04: The Ray Aura Effect

❝ When I'm around you, I feel it in my veins, there's something about you that's makin' me go insane ❞

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I don't know for how long I'd been running, but fortunately, I saw the nurse room right at the corner of the hallway.

The nurse raised her head and inspected me all over, her eyes widening by the second. She quickly ushered me in, making me sit on a bed.

"You're bleeding heavily darling. What happened? Your cheek is all scraped out," She voiced softly, simultaneously washing away the blood with water.

"I fell on the concrete ground behind our school." It was very difficult for me to speak. My right cheek was stinging and I had to struggle to move my facial muscles.

"Shh, it's okay, don't speak." She was young, probably in her late twenty's and she was very kind. Her eyes radiated warmth as she gently tended to my wound.

"Here, let me see your knees as well." She sat down, and kindly applied antiseptics to the grazed area and covered it with white tapes.

"It's best if you leave your cheek cut open; also I can't possibly apply a tape over your face. After school, please wash it again and render to it by applying antiseptics twice a day. After about five days, visit me again and I'll give you a scar cream. That should ensure that your face does not show any traces of a scar." I nodded.

She smiled kindly and helped me up as I thanked her.

"Do you need help to get back to the cafeteria?" I simply shook my head and said no as she nodded and walked me to the door. "Take care." She smiled yet again and I thanked her yet again.

Once out, I breathed a sigh of relief. As I started walking, I realized my left leg wouldn't cooperate and so I had to limp. Unfortunately, it was lunch time so people were bound to see me.

Great. Now I was the new joker of the day.

I definitely looked funny because I was limping, my face looked weird, my t-shirt had streaks of blood and I was awkwardly holding a pile books in my arms.

Almost dreading, I entered back in the main hallway which was brimming with people. Some eyed me, while some stared at me weirdly.

Yeah, I get it. I looked weird, just out of a fight or something.

Entering the cafeteria, all eyes fell on me and the noise dropped, everyone and everything turning pitch silent. I could even hear the rhythmic breathing of a girl who sat across me.

Hanging my head low, I slowly limped to my usual table. Katie was nowhere to be seen but then I remembered she had a drama class. Stefan was most probably practicing as he had texted earlier saying he wouldn't make it to lunch.

Dumping my books on the table, I let my head fall in my hands, as I closed me eyes and let it all fade away for a moment.

Had he really have to go that far? I hadn't meant any intrusion of his privacy. I got it that he didn't like being talked to or being clinged onto but if he was in the right and Jason was in the wrong, should I have kept quiet? I was just stating the truth because I had seen him yesterday, I talked to him and I tended to his wounds. He was cryi—

Wait a minute. Did he possibly think that I was about to tell his friends that I saw him crying?

That crazy motherfucker.

Even if we weren't the best of friends and that he hated me, I would have never told his friends that I had seen him crying. I wasn't that dumb. I knew he was alone in the class because he wanted solitude and to hide from his friends.

Now it fell into place. He had cut me right after I said "he was.." I was just saying that he was talking to me.

How selfish could a guy be? And he literally pushed me on the ground and awarded me a week full of pain and discomfort. Wow.

My head boiled up in anger; how could he even complete the sentence on his own?

Thankfully, the other kids had resumed their eating and were completely focused on chit chatting with their friends; the attention on me diverted. It was the perfect opportunity to get the hell out of here and find solace in my books, since my stomach wouldn't co operate and digest any kind of food.

I quietly stood up and decided to take the back exit, aiming to attract as less attention as possible. Some people did look my way again, but didn't acknowledge it much, letting me escape easily.

Finally out of the cafeteria, I limped back to the classroom which I had expected to be empty but to my surprise, I saw the whole delinquent group standing there, talking quite seriously about something.

There was nearly no one, and my sneakers squeaking attracted their attention as they turned their gaze to me. Olivia dashed forward to help me while Jack took hold of my books. I tried to refuse them but they wouldn't budge and helped me to the door.

The others looked at me as I slowly limped, with much difficulty. I tried my best to hide the fact that it hurt to walk but I think my face showed the pain because Jack continously glanced between me and Ray, looking at me with concern but sending daggers at the latter.

"How are you now?" Olivia softly enquired, as she sat me down on my desk. I just shrugged, indicating to her that I couldn't talk much. She gravely nodded, glaring at Ray.

"We are very sorry for what happened June." Apologized Jason, as he studied my wounds. I just crossed my hands, trying to say that it wasn't their fault. They just kept on apologizing until I said that it was fine.

Ray surprisingly stayed silent, his head hung low for the first time. He seemed to be deep in thought as he dragged his foot mindlessly on the floor. Well, I knew I would never receive an apology from him.

"Stop apologizing!" Olivia suddenly snapped, as she looked up. "The one who made the mistake should apologize, shouldn't he?" She glanced at Ray, as he clenched his jaw.

"Let's go and give Ray some time to say sorry to June." Olivia dragged everyone out and threw an angry glance, which obviously meant that if he didn't apologize, he would face her wrath, at Ray as he sighed heavily. He just sat down after a while, his hands neatly laid on his laps.

"I didn't even push you that roughly, you fell on your own," He started, scratching his neck.

I couldn't believe this guy.

I rolled my eyes as I gathered my belongings to leave. Nothing was going to come out of this conversation, as it was clear that he was blaming me. He wasn't sorry. I couldn't stand his presence even a second more. As I stood up, his big hand wrapped around my wrist as he forcefully sat me down again.

I opened my notebook and scribbled down—what now?

"Look, I'm uh, sorry. I shouldn't have pushed you. But I thought that you were going to spill that you had seen me crying." He confessed, a hint of guilt in his voice.

I was just going to say that "he was talking to me.." even if we aren't the best of friends, I would have never told on you. You were alone which told me that you didn't want your friends there. I'm not that foolish. I scribbled down and passed it to him.

As his eyes ran over the words, his face fell and I could see that he regretted what he did and said. He hid his face in his palms and pulled on his hair, cursing heavily.

He turned around as his eyes landed onto my cheek and I could see his eyes turning soft.

"I'm sorry June. I really am." He said, turning away from me. I knew he regretted it and I knew he wasn't very happy with what he did.

Also, I didn't know what was wrong with me. I still wanted to forgive him after all that he had done. What mattered to me was that he realized it was his fault.

I tapped on his shoulder, and that simple touch sent shivers down my spine for unknown reasons. He turned around to look at me questioningly.

I did an its okay sign with my fingers as he violently shook his head to say no.

"You shouldn't forgive me, I don't deserve it." I again did the it's okay sign sending a small smile his way as his mouth formed a thin line. He nodded curtly, thanking me.

"I'll get going then." He stood up, about to leave. I stopped him as he looked back curiously. I wasn't going to forgive him that easily, was I?

Do the assignment with me and I'll assume we are equal. I scribbled down and passed the notebook to him. He read it and a frown settled over his face.

"Not happening June." He said, throwing the book on the desk. I showed him my scars and scratches as he groaned. Then I shrugged my shoulders as if to say fine I get it that you don't care and are not feeling an ounce bit of guilt for what you did.

"Fine, I'll do it." He said, as he groaned, face palming himself. A wide grin settled on my face while he gave me a look.

"So what do I have to do?" He asked, as he leaned on the table, crossing his legs. He was extremely sexy and my eyes involuntarily settled on his thighs. I gulped and kept flitting my gaze between his thighs and him.

They were...thick. And his legs long.

"Earth to June?" He snapped two fingers in front of my face, waking me up from my imagination.

I'll tell you tomorrow in the lecture. I scribbled down and he nodded his head in agreement.

"I'm leaving." He stood up as I did too to move for the next class. My toe stuck in between the chair's leg and the desk, making me trip. Cool, another addition to the fresh wounds.

But before I could hit the ground, two arms wrapped around my waist as I faced a hard, broad chest. His cologne was soft but intimidating, contrary to other boys who preferred strong ones which had the whole class coughing for five minutes straight.

I liked it. He smelt extremely good and his hands absolutely felt good on my waist. As soon as his skin came in contact with mine, my body went on a red alert and made my heart beat faster and my stomach rode the highest roller coaster to ever exist in this world. There were butterflies in there—I thought those bitches were dead—but no, they were there and god weren't they fluttering fast.

His grip tightened as held me in place before straightening me up. I awkwardly stepped back and stood upright, my gaze down.

He seemed taken aback too for reasons I didn't know and was looking everywhere but at me.

"Watch your step, you don't want to fall again with those bruises do you?" he said, breaking the silence. I simply nodded and walked out of the classroom more carefully, still limping. He came out from behind me and we stood in front of the classroom for a few seconds.

"So, uh, I'll see you around tomorrow I guess?" I nodded and sent his way a small smile to which he just curtly nodded and instantly turned around, walking in the opposite direction.

Halfway down the hall, a hand on my shoulder stopped me as I turned back to see who it was.

Ray.

He was panting heavily; he most probably ran over here. I raised my eyebrow and looked at him, expecting him to answer. He just stood there, catching his breath as he continued boring his gaze into mine.

I wanted to break our stare because it was so damn intimidating and heavenly. I felt something I'd never felt.

The nervousness, excitement, rush of adrenaline and most importantly an urge to close the minimal distance between us.

"I just wanted to say that.." He trailed off, shifting his weight from one leg to another.

I patiently waited, I knew it wasn't easy for him to communicate and him talking to me himself was already a big achievement on its own. I knowingly smiled and patted his shoulder, as if to tell him it was absolutely okay if he didn't tell me anything.

I turned around to walk back after a while because his intense gaze was not helping me at all.

"June!" His voice echoed as I turned back to look at him. We atleast had ten meters of distance between us.

"Be careful on your way back home." He blurted, seemingly shocked at his own words, before rapidly spinning around and disappearing off around the corner.

Before I could even react, he was gone.

But what did he mean by that?

For some reason, I had a stupid smile stuck to my face which returned again and again whenever I shooed it away on my way back home in the bus.

The commutants probably found me weird, smiling goofily, cuts on my face, blood on my shirt. I looked the perfect psycho murderer.

Was it the Ray Aura effect? I think yes.

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Isn't the story mad dramatic btw? 💀 oh boy, I know, bare with me and my shitty story people, only if you want to though <3