Another week had gone by, and there was still no sight of Silvia. Her everyday presence had completely vanished. People were saying that she had given up on Lucas after the multiple rejections.
She was pretty persistent, and now she's not even showing up anymore, huh? I guess this is good. I don't have to keep running away from her and move freely in uni.
Lucas still seemed to be hung up on it for some reason. Today, having some free time, he decided to go to the swim club meet. As he was about to go into the boys' changing room, he walked past the club room.
"What is wrong with you? Are you still talking about wanting to talk to Lucas? Stop fucking pestering him, you bitch."
A loud voice was heard reaching out from the closed door of the swim club room.
"Stop it, everyone. Maybe she just does not seem to realise that Lucas does not want to be near her cause he has not said it to her specifically," a familiar voice replied again.
"I guess everyone cannot help but want to be close to Lucas. I mean, I have been near him a lot and know him well, so I understand he is just trying not to hurt her feelings. He won't tell you upright if he does not like you. You need to stop getting so close to him like that, Silvia. It's disgusting."
Lucas stood there, confused about what was going on.
Who the fuck is that? Someone who is close to me? Sounds like she is just spouting shit. I don't know any girls in this school.
"Did Lucas tell you that he hated me?" Silvia asked the girl.
The same monotone voice that did not seem to be affected by the crude words being thrown at her.
Even in this situation, Silvia does not change, huh. How can she sound so unbothered by this? I guess it takes guts and confidence the way she chased after me for days.
"What does that matter? Lucas is obviously close to Clara, so why would he need you? If it were not for training and competitions, they would probably already be dating! So back off from her man!" the other girl shouted.
"Oh, we are not together with each other like that... we are just very close to each other right now." Clara replied.
"No, I am not backing off. He promised to be mine!" Silvia's stern voice could be heard loudly through the door, finally conveying her feelings through her words.
Lucas could not help but blush hearing this.
Seriously, why is he so consistently hung up on that?
Unrealising his own feelings at that point, he seemed content to know that she still had not given up.
"How can you say something like that!" Clara cried.
Then a sudden slap echoed from the room. Lucas bashed through the door to see a girl had slapped Silvia across the face, with Clara pouring tears down her face as if she was the victim in all this.
The girls were shocked to see Lucas barge into the room. Silvia just stood there staring at him, her left cheek imprinted with the girl's slap, throbbing from the pain. Still, her face was void of emotion. She did not cry, wince, or ever complain.
She is doing it again... she is taking something from me again.
Silvia thought to herself, watching Clara, the same Clara Johnson who had taken her sponsor, her coach, and her place in the competition.
Silvia's eyes glossed over, unable to see in front of her. Expecting Lucas to comfort Clara, who was supposed to be close to Lucas.
But unbeknownst to Silvia, Lucas walked up to her and placed his hand on her burning cheek, touching it ever so delicately. The red mark contrasted with her pale skin, and her lip had been cut from the sudden impact. Silvia stared at Lucas, as if her vision had just cleared. She blinked multiple times at the sight.
"L-lucas. What are you doing here?" The girl who slapped Silvia asked.
Lucas gave her a glare that could kill.
"What the fuck do you think you guys are doing?" he yelled at the girls in the room.
Dammit, what is Lucas doing here... did he hear everything I said? This is not good. Clara was stunned to see Lucas here since he had never really come to the simming club meetings apart from the first one.
"Clara, explain it to Lucas. This girl has been standing out of line with the shit she has been saying." The girl urged Clara, thinking that she was close to Lucas.
Shit, why are you asking me... I am not even that close to him. I tried so hard to make people think I am close to him, but now it's all just falling apart. But he really is avoiding her, so he will probably side with me, right?
"Lucas... Silvia has been telling us that you agreed to be hers and kept insisting on this. We were just trying to get her back on. I mean, so we are close, so I thought I should help."Clara snifled, still keeping up the act.
Lucas was confused about why this girl was acting as if they were close. He had only seen her in competitions and swim camps together.
"And who asked you to do that?" Lucas's creased brows and twitching lips showed that he was obviously pissed. He looked around at the three girls who went quiet with his threatening demeanour.
"I thought you were close to Lucas," one of the girls whispered to Clara, nudging her.
"Is that the shit you have been telling people?" Lucas snapped at Clara.
"No, I was saying we know each other and how you don't like strangers asking you out. I mean, last time you got annoyed in swim camp when that girl kept asking you out. So I just wanted to help!" Clara replied, trying to dig her out of the hole, "I know you hate Silvia and have been trying to avoid her. It's not just me. Everyone has seen it and is telling her off."
"So you are saying others have also been treating her like this?" Lucas's rage seemed to increase more as Clara and the other two girls nodded.
Lucas grabbed Silvia's hand.
"Well, tell 'everyone' that what Silvia said is true. I did promise her. Why don't you guys fucking apologise to her?"
He stared at the three girls who meekly looked at each other before mumbling out the word 'sorry'.
"Now get the fuck out of here. If I see shit like this again, I swear to god I will return he favour. Don't think being a girl gives you a free pass."
The girls scurried out frantically, avoiding eye contact with Lucas and Silvia.
Finally turning around to face Silvia, he was met yet again with another vivid expression from her. Eyes sparkling and brow raised, she gave a smile but winced at the pain from the cut.
"You ok?" Lucas quickly sat her down while going towards the medkit and taking out a cotton bud and disinfectant. He lightly started to dab her lips as she stared at him, mesmerised, occasionally blinking one eye as the disinfectant burned.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" He asked, getting a bit red.
"Can I not?" Hani asked, tilting her head to the side.
"No, you can't!" Lucas replied right back.
"But you just agreed to be my muse... You said I can look at you. Did you lie to me again?" Silvia stopped smiling, back to her emotionless face, but her eyes grew sadder by the second.
Dabbing her cut more, he stared at Silvia. "I said I would do it in front of them, so I will. Stop asking me, seriously."
Silvia smiled at him, "Thank you!"
Lucas suddenly stopped and stared at her. Her smile was genuine, full of innocence.
This is a scam. How is this fair? How can she look like that when smiling?
Putting away the medkit and throwing away the waste, Lucas stares at Silvia.
"You should smile like that more often, it's a good look on you," he said, blushing.
"But I don't like to smile at just anyone. I am not a cistucs monkey who should smile to make others happy." Silvia said bluntly.
"Do whatever then!" Lucas smacked the cabinet shut.
Seriously, why the hell do I even try with this girl? I was just trying to say she looks good when smiling.
As he was about to walk away, Silvia grabbed onto his sleeve.
"But... if it's for you, I don't mind smiling. I want to smile for you."
Hearing these words, Lucas could not help but be baffled; still, a sense of happiness filled him to know Silvia was happy to smile for him but not others.
"Whatever." He said, shrugging her off, acting nonchalant, "I will see you tonight in the pool, I guess?"
"Actually, I have plans tonight, so I will see you tomorrow?" Silvia smiled at him again, making him flush even more.