Chapter 9 She-devil

Alexander King leaned back on his sofa, his elbow resting over his face, eyes shut tight unable to sleep. His breathing became hotter and heavier by each second. And it was all because of her. Lena... No... Nadia.... He remembered the first time he saw her. Back in middle school. He had been a child actor then-famous, adored, the golden boy on screen. But in reality? He was just an awkward kid with crippling social anxiety and panic attacks. His family was wealthy and his school prestigious. That day, the teacher had introduced a new student to the class. "Class, this is Nadia. She'll be joining us from today." The moment she stepped in, the entire room seemed to hold its breath. She looked like something straight out of a fairy tale. Long, flowing red hair, big green eyes, like a doll come to life. The other kids whispered about her rare beauty in awe. Someone said they have seen her on TV before as a child model. And Alexander? He did notice her beauty like the rest of the kids, but he looked once and then quickly looked away. He didn't stare nor show obvious interest like the rest. He had learned that attention only brought unwanted interactions, forced conversations, anxiety. But somehow, that was what caught Nadia's attention. Unlike the other students, who admired her from a distance, she marched straight toward him. Alexander felt his stomach twist as she stopped beside his desk. She turned to the boy sitting next to him and smiled sweetly. "Can we swap seats..please?" She blinked her eyes cutely and the poor boy didn't even hesitate. You can't say no to a girl like that. He felt privileged to be the first guy she talked to. His friends teased him and he went on daydreaming about a date. And just like that, Nadia took the seat beside Alexander. Nadia had begged. No, she had tortured her parents to send her to this school. She had cried, thrown tantrums, and refused to eat for days. Her parents were rich, and she got her own money as a popular child model too but not as wealthy as the elites who attended this school. It took endless pleading and stubborn determination, but in the end, they gave in. And all for one reason. Alexander King. She had watched every one of his films. Read every article about him and follow up news about him. Obsessed. She didn't just want to meet him. She wanted to know him, and date him, even. So the moment she walked into class and saw the famous boy sitting there, looking out of place despite his popularity. It triggered that all boys looked like they would have fought for her attention but he didn't bother to even stare at her. So,she made up her mind to take the desk beside him. When she sat beside him, Alexander's fingers twitched nervously on his desk. He didn't look at her, but he could feel her presence. Too close. Then, she leaned in and whispered softly. "You're not very friendly, are you?" Alexander stiffened. She smiled at his reaction and extended a hand. "I'm Nadia." He hesitated. Then, slowly, he shook her hand. "I am Alexander". "Who doesn't know you,I am a big fan". She replied and bit her lips. From that day onwards, Nadia made it her mission to invade Alexander's space. She would always brush against him accidentally, and found excuses to talk to him. Whenever he was alone, she would find him. If he was walking with his friends or a group, she would run and hug him, as if they were dating dating already. Then blew a kiss and walked away, leaving him flustered and embarrassed everytime. One afternoon, when all the other kids were outside for recess, Alexander stayed behind to read in the classroom. Nadia, of course, stayed too. "I like books," she had said, plopping down beside him. He glanced at her skeptically. She wasn't the type to read. Nadia had the main character syndrome and would always go out to flaunt her beauty and get some attention from male admirers then reject them all. And that day ,she decided to read with him. It was distracting for Alexander. Minutes passed, and just when he thought she would finally get bored and leave, she did something unexpected. She leaned against him. His breath caught. Her head rested on his shoulder, her beautiful red hair tickling his arm, the scent of vanilla and something sweet wrapped around him. Alexander froze for a minute then he continued his reading. A few minutes later, he noticed Nadia had fallen asleep. His fingers twitched as he resisted the urge to shift her away. That moment, his eyes fell on her face. For the first time, he let himself really look at her. She had tiny freckles across her nose,her plumpy lips were naturally pink, soft and slightly parted as she breathed. And just below her chin, there was a small mole. His fingers itched to touch it. His hand lifted, moving almost on its own- Then her eyes fluttered open. Green met Icy blue. He froze, caught in the act. She blinked sleepily at him. Alexander was about to apologize when she tilted her chin up and kissed him. His first kiss. His first love. And just like that-he was hers. Alexander King blinked out of the flashback, his jaw tightening. Then he scoffed,as he ran a hand through his hair. "I never knew the devil she was."