ECHOES OF YOU

Chapter Six

Days had gone by and everything seemed to be getting back to normal. My nightmares had stopped and my anxiety was slowly reducing. I’d raised back to popularity real fast after my little fight with Annaliese, or Ann for short. She had a weirdly long name. Anyway, our fight went viral. Did I mention that one of the cons of being popular is once people hate you, they’ll quickly turn away from you the moment you fall? Or when someone better represents you.

I couldn’t go back to cheerleading because I was still behind. Sheila on the other hand was dominating the field. I still wasn’t driving because of my constant fear but other than that everything was getting better.

Nathan had now developed a habit of bringing me milkshakes during our tutoring lessons and even when he wasn’t around, he’d make sure I get one. He’d become this Ray of sunshine that brought light and kept me warm. I’d known him for almost two months now and I still couldn’t figure out his mysterious side.

On this particular day, he’d canceled our tutoring lesson so Sheila decided to use that extra time to visit the mall. I quickly accepted since I needed a shopping spree at the moment. My closet still looked like it needed a pick-me-up.

“Why don’t we get our hair dyed,” that was her first suggestion.

“Remember the last time I dyed my hair, it wasn’t what I’d expected,”

“That color just wasn’t you,”

“Either way I don’t want to,”

“Then why don’t you just accompany me to get my hair done,”

“Okay but only after a shopping spree,”

“Well let’s go and turn your closet around,”

I could see the excitement in her eyes as we rampaged through the boutique. She loved shopping because you’d always see her in a different outfit every day. She always said that an outfit is outdated the moment you wear it which means wearing it again you’d be wearing an outfit that’s so last season.
Her love for fashion always mesmerized me. It was clear as day that this girl here would grow to be an outstanding designer or model. She had the perfect features of a model and I wouldn’t be surprised if I ever saw her on the runways.

I was busy waiting for her to try on all the outfits she’d chosen when I saw Nathan pass just outside the store. I wanted to ca him but I didn’t think he’d hear me. It seemed as though he was taking pictures of a certain old couple. The couple looked cute together. Happiness was displayed all over their faces and I couldn’t help but envy them.
           ************
It was going to be my first date with Chris. I’d had a crush on him from probably third grade. He was our neighbor and Liam’s best friend. Since his parents traveled a lot, he’d mostly stay with us. He’d become part of our family that I even felt guilty for liking him. It wasn’t till seventh grade that I realized the feeling was mutual. The only reason none of us had made a move was because of Liam. I didn’t want to come between him and his best friend.

But I guess he had noticed how we acted when we were together. It was hard trying to hide how I felt about Chris. So, it was easy for Liam to put it all together. I’m sure he’d known for a while and he was only waiting to see if Chris felt the same way, that way I wouldn’t be able to get hurt. He always looked about for me in the strangest ways possible. But now he'd decided to put my happiness first. And he was glad that it was with Chris because he knew I was in good hands.

He wanted to take me out for a picnic today. I was so excited at first till I started overthinking. He hadn’t asked me to be his girlfriend yet. I was hoping that he would do it today. Waiting for him to make it official was tiring.

We’d hang out a couple of times but it was mostly at our house or their house. This was our first official date and I was already ruining it with my wild thoughts. But come to think of it, we’d been together for three months but he’d never even kissed me yet. Or did he finally realize that we weren’t compatible together? Or didn’t he love me anymore? Maybe he’d decided we are better off as friends. I was busy hurting my head thinking of unnecessary scenarios I hadn’t even realized we’d arrived.

“A penny for your thoughts,” he said as he leaned in towards me. Maybe this was it, he was finally going to do it. My heart started beating so fast I could hear it. I was so waiting for it only for him to help unbuckle my seat belt. Was this guy being serious? Did he even know what he was doing to me when he did things like that?

I turned to look at him and only shook my head and quickly forced a smile.

I didn’t want to ruin our first date but I was killing myself with all these thoughts. I wanted to ask him but I didn’t want to rush it. But if I didn’t get an answer, I’d overthink myself to the end of the relationship.

“You see that hold couple sitting over there, I want that to be us,” he said pointing at them. That kind of brought my mind back to the picnic.

“Do you think we’ll be together for that long?”

“I’m not thinking I know,” he clasped my face in his hand. “Leila, I don’t like you, I’m freaking in love with you. And I know you’ve been wondering why I haven’t made it official yet but that’s….,” he said he was in love with me. I couldn’t even hear the rest of what he was saying. My heart stopped the moment he said the words love. I’d even forgotten how to breathe.

Without thinking I leaned toward him and kissed him. He was shocked before he finally parted his lips slightly for me to slip my tongue in. They were soft and I could feel his tongue interlocking with mine. This was way better than I’d imagined it to be.

“Does that mean it’s a yes?” I didn’t even know what the question so all I did was nod my head. He then pulled me in for another kiss. I was way more passionate than the first one. I sat on his lap placing my hands around his neck. I could feel his hands caressing my back to my waist. I could feel the tickle of his breath beneath my nose. My fingers were running through his hair as we breathed each other out. Our eyes were fully closed and we let ourselves loose to the pleasure we so both wanted.

“I love you too Chris,” finally said. He then placed a soft kiss on my forehead before he cuddled me in his arm. As I lay there beside him, I knew that nothing was going to come between us. He was mine and I was his. We’d grow old together and we’d still be the best old couples around.
                *****************
I hadn’t even realized that Nathan had caught me staring.

“Want to come for a closer look,” he asked once I snapped back to reality.

“I don’t think so, I’m still waiting for Sheila,”

“You two are inseparable huh,”

“Well, she’s like my other half,”

“Guess that means I’ve got some competition now, don’t I?”

“You do. And I didn’t even know you were into photography,”

“It’s just something I do by the side to earn a little something,”

“You seem to be good at it,”

“Not exactly, but I am not that bad either,”

“Maybe I should hire you to take some shots of me one of these days,”

He then pointed his camera toward me and took some shots.

“For you, I’ll gladly do it in a heartbeat,”

“Will you two stop flirting and bring my mirror back here,” Sheila snapped behind us.

“Well, I got to go. See you later I guess,”
I turned back to look at Sheila and her face said it all.

“What now?”

“Aren’t you moving on too fast missy,”

“Nothing is going on between Nathan and me. You’re just overthinking it,”

“I can see the chemistry,”

“That’s what you said with Kevin too,”

“There’s something different about how you look at Nathan,”

“So are you implying I’m into Nathan more than I’m into Kelvin,”

“The way you look at him, I’ve only ever seen you look at one other person, Chris,”

“I think you’re mistaken,”

“Deny all you want but you know I’m right. Anyway, let’s drop that subject and get back to how I look with this outfit,”

She was right. And I was just too stubborn to admit the truth. Maybe it’s the way he treated me or how he would flirt around. There were similarities between them, and maybe that’s why I was falling for him.