"Lana, wait up!" Adrian's voice came through the morning air as Lana parked her car in the school’s lot.
She let out a deep sigh, clutching her bag tightly. She had hoped to avoid him after their last encounter, but Adrian was dogged. As she turned to see him jogging toward her, she paused herself and turned to face him.
“What is it now, Adrian?" she asked flatly, refusing to meet his eyes.
"We need to talk," he said, his tone filled with frustration. "About us. About what happened."
"There's nothing to talk about," Lana replied, with a sharp tone. She readjusted the strap of her bag and turned to head toward the school entrance.
“Nothing to say to me?" Adrian repeated,
"You just walked away, Lana. No explanation, no closure. You owe me at least that much."
She whirled suddenly, then faced him squarely, coldly. "I don't owe you anything, Adrian. What happened between us is over. It's been over for a long time.
Adrian's jaw clenched and his hands curled to fists by his sides. "You're so ungrateful Lana," he snarled. "I stood up for you against Bianca and her crew, took all their teasing and mean comments because of you, and this is how you pay me back? By ignoring me as if I don't even exist?
"I didn't ask for your help, Adrian," Lana snapped, her voice rising. "You chose to get involved. I never asked for your sacrifices, and I certainly didn't ask for this conversation. Well, thank you for standing up for me but it's over between us.”.
Adrian's face twisted in anger, but before he could say a word, Lana's phone buzzed in her pocket. She looked down at the screen and then let out a sigh. "I don't have time for this. Goodbye, Adrian."
In one moment, it all boiled over as she turned and walked away. "You'll regret this, Lana!" he hollered after her, across the parking lot.
Lana didn't look back, her steps steady and unwavering. The eyes of students around them were glued to the scene, their murmurs loud.
"Guess Mr. Hero didn't get the girl after all," Bianca snickered, loud enough to elbow her friends around her.
The group exploded in a fit of laughter, their jeering tones igniting his anger even further. Adrian turned to them, his face beet red in embarrassment, and then he stormed away, leaving the jeering crowd behind.
\---
The day dragged on, morning's pressure still hanging in the air. Lana stuck to her work and avoided anything that would make her interact more than necessary. At the last bell, Lana was waiting for Mabel outside the building, both of them ready to get away.
"That was quite the show earlier," Mabel joked as they headed across the parking lot.
Lana groaned, rolling her eyes. "Don't remind me. I just want to forget about it."
"Well, Adrian sure won't," Mabel said with a smirk. "Did you see his face when Bianca laughed at him? Priceless."
"I didn't stick around for that," Lana replied, shaking her head. "I have more important things to worry about."
But as they drew closer to her car, Lana's heart sank. All four tyres were completely deflated. She let her bag fall to the ground and hunched down to take a closer look, an expression of disbelief on her face.
"Are you kidding me?" she muttered, running her hand over one of the flattened tyres.
"Who'd do something like this?" Mabel asked, looking around the lot.
It did not take long for Lana to come up with a suspect. Those Fuming words by Adrian filled her brain, but she discarded the thought. Confrontation would only worsen the situation, and she had no proof that he did it.
"I don't know," Lana replied with a sigh, pulling out her phone. "But I need to get home. Kids will be waiting.".
What's the plan?" Mabel asked as she watched Lana dial a number.
"I'll call a tow truck to take it to the mechanic," Lana replied. "And then I guess we'll have to take public transport."
The call was rather short, and in just a few minutes, the tow truck was on its way. Lana leaned against the side of the car. She was getting increasingly frustrated.
Why does this sort of thing always happen when I'm in such a rush?" she muttered.
Mabel playfully nudged her. "Hey, at least we'll get some adventure out of it. When's the last time you took a bus?"
Lana managed the trace of a smile. "Too long ago. Let's hope I remember how it works."
The bus ride was uneventful, but Lana had this nagging feeling of unease. Thoughts of Adrian, his anger, and possible consequences of his outburst raced through her mind. She glanced at her phone, checking the time.
"We'll make it just in time," she said, relieved as the bus neared their stop.
Mabel shrugged. "You're amazing for keeping your calm about all this. I would have lost it by now."
"I'm used to chaos," Lana replied dryly. "It comes with the job.
As they stepped off the bus, the familiar sight of the Sinclair mansion came into view. The tedium of the day began to wash away as the comforting thought of Max and Lily's smiling faces took precedence.
As they reached the front door, Lana took a deep breath, ready to leave the day's troubles behind.
As Lana tucked the kids into bed that night, her mind kept drifting to the deflated tyres. She couldn't rule out that it could have been Adrian, but with no proof, she let it be. The children were her priority now, and nothing would divert her attention from them.
She leaned over and switched off the light in Max and Lily's room, saying softly, "Goodnight, my little angels."
But beneath the surface, something was hiding. The events of the day planted a seed of doubt and restlessness that Lana couldn't get rid of. The warning Adrian had given her echoed in her mind: “You'll regret this.”
She shook her head, clearing the thought. She wasn't about to let him, or anyone for that matter, rule her life.
“We’ll see about that Adrian”.