PUPPY

CHAPTER 12

A week has passed since I vented on Steve.

On the other hand, the plan of ignoring Neil didn't go as planned. At first, at lunch, we were weirdly waiting in silence for the time to pass by. Then we started talking. Gradually we started sitting next to each other, and things have been like that since then. Slowly the possibility of success in me ignoring him became non-existent.

He's actually a good listener.

I mostly talk about the pupils and how I would plan the lessons. He listens to every stupid thing that I blur out.

Maybe he isn't a bad guy, after all.

No, no, he's a bad guy.

He's Neil Black, the devil walking on earth, after all.

But lately, he's been proving me wrong. He's been showing me his other side, the sweeter and more caring one.

The way those two strings stray away from his slicked-back hair is beautiful. And his eyes are so pretty, like two shining green diamonds.

"Amalia, are you even listening?" Neil said while waving in front of my face.

"Yeah, yeah, you were talking about ..."

He playfully smiled at me and said: "About?"

My eyes landed on his lunch, and I blurted out: "Food?"

He laughed at me. "Wrong answer."

I sighed before saying: "What were you talking about?"

He laughed again and said: "I was talking about next week's trip to the aquarium."

"Oh ... sorry."

"It's alright. What were you thinking about?" Neil said as he brushed a stray hair from my face.

I looked away from him and said: "Nothing."

"And what's that nothing?" he said as he supported his head on his hand.

"I-I ... it was nothing."

He smiled at me and gently said: "Do you want to talk about Steve? It's been a week-"

"No!" I quickly said.

"The longer you take to talk about it, the worse it'll be. Talk to me, I'll listen."

I looked away from him and said: "He said things that aren't important and ... and I don't need to talk about it."

"Are you sure?"

"Just drop it, alright?!" I shouted at him.

He lifted his hands and said: "Okay. I won't press it if you don't want me to."

We stayed silent for a moment.

I let out an annoying sigh and said: "I need a drink."

~⭒< ☾ >⭒~

Work was over, and I was driving to the store to buy some booze and food. After I collected the necessities, I went home. Neil came over to my place. He cooked some food, and we sat down on the floor around the small table in the living room. I was sitting on a cushion on one side of the table, resting my back against the wall. Neil was sitting on the other side, resting his back on the couch.

"Do you want some wine?" I asked as I poured a glass of red wine to myself.

"I won't drink. I'll just keep you company."

I took a sip and said: "Why not?"

He pushed the bowl of fried chicken closer to me before saying: "I'm a lightweight at drinking."