When Fate Decided to Play its Part

CHAPTER ONE;

The First Talk

She was only in her first year in high school when Althea met Tyler. He was more dazzling than the sun, one can't help but squint their eyes when they see him. Tyler was one year ahead of her.

She was 15 that time, and Tyler was 16.

Of course, as a normal teenager, Althea is also a victim of his charms. She sometimes blush when their eyes met, then hastily drag her eyes away, making the other intrigued and curious of her.

She can even still remember their first conversation like it was yesterday.

--

Lunch.

The cafeteria is full of students as usual. The place was chaotic that even scraps of foods were flying in the air. The voices of other students are loud enough to drown the conversation of others. Some looked at the noisiest group with disdain. 

Lunch is supposedly peaceful!

Althea, who was sitting alone near the corner, was busy with her books. Her foods are remained untouched on the corner. She cannot bother eating them since the her exams are coming. She's conscious about her grades. Failure is not an option for her.

Her head is bowed as she was reading and high lighting the important words and phrases and she naturally did not noticed the almost flying figure heading towards her table.

Althea's focus is topnotch, she didn't even noticed that a fight broke out.

As the flying figure, who was unfortunately kicked by his enemy, flew towards her table, another sturdy figure appeared just in time. He stopped the figure from directly crashing towards Althea's table, but because of the force, he was pushed back a little and managed to distrupt the still table of Althea.

Althea was in the middle of highlighting a sentence when her table moved. The pen was pushed upward.

Stratled, she raised her head to see what was going on. Many heads are turned towards her table and stared at the two figures in front of her. Some were laughing loudly, some were frowning since their lunch is ruined. It was too noisy that she can't make up almost the words they said.

But she still managed to caught one word; Tyler.

Suprised, Althea focused her attention at the man who was currently laughing while holding another man by his collar.

The man, who was apparently Tyler, was facing his back to her. He's body built is sturdy and the lines of his muscles are visible under his shirt.

he doing here?

suddenly whipped his head to look at her over

the school grounds months ago. That time, too, their eyes met. As the weakest one

him gazing at her back with amusement on his eyes. Since then, Tyler kept

scolded herself that day. Stupid! She's usually calm and rational, but how can

Althea! You have faced many men

"Hey."

pulled

almost jolted in shock, fortunately, she stopped herself. She looked at Tyler

just talked

remained calm, except for her traitor cheeks and ears that were currently reddening in shame and, well,

"Hey, hello." 

stammered, if she did, she would literally dig a hole and bury herself, or just pray for the ground to open up and swallow her whole. She can't take such humiliation. Not in front of anyone, and absolutely

at her, she blushed even more and hastily looked

 She wanted to persist and stubbornly hold their gaze together but she can't handle the intensity of his gaze.

hidden amusement appeared on Tyler's

this sit

composed and the red tint of her ears and cheeks were already gone as

Tyler thought. 'What a

hear what he was thinking, surely, she will not only have red cheeks and ears, but from toes to head,

unfortunately for Tyler, she isn't a

saying it was, but she did not want to be rude. Besides, she have no friends in the campus. Not that she did not want

it isn't." She

down almost immediately after Althea said her reply and, once again, bore his gaze towards

stare at her openly. She shrugged it off, thinking that he will stop looking at her later

was still looking at

under his gaze.

Is there something wrong with my

of course

wants to

just nodded and pretended to read her books again.

she focus?! One cannot focus if they knew that someone is staring at them. Of course she's not an exemption.

man who was staring at