Before Me, Him

Chapter 21

     Once Luke left, Philip and Dean approached along with Emily. None of them asked anything about it except Jacob. His light brown eyes were still looking at me, I could feel it. The mood was weird, somehow it turned heavy.

     - So... - Emily started talking to break the tension in the air. – Movies?

     Polly arrives and automatically grabs my arm. I sight. The environment, out of a sudden, gets heavier. But why? Emily was walking in front of us with Dean and Phillip while I was a bit more in the back with Polly gluing to me and Jacob as silent as a dark quiet night. This is not comfortable, at all.

     - Polly I already told you don't grab me like this... - I try to remove her slowly and gently to prevent her from getting hurt. – Hmmm... Let go. You, let go, me, ok?

     Polly tightens her grip as if somehow understanding what I had just told her. Her pressure was so much that her chest had gained new sizes from being laid against my arm.

     - That's enough no? – Jacob says while placing his arm over my shoulder and pulling me towards him forcing Polly to let go. – You've had your fun, right?

     I look at him and straight away establish some distance between us.

     - Ah, you are smarter than you look handsome. – Polly spoke. 

     English. 

     Polly spoke the language English. 

     English Polly has spoken.

     - You can talk! - My brain is severely confused. I truly think that my expression should've been priceless with how shocked I was with this new development.

     - Of course, I can sweetie. – she says while smiling.

     - But you're Russian and you didn't talk that's why you were scared and...

     - I am Russian and I do know how to talk in English, you just assumed that I didn't. – she takes a water bottle from her handbag. – Next time you should ask.

     - But... - I didn't even know what to say. I had allowed her to be that close to me because I thought she was scared and didn't understand the language. She looked and acted like a little kid in need of help. I'm so pissed! – Then why were you grabbing my arm all the time?!

     - Well... - she sips some water and places it back in her bag. Polly walks towards me and moves a finger from my jawline to my lips. Our faces were extremely close, the closest I'd ever been to someone of the same sex. – That's because I want you.

     Her vivid blue eyes and her extremely bright red hair almost made her look like a demon that had come to seduce me. For a woman, she was extremely attractive, even her smooth voice would get you hypnotized. I snap from the trance that I was put in.

     - What do you mean by that? – I ask while she walks away from us with a seducing smile on her face. Polly ends up gathering with Dean and Philip while I see Emily's shocked expression when a voice comes out from the red-haired girl's mouth. – Does she like me?

     - I wonder... - Jacob says while letting out a sigh as if this was all a game and he was tired from it. He looks at me and then a smile appears on his lips. – At least I got to see a new expression.

     - Let's go, we're getting behind. – I roll my eyes and start walking.

     After arriving at the movies we switch some of the seats so that Dean and Emily could be together. "I wanted to be next to her, I specifically said that then why am I between Polly and Jacob?" I questioned myself. At least Polly isn't grabbing my arm, I hope that ended. We arrived earlier so the movie would only start in fifteen minutes and, of course, Polly used that time to chat.

     - Why that tough girl act though? – she says while placing two pieces of sweet popcorn in her mouth.

     - Polly, I won't reply to stupid questions. – I say while keeping my eyes focused on the advertisements that were passing through the big screen.

     - Spicy. Alright. – Polly leans towards me while focusing her eyes on my expression. – Why are you so cold to everyone that approaches you?

     I ignore her question, giving her no response.

     - I've seen it. The way you were uncomfortable with me, the way you are around everyone. – she starts playing with my long brown hair. – That's kind of selfish no?

     - Is it? I didn't notice Polly. – I say while shoving her away. – Such a pretty girl, yet...

     I return my eyes to the screen and cross my legs. From everyone in the group, she is the person that should not bug me with that. I mean, she is the god of selfishness. And of theatre as well. I sigh and Polly sits straight up in her chair. The movie had started.

     After two hours of the movie, they decided to go eat a snack so we went to a candy shop close to the beach. As we were passing I looked at the reef where my brother used to play. Every time we walk by this area my eyes are, inevitably, draw to it as if a magic spell had been cast on me. Of course, I know that there is no such thing as magic spells however I know there is something as strong as them: traumas. On the edge of the reef was a shape, a human shape. I don't know why but I think I had a bad feeling. Sometimes I overthink and overreact, that is the reason why most likely I feel insecure about something.

     As we arrive at the candy shop I receive a text message from Luke "I won't leave until we talk. I'm in the Rosemarie Hotel. Can we meet?"

     - Not giving an answer to a guy that loves you is cold you know June? – Polly says while smiling at me and drinking her chocolate smoothie.

Cold.

Cold.

Cold.

     Am I that cold? I am well aware that I keep my distance from people but I'm not that cold. I gave Luke his reply, he is the one who doesn't want to hear it.

     - You don't know what you are talking about Polly. – I rest my back on the chair. – Do not meddle in my affairs.

     - It's true though. I saw the way he was looking at you. You should talk to him.

     - Stop meddling. Curiosity killed the cat didn't you heard? – my eyes focus on her, glaring coldly. I wanted her to understand that she needs to back off my personal life. She is nothing to me and I'm nothing to her so she has absolutely no right to do so.

     - Is that a threat? – Polly questions while licking the leftover smoothie from the corner of her lips. Then, she smiled as if she was provoking me. "Test me" she was saying with her eyes.

     - I already told you to stop asking me stupid questions didn't I? – the mood turns heavy so I get up and end up leaving. I didn't want to be in there anymore.