He Who Doesn't Smile Anymore

Genesis 13: Rival (1)

A week later, Alia returned to class as usual. I don't know why I was so happy when he sat down next to me. What kind of happy feeling is this? And why do I feel nervous to be able to talk to him. How strange.

This nervous feeling increased when the lesson started, I could not focus on hearing the teacher's explanation up ahead. My gaze was shifted to the beautiful face of Alia. Today there was something strange about me.

"Eric.." call Alia in a small voice.

"Huh-yes?" I answered with surprise.

"Don't keep looking at me, dong. I couldn't concentrate" he said in embarrassment. Gawat, I'm caught!

"Pe-pe-feeling is all that" I replied.

"Anyways, don't look at me like that".

"So, how should I look at you?" my many. Uh, what am I saying this?!

Alia's face flushed, she immediately turned her face quickly and did not talk to me throughout the lesson until the break time arrived.

When the break time came, Alia immediately stood up and left the classroom without saying a word. I think he's upset with me. Is it because I said that?

"Haaah...What am I supposed to do?" I murmured with worry. Does Alia hate me? How's nih?

"Eric, it looks like today you look different. What's up?" rey asked with a naughty smile.

"Rey...Since the lesson, Alia did not want to talk to me, she even turned her face away from me" I said sadly.

"Eh?" Rey was confused as to what to say. Maybe he doesn't know what to do either.

"Eric, that's called conflict. That's normal, really. Later if you explain, he will understand" said Rey.

Conflict, yeah. It seems I've made Alia unwell. But does this have anything to do with what I said? I didn't intentionally say that anyway. Well, how is it?!

. . .

Alia felt tired after running in the corridor finally sat down tiredly in the academy garden. His heart was always restless with Eric. "And so, what the fuck was he saying?" he muttered with a red face. He doesn't know what to do, so he can only run away from Eric.

"But, I'm afraid Eric's gonna think I hate him?" muttered Alia while looking at the sky. Alia continued to stare at the sky with a long sigh.

"Alia? What are you doing here?" nael asked and approached him. Alia had not expected to meet her close friend so soon. He was eager to pour his heart out to his friend.

"Naiel, what should I do?" tanya Alia.

. . .

The break is over, but that doesn't mean the awkwardness between Alia and Eric is over. The distance between them is widening. Eric, who knows that there is a misunderstanding, cannot explain it either because Alia keeps turning her face away from him.

'What should I do? Alia was in a state of unwillingness to speak. Duh, how's this?' eric murmured in his heart.

Not long after that, the teacher had entered the classroom. But unlike usual, he didn't start the lesson right away. This time he introduced a transfer student from another class. Seeing the person, Alia was shocked. He met her again.

"My name is Noah Alembert. Transfer from trade science classes. Please help him in the future" he said loudly in front of the class.

Then his eyes fell on Alia. He met her again. Noahpun waved his hand at him with an excited smile. Unexpectedly, Alia returned the wave of the new disciple. This made the whole class surprised.

The new student sat at the table opposite to Alia. "Alia, we meet again" he said. Alia nodded her head slowly. Noah smiled happily because he could meet Alia again.

On the other hand, Rey and Naiel are suspicious. How could Alia be close to that new disciple?

"How is? The new student got in the way of our plan" Rey whispered to Naiel.

"We'll keep an eye on the new student. Who and how he could be familiar with Alia. We must not allow it" Naiel replied in a whisper.

. . .

After school, Naiel met Alia and said, "Alia, we go home together, yuk". Naiel immediately pulled Alia out, while the shocked Alia could not do anything and went home with her.

On the other hand, the new disciple was instantly mobbed by the other disciples and flooded with thousands of questions. But an important question for them was how he could instantly get along with Alia.

Noah just chuckled and told how he met Alia briefly, "I was a little late on my first day of class. I thought it was my unlucky day, but suddenly a woman hit me from behind. Then he kept apologizing to me, I just laughed and we got acquainted. From that moment until the special class ended, we always sat next to each other. Hahaha, he's a pretty unique person, never smiling even if I ask him to joke"

Rey and Arys, who heard it, walked away and whispered, "He's going to be Eric's dangerous rival" Arys whispered.

"We have to plan something to keep this bully away" Rey replied in a whisper as well. They finally agreed.

. . .

Meanwhile Alia and Naiel, the two of them went back to their dormitory. But for a while Naiel managed to keep Alia away from the new student, Noah. Now what would he say?

"Alia, do you have a problem with Eric?" ask Naiel. Alia's face became slightly flushed because the one asked was Eric.

"No, nothing" he answered.

"But why have you been turning your eyes away from her all day?".

"eeh? How do you know that?" alia asked with a blushing face.

"Who knows it, you know. One of them I was the one who from the beginning looked at you" Naiel replied with a bored look.

Alia simply fell silent while blushing in embarrassment. What Naiel said was all true. He can't hide anything more about this. Alia had to answer him while closing her eyes,

"Once, Eric kept looking at me during the lesson. I didn't know what to do, but somehow my heart was beating so fast when he looked at me....And say it like that".

Naiel understood, so Alia was just embarrassed and did not know what to do because of Eric's actions. Thank God he didn't hate Eric. But now Naiel will ask the real problem.

"Alia, do you know that new student?" ask Naiel.

"Oh, Noah, huh? Yes, we met in a special class. He's a pretty good guy and smart. What's up?" sahut Alia's.

"It's okay, I'm just surprised" Naiel replied.

'Meaning it's only a matter of time until the new student will actually approach Alia, how should I tell Eric?' naiel asked inwardly.

Who would have thought everything would go according to his mind, there would have been an obstacle that blocked the goal. Will Eric and friends be able to handle the new student?