Love Alarm [Based On A True Story]

I Love Him

"Hey, I was wondering when you would show- Oh my God, Ariana, are you alright?" The cheery voice of Meave suddenly turned to one of worry as her eyes fell on my pained face which, I knew was pale as anything.

I tried to form a smile, but it only came out as a grimace, so I stopped altogether, making my way to an empty seat with my back hunched over and my hands folded protectively over my chest.

And as I walked in with a worried Meave behind me, my eyes darted towards the boy's side as I quickly scanned it, understanding the reason behind my misery.

"He hasn't come."

"What did you say?" Meave was suddenly in front of me, making me vigorously shake my head before I slumped down on a seat, I later realized was one of the twin seats. Great. Now I had to have a partner.

But that was hardly my concern as I tried my best to become as small as possible, the pain in my chest irking me out to the best of its ability.

I wanted to curse at someone or something, perhaps my heart for being so dumb and weird by what good would that do? I'm stuck with this alarm and there is nothing I can do to change it.

Meave sat beside me with a worried expression although her seat was somewhere else, making me turn to her and offer a smile at last. "I'm fine, really. Just...a little gastritis."

"That doesn't sound okay."

"It does." I pressed on, nodding my head to emphasize. "It might not look like it but this is quite common to me. I have had it for a long time."

What the fuck am I babbling about?

Judging by how Meave's eyes grew wide at my words, I'm sure she thought I was insane.

Fix it you maniac. Fix It!

"I just..." I cleared my throat and forced another smile. "I'm just waiting for something. Once that...thing...happens, I will be fine."

Once Stefen shows up, it should be fine.

Hopefully.

God this is so embarrassing.

But I can't help it.

I love him.

Meave did not say much after that because just then the bell rang and the morning assembly was starting, and we all had to go downstairs.

No sign of Stefen.

Assembly came to an end, and I rushed to the class where I found a bag on the seat beside mine, wondering who it is until I recognized the bag. Everyone knew everyone's bag here.

"Hey!" Came that giddy voice of Kardi as she skipped her way towards me, watching me the whole time. I tried to put on a smile and thankfully, I succeeded. "Hey."

If Kardi had any plans to start a conversation, all that was forgotten because right there and then, Miss Manisha stalked in, and somehow, I was grateful. I really wasn't in the mood to talk, not when my heart was being such a pain in the neck.

"Roll no. 28!"

"Present!"

"29!"

"Absent!"

Of course. Of course you are absent. I should have known the moment my heart started acting up.

For the love of God just stop it if you don't want us to die!

"Ugh!" I groaned with my head in my hands, which came out louder than expected because now Kardi, Pearl and Claire were looking at me along with a few boys from my right side.

Kardi's eyebrows furrowed as she placed a hand on my shoulder. "Hey, you okay?"

No, I'm not. My heart aches like crazy because I'm lovesick.

And I still haven't even turned eleven yet.

"Y-yeah." I stammered, rubbing my temples before offering another fake smile. "Yeah, I'm...I'm fine. I'm fine."

But the more I stammered, the more I made it obvious that I was so not fine. Pearl and Claire exchanged glances, ready to ask me the same when Miss Manisha ordered everyone to take out their books. So, I wasted no time doing so if it meant I could get them off my hair.

I hoped they would get off my case, hoped that this was it, that it would all be forgotten. But you see, the thing about sitting beside a girl like Kardi means word always spreads around like wildfire.

Kardi never really creates a rumor. She hears them but doesn't create them. What she really does, is spread them.

Because not long was the first three periods over including break time, Nat and Riley had gathered around my seat with confused looks on their faces.

"You have been sitting in that same spot, unmoving must I add, since you arrived. You haven't taken a washroom break, didn't eat, and hardly have been picking your head up. Care to tell us what's the matter with you?"

Slowly but surely, I picked my head up and looked at them, and judging by the sudden change in their expression, I must have looked like Hell. Because now Riley sounded way more concerned than before. "Ariana what's wrong?"

"It hurts..." I muttered, not even sure what I was telling. "My chest, my heart it...it hurts."

This made them even more worried as they exchanged glances. "Y-your heart, your heart hurts and you have been sitting here like nothing is wrong? Come with us! Let's go to the doctor and see-"

"No!" I almost yelled, not expecting myself to sound so harsh but that was enough for the two to stop. I shook my head, looking away from them. "He can't fix this. He doesn't know what it is."

"Don't be so dramatic. Come now-"

"He can't fix me!" I repeated yet again but unlike last time, I didn't sound harsh, only earnest. And the plea in my voice was enough to make Nat sit beside me on Kardi's seat who wasn't there now, and Riley to lean down.

In a whisper voice, Nat asked. "Why? Why can't he?"

Can I tell them? Tell them what it is that is hurting me on the inside? Will they understand, or will they think I'm mental?

I looked up at the two of them, at their concerned faces as I swallowed the spit in my mouth that felt like lead.

I don't know how they will react. How they will take the news about the alarm.

But alarm aside, I'm dying to let this out on someone, I'm dying to release it because if I don't, I feel like I will explode.

I can trust them, right? They are my friends; they will keep my secret, right?

"Come on," Riley was saying with sincerity laced in her voice. "Tell us. What's wrong?"

"I...I..."

Well, it's now or never.

"I think you guys were right." I whispered to make sure no one would overhear us, but that was useless because no one would hear us in this noisy classroom anyway. But I still made sure.

"I think you were right, only it is the other way around."

"What...What right? What did we say?" Nat asked, a frown edged onto her face. Swallowing the bile in my throat, I let the words leave my mouth.

"I'm in love. I'm in love with Stefen."

There. I said it.

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