Chap 18: Confronting the Stranger

Evelyn was back home from her Martial Arts class when she saw Adam standing in front of her room window.

" What are you doing here?" Evelyn asked, rushing towards the window and opening it.

" I am sorry," Adam said, looking hurt.

" Excuse me? Why are you apologizing to me?"

" I couldn't protect you when the boys attacked you at the pool."

" That's not a big deal. I appreciate you saving me last time, but I can take care of myself. I don't need your protection all the time."

" But they are targetting you, and I can't let anything happen to you." Adam looked very pained.

" You don't have to..."

" I have already taken care of them."

" What do you mean?" Evelyn asked. " What did you do?"

" They had to bear the consequences for their actions. I had warned them not to harm you."

" What did you do, Adam?"

" You will know tomorrow."

" Did you harm them?" Evelyn asked in a panic.

" Not physically," Adam replied casually.

" What's done was done. Why did you have to interfere again?"

" I had to teach them a lesson, so they think a thousand times before harming you again."

" Why does it bother you so much? What is it to you if I get hurt?"

" It's because I love you," Adam said a bit loudly.

" How can I trust you? What if you have an ulterior motive? " Evelyn scoffed.

Adam looked hurt and offended by Evelyn's words. " How can you say that? I can never hurt you."

" Then why do you have to hide? " Evelyn cried out. " Why is your face hidden behind a mask? "

" I-I can't reveal myself now," Adam stuttered.

" Why not?"

" What if you don't accept me? I can't risk that."

" How am I supposed to trust you when you are acting so suspicious? You behave like a goddamn stalker. I am in half a mind to report you."

" You can report me, but they wouldn't be able to catch me," Adam smirked.

" You seem too confident."

" I am. I haven't left any tracks. Also, I am not stalking you, just ensuring you are safe."

" That's a strange way to keep me safe, but seriously sometimes I don't know whether to appreciate you or be wary of you?"

Adam approached Evelyn and held her hands. " I don't want you to be wary of me. I want you to love me."

Though Evelyn knew she should stay away from a stalker who does everything secretly, in her heart, she couldn't come to hate or be scared of Adam; rather, she felt safe around him. " How can I love you when I don't even know you."

" Then we should get to know each other."

" How?"

" I will come to you if you love me or call for me."

" What do you mean? Is this some kind of a joke?" Evelyn was confused.

" I am serious."

" You are asking me to love you just like that. It does not work like that."

" Then I will make you fall for me."

" How's that even possible when you are always trying to hide? " Evelyn was quite curious to know who this guy really was. When she noticed Adam was busy looking at her room, she tried to grab the mask on his face, but he held her hand at the right time.

" Not so fast, my Eve," Adam said. " Be patient."

Evelyn pouted and looked away.

" Don't do that. I won't be able to control myself."

" Huhh?"

" You look so cute now," Adam said in a husky voice and placed a kiss on Evelyn's hand. " I want to kiss you badly."

Evelyn was shocked and stared at Adam for a few seconds. When she realized what she was doing, she blushed and pulled her hand away. " Y-You c-can't say such things."

" But I want to..."

"W-Who do you think you are to say such things? Y-You are not my boyfriend."

" I wish I could be."

" You seem to know everything about me, but I don't know anything about you except for your name, and I am not even sure whether it's your real name."

" Do you want to know me?"

Adam's voice sounded excited, and Evelyn felt he smiled though she couldn't be sure as his face was covered by a mask.

" I am curious about you. You are very secretive and...different, so obviously, I am intrigued. Can I have your number?"

" Number...?" Adam seemed reluctant. " I can't give you my number."

" Why not?"

" He will get to know then."

" Who will get to know?"

" I can't let him know. He will ruin everything."

" What are you trying to say?" Evelyn was confused.

" I am sorry, Eve. "

" You can't even share your number and say you love me?" Evelyn pouted.

" Anything other than this, Eve. I can't let him know, or else he will try to stop me."

" So there's someone who can stop you," Evelyn asked, raising her brow.

" I won't let him," Adam said adamantly.

" You are so confusing." Evelyn rolled her eyes. " How do I contact you then?"

Adam was silent for a few minutes, lost in thoughts.

" Are you even listening?" Evelyn interrupted him.

" I will contact you whenever you are in need," Adam whispered.

" How will you know I am in need?"

" I just know it. Now that you have reached home safely, I will be leaving. I have something important to do. " Adam suddenly turned around and was gone within seconds.

Evelyn tried calling for him, but Adam got lost in the dark.

The next day at college was like a circus show. The pictures of the Cliff twins and their friends in girls' clothes were posted everywhere around the college.

The Cliff twins arrived, as usual, as if they owned the University. They were still a bit fuzzy because of the effect of the drugs they were given last evening. When they saw their pictures on the walls, they couldn't believe their eyes.

The students scrunched their faces in disgust and mocked looking at the pictures, and even though no one dared to say it in front of the bullies, nobody could stop them from gossiping among themselves.

The Cliff twins and their friends were so shocked seeing their shameful pictures on display they didn't know how to react. No one had ever dared to humiliate them in such a way.

They heard many whispers among the students.

" Ewww!!! That's disgusting!!"

" I never thought they were into such kinky stuff."

" Do they like to crossdress?"

" They acted all high and mighty. Pathetic!!!"

" I always wondered what these guys were up to in their clubs. Now we know," someone chuckled.

" Do rich people have these weird tastes?"

Fred was so angered by the comments he tore off the pictures on the wall and screamed at the top of his lungs. " Shut up, everyone. Shut your mouth. That's not us. It's all fake."

The students stared at Fred as if they didn't believe him.

This angered Fred even more, and he looked at his friends, who were frozen in shock. " What are you guys doing standing there? Get rid of these pictures now."

The friends came to their senses and started tearing down the pictures from the walls.

" That bastard!!" Jeff said while leaving the crowded corridor with Fred. " I didn't expect him to do this."

" We have underestimated him," Fred whispered, clenching his fist. " I will kill him. If he thinks we will stop at this, he is gravely mistaken."

" What can we do?" Jeff said in frustration. " We don't even know who he is."

" This time, we have to think of something big. We have to strike when he least expects it."

Evelyn and Triston were equally shocked when they saw the pictures.

" Who would do this, especially with the twins?" Triston wondered.

" I think I know," Evelyn replied.

" Who?"

" Adam."

" Who's Adam?" Triston asked, confused.

" The one who saved me when I was kidnapped."

" The hooded guy?"

" Yes."

" Why did he do this?"

" He wanted revenge."

" Revenge? Why?"

" Because they attacked me yesterday."

" Why would he do this if they attacked you," Triston asked softly.

Evelyn probably didn't hear him and was staring at the various pictures, not knowing whether to laugh at it or feel bad for the twins. She was never the one to laugh at others when they were in trouble, but the Cliff twins had done a lot of harm to others, especially Triston and herself, and somehow she felt they deserved it.

Triston was still wondering why Adam would take such an extreme step for Evelyn's sake when he realized something. Did this Adam guy love Evelyn? The thought made Triston uncomfortable. He loved Evelyn but didn't dare to tell her because he didn't have the guts. Now that another guy was trying to get her attention, what were his chances? He was not even capable of protecting her as that Adam guy could.

Triston's mood suddenly dampened, and even the temporary satisfaction he felt from seeing the Cliff twins suffer did not alleviate his mood. He felt even more pathetic and useless thinking about his pitiful life, wherein he couldn't do anything as he wished. He felt like a complete loser.