[4] My public Image

◔ Maze ◔

I was never a party crasher. I didn't even attend my graduation party. I even skipped all those frosh events organized by my institution like ziplining, rock climbing, rafting, boating, etc. You could say I am a whole package of boredom.

Actually, I was away from all this not because Ryan denied me to join any party, it's because the crowd always brought bad happening for me. And I hate messing up life over nothing.

I live my life on my own conditions.

And Ryan always needed to keep himself busy in protecting me mess I keep on composing for myself.

As before, I always wanted to hang out with a group of friends. so people from different groups tried to approach me only.

I was really a fool then. I always used to welcome them, though I knew that they were never meant to befriend me.

But I don't know what keeps me going on with my hopes.

And guess what, every time I defied Ryan, I would surely fall into trouble and later ended up crying on my foolishness.

 It took me a bit of time to realize but now I know it for sure. And also I am no more that weak and helpless Maze who was easy to be bullied. I am now a hundred times stronger than before.

So now if anyone wants to throw a brick piece at me I will answer them with stones. So now I am no more scared to be bullied anymore.

I don't understand the double meaning word. Of course, it's allowed boys to fool me. They tried to take advantage of me and every time Ryan has to be present there to help me out. Poor guy.

He was really stuck with me.

And I got some nickname because of my attitude, like sassy, snob, boring, slut. Some even say I am fooling Ryan along with other rich boys.

Arghh.....Humans and their words........

Trust me, I am the pure dumbest girl you have ever meet. My world is too small due to my fewer friends actually having one and only friend, my stupid some restriction ethics which was obviously created by me, and finally poverty which doesn't allow me to visit around randomly and waste money.

★..............................★

I was sitting in a corner of the party where all were eating, dancing, and having fun circling around the bonfire.

I could see how much Ryan love all this. He just had to avoid all this to accompany me. I really feel bad for him.

Sometimes I wonder how does it feel to be too clever that people would never try to betray you anymore.

A soft male voice brought me back to reality.

"Hyyy"

I turned my head towards the direction of the sound coming from.

 "Maze right?" The owner of the voice again said while moving to my side.

 I stared at the handsome yet unknown face in front of me.

"Um... May I know who are you?" I bit my lower lip rummaging through my memory to confirm this black-haired lad's identity. But seemed like I really don't know this guy at all.

"No..but I know you. The Beauty of Swiss" 

 Oh, I haven't say yet, I live in Switzerland. Here life was really costly. 

I tried to see through his soul, should I talk to him? What was his motive for complimenting me like this? 

"Ahem.." A light cough brought me back to reality again.

I got puzzled as this sudden was really awkward to me.

"Thank you" I gave him a light smile.

I tried to read his Grey orbs but I failed.

"Let me introduce myself, I am Ian. You can say I am your senior. I was one batch senior in college" He smiled at me.

Okay, now that explained why and how does he know me. Perhaps he might be my senior as it was a kind of reunion party among our college friends... not my friends, all of them were Ryan's friends.

During my college days, I was really a bit rude, mean, and also an introvert type of girl. As no one used to like me either, so I didn't even bother to talk to any of them.

"Would you like some barbecue and beer" 

 I awkwardly nodded at him stating him positive response.

"But I don't drink please"

It feels sarcastic to him that I don't drink. But he respected my word

Ian handed me a plate of freshly barbecued lamb meat "Maze can I request you something?" 

I nodded while blowing a piece of hot meat before eating.

As I put the meat piece inside my mouth he said, "Let's go out tomorrow" 

His sudden and straightforward manner of asking caught me off guard.

I coughed to stabilized my state as the piece of meat stuck on my throat.

I stared at him confusingly. Wasn't it too much for him to ask me out only after trading two sentences between us?!

Ian seemed to grasp on my thoughts.

"No no don't take it otherwise. It's just that tomorrow is my birthday. So I thought if my new friend aka junior could come, I would really have been happy. " He said with a smile on his face.

"Okay just tell me the location I will be there" I replied to him without any second thought.

He got way more excited, "Lovers cafe by 5"

"Now that we are friends, Can I request you one more thing?" 

I again looked at him confusingly 

"Just try this beer. it's not alcoholic"

I looked at him stiffly. I wanted to say "NO" but something attracted me to take it.

Before I could stretch my hand, he came close to me and hold my jaw in one hand tried to feed me the beer a little bit forcefully by his other hand.

The moment the beer touched my lips it more tasted like Soyabean Oil with a bad medicinal smell.

I coughed out the beer.

My tongue started burning a little. But he laughed at my reaction and kept forcing me to drink it.

Soon a stiff hand grabbed Ian's hand to stop him and pushed his hand away giving it a hard twist.

"Stay out of her" Ryan was so loud that everyone started staring at us.

I rushed out of there before it can be more embarrassing.

Passing Ian a warning gaze, Ryan ran after me.

Now that sucks. I know Ryan was worried about me. But I hate it when he took stands for me. I want to take my own stand by myself.

"Wait Maze" He called me out.

I got more angry.. Actually, I have this angry bird appearance only with Ryan..No one else has ever seen me being angry...I could swear.

"What do you want to say?" I knitted my brows and looked at him

"I know you hate it when I take stand for you. but he was forcing..."

I cut him off.

"Shut up.. don't even dare to talk to me again..he was not forcing me..he was just my new friend who tried to make me taste something new" I retorted back 

"What friend? He is not your friend for god sake Maze. He was just making fool of you.."  

"Shut up.. Idiot..Faul boy..not everyone is dirty like your thinking.he was my new friend whom you just pissed off" 

with that, I kicked his car so badly that I hurt my leg.

Ryan rushed to me, crouched down to check my leg but I shove him down with a kick. His hand fall on the rock and got cut..

"Sorry sorry. I didn't mean to.."

Now he cut me off

"I know Maze. Just sit on the car" I didn't say much..after a silent driving we reached my place.

I forced him to enter my house and bandaged his hand...

He looked at me and tried to talk.

"Don't think I have forgiven you for what you have done" with that, I kick him out of my house...

At this moment I don't feel bad for him. He just hurt my pride there. I was not angry because he scolded Ian or not, I was pissed as his reaction affected my public image. To an introvert and prideful girl like me, public image means a lot.