Oreo Ice Cream

Chapter 14| Sun-basked savior

"It wasn't meant for you," I looked behind my shoulder at him. My voice broke a little, and the vein in my neck pulsated quicker than before. My knees shook, and I felt the sudden urge to turn back and bury my face in his neck, but I didn't. Scratch out—I couldn't. He grabbed my arm and pulled me at him. My eyes were wet; I couldn't look at him properly, yet I forced myself. Part of me wished him to tell me that all of this was wrong, I was wrong, and the story he heard was unreal, but he didn't. His eyes were dark in something I didn't know. 

For one second, I felt the same as when I heard the girls telling the truth. My feelings for Tristan have always been raw and untouched. But here we were, in the absurdly wide and crowded hallway, my feelings exploding with the igniting flames and the little story I had, being the last straw. We were so close to something dangerous—I could feel my throat getting dried and a beep buzzing in my ears insanely.

"We are still in school," I murmured; my breath was so close to choking. His warm breath smelt like strawberry. But this time, the ridiculous idea of vomiting didn't pop into my head. I wanted to save this moment for myself. For us. So even if we didn't end together, we could trace our thumbs on these warm memories. 

Staying closer to Tristan has always made me nervous. Better to say vulnerable. Every time we passed, a funny feeling would dive deep down—I couldn't call it a spark because it wasn't so. It was just some unnatural and colorful feeling and a sudden rush of adrenaline, not that butterflies would flutter in your stomach (because I haven't felt so)—that would pass through every inch of my body until our eyes met, and everything went dark as numb. Sometimes when emotions run high, you can't gravitate to that feeling instantly. You freeze for a moment, blink and quickly turn away as if you don't care. But down, it scratches your head throughout the day. And that's what we have going on constantly between us.

And suddenly, as if feeling more courageous, I pulled away and shoved through the crowd, making my way out of the dimly lighted hall. I let a long breath out as the cold breeze slapped my face. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to forget what had happened a moment ago, and stood there for a while. I breathed in and out deeply and squeezed my eyes harder, wishing this whole thing was unreal—until someone grabbed my arm and turned me to his side. Flinching, I opened my eye and found Lee looking at me with his furrowed eyebrows. He seemed worried.

"Hey, what happened to you? You looked chirpy in the morning—"

"Oh, um, nothing's wrong with me, Lee." I shrugged, "I'm just a bit..." 

"A bit what? Oh hey, move this side. You'll get stamped under their feet." He laughed a little as we moved to an open yard beside the car parking shed. I only wished Tristan would not come again. At least, not now.

"Are you lost or confused? Fighting with your emotions, is it?" He raised his eyebrows, leaning closer.

I chuckled, "Kind of." I didn't expect those words to come out of my mouth that quickly.

"Tris?" His voice softened. I looked at him. His brown eyes were soft in sympathy; his light chocolate hair glazed in the warm sunshine. Ignoring his question, I brushed my fingers on his hair strands; their streaks were creamy caramel. "They are still the same smooth and shiny. Do you shampoo it every day?" I just wanted to change the atmosphere. It was heavy and sweaty, and I didn't want to carry my grudges to almost every creature on my way. There was a time Lee had a kind of crush on me. Puppy love, they used to say. He would bring me a weed flower to tickle my arms and nape daily. We'd sit and sing funny jokes, play Sudoku, and do many other things. Those were the fun days we had. I had— until he came and broke into our sweet friendship. Lee and Tristan—the school's most-talked best friends almost got into a fight and didn't talk for weeks until I told Lee to give him candies to take off his meaningless anger. Tristan was too much since childhood.

"Earth to Flora," Lee's voice caught me off-guard. I looked at him blankly and stepped back.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I just-" I smiled and blinked at Lee. "What's the time now?" I glanced at his wristwatch. We still have fifteen minutes more.

"You know he's stubborn, so damn stubborn," He threw one candy at me before having one himself. I mouthed "Thank you" as he continued, "he acts different when around you. I mean, it's not a negative difference, but a pleasant one. I think some bees are buzzing about Josie and stuff. To clarify, Tris never liked her. He still does not. She's a shit, just like Elle— chasing everyone." He lets out a breath. I was still processing the words he told me. He does not like her. It's not about the fair amount of bloody influx of calmness in my body, but the story I have had in my mind. Lee didn't know all of it, and I wished he didn't ever.

I let out a breathy chuckle, "It's nothing about Tris or her. Some story shit." Those dirty words came out of my mouth faster, and now I didn't care about it. Because it's Lee now—the boy I once had almost all the classes with and beside whom I was compelled to sit with to correct his spellings. He knew everything I couldn't tell anyone else and was the only chopstick player in my childhood.

"And what's it? Tristan Asher or Ms. Lakes?" He raised his eyebrow and took out another candy to eat.

I winked playfully, "Gosh, you have so many, Lee? Who gave—"

"You wanted some more? Oh well, my brother bought them yesterday." We both chuckled and suddenly muted ourselves. Emotions ran high and faster; I wish this sun-basked moment didn't fade away. He smiled as I moved closer and brushed my fingers with his curls. The sun came straight to my eyes, but I didn't care about it now. All I cared about was this moment, my only savior from the rushing grey emotions, from Tristan. A warm breeze filled our silence. My hands lingered on his hair as he tucked a hair strand behind my ear. The noises faded by this time, and I was glad Tristan didn't turn up again. Lee's eyes softened as he took my hand in his. I blinked the tears back; I didn't want to break into tears in front of him now. 

"You don't have to hold back anything, Flora," He whispered, tracing his thumb across my jaw. I gulped down. The air was a strange combination of cedar, honey, and wild dandelions. I didn't know why, but for the first time, I felt like I was smelling dandelions. Like, I could.

"I just don't want this to end soon." 

And it came out like a loud whisper or an echo of bitter thoughts. I let out in front of him. "It's my only savior—you are, Lee." I let out a loud sob but bit my lower lip before anything further could happen. I didn't want this to end. And suddenly, I felt a strong urge to pull Lee by his white Radiohead tee and cry in his embrace. I wished all of this were a nightmare for once, and I could breathe calmly at least once. But Cole's words played in the breeze. Sometimes friends don't mean everything. But I knew that at this moment—it was more than "everything" to me.

Woot! Longest chapter to date! 1300+ words, gosh! What do you think of Lee? Share your thoughts in the comments! Comment a heart if you've enjoyed this❤️