Next-Door Neighbour

Chapter 9: Rip the Band-Aid Off

Valentina

I look down at my lunch and push it aside. I have lost my appetite. Earlier today, I saw Caleb in the class. I tried to talk to him but he wouldn't even look at me. And that hurts! I swirl the straw in my drink mindlessly.

Caleb kept his promise. He dropped me back and my father didn't even know I was gone. We walked back home in deafening silence. Not even a word was exchanged. I don't like him like this. It just doesn't feel right.

I had two options in front of me. Accept the current situation and forget I had something with Caleb or tell Theo the truth and make everything right. Any sane girl would choose option one. Because who am I kidding? If I hadn't met Caleb, I would have given up anything to be Theo's girlfriend.

But that's the difference. I met Caleb. And everything changed after. I knew what I had to do. What to choose.

"Daydreaming? Or sleeping with your eyes open?" Alice is sitting beside me. She looks at me for a second and goes back to her phone.

"How long have you been sitting here?" I lean back to look at her.

She looks at her watch, "About five minutes," I click my tongue and shake my head in disbelief. It's impossible she has been sitting here for so long and I haven't noticed. "Believe it or not." She shrugs.

"Alice?" I take a deep breath and exhale loudly. That catches her attention, and she puts her phone on the table and looks at me.

"What is it?"

"I need to tell you something." I gulp down and she looks at me patiently, "I never agreed to go on a date with Theo."

"Did he force you?" her expression changes swiftly from confusion to anger.

"No no... no" I shake my head. "I mean technically I did agree,"

She frowns, "What are you trying to say?" I tell her exactly what happened and how I ended up being his girlfriend, except that I was distracted by Caleb. I tell her I was in a hurry.

She laughs at me. I shoot a look at her. She stops laughing. "Well, I don't see a problem here," I raise an eyebrow. She leans on the table and continues, "You're single and he seems to genuinely like you. Just go with the flow."

"I don't like him," I say hesitantly. She gives me a judgmental look. I don't blame her.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes,"

"That's a problem then," she presses her lips and rests her chin on her folded hands.

"Yeah, that's why I need your help." I copy her.

"Do you plan on telling him then?" she asks and I nod. "He might not take it well. The whole school knows about you two now."

I exhale. My forehead is flat on the table and I am staring at my shoes. "I know,"

"Do you have a plan?" She asks. I look at her and she is already looking at me. I click my tongue.

***

Alice slaps my hand for the fifth time in a row. "Stop that. It's irritating me," I stop biting my nails and place my hand on my lap. I've chewed half of my nails and the skin around them. We are sitting in the stands waiting for Theo to finish his practice.

She dragged me to the football field saying we'd do it 'Alice's way'. If it were left to me, I would keep delaying it until it was too late to act. I wasn't ready for this. I was not ready to confront him.