Maybe I Like You [bxb]

Chapter 33: I'll Even Nailart Rainbows on your Cold, Dead, Hands

Julian's POV:-

Dylan is wearing sunglasses. 

Wayfarer to be more specific. 

I am not prepared for it. 

Kill me. Now.

When he catches me ogling he gamely maintains his blank face and raises one eyebrow above his glasses. Great, I am going to swoon and faint like a period heroine.

Lia is tugging my wrist to drag me with her to every shop. She's too excited with all the colorful shops. Show Lia a bunch of jewellery and she will follow you around like dog. Her excitement is infectious making me happy. I live to see her so happy.

"Seriously. What's with up these two?" Max mutters to Alex behind us. "Julian looks like a puppy out on his walk. And Lia looks like a clever thief cataloguing every store and vendor... Which reminds me I had to talk to Dylan about today's attackers. They do this weird thing with the ball.."

We finally enter a good café. Lia and I order first and go to find seats. 

Lia huffs loudly, "Do you have to be so freaking tall?"

I frown, "Bitch, I hate it as much as you do! Do you know how badly I want to be the tiny boyfriend who can fit into his boyfriend's pocket?"

"You're a brat," Lia deadpans sitting in the corner. 

"What is your problem?" I ask genuinely baffled. "You are tall for a girl."

"Yeah, but I'm still shorter than Max," she grumbles arranging the sauces on the table. "As long as my brother has that infuriating several inches above me, I cannot rest in peace!"

I abandon Lia at her seat and go to admire the doodles drawn on the wall at the back of the café. I should have brought my camera.

Behind me the guys order. My heart skips a noticeable beat on hearing Dylan's voice when he orders mango shake for himself. I clench my hands in my pockets and take a deep breath.

I want to go to him. I haven't properly talked to him yet, or even made an eye contact for the record. My hands itch to bury themselves in his smooth hair, comb through his silky strands. But I wait. No, let him come to me. What if I am overwhelming him again?

Lia has told me I tend to forget boundaries quite often, which is painfully true. And I need to re-evaluate. Dylan must also need to re-evaluate. He seems perfectly fine, not talking to me. So maybe I am doing the right thing for once.

I just have to be normal and wait like normal people do. I cannot go Julian and barge in again. Let him breathe and give him space, no matter how much it drives me crazy. No matter how much it tugs my heart to see him laugh with others and know that I don't matter as much as I think I do. 

This whole thing is going to be good for me too. Maybe I will learn how to love like normal person, not like a starved, psychotic, desperate animal. 

And I should be proud of the progress I am making. This morning there was an empty seat beside Dylan at breakfast and I did not take it. I sat next to Alex.

I mean, talk about growth. I think pleased, as I stare at the café's paint board. I feel I have totally matured so much and I am exercising insane amount of self control. Over all, I have become a better human being and I have developed a keen sense of-

"Do you want to eat anything?"

I jump and let out an undignified squawk. 

"Julian?" Dylan asks a bit concerned.