in shining armor?” one of them quipped, laughter ringing in the air.

“Shut up,” he shot back, turning to Gabrielle, who was staring at him with wide, confused eyes. He felt caught in a moment he didn’t know how to navigate, but there was something earnest in her gaze that made his heart race with the hope of belonging in a world that felt foreign.

Then he just turned and left her there, going back to his dorm room to think about the sudden outburst that had just happened.

He wanted to hear her voice again, but he was lost for words, what could be say? Would he say Hi? Or would his tongue get tied up and his would look like a fool? For hours he spent debating on what he would say when he do see’s her again