Desire.

The one thing that can control every movement of a man. The one thing that sparked wars over, the one thing that has defined our race, or every race on the planet. And that one thing is the reason why we even exist in the first place.

But that one thing may also be the reason for a man’s downfall. It can cause a man to betray everything he believes in for a momentary pleasure, yet in some cases, it is enough to ruin their lives.

I’m not saying it’s exclusive to men, no, god no. It goes the same for women, yet a primal desire to reproduce is more prevalent in men. It’s one of the reasons why men do things that are good in their lives. Yet it could also be the one to ruin it.

Why am i mentioning it in the situation? It’s because some people might misunderstand why i said it to Lorelai. It’s not because i said that to Lorelai because i want to reproduce with her, i don’t wanna say sex because it’s too vulgar. But for the sake of simplicity, let’s say sex.

I didn’t say that case. I wanna have sex with. Her, no, ok maybe i do, heck I’m still a guy you know. But i said it because the meaning of it conveys something else different. What i meant was that i want her. Just not in a sexual manner in this context.

Okay, now back to the situation.

…

“Wha… uh… Malik… What are you saying!”

As Lorelai said that, she turned so red in the face and ears that it almost matched the dress she was wearing. She looks to be panicking as she’s waving her arms around like there was a fly. I was confused at first as to why she was reacting like that but it took a few seconds to for me to register what i just said.

Hotness overcame my face as i realized the meaning of what i just said, but to be a man is to keep moving forward despite the choices you have made, so i might as well make the best out of my decision.

I opened up my arms in front of an embarrassed Lorelai, signaling for her to come to my arms, though if looked from the outside perspective, it’s not very romantic and it’s just cringe. Still, we keep moving.

The red faced Lorelai had her face covered with both of her hands, trying to hide her embarrassed face from what i have just said, while i was opening my arms like an idiot in this awkward situation. Become a man, my ass.

Thankfully, Lorelai relented and despite the fact that her looks at me was anything but good, she still went closer to me and in a moment, i had her deep in my arms once again. Her soft head resting on my chest as her perfume was close enough for me to take note of it.

It was wonderful. She smelt good, to be honest. Though i would sound like a creep if i said it out loud, but still, she smelt wonderful, like a sunflower planted in a scene full of green. And I its lone admirer up in this windy hill.

I wish it would’ve lasted longer, but our time was cut short as the door was swung open with full force, its sound echoing within the confines of our quiet room. And of it had to be him, of all people.

Malik came right in as me and Lorelai were stuck in this awkward position with Neil, seeing what we were doing.

“Malik- Oh… Sorry, don’t mind me.”

He then left the room as fast as he came in, but it was already too late as the situation I could save no longer. We parted as fast as possible, with Lorelai Sitting by the window trying to hide herself as much as possible with her arms. It was not working.

While i was too embarrassed to be in the same room as Lorelai, and so i chased after Neil, with the thought of revenge on my mind. I won’t forget this. The thought kept repeating in my mind as i went looking for Neil in the crowded corridors.

People coming and going out of their classrooms while everybody else was busy going somewhere. Its cacophony of talking and shouting reverberated through the hallways, making the atmosphere almost feel like you were in party central. Though it’s the situation is definitely it.

Somehow i got out of the bustling crowd and what came before me was the school grounds, it was huge to say the least. Even though there were already a lot of people attending the party, it seemed that there was still space left on the grounds. Though i can say that now because everybody is still isn’t here. Not in the slightest.

Surveying the grounds, i saw Neil in the distance. But the situation was strange, not because that Neil was talking to a girl, no that’s normal. It was the fact that Neil seemed to be the one leading the interaction instead of him being the one to do it. How can i tell?

Simple. It’s because he was being dragged around by the girl everywhere, while he had a helpless look on his face. Throughout his whole situation i observed that he tried to stop her several times with a stern look, i had a guess he was trying to get out of the situation.

But it ended in failure as in the next few seconds, it continued as this cycle went back and forth several times. I was amused by this situation as i only spectated with a smile on my face.

There was a moment where Neil noticed my appearance. As he waved and signaled for me to come save him, but i did not. I stood my ground as i looked at him with pure amusement, i did Say I wasn’t gonna forget this. And so with a look of a defeated solider, he accepted his fate as in a moment; the overwhelming crowd consumed him.

“Oh, that must be Olivia.”

Startled, i turn to my side as i didn’t notice that someone crept up beside me. Just as i turned, i saw her dark hair and blue eyes staring at me, with a red dress to top it all off. So it’s Lorelai.

“Who? Why haven’t i heard of her?”

“Its normal, she usually keeps to herself in social situations, but i did become friends with her by chance. Though she keeps to herself and has a cold exterior, she’s a really energetic person. It’s just that there wasn’t anyone who was able to bring it out of her. Well… Until now.”

“I see, well no wonder. I’m surprised he was able to drag Neil around like a puppy. It’s usually the complete opposite of him.”

“You’ll get used to it. She’s just like that.”

What followed was a silent atmosphere between us. We did not look at each other and just stared at the school grounds. We saw people already getting into it, as some students were already dancing. While we just stood there, frozen until god knows when.

Yet in that awkward silence between us, there was no tension, if that makes sense. We stood together side by side as if we were watching the sunset, though the situation was more like a solar flare. Before we knew it, we were holding each other’s hands.

How it came to be, i think both of us had no idea. But we didn’t care. For as long as we held our hands and were together in this chaotic atmosphere, nothing else mattered. As we watched, fireworks went up into the sky as it rang ablaze through the school. Signaling the start of the event.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

…

“Welcome students to the Annual acquaintance party. We are overjoyed to have you here in this-”

The Principal made a speech in the school grounds but i didn’t even bother to listen to it. Simply meaningless drivel for the common populace, flowery words to cover up for the fact that this night will be a night of hedonism filling the school. No likes to admit it, but it’s true. It’s when the true nature of students jacked up in their hormones come out and go all out.

The principal won’t care as he will turn a blind eye to this madness, since he himself will participate in it. There were rumors he was sleeping with one of the teachers, though that rumor was squashed before it even began. But it was too late as i already heard it.

I put it out of my mind as i didn’t want to imagine the bastard president sleeping with one of the teachers i know. The simple thought of it makes me want to puke my guts out. So i thought of other things.

Lorelai wasn’t with me due to her wanting to hang out with her friends, and i didn’t mind as i wanted to do the same, but we promised each other we were going to dance together later when the slow dance song came up.

Neil was walking beside me with a slumped back, looking into the ground with his face losing all hope, as if the sky was falling. I didn’t mind it as he deserved it in my opinion, his days were numbered was what i thought before this whole fiasco, and looky here, i was right. His skirt chasing was bound to end either from his own hands or from another.

And it turned out it was from another girl.

I had a smile on my face as i can finally rest, watch the sunset in a world where i knew i no longer have to worry about Neil’s bleak future concerning his relationships with women. His previous marriage prospects becoming abysmal was now looking like he finally has a chance to straighten out.

I had an option of intervening in his business, but it was none of my business and there was no fun in that.

“Dude, please help me…”

“Nah, I’m good.”

Neil looked on with a pleading look, an expression liken to a man about to be eaten by a tiger, though in this case it’s seemed to be a tigress. I ignored his pleading look and kept a grin on the side of my face.

“Please dude I’m begging you, Help me with this chick so i can get away from her.”

“You look as if you already escape Neil.”

“That's because she let me escape! Please, man, even though she’s smoking hot, her overbearingness will be the end of me.”

“Nah, I’m good.”

I wasn’t fooled by his helpless look, but i was instead confused. From what Lorelai told me, Olivia isn’t exactly the Kidnap you and blackmail you type, since she said that she was a kind soul and won’t force anybody to do anything. So now, even though he can always get out of this predicament, he doesn’t. Strange.

Nevertheless, i look forward and continue to ignore him. He can clean up his own mess. For now i got more important things to do.

For some reason, i can’t find ace anywhere. It’s already 5 o’clock in the afternoon and there is still no sight of the man. He’s not the type to be late. He does disappear like a ghost but i knew he will always show up to hang out with us.

I knew that she wasn’t with Ava, as i just saw her taking Lorelai from me. He isn’t on the rooftop as it’s closed whenever there’s an even at school. So where in god’s name is he?

Me and Neil walked throughout the school, but there was still no sign of him. I take out my phone from my pocket yet i saw that he still hasn’t responded to my messages yet. When it comes to Ace, it’s expected of him to not reply for well any reason whatsoever, he’s just that kind of person. That’s why i don’t bother talking to him through chat.

But this time, even though there was nothing wrong on the surface, something seemed off about this situation. I just can’t put my finger on it.

“Stop being such a mom Malik, Ace will be fine. Heck, he’s the last person you should be worrying about.”

Neil doesn’t seem to care one bit about Ace. but his reaction is understandable. If anyone is gonna get in trouble, then it’s not gonna be Ace. It’s what i concluded by being friends with him through the years. He’s the type to not be bothered by any problem, whether it is big or small. Well, i might be wrong whatever.

“So while we look for Neil, let’s have some fun along the way, Noh?”

“Hmm sure.”

Deep down i was still worried but no matter, hell eventually show up. I shook it off my mind and continued exploring the party. Though it wasn’t necessary, some classes set up booths to spice the event up and it did indeed worked. The even was getting livelier by the minute and there seemed to be no teachers intending to stop it. It’s their loss, whatever.

The sound if hip hop music boomed through the speakers, with the throng of people filling up the school grounds. Neon lights reaching every square inch of the party that it’s almost blinding. People dancing to the music while some were already going wild. Yet this is isn’t even the start of it, not far from it.

“Gonna be a wild even again, huh.”

“Yup, I’m not surprised if someones going to the hospital after this.”

“Hopefully not like last year, where the school almost shut down the event due to someone accidentally falling from the 2nd floor, but luckily he was able to recover from the fall pretty quickly.”

“Its fortunate that the one who fell was Ace.”

“You betcha.”

The reason why we can talk about this so lightly was because it was Ace. At first, we were worried about him when he fell in front of our eyes, but somehow and someway he recovered by doing some sort of maneuver that allowed him to bypass being injured. One of the reasons Neil can’t be bothered worrying about Ace. It’s a useless endeavor.

I scour the dancefloor looking for Lorelai, and though there were a lot of people here, i knew it in myself i can never mistake someone else for being Lorelai. And i concluded that she wasn’t here.

It’s already been 2 hours since we separated, and there was no sign of her since. She must be really having fun with her friends. I turn to Neil and said.

“Dude, why don’t we hang out with Lorelai and the-”

“No.”

Before i could even finish speaking, Neil interrupted me with a passive look and denied my proposal before he even heard it at full. How rude. Nevertheless, i wasn’t surprised by his reaction. Reason being that there was a good chance Olivia was with Lorelai.

And the look on Neil’s face was enough to tell me he wasn’t going anywhere with me. He had an indifferent look as he looked on to the growing crowd, not even bothering to look at me as we talked.

Well, my revenge was already finished. Might as well drop it.

“Suit yourself, ima go find Lorelai.”

“Yeah, have fun with that.” Neil said as he took a sip from his drink.

It doesn’t seem he’s really not coming with me, so not wanting to be bothered to persuade him otherwise, i left him at the ongoing party as the crowd forming around him swallowed him whole.

I make my through the bustling crowd, shoulders hitting shoulders as the people bumped into each other as the space was getting cramped by the minute. I don’t remember the school being this full in previous years.

Somehow i make my way out of the monster’s mouth called the acquaintance Party, as i travel back to our homeroom. I had a sneaking suspicion Lorelai was there, though i don’t know why.

Walking through the bright corridors filled with party balloons and confetti, with also a sign that says ‘Be a friend to all’. What a bullshit saying. I ignore it and as i was getting close to the room. And with another turn i see the room door opened.

So Lorelai was there, cool.

I get close to the door and heard people talking. Not minding it was about to enter when i heard a voice say my name. I stop dead in my tracks as my name was mentioned. I decided to hear the conversation first before going in. In retrospect, I’m being rude, but whatever.

“I heard that bradley got Malik’s girlfriend on the rooftop.”

“Shhhhhh, shut up. We swore to Bradley that we wouldn’t say this to anyone.”

“What? It’s not that big of a deal. It’s not like Malik was here overhearing our conversation.”

I am, though. But i couldn’t retort as my mind raced about the possibility of Lorelai being taken by Bradley. This is not good, not good at all. Heat filled my face as my mind was racing, my heartbeat was already climbing two heights i never thought possible.

I make a dash towards the stairs leading to the upper floors. When i got on the 2nd floor, i turned again to climb up to the next. When i arrived at the 3rd floor, i race towards the staircase leading up to the rooftop.

I swung the door opened with as much strength as i could, and what lay before me was the rooftop. Only problem is that no one was here. The place was empty. The scene of Bradley being with Lorelai here didn’t come true. And just as i was about to give a sigh of relief.

The world went dark.