My best stranger

N1n3

I do the last push up to conclude my workout. I get into the shower and let the hot water run down my tense muscles. Last night plays in my head and I close my eyes and let a smile form from cheek to cheek across my face. So are we like dating now or is she one of those girls that decides not to talk about it.
I leave the house and drive to school. As I walk over to the back of the hall I catch her from the corner of my eye and my heart skips a beat. I get to my seat and try to focus on the class but I keep on (voluntarily or involuntary) looking at her. She turns back at a point and catches me staring then waves at me.

The lecture is finally over and I walk over to her.
"Hey" I say as we are walking side by side.
"Hi. I wanted to ask.."
"What is it?"
"Can you follow me to see Liya again?"
"Sure. Of course. Anything else?"
"No, I'm cool. I never see Lucas in school, why?" She asked trying to bring up a topic.

Guess she's one of those girls that don't talk about it.

"He's not offering our course so we'll hardly see him. But I have lunch with him when I'm not having lunch with you or by myself"
"Now I'm hungry. Want to have lunch?"

"Sure" I hear disappointment coat my words. I really expected us to have a talk about it you know express feelings, kiss again, start dating it's that simple. We walk into el canto's and take a sit.
"Do you have any siblings?" She asks. I feel my self get more angry as she tries to bring up random topics to fill the akward silence and I don't bother hiding it. I have an evident angry look on my face which she chooses to ignore.

People kiss each other cause they have feelings right? Or she just wanted to know what my lips felt like. Or maybe she's kissing lots of boys and taking a survey on who is the best kisser.
"I want to go to the restroom" I don't wait for her to reply, I walk over to the restroom and take a look at the mirror. My jaws are clenched with anger I take in deep breaths and try to relax. My dirty blonde hair is messy I use my fingers to try and tame it. It must be messy cause I kept brushing my fingers through it during humanities class to keep myself awake. My forest green eyes look tired. I look at my lips and ask myself if she actually liked the kiss.

I need a smoke

I go into one of the stalls and bring out the box from my pocket I light one and take in a few puffs then get a notification.

Erica: is there something wrong, are you stuck.

I text back "I'll be back soon" I think of an easy lie. I didn't want her to know she made me 'go into the stall to smoke' kind of angry.
"My zipper got spoiled so I'm trying to fix it."
I put out the cigarette,put my phone in my pocket and get out of the stall. I take one last look in the mirror, take in a few more deep breaths and try to fake a smile. I leave the restroom and come back to the table. Erica has a box of pizza in front of her
"Hungry?"
"Ya" I'm about to take a seat when I hear something fall on the floor we both look down and see my box of cigarettes.

How did that get there?

She looks at me and I pick up the box and put it back in my pocket.
"Were you smoking in the restroom?"
"No." I deny at first "you know what? I was smoking, why do you care?"
She looks taken aback at first then says "why do I care? I don't want to see you get hurt"
"Your not my girlfriend Erica, don't tell me what to do and what not to do"
My anger resurfaces. She just stares at me. I calm down as I see her face slowly change from shocked to sad.
"I'm sorry. I just..." I didn't know how to tell her why I was angry.
"I have a step brother" so I didn't tell her I was angry.
Her face is back to shocked" o...oh okay"
"My dad and my mum had an only child which is me and then they divorced. he remarried to step mum who has a son that is two years older than I am."
"That's... Nice" she started to ease up a bit
"Funny story actually, my dad and my step mum where dating before he married my mum. My step mum got pregnant and they broke up. So Dylan is my dad's actual son"
"Are you serious?" She says and starts laughing. I begin to calm down knowing she isn't that angry anymore.
"So where is Dylan. Are you guys close?"
"People ask if we are twins, they say we look so alike, except he's taller and more friendly and of course older. He's not here. He decided to go to college in the same city that my parents live"
"He sounds nice?"
"I do have some resentment towards him if I'm being honest. Cause now he has his two actual parents together"

I start to recall how it all started. I was twelve when my parents sat me down to tell me they were getting a divorce. It wasn't a surprise after noticing the little quarrels and cold shoulders they gave each other.
Two years after the divorce my dad sat me down but this time to tell me he was getting remarried. Naturally, I was kind of pissed but he was still going to go ahead with it any ways so I faked agreeing to it. Some days later my 'new mum' moved in with my sixteen year old brother Dylan. My dad was kind and free enough to tell me Dylan and I were related by blood and the whole story of him dating my step mum before my actual mum.
Dylan and I started going to the same highschool. He was the popular kid, perfect jawline, forest green eyes just like mine, dirty blonde hair just like mine. He was me if my life turned out great. I was the loner junior brother, I didnt want the attention I just didn't want him to get it either. He was stealing everything away from me. My dad even paid more attention to him because according to him he wasn't there for sixteen years of his son's life and he had to make up for it.

"Well, looking forward to meeting him then" she says with a slight laugh.
She takes a look at her watch and looks at me then says "can we start going, we don't want to be chased away this time"
I'm kind of lost then I remember we are meant to see Liya.
"Sure"
We pay for the pizza and both get up to leave. We arrive at the entrance and head to the cemetery. Something catches my eye.

Isn't that Lucas' car

The car I recognize as Lucas' drives off before I can catch the plate number, but I can swear that was his.
"What's wrong" Erica asks slightly ahead of me.
"Oh nothing" I jog over to her and we go to drop the bouquet of flowers on Liya's grave. There is another bouquet on the grave and there is a note. I'm about to pick it up but Erica smacks my hand.
"Leave it. Maybe it's a family member"
"Sorry" I apologize and she laughs.
"Your behaving off"
"No everything is fine." I don't want to tell her cause I fear I'm wrong but something just tells me the note will confirm if Lucas was here or not.

Author's note
I'm sure Noah feels so smart. I kind of have a crush on Dylan now😔. Pls tell me what you guys think of him.

Votes and comments can be dropped off down below👇🏾