Chapter-7: Pout

Sya's POV:

It'd been a week and everything was going according to what I'd expected. I asked Helena if I could work at the cafe and guess what? She said yes! A bloody yes! I would have been surprised if I didn't already know what she and her dick of a son are planning to do to me.

Anyways, at least I could spend a good time before dying.

Honestly! I don't want to live either. I have nothing to cherish in my life. I have no family and who would be stupid enough to accept a weirdo like me. I'm broken, with so much emotional baggage. So, I'll pretend to be a little optimistic. I'm pretty good at being pretentious, anyways.

I had been working at the cafe after college. Helena said I could work there but I had to be back home before John came back since telling him was definitely not a great idea. It was doing way better than I’d thought. Maybe, they're letting me enjoy a little before they poison me to death or something.

The manager, Jason, was a nice man and the other staff members were also very kind. I always managed to go home before eight. That was the time when John returned from wherever and whatever he'd be doing. So, I suppose I'm doing a great job at hiding the fact that I work here. Or so I think.

Speaking of college, everything was its normal, boring self. Classes, homework, student gossip. But I was happy for Hannah. She was finally dating Bryson. He asked her out during the week and I wouldn't say I was surprised. They were already practically all over each other during lunch and the few classes we shared. At first, I felt a bit odd about Bryson but the way he'd treat Hannah made my heart warm. He treated her like a princess. Anyone could see that she meant the world to him and I was more than thankful to him for that. Hannah's mother died when she was a kid. She spent almost all of her life without her mother. Although she never let her father know how empty she felt without her mother, I knew. She deserved the world because of the beautiful heart that she had.

I wish I also had someone who would treat me like that.

Kane.

Shut up brain! Why would I think about Kane in that way? I know he’s beyond handsome, has killer looks plus he saved me but there's not even a one percent chance that someone like him would want to be with someone like me!

Ever since after that incident in the alley I had noticed, instead of being all quiet and ignorant, as he was to everyone, he tried to talk to me and only me. He would even sometimes offer me a small smile which never failed to increase my heartbeat. I also noticed that whenever he'd pass me a smile, Bryson would look at him with

a "you-can-actually-smile?" look.

Everything was going fine, at least for me. My aunt and her son were at bay with their horrendous behavior, mainly because I was avoiding upsetting them. And I was doing well in my studies too.

It was half-past seven on a hot, dry Wednesday. I was working at the cafe and my shift was almost over. But as I was about to leave a group of teen boys entered the cafe. Clara, my co-worker, was on leave today so the manager glanced at me with pleading eyes, requesting silently to at least attend them before I leave. And you know me, the forever pushover. How could I walk away when he was looking at me like that. Especially after he was so kind to me. I nodded, closing my eyes in affirmation and as a way to tell him to relax because I got this, and made my way towards the table which the boys had taken.

The boys looked so cocky and arrogant but what could I say? I had to just take their order, serve them and leave. I might even be able to leave early.

"What can I bring you?" I asked monotonously, as I held my pen in one hand to note their order.

The boy who was sitting at the edge of the table smirked and then winked at me. "Can you please give me your number?" I furrowed my brows at the flirty comment. They were making it hard for me to leave early.

Okay! This is frustrating me now but whatever, just ignore Sy!

I prepped myself like Hannah would do in a situation where I needed confidence.

"Can you tell me what you want to eat or may I go?" I said again in a firm tone, not intending to start an argument with the arrogant boys.

The boy smirked at me again and said, "Oh come on babes! Don't be so tough." He held out his hand and gripped my arm. He pulled me towards him in a forceful manner.

I was so irritated and furious that if I had been a cartoon character, you could literally see smoke emitting from my ears. I jerked my hand away from his grip, forcefully, and punched him straight in the jaw. Yes! You're right! I punched him! Not a slap but a punch! Where did that boldness come from?! God! My knuckles are hurting!

But I didn't show my pain to the bloody bastard. His friends, though, were having fits of laughter as several of them doubled over their chairs, clutching their stomachs. Yeah! Serves you right, you miserable rat.

His face darkened with anger. He rose to his full height which was 3 feet taller than me and began to take furious steps in my direction. Uh-Oh! Looks like I'm in trouble now.

"You bitch! How dare you?!" He bellowed and drew back his arm to literally crush me. I flinched and shut my eyes. My heart hammered ragingly against my chest as I waited for the hit expecting immense pain to course through me in seconds. But it never happened and I heard a voice of a table breaking. Did he punch the table instead?

As I slowly open my eyes, the boy wasn't even in front of me anymore. There, I saw Kane standing in front of me facing the boys. The boy who was about to hit me was now lying unconscious on the broken table.

"Do you want to pick a fight?" Kane asked in a dark and very angry tone. The rest of the boys paled. They looked at their now unconscious friend and then at Kane. Soon, they began to leave the cafe after carrying that asshole on their shoulders with them.

Kane turned to look at me and examined my entire body with concern-filled eyes. The look in his eyes again made me wonder if there would ever be a chance of him liking me?

"They didn't hurt you, right?" I couldn't help but smile at his reaction. He smiled back at me which resulted in butterflies bombarding in my stomach. God! He is so cute when he smiles like that! Wait! Don't start again! I shouldn't think like that. I'll be dead soon anyway. No need to attach strings.

I was busy mentally scolding myself when he suddenly slipped his hand through mine and began to walk to the exit. The sudden warmth of his hand caught me off-guard as my eyes snapped towards our entwined hands.

"Come on. I’ll drop you home,” he continued. But I was too busy noticing the sparks that were traveling up my arm from where he was holding me. It made me want to live, in that precious little moment. It made me want to look forward to a newer tomorrow. But I caught myself in time. I was not going to raise my hopes only to have them crushed again. Nope. No way.

I immediately took my hand out of his and stopped in my tracks. His eyes traveled down to his now empty hand.

"Uh- don't bother. I’ll be fine on my own. Thank you for saving me, again," I said, slightly embarrassed by the fact that he always catches me in trouble. Well, I am a magnet for trouble anyway. When I looked at his face, a frown was apparent on it. It seemed as if he was thinking about something.

"Don't thank me again and again," he muttered, still staring at the floor. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"What?"

"I said don't thank me again and again. It's the least I can do for you,” he said, this time staring intensely into my eyes.

Okay. Now I'm really confused. The more I want to avoid liking him, the more I get attracted to him. Stop being so cute and caring!

During all the yelling inside my brain, I didn't realize I had subconsciously started to pout in real in front of him. He chuckled his pearly white teeth on display. It made my heart do somersaults. GOD!! He's not helping either! To think I keep getting shocks even when he just breathes, I might as well faint tonight.

"What was that?" he asked, still smiling. I immediately straightened my expression as a pink blush began to tint my cheeks.

"What?" I asked, feigning innocence. He chuckled again before leaning his face close to mine. My heart skipped the millionth beat tonight. I could feel his breath on my face and my knees started to get all wobbly. I didn't know if it was his incredibly handsome presence that had this hold on me or maybe I was developing a juvenile crush on him.

"Why did you pout like a child just now?" He asked, pointing at my face, amused by my reaction. Heat crept up to my cheeks, making me blush even more.

"Oh! Nothing! I should get going now,” I squeaked before rushing past him and walking down the sidewalk. I peeked into the café through its large windows and spotted poor Jason picking up the mess Kane had made. Why did he have to be so fancy and fling the guy on the table? A simple punch would've been sufficient. 

I was still blushing furiously though. Soon I heard footsteps behind me before he ran over to my side and took my hand in his again. I didn't get much time to react because he was already pulling me with him.

"Come on I’ll drop you home." And with that, he began to walk towards a black SUV which was probably his.

"Is this your car?" I asked, surprised, with wide eyes. He simply shrugged, giving me his signature smile. How many college students own such big cars? Are they even allowed to drive these around without a different kind of license for big cars? I feel like a total loon. We got into the car and he started the engine.

The drive was silent but my insides were screaming with fear. It had dawned on me that I was way beyond late and John was probably home and not happy at all. He would beat me until I fall unconscious. I hadn't realized that the car had stopped and Kane was staring at me, concern evident in his eyes.

"What happened?" He asked anxiously. He looked at my face intensely, trying to figure out what was bothering me. But it was of no use. I was an expert at hiding my fear from others. I’ve had years of practice after all. Living with people who give zero value to how you feel kind of makes you that type of a person. I ushered back the tears threatening to fall out and forced a smile onto my face.

"Nothing. You have no idea how grateful I am to you. Bye now!" Saying that I bolted out of the car before he could ask anything else and ran towards the door.

Let's see what's waiting for me behind the door of doom.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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