Steal my Heart.

8

I flopped down on my bed, thinking about Alastair and our conversation today. Even recalling it makes me blush. I had momentarily forgotten all my shyness and it seemed like I was never socially awkward. I shut my eyes and press my pillow on my face. Come on Gracie, stop blushing!

I play with strands of my hair as I try to bring back to memory each word exchanged between us. What scares me is that it almost felt like a connection. Conversation just flowed, who would have thought that I would go so crazy over a guy?

It's not like I go mad if a hot guy talks to me. I talk to Stuart and I've exchanged sentences with other boys as well. But again, there's something to Alastair. He makes me want to curl in my bed and not stop smiling. He makes me want to act like a girl.

But then I'm afraid, what if I'm falling in love with him? What if this is my first ever love? No, we'll never be possible. Forget a relationship, even our friendship won't last long. Then if I think like that, are we even friends?

I take out my laptop and fire it up. Opening Google, I type in:

Signs that a girl likes a boy

I tap my feet against the headboard as I wait for the results to top up. I know I shouldn't be lying on my tummy since I just had dinner, but who even cares about all that?

The results come up and I open the first page.

1. She's always blushing around him. Everything he says or does, makes her happy and cheery.

This is something I do. I believe I'm not blushing but then my skin feels red and I want the ground to suck me up because of embarrasment.

2. No matter how he is, she thinks he's perfect. His flaws or bad habits don't matter to her.

Now this is something I don't do. I'm well aware of Alastair Kerr's playboy ways, though I question my image of him at times. I can see his flaws, even if he seems perfect to me at times.

3. She cares for him like a mother. She ensures he has his food, doesn't get hurt or takes enough rest.

Nah, not me. I don't know him enough to care for him like that. But if I do, will he let me pamper him like that?

4. She would look for ways to touch him and be close to him at all times, including laughing at all his jokes and making him feel special.

Not at all! I remember the distance Alastair and I kept between each other. Like we were in our own bubbles. And when bubbles touch, they don't merge with each other, they burst. And yeah, I laugh at his jokes because they're funny, I haven't seen the humorous side of him yet. I don't even try to make him feel special.

This is stupid. But atleast I got to know that I don't really like Alastair Kerr. Maybe it's just a matter of time. Once I get used to him, I'll stop behaving this way.

All of this is a part of his charm. Every girl feels like that in his vicinity. He isn't special, but he isn't ordinary either. That's why even Audrey agreed to go out with him.

Audrey Cabot was the most popular girl in her school, but she was rapidly climbing the social ladder at the Presidency as well. She was not only extremely good looking, but smart and confident as well. Everyone loved her. She mostly hung out with Stuart, Sassy and Alastair. They were dating when she perished in that horrific accident, I don't know how to feel about that. It's been a year, Alastair doesn't show any remorse or any signs of missing her. Sassy probably hated her, she can't stand any rivals, that too the ones as good as Audrey.

I flip off my laptop, shoving off the browser history into the trash. God forbid if Vanessa or Mel find this, I'm done for. Their teasing will never end.

I get out of my room and walk towards Van's. Mum is already sleeping and the lights are off except for a dim light in the passage. My lace frock flies about in the cool air and I stand outside Van's room when I hear some whispers and giggling. I look at the grandfather's clock in the living room and see that it's almost midnight. Who is she talking to?

I wait there for a few more minutes and knock when giggling and whispering sounds stop.
"Come in!" She announces and I walk in to see her lying on her pink bed with all things pink surrounding her. I never understand how someone could live in such a rainbow place and never get sick of it.

"Heylo Grace." She says, sounding far too casual and I cross my arms in front of me.
"Whom were you talking to?" I ask and her eyes widen momentarily before she shrugs.
"It was a friend."
"Which friend calls at midnight? Cinderella?"

"Very funny." She deadpans.
"Are you going to tell me or not? You've never hidden anything from me, how come you've changed all of a sudden?" I say softly and she blows a hair flick out of her face.

"Stop trying to make me feel guilty okay? I was talking to Simon." She says with a mischievous glint in her eyes and I jump on the bed.
"Whoa. How did you guys get talking?" I ask and she perks up, excited to tell me all about it.

"I went to watch his practice today with Tessa and we got talking. I hit it off with him and got the number! I like him, apart from being insanely hot, he is a cool guy." She says, blushing as she plays with the threads on the pillow cover.

"That's great. Just make sure he isn't a pervert, a drug addict, a rapist-"
"...a thief, a fool, an alcoholic and an idiot." Vanessa completes for me and we burst out laughing. That's dad phrase when it comes to lecturing his daughters about choosing the perfect guy. I miss him more at times like these.

I and Van talk some more and then I yawn as I realize it's high time I go to sleep.
"Good night Vanessa."
"Night Grace."

I wonder idly as I walk back to my room, that why did I intentionally miss out the meeting with Alastair when I was telling Van about my day.