HIS COMPULSION

WHEN TAKEN FOR GRANTED

Few minute later, I was on my way to school. I twirled, my hands spread out, and my head tilted up to the sky... taking in the waves emanating from the woods that lined up against the edge of the road. The sun is surprisingly bright. considering the heavy conventional summer rainfall in the night , one would expect the sun to set at noon but instead it was up early… way early before I even woke up from sleep.

Fothoman is a very beautiful town. Blue skies, majestic mountaintops and, green grass… I breath in the natural smell deeply.

I heard a car approaching from behind. I stepped to the side and glanced up. I locked eyes with the driver of a Chevrolet Malibu. The car slowed to a stop and the driver pops his head out through the open window.

“You look beautiful. Have I met you before?” His eyes narrowed at me thoughtfully.

“uh! No. I’m sure I haven’t seen you before”

He looked at me from up to down, and nods at my school bag.

“Fothoman High?”

“yes! I’m a senior”…

“almost free from that hellhole. Congratulations”… he said, giving me a wink.

“thank you! I’ll eh.. see you around. I’m almost late for school” I stormed off without looking back. He drove beside slowly leaning out of the window.

“ I guess I’d see you around. Fothoman is a small town” He gives a broad and flirtatious smile before zooming off.

**************

A small crowd trickles across the front yard of the school, waving and calling out to friends as they converge on the front doors. I was struggling to squeeze through the rowdy crowd when I noticed students attention turning towards the parking lot. I trail my eyes, following their gazing and, i saw Claire and Bay coming out from the car. My heart sank into my stomach.

Claire holds out her phone to take a selfie and Bay smiled for the camera. A mean and dark smile. They attract so much attention without realizing that. I heard people murmuring how cute they look together. Claire’s eyes is glued to her phone as she sways her waist beside Bay. She is hoisting a designer bag, everything she was wearing from top to bottom speaking class.

Approaching the entrance door students made way for them to pass effortlessly. Bay tucked his hand into one of his pocket. Biting his lower lips, he casted a sidelong glance at me. A dare Devil kind of glance. He slipped out the tip of his tongue and lick his lower lips flirtatiously before disappearing into the hall… The details of our romp in the barn clouded my mind. The physical effect still lingers... A forge cluster in between my legs and busted, leaving my opening dripping wet. mere look at his face gives me that tingle. only he has such effect on me.

I pushed my way into the hall and find Emily standing at a locker next to mine. Emily and I have been best friends since kindergarten. She is the only one who knows how I truly feel about Bay Schuyler. We tell each other literally everything.

Emily lifts me up effortlessly and twirl me around excitedly. We didn’t see each other throughout summer break and I terrible missed her. She traveled to nurse her sick grandma in Olivine District.

“look at you” she said excitedly spinning me around. “is it just my eyes or you lost weight?”

“ I have been doing a lot of work in the ranch. You know it’s just my Dad and I doing everything… come here!” I said emotionally waving her over into a tighter hug. I pulled away trying to hide the tears stealing out from eyes.

“wait… Hailey, is that tears I see?” she asked cupping my face.

“No… no! It’s not a sorrowful tears. Call it, tears of joy. I chuckled, swiping the tears off with my thumb. “I am just very excited to see you. I’ve missed you!”… I said.

Crashing into her arms again. I buried my face in her neck trying to dump the weight of emotions weighing me down on her shoulder. She pulled away slowly and gave me a knowing look. We moved by the side, leaning our back against the wall as students start rushing pass us.

“Hailey are you sure you’re okay?... You know you can talk to me, right?

How can I possibly tell her that I’m hurting? That die every time I see the man that mean the whole world to me with another woman. It hurts so bad. The whole of Futhoman seem too some and congested. I was literally suffocating. I was tried to bottle my emotions but Emily could see through me.

“if you don’t want to talk about it now, it’s fine! We can talk about it later… okay?

I nodded and ghosted a kiss on her cheek dismissively. She grabs my wrist and led my out of the hallway.

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