Caught In Your Chaos ✓

Chapter Seventy-One

Finally, I was up for the class presentation on Dante's Divine Comedy, one I had worked my mind out. The printouts in my hand merely looked at, and while I spoke, my heart seemed stuck in my throat. My limbs were shaking, and even though I had tried making eye contact with everyone in the room, I could hardly read their expression. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I recalled every single word that I had read and researched, anchoring on them and them alone, coxing myself to my roots, rolled my soul in my passion, and worked my way out. My voice wavered a couple of times, and I was sweating profoundly.

I was ready to ignore everyone's opinion and head right into my cocoon, but it did leave an impression on everyone at the end. A girl from my side whispered that it was freaking amazing. I could only respond with a nervous chuckle. The realization of those words tasted sour on my tongue. It was only a few days since I brutally neglected my Dad's recommendation for the internship.

I had known the implications of it. Instead, I would rather put my mind on something that occupied my heart than being torn between the two. As usual, I disappointed both my Dad and my mom. Although, he didn't give up on me. Maybe, for the moment, he was one with my decision. But he knew when the independent girl in me would claw on my soul- I would have to choose between my heart and mind.

My novel got only ever touched after I started living a reality with the protagonist of my story. The plot, turning messier every passing day. Speaking of which, Jake didn't write a word back after he dropped me off at college but went on to check on Brinda. There were no texts or calls, not even after I told him about my meeting with Seb. I was hoping for a jealous response or a snarky comment, but nothing came. I checked my phone now and then while watching Seb from the bleachers.

The soccer team covered the playground, practicing for the inter-university championship. Seb led his team as they did the laps. While it was fun to watch sweaty athletes running around the field in their jerseys, it wasn't enough to distract me from the curly-haired guy who somehow seemed distant.

"Damn it. You better not be busting your knuckles or dying on me."

I kept his chat window open, gnawing on my bottom lip as my fingers hovered over the keypad, contemplating on typing in another message. There were already ten of them on seen but not answered as if he was deliberately trying to piss me off. I switched the window to my contacts, pulling out his number from the list, and let my finger hover over it for a second before I tapped the screen. It rang till the last second before the obnoxious sound of the lady informing me about his ignorance.

"Goddamn it. What's wrong with you, Noodlehead?"

Earlier in the morning, while we were driving to the campus, I had told him not to expect me in his apartment. I was only trying to be playful with him expecting him to whine over it and finally make me stay with him, but he didn't. My smugness dissolved the moment he said okay, as if a day before, he wasn't clingy and was dying to keep me with himself all the time.

"Mostly, girls tend to forget their phones when my team is on the ground," Seb's voice almost startled me. I took a minute to recollect my whereabouts and sighed the moment I did. "But then when did I ever see you around here. I'm hoping to see you at the tryouts if you like soccer by any chance."

Seb settled on the bleachers beside me. He wept away some of the droplets of sweat from his forehead with his thumb. His face was red with all the running he did on the ground. Even then, his squared jaw and gentle facial details were worth admiring. He looked like a fallen angel with those brown fringes falling over his forehead. I gave him a small laugh. "Not a fan of soccer, but if you're the captain, I wouldn't mind joining the cheerleaders with pom-poms."

"I think you would make the cutest of the cheerleaders. They kind of need one cute among hot." Seb quirked an eyebrow. He better not be imagining me in one of those cheerleading costumes.