Deadlock

XIII

I looked around and there was no mistaking that this was a fun party and not a boring formal party. The kids from school were coming out of their own cars and everyone was very excited.

“Em, all the visitors I see are from school.” Nikki told me.

“I can see that too.” I whispered back.

“Let’s go.”

I held her hand. I didn’t want to let go. My knees didn’t want to move. But Nikki forced me to move so I climb the stairs after her. The place was almost the same except for some decorations. Eight and eighteenth birthday were extremely different. There was an old man standing at the big doors and he was welcoming visitors. When we were at the door, he told us that the party was at the garden.

“Em, why don’t you go find Jake. I bet he's not at the garden yet so go…” She commanded.

“No.”

“Emily, aren’t we here because you’re going to confess to him?”

“Yeah, I mean why don’t we call him and ask him if where he is?”

“Let’s not do that. How about we surprise him?” She said that as she took my phone.

“Nikki, I don’t know, I don’t think I can do this.” I fidgeted.

“You can do this I know you can Em. So go now okay?” She told me as she walked away.

I could’t believe I parted with her. I didn’t know how I was going to do this but I guess confessing to him in a very peaceful place would be better than confessing in front of a lot of people. I went to the second floor trying to find Jake’s room. But when I got in there, I saw lots of doors and I didn’t know which was his. I tried opening some but most was empty. I walked at a lot of hallways and doors were still everywhere but I just couldn’t find Jake’s. I started to feel nervous. I knew I was lost at that moment. I wanted to call Jake to ask where he was but when I searched for my phone, I remembered Nikki taking it. Argh, why did I have to become this unlucky? I searched for my way out but I found two big doors at the end of the hallway. It might be Jake’s so I opened the door. I was surprised to see a huge room. It was dark in there. The illumination from the moon outside the room that was passing through the huge windows was the only luminous thing that allowed me from seeing a bit of the things inside. I saw Jake, or his silhouette more like it, sitting in the chair across the table and facing the big windows, the back of his chair facing me. 

I prepared myself by inhaling big time. I decided to get inside the room. This was it! I was finally confessing to Jake. I started walking into him. The room was like a study room. There were cabinets of books in there and some paintings in the wall. I just couldn’t see much of it because it was a little dark. He didn’t seem to notice me. When I was in front of the table I just started to talk.

“Hey.” My voice was trembling. He was about to say something without facing me but I cut him off. “I know this is too sudden but I’m here because… because… ahhmm… I wanted to say that I like you.” I finally said it. I did not understand the feeling. I felt happy, relieved, nervous, scared of what he might say.

“Well look who it is?” A cold voice uttered. But it wasn’t Jake’s. 

I looked at the person, gasped and all I was able to say was, “Rob Van Garrette.” I’d swear I wanted the ground to just open up and eat the whole of me. This was so so embarrassing. I couldn’t believe that I just said those words to Rob Van Garrette. 

“I didn’t know you were a masochist.” He smirked. “You like me after the bullying I did to you.”

“If I knew it was you, I wouldn’t have come here.” I yelled at him. I’d been meaning to do that after the pestering he did to me. I hated him.