// Alayah x Daniel

Chapter Five - Cry Baby

The silence stood in the air. Nobody knew what to say.
"What the fuck?" Alayah finally broke the silence; her heart skipped a beat. Her crush, the guy she had been secretly admiring for months, had just confessed that he had feelings for her too. She couldn't believe it. Was this really happening? She felt a surge of excitement and joy, mixed with a healthy dose of nervousness.

She read the message again, savoring every word. It was like a dream come true. All the times she had imagined what it would be like to be with him, to hold his hand, to kiss him, to share her life with him, suddenly seemed within reach. She felt a sense of gratitude and relief, knowing that she didn't have to hide her feelings anymore. Yet there was something. Everyone was watching. If she accepted these feelings, she would be judged by a room filled with twelve-year-olds — the utter horror!

In that moment, she felt like everything was on the line. She felt like her whole future depended on this one phrase. She couldn't stop second-guessing herself, wondering if she had said the right thing, wondering if he would still like her after this. She felt like she was walking on thin ice, and she didn't know if she could take another step forward.

"I don't like Disha," she murmured. She tried to sound nonchalant — annoyed even, but this only crushed his feelings.

He felt a blade to his heart; a dagger in his throat. As soon as the words escaped her mouth, the taunting chortling of the "bastard sods" around him left him wanting to tear open his flesh and crawl out of it — anywhere but here.

"Imagine getting rejected by Alayah." Shut up.

"Bro got rejected by someone with the hygiene of a tennis ball."
Shut up.

"Naaah, that's a violation!"
Shut up.

"What did she say? I was zoned out."
Shut up.

"Disha loves her but she hates him HAGAG."
SHUT UP.

Before he consciously registered his emotions, his tears were stabbing his cheeks - running like a faucet in his eyes. Everyone could see, and it was the fuel that everyone needed to have their true, cruel, bitter selves leaked to the others.
The chortling grew too loud, people pretending to gag only grew it further. Without any conscious registration, he was up and behind him was the echo of an old-western door slamming against a brittle wall.

Alayah knew she had fucked up, but she was still glad it wasn't her; anyone would've been, but she felt a compulsive need to help him. She had ruined his reputation forever - the least she could do is help him regain some of it.
"Miss, can I go to the toilet?"
The substitute gave no shits.
"Yeah, sure. Whatever."