ECHOES OF YOU

Chapter Five

I was busy looking at Sheila’s notes on the previous classes that I’d failed to notice Kelvin walk in. He’d taken the seat behind me. It wasn’t until I turned to ask Sheila about her notes that I noticed him. He had a flirtatious smirk on him. The moment our hearts I felt a flush and turned back to the notes. I hadn’t even realized I was smiling or was it blushing? All I knew was that this boy affected me.

“You look nice,” he whispered in my ear and my cheeks flushed red. I wasn’t going to let him know what kind of effect he had on me, so I turned around and tried to put in a bold look.

“Thanks. Thought I’d intimidate you more this way,”

“Well, it’s working, I am intimidated, little miss.”

I leaned in it till our nose touched and whispered to him, “Not yet it isn’t.” I smiled as I pulled back and watched him dumbfounded. I must admit it felt kind of great to see a guy speechless.

I could feel him staring at me during the entire lesson. It’s quite amazing having the upper hand with a guy. The moment the bell rang I grabbed my bag and left without saying anything to either Kelvin or Sheila. I knew she had questions and I wasn’t ready to answer them.

I could feel him staring at me during the entire lesson. It’s quite amazing having the upper hand with a guy. The moment the bell rang I grabbed my bag and left without saying anything to either Kelvin or Sheila. I knew she had questions and I wasn’t ready to answer them. At the moment I was only concerned about Nathan and our tutoring lesson.

This time I arrived way before him. I could feel my phone vibrating from the multiple texts I was getting from Sheila. Nathan arrived with Annaliese by his side. The sight of them together dropped my mood from positive to straight-up negative.

“Today you quite early Leila,” he said as he sat next to me.

“Well, I didn’t want to keep you waiting like yesterday, but you kept me waiting instead,”

“In that case, I’ll have to make it up to you,”

“And how will you do that?”

“How about I buy you lunch,”

“Well, if it weren’t for the fact that you kept me waiting, I’d think you were flirting,”

“C’mon now Leila, aren’t you just full of yourself,” I’d almost forgotten this reptile was here.

“Oh, and what are you still doing here,” I asked smiling.

“Nathan and I we were just……,”

“….. Just nothing. You followed me here I don’t even know what you want,” Nathan cut in.

“Well, I just wanted to check on my friend, is that so bad? I want to help you too,”

“Annaliese let’s just drop the act, we’ve never liked each other, not even before you started dating Liam,”

“You knew I loved him and you made him break up with me,” she suddenly started yelling at me. Everyone at the library turned in our direction. I hated drama but this bitch just had to carry it with her.
I knew what she wanted to do and I wasn’t ready for her. I just took my bag and books and walked out. By now everyone was staring and I could feel their eyes on me as I walked out of the library.

Nathan followed me out and I felt his hand squeezing my shoulder. He did get me and these little things he was doing without realizing it, made me feel safe and for a moment my problems would disappear.

“Don’t mind her. I heard she has anger management issues,” damn he was trying to be sarcastic.

“Well, I’ve had to deal with her firsthand, I’m used to her buttering,”

“Since she has already ruined our study time, why don’t I treat you to lunch as a double apology,”

“Why don’t we start with a milkshake,”

“I should have known a girl like you was a sweet tooth,” he smiled as he held my hand. It was warm just like him.

What was I even thinking? I’d only been back one day and now two boys were bringing some light to my already dark world. If I wasn’t careful, I’d get myself stuck in a love triangle. I was leading them on and I knew it.

Why was I even doing this? Was it a way to get distracted or was I ready to move on? Or was I only looking for a rebound after Chris? Was this what I’d turned into? Someone who only plays with other people’s feelings. Maybe it’s true what my psychiatrist said. Losing Chris and Liam broke me. Maybe this was how broken I’d become.

I always knew many guys were into me. I never entertained them because I had Chris, I only felt bad that guys were all over me. But now it was different this time.