Since that day she saw Alex in the canteen, Lena had been secretly following him.
She found out about his hobbies, likes and dislikes, his favourite food and places.
It was a strange feeling but she was happy in doing it.
She would sometimes see bold girls giving him flowers or letters but he would coldly send the away with his deep cold eyes.
"Is he handsome?"
"Yes, he is too cool." Lena mused shyly.
Wait, this voice, she turned to look at the enlarged face of Prof. Peterson looking at Alex.
Lena's heart skipped a beat.
Prof. Peterson is one of the hottest guys in school not one but the first followed by Alex.
They did try to persue him the first time he came to lecture and she still feel embarrassed at the memory.
She remember at that time, Caren bought a huge box and put her inside the box. She was unconscious. She doesn't even remember the time she was knocked out and with what.
The box had a letter that read 'happy birthday Peterson, the gift in the box is your forever lucky card, don't lose it because it is part of your heart'.
She had a bikini with a cat mask.
When she opened her eyes, the mask was removed and Prof. Peterson was looking at her strangely.
His eyes were curved into a smile that was too cold to the borne.
"They told you am interested in a stick?" His sarcastic comment made her realize the situation she was in and she hoped for the ground to open up and swallow her whole.
"Oh my! He is shy." He mused.
"Am not a he but a she." Lena protested weakly while greet her teeth in endurance.
"But I see differently." His eyes roamed at her chest wickedly.
Lena clenched her fist in anger, he is body shaming her.
At that time she was still a first year, her body was not mature enough and the hurting words really embarrassed her.
Lena's eyes misted. She felt the Prof infront of her looks different from the one she had met days ago.
He was smiling but the smile looked dark and eerie.
Her insecurity kicked in and she curled up like a wounded animal. The sheet that was covering her body slipped down and as she was hurriedly trying to cover herself the bikinis strings snapped.
'It seems they went all out' Lena thought.
She looked at her naked self and the man who was looking at her with strange expression before diving in the blankets that were at the other side.
It seems Caren's cheekiness went to another round as she made sure that she will be embarrassed enough her whole life.
She didn't hate her friends because that is how they usually do. Like Gael was forced to hug a madman who in turn beat him black and blue while she dared Caren to report a fire outbreak in the police station which was never been.
Their cheekiness went beyond that maybe that is why they revenged their painful self because all of it were her doings.
"Uuhm... Prof can I get a change of clothes please." She stammered.
Her voice muffled and pleaded.
"Prof?" The voice sounded unsure of the title.
"You are a university student?" He asked.
Lena removed her head from the blanket and looked at the Prof with blinking eyes.
She nodded her head in confirmation.
He looked at her for a few seconds before he burst in laughter.
"He has interesting students." He murmured before standing up. He went to retrieve a white shirt from the closet and he threw them to her head with shorts.
"You are at the wrong place kid." That was his sentence before he left.
The next day Prof came in with clothes that perfected her and he looked at her strangely like she survived a great disaster.
"Prof?" She called nervously.
That is one of the reasons she never wants to be in Mr Peterson bad side.
"Are you sure about your decision?" He asked her while his eyes were still strained on Alex who was reading a book.
"Sir?" Lena blinked in question.
"There are too many trees in a forest with ripe fruits, you don't need to choose the crooked one or the perfect tree as long as you think it is the tree you need climb then climb it but I warn you if you climb used helpers for there are thorns."
After he said those strange words, he left. Chloe looked at his receding back thoughtfully.
If she is asked who Mr Peterson is she would say it is a guy with two personalities.
Maybe he was warning her or advising her but in all she didn't get the meaning of his words.
She shrugged her shoulders and turned back to look at Alex position but he was already gone.
"Is it good to eavesdrop?" Lena asked Caren who was standing in the shadows.
"What happened that day?" Caren asked curiously while grinning.
"You are tight-lipped but your shifting eyes says otherwise when you meet him." She pointed at the reseeding back of Mr Peterson.
"Nothing happened he just insulted my figure as one gb didn't I tell you?" Lena shrugged as she turned to head to the classroom.
"Was that all?" Caren probed.
"Yeahp, that's all." Lena replied nonchalantly.
"Do you love that cold sissy." Caren stood in front of her.
She was staring at her seriously.
Lena flinched at the personal question, her eyes shifted when she always try to avoid something.
"What are you talking about?" Lena laughed nervously before bypassing Caren and heading to the classroom.
"That sissy isn't simple." Caren said.
"His eyes when he looked at us flushed something feral and beastly. The satisfaction and hatred in them couldn't be ignored."
"Maybe he doesn't like the crowd stares." Chloe argued weakly.
She did feel the ferocity but she ignored it like a passing clowed.
"Crowd stares?" Caren snorted before looking passed the windows.
"He is not simple Lena, Vera is not simple again Lena. You need to look at things differently from your previous perspective."
"I love him." Lena cut her firmly.
"Lena?" Caren cried alarmingly.
"Trust me Caren I won't regret it." She reassured.
Caren looked at Lena for a long time before sighing.
"I don't need to trust you to know the end but I trust my intuition. If you ever regret your decision don't give up hopes for living." Caren parted her in the back as she turned to live.