Innocent Temptation

Prologue

PROLOGUE

Aira bounced out of the classroom, clutching her test paper tightly in her hand. The bright red ‘A+’ at the top made her heart swell with pride. Finally, all those hours of studying had paid off. She couldn’t wait to show it to her parents and Mrs Colson who had helped her to get this A+.

As she made her way to the schoolyard, her steps light with happiness, she noticed a group of girls huddled together, whispering and casting furtive glances in her direction. Aira’s smile faltered, a flicker of unease creeping into her excitement as she recognised Sarah standing there with an evil smirk on her face with her pose of minions who always found something to tease her about.

Ignoring the knot of anxiety tightening in her stomach, Aira quickened her pace, hoping to avoid any confrontation. But as soon as she passed them, their giggles turned into loud, mocking laughter.

“Hey, look who’s here!” One of them called out, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “The one who loves to walk around with tissues hanging down her skirt.”

“Maybe because she needs them handy.” One of the others snickered.

Aira’s cheeks burned with embarrassment as she tried to walk past them without letting their words hurt her much. But that was an impossible feet to achieve for a ten year old girl who had somehow ended up on the wrong side of the sixteen years old mean teenagers who had taken upon themselves to make her school life hell and bullied her every chance they got.

At first Aira hadn’t understood why they were targeting her but then one of her classmates explained that it was because they had seen her coming and going to and from school with Macalister. The handsome boy that everyone in the school wanted to be friends with and girls wanted him for something that Aira didn’t fully understand.

“Did you get an A+?” A hand snatched her test paper from her small hand and Sarah said, “Oh, she did get an A+.”

“Is it for wiping your arse right?”

Everyone laughed and tears threatened to spill over as Aira stood there trying to get her test paper back. Sarah held the paper up, a foot taller than her little form. When Aira nodded, she demanded, “Say, please.”

Aira bit down on her bottom lip when it quivered. She sniffled and tried to step back when the other girl pulled on her ponytail. “She’s about to cry, Sarah. Let her have the test paper.”

Sarah started to tear the paper. “Say, please or I’ll tear it to pieces.”

“P-please…”Aira said, and cried when Sarah still tore it in half and then more.

“Enough.” A harsh voice said from behind her, she stumbled back surprised, and found Macalister standing there with a scowl on his face. He was the reason they were so evil to her but he was always there to stop the bullying.

Sarah’s face twisted in an ugly grimace and she glared at Aira as she still tore her test paper and then dropped the torn bits over her head. “Come on, girls. The big boy is here to protect this fat loser.”

“Sarah.” There was a hint of warning in his words. He took a step forward, hiding Aira’s small body behind his as he said, “She is not fat and not a loser. She’s more intelligent than each of you put together and next time I found you bullying her, I’ll make you regret it. Leave the child alone.”

Aira loved every bit of what Mac said except the child part. She wiped her tears and pouted behind him. A rush of gratitude and warmth washed over her, mingled with disbelief. Even though they were neighbours and he helped Ma whenever she needed it and Aira went to his house to get tuitions from his mother, he had never showed tiny bit of attention to her or any interest whatsoever but for the first time she felt like he wasn’t so aloof to her as she thought.

The girls looked stunned for a second before Sarah gave her a meaningful glance as if promising further retribution and then turned to leave. Mac faced her and asked, “Are you okay?”

She nodded tongue tied that he was talking to her. In the past whenever she had tried to talk to him or asked him to play with her he had brushed her off, this was the first time he was actually paying attention to her without his mother pestering him to take her to school and to bring her home with him. Everything he did was because he was just a good boy who listened to his mother and hers to some extent but now their mothers weren’t here and he was still asking about her like he was really worried.

“Aira?”

She nodded jerkily, feeling a little tongue tied. She said, “Uh.. Yup. I am fine.” Her voice came out tiny and squeaky, and she mentally face palmed herself for being like this, giving him more reason to think of her as a child. “Thank you. You didn’t have to do that.”

Mac shrugged, a kind smile touching his lips. “Ma and Aunt Nellie said to look after you and that’s what I am doing.”

The smile dropped from Aira’s face and she looked down. Thinking that she was sad for her torn test paper. Mac patted her head and said, “It’s okay. You don’t have to be sad. I’ll tell Aunt Nellie and Ma that you got A+, they’ll be proud of you.”

Aria nodded and turned away from him to go back inside her class. She was at the door when she looked back and found Mac crouched on the ground and picking up the small pieces of her test paper. And even though she was disappointed a minute ago for Mac looking at her as a child and only coming for her help because of their mothers, now once again a flutter took hold in her little heart and not for the first time she saw him as her hero and saviour.

And in that moment which led to all the other small moments, Aira fell for her big, stoic and silent neighbour who only ever looked at her like she was an annoying child he had to look after because of their mothers. But it never deterred Aira as years after years she fell more for him, for his kind gestures and occasional smiles.

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To Be continued....

A. Gupta

Thankyou everyone for coming to this new adventure. I am hoping you'll love this one too. And bear with me, if sometimes 'SHE' turns to 'I' as I'm getting used to third person POV.

Smiles and hugs to you all, keep reading!