Watching a tired Louis muster a lethargic smile at one of the loquacious fan who had snaked her hand around his upper arm, I definitely felt pity for him.
Poor guy, worked hard day and night only to be enwreathed by neverending people whenever he went out somewhere.
I eyes spotted Lavinia jumping in a line behind Louis, shouting at the top of her voice to grab his attention just for a few seconds. Poor Lavinia, when was she going to understand that harassing people like that didn't bring them anywhere close.
I wanted to go to the class but the crowd before me was frightening in number. And completely blocking my way. I had to push my way through the human jungle.
And getting crushed underneath them wasn't on my list to do for this life, or any other. Louis gently pushed the hand of some girl who was playing with his hair and tried to excuse himself out of there but to no avail.
The second bell went off indicating the start of the period.
"Oh crapedi crap! I'm late for the class!" Exclaiming to myself with the fear of getting a detention, I ran towards the classroom. Completely ignoring the impending doom waiting for me ahead. A big mistake...
I had only been a feet or two away from the group when I was pushed. I wasn't just pushed but pushed back by Harold Maclin, the quarterback of football team. And the impact was good enough to send me rolling back like a bowling pin.
The speed at which I must have been tumbling back would have definitely left me with a concussion. I felt my ankle twist and finally whatever balance that was remaining with me was lost to the cause.
I could hear the gravity calling for me and my body very kindly was going to oblige by plunging towards it.
There you go Carlene, your concussed head ready to be served on the platter.
Then I felt it, causing a gasp to escape my mouth. My back hit something hard but not as painful as the ground. Warm, rock solid chest had been pressed against my head and back. Or rather my head and back had been pressed against it. Two big firm and warm hands sat on my hips, steadying my body and supporting its weight. Definitely a guy. Even before I saw him, I felt it, then even smelled him. The hair on the back of my neck stood up while the musculine smell with a hint of something exotic and sun dried sand filled my lungs making my brain malfunction.
The feel of his hands under mine where I placed them on his by reflex, was electrifying. When I say literally, I mean literally felt shocks travel up my skin before rolling down my spine, inducing an involuntary shudder from me.
I looked up when I felt the cool breath hit the skin of my nape inducing another shiver, only to find who I had hunch about even before I saw him. West Zervos.
He was a whole foot taller than me, or perhaps even more, as he stared ahead at something or rather someone with narrowed eyes. His beautiful green eyes blazed like boric acid on fire. I swear, I watched his pupils elongate like a cat's for a second before they went back to circles. His mouth closed, clenching his jaws as his eyes further narrowed at the sight before him.
My breath had been stuck in my throat as he pushed me slightly so that I was standing up properly. He went ahead to stand before the now silent crowd. They were all looking at what was going on while West stood chest to chest with Louis. West's towering height made Louis look no match for him. Louis stood rooted with no place to move.
"What's up man? Why are you standing in my way?" Louis questioned skeptically. Did he really not see what almost happened with me here?
West just titled his head to a side as he regarded Louis with distaste. His green jungles for the eyes narrowed at the rockstar before he turned to his left slightly to stare at Harold.
There was something in his stare, something that was so intimidating. Even Harold involuntarily gulped out loud for being stared by West.
"I didn't know girls buzzed around here for having a bit of tuning in the voice," West's eyes snapped back at Louis as his deep mesmerizing voice hissed menacingly. Even his threat sounded so damn amazing that girls around Louis gasped. Did I just swear in my thoughts? Oops! My bad!
But I wasn't paying much attention to my curses. More off, my thoughts were like: this was the first time they heard his deep attractive voice.
Louis stood there stunned for a second before he composed himself and asked a question in reply, "W-Wh-What are you implying, man?"
"What I'm saying is, singing isn't a big deal. So ask your little fandom to stay outside the school where you are a star. Here, you are just another student," with that said, West slightly bumped him with his shoulder, pushing him away in the process. Everyone were in shock, even Louis himself had an open mouth as he kept blinking trying to determine if it really happened or not.
The crowd automatically parted allowing a pissed off West to walk through to get wherever he was wanting to go.
Only after the storm, nope the hurricane that had passed, people came out of their shock.
"What? What did he say to our Louis?" Someone from inside the crowd exclaimed.
"He just signed his death warrant," another one yelled.
"Who does he think he is? Raising a finger at Louis! We will break his hand!" Someone else shouted.
And Lavinia... She was busy being good old Lavinia the spitfire. She was spitting every single curse from her curse dictionary like she had swallowed it whole and then trying to barf it out. Even more worse than this afternoon.
The one who had called dibs on the Adonides was one who was calling the same guy with all sorts of names. And Christine and her clones weren't any less behind Lavinia. They had their own way of showing anger by screaming 'urrghhh's and 'ooooffff's after every repeated line, which were all repeated by queen bee, by the way. Now she must definitely hate West. If she didn't she was a true toe which actually starts with an 'h' and not with 't'.
On the other hand, I felt the dread settle in with confusion as I questioned myself, "What just happened?"
It felt like West stood up for me when all Louis did was stand there watch the show before acting like he didn't see it.
Long was forgotten the period that I was already very late for. Long was forgotten the angry crowd who were getting thirsty for blood, West's blood to be precise. Long was forgotten the rockstar who was trying to control the vexed crowd of his fans. Long was forgotten the teachers who had come out of the classrooms to tone down the noise by taming the enraged students.
I couldn't move a step without feeling the pain from the twisted ankle. Even if I could move, I doubt I would have.
I was lost in the moment that had passed several minutes ago. I was stuck in there, perhaps my brain was stuck in there. I replayed the event again and again in my head. The way West saved me from falling, the way he stood before Louis, the way he talked and threatened him. The way he bumped his shoulder into Louis' and walked away like his father owned this place. The way he stared, the way he treated Louis.
One thing was sure from this, West Zervos wasn't any other guy, or even ordinary to be clear. Definitely not at all the boy next door types. Or even the boy around the corner.
There was something about him, something that he knew that wouldn't allow anyone else to mess with him. West Zervos was beyond ordinary. Just like his name, he was unique and only one piece being manufactured.