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.

doing here?

busy asking herself why, Tyler suddenly whipped his head to look

Althea blushed and hurriedly lowered her head down. Why not? She has been crushing on him ever since she saw Tyler on the school grounds months ago. That time, too, their eyes met. As the weakest one

naturally, she did not saw him gazing at her back with amusement on his eyes. Since then, Tyler kept on

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

on Althea! You have

"Hey."

and tempting voice pulled her out from her

she stopped herself. She looked

Tyler just talked to

she her outer self remained calm, except for her traitor cheeks and

"Hey, hello." 

mentally sighed in relief. Thank goodness, I did not 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

hastily looked down then she pretended that

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

to Althea, a smoft smile with a hidden amusement appeared on Tyler's face, only to disappear

this sit taken?" Tyler

already composed and the red tint of her ears and cheeks were already gone as if it never

thought. 'What

what he was thinking, surely, she will not only have red cheeks and ears, but from toes to head, will be colored with flaming red.

Tyler, she isn't a mind reader, nor a

referring to and shook her head. She was thinking about 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 to have one,

it isn't." She finally

said her reply and, once again, bore

why he have to stare at her openly. She shrugged

passed, Tyler was still looking at

was feeling really, really uncomfortable under his gaze. She straightened her

Is there something

course

are you staring at me like that?' Althea wants to ask,

and pretended to read

can feel Tyler's gaze on her. How can she focus?! One cannot focus if they knew that someone is staring at them. Of course she's not an exemption. Unless she was already too focused about something before they gaze hard

at her. And that the man who was staring at her is not a random person, he was the person she was crushing for