"about yesterday. I'm sorry."

Running out of the chaos going down at home, I head to school.

I stand in the hallway, waiting for Laura to grab her books so we can head to class. My attention's focused on non-other but Ash himself. His so-called friends are behind him laughing together while he leads the way outside school all cold and serious.

"Hey," Laura swinging a notebook in front of me, "you zoned out… again…"

"Why do you think villains exist?" I ask, leaning on the lockers behind me.

"Wha…" she looks at me confused.

"if they're so bad and everyone dislikes them, why do they exist? Or maybe I asked the wrong question. Why do heroes exist? I mean, I think everyone's a villain, whether they ended but being one because of the environment around them or let their desires take over-"

"Alright, you've officially gone crazy." She closes the locker and pulls me to class. "come on, babe. Let's go."

I sit in class, zoned out while the teacher's explaining. I really, really, really, wanna get to know this guy called Ash. I wanna see his limits to manipulating and playing those games Felix mentioned. Manipulation… let's brainstorm that real quick. Controlling the environment skillfully to get what one wants. Usually, it's unfair and can lead to people getting emotionally hurt; sometimes physically but that depends on the people's measures they'd take to satisfy the manipulator.

I've always been fascinated by that. I fail to grasp the techniques one can use to manipulate anything into what they want. I know them as what the book says, I don't know how I can use them. I can spot them from afar yet can't master the skill.

Though, who knows? I might be a manipulative bitch, but I don't know.

Wait… what if I really am? I mean, it would make sense. Switching personalities to cover my actual feelings towards people is anything but normal. This is why I hate myself honestly.

The reason I want to get involved with Ash is that I want to study his behavior. I wanna know how does he do it? Being comfortable showing that side that would do nothing but repel people from around him. All I see is power, though. People are still around him but respect him cause they know he can destroy them if he wants to.

Mom used to tell her sisters when they meet that being a woman in itself is powerful. You can seduce whoever to get what you want.

Seduction is manipulation women mostly use; I agree. Though, I don't see my mom's point that being a woman is powerful.

Most women I have met are emotionally scarred and lurk in the shadows, afraid to get hurt again.

Emotions…

Emotions. Emotions. Emotions.

Such a powerful abstract.

It's not being a woman that is power, but how you can play with other's emotions and handle your own well.

Yes! This is what manipulation is.

"Ms. Reese?" the teacher calls out and I am back in class.

I look around me to see none of the students I was with here. My eyes drift to the familiar beneath-ears-length hair. I smile to myself while grabbing my stuff to leave the class. He didn't notice me which is cool.

I check my phone as everyone on our cafeteria table keeps talking about their days. I check up on Mirai and Kyle and thankfully they're alright.

"By the way, I won't be able to skate today. I gotta catch up on my studies. I slacked the whole year and exams are coming up." Eric states followed by everyone agreeing and mourning over the disaster they got themselves into.

"So, no night meetings anymore," Felix mutters.

"No, we're just putting it on hold." Laura corrects.

"Now that we got this covered, Anne, would you please help us?" Eric begs and Felix joins.

She squirms nervously and looks at Jaden. "Alright, I don't think there will be a problem tutoring you guys."

Did I just pick up on something disgusting? Is there something going on between those two?

"Can I join?" Laura begs, nervously smiling.

"Of course," she looks away, softly blushing.

Wait. Why is she blushing from Laura? Is she crushing over everyone? God, why is she so soft and gooey?

"Faye?" Anne calls me which catches me off guard. Can she read minds now?

I smile, internally screaming and anxious, "Yes?"

"Are you joining us?" she innocently asks.

I laugh nervously and shake my head.

They can't take my only therapy alternative to study and I won't even study with them.

Jaden confirms with her that he's coming too.

This cold aura fills the air. I feel like someone's eyes are piercing through my back. I slowly turn around to look behind me, but I find no one. Shivers are sent down my spines. It's not getting any better. No one's there. Why do I feel like I am being watched then?

My phone buzzes to my dad sending me a text that he will be home late or might even not come at all for the next few days.

*This doesn't have anything to do with mom, does it?

I send. He views it and doesn't reply. Moments later he responds,

*work stuff I'll tell you everything when I get back :)

I head back home temporarily to check on Mirai and Kyle, making sure everything's okay. Mom's here so everything should be fine.

"I'm heading out," I announce.

"Where to?" mom asks.

"Study group session. Later." I don't give her a chance to hold a conversation.

Oh, coffee, coffee, coffee…

The second-best thing in this world.

I take a seat in my usual spot, watching people slide around the rink as I drink my coffee. One of the guys who hang out here the most trips off his board while attempting to do a trick. He remains silent for a second, trying to hold in the pain but then screams from the intolerable agony that the fall caused. He twitches on the ground, rocking back and forth while holding his leg, whaling from the pain. Not too long after, the whole park surrounds him to check up on him while some of them call an ambulance.

It looks like it's getting actually serious. I go to check up on him as well only to find his ankle's twisted and internally bleeding. I look at his face indifferently then back to his ankle. His screams are like lullabies to my ears. I try to hold back my laugh. It burst uncontrollably so I cover my mouth so that I look like I am actually sick of the hideous view.

God, I need to get out of here.

When the ambulance arrives, non-other than Ash himself helps the guy up into the car. After the crowd disperses, Ash stands there at the opposite side, looking at me directly. I wipe my nonexistent tears and look down while I walk back to my seat.

Midway back, I decide to return to meet Ash. I have no idea how I will start the conversation, but it'll definitely go along the lines of apologizing for yesterday's rude behaviors that I definitely don't feel bad about at all.

"Hey," I act nervous.

I am using every ounce of energy I have to hold my laugh at my flawless act.

"about yesterday. I'm sorry," I nearly whisper, looking at the ground then up to him.

He remains silent for a moment as he traces my face with his eyes while slyly smiling.

Oh, I see you. Good thing I kept my guard up. No one would be this obvious analyzing facial expressions. He's trying to get a reaction from me or see right through me. Good thing I mastered looking innocent.

He snickers, "Don't worry about it. How was the book?" his cold monotone voice catches me off guard for a second.

"I didn't finish it. My friends came after you left so I had to put it away." I say and he nods, not taking his eyes off me. I point at his board, "Can you teach me how to skate as well?"

And that's where our love would start. Hopefully. I want to manipulate him into loving me and I am sure he will want to as well if he finds me vulnerable enough. He is a sadist according to Felix, so this should do.

He laughs softly, giving me a questioning look. "Really?"

Now, I'm confused. What's going on in his head? He's hard to read.

I look away, trying to figure out what could the response be. It didn't take seconds for me to give up. I shake my head. "Never mind then,"

Although I didn't intend to sound disappointed that he declined the offer, I sure did. Though, my intention was to drop this idle conversation until I come up with a solid plan to approach him.

"What school do you go to?" he interrupts before I head back to my seat.

"Why are you so obsessed with knowing?" I smile, furrowing my eyes in confusion.

"Because you didn't tell me you go to the same school last time I saw you," he titles his head as the corner of his mouth twitch. "you're that girl who zoned out in when the class was over and the one who sits with that lame group, aren't you?"

So, he noticed me during class, I see. And that piercing feeling at my back in the cafeteria was him watching me.

Oh, well. Guess the sweet, innocent act won't last for long if he keeps triggering me like this. But I want something, so I need to control myself to get it. How should I respond to this though? Everything's coming to mind right now either sounds flirty or sassy. Nothing fits the sweet character I'm pulling off.

I guess I'll just blush and look away.

"Oh, don't worry, I wasn't watching over you or anything. We just happen to cross paths, it seems. Besides you're the one who kept staring yesterday and today morning. Do I pique your interest?"

Why isn't there a slight hint of emotion in his voice? He is so unreadable; it's frustrating. It feels like if I answered that question agreeing or denying, I'll get punished.

Maybe Felix was right. I shouldn't have interacted with him. He's scaring the shit out of me with his cold-ass voice and emotionless face.

Regardless, I won't stand there and do nothing. I control the situation. I want something and I'll get it. Maybe I got a hint of it and now I wanna back down. UGH! His face is stressing me out. He is arousing too many emotions in me and not the good ones.

"maybe…" I sing, looking away shyly.

"Do your friends know about that?"

"No?" this is genuine confusion. I am not even putting an act. Why is he asking about this? And what's even more strange, his shoulders loosen up.

I mean, Felix knows I got eyes on him and warned me. Oh-

Alright, I get it.

He cracks a smile, "So tell me what piqued your interest?"

His voice and demeanor changed drastically from cold and intimidating to normal yet still not approachable. Did I just do that?

Alright…

My smile spreads wide across my face. I am heading to the right road.

Now back to the question. What piqued my interest?

I can't possibly state that I wanna know how far he can go torturing people's mentality for his own pleasure and how he does it.

Nothing else about him piques my interest. Maybe how everyone is terrified of him? But I can't ask that or mention it because it will make me seem like I am keen and of course this isn't what I wanna portray.

So, what piques my interest?

I look down and point at the board. "You're the only one who does amazing stunts out of everyone here."

That's right. Why else would I approach him from the beginning? Oh, wait, that because I wanted to apologize. But I did ask him to teach me. That supports my claim.

He scoffs, looking down.

Damn. This laugh of his really triggers me on a different level. He makes me question what's he thinking.

"Is that what you learned from your little book you're reading? To throw a simple everyday answer that's believable enough so no one would question your actual intentions?" he leans in, staring right through my eyes and into my soul.

What the f-