The Word Love

VIII

What the hell did I do? I can't believe I kissed him.

My binder slipped out of my hands and fell down. The papers in my binder scattered across the hallway floor. The other idiotic students stepped on it, and I quickly kneeled down to save as many of my work.

"Aimee?" Douglas kneeled down across from me and helped me pick up all of my paper.

I avoided his eyes the whole time, "Thank you," I thanked him and stood up to get away, but he grabbed my hands and pulled me into the janitor closet. He leaned his back on the door so I wouldn't be able to escape.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

I kept my eyes on my binder and stayed silent.

"Aim-"

"I have to get to class," I mumbled.

"Not until you tell me why you're avoiding me," he crossed his arms over his chest.

"I'm not," I denied.

"You're not even looking at me!" he exclaimed, "Is it the kiss? Do you regret the kiss we had?"

I remained quiet, and that seemed to answer his question.

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

"I don't understand," he laughed bitterly, "I kissed you and you kissed me back. That was the best kiss I've ever had. Now you're telling me that you regret it? I don't believe it."

"I'm sorry," I repeated and laid a hand on his shoulder.

His eyes went to my hand on his shoulder and back to my eyes. Then our lips were locked together, again.

"This is so wrong," I spoke through the kiss.

"No it's not," he threw back.

The bell rung and I pulled away from him.

"I did it again!" I mentally hit myself. Then I looked at him sternly, "This is never going to happen again."

"Okay," he smiled.

"I mean it," I gritted through my teeth.

The smile never left his face, and he opened the door. I gave him one last stern look before storming out of the janitor's closet.

The hallway was cleared so that meant everyone was in class and I was late.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Mrs. Gram was nice enough to let me through because it was my first time being late, and since I was late, the only seat left was the one next to Eric. His friends weren't in this class.

"Making out in the janitor's closet. I didn't think you were that much of a whore. Guess I was wrong," Eric whispered in my ear.

I clenched my teeth together to refrain from snapping at him. I was already angry enough.

All through class, I could feel Eric intentionally bumping his knee against mine. He was relentless even though I told him several times to stop. I wanted to slap the smirk off his face, but I didn't want to get on Mrs. Gram's bad side. That is something no one would ever want.

Eric leaned down to whisper something again, but fortunately for me, the bell rung before he could get a word out. I got up form my seat, collected my books, and left the class as quickly as I could. I headed to the cafeteria and there was Douglas standing at the entrance. He had his back leaned against the wall and his arms crossed over his chest. A smile formed on his lips when his eyes fell on me.

I turned away from him and walked away from the cafeteria.

"Aimee!" he shouted through the noise of other students.

I increased my pace, but he caught up to me. I felt him grasp my arm and turned me around to face him.

"Aren't you hungry?" he asked.

"No," I lied and then my stomach growled. Even through the noise, Douglas could hear my stomach. My face heated up from embarrassment.

"You stomach says otherwise," Douglas smirked and slung his arm around my shoulder. He pulled me along into the cafeteria.

"I don't want lunch," I lied again.

"You are a horrible liar," he laughed.

There were a few glances from others who seemed surprise that someone was talking to me. I ignored their stares.

"Why can't you just leave me alone?" I asked.

"Because I like you," he answered bluntly.

I stopped walking, which made him stopped too.

"What?" I asked, still shock from the bluntness of his previous words.

He stepped in front of me and placed two hands on my shoulders. His eyes looked dead serious as he looked at me.

"I like you," he repeated.

"Did he just say he likes her?" I heard a girl whisper to one of her friends.

I shoudn't be this surprised that he said that. It's not like he was proclaiming his love for me or something. But he just said he like me. As in not a friendly way. I could hear it in his voice. So yes, I was surprised.

"I don't like you," I lied and frowned so that he could believe it. I took a step away from him.

"Ai-"

"I don't like you," I repeated but my voice was stronger this time.

Then I walked out of the cafeteria. The cafeteria became louder and I could feel their eyes on my back.

"Aimee," Douglas stopped me in the hallway. I didn't turn around because I didn't want to see the disappointed look on his face.

"We kissed and it was great, but that doesn't mean I like you," I told him, "That kiss should have never happened. You're a great guy, Douglas, and you deserve someone far more better than me. I'm sorry."

Then I walked away from the one person that could have changed my life. I could have told him I like him back, but that would mean he would have changed my life in ways I couldn't have imagined. I was too afraid to let him in.