Self-Indulgence

8. Officially Official

What does one usually do after coming to the realisation that they like someone? Confess? Imagine a future with that person in their heads that is likely to never happen? Well, I'll tell you what I do.

Avoid. Avoid. Avoid.

Yeah, it was suspicious. Everyone noticed. Even the media caught on that we weren't interacting. Thankfully, everyone just assumed that we were keeping our distance from each other to let the rumours die down. I guess the added benefit of my avoiding Luka was that the rumours really had started to die down. Paparazzi had all but stopped following us. The media was no longer reporting on our every interaction—probably because there was no interactions to report on. The fans were still obsessed, but that was nothing new. They had always been and would always be.

The other good thing about avoiding Luka was I didn't need to see him with Kimberly. The two were always whispering with each other and standing so close to each other it was like they had no concept of personal space. No I wasn't jealous. I just think they should be socially distancing in this time and age. Needless to say, I was counting down the days until they would break up. It always happened eventually. This time was just taking a little longer than usual...

***

"Alecson!" I heard Luka call from some distance behind me. He had taken to calling me by my English name lately for some reason. I quickened my steps, trying to leave before he could try to talk to me after every promotion schedule we had together as usual.

"Yin!" Out of nowhere, Mikaela stepped out in front of me.

"Hi Mikaela. Sorry but I'm kind of in a rush." I rushed out, glancing behind me to see how close Luka was.

"You need to talk to him, Yin. He's been trying to talk to you for weeks."

"I can't—the rumours." I tried.

"That's just an excuse and you know it. He said you don't even reply to his texts anymore. There's another reason, isn't there?" Mikaela pressed.

"Alecson. We need to talk." Luka had caught up to us. "Thanks Mikaela." He said as he pulled me away.

"Luka. I can't talk. My manager is picking me up. He's going to freak if he can't find me." I tried to pull my wrist out of his grasp.

"I told Minki that we're going to hang out."

"He agreed?" I asked in disbelief.

"No."

"Wait what? Then why am I still going with you?"

"He didn't agree but at least now he knows where you will be." Luka explained.

"You're going to make him lose his job." I tried guilt tripping him.

"I'm sure you've done stupid things many times and yet he still has his job doesn't he?" Luka laughed before his face turned serious. "Now, tell me. Why have you been avoiding me."

"Shouldn't you be with your girlfriend." I muttered, trying to change the topic.

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Is that what this is about? You have something against my girlfriend?"

"No." That was a lie. I definitely did have something against Kimberly; I was against her choice of boyfriend.

"That no kind of makes it sound like you do." Luka pointed out.

"I don't have anything against your stupid girlfriend Luka." I raised my voice, suddenly feeling irritated.

"She's not stupid. At least use insults that actually describe her. Like clingy or annoying or..." he paused, leaning closer to me, "fake."