Enchanted

Chapter 17

Nicolette

The longer I ponder, the harder I put it into words. The longer I stall, the harder I confess the truth.

Sabrina stayed in school to work on the project in her AP art class and I had to grab this chance before it slipped out of my hand and never happened again.

Are you sure, Nicolette? You don't seem ready for any of it. You might regret- Shut up, I need no one to tell me whether I am ready or not. I can regret taking this action later but I cannot allow myself to regret not taking this action now.

The scorching September afternoon Sun burned my skin as soon as I stepped out of the school building. I wished Monday Blues applied to the weather but not my mood. The day was manic and I was a maniac.

"Cedric!" I yelled while running towards him at the parking lot. He stopped a foot away from his black Fort before turning his body 90 degrees towards my direction. His fit body blocked the Sun from hitting me, casting an almost-perfect shadow on the ground.

I hated him for being so good-looking. His look from head to toe is like a strong magnetic field that attracts the magnetic eyes of those girls in school and one of them is Sabrina Chen. Everything about him makes him every girl's dream. No doubt he would stand in front of the mirror just to admire himself.

As I got closer, I felt the warmth on my body absorbed into a black hole. Chills sent down my spine but I was not chickening out. I was determined to get into the conversation and end it just like how I practised last night.

"Hi, Nicolette," he raised his right hand before putting it down.

"Really? Hi?" My anger rose and I felt disgusted with his 'polite' gesture. "What do you think we are now? Strangers?"

"I'm sorry. I thought you wanted to start over so I didn't reach for you when I transferred here," he apologised and tilted his head down.

"That was what I thought too but fate makes the final decision. My best friend decides to fall for you. You know what this means, Cedric?" My voice got a little sentimental as I jumped straight into the topic. "This means I might be on the verge of losing someone important. Again." I answered my own question.

"I'm sorry for what happened to Madeleine 3 years ago. I still live a life full of guilt but that can't change anything. I really am sorry for you and your family."

"No amount of sorry's can make up for what happened!" I raised my voice. "I've lost her and it took me so much effort to mend my shattered heart. And here you are again, appearing out of nowhere during my senior year, trying to repeat history. You think this is fun? Taking people I love away from me?"

"Nicolette!" He shouted that leaving both of us shocked. He hesitated before saying "I didn't move here just for fun, okay? My grandfather passed away 2 months ago and my grandmother is sick. My parents are worried so I moved in to take care of her."

"Oh yeah? So your next answer would be my grandmother's house is near South Lake High School and I can go back and fro easily?" I laughed so hard that my tears rolled down my cheek, partly because I felt empathetic towards his grandmother.

He didn't want to argue with me about the fact that another school is situated 3 miles away and kept his eye on the ground all the time.

"Why does it have to be her? Why does it have to be you?"

"Nicolette!" He grabbed me by my shoulders with two hands but I shook them off with all of my strength.

"Why does it have to be me?" My head was spinning and my vision was blurred by the hot tears in my eyelids.

"You know I can't answer your questions," he sighed. "Why don't you tell me what you want me to do?"

"Tell Sabrina the truth. Tell her you don't want to be with her." I said callously like a robot while wiping the tears off my face.

"This is absurd! I could tell Sabrina the truth but rejecting her is too much! Do you even know what you're talking about?"

"Yes! And I meant it!"

"No! This is not you! This is not the Nicolette I knew. How can you be so selfish and treat your best friend like that? I admit that I like her when I first saw her in the hallway. But I was scared. I was still haunted by the mistake I did and I didn't want to hurt her so I kept it to myself." He paused for a second before continuing. "Then, Sabrina reached out to me. I thought to myself this is the sign to try to be in a relationship again. Everyone deserves a second chance and I promise myself I would not make stupid mistakes again."

I would believe him, I really would if I didn't see this movie before. "You said that to me the last time as well, remember? Madeleine came back with a scar on her calf because you chased her down the slope. Madeleine kept saying it was her fault for overlooking the stone on the ground, causing her to trip but you took the blame like a hero. Turned out, you made a bigger mistake." My voice became softer until it felt like a whisper.

"I know and I'm truly sorry. You probably won't forgive me but please, let me try again. You came here for a second chance and I guess I could apply this concept to myself too." "Sabrina isn't yours, you can't control her."

He was right. I couldn't control Sabrina. I was a narcissist who was inconsiderate of other people's feelings. A monster.

"I know you are worried about your friend, Nicolette. And you are right, about telling her the truth."

I nodded before walking away towards the school gate.

"One more thing."

I froze.

"I don't know how Sabrina will react to this but if she still wants to continue this relationship, I hope you respect her decision."

I took another step after another without turning back until I reached outside of the school building.

There will be consequences for every action and I realised I am not ready for any of it. Sabrina will hate me.

The evening was torturing. I was not able to complete my homework without being completely sidetracked by the conversation I had with Cedric just now.

The night was relentless. The air-conditioner broke down and I was sweating profusely even by sleeping on the floor. I just messed up my own life and the worst possibilities fed on me like maggots, eating me alive with the thought of losing Sabrina as my best friend forever.

I just have to act normal tomorrow, that's all.