Innocent Temptation

PAST

PAST

Since the new term after Christmas had started, Aira had been trying to spend her time in school with her head down and escaping all the attention she could. But it had been almost impossible with Sarah and the girls that followed her around whenever they could.

Even though, Mac had stopped talking to her and now accompanied her only to the school gates, his fan girls hadn’t stopped bullying her. Even when he spends all his time by the side of a boy that she hadn’t noticed before and she was kind of jealous of him because the other day Mac fought for him with the bullies like he used to do for her.

Maybe he thought the bullies had stopped, but he couldn’t be more wrong. It had only gotten worse in the last two years and how Aira wished that they'd just stop. But since the school has reopened they had become more vicious because apparently turning twelve meant her body was also changing and she hated those changes. During the holiday break she had put on a bit of weight, got braces for her crooked teeth, and now wore thick-rimmed glasses that felt like they took up half her face. She hated these glasses but she trusted her mother who made her drink carrot juice every morning to get rid of them.

She still remembered when she had walked into school on the first day back, how the boys in her class had looked at her and the girls had made fun of her. If she had hoped that no one would notice, her hopes were quickly dashed. Because everyone noticed and especially Sarah and her group of mean girls.

Now as she entered the small cafeteria in their school, she quickly grabbed her tray and made her way to the corner where no one would see her. But in her effort to not be seen, she didn’t see the one person she wanted to avoid. Sarah came to stand in front of her and she collided with her tall frame. Unlike her everyone has seemed to have grown a foot taller and she was still so short.

“Well, look who it is,” Sarah said, loud enough for everyone to hear. “The ugly duckling.”

Aira's face burned. She wanted to melt into the floor, to disappear.

Another girl giggled. “Ugly duckling? I think we need to find her a frog for her first kiss, don’t you think?”

“A frog?” One of the girls asked mockingly, her nose wrinkling in disgust as she looked Aira up and down. “What else? Do you think any boy would kiss her fat, ugly face?”

The laughter around Aira seemed to echo, growing louder and more vicious with every word. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes, her bottom lip quivered as she fought to keep her emotions in check. She didn’t know why Sarah keeps targeting her and why no one stops her. Everyone seemed to stay out of her way.

Sarah turned to the others with a wicked grin on her lips that Aira didn’t miss even as she said, “Shush, girls. We don’t want her to cry.” Bending low to her height, she said to Aira, “Don’t worry there must be someone who will kiss you, I am sure.” She tried to touch her face but Aira stepped back.

Someone said, “Maybe we should bet someone. Who’s brave enough to kiss that?”

The girls whispered amongst themselves before calling over one of the boys in their class. A tall, lanky kid with a mean streak who had been constantly teasing Aira for the last few days and hiding her specs raised his hand. “I’ll do it.”

Aira recognised the voice and she looked up to find Hank making his way toward where they all stood. As he approached with a smirk on his face, clearly amused by the idea, Aira felt the need to run. “I’ll do it for free,” He said and laughed, looking Aira up and down like she was some kind of joke.

Aira panicked. She tried to turn around and escape from them all. She already had an excuse to not come to school from tomorrow. She just needed to get out of here just now. She didn’t think she could take it anymore. And even Mac had stopped coming to her aid. He doesn’t even attend the school much, and when he does he’s always with that boy that she was starting to get jealous of.

But Sarah grabbed her arm and pulled her back with a jerk. Aira lost her grip on the tray, her hand going to her arm to soothe the pain of that harsh grip. “W-what do you want, let me go.”

“Tell me, now Mac is not going to be in school anymore so who’d save you. My last year I will definitely dedicate to you.”

Aira looked at her and asked, “Why do you keep doing this to me? I never said or did anything to you.”

Sarah’s expression changed and she glared at her. “The hell you didn’t. I might’ve stopped after getting bored, but you went and tattled to Mac who not only disrespected me but threatened me because of you.”

“Then, why don’t you just stop.” Aira asked, hoping Sarah will let go of her. It was no fault of her that Mac was trying to protect her, he’d already said it so many times that he only did that because of their mothers and them being neighbors.

“Me? I will listen to him.” Sarah lowered her voice as she whispered, “I might want him to like me but I will never give in to anyone’s demands. Do you even know who my father is?”

“I don’t. I just want you to stop bothering me.”

Sarah straightened and Aira stepped back, ready to leave when Sarah said, “Sure. You can leave, but now we promised Hank here a kiss so you have to give him his kiss first.”

“No.”

“Do it.” She told Hank, who started to walk toward her like an old evil villain as he rubbed his hands.

“Come on, maybe you’ll turn into a pretty princess from my kiss!” He laughed.

Aira made to run, but Sarah stuck out her foot and tripped her. She landed hard on her knees and pain shot up her legs as they collided with the floor.

“Where are you going?” Hank taunted, stepping closer. “It’s just a kiss!”

She closed her eyes as helpless tears streamed down her face. Her small body trembled and sobs spilled from her. She wanted to scream, to run, but she was frozen in place.

Someone behind her gasped and she felt everyone moving away. A loud scream had her opening her eyes and what she saw filled her with more fear.

Mac was here and he had Hank by the neck as he kept hitting him in the face again and again. Hank was tall but not as tall and as big as Mac was, after all he was almost eighteen now and he had always been bigger than everyone.

But what Aira had silently admired in him was now making her scared as Mac seemed so angry while he punched Hank. And didn’t stop even when Hank started to bleed. Sarah and her friends were constantly screaming. Aira knew that soon the teachers will be here, and scared though she was, she stood up on shaking legs to go to Mac but couldn’t build up the courage no matter how she tried.

So she was kind of happy when that boy, Mac spends his time with, Zurich came and stopped him. Mac pushed Hank away, who lost his balance and fell into the chairs then remained on the floor.

Chest heaving, Mac pushed Zurich’s hand away and turned to face her. Aira stood frozen when she saw the expression on his face and the look in his eyes. Now, she was terrified for a different reason. She had never seen Mac so violent and so furious, and for the first time she was scared of him.

More tears escaped her and she took a step back when he lifted his hand toward her. “You are scaring her,” Zurich muttered and then he was by her side as he said, “Hi, I am Zurich.”

“I know.” Aira murmured, but her eyes remained on Mac who was still looking at her.

“Let’s get you to the infirmary.” Zurich walked her out of the cafeteria and she was aware of Mac silently following them.

Mac watched as Zurich talked to her softly, trying to lighten her mood as they walked the school hallway. He didn’t doubt that he’ll have to face the consequences later but he didn’t care. He had already warned Sarah to stop her bullying but this time she had gone overboard with her actions. Later, he’ll teach her a lesson but now he focused on the little girl whose tears made him want to go back and punch that little fûcker again. But he knew, if he went back then he’ll probably kîll that kid and since last year his parents had already had enough on their plate they didn’t need to worry about their son turning into a murderer too.

He grabbed Zurich by the shirt and pulled him back when they came closer to school infirmary. He said, “Stay out here.” And then he followed Aira inside.

As they studied in public school and in this small town, the staff was always short so he wasn’t surprised when no one was there to attend her.

He told her to sit as he went around the desk and opened the small cabinet to look for the bandages for her knees. It wasn’t that he was attracted to this little girl, no, but maybe after years of being her guardian in the school and looking after her, he might’ve become overly protective and took it as his responsibility to keep her safe. And she was such a little thing, he thought that anyone could easily hurt her and he didn’t want that. He just felt like it was his duty to protect her with how young and innocent she was. Just like Zurich.

When Mac turned to face her with the band aids in his hand. He found her still standing there looking lost. She said in a small voice, “I can’t get on it.”

He almost smiled. The bench was too high for her to sit on it. He walked to her and started to grab her to sit her on the bench but she let out a squeak and stepped back from him. And for the second time, he saw that loathsome expression on her face. The fear.

“Are you scared of me?” He asked.

“I… you hurt him.”

“And, you think I will hurt you?” He sounded hurt to his own ears.

She shook her head and asked, “You won’t, right?”

He wanted to punch a wall. He settled on swallowing his anger and said, “Of course not. I will never hurt you.”

“Promise?”

“Will you believe me if I promised?” At her nod, he said, “Then, I promise.”

“You have to say it.”

“I promise I won’t hurt you.”

Finally, she gave him a trembling smile.

He helped her to sit down on the bench and then grabbing some antiseptic and cotton balls he cleaned her scraped knees, wiping away the dirt and blood. She said, “He was going to forcibly take my first kiss.”

Mac remained silent and said, “If he does that again or anyone, you come to me and I will save you.”

“By punching them?” She asked in a small voice.

“If needed.” He answered, honestly.

“I don’t like you like that.”

“Like what?”

“The way you were in the cafeteria… you looked scary.”

“Did I scare you?” Mac asked, putting the band aids on each of her knees before straightening up.

She nodded. “You looked different.”

“Hmm. But it’s okay to be scary sometimes, you know, so I can beat up all the guys who try to take your first kiss.”

“What if I want to give someone my first kiss?”

“Then, it will be your choice. I won’t beat that guy.”

“Hmm.” Jumping down from the bench, she said, “When I grow up, I will give you my first kiss.” And with a shy smile, she ran out of there.

A. Gupta