Chapter 1
An unexpected scene
One peaceful day on a Tuesday morning, Mina a 22-year-old college student went to the staffroom in the west wing of the main college building to meet her GL instructor (group leader) to discuss her attachment replacement place. One of the staff who is handling the attachment student form is missing out on her form. And now she needed to find a new one because the previous place had been fully booked by other students. It’s college rules to allow only 4 students can share the same company.
While she is walking, she cannot stop thinking about her attachment place problem. If she can’t find the company in time, she knows she has to repeat one semester to graduate. That makes Mina worry so much because she will have to spend another six months in this college alone when all her friends graduate. She hoped that her GL instructor had good news. Also in her heart, she doesn’t want another problem to appear. She prayed that all would go well today, tomorrow, and in the future. Unfortunately, luck is not on her side.
After a brisk 5-minute walk, Mina finally arrived at the staffroom, her heart pounding with a mix of anticipation and anxiety. Before stepping through the threshold, she paused to take a deep breath, hoping against hope that the news awaiting her would be good. However, as she pushed the door open, she was greeted by a scene that immediately unsettled her—a scenario she could have never imagined unfolding within the walls of the staffroom.
Inside, her eyes widened at the sight before her. Two grown men were perched precariously on a single chair, one sitting atop the other. The moment they locked eyes with Mina, shock washed over their faces, their expressions a comical blend of embarrassment and disbelief. But what truly made Mina’s stomach churn was the unsettling realization that she recognized both of them all too well. The familiar faces sent a wave of unease coursing through her as she processed the unexpected and highly uncomfortable display.
The two men standing before Mina were unmistakably the instructors from the campus. One of them was familiar to Mina, a figure she recognized instantly, yet the shock of the moment rendered her momentarily paralyzed, as if her feet were glued to the floor. The second instructor, despite the evident struggle in his gait—suggesting a twisted ankle or some other injury—managed to rise from his chair. He hobbled awkwardly towards the exit, each step a testament to his discomfort.
As he passed by Mina, he leaned closer, lowering his voice to a near whisper. "It’s not like what you saw," he said, before making his way out of the room, leaving behind an atmosphere thick with tension. The remaining instructor, however, remained seated, his gaze fixed intently on Mina with an unsettling intensity. His stare pierced through her, making her feel exposed, as if she were standing in front of him without a shred of clothing.
The oppressive silence between them hung heavily in the air, wrapping Mina in a blanket of unease. Unable to bear the weight of his gaze any longer, she broke the silence, her voice barely a whisper, "I'm sorry." With that, she turned on her heel, hastily making her way towards the exit, desperate to escape the scrutiny that had made her skin crawl.
When she was already in front of the door, quickly she reached for the handle ready to open it, and walked out from there. But before Mina could open the door she got stopped by that instructor who she knew as Sir Aron. Sir Aron held firmly the handle not allowing Mina to open it. Mina was surprised by the sudden hand holding the handle, which made her immediately withdraw her hand back from the door. Make her heart racing like crazy. It’s almost like she got an anxiety attack.
Mina hesitated for a moment before turning to face the instructor, her heart racing as she focused her gaze on the array of desks behind him, unwilling to meet his piercing eyes. Sir Aron, at thirty-two years old, had earned a formidable reputation across the campus as an inflexible and intimidating figure. His mere presence was enough to instill fear in students; no one dared to defy him. Tall and deeply muscular, he commanded attention not just for his imposing physique but also for his strikingly handsome, mafia-like features. While many girls secretly admired him from afar, they were equally cautious, recognizing the underlying menace that trailed his every move.
As Mina stood there, she unwittingly found herself inching closer to Sir Aron, her sudden proximity causing her to back away instinctively. She felt the hard surface of a door press against her back, a jarring reminder of her sudden vulnerability. Glancing up, her breath caught in her throat at the sight of his face—a serious expression adorned with a devilish smile that sent shivers down her spine. Panic surged within her, and she blurted out an apologetic "sorry," despite not having a clue what she was apologizing for. All she knew was that she longed to escape this unsettling encounter as swiftly as possible.
"I promise I won’t tell anyone," she blurted out before she could stop herself. The words hung in the air, and even she was taken aback by her impulsive confession. As she glanced up at Sir Aron, her heart sank. His expression had transformed into a mask of cold, unyielding seriousness, devoid of any trace of the playful smirk she had grown accustomed to. The sudden shift sent a chilling wave of fear through her, leaving her stomach to plummet into the depths of dread. What had she done to incite such a reaction?
Mina felt paralyzed, rooted in place by an overwhelming sense of terror. Her mind raced, desperate to formulate an adequate response, yet all coherent thought seemed to slip away, leaving her in a numbing silence. The tension in the air thickened, wrapping around her like a tightening noose.
For a suffocating thirty seconds, the room was filled with an oppressive awkwardness as Sir Aron’s gaze pierced through her, unwavering and intense. Finally, he broke the silence, his voice steady but laced with an edge of confrontation. "Do you think I’m gay?" The question hung heavy, amplifying the gravity of the moment.
Mina shook her head vigorously, her lips forming the words "No, sir..." but her expression betrayed her—a nervous flicker in her eyes revealed the lie. Sir Aron observed her closely, as if he could decipher the chaos of thoughts swirling in her mind, and he chose to remain silent, expectant. He wanted her to voice her true feelings about him, to confront the underlying implications of her words.
The pressure of the situation became unbearable for Mina. The weight of his gaze felt like a physical force pressing down on her. In a desperate attempt to ease the tension, she stammered, "Will I just think about that, not saying that you’re g..."
The realization dawned on her abruptly; she had only compounded the awkwardness. The heat of embarrassment flooded her cheeks. "Sorry," she murmured again, clutching her book tightly against her chest as if it were a shield, hoping to hide from the scrutiny of his now piercing, questioning stare.
Sir Aron grinned and said “What? Do you mean GAY?” Mina looks away from him, she doesn’t want to answer it. “Let me tell you something, Mina…”.He smirked before continuing “All that you saw is not what you think. I know it seems like I’m making an excuse but what you saw just now is about something different than what you thought. Just now sir Ian just tripped and fell over when he walked past me toward the printer” he referred to another instructor who was with him just now.
But Mina still doesn’t believe and just thinks that Sir Aron makes excuses whatsoever. But little does she know that she is messing this up a big time. Sir Aron knows that Mina is not believing what he said just now. He knew that from the expression on Mina’s face. Then out of nowhere some thoughts come to him.
He smirking. “You don’t believe me isn’t? Then I don’t have a choice cuz you left me with none….” he said with a seduced voice, which made Mina shiver with discomfort. “What do you want sir and what do you mean by leaving you with none… what?” asked Mina anxiously. Sir Aron doesn’t answer right away, instead, he gives a little naughty smile. ”why..? You are nervous about what I want to say…, oh Mina you should see the look on your face”. Mina’s face turned red from anger. She hated how Sir Aron talked to her just now. Especially the way that scary instructor talked to her in a flirty and seductive way causing her to feel nauseous. She talked back almost like shouting at him by saying,” WHAT YOU WANT?”
But sir Aron instead of feeling shocked or offended, he seemed like being amused by her reaction. it just makes Sir Aron satisfied even more because seeing Mina looking is scared. Mina’s pupils shook and her heart felt like it wanted to explode at Sir Aron’s Statement. In his statement, he wants Mina to be his girlfriend for 3 months to prove he was not G! Her mind spinning, she really cannot process what Sir Aron just said.
She almost cries when she replies, “I believe you, sir, I believe you.. please I don’t want to be your contract girlfriend”, Sir Aron simply just says ′ no, cuz I know you’re lying to get away and I’m not buying it also I’m not asking about that,” .he said with strong voice domineering. He makes it clear that what he wants he will get.
Mina lost her word, she said nothing and left the room by opening the door behind her. It almost hit Sir Aron’s face but he stops it in time. She walked faster to get far away from the staffroom and she even forgot about the real reason she went to the staffroom. On the way to her class, she came across her GL instructor, Sir Zen. Sir Zen stopped Mina on her track and said he had good news for her. They accepted her attachment application for her working experience in the company. Mina is glad that her application was accepted. It means she doesn’t need to repeat another semester. But she doesn’t feel really happy because of what happened a few moments ago. It showed on her face.
She sighs without realizing that Sir Zen is still in standing in front of her. Make Sir Zen can’t help but be curious. He asked Mina what she was worried about but Mina said nothing. Then he asked again why she sighed just now. And once again Mina said nothing. Sir Zen gives up on asking again knowing she won’t tell anything. He knew Mina very well, she wouldn’t talk or share her problems even with her siblings. Mina smiled at him and continued walking. But sir Zen can’t stop thinking why Mina looks so down today even after hearing the good news about her attachment.
And meanwhile, Mina thought still about what Sir Aron had said earlier. It terrified her making her feel Goosebumps all over her body and the nauseated feeling came back. Mina walks faster trying to forget what just happened. In her mind the words of, ‘ Be my girlfriend’ circled her thoughts. She tries to shake it off but can’t.
All day she tries to forget. She cannot concentrate in her class. Even at lunchtime, she doesn’t even eat. She lost her appetite from stress. Even when she goes home she barely talks and at night she cannot sleep. Still thinking about what Sir Aron said. She hopes that Sir Aron is only joking.
loved it!