When our eyes met

Chapter eight

Thomas

"Okay Thomas, tell me the truth, what's up with you and Katie?" Alex asked me as we got changed out of our gym clothes in the locker room.

"What are you talking about?"

"You heard me."

"There's nothing going on between Katie and I"

"Dude I saw you two walking this morning"

"And?"

"And, I haven't seen you look at anyone that way...even Chloe."

I froze.

I'd never noticed the way I looked at her but I definitely noticed the way she made me feel. And, hearing those words come out of Alex's mouth really made me think.

Do I have a crush on Katie Smith?

Katie

We pulled into the parking lot at school.

"Do I need to come pick you up after? "Mom asked as I put my bag on my back.

"No, it's okay. I'll ask Becca to drive me home."

"Okay, have a great day honey!" I jumped out of the car, shut the door and waved my mom off.

Today I wore boyfriend jeans and a black long sleeve oversized shirt. I'm not sure why I feel the need to search for Thomas's validation through the way I dress every time he and I get close. Maybe, I'm just afraid that he'll see me and regret everything he's said. That his quest to show me life's meaning will be cut short because I don't look worth the time.

I took a deep breath just when a familiar presence made its way toward me.

"Good morning Miss Smith." Thomas smiled.

"Good morning Mr Hamilton"

He chuckled.

"What?" I smiled and looked up at him.

"Nothing." He chuckled again.

"Seriously what?"

"I just like the way you say my name" he looked down at me.

I looked away and felt my face get hot. "The weather's um great today." I coughed.

"Relax Katie, I know I'm charming no need to prove it to me" he smiled.

"Oh please" we both laughed.

We both had Chemistry so we walked to class together. I didn't hear a single thing Mr Chambers said that whole class because all I could think about was Thomas's intense gaze. I could feel his eyes on me from the moment we walked in to the moment the bell rang.

Why does he keep looking at me? I continually thought

Lunch time had arrived, Thomas and Alex joined us again.

"Becca, do you think you could drive me home today" I asked.

"Of cou-"

Thomas cut her off "I'll drive you"

"No its-"

He cut me off "I insist"

I looked at Becca "please" I mouthed.

"Yeah I actually had to be somewhere so that works for me" Becca lied.

"Great" Thomas smiled.

I glared at Becca.

"I love you too" she mouthed.

I dreaded having to be in a car alone with Thomas. Not because I didn't want to be alone with him but because I was too nervous to be.

Katie, you've been alone with him so many times before, what's different now?

Everything, everything is different. All because of what James and Becca pointed out, everything he says and does sends nerves through my body.

"Katie!" Thomas waved showing me where he was parked. Today he was driving a white Tesla, not his usual red Audi. I walked toward his car.

"Shall we get going now?" he asked.

"Yeah"

He opened the car door for me, and I got in.

We were driving when I noticed him take a turn into the town.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"I want to show you something"

We pulled over in front of this adorable, pink and white striped ice cream parlour.

"Let's go inside." We got out of the car and headed into the parlour.

As he started ordering my heart began to pound as I looked at the menu and all the items on it. My mental calculator began counting how many calories were in each option.

"Katie?"

"Sorry what?" I didn't even notice Thomas calling my name.

"I asked what you wanted"

"Oh um, I'll have a plain vanilla ice cream."

"Cone or cup" the cashier asked me.

A cone will add on the calories.

"Cup please."

"Is that honestly what you want?" Thomas asked.

"Yeah, vanilla's my favourite flavour" I lied.

"She won't be having that" He told the cashier.

"What?"

"Have you tried cookies and cream before?"

"No but-"

"She'll have a cookie and cream ice cream in a cone please."

My mind tried to calculate all of the calories that could be in one of those.

Our ice cream was ready and Thomas paid.

I was scared to have to eat it and most of all, to have to eat in front of him.

"My sister and I used to come here all the time"

"Really?" I asked, still reluctant to eat my Ice-cream.

"Yeah, we used to come here and she would tell me about her day, about her boy troubles, about pretty much everything, until" He took a deep breath in "She stopped telling me anything at all, I should've noticed something was wrong but I didn't." A tear began to fall down his cheek he quickly wiped it "I don't usually cry that easily" he at his ice cream.

"Thomas, you're allowed to cry in front of me" I smiled.

"Anyway, how's your ice cream"

Suddenly, I was comfortable enough to actually try it, even the calories didn't matter. I bit into it and my eyes widened "It's actually really good" I gasped and stuffed my face with more.

"I knew you'd like it" he laughed "slow down, unless you want to get a brain freeze."

I giggled and continued to eat until we were both done.

"You have ice cream on your face"

"Where?" I searched my face with my hands.

Thomas picked up a napkin and gently wiped my face with it "There you go" he smiled.

Everybody tells you that the moment you discover your feelings for somebody else comes as a spark. That they'll do one thing that makes you see them in a completely different light. And yes I know, this is how every typical love story begins but I'd be lying if I said that the softness in his voice didn't make me numb. I'd be lying if I told you that his smile didn't send chills down my spine. And I'd definitely be lying if I told you that this moment didn't make me realize something:

I have feelings for Thomas Hamilton.